This Week In Review – Monday Night Raw

WWE RAW Opener: 

Tonight’s WWE RAW Supershow opens up with a video for Memorial Day. Tonight’s show is dedicated to all of our fallen soldiers. 

We’re live from the New Orleans Arena as Big Show makes his way out in a suit. Michael Cole welcomes us to RAW and he’s joined by Jerry Lawler. 

Show has a smile on his face and he tells everyone that this is him doing his job. Show says that it was easy to make the people smile. He says that it was a calculated business decision because he made a living doing it. He was a business man who happened to be a giant. All of that is over now. Show appreciates the ‘whats’ and he says that is why he loves them so much. Show says that he doesn’t have to smile now because he has an iron clad contract. The crowd chants for John Cena and Show reminds us that he has an iron clad contract with a big bonus so he is set for life. Show says that he can do whatever he wants whenever he wants to whoever he wants and he doesn’t have to worry about having to put smiles on the people’s faces. 

Show says that he is seven foot tall and four hundred forty one pounds. He is not an entertainer, he is a giant. There is no one in his league. There is no NFL player, NBA player, or phony UFC fighter, or anyone in the WWE who is in his league. 

That is why not one WWE superstar came to his defense when he was at the most humiliating moment in his life, when he was begging for his job. 

We see footage of what happened after Show was fired two weeks ago, and we see Brodus Clay and the Funkettes dancing with some members of the WWE Universe. 

Show’s tears were not even dry in the ring and Brodus Clay was dancing. Two friends of his, Kofi Kingston and R Truth were yukking it up after he got fired. It was easy for everyone to move on. Show calls the fans shallow and phony. After all that, there is one guy who disappointed him more than the fans. That person is John Cena. Show says that he thought Cena was going to fight for him when Cena was in the ring with Laurinaitis. He thought Cena was going to threaten a mutiny in the locker room if Laurinaitis didn’t hire him back right away. 

Instead we see what really happened and we see Cena calling Laurinaitis a loser many times. 

Show says that Cena made jokes. Show says that he must be one big joke to everyone. Cena hurt him when he didn’t care. Last week, he hurt Cena and knocked him out twice in twenty four hours. 

Show says that what he is going to do to John Cena at No Way Out is not going to be pretty. Cena will be standing across the ring from an unstoppable giant. Cena may think that his greatest loss happened at Wrestlemania to the Rock. Cena may think that he was beaten the worst by Brock Lesnar. Cena may think that he was embarrassed the most by losing to John Laurinaitis. Cena will suffer from all three at No Way Out and Show says that puts a smile on his face. 

Still to come tonight, CM Punk vs. Daniel Bryan in a non-title match. If Bryan wins, he earns a title shot. We see United States Champion Santino Marella backstage warming up for a match against Alberto Del Rio. Back to commercial. 

Alberto Del Rio vs. Santino Marella 

We go to the ring and Ricardo Rodriguez begins the introduction as Alberto Del Rio comes in driving a Bentley. Out next comes the WWE United States Champion Santino Marella for this non-title match. 

The bell rings and Del Rio attacks. Del Rio beats Santino down and unloads on him. Santino comes back and brings out the Cobra. Del Rio blocks it and applies the cross armbreaker. Santino taps out to end it.

Winner: Alberto Del Rio 

After the match, Del Rip rps off the Cobra as Ricardo gets in Santino’s face and announces Del Rio the winner. Del Rio shoves the Cobra in Santino’s mouth. 

Backstage: 

Eve Torres is backstage with Alex Riley. He says she’s doing a fantastic job and talks about how good she looks. Big Show walks up. Eve says John Laurinaitis is letting Show pick his opponent tonight. Eve walks off and Show stares at Riley. Show tells him to relax, he’s not picking him. Show says but there is a message he would like to send to the WWE locker room. Show slams Riley face first into the concrete wall and walks off. Back to commercial. 

WWE Tag Team Title Match 

Jack Swagger and Dolph Ziggler vs. R-Truth and Kofi Kingston 

Back from the break and out come the WWE Tag Team Champions R-Truth and Kofi Kingston. Vickie Guerrero is out next to introduce Dolph Ziggler and Jack Swagger. 

Kofi starts things out with Swagger and takes control. Early tag to R-Truth. Truth with more offense and a 2 count. Truth taunts Swagger and dumps him over the top. Ziggler comes in but Kofi meets him. The champs double team Ziggler and kick him out of the ring. Kofi and Truth clear the ring as we go back to commercial. 

Back from the break and Swagger has Kofi down on the mat after taking control during the commercial. Swagger takes Kofi back into the corner. He fights off Ziggler and Swagger but gets taken back to the corner and double teamed. Ziggler tags in and drops a big elbow for a 2 count. Kofi fights back. Ziggler misses the splash in the corner and tries for a tag. Truth comes in when Swagger tags in. Truth unloads on Swagger and rolls him up for 2. 

Truth continues and drops Swagger for another 2 count as Ziggler breaks the pin. Ziggler and Kofi go at it and end up outside. Truth goes back at it with Swagger and drops him on his face for the win. 

Winners: R-Truth and Kofi Kingston 

After the match, Ziggler has words with Swagger and Vickie. Ziggler says he’s better than this and storms off as Vickie begs him not to go and Swagger looks on. 

Backstage: 

Santino Marella is backstage with a trainer, holding his arm. Big Show says maybe he will pick Santino tonight. Show grabs Santino’s face and asks him if it’s funny now. Brodus Clay appears and says Show can address his beef to his face. Brodus tells Show to pick him tonight and he will give him something to cry about. Show promises that Brodus won’t be dancing after tonight. 

Still to come tonight, Punk vs. Bryan with a future title shot on the line. Back to commercial.

In the Arena:

Back from the break and out comes John Laurinaitis on his scooter. He’s got Eve Torres and David Otunga at his side as they head to the ring.

Laurinaitis announces Big Show vs. Brodus Clay. He then announces that Big Show vs. John Cena at No Way Out will now be a Steel Cage Match. Laurinaitis says he’s become the most popular WWE star in history after defeating John Cena at Over the Limit. Laurinaitis talks about WWE ’13 coming out in September. Laurinaitis reveals the new cover of the video game and he’s on the front. The music of WWE Champion CM Punk hits and out he comes.

Punk looks at the mock up of the cover and he has a smile on his face. Punk says that Pac Man is a timely reference. Neither Pac Man nor John have any testicles. Punk says that there wasn’t a groundswell to put him on the cover. He says that John isn’t that popular at all. Being on the cover of WWE ’13 is prestigious.

Punk says that the actual person featured on the cover of WWE ’13 is a whole hell of a lot better looking than John.

We see the real cover and it is CM Punk whose face we see.

Punk says that his is a lot bigger than John’s. Punk says that Eve is looking at the cover. A wrestling video game with an actual wrestler featured on the cover, what a concept. Punk tells John to take the Hoeski and Carlton out of the ring with him.

Punk talks about the type of match that John is going to put him in tonight, but he has to beat Daniel Bryan so he tells John to get out of his ring. Punk says that he doesn’t think that John wants any more ammunition for the Board to aim at him.

John wishes Punk luck and then he leaves the ring with Otis and Miss Tessmacher. Punk takes the Laurinaitis cover and tries to kick a hole in it as we go to commercial.


CM Punk vs. Daniel Bryan 

They lock up and Bryan with a side head lock and shoulder tackle. Punk with a hip toss and arm drag into an arm bar and then he tries to contort Bryan’s body to add extra pressure. Bryan gets to his feet but Punk with a wrist lock. Bryan with a reversal and take down into a wrist lock. Bryan stomps on Punk’s elbow when he puts it on the mat and then he goes to a hammer lock on Punk.

Punk with elbows to get out of the hold. Bryan tries for a leap frog but Punk catches him and hits a reverse atomic drop. Punk with knee drops to the midsection and he gets a near fall. Punk with a body scissors as he continues to work on Bryan’s ribs. Punk turns it into a bow and arrow but Bryan escapes and gets a near fall with a lateral press. Punk gets a near fall but Bryan with a near fall after a jackknife cover. Punk bridge and tries for a back slide. Punk with a back breaker and he gets a near fall.

Punk drops Bryan on the top rope but Bryan drops Punk’s arm on the top rope and then Bryan with a knee from the top rope to the head. Bryan with a baseball slide and Punk goes to the floor. Bryan with another baseball slide but Punk moves. Punk with a kick and a springboard cross body and both men are down.

AJ Lee makes her way to ringside and we go to commercial.

We are back and Punk is kicking Daniel Bryan in the corner while AJ watches at ringside. We see footage from the commercial break when Bryan hit a running knee off the apron. Punk tries for a suplex but Bryan lands on his feet. Bryan flips out of the corner but he runs into a boot from Punk. Punk tries for a cross body from the turnbuckles but Bryan moves out of the way. Bryan with a running drop kick to Punk.

Bryan works on the arm and bends it in ways that the arm is not supposed to. Punk with kicks but Bryan returns to the arm and Punk goes down. Bryan sets for the running drop kick into the corner and he hits it. Bryan gets a near fall. Punk tries to keep his injured arm away from Bryan for the Yes Lock. Punk kicks Bryan but Bryan is able to get to the arm and Bryan hits a Northern Lights suplex and bridge for a near fall.

Bryan with an arm bar but Punk with forearms. Bryan returns to working on the shoulder to stop Punk. Punk with a knee to the midsection. Punk with kicks and punches to Bryan. Punk hits the leg lariat and clothesline followed by a swinging neck breaker for a near fall.

Punk hits the running knee into the corner but he cannot hit the bulldog. Punk with a rollup when Bryan misses a round kick and he gets a near fall. Bryan with European uppercuts but Punk with an Irish whip.

Bryan sends Punk to the apron and Punk with a shoulder followed by the springboard clothesline for a near fall. Punk goes up top for the elbow drop but Bryan recovers and he crotches Punk on the top rope. Bryan with a superplex and he gets a near fall. Bryan exposes the turnbuckle and AJ tells the referee. Bryan yells at AJ and Punk with a round kick and he gets a near fall.

Punk wants to know why AJ is out here. Punk pulls down the knee pad and Bryan sends Punk into the exposed turnbuckle and Bryan gets the three count.

Winner: Daniel Bryan

After the match, Bryan chants “yes” as AJ looks upset that Punk lost. Bryan turns around to Kane with a steel chair. Kane drops Bryan with the chair and then chokeslams him on top of it. AJ slides Punk a steel chair. Punk meets Kane with it and unloads on him. Punk beats Kane with the chair until he flees from the ring. Punk’s music hits as he exchanges looks with AJ.

Back to commercial.

Christian vs. The Miz

Back from the break and out comes WWE Intercontinental Champion Christian. Michael Cole finally brings up Chris Jericho’s suspension and says he is not here. We have Cody Rhodes on commentary as The Miz makes his way out.

They lock up and go at it. Christian with an early pin attempt but Miz kicks him in the face for a 2 count. Miz takes control and gets some near falls. Christian comes off the top and takes the match back. Christian with the big right hand from the floor. Christian drops Miz and calls for the spear but runs into a big boot. Miz with a close 2 count.

More back and forth action. Cody gets up and distracts Christian, allowing Miz for a 2 count. They trade holds and counters as Cody heads up the ramp and watches. Christian finally catches Killswitch. He goes to the top and hits the frogsplash for the win.

Winner: Christian

Backstage:

Eve Torres, David Otunga and John Laurinaitis are backstage. They send Teddy Long to get coffee. John isn’t happy with their performances. He talks about Sheamus. Otunga wans a match against him tonight. Laurinaitis says he needs people he can count on. Teddy comes back in his maid outfit and hands Eve cold coffee. She spits it out on him. He says it’s supposed to be cold, it’s iced coffee. Teddy shakes his head in frustration as we go back to break.

Back from the break and The Miz is in the ring complaining. He says he made Team Laurinaitis win at WrestleMania and wants to know where his iron-clad contract is. Miz wants his video game cover, his title shot and his bonus. He says he isn’t leaving the ring when Randy Orton’s music hits and out he comes to interrupt. Miz runs his mouth but Orton just walks up and lays him out with an RKO. Orton hits the corners to pose for the fans.

We see Dolph Ziggler and Vickie Guerrero watching backstage. Ziggler says that needs to be him. He wants Vickie to get him out of the tag team with Swagger. She says she will see what she can do.

Still to come, Show vs. Clay. We see Sheamus walking backstage for his match against David Otunga.

Lawler and Cole lead us into a pre-recorded video from John Cena with Cena talking about what Memorial Day means to him.

David Otunga vs. Sheamus 

Back from the break and out first comes Sheamus. The World Heavyweight Champion Sheamus is out next for this non-title match.

The bell rings and they start brawling. Sheamus takes it to the corner. Sheamus blocks a hip toss with a big clothesline and sends Otunga to the apron. Otunga counters a powerslam and runs over Sheamus for a 2 count. Otunga with forearm shots to the chest and a shoulder for two 2 counts. Otunga with a third pin attempt. Otunga with knees and more forearms in the corner. Sheamus blocks a clothesline and runs over Otunga twice. Sheamus dumps him to the apron and hits the big forearm shots to the chest.

Sheamus comes back, hits White Noise and then the Brogue Kick for the win.

Winner: Sheamus

Brodus and the Funkettes dance in the back as we go to commercial.

Brodus Clay vs. Big Show 

Back from the break and out comes Brodus Clay with Naomi and Cameron dancing. The music stops and Brodus loses his smile as Big Show makes his entrance next. Show has a mic and says he’s a big fan of Brodus. He says he thought he sold out at WrestleMania 21 when he did the sumo match but that’s nothing compared to Clay. Show says Clay does embarrassing things nightly. Show continues running his mouth as he walks down the ramp. Show compares Clay to Doink the Clown but says Doink had talent. Clay is waiting outside the ring for Show now. Show charges and spears Clay on the floor. Show gets up and works Clay over on the floor, hitting him with a big chop against the fan barrier. Clay fights back but Show throws him into the ring post.

Show continues working Clay over as the crowd boos and his dancers look on from the ring. Show begins to take apart the announcers table. Kofi Kingston runs down but Show catches him in mid-air. R-Truth runs over but Show throws Kofi into him. Show breaks the announcers table and grabs a piece of it. He smiles before cracking Brodus in the back with it several times. The crowd chants for Cena now.

Show grabs R-Truth now and beats him up some more. Kofi tries again but Show stops him and throws him through the barrier into the timekeeper box. Show continues his carnage and decks Clay with a big knockout punch to the face. We go to replays and come back to Show walking around the ring still. Clay is laid out and so are Truth and Kofi. Show’s music hits and he walks up the ramp. He’s met by John Laurinaitis. Laurinaitis raises Show’s hand up in the air. Cole mentions that John Cena will be here live next week. RAW goes off the air with Show and Laurinaitis shaking hands.

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