Monday, December 3, 2012

The WWE RAW Truth Review for 12/3/12

What will RAW bring us tonight? More Ryback promos? Will he give us his thoughts on the fiscal crisis the U.S. is facing? Tune in to find out.

Where Is IronMan To Aid The Shield?
Team Hell No came out as The Shield was seen in a box in the arena. Kane challenged them to come down to fight but they stayed where they were. The Prime Time Players came out for a match. After Kane clotheslined O'Neil out of the ring Bryan and Young came in. Bryan hit some kicks on Young. Bryan tagged in Kane who hit a drop kick. Kane worked over the arm of Young. Bryan came in and hit an axe handle on Young's arm off the top. Kane came back in and missed an elbow. Young tagged in O'Neil, who was immediately taken out by Bryan. All members of The Shield slowly started making their way to the ring going into commercial.

Back from break O'Neil had Kane in a head lock. Kane fought out and tagged in Bryan. Bryan hit a clothesline then a dropkick in the corner. O'Neil caught Bryan with an elbow and Darren Young made a blind tag and hit a clothesline. Bryan countered a back flip and applied the No Lock. The Shield came ringside and watched on. O'Neil broke up the No Lock. Bryan and Kane watched The Shield. Young pushed Bryan into Kane and rolled him up, but Bryan reversed it and picked up the victory. Reigns and Ambrose attacked Kane and put his arm in between the steps and posts. Rollins attacked Bryan in the ring and they hit their powerbomb on Bryan and left the ring.

Segment Analysis: Not a lot to the match. The focus was more on The Shield than anything to do with the match. The Shield continues to gain heat and people continue to speculate over why they are here. Good opening to keep people tuned in. Survey Says: 3/5

A.J. defeated Tamina. Tamina dominated the whole match, but A.J. caught Tamina with a roll-up as she was going to go up for the SuperFly Splash.

Someone Call Maury!
Paul Heyman and C.M. Punk came out. Heyman brought up the WWE Encyclopedia and said that it didn't have enough mentions about C.M. Punk. Heyman said that at midnight tomorrow night Punk will pass John Cena and be the longest reigning WWE Champion in the last 25 years. Heyman said that should put Punk front and center on the WWE Mt. Rushmore. Punk said he continues to be persecuted. Punk said everyone is so classless that they still don't give him the respect he deserves. He said he shouldn't have to face Ryback again after beating him twice, and he said it is all because of the fans. Punk said they criticize him for having people save his WWE Championship. But he said he is the reason they tune in and pay to see him every night. Punk said he has nothing to do with Brad Maddox and The Shield, and that everyone should just leave and change the channel.

Miz came out and said that we all know he is lying. Punk said who is he to question him. Miz said he had the guts to admit that he cheated and did everything he could to hold on to the WWE Title. Punk said that if he wanted to challenge his credibility than he can come to the ring and take a knee to the face. Miz said that he challenges Punk to come on Miz TV and take a lie detector. Heyman asked if he really wanted to be 3 inches away from Punk, knowing how he feels about him behind the scenes. Miz called Heyman a walrus and that when he wanted him to speak he would ask him to. Miz said that Punk really can't handle the truth and will continue to have an asterisk next to his WWE Title reign. Punk finally agreed to take the test.

Segment Analysis: So now we are suppose to care about Miz because he admits that he was a coward while he was a heel? OK, sure. Punk is really coming around as a full fledged heel and he continues to deliver solid promos. Don't care too much about the lie detector test, unless Maury delivers it. Survey Says: 3/5

A Lie Detector Test Really Is Main Eventing This Show
John Cena/Sheamus vs Dolph Ziggler/Big Show. Ziggler caught Sheamus with a drop kick. Sheamus got out of a headlock with an elbow and tagged in Cena. Cena hit a hip toss then an arm drag take down. Ziggler connected on a right hand and tagged in Big Show. Cena went for a shoulder tackle and Show shoved him away. Show hit a couple slaps in the corner. Cena went for a bodyslam but Show crashed down on him. Ziggler came in and hit his elbows. Ziggler tossed Cena into the corner but missed a splash. Both men made tags. Sheamus hit a knee lift and axe handle on Big Show, knocking him down. Sheamus went to the top but Big Show caught him with a spear going into commercial.

Big Show continued to work over Sheamus back from break. Ziggler came in and hit another drop kick. Sheamus fought out of a chin lock and hit the Irish Curse Backbreaker. Cena came in and went into CENA MODE!!! Cena went for the AA but Big Show kicked him in the gut. Show went to chokeslam Sheamus but he countered and hit White Noise. Cena hit the AA on Ziggler and the faces picked up the win.

Match Analysis: Once again. Good match, but does Dolph really have to job again. Why can't the heels ever get a win against these guys? Do they have to win every week and continue to look strong. Waste of potential all over. Survey Says: 2.5/5

Gotta Love The Plants!
Damien Sandow came out. He said that he will continue to try and help out everyone as he is their Intellectual Savior of the Masses. He asked someone in the audience to volunteer to be his apprentice. Sandow said that all he had to do was answer three questions: What did H20 stand for and Who was the 1st President, which were answered correctly. Sandow then asked him a question about an English poet, which he didn't get. Sandow made him leave the ring and told him he should be exiled from the United States. Santino came out and asked him about seashells. Sandow took him out. Back from break, Sandow defeated Santino.

Segment Analysis: I continue to like Sandow. This Apprentice stuff gives him something to do while Cody Rhodes is injured. Sandow has potential, so the more TV time he gets the better. Survey Says: 2.5/5

Brad Maddox was in Vickie's office. He tried to convince Vickie to give him a job. He told Vickie that RAW would be more entertaining with him on. Vickie gave him a match and said he could get a job if he won, but she refused to name his opponent.

Please Hold Off On The Mexican Jokes, Jerry Lawler
Alberto del Rio vs Sin Cara. Sin Cara hit a couple of arm drags until Del Rio came back with one of his own. Sin Cara came back with a couple of kicks and then his top rope arm drag. Sin Cara worked over Del Rio's left arm with kicks. Del Rio dropped Sin Cara into the corner then hit a couple kicks in the back. Del Rio tossed Sin Cara over the ropes but Cara landed on the apron. Del Rio dove at him but Sin Cara moved. Sin Cara kicked Del Rio in the face then hit a hurricarrana off the apron right into the barricade. Back from break, Del Rio knocked Sin Cara off the apron and into the announce table. Sin Cara moved in the corner and Del Rio caught him with a kick. Sin Cara hit a Tornado DDT off the ropes. Cara hit his springboard elbow then a kick through the ropes. A crossbody off the top rope got him two. Sin Cara countered a backdrop into a reverse DDT. Sin Cara missed a swanton off the top. Del Rio was able to counter into the cross armbreaker for the win.

Match Analysis: That was actually a pretty good match between these two. But it doesn't really accomplish anything for Del Rio. Sure he gets a good win but does it do anything for him? No. Del Rio may be beyond savable. Survey Says: 2.5/5

Vince McMahon told someone backstage to get Vickie Guerrero and have her come to the ring.

Time For Vince To Change Things For The Hell Of It
Vickie Guerrero came out and introduced Vince. Vickie told Vince about all the ideas she had for TLC, including John Cena vs Dolph Ziggler. Vince told her to spice it up. She said No DQ. Vince told her to try harder. Vince told her Ladder Match. Vickie said a Title had to be hanging from there. Vince said how about a briefcase, like the Money in the Bank briefcase. Vickie said it was unfair to Ziggler. Vince said it was unfair to have her and Ziggler say all this crap about the A.J./Cena scandal. Vince then asked Vickie about the lie detector test. Vince got Vickie to agree that if Punk is found to be lying, Paul Heyman would have to face Ryback next week.

Segment Analysis: These Vince McMahon appearances are starting to get less and less important. I'm okay with the Dolph/Cena Ladder Match, but I really fear that they will take the briefcase away from Ziggler. Cena doesn't need it. Ziggler does. And this all but makes it certain Punk is failing this test later. Survey Says: 2/5

Randy Orton easily defeated Brad Maddox. The Shield came out after to attack Orton.

Backstage, Dolph told Vickie he was turning into A.J. Then Heyman stared down Vickie. She said for his sake, Punk better pass the lie detector. Cena thanked Vickie for making such a great match. Vickie said someone found Cena bowtie's in the Divas locker room.

The Mayans May Have Been Right After All
A tag match was suppose to happen between R-Truth/Kofi Kingston and Antonio Cesaro/Wade Barrett. Teddy Long, apparently suffering from amnesia, UNBOOKED THE TAG MATCH and made it a Fatal 4 Way and a RAW Active Poll for the choice. The U.S. Title "won." Barrett and Truth were dumped to the outside as Cesaro worked over Kofi in the ring. Kofi caught a charging Cesaro with a kick then Barrett clotheslined him over the ropes. Barrett hit a pump handle slam for two. Barrett tossed Kofi over the ropes. Truth knocked Barrett to the outside. After Truth and Kofi went at it, all four men ended up in the ring. The faces dumped the heels to the outside. Kofi hit a dive on Barrett, but Cesaro caught Truth and slammed him into the barricade. Cesaro then caught Kofi with a great uppercut as he jumped off the steps.

Back from break Truth hit a sit down suplex on Cesaro. Barrett pulled the ropes down and Truth went to the outside. Kofi hit a crossbody on Cesaro, but Barrett then hit Kofi with a blackhole slam. Truth broke up the count. Barrett caught Truth with a kick to the gut. Cesaro headbutted Barrett off the ropes. Truth knocked Cesaro off the apron. Kofi/Barrett/Truth hit the suplex power bomb spot in the corner. Cesaro broke up the count. Truth catapulted Cesaro into the ropes and clotheslined him, sending both to the outside. Kofi hit some offense on Barrett and hit the Boom Drop. Cesaro pulled Kofi out of the ring. Truth hit a kick on Cesaro. Barrett caught him with the Souvenir Elbow. Kofi hit Barrett with Trouble In Paradise, but Cesaro pulled Kofi off the pin and hit the Neutralizer for the win.

Match Analysis: That was actually a pretty good match. All of the wrestlers involved looked good at some point. Surprised Kofi took the pin there. Cesaro's upper cut may be the best delivered move in the WWE. It just looks so good and convincing every time it is delivered. Now, as I say all the time, give Cesaro a real feud! Survey Says: 3.5/5

No Maury? Not A Real Lie Detector Test
Lie Detector time. Punk called Miz's jokes horrible and pretty much made fun of the fact that the WWE is begging people to cheer for Miz. Punk called Greensboro a dump and Miz called his mom a dump. Miz asked questions, like did Rey Mysterio shave his head and if he lost to Randy Orton the year he main evented Wrestlemania. Punk said it was a memorable match and people wish they could forget him wrestling in the main event. Miz asked Punk if he thinks he can beat Ryback on his own. Punk said Yes, the lie detector gave a faulty reading. Miz asked about Maddox and The Shield, but before he could answer, The Shield came out. They took out Miz. Kane and Bryan came out and they were also taken out. Ryback came out and the faces gained the upper hand. All six men brawled to the back. Punk mock celebrated, but Ryback came out and hit Shell Shocked on Punk. Ryback hit Punk with a ladder and chair. Ryback power bombed Punk through a table to end the show.

Segment Analysis: The whole lie detector thing was stupid. The Shield not getting the upper hand in the end actually is okay with me. The odds were finally even against them so they wee bound to get taken out. Ryback ends the show on a high note. Punk was good again during the whole lie detector stuff. That was a good sell to Ryback fans to get them to buy the PPV. Survey Says: 3/5

OVERALL
I again thought this was an average show. The wrestling wasn't as good as it was last week, but I did enjoy the Fatal 4 Way. The tag match was okay, but once again Dolph Ziggler gets jobbed out. I just don't know what they plan on doing with him. And I really have this fear in the back of my head that Cena is taking the MITB Briefcase. Damien Sandow was entertaining again. The booking of The Shield is making sense for me. They were bound to not have the upper hand at some point, and the way they did it makes sense here. Miz just isn't clicking with me as a face. It was done so poorly that not even putting him up against Punk, a hated heel, works for him. Punk was the highlight of the show for me tonight. He delivered a strong promo and made the lie detector test at least somewhat watchable. I will give the show a 5.

Until Next Time,
Justin C
Follow Me On Twitter @JCWonka

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