3-12-12 Raw results and thoughts

   Coverage and thoughts on the March 12, 2012 episode of Raw

The show starts with Jerry Lawler in the ring saying that tonight will be a first because there will be the first concert-hip hop contest tonight in Cleveland. He says that both guys will get the chance to express there views in there way. Lawler says they will start with some Thuganomics. Cena’s Thugonomic music plays and he comes out in his old hip hop gear. Then Cena does his hip hop bit saying that Rock’s been legit pissed for the last few weeks and says that Rock is a G.I. Joke. Then he does a whole hip hop promo ragging on Rock saying that things are getting scary because last week they were chanting tooth fairy. Then he says a bit more. I wasn’t into this and I don’t know why they’re having this concert vs. hip hop contest. Sorry I didn’t recap everything Cena said but it was too much to keep track of. It was mostly lame hip hop trash talk on Rock. Thankfully this was short.

Then Vickie Guerrero comes out and says that daylight savings should be illegal because the whole world would be deprived of a whole hour of this man. Then Dolph Ziggler’s music hits and he comes out.

Sheamus vs. Dolph Ziggler. Sheamus gets the pin. During the match Josh Mathews interviews Daniel Bryan along with AJ who are watching in the sky box and Josh asks about telling AJ to shut up on Smackdown and Bryan asks AJ if he was rude to her. AJ says no and then Bryan says that AJ she loves him and the feeling is mutual. Then he tells Josh that the interview is over. The match was really good and the Bryan bit in the sky box was ok for what it was. Afterwards they show Bryan & AJ watching again.

They announce that on wwe.com the Board of Directors announced a 12 Man Tag Team match for WrestleMania, Team Long vs. Team Ace. The guy’s team that wins gets him control of both Raw & Smackdown. We’ll hear from Long & Ace next.

Johnny Ace comes out to a good amount of boos as he waves to the crowd. He will be doing commentary for the next match.

Santino Marella & Aksana came out for a mixed tag team match, but after David Otunga comes out Ace announces that instead of a mixed tag this will be a “handicap” match. Then Mark Henry’s music plays and he comes out.

U.S. Champion Santino Marella vs. David Otunga & Mark Henry. Otunga & Henry win when Henry gets the pin. Before the match starts Teddy Long comes to ringside and he & Ace argue AGAIN and Long shoves him AGAIN! Afterwards Henry holds Santino & Otunga trash talks him. Then Kofi Kingston comes in and Mark Henry head butts him and then gives him the World’s Strongest Slam. Then R-Truth comes out and Otunga attacks him and gives him his scary looking spine buster. Then Henry splashes Truth. Then Ace gets in the ring and announces Mark Henry as the newest member for Team Ace. They show Teddy Long & Aksana watching all worried with Otunga, Henry & Miz in the ring. This was just as idiotic as everything that has to do with this story line has been.

They show a behind the scenes video of The Miz on Psych.

They show some chick from this show Extra and they interview Alicia Fox & The Bella Twins. BORING!

They show Eve backstage and Zack Ryder comes by and says that he is confused and asks Eve if she is trying to play him. Eve says that he is playing himself and asks if wants to go to dinner after the show. Ryder is all over it and then Beth Phoenix comes in and says that she should have been the focus on Extra. Then Zack walks out and Beth says that she likes how she’s using Zack and asks if she would mind if Beth does the same. Eve says that she would mind. This was really idiotic! Ryder gets used by Eve and then after ONE kiss he’s all goofy and confused and agrees to go to dinner with her? Then Beth coming in was a waste for both her and the fans! Total crap! They’ve made Ryder look like a complete imbecile!!

Johnny Ace is on his cell phone & The Miz comes in and asks when he was going to put him in a match at WrestleMania. Then Miz brings the star of Psych in. Then Miz says that he should be on Ace’s team and Miz says that he has a match tonight and if he wins he’s on the team. Then Ace asks the Psych guy to be the ring announcer and he says that he will “Fink it up.” Then Miz asks who he will be facing and Ace says CM Punk. After Miz leaves Ace asks the Psych guy what he thinks Miz’s chances are and the guy says Miz doesn’t stand a chance. This was idiotic.

Brodus Clay will be making his return next. OH NO!

Brodus Clay vs. Jinder Mahal. Brodus gets the pin. This was a pointless squash. I really haven’t missed the Funkasauris character! Poor Jinder!

They show Shawn Michaels backstage walking to the ring for his face to face with The Undertaker next.

Shawn Michaels’ music hits and he comes out pyro and all. He gets in the ring and poses for the fans for a bit. Then he gets the mic and says that in 3 weeks Taker & HHH will be locked inside hell in a cell at WrestleMania and it will truly be the end of an era. Then he talks about telling Hunter that he was made the referee for the match. Then he says that he got some information that caught him off guard and they show the Shawn-HHH promo from last week where HHH said that he was going to end the streak. Then Shawn says that he’s walked around the locker room and no one has called him a loser, or a failure and no one has implied that he couldn’t get the job done. Then he mentions that Taker is here and asks him to come out so they can settle this. Taker’s gong hits, the lights go out, the flaming pyro goes off, his music hits and he comes to the out. He gets in the ring and circles Michaels and then Shawn says that after sharing the locker room for 20 years, despite being on opposite sides they had respect for each other and they they both did something that will stand the test of time. Then Shawn says that he thought Taker would have the guts to say whatever’s on his mind to his face. Taker asks if Shawn wants him to say if he’s a failure and a loser or that he couldn’t get the job done. Then Taker asks if Shawn is repeating his words or his words chosen for him by HHH. Taker then mentions Shawn’s insecurities and Shawn says that Taker begged for this match. He says that both he & Taker know that HHH beat Taker within an inch of his life last year. Taker then says that whatever happens at WrestleMania he will accept the outcome but he will not accept Shawn sticking his ego in this. Then he says that at Mania it will be the end of an era and that if the outcome isn’t pure there will be hell to pay. Then Shawn says that it is ironic that the guy whose career Taker ended could possibly be the guy who counts Taker’s shoulders to the mat and makes Taker a loser and that he could still possibly end the streak. Taker says that he will beat HHH and that the streak will continue and he will officially and an era but if Shawn doesn’t do the right thing then he will officially end him. Shawn pats Taker on the shoulder, walks out of the ring and his music hits as he walks up the ramp. Then HHH comes out and looks at Shawn. Then Shawn walks to the back and HHH stands on the stage and he and Taker have a stare down. HHH gives Taker the crotch chop and he walks backstage with his music playing. This was a bit long and the whole “Shawn is a failure because he couldn’t beat Taker” bit doesn’t make sense since him losing to Taker twice shouldn’t be what decides how his career was. I thought that the promos were good but this story line is getting a little stale and I gotta say I’ll be glad when this is over. Also Taker said that WrestleMania will be on April 21. Whoops.

Justin Roberts introduces the Psych guy to ring announce the next match. He says that he found his way to Raw and does the ring announcing, putting over The Miz and his appearance on Psych. Then The Miz comes out. Then the Psych guy announces CM Punk and Punk comes out. They show Chris Jericho watching backstage on a monitor.

WWE Champion CM Punk vs. The Miz. Punk wins by submission. This was a solid match. WWE once again has a guy job in their home town. I don’t why they do that. Then Jericho shows up on the tron and tells Punk to enjoy his wins while he can. Then he says that Punk is a fraud as a person. He says that he found out that Punk is straight edge because his dad is alcoholic and that he doesn’t want to end up like him but he will because booze is in his blood and that terrifies him. Then he asks if the tattoos were to erase that pain from his mind. Then he says that at WrestleMania he will leave Punk a broken man and then Punk will take a drink and continue to while Jericho will be recognized as the best in the world and that Punk’s dad will be recognized as a pathetic drunk. Punk stands in the ring for a bit and then walks up the ramp all upset. This was a good Jericho promo and Punk’s reaction was good also. I’m looking forward to this match more than the “big 2” matches by far!

They show a David Otunga Lawyer ad. That was idiotic!

Randy Orton vs. Jack Swagger. Orton gets the pin. This was a good match but the outcome was never in doubt. Afterwards Kane’s pyro goes off and the red lights go on and Orton looks around for a bit but nothing happens.

They announce that next week John Cena will face Mark Henry.

The Rock’s music hits and he comes with his guitar. He gets in the ring and gets a mic and does his finally The Rock has come back bit. He says that the fans tonight have broken a record. He says that tonight is the largest sell out in the history of WWE in Cleveland and he thanks the fans and they chant Rocky. Rocks says that he appreciates the chants but they should be chanting Cleveland and they do for a bit. Then he says that the guy who came at the start of the show wasn’t the same John Cena. Then on the tron he shows some guy and a Tellitubby and that they mad Cena. Then he says that tonight in Cleveland is about something special. Then he gets his guitar and says that tonight isn’t a rap because everyone knows Cleveland “Rocks.” Then he sings his version of Jailhouse Rock ragging on Cena. Then he sings about Cena making out with Eve but he has a wife. Then he asks if there are any grown men who are Cena fans and they mostly boo but Rock spots a couple and asks the fans if he should mess with the male Cena fans. Then he sings about those guys. Then he says that there’s a special lady watching at home that he wants this part of the song to be about. He was referring to Cena’s mom. Then he says that there is only one way to end the night and this song is for the millions of Rock’s fans. Then he does his usual kind of promo. Then he says that they’re going to sing this special song for Cleveland and they play we will rock you and Rock does a karaoke bit with his lyrics on the tron. Then he thanks the Cleveland fans does the if ya smell bit and poses to end the show. This was kind of funny. I thought that it went on a little long but Rock was good as usual.

I thought that this was a middle of the road show at best. I wasn’t into the opening hip hop bit with Cena and The Rock’s concert was funny but it was a bit too long for me. The rest of the show was hit and miss. Jericho cut a great promo on the tron. That was probably the best part of the night. The Undertaker-HHH-Michaels end of an era bit is getting really old and I’m not really feeling the buzz for it too much. The rest of the show wasn’t too memorable either. Orton & Swagger had a good match and so did Sheamus & Dolph but the winners were never in doubt. They jobbed out Miz in his home town and they made Ryder look like a total goof. Overall this was a weak show.