It was as intense a Raw you’ll see in the PG days. At the end of the show, the Game was the one standing. Oh yeah, his mean wife too.
Triple H leaves Daniel Bryan laying.
This was a show-long storyline that started the show and ended it.
At the top of the show, Triple H was in the ring and said he would end the Yes movement. Batista and Randy Orton came out and and both were upset that Triple H allowed Bryan to get his way into their title match. Triple H was incensed that they thought Bryan had a chance of winning. After Batista and Orton bagged on each other, Triple H said the main event would be a triple threat no matter what because when he beat Bryan, he would win the title at WrestleMania. Orton then hit a sneak RKO on Batista.
I thought this was pretty smart because most people believe Bryan wins as the culmination of a long storyline. Most people believe there’s no way Batista and Orton ends as a single. So why not just be straight and add a wrench into the expected plans (even though we know the expected plans will more than likely happen).
Orton wanted a shot at Bryan and they wrestled later in the show in a no DQ match. There was some weaponry involved with the kendo stick. Batista snuck in and hit a spear on Orton and Bryan pinned him.
Backstage, Stephanie McMahon (who is really going to get her comeuppance at WrestleMania) chewed out Triple H for wanting to meet with Bryan in the ring later in the show.
The main event segment saw Triple H call out Bryan. Essentially, he praised Bryan even though he said he was going to end him and wanted Bryan to shake his hand. I don’t think Bryan got one word in. Bryan shook his head no and Triple H said he would’ve done the same thing in his shoes.
Stephanie came out to take over as she thought Triple H was soft. She said that Bryan put the fans in danger last week and he should be arrested. A bunch of cops came out to handcuff Bryan until Triple H told them to stop. He was arguing with Steph over what she was doing. Then he said that they weren’t really cops anyway and they left the ring. This was the beat down of all beat downs. Bryan had his hands cuffed behind his back and Triple H beat him up inside the ring and out. I thought he was going to bust him open hard way, but it didn’t happen. Bryan tried to fight back with kicks and headbutts like he was Ricky Steamboat fighting back in a heat segment. Triple H finally had Bryan laid out inside the ring, with his head near the ring post and he did the one-man conchairto with a steel chair.
Stephanie was so proud of Triple H. Back in the ring, Triple H pedigreed Bryan and Stephanie gave him the smarmiest kiss of all time. This was very well done from an intensity standpoint. I’m not sure how many more times they can do this to Bryan though. This might be it.
The Shield turn on Kane.
What the Shield are doing at WrestleMania is still a mystery and I’m glad I don’t know where they’re going with this. I’m happy to watch it happen. Early in the show, Kane told the Shield to shape up. Later in the show, he came out and said that last week’s Occupy Raw happened because an insider let it happen and he blamed Jerry Lawler for helping Daniel Bryan.
The Shield came out to show Kane that they were still united and to beat up Lawler. Instead, they turned on Kane and triple teamed him, finishing him off with a powerbomb. I’m not sure if they should be doing anything with Kane at WrestleMania. Though, I’m not sure what’s left that’s out there unless they split up soon and face each other.
Other tidbits
– Cesaro and Jack Swagger beat the Usos in a non-title. The finish was fun as one of the Usos hit a plancha on Swagger and the other went to do the same on Cesaro, but ate an uppercut instead that was brilliantly timed. He then ate the neutralizer and Cesaro pinned him. I really love the Real Americans and there was no tease of a break up.
– Sheamus beat Titus O’Neil and was jumped by Christian after the match. Both will be in the Andre the Giant memorial battle royal.
– John Cena did a decent promo, but Bray Wyatt cut one that absolutely destroyed his. Cena is scared that the fans will buy into Bray’s BS about how Cena isn’t really a good person. And then Bray showed up on the screen dressed as John Cena, cutting Cena down for having a plastic girlfriend. Cena better step up his game or the fans at WrestleMania are going to turn Bray babyface.
– Undertaker will be on Main Event Tuesday, live on the WWE Network, which means he’s probably on Smackdown as well.
– Paul Heyman presented a video that showed Brock Lesnar beating up all the guys that took Undertaker to the brink at WrestleMania. However, there was no CM Punk on the video.
– Goldust beat Fandango, but banged his head on a hurracanrana attempt from the top rope in what wasn’t even the finish.
– Naomi was back teaming with Camron and they beat AJ and Tamina when Naomi pinned AJ with a split legged moonsault. Naomi wore a patch over her bad eye. Thanks Aksana.
– Mr. T is going to the Hall of Fame!
– Big Show was the winner in an 8-man tag and will be in the Andre memorial. I still think he wins it.
The show was yet again very interesting, though Daniel Bryan better look nearly indestructible these next two weeks.