WrestlingNerd Presents: WWE Raw Review 2/6/12

What up wrestling fans, I'm the WrestlingNerd bringing you another written review. Today, we talk about WWE Raw on 2/6/12. Will we get answers regarding Triple H's actions? Let's find out and start the review. 

We open up the show with Triple H. He talks about what happened on the show last week. He mentions that he was going to fire John Laurinaitis, but it turns out Laurinaitis has been busy over the last week. Trips mentions that Roboinaitis talked to the Board of Directors in trying to keep his job. Because of this, the BOD inform Trips to not take any actions regarding Laurinaitis. We would get informed later in the evening that the BOD would reveal Laurinaitis' status tomorrow morning on WWE.com. WWE has really embraced this whole internet deal over the last few months. Robots can't fight for their job. This show defies robot law. Dr. Wily would be proud. Anyway, Trips finally brings up his altercation with the Undertaker from last week. Trips says he has always been star struck whenever he sees Taker. Really? I thought he always harvested your soul? They lied to me!!! Trips says when he saw Taker last week, he didn't see that same fire that you normally see in the Deadman's eyes. He says Taker is a shell of his former self and he wants to remember the good Taker, not the Taker that could barely stand up on his feet after their match at WM. Trips says that if he and Taker locked up once more, he would finish him off and he doesn't want to be the guy who literally killed the legacy of the Undertaker. So, now he doesn't want to be the guy who ended the streak? I guess this is emotional awareness week in the WWE? Hey, I'm just having fun with the established kayfabe. Then again, I do that every week on this page. Trips finally says that he declines Taker's request and is about to leave the ring. Just as he leaves, the lights go out. Damn rolling blackouts. NOOOO….it turns out a video package is on the titantron. It appears to be a video of Taker watching the Taker/Trips match from last year. Taker says that he wasn't pleased with how he left that match. In many ways, Taker is wanting a rematch with Trips to avenge his own performance. Someone is being harsh on themselves, don't you think? The scene ends with Trips watching the video. Did anyone think by the glare of Trips' eyes that he was crying to close out the scene? Apparently, Triple H DOES have a heart.

An interesting twist to the storyline. I had a feeling that there was going to be some type of connection with how Taker left the ring at WM. Who says the wrestling companies ever keep track of things that happened years ago? I kinda like the twist to the storyline. Over the last few years, it's been about ending the Taker streak. Now, it's about Taker trying to avenge his performance. He still wants to prove he's still that ass-kicking machine that created that streak in the first place, thus he challenges Trips one more time since Trips kinda shook up Taker. I like the change. It makes the storyline and the Taker match more interesting. It will be interesting to see how they progress this. It was also mentioned that Shawn Michaels (aka: HBK) will be on next week. I'm sure he will have a hand in how this storyline goes. Despite some people complaining about Taker/Trips, I can support a match if you just build it up properly and make it interesting. You can have two crappy wrestlers, but if you make an interesting storyline, you might be able to get a certain amount of interest in that match. Yeah….think about that? 

Match #1: Daniel Bryan vs Big Show

Bryan came out with AJ. She didn't want to come down, but Bryan keeps talking about how he will protect here. Getting protection in WWE has been going well ever since APA went out of commission. The match goes just like the previous Show/Bryan matches. Bryan is keeping in the match, but the size disadvantage is a little much. The finish comes when Show almost tackles AJ again, but he slams the breaks. Bryan gets AJ and they leave the match. Show wins the match via countout. I wonder if Bryan loses, he goes, "NO NO NO NO NO"? After the match, Bryan gets on the mic and talks about how Show tackled AJ on purpose. Bryan says all he wants to do his protect AJ since he cares about her. He also says he will still be WHC after Elimination Chamber. I don't know where all this hate towards Bryan is coming from? He's a bad guy. You're supposed to hate him. I say he's doing his job if you dislike the guy. I still think his heel persona is better than his good guy routine. 

Winner via countout: Big Show

They showed a clip of John Cena talking to some NASCAR guy. I can easily find out who was the driver, but that would basically say I give a crap about NASCAR…..which I don't. Apparently, Cena will drive the lead lap for the Daytona 500 or something like that. I honestly don't care. I know I should care, but I really don't. Heck, I barely paid any sort of attention to the Super Bowl yesterday I was too busy creating a new Pokemon team and brainstorming a special article called *CENSORED!!! Don't pay any attention to this*. I am such a nerd. 

David Otunga is in the ring. He pleads his case that Laurinaitis should keep his job and the BOD should do the right thing. Better listen to him. You don't know what those crazy lawyers are capable of. Justin Roberts interrupts and says Trips booked Otunga to compete in a match immediately. He will go up against Sheamus. 

Match #2: Sheamus vs David Otunga

Otunga would have a better chance of winning if he just did the Carlton dance. He would get Sheamus so distracted, that Otunga would sneak a roll up. Sheamus wins with the Brogue Kick. My idea was funnier. Michael Cole talks about how Otunga is 20-0 in court. If that's the case, Otunga is 0-20 in a wrestling ring. 

Winner via pinfall: Sheamus

Chris Jericho finally has something to say. He talks about how all of the WWE talent are Jericho wannabes. He even says the audience is a bunch of wannabes. He talks about how he trolled them for the last month. I referred to it as Jeri-trolling at one point. He talks about how people like Miz, Dolph Ziggler, Kofi Kingston, and R-Truth are all people who copy him. He says this whole organization is full of wannabes, but the worst offender is CM Punk. Punk refers to himself as the best in the world, but Jericho says he's the best. Jericho went on to say that he never called himself the best, as it was something he earned throughout his career. Punk finally interrupts and heads to the ring. Punk is about to speak, but drops the mic and literally says nothing. Punk even turns his back in Jericho, almost encouraging Jericho to take a cheap shot. Punk leaves the ring while Jericho is complaining about how Punk is a wannabe. If you read my special article in which I talked about the "it begins" promos, you will know that my theory was for Punk and Jericho to eventually lock up since both claim to be the best. Of course, it's more than the title itself. It's about proving which one is better and who is more deserving. I think it was finally nice to get some more insight as to why Jericho targeted Punk last week. He is after his title and wants to prove he's better than Punk. I like the little addition of Jericho referring to WWE talent as wannabes. It adds to the twist that Jericho didn't come back because he hates Punk. He came back because it really hates everyone and it's time for him to show up these younger guys. I like how Punk took a page out of the Jericho playbook and said nothing tonight. The seeds are being planted for this rivalry. It will eventually blossom into something magical….or at least that's what we are hoping for. 

Match #3: Wade Barrett and Cody Rhodes vs Randy Orton and Great Khali

Not a whole lot to report here. Orton would slap Khali across the chest to tag him in the match. Khali answered back by doing the same thing. Orton seemed to be getting off on it. I mean….REALLY getting off on it. This should've been edited off TV. The match was pretty basic, but nothing amazing. The finish comes when Khali tags himself in and hits a chop on Rhodes as Cody jumped from the top rope. That was probably the first time I've seen the Khali chop be effective. It's super effective on Cody and Khali wins the match. After the match, Khali and Orton argue with each other. Orton hits the RKO on Khali. It looked like Khali just fell to the floor while taking the RKO. Khali looked like a tree. TIMBER!!! Orton acts like an asshole and people cheer him? Orton as a face can really confuse the hell out of you sometimes. This was an early preview into the SD EC match, where nobody can be trusted. 

Winner via pinfall: Randy Orton and Great Khali 

Match #4: Kelly Kelly, Eve, Tamina, and Alicia Fox vs Beth Phoenix, Natalya, and Bella Twins

Ladies and gentlemen, your diva clusterf*** for the evening. Beth continues to show that she doesn't care about her tag partners. The finish comes when Tamina hits the Snuka Splash on one of the Bellas. After the match, Beth seems to be impressed with Tamina. It's an interesting idea and it would be something new. I bet people are wondering why not bring in Kharma, but maybe they haven't written anything out for her yet? I wouldn't be surprised if Kharma doesn't show up until after WM. Just throwing it out there. 

Winner via pinfall: Tamina, Kelly Kelly, Eve, and Alicia Fox

There was a backstage scene in which Trips was talking to Laurinaitis. The robot tells Trips that the BOD will make their decision tomorrow. He continues to make his argument to keep his job. Laurinaitis says that it will be Kane vs Cena in an Ambulance match. I can only think of one other time where the WWE did an Ambulance match. That would be many years ago when it was Kane vs Shane McMahon. I believe it was 2003, but don't quote me on that. There are probably other examples of an Ambulance match, but I really don't care? The concept of an Ambulance match is the same as a stretcher match. The object of the match is to get your opponent inside an ambulance truck and close the door. Trips is actually impressed with the idea, but thinks Laurinaitis stole the idea from someone. He's right about that. Laurinaitis stole the idea from the latest robot master in the Mega Man series, Idea Man. Okay, I've had my fun. Laurinaits also brought up that HBK will be on the show next week. Trips eventually tells Laurinaitis to leave because he is annoying him. That's just ridiculous. How can you be annoyed by a guy who calls himself Mr. Excitement? That's crazy talk. Yeah, I'm really having too much fun with this. It wouldn't be the first time. 

Match #5: CM Punk vs Chris Jericho vs Dolph Ziggler vs Miz vs R-Truth vs Kofi Kingston; Six Pack Challenge, winner gets #6 slot in the Raw EC match

Jericho was pretty much staying away from the ring for most of the match. Truth would get taken out of this match when he did a high risk move and landed on his head and back. Great job of catching your employee, Miz? D'oh, I missed!!! Luckily, Truth's injury wasn't serious and he should be ready to go as soon as possible. Still, that fall looked like it could've been worse. This wasn't a bad match. It was probably the best match of the night. Not really a night dedicated to wrestling action, that's for sure. The finish comes when Punk hits GTS on Dolph and is about to win the match, but Jericho pulls Punk under the ring. He tosses Punk towards the commentators and jumps back in the ring to pick the bones and cover Dolph. To add insult to injury, Jericho used the ropes for leverage in order to win the match. Jericho wins the #6 slot for the Raw EC match, thus giving him an early advantage of winning the WWE title. After the match, Jericho gets the WWE title and starts to mock Punk. He even sits down Indian style, which is what Punk normally does. Punk sees this and doesn't seem too happy about Jericho's actions. Well, I might as well call it. Jericho or Punk will win the EC match. It would be a twist if someone else won the WWE title, but everything is pointing to Punk and Jericho. 

Winner via pinfall: Chris Jericho

Just before the show goes off the air, we cut to a backstage scene in which Kane is intimidated Eve. Kane says Cena is starting to embrace the hate, but he isn't there yet. Kane tells Eve that he really needs to go above and beyond in order to get Cena to embrace all of the hate. Kane says he will go to a much darker side of himself, but it will scare everyone, including himself. The show ends with Eve crying as if this was the Blair Witch Project. In other words, Kane is going to step up his game in order to get Cena to go crazy. At least Eve gave a half-way acting performance this time around….just a tad. I just realized that we went this whole show without a John Cena appearance. The NASCAR deal was apparently a scene that was taped last week. Even thought Cena wasn't there, they sure played plenty of clips of him. Something I haven't brought up until now was Raw had tons of clips to play tonight. There was the Cena video clip, the Rock on Jay Leno clip, the EC clip, a WM clip, and they showed the Taker clip….twice. There was clips for days. 

Overall Impression:

This Raw wasn't as strong as some of the previous episodes; however, I wouldn't call this a bad show. The wrestling quality wasn't really present tonight. I think they dedicated a large amount of time into building up storylines. This is WM time and they do have to start planting the seeds for the WM matches/rivalries. I did like how they built up some of these matches. I like the idea that Taker is having doubts in his abilities, which is why he wants another match with Triple H. I also like how they have started things between Punk and Jericho. It was also nice for Jericho to finally do some talking. There was a lot of moments where the show did kinda drag. As I mentioned earlier, there was a lot of video clips on tonight's show. I didn't bring up the clips since I review the show. I don't do a play-by-play recap of everything that happened. Regardless, there was many times where I lost interest since they were airing a lot of video clips/packages tonight. Still, I did enjoy parts of this show. The promos and storyline build up is what kept my interest in this show. I would call this a mixed bag type of show or a so-so episode. At the same time, I can understand why people may not like this episode. Some people want to see some action, but we do need build up with the EC and WM matches, which I think is more important since that will determine how the interest level for those PPVs will turn out. Then again, you can't please everyone. That's going to do it for the review and I hope you enjoyed it. As always, tell me what you thought of my review or tonight's show. I will see you guys and girls on the next WrestlingNerd show, see you next time.