-- 3/29 WWE Raw Reax

Miguel Brizuela of Pasadena, Calif. (9.0): Best: HBK saying "goodbye." Worst: HBK saying "goodbye." My depression has set in as I have come to terms that I will not see HBK next week on WWE TV and maybe never again in a squared circle. His farewell speech made me laugh, cry, and remember why I have been a wrestling fan for more than 20 years now. From top to bottom (except for the Divas "match" and hot tub segments), I thought Raw was a very good show. Miz continues to impress me week after week on the mic and on the mat. The remark about only needing 17 more wins left until he ties the Undertaker reminded me of Santino's Honk-o-Meter. Seeing the Hart Dynasty in action made me think how eerie Davey Boy and D.H. Smith look so much alike and also made me "Thank God" that Natalya doesn't look like the Anvil. Sheamus's attack on a crying, vulnerable Triple H was AWESOME to make people hate his guts even more now! Christian winning over DiBiase gives me hope that VinnyMac is starting to like him a little more. Orton as a face still rubs me the wrong way and so do his facial expressions of constipation during his RKO slither build up. Batista as a heel is one of the best angles going currently and makes me wonder how much leather one man could own.

John of Cocoa Beach, Fla. (7.0): Best Match: Shawn Michaels farewell speech. Worst: Hot tub. How fitting that WrestleMania week and Shawn Michaels's farewell speech took place in the home of the Arizona Cardinals, where star NFL QB Kurt Warner, also a born-again Christian, retired after the last NFL season. It's amazing how Shawn grew from a jobber in Mid-South, then a Midnight Rocker in the AWA, went to WWF as a Rocker, was fired by WWF, then rehired by WWF, broke through on his own with his first heel turn on partner Marty Jannetty, then became the Heartbreak Kid accompanied by the late Sherri Martel, formed the Kliq behind-the-scenes and DX on-screen, had the Montreal Screwjob and feud with Bret Hart, became Mr. WrestleMania, was defeated in the match that really began the Stone Cold Era at WrestleMania 14, and ends his career with two tries to end Undertaker's streak. It was a nice touch by Taker to tip his hat to Shawn. It choked me up to see the tears run down Shawn's face. Shawn mentioned how Vince McMahon probably saved his life, but also in some ways, Kevin Nash did the same by introducing him to the former Nitro Girl Whisper, who would become Shawn's wife Rebecca. I know that next year's Mania will be in Atlanta and the Hall of Fame voting will probably be a bunch of old WCW personalities, but if Vince McMahon has any sense, Shawn Michaels will headline the Class of 2011. Matches, what matches after this? Well, I guess Dave Batista is now Brock Batista, and Jack Swagger is Jack Angle. Cena and Orton worked well together, but teased enough tension to where you could see another feud over the title. Sheamus's attack on Triple H set up another feud, and I liked the Miz's promo on Bret Hart. Miz is the second best heel on the mic behind Chris Jericho. A Raw that would have been mediocre at best was elevated by Shawn's farewell. And much like when "Stone Cold" Steve Austin left a can of beer in the ring, Triple H closed the DX era with glowsticks on the entranceramp, and thankfully the bitter emotions of Montreal seemed to fade as well.

Adam D. of Edmonton, Alb. (9.0): Best: Shawn Michaels farewell, John Cena & Randy Orton vs. Batista & Jack Swagger. Worst: 10-Divas Fail. First and foremost, Shawn Michaels is without a doubt the greatest wrestler that has ever laced up a pair of boots. He invoked the kind of feelings and emotions into a crowd that few people ever have, and surely ever will. His evolution as a person and a character were truly unique and I'm sure any true fan of the business could feel the special nature of what we were hearing, as you could see the tears streaming from Shawn Michaels's eyes. Triple H's emotional promo about his friend followed by Sheamus's lead pipe assault did more to build credibility and heat for the young superstar then I think his reign as WWE Champion did (and that's reeeally sad). The opening was great, although I'm not overly happy about another WWE Title change at WrestleMania. I think that is what tore up Randy Orton's momentum as a heel last year. ... One thing I dislike about WrestleMania sometimes is that WWE will give up logical storyline direction for that "feel good moment." This was evident from the amount of times I've heard the phrase "WrestleMania moment" over the last week. Batista, like most dominant heels, would be much more credible in the midst of a long reign as WWE champion. There was not enough build-up between Elimination Chamber and WrestleMania to feel like this should have been the big payoff with Cena winning. Batista chasing Cena just doesn't appeal to me as much. It was, however, nice to see Jack Swagger immediately get the rub from the main eventers and getting to be in the main event. He did a wonderful job and I hope the push continues. Christian vs. Ted DiBiase felt uninspired, and I wonder why they didn't use the Legends at WrestleMania, especially Million Dollar Man. Bret Hart's farewell promo was okay, but seeing ShoMiz interrupt him made me happy. The Miz was right on about Bret stealing his time, and I hope the rub for The Hart Dynasty continues. I like how Big Show is playing mentor to Miz, as Miz is playing mentor to Daniel Bryan. I just wish the Unified Tag Titles felt more important. Overall, this was a great episode of Raw. If you're going to have the Divas and guest hosts in awful segments, I'm just glad they were kept relatively short to focus on the true event of the night. It's sad to think that this will probably be the last time Bret Hart, Undertaker, and Shawn Michaels will all appear on Monday Night Raw. I'm sure he's heard it enough over the last two days but...thank you, Shawn!

We welcome your 0-10 score and comments on these shows for a "TV 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 and Impact, click here.

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