-- 2/22 WWE Raw Reax

Patrick Michael of Rochester, N.Y. (7.0): A very good show following up the Elimination Chamber PPV. The show was not built around much in-ring action, but they really spent the night building my interest in the WrestleMania PPV and are really making it feel like something special. The Undertaker and Shawn Michaels angle was fantastic and really breathed new life into the feud. The six-man tag that led to Orton and Ted DiBiase finally having their confrontation was well done and really built intrigue. Cody taking the pinfall was a nice touch that will draw him into the feud. Batista meanwhile was not lost in the mix and his heel turn has really taken off. The chair beating at the end of the show was effective, as they don't use chairs that often anymore. It really gave the feud some much-needed heat.

Terrie Neilson of Las Vegas, Nev. (7.0): Best: Michaels-Taker promo (delivery); Batista as heel. Worst: Maryse vs. Gail; Michaels-Taker II (moral story). So, Jericho begged and pleaded with Edge more than once to choose the Raw champion, and Edge said he was going to make his Rumble choice on Raw. So why did Jericho, Smackdown Champion, come to Raw? This could have played out on Smackdown as a bait-and-switch of some kind. Cena vs. Batista is the title match on Raw now, but I'm still seeing Cena and Batista serving as surrogates to Vince vs. Bret. Gail-Maryse was a complete letdown after last night's bait and switch. The whole mechanical bullriding segment was yet another waste leading to a throwaway match that shouldn't have happened. No real mention how MVP earned both a U.S. and Tag Title shot after one non-title tag win. Legacy splitting is looking pretty obvious. The trigger has now been pulled and WWE can't look over their shoulder to pull back. After rumors of no MITB at WM26, it looks like it's back on. Smart move. Whereas the Rumble win more often than not is for the Big Valiant Face Push, Money In the Bank more often than not is the Big Opportunistic Heel Push. I just don't see Punk winning three in a row. ... Wow, screwjob begets screwjob: Wendi Richter to the HOF? How oddly ironic of a choice considering the current Bret storyline. It was funny there was no mention of the Original Screwjob in the announcement. ... Shawn Michaels and Undertaker had a well-delivered promo, but another message came through: without saying so, Shawn has announced his retirement. Had Michaels-Taker II been a complete quid pro quo of career vs. career, the inevitable path wouldn't be so unfettered. Last year, Michaels-Taker I was a dead giveaway on the result the second Shawn called himself "Mr. WrestleMania." The moment Shawn accepted with his career at stake, it's dead giveaway again. No one in the universe thinks Shawn will end The Streak, and already the match that has yet to happen is being compared negatively to the match that has happened. I'm a longtime Shawn Michaels fan, but as of tonight, I'm seriously contemplating sitting out this match (and thus WM26). Not because I don't think the match will be good; it should be. The message is that 25 years of kicking his own ass for the crowds, battling back from addiction and injuries, leaving MOTYs behind everywhere he goes means NOTHING without The Streak. Is this the moral message a father would tell his children? The end is inevitable, but this one is a mistake. And still no Teddy Long superkick follow-up, FYI.

Andrew Dillard of Cochran, Ga. (8.5): Best Moment: Tie between Chris Jericho in the opening segment and the Cena beat down to close the show. Worst Moment: Diva rodeo. This was the most focused and driven Raw that I have watched in a long, long time. It's just a shame that that only happens this time of year. Starting the show with Jericho was brilliant. The guy has been on top of his game for so long that it's nice to see the gold on him. The smug smile and "I'm going to WrestleMania!" mocking of Drew Brees was priceless. I would have liked to see the Edge segment played out differently, though. The spear worked fine, but giving Edge some more time on the mic would have worked much better. Let him tease who he's going to challenge. Not just a quick segment that barely had time to sink in before Cena was already in the ring. Plus, with Christian a member of Raw now, they could have had a mini-reunion between the two. That's really just me nit-picking though. I can't tell from the audience whether they love Randy Orton or are still seeing the same man who was kissing Stephanie and kicking Vince just last year. I'm rooting for him. I do know that much. The Legacy split is FINALLY starting to pan out. They did a great job with Randy destroying his own stable, but at the same time not letting you know if it was just tough love that is leading to the students jumping the teacher or if Randy has the jump on both of them and already knows about the plan that was mentioned earlier in the show. Either way, WWE finally has my interest with the inevitable feud coming. ... Ty Murray was actually likable and not just some goofy aw-shucks cowboy who didn't have a place on the show. Jewel was easy on the eyes and the ears too. Both seemed to really enjoy the experience even if they were involved in the worst segment of the night. For a show targeting youth, it was odd to see the Divas writhing on the bull. I imagine many eyes were covered by many mothers. The Miz and The Big Show almost saved it just because The Miz on the mic is money (tongue twister). The Miz is so close to a main event push. You can almost feel it. I see big things for him after the Mania dust has settled. ... If Christian doesn't win the MITB match, it's a crime. Imagine: Edge wards off Jericho and wins the belt and who is waiting to challenge him? It practically screams great television. Speaking of great TV, how about HBK and Taker? Although I don't agree with the career on the line stipulation, seeing the two together always sends chills down my spine. And if it is really Shawn's last match, you know he's going to go all out. I doubt that it can reach the lofty level that was set last year, but I have a feeling it might get closer than people think. Batista was wicked good at the end of the show with the beat down of Cena. His mannerisms and pacing really do a good job of selling the heartless assassin character. Cena sold really well too. If he wasn't loved before, the beating he took certainly put him over in the eyes of every mother's child. One more thing: have the "good things" that HBK promised to Vinnie Mac started happening yet? That was an interesting angle that could have worked Shawn into the Bret picture. As much as I loved the hug between them, I hope it didn't sabotage an angle. Overall, a solid show that definitely has me excited about the coming weeks.

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.

[Torch art credit Grant Gould (c) PWTorch.com]

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