WrestlingNerd Presents: WWE Raw Review 11/12/12 (Severe mood change)

What up wrestling fans, I'm the WrestlingNerd bringing you another written review. Today, we take a look at WWE Raw 11/12/12. How does the 'go home' episode fair? Let's find out and start the review. 

Match #1: Randy Orton vs Dolph Ziggler

We open up the show with an uneventful match. I thought we were gonna get something good, but this match was so fast that I almost forgot it happened. To be fair, the match ended quickly since they wanted to make a tag team match to start immediately after this match. Still, you have three hours and there's no need to rush things. Despite Alberto Del Rio's interference, Randy picks up the victory with a rollup. After the match, Kofi Kingston arrives to even the odds. Teddy Long comes out to make a tag match. So, I guess as long as you're an assistant to a GM, you're allowed to book the matches. GM? What's that? 

Winner via pinfall: Randy Orton

Match #2: Randy Orton and Kofi Kingston vs Alberto Del Rio and Dolph Ziggler

Another short match, but I thought this one was a little better. Thanks to Ricardo Rodriguez doing a bad touch, Del Rio is able to hit the Enzuigiri on Kofi for the victory. Of course, all of this is done to build up tension between Team Foley and Team Ziggler. You know, the tension that's basically transparent and about as life-less as King Boo. Remember when the traditional Survivor Series matches had stipulations? I'm sorry, but I've felt they haven't invested the most in the traditional SS matches in years. Once in a while they get it right, but those are far in between. At this point, the only purpose for this match is bragging rights and nothing more. No positives and negatives for winning or losing the match, while having no tension between the captains? I'm sorry, but that's something that instantly turns me off from a match. Some may like this match, but I'm personally not very big on this whole thing.  

Winner via pinfall: Alberto Del Rio and Dolph Ziggler

Because you asked for it, more AJ/John Cena allegations. Oh goodiiiiiiiiieeeeeeeeeee…Dolph complains about these allegations. Does Cena ever take off his shirt outside of a match? You think with all that money that he would invested in one monkey suit. I think Cena wears his wrestling gear along with his bedtime/wedding gear. This week, Vickie Guerrero's 'proof' is an altered phone conservation between AJ and Cena. So, how much longer until Dolph and Vickie start drinking appletinis and Cena is caught with drunken photos? At the end of the day, AJ admits that her and Cena are……friends….

Every time Vickie laughs, another person looses their hearing. Cena FINALLY comes out to defend AJ. What took you so long? Working on the prototype of a new T-shirt? After the scene, AJ and Cena share a very interesting conservation in the back. It appears the crazy chick has developed feelings for Super Man. I think this storyline gets worse and worse every week. I know pro wrestling is gonna be silly, but this is just bad. It isn't meant to be taken seriously, but I'm just not a fan of it. 

Match #3: Big Show vs William Regal

IT'S REGAL!!! REGAL IS GONNA TAKE YOU--Ohhhhhhh nooooooo. Regal never had a chance against Show. Show wins with the KO punch. I can see what WWE's doing here. By having Show take out Regal, it adds more than just championship implications between Sheamus and Show. Some may not care for this, but I really don't have a problem with this. It adds something a little more to the rivalry and I think it makes it more enjoyable. 

Winner via pinfall: Big Show

Match #4: Kaitlyn vs Layla

Excuse me a second. I'm gonna make myself some toast…

Just in time for….Oh, the match is already over. Well, might as well butter my toast. Kaitlyn hit the Inverted DDT for the victory. With the victory, Kaitlyn will get a title match. From a booking perspective, this made the most sense. I'm not sure if Kaitlyn is ready for the Divas title, but I wouldn't object to her getting a title at SS. She's one of the most interested divas to watch these days. 

Winner via pinfall: Kaitlyn 

Jerry Lawler comes back after his heart attack. Regardless of how you feel about Lawler, it's great seeing him back after all that's happened. But you know what wasn't great? CM Punk coming out and to poke fun of the matter. It was one thing having him interrupt the segment and talk about himself, but I thought they went way overboard when Punk and Paul Heyman faked a heart attack. I had a feeling something like this was coming, but I was really hoping that they would just leave it alone. Lawler is one hell of an understanding person for having agreed to any of this. Mick Foley comes out and tells us the WWE Universe would get to determine the final member of Team Foley. He also goes into a rant for how Punk is being disrespectful. It wasn't Punk's fault for the disrespect. You need to talk to the creative staff about that one. Again, why couldn't they just leave it alone? I know it's pro wrestling and designed for Punk to get more heat, but there's other ways to go about this. Pro wrestling is supposed to be fun and this wasn't fun. Then again, I'm not surprised. Lawler has a habit of using things like this into the plots. This is his way of telling us he's okay and ready to work again. I understand all of that, but just because it's the nature of the business doesn't make it okay. And while on this subject, why did they show images from the night Lawler had the heart attack? I don't know about you, but I had a really hard time watching those scenes. They were graphic and I felt they shouldn't have shown actual images of Lawler being carried away on a stretcher and getting CPR treatment. It's just a little graphic for my taste. Anyway, Foley informs us that he will be the special enforcer for the Punk/Cena match later tonight. Translation: Foley wants a pool and needs to earn the extra money. Afterwords, Punk tells Pauly to fix this situation. Never fear, Fix-It Felix is on the case!!!

Match #5: Masked Men and Team International vs Prime Time Players and Puerto Rican Express

In a backstage scene, Miz goes from loving Dolph to hating him. Miz petitions himself to be in the voting for Team Foley. That has to be the laziest face turn ever. As silly as it is, I'm perfectly fine with this. Miz hasn't played face in years and I think is due for a change. I think this could be good for him. Then again, he could be playing a double agent in this match, but we'll wait and see. Something I should bring up is Ricardo giving Rosa Mendes a letter/package of some sort. Watch out, Alberto Del Penis is on the loose. Thanks to the real superpower of team work, Rey Mysterio and Justin Gabriel take out Darren Young. This was a match to remind you of the tag teams in the WWE. Regardless of your feelings towards WWE, you gotta give them some credit for trying something with the tag division. It almost feels like tag wrestling is back….almost. 

Winner via pinfall: Masked Men vs Team International

Match #6: R-Truth vs Tensai

There would've been a time where this kind of match would've resulted in a Tensai squash. Now HE'S the one getting squashed. At what point does Tensai become future endeavored? Actually, the new phrase for it is you've just been Laurinaitis'd. Truth wins with the Little Jimmy. Antonio Cesaro was on commentary for this match and continues to play the anti-American route since WWE wants make sure they get a foreign heel character from every nation in the world. That's one more off the list. 

Winner via pinfall: R-Truth

Match #7: Ryback vs Brad Maddox

Just like previous Ryback matches, this was another squash. I guess WWE just wanted this whole thing to be over and done with. I can't blame them for doing that. I guess part of me wanted to see a screw-job, but I think they just wanted to kill off the Maddox character. These kind of matches give the casual fans something to root for. At the same time, how does this match make Ryback look good? That would be like bragging about beating up a washcloth. Yeah, you can tell that washcloth to go f*** itself. 

Winner via pinfall: Ryback

Match #8: Sheamus vs David Otunga

Zzzzzzzzzz….Sheamus wins with Brogue Kick. My biggest disappointment is this match didn't last that long. I was enjoying that nap. After words, Show is on the titantron and hits the KO punch on Regal. I love how Sheamus and Regal are friends, but Sheamus just literally watches his friend get killed. Once the punch connected, now it occurs for Sheamus to rescue his friend. Run, pale-man, run!!!

Winner via pinfall: Sheamus

So, Daniel Bryan gets upset that Kane is gonna be dating the newest member of Team Foley. Bryan feels betrayed and claims he would never find anybody else. You're the wind beneath my wings. He loves him. He really REALLY loves him. I love Bryan at the end here. He gets all sad. Awwww, you really feel sorry for him. Fruit rollups simply do it for him. No wonder he didn't seem to care for AJ. That's just something she can't offer. 

Match #9: Miz and Kane vs Rhodes Scholars

Since Miz basically forced the face turn, he wins the poll….wait, what? Yeah, I wouldn't be surprised if that poll was rigged. Well, it isn't like they had any better choices. It's like the WWE is telling you, "Pick THIS one and ONLY this one". It makes you wonder why they bothered doing a poll. In a short match, the finish comes when Daniel tries to screw Miz out of the match, but it backfires and Miz is able to help his team win the match. You gotta fight for your man, Bryan. 

Winner via pinfall: Miserable Flames

Match #10: CM Punk vs John Cena

Wow, we had ten matches tonight? And the funny thing is only about 3-4 of them were even worth it. Still, this is the week of a PPV and I wasn't expecting much in the action department. Punk and Cena put on the best match of the night. While this was a good match, I can see some people not being happy with the ending. Since Cena hasn't won in a while, it was almost apparent that he would get the victory. Punk tries to run away, but Ryback runs out to create a wall. Punk isn't able to escape in time and ends up going into the AA. No matter what you throw at Cena, he always has a counter for it. Wrestling logic can be obvious sometimes. After the match, Cena and Ryback play tug-o-war with the WWE title. I love this shot because Punk has that look a kid on the playground would give you. Hey, stop that!!! Give it back!!! It's mine!!! I'm gonna tell my mommy!!! Punk's face just makes this priceless. This is the match I'm looking forward to the most going into the PPV. Some of the other matches are okay, but this match has to be the major selling point for SS. But with that said, this year's SS card isn't that sexy. It's okay, but I've seen better cards. 

Winner via pinfall: John Cena

Overall Impression:

I have some mixed views with this show. I already mentioned that the fake heart attack was just out of bad taste. I'm not offended by it, but it still gives off an unsettling feeling. King just knows how to make the most out of a bad situation. He repeatedly cracked jokes at his expense. Some people use dark humor to get pass these things. There's nothing wrong with that, but it isn't for everyone. Some of these matches were short and unnecessary, but I understand why this happened. It's custom to get short matches in the 'go home' episode since they want to save the action for the PPV. The show did address the PPV matches, but I'm not looking forward to the majority of these matches. Some of them sound okay, but some of them were put together on the fly and feel very forced. This wasn't a bad episode of Raw, but it wasn't a very memorable show either. It just falls somewhere in the middle. By the way, I apologize for this review arriving before the TNA Turning Point review. I've been very busy and have fallen behind. I didn't want to delay both reviews, so I released this one before the PPV review. The Turning Point review should hopefully be out tomorrow or Wednesday. Again, I apologize for the delay. Tell me what you thought of tonight's review or show. I will see you guys and girls in the next one. See you next time.