WWE Raw 20th Anniversary Review 1/14/13

Note: I cannot believe that this is the 20th anniversary show. I have to be honest and say that I been watching WWE Raw on cable for the last 16 years. I did not see the shows prior to 1993. I started to really watch WWE back in 1996 during the peak of the attitude era. WWE Raw is the main show of the WWE. I laugh because WWE Smackdown is almost 15 years old. So that means WWE Raw lasted longer than shows like 24, Star Trek: The Next Generation, and even Thunder in Paradise. So I guess as I try to watch this show, I hope it is better than the Raw 1000th episode show. So let's watch and hope we don't see something stupid.

Opening Segment: Mr. McMahon is in the ring to boast about the views and then gives us a rundown of the matches set for tonight's show. Big Show comes out before Mr. McMahon leaves the ring. They talk about what happened last week on Smackdown. Alberto Del Rio comes out to address Big Show. They fight and Big Show leaves the ring.
(Well I can say this was an interesting way to start the show. At least this is not Sheamus and Del Rio. Big Show can be more easier to hate and Del Rio is getting more and more easier to like. Besides, at least they did not do something stupid like waste a match on Raw or Smackdown just to gain momentum. So far, so good people.)

Match#1: Wade Barrett vs. Randy Orton - Non Title Match
Winner: Wade Barrett
(I don't know what's worse to see in this match: RKO starting the show or Barrett starting the show. Both these men are title contenders. Barrett should be in the title picture and same goes for RKO. This is basically a wasted match. These men brawled most of 2011 and 2012. These men are not jobbers or mid carders. I am so pissed that these men are wrestling first. I don't need to comment on the match quality because these men can make a good match. However, the fact that they started the show upsets me.)

Backstage Segment: Kane and Daniel Bryan go through their segment with with their anger management therapist. They lie to their doctor but their doctor brings in Team Rhodes Scholars in trigger their anger issues. Damien and Cody insult Dr. Shelby but Dr. Shelby gets angry and tells Team Hell No to beat them up.
(At first, this was looking bad and basically a waste of time. I figured this was going to be a joke and be a comedic segment to fill the show with laughs. However, the lies were funny as hell. The whole thing was funny. Dr. Shelby did throw a swerve with bring in Team Rhodes Scholars. At the end, Team Hell No looked good. Give the assist to Dr. Shelby. Never compare Dr. Shelby to Dr. Phil.)

Match#2: Kane vs. Damien Sandow
Winner: Kane
(This match basically a sqaush. Kane is a bad ass. Damien was a joke. The segment before this match set this up. By the way, Kane is handy for BBQs, Campfires, and the occasional substitute for a lighter.)

In Ring Segment: First person to be inducted to the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2013 is Mick Foley. However The Shield comes down to the ring to take out Foley but Ryback comes to take on the Shield. RKO comes out to save Ryback. Sheamus comes out to save RKO and Ryback.
(What the fuck! I cannot believe that this good moment was ruined by The Shield vs. Ryback, RKO and Sheamus. So Foley is going to the HOF but we got a side show? What the fuck? Since when do we get a HOF announcement interrupted by bullshit? So fucking pissed.)

Match#3: Eve Torres vs. Kaitlyn - Divas Title Match
Winner: Kaitlyn - New Champion
(Ok so Eve should lose regardless? I think this is bullshit because Kaitlyn should have won the title months ago. I am in love with Kaitlyn and I don't like Eve. I know that Eve is about to leave WWE because she is married and is moving on from WWE. I cannot wait for her to leave. As for Kaitlyn, my god she's hot. I know I should be objective but Kaitlyn can wrestle. Once Eve leaves, all the models are gone. That means women can wrestle again. Thank you Kaitlyn for winning the title.)

Match#4: Brodus Clay vs. CM Punk - Non Title Match
Winner: CM Punk
(Why is CM Punk facing anyone in the middle of the show? How did Brodus Clay get out of mid card hell? I don't want people to think I am bitching but this is weird. CM Punk and Brodus Clay should not be facing each other but since CM Punk brought up Brodus during his tirade last week, it was bound to happen. This match wa basically a tune up for CM Punk. Sorry for Brodus. )

Match#5: Sheamus vs. 3MB - Over The Rope Challenge
Winner: Heath Slater
(This was a joke of a match. However, Sheamus taking out 3MB was priceless and fucking funny. I wish I could talk about this match more but it was short and sweet. )

MizTV: The Miz comes out to plug the guest for the next MizTV show. It will be Ric Flair. Ric Flair talks about the past and present of the WWE. Then we are presented with all the catchphrases of the WWE for the last 20 years. Then Antonio Cesaro comes out with the U.S. flag. He insults The Miz and Flair. Flair and The Miz takes out Cesaro. Finally, we see Flair go for the figure four leg lock but the Miz does it instead.
(The ending made up for this segment's reason to be on TV. I like the Miz regardless of what. Thank you WWE for using Flair in a non wrestling role. Cesaro is going to lose that title soon. This was good at the end but the flashbacks were a bit much.)

Match#6: Daniel Bryan vs. Cody Rhodes
Winner: Daniel Bryan
(Unlike Kane and Sandow match earlier, this might be a longer match. Actually, it was shorter match. I guess I won't have a chance to say anything else because this match is over. This was a good quick match. )

Breaking News: Eve just quit the WWE!
(She took the route of people like Jericho and Batista. However, most people knew about this move for about a week or so. She is married. She is done wrestling. She wants to be a reality star plus she used WWE like other models did. Good bye.....)

Match#7: Dolph Ziggler vs. John Cena - Steel Cage Match
Winner: john Cena
(I said that WWE need to do more matches like this on TV because it makes fans want to see more gimmick matches. I love being right. Steel cage matches are good for business because it makes fans want to see more action. However, the guys in this match are guys I really don't want to see in a gimmick match. Cena is basically Hogan of the 21st century. Ziggler is just about to come into his own. I hated that he went from Vickie to AJ. Plus Big E is going to turn on Ziggler like guys like Diesel turned on HBK. I am not a fan of Cena. I use to be but he's played out. Ziggler is trying to shed the stink of The Spirit Squad. This is not going to be a great match but maybe good enough. By the way, Cena might go for his sixth move of doom tonight. So basically this match was a setup to make sure Cena loses and Ziggler wins. Big E is doing everything from smashing Cena with a chair to using the cage door as a weapon. Cena won because Ziggler, Big E and AJ basically could not beat him.)


Main Event: The Rock comes out. He reminisces about his first time on Raw. They show the pic of The Rock back in 1994. Then The Rock sits down and sings to CM Punk. He then ask Vickie Guerrero to come out so he can sing to her. The song he sings to her basically dogs her. He stops singing and calls out CM Punk. Punk comes out with Heyman. No music just them. After some talk, we see Punk and Rock brawling. Refs come out to hold them back. Show ends.
(First, we get cookie puss now we get twinkie tits. Then we get a good brawl. This basically saved the show. However, this is just a beginning of a bigger war between these men. The comedy helped set up the action. This was basically the best for both men. CM Punk looked dominate. The Rock was in rare form. Thank you for this, WWE. )


Final Thoughts: This show has been on for 20 years. I will be honest with you all but this was very weak. There was not a lot of former WWE stars that actually showed up. This was mostly clips and other things. I wish I could say that this was a good way to cap off 20 years but this was WWE writing at it's worse. I like some of the current things but in the long run, this was the crappy writing. Also unlike the 1000th episode of WWE Raw, this was so bias to the current people. Happy anniversary but we move on. See you all for the aftermath of TNA Genesis on TNA Impact.






Gene The Grappler