-- 12/28 WWE Raw Reax

Matt Valcho of Shreveport-Bossier, La. (4.25/5.00): The first hour of this show made me think, Raw is going off this year with a bang. Wrong! The championship matches were both terrible. First, Timbaland setting up Kofi vs. The Miz out of the blue and making Kofi win once to get the title shot the same night? I did like the fact Kofi didn't win the U.S. Title after Orton caused the DQ to set up next week. The WWE Championship match was a terrible way to end '09. At least let someone win fairly. Three-fourths of the title matches in a five-day stint ended by DQ. That's terrible. Other than that, it was an excellent show with great hype for Bret Hart next week and another tease of a Micheals-Taker re-match at WM26, or even an HBK-Hart feud. With WWE, we can never be certain.

Luke Fleeman of Tulare, Calif. (5.0): Best: Bret Hart Announcement. Worst: Maryse vs. Kelly Kelly. This was a strange Raw. It was much better than the last two weeks, and some of it seemed improved, but other parts seemed just as bad as usual. Most of the positives were offset by negatives. I thought they did a great job of reminding everyone of Bret Hart's history and bringing young viewers up to date on who he was. Involving Vince and HBK made it seem like a real event. It may not end well, but it seems like a good start. DX was better than usual, because they seemed more focused on matches and titles than zany antics, but we still had to tolerate Hornswoggle shenanigans. Who does that midget have dirt on? Someone is paying him for this garbage. Kofi and Orton must continue, but at the cost of the Miz's push. Legacy teased a break-up again, and then it evaporated just as quickly. Maryse cut a strange promo that didn't make any sense. The strangest part of the night was Timbaland. He was barely on, and the wrestlers were booking matches for next week instead of him. Did anyone tell Timbaland he was going to be on national TV? Who wears saggy sweatpants on national TV? He looked like a goofy couch potato, not a musician. Just weird.

Jordan Johnson of Muncie, Ind. (8.5): Best Segment: Vince-Shawn. Worst Segment: Miz-MVP/Timbaland. Shows like this are why shows like last week's Raw disappoint so many people. This was an outstanding show. There wasn't much wrong, other than some of the rough-around-the-edges segments with Timbaland. I thought he would be much better. Jericho is golden. Imagine the WWE the last couple years if he hadn't come back to WWE. Cena and Sheamus had a strong opening, minus Cena's "this show is about the WWE Universe." Despite that fact being true, or at least it should be, Cena seems like such a kiss-ass constantly. The Legacy storyline is interesting. Might we see a triple threat at WrestleMania? Probably wishful thinking. Maryse has a charisma that I've never seen in a female wrestler. She might be something special here soon. The Vince-Shawn promo was money. If it wasn't obvious there is going be a Bret-Vince feud, I wouldn't have a clue who that promo was starting a feud with. Vince went after Shawn, Taker, and Bret. On a side note, I can't believe Bret is coming back. He was always the one I said "never" would return, which shows that you really can never say never. ... Miz vs. Kofi - I'm in the minority, but I've just never gotten behind Kofi. The first time I saw him was in a dark match before a Smackdown taping, and from that point forward I've never been a huge fan. There is hope, though. I hated the sight of Miz when he debuted and now he is slowly becoming a highlight of Raw. For everyone that will get uptight because Triple H made a couple of gay jokes, I'd suggest obtaining a sense of humor. Or possibly not watch Raw if it bothers you that much. ... I really thought (feared) Cena would win the WWE Title back tonight and I was delighted when he didn't. If WWE is interested in making Sheamus a mega-star, have him defeat Cena at Royal Rumble, then have him hold the title and retain it at WrestleMania. If that happens, I'd bet on Triple H being his opponent. There is no reason this couldn't be done if that is the direction they want to go. With Edge-Jericho, Shawn-Taker II, Bret-Vince, Money in the Bank, and a Smackdown World Title match, I doubt a Sheamus title match would hurt the buyrate too much.

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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