Raw Review 9-14-09

Raw Review 9-14-09

RECAP OF SEGMENT 1:
Batista was in the ring and was going to announce his retirement but instead attacked Randy Orton when Orton came out to confront him. I missed this and only started recording Raw after they returned from commercials.

SEGMENT 2: GUEST HOST
...Lillian Garcia introduces the guest host to everyone: Trish Stratus. She comes out and promises 100% Stratusfaction. She also announces the Main Event for the next PPV: John Cena(c) v. Randy Orton in a Hell In A Cell WWE Championship Match.

MATCH 1: KOFI KINGSTON (US) & PRIMO V. KOFI KINGSTON & THE MIZ
This is a rematch from Superstars (9-9-09) in which The Miz pinned Kofi Kingston. (Miz got his title match at Breaking Point but lost). Good matchup that allowed each of the four men to show their skills. During the match, Kingston knocks Swagger into Miz and knocks Miz off the apron. Miz gets ticked off and ends taking the title out of Lilian's hands and walks away with the US belt. Kingston punches swagger in the corner and gets distracted from Miz walking away with his belt. Swagger drops Kingston face first onto the top turnbuckle, then follows it up with his Gut Wrench Powerbomb for the victory.
Winners: Jack Swagger & The Miz

GRAPHIC FOR LATER: SHAWN MICHAELS V. TED DIBIASE

MATCH 2: #1 CONTENDER'S MATCH -GAIL KIM V. ALICIA FOX- w/MICKIE JAMES (DIVAS)
Well, it was announced as a Triple Threat match but only two Divas came out. Too good wrestlers that have worked their way up to having a one-on-one contender's match. Good for both women as it shows that the other Divas (sans Beth Phoenix) cannot win one-on-one. With that said we get a decent women's match and a great performance all around. Similar to Maryse, I love Alicia Fox because she can wrestle and she has the charisma that everyone needs. Again similar to Maryse, she looks ridiculously sloppy because of her height. But she knows how to wrestle so everything else I can ignore. Anyway back to the match Fox pulls the upset (which I actually saw coming after I found out it was a one-on-one. Sucks for Gail Kim who has been given numerous opportunities but has not scored yet a victory over a champion to win the title. I'm assuming she's still paying her dues since she's coming from TNA. Whatever the fact is

GRAPHIC FOR LATER: SHAWN MICHAELS V. TED DIBIASE

SEGMENT 3: TRISH STRATUS, BETH PHOENIX, AND CHRIS JERICHO
Phoenix is understandably upset over the fact that she was not involved in the #1 Contender's match. She asks Stratus who does she think she is which brings in Jericho. He quickly puts down Stratus for making fun of him earlier. Phoenix talks up Jericho as having for guts and how Stratus retired to not face Phoenix and to start a Yoga School (google it, Yoga's fun!) in a second rate country. Stratus had enough and makes a Mix-Tag Match for later tonight between Jericho & Phoenix against Stratus and a Mystery Partner...(MVP?)

REVIEW: BREAKING POINT TAG TEAM FALLS COUNT ANYWHERE SUBMISSION MATCH

BACKSTAGE PROMO 1: LEGACY WALK TOWARDS THE RING

SEGMENT 4: LEGACY IN THE RING
"ARE YOU READY????...ARE YOU READY????....for the dawning of a new era." Cody Rhodes explains why Legacy is better than Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Rock, The Undertaker, and even Rated RKO. Being the only team to have made D-Generation X tap out welcome Rhodes and Dibiase to where the big boys play. With that victory they have cemented their status as Upper Midcarders. They took it to HBK & HHH, not a lot of people can say they did that. Their match at Summer Slam was purely amazing (I know this because I was there) and only gave people a glimpse of what those four men can do together. Ladies and Gentlemen... "Cody Rhodes and Ted Dibiase are no longer known as the sons of Dusty Rhodes and The Million Dollar Man; because, they're known as the father of The Legacy"

MATCH 3: TED DIBIASE W/CODY RHODES V. SHAWN MICHAELS W/ TRIPLE H
Two men that have been selling the effects of the Falls Count Anywhere match from the previous night go at each other out of pure hatred. Dibiase has taken some of the best talent on the Raw brand to perform at their top level, not their best (yet), but the have brought their A-Game. Tonight allows Dibiase to take on another future hall of famer: HBK. With tonight's performance between both individuals it gave this feud more fire. This feud is far from over and we're just getting started. The contest ends in a DQ for Shawn Michaels as Rhodes got involved. This led to all hell breaking loose as DX and Legacy continued what they started the night before at the PPV.

RECAP: DX/LEGACY WHICH LEADS TO CAMERAMAN AND MONITORS BEING DISRUPTED AND HAVING TO CUT TO COMMERCIALS

GRAPHIC: ORTON/BASTISTA NO HOLDS BARRED TONIGHT & MIX TAG MATCH

MATCH 4: HORNSWOGGLE & EVAN BOURNE V. CHAVO GUERRERO & CARLITO W/ROSA MENDEZ
Let me just say that the association between Rosa Mendez and Carlito makes for a great paring. (They're like the darker version of Dolph Ziggler and Maria). Hopefully this leads to a US title reign as I don't think Carlito will ever hold the World Title (hopefully I'm wrong one day). The focus of the match was Chavo and Hornswoggle as that program has been continuing for some time. Hornswoggle uses Carlito's apple to spit in Guerrero's face and with that he follows with the tadpole splash.
Winners: Hornswoggle & Evan Bourne

SEGMENT 5: CHAVO GUERRERO GIVES UP
Guerrero gets on the mic and tells Hornswoggle that he gives up. Ending this horrid feud. Hopefully this leads to the disappearance of Hornswoggle from my TV screen. Chavo may continue to battle with Evan Bourne or maybe not since I can see an Evan Bourne/Carlito program starting up. Guerrero may move on to battle Primo. This keeps the Colons close in proximity for their next (and better) feud, or until they get put on separate shows.

BACKSTAGE PROMO 2:
Josh Mathews (damn I wished he wrestled but he was too small) interviews the new WWE Champion, John Cena. Cena says he kept his promise of not quitting and that Randy Orton gave up at the first sign of defeat. More promises from Cena ending with his catchphrase "The Champ Is Here".

GRAPHIC: LEGACY V. DX IN HELL IN A CELL

MATCH 5: TRISH STRATUS & MVP (told ya!!!) V. BETH PHOENIX & CHRIS JERICHO
The match begins with the women. They tangle for a few while and then Jericho shoves Stratus. This leads to MVP knocking out Jericho from the ring and battling outside. Show arrives and takes out MVP. Bell sounds match is over.
Winners via DQ: Trish Stratus & MVP

Trish gets on the mic and says that there is no way that the match is ending in a DQ, not on her night as guest host and not in her town. So she makes a 6 Person Tag now...

MATCH 5.5: BETH PHOENIX, CHRIS JERICHO & BIG SHOW V. MARK HENRY, BIG SHOW &  TRISH STRATUS
The six pick up right after where the tag match left off as a fast past showcase. We get a lot of back and forth and a lot of showmanship from all around. MVP has Jericho on the run as he cowardly tags in Pheonix to everyone's surprise, more so hers. She's in and starts physically taunting MVP. She goes for a kick but he catches her leg and tags in Stratus. From there we get ballin' by MVP and Stratus on Phoenix. Jericho drags Pheonix from the ring, MVP jumps over the rope and lands on Jericho. Show trips Stratus as she begins to run from the ropes. Henry tackles Show on the outside. Phoenix tries to pin Stratus but to no avail. We get vintage Stratus and the Stratusfaction Bulldog.
Winners: Trish Stratus, Mark Henry, and MVP

MATCH 6: NO HOLDS BARRED BATISTA V. RANDY ORTON
Apparently Batista's big announcement was that he's decided to go to Smackdown to battle the talent there. This will be Batista's last match on Raw (...yeah right). Batista wins the match that really had nothing going for it because it was just a filler for Orton to job again and for Batista to look strong on his way to Smackdown!

Overall:
This show was a bit of a lackluster show. The highlights of the night was seeing Trish Stratus again and the DX/Legacy storyline as it is the best thing going on Raw. The reason for the lack of lust I think is due to the fact that the focus of the show was to put more focus on the lower card talent. We get good build up to feuds between Miz/Kofi (maybe even Swagger now that he scored a pinfall), and JeriShow/MVP-Henry. It also starts a program between Mickie James/Alicia Fox for the Divas title (which may or may not last only one week as most title shot nowadays are given the following week). It also ends the feud between Guerrero and Hornswoggle. We get performances by the Colon's on separate tag matches and did you guys notice that 4 matches tonight were tag matches? Not bad for the WWE seeing as how they only have 4 legitimate tag teams (on Raw at least).
Overall Grade: C+

-I kNow This Because I'm A Smark

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Alex Avila
Avila Productions
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