By Jon Mezzera, Torch Specialist

RAW HITS

Opening Segment: I had mixed feelings about the way Raw started this week. There were parts of it that I did not like, but enough of it that I did to give it a marginal Hit. I said in my Misses of 2011 that Mick Foley could be used in such a better way than just making comedy cameos, so part of me is glad that he was in a more serious role here. However, that role should not be in the ring. With all due respect to Foley and his career achievements, and to his children who might want to see him wrestle once more in a meaningful way (i.e. not in TNA), I do not want to see more of him wrestling. The idea that a legend would want one more chance at the big time by entering in the Royal Rumble is good as it underscores the importance of the event. But, I don't want that legend to be Foley.

On a side note, Foley being a former three-time WWE Champion should sound like a huge deal, but the way WWE has treated the Title so poorly over the last twelve years or so, it really isn't that impressive when you think about the fact that since Foley's third WWE Title win in 1999, seven wrestlers have won the title at least three times (with Triple H, Kurt Angle, John Cena, and Randy Orton all winning it at least five times! - and this doesn't include World Title reigns either!).

Back to the opening, I loved Dolph Ziggler interrupting Foley. Ziggler was great on the mic. He was entertaining, but in a heelish manner. He did make a few good points that heels shouldn't make, which was part of my mixed feelings on the segment. However, most of the promo was very well written, and all of it was very well delivered. This was perhaps the first time I truly saw Ziggler as a main eventer on the mic. The segment went down a bit with C.M. Punk coming out. He was good in parts, but the bickering and pot shots at Vickie Guerrero didn't really work. In the end, it was the great mic work from Ziggler and the hype of the Royal Rumble (both in terms of Punk vs. Ziggler and the importance of the Rumble match itself) that put the opening in the Hit column.

Over the Top Rope Challenge: While only four minutes long, I enjoyed the over the top rope challenge between R-Truth, Wade Barrett, Sheamus, and The Miz. The segment that proceeded it was fun with Truth and Barrett's verbal encounter. I was confused as to how Teddy Long can take over the show just because John Laurinaitis is a little busy (more later). The match itself was short but entertaining and a good way to hype the Rumble, while also playing up some of the personal issues that are at play. I liked how Miz helped Sheamus and Truth eliminate Barrett. Sheamus got in a good amount of offense to keep his fans (who are really behind him right now) happy. I also liked how Truth got the win. If they were the final four in the Rumble, he would be the least likely winner, so it was good to see him win here as sort of a way to show how anything can happen in the Rumble.

Cena's Hate: This was well done to play into John Cena's storyline with Kane. I'm not totally sure where WWE is going with it. I haven't liked everything about this angle, but I have liked some parts of it, including what happened between Cena and Jack Swagger. Cena took out his anger at Kane, as well as what happened to his injured friend Zack Ryder who lost the United States Title to Swagger earlier in the show, on Swagger as he just destroyed him. Now, I would like to see Swagger protected more, but I understand that this was a case where there wasn't really a match and Swagger has the excuse of being caught off guard by a rampaging Cena. What worked is that Cena did what Kane has been telling him to do by embracing his hate. It will be interesting to see where they go from here.

Jericho: Once again, a highlight of Raw was Chris Jericho, this time in his antics during his first match back in one and a half years. This was very predictable, but still well done. Jericho hadn't managed to generate a lot of heel heat after his first two appearances. Fans are still cheering him. This was a good way to take his turn up a notch with him acting excited to be there, excited to be part of the match, and excited to tag into the match with his over the top performance, but then walk out and not actually give the fans what they want to see. They want to hear him speak and he is silent. They want to see him wrestle, but he doesn't. It was another good step and another moment that made me want to know what he is up to.

RAW MISSES

Tag Title Match: I appreciate the fact that WWE had a title change at a house show. It just makes sense to do it every once in a while to show the fans that they might actually see a Title switch. It is good for business. It was nice to see the footage of Primo & Epico winning the Titles from Air Boom. However, the mandatory rematch was a let down. There is plenty of talent between Primo, Epico, Kofi Kingston, and Evan Bourne to have a very good tag match, but they were given less than three minutes. I guess it makes the new Tag Team Champions look strong by beating the former Champs so quickly, but I assume that wasn't the actual reason for the short match. Why not let the fans see some good wrestling action for a change? Or, if you want fans to pay to see such a thing, then build it up for two weeks and have the rematch at the PPV and give them the 10+ minutes they should have had here.

Lack of Consistency: WWE is way too inconsistent with its rules and some of its characters. Why would John Laurinaitis who tried to influence Teddy Long in his decision making about Smackdown's Royal Rumble participants on Friday, allow Long to help run Raw? That was totally out of character for him. My bigger issue in consistency is the rules, which as a simulated sport, should be consistent. Awhile back on Smackdown, a match took place between Daniel Bryan and Mark Henry in which Bryan won the World Title. Long then over turned that decision saying that the match never officially took place due to Henry not being physically cleared to wrestle by doctors. Here, a match took place in which Swagger defeated Ryder to win the US Title. Afterwards, Laurinaitis said that he had just learned that Ryder was not cleared by doctors to compete, yet the match and the result stood. It was the same exact situation, yet the exact opposite result.

End of the Show: Like the opening of Raw, I have mixed feelings about the closing, but this time it is a Miss. My wife said to me while Foley pounded away at David Otunga, "it just doesn't look like it hurts when Foley hits people any more." As I said earlier, I don't want to see Foley wrestle again. C.M. Punk was good afterwards in berating Laurinaitis. He delivered his promo very well, but his focus should not be on an authority figure, it should be on his Royal Rumble opponent. I have not been a fan of Punk vs. Laurinaitis, even if it has had some good moments here and there. I was not pleased to see Laurinaitis name himself as the special referee for Punk vs. Ziggler at the PPV as I was concerned it would turn into an angle, not a match and that is exactly what has happened with Laurinaitis' admission that he plans to screw Punk out of the WWE Title and Punk's threat to destroy him if he does. Throw in physicality between Laurinaitis and Foley and you end up with too much involvement from retired wrestlers who shouldn't be in the ring any longer. So despite a "feel good" moment of Foley getting the win and the strong promo from Punk, I still have to give the final moments of Raw a Miss.

Jon Mezzera is PWTorch.com's WWE Hits & Misses Specialist, providing his point of view for Raw and Smackdown each week. Email him at jmezz-torch@sbcglobal.net.

For another view from the original Hitlist author, compare Jason Powell's views to mine by visiting prowrestling.NET's "Hitlist" section here.

[Miz photo credit Mike Lano (c) PWTorch.com]

We suggest these recent related articles...

9/28 WWE Raw Hits & Misses: Kane's Split Personality, Divas Revolution, Heyman & Big Show, Reigns vs. Wyatt

9/7 WWE Raw Hits & Misses: Paige vs. Banks, Rollins vs. Ryback, Orton vs. Sheamus, Cena & PTPs vs. Rollins & New Day

8/24 WWE Raw Hits & Misses: Opening Segment, New Day, Dudleys return, Stewart, Sting