5-9-11 Raw coverage and thoughts

Coverage and thoughts on the May 9, 2011 episode of Monday Night Raw

Raw begins with Alberto Del Rio saying that his destiny to be World Champion was stolen and how last week should’ve been a celebration for his raw “debut” and that there is no one better than him and that he should face John Cena for the WWE Title. Rey Mysterio comes out and says that Del Rio’s destiny isn’t to be Champion but to one be Ricardo’s ring announcer. Then he challenges him to match for the number 1 contender spot. Alberto was about to accept when The Miz came out and that Raw is still is show and the WWE Championship is his Title and he blames Alex Riley for not being Champion. Alberto says that Miz had his chance. Miz says that he should be facing Cena for the Title. R-Truth comes out saying the truth has set him free. He says that everyone is spilling hate, he will spill some of his own and he says that he hates hospital food, that you never get it when you want it and that John Morrison is eating a lot of hospital food right now because of Truth’s attack from last Monday. He says he doesn’t have any problem making sure the others in the ring are in the hospital either. Truth says he’s not waiting in line for a Title match and that he will be facing Cena “and that’s the truth.” The Raw GM chimes in saying that there will be a triple threat match tonight to see who will challenge Cena for the Title at Over The Limit. Rey Mysterio vs. Alberto Del Rio vs. The Miz. Truth looked really upset saying that he got screwed again, saying that he’s better than all of them especially Rey. Rey says Truth shouldn’t be involved in the match and “that’s what’s up” and “that’s the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.” Truth walks out all pissed. Miz says he doesn’t care what Del Rio accomplished on Smackdown and that he and Rey take a back seat to him and is about to say he will be the next champion but Ricardo announces that Del Rio will be. Del Rio and Miz go at it a bit and Mysterio dives on Del Rio and Miz on the outside. This was a solid opening segment. Miz and Alberto continue to be really good jerk heals. I thought Truth’s promo this week wasn’t as good this week.

The Bella Twins vs. Eve Torres & Kelly Kelly. Kelly & Eve get the win after Kelly pins 1 of the Bellas. Typical Divas match. Kharma comes out and the Bellas run to the back, while Kelly & Eve are frozen in the ring. Kelly bailed, but Eve got close lined. She was going to go after Kelly but she ran to the back. Kharma then gives Eve the implant buster.

Kane and Big Show in the back walking to the ring for the next match.

Kane vs. Mayson Ryan. Punk tripped Kane and Big Show KO’d Punk. Kane gets the win by DQ when the other Nexus members come out. Kane tosses Otunga and Kane and Big Show double choke slam Ryan. This was a so so match. Mayson Ryan is kinda green still.

Santino Marella vs. Dolph Ziggler. Vickie Guerrero came out to introduce Dolph. She is a really good heal too. Dolph gets the pin a short decent match. Hopefully this is the start of a re-push for him.

R-Truth is in the back still upset. He says it’s a conspiracy and that he gets notes from parents to go back to his old gimmick. He said that no one took him seriously but this is all going to change. R-Truth is really doing a great job as a heal.

John Cena and Zack Ryder are in the back fist pumping for some reason and Cena is on his way to the ring.

Miz and Alex Riley in the back. They argued about what happened last week after the Cena-Miz match. Miz tells Riley that he hasn’t got any brains. Alex continues apologizing and says he was going to make it up to Miz. Alex Riley goes out to the ring and says the only person that he cares about is Miz and that he will prove it by challenging John Cena to a match. Cena comes out and the match is on.

John Cena vs. Alex Riley. Cena gets the win by submission with the STF. Miz came to ring side and he and Cena had a stare down.

Michael Cole is in the ring and says that after beating Lawler twice it can’t any higher for him. He decides to announce that he is retiring from in ring competition. He says that when he goes into the WWE Hall Of Fame he wants to be inducted as a superstar and broad caster. Lawler gets in the ring and Cole reminds him that he will be canned if he strikes Cole. Lawler said that did not apply with The Rock last week. They replay the clip from last week with Cole getting Rock Bottomed. Lawler says that if the day ever came that Cole would be a Hall OF Famer life would cease to exist as we know it. Lawler than says that if Cole beat him in another match he would personally induct him into the WWE hall of fame and he would give him his HOF ring. Cole says no then says that Lawler couldn’t let Cole retire in peace and that he had to steal the spot light. He then rags on the Tennessee fans, and mentions that that Lawler lost twice. He said that for mother’s day he and his mom watched his WrestleMania match. Cole continues to rag on Lawler and Lawler goes after him, but Jack Swagger gets him from behind. Cole does a really great job playing the jerk heal.

U.S Champion Kofi Kingston vs. Jack Swagger for the Title. Kofi gets the pin in a really good match. Lawler comes out and throws Swagger over the ring barrier, then he grabs Michael Cole by the tie and rams him into the Cole mine. Swagger takes the Mic and says Lawler is “fired” because he touched Cole. Lawler said he never touched Cole, just his tie. Swagger says Lawler made Cole a first ballot Hall Of Famer and accepts the match for Cole for a match with Lawler. Cole flips out asking Swagger why he would do this.

Rey Mysterio vs. Alberto Del Rio vs. The Miz. Miz pins Mysterio for the win in a great match. Alex Riley came out during the match and yanked Alberto out of the ring when Rey had him pinned. Cena comes out and congratulates Miz, then says how Miz always has excuses for not being Champion. Cena says that he has picked the stip for their match at Over The Limit, and it will be an I Quit match. R-Truth lays out Rey Mysterio in the ring and says “Now that’s what’s up!”

I thought the show was good on the whole. The Kofi-Swagger and the triple threat matches were the best parts of the show.