4-16-12 Raw results and thoughts

   Coverage and thoughts on the April 16, 2012 episode of Raw

The show starts with WWE Champion CM Punk vs. Mark Henry in a No DQ, No count out match for the Title. Punk gets the pin to remain Champion. This was a really good back and forth match.

Afterwards Chris Jericho shows up on the tron sitting in a bar and he talks about last week Then Jericho says that Punk will defend the title against him at Extreme Rules in a Chicago Street Fight. Punk says this no longer about him being the best in world, about Punk kicking Jericho’s ass. Punk says he gets to in his hometown. Jericho asks Punk to promise to show up sober at the PPV. Then Jericho shows a clip of Punk goin into a pub. Jericho asks if Punk is drunk right now. Punk tells Jericho to come to the ring and find out for himself. Jericho says that Punk is in denial like his dad. Jericho says that Punk wants to be surrounded by booze. He says that Punk has lost his dignity, honor and personal beliefs. Then he says that at Extreme Rules he will loose the WWE Title. Punk was going to respond but then Jericho went off the Tron. This was good the first week, but it has gotten stale. Both guys cut good promos but they also feel a bit too long. This whole “Punk is going to be a boozer because it’s in his family” bit is getting tiresome!

They show clips of a Brock Lesnar promo. (Note: Brock is not at the show)

They have a backstage bit with R-Truth as Sherlock Holmes. Teddy Long comes in and asks what he’s up to. Truth says that he & “Little Jimmy Watson” are looking to find a new job for Long. What is the point of this?

U.S. Champion Santino Marella vs. David Otunga for the Title. Santino gets the pin. This was a comedy match. Not much to it. Otunga had Santino pinned and the referee counted 3 but saw Santino’s foot on the rope.

Josh Mathews interviews Lord Tensai backstage and Tensai says he knows what the fans should fear.

They show a Brock Lesnar promo/video package. He says that he isn’t an entertainer. He is an ass kicker. He talks about his accomplishments in WWE & UFC. He says that he is here to bring legitimacy back to WWE. Brock then says that Cena wouldn’t have become a star if he hadn’t left WWE. Then he promised to kick Cena’s ass at Extreme Rules. He then says that beating people up is what makes him happy. This was decent video but I’m not really a Lesnar fan.

Zack Ryder vs. Kane. Kane attacks Ryder before the match can start. He throws Ryder into the ring and then he choke slams Ryder. Poor Zack! They tell him to get himself over, he does and then they de push him! Then Kane talks about last week when he laid out Bob & Randy Orton. Kane says that he was surprised to see Randy go down so easily. Then he says like father like son. This was boring. This feud isn’t working for me.

Kofi Kingston is talking to AJ backstage and Daniel Bryan sees this. He gets jealous and then he talks a bit and calls his finisher the “Yes” lock. Then he does his “Yes” bit. This was decent.

John Cena comes to the ring and rags on Johnny Ace. He says that Johnny is using his power to end and replace Cena. Then he says that Johnny brought in Lesnar to legitimize everything. Then he says that Lesnar stands for destruction and doesn’t care about how many people he wins over. Then he says that he is facing a man whose purpose to end Cena. Then he admits that he is scared but he isn’t going to back down. He says that he will fight. Then Johnny Ace comes out and says that Cena will be in an Extreme Rules match tonight. Then he says that next week there will be a contract signing for the Cena-Lesnar match at Extreme Rules. Cena’s promo was ok but Ace’s promo was dull as usual. I don’t get why they keep having Cena being all smiles when he heads to the ring. It makes him look like a moron. His promo was ok and I thought he showed intensity at the end. Johnny Ace’s promo of course was really boring. May I ask, does anyone really believe that this the end of the Cena era!? Why even hint at that? The guy will be around for God knows how long.

Kofi Kingston vs. Daniel Bryan. Bryan wins by submission. Afterwards Daniel relocks Kofi in the “Yes” lock. Then Sheamus comes out and runs Daniel off. They showed AJ watching on a monitor backstage. Kofi & Bryan had a good match. Daniel is really good at playing the weasel like heal.

Time for the Funkasauras. OH NO!!

Brodus Clay vs. Dolph Ziggler. Brodus wins by DQ when Jack Swagger gets involved. Afterwards Brodus tosses Dolph in the air. Then Vickie gets on the apron and Cameron tries to pull Vickie down. Vickie sits on the apron and gets back in the ring. Then Naomi goes after Vickie and she’s surrounded by Naomi & Brodus. Vickie bails and Funkasauras crap continues.

They show Johnny Ace & David Otunga backstage and Eve comes in and says they were supposed to have a talk this week. They agree to talk now. This was the usual crap.

They show a Chief Jay Strongbow tribute video. This was really awesome!

They show “Truth Sherlock” with Teddy Long. Truth says that little Jimmy found a job for him; Smackdown GM. Long says that’s what he was and walks off. Then Truth talks to invisible little jimmy. This was idiotic!

Intercontinental Champion Big Show & Great Khali vs. WWE Tag Team Champions Primo & Epico. Show & Khali win after a double pin. This was terrible. Abraham Washington watched the match from the stage. I have no idea why they had Big Show & Khali team up and beat the tag champions. I hope to God we don’t get a Big Show & Khali tag title run! I also don’t know why A.W. was watching.

They show clips of their show in Moscow and have comments from some of the talent. Good video.

John Cena comes to the ring for his match and is all smiles AGAIN!! Then Johnny Ace & David Otunga come out. Ace wishes Cena luck in his next match and brings out Lord Tensai.

John Cena vs. Lord Tensai in an Extreme Rules match. Tensai gets the pin when he sprays Cena with green mist. Cena had Tensai in a submission and then David Otunga came in the ring. Cena gave him an AA and then Tensai sprayed the mist for the pin. Tensai celebrates while Cena pours water on his face to clean off the mist. This was solid. They had Cena take a beating for most of the match. That’s something we haven’t seen in awhile.     

I liked this show better than last weeks for sure but it still wasn’t that great. I really liked the Punk-Henry match at the start of the show. Nice to start the show with a match. The Punk-Jericho bit was the same old bit and I’m getting tired of it. Their match at Extreme Rules should be good but these promos are getting stale. I thought the Cena-Tensai match was solid. It was different to have Cena be the guy who takes the beating. I wasn’t really into the Brock Lesnar video since I’m not a fan of his. I thought it was well put together but I couldn’t get into it. Cena’s promo earlier in the show was a mixed bag. I don’t know why they feel like he always has to be all smiles no matter what. It makes him look so dumb. The end of his promo was good though. I have no idea why WWE is de pushing Zack Ryder just because he got himself over without “creative’s assistance!” He got the thanks for coming treatment again tonight. Then Kane’s promo was boring too. This whole Orton-Kane storyline isn’t working for me. I liked the Kofi Kingston-Daniel Bryan match. Those 2 guys are really talented. They should be using Kofi more. Daniel is also really good at playing the chicken heal. I have no idea why they had Big Show & Great Khali team and squash the tag champs. I also don’t know what they’re doing with A.W. I guess we’re supposed to forget that Abraham Washington was on WWECW a few years ago. I’m also beyond sick of the Brodus Clay gimmick! The match with Dolph was completely pointless. They should also be using Dolph in a better role than the show off job guy. Santino-Otunga was also stupid. The R-Truth as Sherlock Holmes segments were also idiotic. I’m tired of “Little Jimmy.” Overall I thought the show was better than last week’s but to me it was a mediocre show.