5-2-11 results and thoughts on the happy b-day Rock episode of Raw

Coverage and thoughts on the May 2, 2011 Rock Birthday Celebration episode of Monday Night Raw

The show started with Lillian Garcia singing the National Anthem. She was really great as always! Very fitting way to start the show!

The Rock comes out and says he’s got one thing to say, “We got him!” Rock thanks the people who fight for the U.S. every day and every night and that he’s proud to be an American and he along the crowd says the Pledge of Allegiance. Really classy moment! He says it’s good to be home. Hey delivers his always outstanding promo, about how he was born in Miami, went to College there and won the Orange Bowl and then on to WWE. He was about to say the “if ya smell” but the Raw GM chimed in. Michael Cole goes to read it but The Rock stops him saying that he has the nerve to interrupt Rock on his B-Day and said that he should get in the ring and deliver the message to Rock’s face. Cole says no and Rock talks about his wins at Mania and Extreme Rules, then says that he can get in the ring or go back into his Cole Mine. Cole says he isn’t scared of anything and is not the kid he knew and that he’s a man and a winner these days. Cole takes his shirt off and has a Celtics jersey underneath and rags on the fans. Cole gets in the ring and says the Raw GM an apology because he embarrassed him at Mania and if Rock doesn’t apologize, he’s shutting down the show. Cole then says that he also wants an apology from Rock. Rock says Cole is right in that he has dis respected the GM and Cole and apologizes. Rock offers Cole his hand and he and Cole shake hands and Cole thanks Rock. Rock then says thank you to Michael Cole and then gives him a Rock Bottom and the People’s Elbow. Rock then brings out some local DJ or something named Pit bull and he wishes Rock happy b-day then sings in Spanish and the Miami Heat cheerleaders come out. Really great back and forth with Rock and Cole. Rock was his usual charismatic self and Cole continued to be the jerk heal, which he is great at being. The DJ and cheerleaders however was just out right painful to watch and really ended the segment on bad note.

John Morrison comes out for a match but gets attacked from behind by R-Truth. Truth lays him out and referees come to kick Truth out. The referees help Morrison to the back and Truth comes back out and lays him out a second time on the entrance ramp. Good way to keep this feud going. Truth has really shown a lot as a heal.

Time for the first match of the show. Maryse vs. Kelly Kelly. The match barely gets started and Kharma comes out. Kelly is terrified as Kharma gets in the ring. Kharma then flattens Maryse, then stares down Kelly, but she walks out. This was a good bit for Kharma, showing that she’s a monster.

Miz and Alex Riley in the back with Miz asking where Alex was when he lost the belt at Extreme Rules. Miz chews out Riley and says that no one will be talking about Rock’s B-Day at the end of the night but about Miz once again being WWE Champion. Good promo from the Miz.

Rock in the back for his B-Day celebration with the Divas about the President and his wife wished him a happy b-day, then Talks to Teddy Long, then runs into Vladimir Kozlov and Santino Marella who’s dressed in some costume likely from Rocks movie, then Hornswoggle comes in as the scorpion king, then Great Khali comes in as the tooth fairy. Ron Simmons shows up and says his favorite word. I wasn’t really into this. The under card comedy acts in the backstage skits usually aren’t my favorite parts of the show. Hornswoggle and Khali are really stale. Kozlov bores me too. Santino can sometimes be funny, other times he can be idiotic with his goofiness.

WWE Champion John Cena vs. The Miz for the Title. This was a really good match. Miz gets the pin after hitting Cena with the belt. The referee sees the belt in the ring and reverses the decision and Cena retains the Title by DQ. Cena gives Riley and Miz Attitude Adjustments. I don’t know why they put the Title back on Cena, he doesn’t need it. I really hope this isn’t the start of a de push for Miz.

They show the video of John Cena from after Extreme Rules saying that the U.S. got him. Cena says he is proud to be an American.

Alberto Del Rio comes out to do some commentary.

Ray Mysterio & Kofi Kingston vs. Jack Swagger & Drew McIntyre. Really good match with Rey and Kofi getting the win after Rey pinned McIntyre. Mysterio and Alberto have a stare down afterwards.

Rock’s B-Day celebration and he is talking with Christian and congratulates him on winning the World Title. Dolph and Vicki then come in with a giant cake and Mae Young is standing behind it. Rock says that Vikki will never look as good as Mae, what ever, and that it was good to see Mae and he plants one on her, ugh! Cena comes in and says he brought a gift, the WWE Title he got Rock the greatest gift and says he will be Champion at WrestleMania 28 and that if Rock wants the belt he will have to get through him. Rock says just bring it and Cena wishes him happy birthday. This was a mixed bag segment. The Mae stuff was bad, but Rock talking with Christian and the face off with Cena was good.

Kane vs. Mason Ryan. Kane wins by DQ after CM Punk gets in the ring. McGillicutty & Otunga come out and attack Kane a bit, Kane then goes for a Choke Slam on Ryan but he blocks him. Nexus attack Kane then Big Show comes out and cleans house on Nexus, then Ryan lays out Big Show with a shoulder block. 

The Rock comes back out to the ring and says before the big finale he thanks the fans for making this one of the greatest b-days. He thanks his family that is in the arena and at home and thanks WWE. Rock says that next years WrestleMania will be biggest Mania of all time. Vince McMahon comes out and wishes Rock happy b-day and thanks him for his respect, his love of life and for being The Rock. Vince thanks Rock for coming home and they have a video of clips of Rock and his family with the song I’m Coming Home. This was a really well done video package. They showed some of Rock’s football days and his early days in WWE. Really well done. Then some singer named Maya comes out and says it was a special night and sings happy b-day to Rock. The Rock thanks his family and the fans and says his “If ya smell what the Rock is cookin’” line! Confetti and balloons come down from the ceiling and Rock poses in the ring and the pyro goes off. Really great way to end the show.

This was a good episode of Raw. There were some good matches, some hokey back stage bits and the Rock’s celebration at the end was really good!