-- 8/31 WWE Raw Reax

A.A. Norman of Tulsa, Okla. (5.0): Best: Fatal Four-way for U.S. Championship. Worst: DX skits. Some people are complaining that kids do not remember what DX was referring to when they relived the terrible WCW gimmick. Hell, I'm 26 and I didn't know what they were talking about! I never watched WCW until it came to WWE programming... and when it did, I remember it sucking. Anyway, I gave the show a 5 out of 10 because I only half-watched because of more Chavo burying, DX jokes that I didn't follow, and a mostly uneventful show. Each and every time I felt bored, I turned to Monday Night Football. I was bored a lot.

Brian Harmon of Saint Paul, Minn.: I missed more of the show than I saw, so I'm in no position to rate it. But I did see John Cena deliver one of the best wrestling promos I've seen in ages. There were no attempts to be funny, cute, or edgy. He was passionate, matter-of-fact, and built emotion deliberately. He raised the intensity of his voice without sounding like he was just yelling. It is one of the rare times I've seen a wrestler use cadence effectively. He actually got me interested in a match that is otherwise as warmed over as they come. The only downside was the idiotic shirt and cap he was wearing, though he did make great use of the cap at one point to further build intensity. These are the types of promos that sell wrestling shows. It does my old-school heart well to see this emerge out of an old-fashioned interview segment. When used properly (as was the case here), they are infinitely more effective than backstage or in-ring "skits." Kudos to Cena for this strong performance. Let's see more just like it...

We welcome your 0-10 score and comments on this show for a "WWE Raw Reax" feature in the Torch Feedback section of PWTorch.com. Just to add a twist to this feature, include not just your hometown, but also your occupation (mechanic, lawyer, stay-at-home-dad, college student, etc.) so readers get a flavor for what everyone does as "day jobs." To contribute your thoughts on Raw, click here.

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