How's it going wrestling fans? Mark Adam Haggerty back again with another edition of "The Highlight of the Night." This week's episode of Monday Night Raw was probably my favorite of the previous three weeks, all of which have been exponentially more entertaining than the programs that've preceded them. The WWE seems to have found a comfort zone that allows for more provocative storytelling, as well as the inclusion of fresh faces like the world champion Seth Rollins, the tag team champions The New Day, and even the NXT champion Kevin Owens. When Raw went off the air last week, I read several Tweets to the effect of: "Who'd have thought we'd get two entertaining episodes of Raw back to back?" Well, this week makes it three and if next week's Elimination Chamber "Go-Home Show" can keep up the momentum, we're looking at a solid month of excellent Sports Entertainment.
5. The Big Guy vs. The Celtic Warrior
Many have called Bray Wyatt's encounter with Ryback at Payback the "Match of the Night." I'm not sure I would agree with that, but I'd certainly agree that the "Eater of Worlds" and the "Big Guy" went far above what I expected. Neither Ryan Reeves nor Windham Rotunda are amazing workers, and are instead forced to rely heavily on their characters. That being said, we got an enormity of excitement from bell-to-bell and even some aerial offense out of Ryback! Ryback's match with Sheamus on Raw is the NUMBER FIVE MOMENT this week, owed both to the bout itself, as well as the initial interplay, also involving Triple H and Stephanie McMahon. After Sheamus arrived to lay claim to the Intercontinental Championship, he was joined by Ryback, who did his best to defend the reputation of Daniel Bryan, an individual that Ryback seems to have the utmost respect for. Stephanie tried to interrupt, and Ryback delivered what was my favorite line of the night: "Big Guy's Talkin, Steph!" The match itself was quite enjoyable; I think I'm beginning to appreciate Sheamus as a worker, and not just a big pale powerhouse, and the same can be said for Ryback in terms of his microphone acumen. For the longest time I tried to resist "THE RYBACK," but found it nearly impossible in the opening match of Monday Night Raw. Sheamus picked up the victory, and will be one of the six participants in the Intercontinental Elimination Chamber match in two weeks on the WWE Network.
4. Lana's New Squeeze
I didn't think the "I Quit" match was going to end the way it did, but I still held out hope for the 24-hour interim that Lana and Rusev might still remain a tandem. I had to go in the other room when she was talking to Rusev earlier in the show; the dialogue was cringe worthy and the various pauses placed between words seemed to linger for hours at a time. When Rusev told Lana to leave, I figured we'd seen the last of her for the evening, but I was wrong. Dolph Ziggler wrestled Stardust later in the show because—why not? After the match concluded, Lana made her presence known once more, and kissed the "Show Off," not once—BUT TWICE! She kept looking back toward the locker room the entire time, leading me to wonder if she was setting Ziggler up somehow, the same as Catrina used Fenix and Mil Muertes on Lucha Underground. Rusev hit the ring just as I expected, but was slapped by Lana and blindsided by Ziggler. I listed this at number FOUR because it was a big deal in terms of storytelling, but that's not to say I agree with it at all. Why Ziggler? That aspect of it doesn't make any sense to me, unless their trying to put a bleached blonde girl with a bleached blonde guy? She did arrive just after Renee announced Dolph would be the sixth man in the Intercontinental Elimination Chamber match, so perhaps the "Ravishing Russian" is only following gold? I'm still holding out hope that Lana is playing Ziggler, and is truly in cahoots with Rusev. Both the "Bulgarian Brute" and the "Show Off" will be featured in the Elimination Chamber match, so it's not unfathomable that Lana might play into the outcome of the contest.
3. Precursor to the Tag Team �Chamber
Week after week, show after show, pay-per-views and special events, these teams are consistently providing top caliber matches on a show that's been in dire need of in-ring excellence for a very long time. Last night's Payback event saw The New Day retain their tag titles, after Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods tricked the referee with the old "switch-a-roo." Tonight however, Xavier is banned from ringside, evening the odds for the former title holders Kidd and Cesaro. An absolutely incredible match as always, but unfortunately things were cut short after a disqualification on the part of the New Day. This was all the rest of the tag ranks needed to get involved. Suddenly all of the top teams in WWE converged on the ring and engaged in all-out warfare in preparation for the first-ever Tag Team Elimination Chamber match. The Lucha Dragons soared through the air; Los Matadores fought tooth-and-nail; the Ascension ascended to the top; but the Prime Time Players walked tall after a brutal body slam by the award-winning father of the year Titus O'Neil, and a "Gut Check" by "Mr. No Days Off" Darren Young. Everyone knows how much I thoroughly enjoy Young and O'Neil, and I'm very happy to see them mixing it up and coming out on top.
2. Dean Ambrose Gets His Title Match
The final segment from Monday Night Raw has been hit-or-miss in recent months, which happens for one of two reasons: 1) The entire card sucks, including the main event; 2) The entire card is awesome and there were just so many other great things! Fortunately over the past month or so, it's been the latter, rather than the former. Tonight's finale was scheduled to be a celebration for Seth Rollins. Side note: I immediately assumed they would be having a "Live Sex Celebration" like Edge and Lita—I'm talking about Triple H and Seth. Oh you don't know what that would look like? Here you go…
Anyway. I really loved the way Stephanie and Hunter sold Seth to the audience: "We're all here for Seth Rollins. All of these people are here tonight because of Seth Rollins!" That's when the "Lunatic Fringe" showed up. I've been guilty of running down Dean Ambrose as a character since the end of his feud with Rollins last year. That's not to say Rollins is the determining variable, I just prefer main event serious Dean to midcard ketchup and mustard Dean. I thought the throwback to the cinder blocks was a little ridiculous, but didn't spend too much time worry about them. Although seriously—where the fuck did they come from? I can understand Kane or Triple H or Seth Rollins having them there, because they're the Authority. But why didn't any random ring-crew members stop Dean and say, "Hey man, those uh—those don't go there. And kendo sticks under the ring? Come on Dean, act like you've been here before." Once again, didn't spend too much time worrying about it in the moment, and I'm very happy to hear Dean and Seth will be going one-on-one again, this time for the WWE World Title. Also, for the record, I really like Seth Rollins usage of the pedigree.
1. Veteran Advice? Let's get one thing straight…
Three weeks in a row. THREE WEEKS IN A ROW! John Cena has occupied the number one spot on our countdown for THREE WEEKS IN A ROW! Earlier this month John Cena wrestled Sami Zayn, last week he went to war with Adrian Neville, and this week he came face-to-face with the NXT Champion—KEVIN OWENS! "Now I would introduce myself," Owens began, "But uh—you know exactly who I am, don't you? And if anybody out there doesn't know who I am, well quite frankly, those people aren't worth my time in the first place." Owens spoke softly, and rather than carrying a big stick, he brought with him the gold and black strap from NXT. Cena offered Owens a word of "veteran advice," but Owens snapped and gave "The Champ" a little advice instead: "Are you kidding me? Let me make something clear here. I've been doing this for fifteen years! In fact, I've been doing this longer than you! The only difference between you and I is that I didn't get a break until now. So you don't get to give me advice EVER—understand me?" Cena reminded Owens that the "US Open" is "still open," and then invited him to once more "come get some." Owens laughed. He
is
a prize fighter, but the United States title isn't his prize. After a few more words, Kevin Owens SHOCKED THE WORLD when he kicked Cena in the midsection, sent him flying into the ropes, and proceeded to deliver an earth-shattering pump-up powerbomb to the United States Champion. Owens held both belts, but then stomped on Cena's title as a final display of disrespect. Later that night, the WWE Universe was gifted a chance to see these two SUPERSTARS—and we're using the dictionary definition, not the Vince definition—in a match in just two weeks at Elimination Chamber.
Tonight's episode of Monday Night Raw earned a B+ in my eyes, and was the best of the three shows we've seen in as many weeks. Let's hope that this recent string of successful booking isn't a fluke, and that the WWE can continue this upward momentum throughout the next few months on their way to Summerslam in New York City. Until next time, this has been Mark Adam Haggerty with the "Highlight of the Night"; you can follow me on Twitter @TapeTraderz, or LIKE me on Facebook by searching for my podcast, "The B+ Players."
