WWE Raw Review 1/23/12

(Note: This is the Raw before Royal Rumble. So I guess this is the week we see Johnny Ace's true colors and see him truly become a heel. Also we will see CM Punk's fight to still hold the WWE Champ. So many stories will be left in the air once Royal Rumble come and go. I hope Zack will get a chance to get the US title back. We will see.)

Opening Segment: CM Punk comes out and calls out Johnny Ace. He talks about how he's going to break his arms if he's screwed out of the title. They show the end of last week's Raw with Johnny Ace basically going to screw Punk out of the title. Instead of Johnny Ace, John Cena comes out. This was funny. Cena calls out Johnny Ace. He wants Kane tonight and wants Zack Ryder to get a US title shot. Finally, Johnny Ace comes out and tells Cena that Ryder will get a US title shot if he beats.....Kane. Also there is a tag team match next with him and Punk.
(Good opening segment. I want to see Punk and Ace. Also Cena is slowly looking like a good heel.)

Match#1:John Cena and CM Punk vs. Jack Swagger and Dolph Ziggler
Winners:Ziggler and Swagger
(Johhny Ace causes CM Punk to be distracted. Punk wants Ace in the ring and he gets his wish. So the main event is set. What is making me laugh is that I want to see Punk GTS Ace.)

Match#2:Zack Ryder vs. Kane (Falls Count Anywhere)
Winner:No Contest
(Ryder is laid out. This match was slow. Eve comes out and almost attacked by Kane. If Cena came out during the match, Ryder would not get any more US Title shots. Cena came out after the epic chokeslam off the ramp. This was a scary segment.)

Match#3:Jinder Mahal vs. Sheamus
Winner: Sheamus
(So tired of Jinder. Wade Barrett came out to talk about winning the Royal Rumble. One more match with Barrett and Sheamus please? Also found out that Randy Orton is coming back to SD this Friday.)

Match#4: Brodus Clay vs. Heath Slater
Winner: Brodus Clay
(No comment about this match. Tired of stupid Brodus gimmick. Big white guy acting black is boring to me.)

Match#5:The Miz vs. R-Truth (Loser gets the #1 spot for the Royal Rumble match)
Winner: R-Truth
(During the backstage segment, Miz talks about the people who tagged with him in the past. R-Truth comes out acting like someone else. Johnny Ace says he's tired of hearing them. So loser of this match would be #1 in the Royal Rumble match. Good match. This is why both these guys need to be in the main event not the mid card hell they are in.)

Main Event:Johnny Ace vs. CM Punk then became David Otunga vs. CM Punk
Winner: No Contest
(CM Punk puts Otunga in the Anoconda Vice and then gets Ace in the GTS. So epic. However, Ziggler comes out to put Punk out cold.)

Overall, this is a good Raw episode to lead into Royal Rumble. Most of the storylines will be cleaned up after Royal Rumble and we start the road to WM28. Cena will be a heel in time to face The Rock. CM Punk will still be champ until WM28. Zack Ryder is off TV for a while to cool him down. Eve almost got messed up but she was saved by Cena. With Triple H coming back next week, I cannot wait to see if Johnny Ace will be off TV or on TV. I am more excited to see Royal Rumble but more excited to see how things will lead to WM28. This Sunday and Monday will be great time to watch WWE.

BTW: Jericho finally talks during a very short version of The Highlight Reel. He basically says that the end of the world is

coming at Royal Rumble. Something good is about to happen with this guy.






Gene The Grappler