Monday Night Raw
February 17, 2014
Denver, Colorado
We go directly to the arena and start with one of the six participants in Sunday’s Elimination Chamber title match, John Cena. Pretty good pop. We go back to last week when Cena beat Orton during the champ’s Chamber gauntlet he’s in. At least we’re not starting with an Authority promo. Cena does his usual pump up stuff to the crowd. Cena lets us know what’s at stake Sunday and what awaits the winner April 6 in the Dome. Cena says he’s been down this road before and its about momentum, but one who has no momentum is the “thumb-sucking” baby Randy Orton. Cena says he lost to Daniel Bryan, and yours truly, and that will prove there will be a new champion Sunday. With that out comes Cesaro, another guy who beat Orton last week. This is awesome, Cesaro deserves a big time promo spot. He wants to be the new face of the WWE and the new face of America. Cena tells Cesaro that beating Randy Orton once isn’t a winning streak, it means Orton’s on a losing streak. He tells Cesaro he’s never been in a Chamber and everyone else has. Then out comes Sheamus to cut an annoying babyface promo. He does tell Cesaro and Cena he will kick their teeth in Sunday. Then out comes the only guy that Randy Orton did beat, Christian. He gives Sheamus crap for the accidental Brogue kick last Friday but says Sunday will be no accident. Then out comes the WWE World Champion, who kisses the Authority’s ass, and he blabbers on, until the guy who gets the BIGGEST pop is saved for last, and that’s Daniel Bryan. The place as expected goes bonkers with the YES YES YES chants. April 6, Superdome. New WWE World Champion. Count on it. He says these guys are talking, but the crowd is doing all the talking for him. He says the only chants that will blast on Sunday will be YES YES YES. The chants are interrupted by Kane. Kane says the Authority is giving him a chance to rectify the mistakes he’s made lately. So he’s in charge tonight. So no HHH/Stephanie on camera this evening. Orton and Sheamus are already going tonight, so the other four will be in action too. Christian will face Daniel Bryan now, and later Cesaro will get the chance of a lifetime against Cena. That’s awesome, and Cesaro should win.
MATCH: Christian vs. Daniel Bryan
Christian jumped Bryan from behind, very heelish and no bell has rung yet. That was a solid opening promo, at least something different from the past few weeks. Cesaro/Cena is the match I’m looking forward to and that will likely be the second-to-third hour match. The match has been good with a lot of quick chain stretches and no dead spots. The Denver crowd is red-hot tonight as Christian just ate ten kicks in a row. A lot of matches on the docket tonight which is good, there’s really no more to say in terms of build. Just give us some entertaining matches and get us ready for Sunday in Minneapolis. Daniel’s left shoulder has been the focus of the match but he catches Christian in a roll up via reversing the Killswitch and wins the match. WINNER: Daniel Bryan
Kane congratulates Bryan but mentions that he has one more match against him.
MATCH: Kane vs. Daniel Bryan
Kane dominates him by beating on his shoulder as Cole says The Authority is behind this match. Bryan makes a comeback with a missile dropkick but I wonder if they will use the shoulder injury on Sunday. Kane wraps Bryan’s injured shoulder around the steel post and pulls. He blows through the five count and gets DQ’ed. WINNER: Daniel Bryan by disqualification
Kane throws Bryan into the steel steps a few times for good measure. Will a one-armed Daniel Bryan win Sunday? Hmmmm..
We go back to last week when Dean Ambrose defended his US Title against Mark Henry. Renee is now with the Shield and she asks Roman Reigns about Mark Henry. Dean cuts him off and says he already worked Henry over. Reigns says to Dean that he lost last week. Dean says he softened Henry up for tonight. Dean says as for Sunday, the Wyatts play in illusions. The Shield are real.
MATCH: Fandango vs. Santino Marella
This stems from Friday on Smackdown when Emma’s distraction cost Fandango a match with Miz. We actually get highlights from Emma’s work in NXT. That of course means with the Network coming NXT will be a major showcase show. Good, we all need it. Emma is Australian, I didn’t know that. She’s cute and athletic. She puts Summer Rae in an airplane spin, and then she and Santino almost kiss. Fandango breaks it up and beats Mr. Cobra. WINNER: Fandango
Renee catches Mark Henry heading to the ring. He says he should be US Champion but tonight against Roman it’s not about titles. It’s about inducting into the Hall of Pain.
MATCH: Mark Henry vs. Roman Reigns
A nice hoss matchup here. Reigns actually delivered a Samoan Drop on Henry. That’s impressive. Reigns wins with the spear. WINNER: Roman Reigns
Ambrose starts beating the crap out of Henry for no reason and Reigns is just staring at him. The lights go out and there’s the Wyatts on the screen. Bray is singing. “Your shattered bones will pave the way to my kingdom”. That’s one of Bray’s best lines ever. He says if you’re not willing to die for this, you’ve already lost. Reigns says bring that noise here. Wyatt agrees. The lights go out, and here they come. I may be looking more forward to this match Sunday than the Chamber. They get to the end of the ramp. Bray gets in the ring, and Reigns stands out. All six men move ever closer in the ring. Then as expected the Wyatts leave. That will be an ugly, violent delicious mess on Sunday.
Sunday on the Elimination Chamber kickoff, The Rhodes Brothers will face Rybaxel.
Backstage Cody is playing with the Lego Stackdown playset. Goldust comes over and some hilarity ensues. It’s a great conversation. They’re interrupted by Bad News Barrett who kicks the set over. That was actually funny.
MATCH: Jack Swagger vs. Kofi Kingston
Swagger earned an Intercontinental Title shot with Big E Sunday by winning a four way match last Friday on Smackdown. We do get our first “CM PUNK” chants tonight, but they are fleeting. Decent TV match, and Swagger wins with the Patriot Lock. WINNER: Jack Swagger
Swagger stays around the ring while the Intercontinental Champion comes down for a Handicap match.
MATCH: Big E vs. Drew McIntyre & Jinder Mahal
Zeb Colter is badgering the champ while he struggles in this handicap match. Big E powers out and actually pins Drew to win the match. WINNER: Big E
Big E gets the mike and tells Zeb there better be diapers big enough for you because after Sunday your mouth won’t be the only thing full of crap. That was funny in an Attitude Era juvenile way.
Another vignette for Alexander Rusev. Yes, another big heel hoss. Bring them on!
We get another Black History month vignette, this time Ron Simmons. The first black World Heavyweight Champion. He was also the first Seminole defensive player to have his number retired. That’s pretty cool.
We get a vignette on the Elimination Chamber match.
Renee is with Cena. He talks about the Chamber match. One thing I admire Cena for is he always puts over the roster and the young guys that will follow him.
MATCH: John Cena vs. Cesaro
I thought this match would be later in the night. Not the main event, but later than this. Pretty good back and forth match early with no real extended segments. I’m really surprised it took this long for Cena to have ugly neon crap. They have really gone through all the other colors. The crowd is fairly pro-Cesaro which isn’t a real shock. Cena gets him up for the AA a couple times but Cesaro gets out of it and in one spot decks him with an uppercut. He uses the uppercut again to knock Cena off the second rope. Cesaro deadlifted Cena over the ropes from the apron and suplexed him over for a two count. What a performance by the Swissman tonight. Cole: We are learning a lot about both men. Cena’s been here 10 years, what don’t we know yet? Yes, Cesaro does swing Cena around, Cena probably asked for it. We get a THIS IS AWESOME chant. This has indeed been. Cena eventually wins it with the AA but damnit did Cesaro outwrestle him tonight. WINNER: John Cena
Cesaro has nothing to be ashamed of. He put on one of Raw’s best matches this year.
Randy Orton is backstage with Triple H, who I thought wouldn’t be here. He says at least Orton has tried hard in this gauntlet, even though he’s 1-3. Orton’s promos are so forced, they are talking about Evolution. Orton tells Triple H the two of them carried Batista. Batista comes up behind Orton while saying that and says he’s not the Face of WWE, he’s the Ass of WWE. Orton walks away, and Alberto Del Rio comes in. He’s wearing a neck brace while saying Batista is really an Animal. Batista shoves him into shelves.
Titus O’Neil vs. Darren Young has been added to Sunday. Titus is with Renee and he says champion is spelled TITUS. He bloviates. I think I may like this heel Titus.
SIX MAN TAG MATCH: Los Matadores (with #midgetmantaur) & Sin Cara vs. Wyatt Family
Other than a move or two it’s a glorified mugging. WINNERS: The Wyatt Family
Less than a week till the WWE Network. There’s not much more wrestling-wise I’ve anticipated more ever.
MATCH: Billy Gunn vs. Jey Uso
It will officially be the NAO vs. the Usos Sunday for the tag straps. The match is average and Jey wins. WINNER: Jey Uso
The Outlaws get knocked down by Jimmy through the ropes. Not sure who wins Sunday now.
Byron Saxton is with Sheamus. He talks about the Chamber. He says everybody in the Chamber wants the upper hand using aggression. He says many think his aggressive side is better than his comedic side. I AGREE!
Sheamus will face Christian Friday night.
MATCH: Randy Orton vs. Sheamus
This match is starting a little early. Cole just said Orton is 0-5 lifetime in Chambers. Another hint he’s going to win. Sheamus is 0-2. We get our second CM Punk chant of the night to start, but again it doesn’t last long. I’ve noticed Orton lately has developed the Memphis Theory into his work. He gets hit with a move early and then slinks out of the ring and walks around. Heelish, and actually quite smart. Considering many don’t think he’s a great worker to begin with, lots of stalling makes it worse. Sheamus is thrown into the announce table. Sheamus barely gets in at 9. They go back and forth until The Shield comes in and start beating Sheamus down. WINNER: Sheamus by Disqualification
Cena and the rest of the Chamber guys get in the ring, until the Wyatts come in the ring. They start brawling with the Shield and the Chamber guys keep brawling. We get total chaos in the ring as we go off the air.
SCOTT’S TAKE: That was a fun night of wrestling. We had some solid matches, not much Authority (except for the Triple H spot) and I seriously am digging Wyatts/Shield on Sunday. Someone who better looking than any of the Wyatts is the purveyor of thehistoryofwwe.com, our own Graham Cawthon. Follow him @thehistoryofwwe. Here’s Graham’s Raw Tweet of the Night!
@thehistoryofwwe Kinda hope the Wyatts kidnap and eat El Torito.
No Graham, not #midgetmantaur!!!
