-- 6/14 WWE Raw Reax

Blake Reilly, Frontier Ramp Agent (8.5): Best: main event (what there was of it). Worst: Santino-Regal. I enjoyed this show. I thought that the advancement of the NXT storyline was well done. I just wish that Bryan Danielson was there, but, hey, who knows what the future might bring? I though the guest host stuff was actually really funny this week. Then again, I'm a big fan of "Royal Pain" and I think Mark is just a funny person anyways. Besides, no one expected him to bring out the worm. The only thing I want to say about the end of Raw is they must have spent a lot of money destroying cars like that. It had to cost a pretty penny. But, you can't put a price on a good storyline, right?

Joe Ward of Raleigh, N.C. (7.0): Best: Four-way because Miz won. Worst: Big Show/Host tag match. Wade Barrett definitely has the mic skills to be a first-class player in WWE. The NXT angle follow-up was okay; I don't know what else they could have done since last week was so hot. One thought, though. At the end when Bret Hart called out the locker room to join him on stage to prevent a replay, then he disappeared, only to be kidnapped and put through driving school, what if Bret is the true instigator? What better way to get back at McMahon for Montreal than to make his flagship show an unpredictable nightmare. This way, he can have his own army and get the revenge he always wanted. It would be the easiest way to explain what happened to him at the end of the show.

David Carruthers, Torch reader: Comments on the NXT angle really caught my eye, as I see a lot of fans bad mouthing how the story is playing out. So I want to provide a different perspective on the whole situation. First off, I am a fan of Bryan Danielson, however, his absence in the NXT story does not hurt it. Would I love to see him come out and choke out Miz and the other Pros? Sure. But the fact of the matter is that it is still the best story that has gone on in WWE in a long time. The Rookies still need a little practice on the mic, as it's clear Otunga and Barrett are the best talkers thus far. I thought the way they wrote off Dragon was not too bad. It didn't make much sense, but then again, this is WWE. Even during the Austin Era, there was a lot of stuff that did not make sense; sometimes that's how wrestling works. As far as the end of Raw, it worked for me. Hart being in the back and not on stage with the rest of the roster did not take me out of the story. Heck, no other officials were standing guard. And the limo scene was okay. I would have liked it better if the camera went to the back and saw Hart lying in a pool of blood, but they can't do that now. So for being a PG show, the NXT angle still seems to be going as strong as it can. And on a final note, I strongly disagree with people who think that Danielson made the story.

John of Cocoa Beach, Fla. (8.0): Best Match: Jericho vs. Bourne. Worst Match: Big Show & Main Event Mark vs. DiBiase & Virgil. Raw had some very interesting teases that turned into storylines for the future. Should we call the NXT Rookies the NXO now? I was amused at Jerry Lawler's phrasing of them as "Radicals," with an interesting 2000 WWE/WCW reference. Personally, I thought it was going to be a swerve with the reveal that none other than Vince McMahon ordered the hit on John Cena last week for Bret Hart and the Hart Family destroying him at WrestleMania. The reason no one helped Cena would have been that if any Raw Superstar helped him, that person would have been fired. You also knew that when Bret "fired" Wade Barrett, he and the others would be back and that the Raw Roster would be ready en masse. After the brawl, Sheamus's reason for helping was totally booked on the money since he wants to be the one to take out John Cena. ... I was pleasantly surprised the Evan Bourne push continued. It appears Chris Jericho believes in him too by letting him hit Air Bourne. The look on Jericho's face makes me wonder if we're seeing the seeds planted for a Jericho face turn. I didn't like they made R-Truth drop the U.S. Title in his hometown. I did think of a good use for the Vuvuzela horns after the World Cup ends. Fans can use them to silence The Miz. ... Randy Orton's promo reminded me a lot of the old face Batista. He had few words and went straight to the point. And I guess WWE can't remind us enough that John Cena is Superman. He should not have been on the show to better sell his injuries from last week. I thought the final segment was well down with no winner, creating an incentive to buy the PPV. Who drove the limo that "injured" Bret Hart, and will the NXT Season One guys all get contracts? On a final note, it was interesting that Raw was in Charlotte and we didn't hear one "WHOO!"

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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