-- WWE Raw Reax 1/30

Jason Rodriguez, PWTorch reader: Some of my favorite matches are Flair vs. Steamboat, Michaels vs. Hart, and Benoit vs. Guerrero. I've added to my favorite matches Punk vs. Bryan. Their match was excellent until Jericho got involved, but I'm sure I may add Jericho vs. Punk to my list. I can't wait to see what develops out of this.

Dave Harlequin of Charlotte, N.C. (9.5): Best Match: Punk-Bryan. Worst Match: Clay-Reks. Best Raw I've seen in quite some time. Almost every match and segment was very well-done and enjoyable, with Brodus Clay being the only exception. I just cannot get why many people love him - I don't think the guy is that good... Randy Orton looked great in his return against Ziggler, Punk-Bryan was fantastic, and Jericho's post-match attack was perfectly done to advance everyone involved. Miz-Kofi was surprisingly good, and I even enjoyed the Divas match, as Beth Phoenix squashing Eve was very believable... Cena's beat down on Kane was better than the one at the Rumble, and finally, The Undertaker's return was a nice touch at the end. WWE really delivered here - this was way better than last night's PPV - and it was free to watch!

Darren of Roseville, Calif.: Now, that is how you get viewers back believing in Raw! In my opinion, this was the best Raw since the Nexus's attack two years ago. Coming off a lackluster Royal Rumble with a plethora of mid-carders, this got me going and ready for WrestleMania, forget about Elimination Chamber. This is how you write a show!

Chris Davidson of Sellersburg, Ind. (8.0): Best Match: Punk vs. Bryan. Worst Match: Beth Phoenix vs. Eve. I thought Raw was pretty good this week, and definitely began to clean up the Rumble aftermath, and set things up for Mania. Sheamus impressed me on the mic at the start of the show, but maybe I'm just enamored with his Irish brogue and fake Irish sayings... The Funkasaurus's match was nice, as it helped develop his character a little more, and showed he isn't unstoppable. I bet Tyler Reks is wishing he had the Funkasaurus gimmick right now... The Ziggler-Orton match was great, and helped make Ziggler look weak (so Jericho looks like the number one contender against Punk) and it made Orton look strong going into his match "Friday" with Barrett... The Punk-Bryan match was solid, and, while I normally hate non-finishes, I really liked how they used the DQ to keep Bryan's winning gimmick and heel turn alive... I enjoyed the Miz-Kofi match, and think it really added some credibility to Kofi being in the Elimination Chamber, even if he's only in the match for some awesome spots. I thought Kharma might interfere in the Beth Phoenix-Eve match, until I realized Kane and Cena had not been seen yet. Their fracas looked good, and seemed like a good way to at least give Cena some sort of an edge... The ending segment with Triple H and Laurinaitis may have gone a little long, but seeing The Undertaker return made it all worth it, especially if Johnny is gone for good. I also like the idea of Hunter's "personal issues" perhaps being resolved, thus he doesn't feel the need to take on The Deadman at this year's Mania, even though in the end, he probably will. Overall, this week's Raw kept my fiancee and me entertained, and set up the next two PPVs.

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 or email us at pwtorch@gmail.com.

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

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