Jonathan Dehn
WWE Monday Night Raw
09/09/2013
Toronto, Ontario
-The show begins with Edge heading out to the ring with a monstrous pop from the crowd. We’re going to have a highlight reel, but instead of Randy Orton as his guest, Edge chooses to bring out Daniel Bryan. Edge gets Bryan psyched up for his title shot at Night of Champions. Orton and then HHH interrupt this, and he and Edge go at it for a bit about who drew what types of money and who was held down. Edge gets in a not so PG line about HHH being more of a dick than a dictator. HHH won’t stand for such language on his show, and despite his claims for being not so much of a bad guy; he has The Shield bring out a battered Christian. This was a very good opening segment, where Edge got in some good words on HHH.
-HHH gets his heat back and then some after the commercial break, forcing Edge to leave the building while threatening him and telling him to get out of his building and his city. I could do with a little bit of comedy as HHH goes completely power mad. Just some minor, self-deprecating humor would do the trick.
Kofi Kingston vs. Curtis Axel w/Paul Heyman
Axel clubs away after a lockup to begin. Curtis pushes him off of the ropes and hits a standing dropkick for two. Kofi flips out of a belly to back suplex and hits a few chops. Kofi hits the SOS for two. Curtis has Kofi chase him around the ring and catches Kofi with stomps and boots. Axel keeps driving knees into the corner on Kingston and gets disqualified. Heyman screams at Axel to not do something so stupid on Sunday. Curtis goes to clean up Kofi, but takes a Trouble in Paradise to the jaw. That was a pretty brutal shot.
Final Thoughts: It’s just so stupid to outline how inferior Axel is to CM Punk. We already knew that. I’m enjoying Heyman’s performance and how he sees the walls closing in on him.
-Backstage, Paul Heyman is SEVERELY INJURED after apparently slipping on a puddle of water in the hallway. He doesn’t want WWE doctors looking at him, as he has his own doctor.
-Elsewhere, Booker T finds Big Show and lets him know that it’s alright to sell out. He tells him to not help Bryan, as it’s his pride that’s messing with him. I’m onto Booker T just being an agent for HHH to go out and sway opinions.
Dolph Ziggler vs. Bray Wyatt
This is a big waste. Bray clubs Dolph down to start and hits a scoop slam. Ziggler fights back with a dropkick and takes out Rowan from the apron. Wyatt, however, comes back with a crossbody block before we go to break.
Bray is still in control as we return. Dolph fights back, but eats a back elbow. Bray puts on a chinlock, but Dolph battles out and dodges a corner charge. Dolph gets a corner splash and some punches in the corner. There’s a neckbreaker and an elbow drop for just one. Dolph gets the Fameasser for two. Dolph gets distracted by Harper and Rowan and gets caught with a corner splash. Bray cleans up with Sister Abigail for the win.
Final Thoughts: I’m guessing that the last time we see Dolph for a while, HHH will slap an OVW sticker on his back.
-Heyman, Axel, and Alan from Die Hard (Heyman’s doctor) enter the ring to formally withdraw from competition on Sunday. Beforehand, Paul takes some swipes at Canada’s healthcare. But just as he withdraws, Brad Maddox interrupts and forces Paul to be checked out by WWE’s Doctor Sampson. This segment drags as we get all sorts of awkward medical terminology. After finding out that Heyman is indeed fine, CM Punk runs on out with a kendo stick and hits the phony doctor in the face. Everyone bails and the poor doctor is left behind to be clubbed repeatedly by CM Punk. Well, that’s settled. Lately, WWE has been somewhat terrible with their camera cuts, missing all sorts of action.
Layla, Aksana and Alicia Fox vs. Brie Bella, Naomi and Natalya
AJ is out on commentary for this epic battle. Aksana and Naomi lockup to start. Noami quickly hits the Rear View. Naomi goes up but gets crotched and falls on her head. Layla is tagged in and chokes away at Naomi before hitting a running dropkick. Naomi fights out of a kneebar and dodges a legdrop. In comes Nattie and hits a snap suplex on Alicia and a couple of clotheslines. Natalya gets a scoop slam and a spinning clothesline that sets up the Sharpshooter for the win.
Final Thoughts: This was fine. During the match, AJ was teeing off on commentary and really getting into it with the table. She was especially harsh with Jerry, pointing out that she is 26 and a little too old for him.
R-Truth vs. Alberto Del Rio
ADR grabs a side headlock and hits a shoulderblock. R-Truth answers with some right hands, but ADR takes control in the corner. There’s a bit of a sloppy exchange that results in R-Truth clotheslining Del Rio out. Truth comes out over the top rope, splashing onto Del Rio. On the way back in, Del Rio catches R-Truth with an enzuigiri and brutalizes him on the outside. Del Rio goes to the chinlock after they get back in. Truth gets a sunset flip for two, but his saliva flies up into the air from a Del Rio clothesline. Alberto gets the double stomp for two.
Truth comes back with a leg lariat and a few clotheslines. Truth hits the sit-out front suplex for two as the fans have some fun and chant for Undertaker. The match is fine, but the conclusion forgone. ADR gets a tilt-a-whirl slam and drives in the Si Kick. The cross armbreaker finishes Truth off.
Final Thoughts: *1/2. This was alright, but a bit sluggish in parts without any real tension. It was a glorified squash for Alberto.
Antonio Cesaro w/Zeb Colter & Jack Swagger vs. Santino
Before the match, Zeb antagonizes the crowd. Toronto gives their hometown boy Santino a giant pop. Cesaro charges with a dropkick to start, because he’s freaking awesome. Antonio hits the gutwrench, but Santino fights back with jabs and a spin kick. This pisses off Cesaro. He shoots him down and performs a giant swing. IT IS GIANT! Cesaro is so awesome. “Holy Shit!” chants ring out for a giant swing. So, Cesaro slugs him down. Santino comes back with the hiptoss and the running headbutt.
It’s Cobra time, but Cesaro counters with a big European uppercut and tosses the sock away. Cesaro hits a good slam for two as Zeb twirls his mustache. Cesaro hits a running uppercut in the corner for two and taunts Santino. That’s a big mistake, as Santino blocks a punch, takes him down, and hooks the leg for a flash pinfall. The crowd erupts.
Final Thoughts: **1/2. I’ve been told that Cesaro has terrific chemistry with everyone, but there’s just something about Santino. Of course, the hot crowd helps this match. For the first time in a while, the hometown wrestler wins their match.
Damien Sandow vs. The Miz
Sandow grabs a waistlock to start. Miz hits a back elbow and a suplex but the crowd is not pleased with him. Sandow grabs some strikes, but Miz hits the corner clothesline and an axe handle from the top. Sandow fights back and hammers Miz in the ropes, and splashes against him for two. Sandow gets a knee drop and follows with the legsweep and The Elbow of Disdain for two. Miz fights out of a chinlock and hits his normal series of moves for his babyface comeback. Miz gets the corner dropkick to the knee and then Fandango shows up for the annoying finish of Sandow rolling up The Miz for the win.
Final Thoughts: *1/2. Pretty crappy night for Miz in Toronto.
-Renee Young (who gets a big pop) introduces Goldust (who gets one, as well). Goldust admits to being the screw up of the family, but is here to fight for his family’s name against Randy Orton. HHH interrupts Dustin’s catchphrase to put some extra pressure on him before his match.
Randy Orton vs. Goldust
Dustin looks to be in pretty good shape, here. I forgot how awesome this entrance is. Goldust gets the best of Orton to start with some right hands and constant reversals. Orton gets some back, but off of the whip, Dustin gets the back elbow. Orton bails. Orton gets the stomp after he returns and gets an uppercut for two. Goldust rolls through for two after Orton misses a dropkick. Goldust gets some heavy chops in the corner, and Orton reels. Randy goes to the eye rake and hits some punches in the corner. Orton continues with some stomps. Goldust dodges the powerslam and gets an Oklahoma Roll for two. Orton bails on Shattered Dreams as we go to break.
Orton has a side headlock as we return. Goldust fights out and gets the feet up on a corner charge. His ring robe is still on the outside. Don’t they have ring attendants? Goldust blocks a shot into the steel steps, and slams Randy’s head into it. Dustin rakes the back and puts Randy back in, but gets caught coming in and whipped from the apron into the steel post. Back outside, Randy drops Goldie back first on the barricade. Orton gets two when they roll back in. Orton stomps away again for two.
Goldust comes out of the chinlock with rights and lefts in rapid succession, and follows with the running Bulldog. Clotheslines and the big right hand sends Orton into the corner, where Goldust gets the ten punches. There’s a great false finish as Goldie attempts to whip Orton into the referee, but Randy puts on the brakes. Goldust gets two from a rollup. Orton catches Goldust and gets the hanging DDT. But, Goldust counters the RKO with Cross Rhodes! That gets two. Orton gets a roll-up for two, and follows with the RKO for the win. Orton gets on the microphone after the match and delivers a line very awkwardly. He just, shouldn’t talk. Ever.
Final Thoughts: ***1/2. I thought it was an incredibly built up match that was worked so smart. Goldust was blowing up during it, but they worked around it very well and he looked tremendous and quite deserving of a job. Also, this was an insanely fresh matchup between two guys who know how to use the fifteen minutes given to them. I’d very much like to see Goldust very often in the near future. Another thought is that this is probably Goldust’s longest singles match in WWE for…was this his longest singles match with the company?
-Stephanie runs into Dustin on the way. It’s a sad image to see him with the paint running from his face and holding back tears. Steph just twists the knife a bit deeper, because playing a good bitch is probably just an extension of her real life personality. This shouldn’t be the last we see of Goldust, I’d like to think.
Rob Van Dam w/Ricardo Rodriguez vs. Ryback
Ricardo is apparently Rob Van Dam’s numero uno amigo. He’s so turning on him this Sunday. Before the match, ADR walks out to talk some trash to Rob Van Dam. It’s not entirely noteworthy. Rob hits a couple of kicks to start. Ryback gets caught kind of hard with them, since he walked into them. Ryback gets stiff with a few strikes and calls Rob stupid. This is quickly turning into a train wreck. Ryback puts on an incorrect abdominal stretch. Rob gets out of the corner, steps over on Ryback and hits a sloppy Rolling Thunder where he nearly breaks his beck. Rob gets the senton and kick from the top. Ryback bails on the frog splash and Rob jumps out after him but gets knocked out from the barricade.
Ryback picks up Rob and kind of runs his groin into the ringpost. That gets a DQ somehow. Ryback hits Shell Shocked to leave Rob lying.
Final Thoughts: What a mess…of course, everyone should have seen this coming.
-Big Show is walking, but gets stopped by Steph who tells him to not touch The Shield, of course. In response, Big Show happens to see a twenty year-old TV nearby. He smashes it.
Dean Ambrose w/Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns vs. Daniel Bryan
The Big Show is just sitting in a chair, again. Bryan gets a few strikes to start, but Ambrose returns the favor. They trade fire to start, and Ambrose ducks outside before his head is taken off. Bryan hits the knee lift on a running Ambrose and throws in some kicks to the back. Ambrose hits a shoulderblock, but get taken down with a drop toe hold. Bryan works away at the arm and finishes with a hammerlock. Bryan shows mat superiority, moving to the surfboard. Ambrose comes back with some shoulderthrusts in the corner. Bryan flips out of the corner and hits the clothesline. He follows with a suplex and goes up. Rollins distracts and allows Ambrose to get knocked to the floor.
Ambrose is in control as we return, and send Bryan down with a hard corner whip, and another. Ambrose misses a corner charge and goes into the pole, shoulder first. Bryan hits a corner dropkick, and another. Bryan gets a flurry of kicks in the corner and gets a ‘rana from the top for two. Bryan gets the kicks to the chest, but Ambrose ducks the buzzsaw. Bryan rolls through into a pin from a Boston Crab attempt. Bryan gets the Yes Lock, but Dean makes the ropes. Ambrose dodges a corner dropkick and rolls Bryan up with a handful of tights for two.
On the top both of them go. Bryan ducks behind and crotches Ambrose. Into the tree of woe, Bryan hits the dropkick, picks Dean up and hits a belly to back superplex for two. Great sequence. Bryan chops away at Ambrose, but gets sent outside. Reigns misses a spear and goes into the stairs. Seth dives out but hits the announce table. Dean hits a clothesline from behind and gets a DDT on the floor that had a lot of mustard on it. Back inside, Bryan kicks out at two.
Dean tells Bryan to stay down, so Bryan says “Go to hell.” An gets the small package for the win. After the match, Bryan launches Dean outside onto The Shield after he charges. Orton comes out, so Bryan dives onto him. Guess what? The numbers catch up to Bryan. Big Show walks up, but really doesn’t do anything again. Back in the ring, Orton stalls forever before hitting the RKO. There’s a bit too much relish on that hot dog. Big Show walks off, but is cut off by HHH. HHH wants him Big Show to knock Bryan out again.
Orton starts directing traffic in the ring, and scoops up Bryan to hold for Big Show. The really big guy doesn’t feel like it. Randy berates him for far too long, as Bryan gets the upper hand, bursting from the corner and hitting him with the Cena Stopper. Bryan gets to win at the end of the show, finally. Of course, I’d like it very much if Orton were to lay flat in the ring instead of acting like he has a bad neck after sleeping off a night of carousing.
Final Thoughts: ***1/2. This was a very good match with some clever little spots thrown in. Bryan never follows a formula in his matches, which is pretty cool since the average WWE babyface lives for that. It was also great to watch how Ambrose sells everything that happens to him. Most guys wouldn’t sell the impact of a DDT that they just delivered. And, hey, Bryan got to be standing at the end of the show.
–It was a great show, overall. Toronto had a terrific audience turn out and they were able to enjoy two long matches with clean finishes and even a fun match where they worshipped Cesaro for a big swing. I would call it a great show, but RVD and Ryback was awful. Of course, Dolph Ziggler being dominated and jobbing to Bray Wyatt was not unexpected, but just troubling. Dolph jobs all of the time, but why not have him lose in a match on Pay-Per-View? Going into the show on Sunday, I don’t have especially high hopes for it. They might have waited too long to give Bryan momentum heading into the show, but hopefully they come up with something interesting that works everyone nicely on Sunday. Looking forward, past Sunday, I love what they’re doing with the Rhodes family. Goldust popped up and put on a very good match with Randy and the babyface heat for Cody when he returns is going to place him comfortably in the upper card. I’m hoping for a Rhodes/Rollins & Reigns tag title program.
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