2-13-12 Raw results and thoughts

Coverage and thoughts on the February 13, 2012 episode of Raw

The show starts with Kane saying that there’s nothing that he won’t do to make John Cena to embrace the hate. He then says that will tonight and also someone will take a ride in this. He opens the doors of an ambulance. I really hope to God they end this Sunday!

Jerry Lawler is in the ring with the guys who will be in the WWE Title Elimination Chamber match for a debate. Are they kidding!? King says that he will ask them questions and they’ll 45 seconds to respond. He starts with Punk and asks what makes him think he can walk out still WWE Champion. Before Punk says anything Johnny Ace & David Otunga come out and Ace thanks the board for letting him remain Raw GM. The fans chant CM Punk loudly! Then Punk says that this debate will not end in violence. Then he congratulates Ace on convincing the Board to keeping his job. He then says that Ace was doing a lot of begging. Then he says that he will win the chamber match because he is the best wrestler in the world. King then goes to Dolph but Vickie chimes in and tells Lawler that they’re shouldn’t be any booing. Then Dolph says that everyone know that he is a better wrestler than Punk. Then he rags on R-Truth for not knowing what state they’re in. Truth then says if he’s elected he will trade Dolph & Vickie to Smackdown for Hornswoggle & Spiders. Truth rambles on some more saying that he will stomp on spiders and make spider stew. Then he says more nonsense and says that he will win the chamber. That was awful! Then Lawler goes to Miz saying he was in the main event of last year’s WrestleMania and Miz says that he was the main event at WrestleMania. Then he says Kofi is an after thought, Truth is insane, Punk is 0-2 in the chamber and says that this is Dolph’s first chamber and that the only time he scored was with an “old woman.”  Before he can get to Jericho the buzzer goes off. Then he rambles on more. Then Kofi says that in one night everything can change and that he might walk out the next WWE Champion. Finally King gets to Jericho. Jericho says that there isn’t anyone who has been in more chamber matches than him. He mentions that the last time he was in a chamber he walked out World Champion. He says that that the list of his accomplishments outweigh the other 5. Then he talks to Punk and tells him to give him the title right now because the master has come to reclaim what is his. Punk says that he wasn’t listening to him and was thinking about how Jericho finished 7^th on dancing with the stars. Dolph then says that this segment is a joke (oh he is so right). Then Truth says that he won’t be talked down to by a guy named “Flipper.” Then Lawler says that Kofi vs. Jericho will take place next. Before that happens Jericho knocks over Punk’s stand. Punk holds up the title and then Kofi gives Jericho Trouble In Paradise. This was TERRIBLE!! Dolph saying that he will never get these 15 minutes of his life back was the truest thing said in this joke of a segment! What are they thinking in WWE?

Kofi Kingston vs. Chris Jericho. Jericho gets the pin. This was a solid match.

They show Shawn Michaels backstage and he runs into Triple H and they hug.

They show John Cena & Zack Ryder backstage and Cena asks Ryder how he fells. Ryder has flowers and candy for Eve and says that he’s going to tell her she is the love of his life. Then Cena mentions that Kane has gone after Ryder every time. Then he tells Ryder to stay in the locker room and that he will bring Eve to him. This was dumb. Ryder’s character has totally been neutralized.

Johnny Ace & David Otunga are in the office and Ace says he’s glad to be back. Then Otunga says that that was the good news but the bad news is that Ace wasn’t made the permanent GM. Then he says that he has an idea so that Ace can be GM of both Raw & Smackdown. This was lame too.

They show a WWE.com clip of Big Show choke slamming Randy Orton last week after Smackdown ended.

Daniel Bryan comes out to watch the next match.

Big Show vs. Randy Orton. Orton wins by DQ when Daniel Bryan comes in and hits Orton with the belt. Then he hit Big Show with the belt. This was a decent match and Bryan’s post match attack and celebration was ok too.

Shawn Michaels comes to the ring and says that earlier today a guy tweeted him asking why he is always on this time of year. He says because it’s WrestleMania season. He says that he was watching Raw at home last week and he mentions that he was waiting for Triple H to say that he accepts The Undertaker’s challenge and was hocked that he didn’t. Then he says that Triple H is baiting Taker and he is here to bring Triple H out to say that he will beat Taker at WrestleMania and end the streak. Triple H’s music plays and he comes out and he and Michaels hug in the ring and Hunter raises HBK’s arm. Triple H says that it’s great to see Shawn and that he realizes that it’s hard to tear himself away from Texas to come to Raw and says that he would like to see him more often than WrestleMania season. Shawn says that he wanted to hear Triple H answer Taker’s challenge. Hunter says that he will not face Taker this year and mentions how Taker hasn’t been around since last year and says that he isn’t willing to be the guy who ends Taker. Shawn tells him that is who he is, a career closer who steps on people’s throats. Shawn asks him if being the COO is all he is now. He mentions that he’s always been there for him but now he sees him as a corporate sellout. Hunter says that he is investing in the future and that Shawn doesn’t get it. Michaels says that he knows that when a guy challenges him and he backs down that makes him a coward. He says he doesn’t care how nice he dresses because at the end of the day a coward is till a coward. Hunter goes to leave and Michaels says that a coward walks away. Hunter says that he has responsibilities and that all of this will be his. He says that he can’t see Taker as just someone to go through anymore. He says that he sees him as a brand that can’t end because it would be bad for business. Then he says that they’re part of an era that no longer exists. Then he says that he will not face Taker for his, or Shawn’s ego, or to do what Shawn couldn’t. Michaels says that he is at peace in his life, but Hunter isn’t. Then Shawn says that he wants Hunter to look him in the eye and tell him that he doesn’t need to face Taker. Hunter takes his jacket off and he and Shawn have a stare down. Finally Hunter takes the mic, looks Shawn in the eye and says no. Shawn walks out of the ring and up the ramp while Hunter stands in the ring. Shawn looks at him one more time before he goes backstage. Then Undertaker’s gong hit and the lights went out and they show another Taker video with Triple H’s promo from last Monday and Taker’s this is not over. Then Taker says that he will get what he wants. He says to give him immortality. They showed Taker cutting his hear in this one too. They go back to Triple H. This was really good! They’re doing a great job building to Taker-HHH. Michaels was great on the mic as always and he and Triple H had a great back and forth. The Undertaker video was good too. 

R-Truth vs. Dolph Ziggler. Truth gets the pin. This was a short match. I’m not sure why Dolph is getting de pushed.

Santino Marella walks into Zack Ryder’s locker room and gives him some Valentine’s tips. He gives Ryder some garlic. Whatever. This was lame too.

Beth Phoenix is on commentary for the next match and they announce that Beth will defend the Divas Title against Tamina at the Elimination Chamber.

Tamina Snuka vs. Brie Bella. Tamina gets the pin. This was short too. Afterwards Tamina & Beth have a face off.

John Cena is in the interview area with Josh Mathews. Time for commercial.

Back from commercial and they show a video package of The Rock on talk shows. This was good.

Then Josh Mathews asks Cena about The Rock. Eve screams in the background and Kane locks her in the ambulance. Then Cena throws Kane into some crates and goes to unlock it but Kane gets him from behind. Kane goes to drive the ambulance out of the building but Cena gets her out and they kiss. Ryder sees this and is all upset. This was crap. They’re gonna have Cena & Ryder feud over Eve?

WWE Champion CM Punk vs. The Miz. Punk wins by submission. This was a decent but short match. They show Chris Jericho watching on a monitor backstage. Punk celebrates with the belt.

They show the ambulance backing into the building and time for a commercial.

Back from commercial and John Cena comes to the ring. He says that he tried to apologize to Ryder but he wouldn’t listen. He apologizes again and says that this was Kane’s plan to turn his friends and the fans against him and that would leave him no choice but to embrace the hate. He says it would’ve worked if it was anybody else, but he isn’t. Then he says that a lot of people think he will reach his breaking point and snap. The fans chant, “We all hate you.” He says that it’s been 6 years and that he is proud to do what he does and people don’t get that he raises above hate. He tells everyone to think he needs to hate. He says that he will adapt, overcome and win. He says that Kane will leave in an ambulance at the Elimination Chamber. Then he gets to The Rock, but before he can say anything Zack Ryder comes out in the wheel chair and gets up and walks on crutches to the ring. He pushes the mic out of Cena’s hand and slaps him. Then Zack asks Cena what kind of man he is and chews out Cena. Zack goes to punch him but Cena blocks it and Ryder falls to the mat. Ryder tells Cena to keep away from him and he rolls out of the ring, gets his crutches and walks back up the ramp. Kane then shows up on the Tron and says that Cena is in denial and that he has finally embraced the hate. Then he says that he feeds off of hate and that Sunday will be the final time he will be in a WWE ring. He says that he will leave in an ambulance and says to have a round of applause for Cena. Cena gets the mic but Kane pushes Ryder off the stage. Cena goes to check on Ryder as medics come out. Then Eve comes out crying and Cena has this sort of pissed look on his face. The medics get Ryder on a stretcher while Cena & Eve watch. This ends the show. This was awful too. Cena’s promo was dumb as usual and the whole bit with him & Ryder was boring. Kane shoving Ryder off the stage and Ryder doing ANOTHER stretcher job was also idiotic!

This week’s show was painful to watch for the most part. The opening debate was retched and so were all the Cena-Eve-Ryder-Kane bits. The Triple H-Shawn Michaels promo followed by The Undertaker video was the highlight of the show! The rest of it was lousy. The matches were way too short and they did a crappy job in the final build to the Elimination Chamber and they made Cena-Kane more important than the chamber title matches! I thought this week’s show was abysmal!!