12-26-11 Raw results and thoughts

Coverage and thoughts on the December 26, 2011 episode of Raw

The show starts with CM Punk’s music playing but Johnny Ace comes out wearing a CM Punk t-shirt. He says that the new golden era will continue in Punk’s home town, Chicago. He then says that he is a Punk believer. Punk’s music plays again and he comes out. Punk says that Ace is trying to get a reaction from him. Then he asks what is stopping him from kicking him in the face. Ace says he might fire him. Then he says that since it is the holiday season he wants to give him a holiday gift he wouldn’t expect. He then gives Punk the night off. Then he asks who says he can’t be unpredictable. Punk says that everyone knows that he can’t be unpredictable. Then he says that Punk will be in a gauntlet match tonight and if any of them beat him they will get a WWE Title match on next week’s Raw. Then Punk asks what happens after he wins. Ace says he hasn’t given that much thought and Punk says that is the problem. Punk then says that after he beats 3 guys he has a fourth match being Punk vs. Johnny Ace. Ace says that Punk doesn’t want to do this. The fans chant, “You can’t wrestle” at Ace. Punk then asks the fans if they want to see Punk vs. Ace tonight and of course they cheer for that. Ace accepts Punk’s challenge. This was a decent opening segment. Punk was great on the mic as usual.

They show the 1/2/12 video saying it begins next Monday. I don’t know they don’t have the announcers mention these.

Booker T vs. Intercontinental Champion Cody Rhodes. Booker T gets the pin. This was a good back and forth match. I’m not sure why they had this match again and why they had Booker win, but at least it was a good match.

Zack Ryder is backstage with John Cena thanking him for being U.S. Champion. Cena says Ryder doesn’t owe him anything and that he earned the U.S. Title. Ryder then asks what’s up with Kane. Cena says that if Kane’s around, he will make sure that 2011 goes out with a bang. The fans booed Cena.

Jerry Lawler announces who CM Punk’s 3 opponents will be. They are Jack Swagger, Dolph Ziggler & Mark Henry. Lawler then mentions that if Punk wins all 3 matches he will get a match with Johnny Ace.

Big Show & Kelly are backstage and referee Scott Armstrong comes in and tells him that Johnny Ace wants to see him. This was idiotic.

They show Johnny Ace and David Otunga backstage and Ace is on his cell phone telling Brodus Clay he will make his return next week (I doubt that will happen). Big Show then comes in and they replay him punching out Otunga on Smackdown. Otunga yaps and Show says that he can beat him with one arm tied behind his back. Ace then offers to make the match and Otunga takes it. Show says he sees what’s going on and he hints punching Otunga again. This was dull. I’m beyond tired of Johnny Ace and David Otunga.

Dolph Ziggler & Jack Swagger are backstage and they argue. Vickie Guerrero comes in and says that it doesn’t matter who beats Punk but all that matters is that one of them will beat Punk and bring the WWE Title to her stable. Mark Henry then comes by and says, “Excuse me.” This segment was ok. Mark Henry coming in was kind of funny.

U.S. Champion Zack Ryder & Eve Torres vs. Tyson Kidd & Natalya in a Mixed Tag Team match. Ryder & Eve win when Ryder pins Tyson. This was a decent match. I don’t know why Tyson & Natalya are being booked like jobbers.

John Cena’s music hits and he comes out to a huge amount of boos! He says that he can’t say that he’s Chicago’s favorite son. He mentions that he had his first match in this arena and talks about the mixed reaction he gets. The fans continue to boo him. Cena then says that there is magic in this building and mentions that there were 3 WrestleManias in Chicago. He mentions that Chicago was where Eddie Guerrero was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. Then he mentions that Punk beat for the WWE Title there at Money in the Bank. Then he says let the world remember Chicago. Then he says that they will see him vs. Kane. The Miz’s music hits and he comes out and says that they have some lose ends to tie up and that 2011 was the year of The Miz. He mentions beating Cena at Mania and says that the win was tainted because of The Rock. He says that Rock stole his moment and that he doesn’t need Rock to beat Cena. Then he says that he wants the final image of 2011 to be him standing triumphant over Cena. Cena then asks for a referee to come out and have the match right now.

John Cena vs. The Miz. Miz goes outside the ring, gets the mic and tells the fans that they’re chanting the wrong guy’s name. Then he says forget the match and he is the most must see WWE Champion of all time. Then he says that this match doesn’t matter and that he is a winner. He talks some more and then R-Truth’s music plays and he comes out and goes after Miz. Truth throws him into the announce table and the ring barrier. Then he throws him into the steal steps. Truth gets the mic and says that there isn’t any fun in finishing this right now. He continues to beat on Miz. Then he says that the problem with Christmas is that once the gifts are open it’s over. He says that he will beat down Miz every Monday and will take his time with him. He says that “Little Jimmy” said it’s ok and that in the new year auld acquaintance is “gonna get got.” Then he hits Miz with a water bottle. The Cena promo at the start was the usual kind of Cena promo and the fans booed him. The match wasn’t much and Cena won by count out, but Truth attacking Miz and saying that he will do that to him every Monday was good.

 Big Show vs. David Otunga with one arm tied behind Big Show’s back. Mark Henry’s music plays and he comes out and gets in the ring. The referee calls for the bell, so I guess Show wins by DQ. LAME! Henry then punches Show. Then Daniel Bryan comes out and Big Show unties his arm and goes after Henry, but Otunga comes in and Big Show choke slams him. This was ok. The match wasn’t much, but I thought the continuing of the Big Show-Mark Henry feud was decent. Maybe we’ll Bryan vs. Show vs. Henry for the World Title at the Rumble.

Alberto Del Rio’s music plays and he come out in a wheel chair and Ricardo Rodriguez has a neck brace. Del Rio says that he won everything in 2011 and brought class and honor to WWE and that he is now injured with a torn groin. He says it doesn’t matter because he will be back. Then the Bella Twins come out and one of them tells the fans that they should show him respect. Then the other one says that she will have a big return party for him. Then they argue over whose idea that that was and Del Rio tells them to split. Then he says that he will be back more vicious and aggressive then ever before and that he doesn’t care who he has to destroy, he will be WWE Champion again. This was ok. Del Rio cut a good promo but the Bellas were boring as usual. (Del Rio is actually going to be out because of an injury for awhile.)

Time for CM Punk to run the gauntlet.

CM Punk vs. Jack Swagger. Punk gets the pin. This was solid and was longer than I thought it would be.

CM Punk vs. Dolph Ziggler. Swagger attacks Punk before Dolph gets in the ring. The referee asks Punk if he can go. Punk says he can and the match starts and they go to a commercial break. Back from commercial and the match is in progress. Johnny Ace comes out and says that there has been an injustice and tell the referee that Vickie tripped Punk and Ace kicks Swagger & Vickie out. This all happens while Punk has Dolph pinned. Ace then distracts Punk and Dolph gets the pin. So Dolph Ziggler will face CM Punk for the WWE Title next Monday. Dolph celebrates running around the ring holding the Title and he walks up the ramp with it. The match ok but the way they had it end with boring Johnny Ace distracting Punk was dumb. Punk vs. Dolph could be good if they book it right, but they should have it at the Royal Rumble.

Time for Kane to talk about why he’s been attacking Cena. He says that he might wear a mask but the fans are living the lie. Before he can say anything further John Cena’s music plays and he comes out. Then Kane’s pyro goes off and he says he’s not here to pick a fight with Cena. He mentions that he made Cena his victim because he has lead them astray and that telling them to rise above the hate is bull because the world is a dark place. He says that humans are hateful by nature and that the natural reaction is to embrace hate. Then he goes on a rant and says that people hate their miserable existence. Then he says that the rising above is a lie and that hate is the seed from where everyone’s born. He says that it motivates people and he knows that Cena feels it too. Then he says that once Cena embraces the hate he becomes free and honest with himself. He mentions that Cena grows weaker with his denial and that he can never be free if continues to deny the truth. Then he says that he and all the fans are going to help him on his path towards enlightenment because the last thing that will hear this year will be the fans chanting, “Cena sucks.” He says that a few times and the fans have a mixed reaction with the dueling “Let’s go Cena-Cena sucks” chants. Cena stands on the ramp as the fans continue the back and forth chant and he soaks it in. That ends the show. This was terrible.

I thought that this week’s show was a mixed bag on the whole. There were some good matches and some lame booking. The opening promo was decent. Punk was good as always. R-Truth returning and attacking The Miz was good too. Punk-Swagger was solid and was longer than I expected it to be. His match with Dolph was ok but the finish was awful. The Kane promo at the end was awful too. I’m not sure what they’re doing with him and Cena about the whole “let the hate flow through you” bit. Overall this was a mixed bag episode this week.