8-22-11 Raw results & thoughts

Coverage and thoughts on the August 22, 2011 episode of Raw

The show starts with Ricardo Rodriguez introducing WWE Champion Alberto Del Rio. Del Rio comes to the ring and was about to speak when John Cena’s music hits and he comes out. He gets in the ring and they have a stare down. Cena then does Alberto’s gimmick and introduces himself to Del Rio and says that he is the guy who take the WWE off his waist and hurt him real bad. He says Alberto is a target and he caught a nice guy on a bad day. He says that he is not CM Punk and that he will whip hi ass after he wins the Title. CM Punk then comes out and plays to the crowd on the stage before going to the ring. Punk says that this feels like a repeat because Cena wants another Title match and mentions that he beat Cena twice and then Alberto cashed in the MITB case and won the Title, but if anyone is getting a Title match it’s going to be him (Punk). Alberto says this is his time because he is the WWE Champion. Punk tells him not to cut him off and that he doesn’t have a problem with Del Rio cashing in the case but he does have a problem and that everyone’s trying to screw him. He then mentions that they both had problems with Triple H in the past. He mentions that if Cena had won that the text would have said to take him out by name. Alberto mentions destiny and Punk says he is cashing in his opportunity for his rematch. Cena says that was doing the same. Cena and Punk then argue over who will face Alberto for the WWE Title and Alberto says he’s ignoring both of them and that he is celebrating this week, but not in Canada. He tells Punk that he took advantage of an opportunity at SummerSlam. Triple H then comes out and tells Del Rio that he is not out here to protect him and that he has a match next. He then tells Cena & Punk that in a month Del Rio will defend the Title at Night of Champions against the winner of tonight Cena-Punk match. This was a good opening segment. Punk’s promo was good as usual.

John Morrison vs. WWE Champion Alberto Del Rio. Alberto wins by submission. This was a really good back and forth match. After the match Del Rio locks the arm breaker on Morrison.

Eve Torres vs. Nikki Bella. They show comments from Beth Phoenix & Natalya saying they don’t to be a typical, but they won’t tell us what they do want. Eve gets the pin. This was a typical divas match. After the match Kelly takes out Brie. Then Natalya & Beth come out on the stage and they have a stare down.

They show Kevin Nash in the back.

Vickie Guerrero comes out and introduces her Jack Swagger.

Alex Riley vs. Jack Swagger. Dolph Ziggler comes out and he tells Vickie that she doesn’t to manage a second wrestler. Vickie fell, Swagger checks on her and he & Ziggler bicker. Swagger then gets back in the ring and Riley gets the roll up for the pin. This was more idiocy.

They show Triple H backstage on his cell phone.

Triple H is in the ring talking about Nash costing Punk the Title at SummerSlam and that he and Nash have spoke and he wants Nash to come out to explain what happened. Kevin Nash comes out. H mentions that the text message did not come from him and that there’s no conspiracy. Nash said that he thought he was doing H a favor. He says that he was going to apologize to Punk but decides not to after Punk ragged on him last week. H says that Punk crossed the line, but Nash doesn’t work in WWE and Nash he doesn’t have to take any of Punk’s crap. H says that he can’t have Nash calling guys out since he doesn’t work in WWE and he asks Nash to go. Punk then comes out and wants to know who sent the text and tries to figure it out clue style and says that maybe it was Stephanie with the candle stick in the library. He then says that he doesn’t believe them and that stepping over lines is what he does and that Nash should know something about that because he is one too. Punk says that Nash got off easy last week, but he is kicking Nash’s ass tonight. H gets in the way and Punk says that H has had it out for him and he asks if he, Nash of Stephanie is pulling the strings. H says that if Punk crosses a line with him he will leave him lying. Punk says that he wouldn’t want H to take his nice suit off and fold it up and put it in his wife’s purse along with his b**lls. Nash then punches Punk. He & H walk out with Nash complaining. This was a mixed bag segment. Just like last week, I didn’t care for Nash’s promo and I wasn’t too crazy about Triple H’s either, but Punk’s promo was fun. I loved the clue bit! Something WWE doesn’t seem to have right now about where this storyline is headed. It seems like they’re doing what TNA is doing with ODB & Jackie with the whole “doesn’t work here” crap.

Nash and Triple H talk backstage and H says that he needs him to go and Nash says that H has changed.

Kofi Kingston & Evan Bourne vs. WWE Tag Team Champions Michael McGuillicutty & David Otunga for the Titles. Kofi & Bourne win to become the new Titles when Bourne pins Otunga. This was a decent match. The Tag Titles haven’t meant anything in years, but there’s been talk of WWE looking to bring in new Teams.

Josh Mathews interviews Kofi & Bourne and Kofi says it feels great to be the Tag Champions and Zack Ryder and other under card wrestlers pour Champaign on them.

Triple H is backstage and Johnny Ace tells him that Nash got hit by a car and is in the hospital. Triple H leaves Johnny Ace in charge since he needs to check on Nash. That means screw job guaranteed for the Cena-Punk match.

Santino Marella comes out for his match and gets attacked by The Miz & R-Truth. Truth says what happened to Santino will happen to “Little Jimmy” every time. He then talks about the conspiracy, saying that HHH, Stephanie, Cena, Nash & Punk are all in on it. He says that now that H is charge it’s no longer about The Truth or The Miz. Miz agrees about that conspiracy. He talks about how he main evented WrestleMania and beat Cena. He then mentions that he had to resort to picking a fight with Jared the Subway guy. Truth rags on the fans and Miz says that he is tired of seeing people lik Santino on Raw and that he & Truth haven’t been used right and they say that they will take the opportunity whenever they see it and that they will push back on any conspiracies. Truth & Miz then sing new lyrics to Truth’s music healing the fans. This was a good segment I thought. Miz & Truth healing fans was great.

Alberto Del Rio & Johnny Ace are at ringside for the Cena-Punk match.

John Cena vs. CM Punk to determine the number one contender for the WWE Title. Nash comes out and tells Punk this isn’t over yet. Punk gets distracted and Cena gets the pin. After the match Alberto attacks Cena. Johnny Ace gets in the ring in he and the referee pull Alberto off Cena but Del Rio goes back on the attack and they pull him off again. Alberto then hits Cena with the Title and throws him into the barrier. This was a really good back and forth match, but I was waiting for the screw job the whole time. I liked the match right up until the end.

I thought this was a mixed bag show. This whole Triple H-Kevin Nash-CM Punk-Johnny Ace screw job story line isn’t doing Punk any good. His promos have still been great, but why have him feud with Nash. This whole “who dunnit” is really idiotic. The match was really good till Nash came out, which I knew was going to happen. The rest of the show also had its ups and downs. The Morrison-Del Rio match was good, but I knew Del Rio was winning that. The Tag Title match was ok for what it was and it is nice to see Kofi & Bourne as the Champions, but those Titles haven’t meant anything in God knows how long. The Miz & R-Truth segment was good too. Cena-Alberto is officially set for Night of Champions, which I was expecting. I still don’t get why they took the Title off Punk! He had 2 great matches with Cena for the Title and they pull him out of the Title hunt to feud with Nash!