8-27-12 Raw results and thoughts

      Coverage and thoughts on the August 27, 2012 episode of Raw

  They started the show recapping the end of Last Monday

 The actual show starts and Michael Cole reads a tweet from Jerry Lawler. Then Lawler gets in the ring. He says he has something that he has to get off his chest. He says that at Raw 1000 he made a comment about Punk that Punk thought was derogatory. Lawler says that when Punk told him to apologize last week it was out of respect for the WWE Title. Then he mentions that this week he wants Punk to apologize to him. Punk comes out. Punk says that Lawler wants him to apologize for doing hiss job. Then Punk mentions Lawler’s comment. Then Punk says that he beat the crap out of The Rock because he showed him no respect. He says he isn’t the bad guy and it’s because of Lawler’s lack of respect that he kicked him in the head. Punk then says that he is sorry that all to takes to get in the WWE Hall of Fame is to beat a bunch no ones in Memphis, get into a slap fight with an actor and acting like a 14 year old his entire career. Then Punk says he’s sorry that King’s jealousy kept him from becoming WWE Champion. He apologizes that Lawler couldn’t beat Cole at WrestleMania. Then Punk says he’s sorry about the man Lawler’s become. Punk then asks Lawler if he wants to fight him. Punk says Lawler’s just a commentator and he is the best in the world. Punk says he would embarrass Lawler. Lawler says he came out for an apology not to fight. Punk says that he can see it in Lawler’s eyes that he wants to fight. Punk says he will fight him and at the end of tonight he will leave embarrassed. Either because Punk will beat him within an inch of his life or because he chose not to fight Punk. Punk tells King the decision’s his. Then he walks up the ramp screaming RESPECT. Then Lawler tells Punk he will think about it. Then Lawler’s music plays and he goes back to the announce table. This was a good opening segment. I thought both guys were good here. Punk’s promo was good like usual and I thought Lawler did a good job here too.

Ryback vs. Jack Swagger. Ryback gets the pin. This was a short match. Swagger got in some offense before getting pinned.

Cole asks Lawler if he will face Punk later. Lawler says he is thinking about it.

Before the next match starts Vickie Guerrero comes and says that this match will end quickly because she has an important announcement to make.

Divas Champion Layla vs. Natalya. Layla gets the pin. This wasn’t much. It was a typical Divas match.

Afterwards Vickie gets in the ring and tells Layla that she’s done now. Vickie then says that last week AJ Lee decided to book Jericho vs. Dolph. She mentions the stip AJ added to the match. Vickie says that was unfair and that she is the only one who has the guts to stand up to AJ. Then Vickie says that she should be running Raw, not some mentally deranged child. Then AJ comes out and the fans chant yes. Then AJ slaps Vickie. Then she pounds on her and Vickie bails. AJ is in the ring with her whack job look on her face. What was the point of this segment? This was useless. Also I couldn’t believe that the fans were chanting yes when AJ came out!

Michael Cole says that will be showing clips of Triple H throughout the night (Really, though out the whole night of the show?). They show some DX clips.    

They show Daniel Bryan attending anger management classes. He says he doesn’t have anger management issues. Then some kid with a goat mask comes in and Daniel says no. He asks if the Doc set this up. Then he screams at the kid to take the mask off. The kid does and it turns out to be the doctor’s son. He is playing a goat in his school play. Then the doc tells his son that Daniel needs help. This was really idiotic!! Why are they having Daniel in these stupid anger management sessions!?

Cole again asks Lawler if he will face Punk. Lawler gets in the ring. He mention that that the Memphis no names were Jessie Ventura, Harley Race, etc. Lawler says he doesn’t know how long Punk would’ve lasted in Memphis. Then Lawler mentions the other comments Punk made. Lawler also says that he has a lot of respect for Andy Kaufman Lawler then says that you don’t get in the WWE Hall of Fame unless you stand up to some one when you’re challenged. Lawler says that he isn’t the best in the world but Punk isn’t either. Then Lawler says he’s never backed down from a challenge and isn’t going to start now. He accepts Punk’s challenge and headed to the back. I thought Lawler cut a good promo here.

John Cena vs. Intercontinental Champion The Miz. Cena gets the pin. This was a solid match. No surprise Cena won though.

The show a graphic with the choice of stipulations that the fans can vote for. The options are Tables match, Steel cage and No DQ.

They show more Triple H clips.

Back to Daniel Bryan in anger management. Some guy complains about his boss getting the credit for everything he does. Daniel says his boss left him at the Alter on live TV. Then she put him against her boy toy monster Kane. He says it couldn’t be any worse. Then the doctor got a text message saying the final patient has arrived. Of course it’s Kane. Daniels screams no again and says this is what he has to put up with. This was just as awful as the first segment.

Heath Slater TOUT mentioning that he beat Sin Cara on Smackdown and that his winning streak will continue.

Santino Marella vs. Heath Slater. Santino gets the pin. Santino gets the “cobra” out. Then cue Aksana’s music. She comes out. The “cobra” gets distracted but Santino manages to hit Slater with it for the pin. This was really idiotic! This whole bit the “cobra” being real and having it be “smitten” with Aksana is painfully stupid!! Not funny in the least!!

Brodus Clay comes out and does his bit. Then out comes Sin Cara. This is a weird team.

Then Damien Sandow comes out. He says that he has experienced a miracle. He has finally found someone that he can have an intelligent conversation with. Out comes Cody Rhodes. Cody says that Brodus has the girth of most of the fans and Sin Cara has their hideous looks. Then he says that at least Sin Cara is considerate enough to wear a mask. For now.

Brodus Clay & Sin Cara vs. Damien Sandow & Cody Rhodes. Brodus & Sin Cara win when Brodus pins Cody. This was a decent match. Afterwards Brodus does his bit and has kids come in the ring.

Back to Kane & Daniel Bryan at anger management. The doctor asks Kane if would feel more comfortable if he took his mask off. The guy asks Kane what makes him angry. Daniel says this is a bad idea. Kane talks about being locked in a basement and that he suffered emotional scars because Undertaker “killed” their parents. He mentions that he buried Taker alive twice. He brings up setting JR on fire, electrocuting Shane’s genitals, Katie Vick, etc. All the crappy segments he was booked in. He also says that he has an obsession with torturing Pete Rose. Then the doctor says that he wants the group to make a collage for the next session. Daniel protests. Then the guy who was complaining earlier thanks Kane for sharing his story. Kane grabs the guy by throat and tells him no problem. UGH! These bits are painful!!  

More Triple H clips.

WWE Tag Team Champion R-Truth vs. Daniel Bryan. Truth wins by count out Truth got the mic and tells “Little Jimmy” he knows they’re in Milwaukee (When they were there a few years ago Truth said Green Bay). Then he chanted yes. Then Daniel got the mic and screamed no as the fans screamed yes. That caused Daniel to get counted out. Then Daniel kicks the steel steps. Then he gets back in the ring and continues screaming no. This was awful too! What is with WWE!? The fans get behind Daniel Bryan but they aren’t supposed to because he’s a heel. So Vince takes the yes chant that got him over and has Daniel say that the fans are mocking him and they have him chant no! WWE once again takes a guy’s momentum from him!!

Triple H comes to the ring. His left arm is in a cast. The fans chant Triple H. Finally he says that everyone wants to know if he will retire. The fans chant no. He says that if there’s 1 thing he’s learned about WWE it’s never say never. He says he wanted to step in the ring and do stuff fans will never forget. He also says that he was hoping to retire before the business retired him. Then he says that everybody comes to a crossroad in their career. He says time is something you can’t fight. He never wanted to be the guy that was just hanging out, hung on too long, waiting for the nostalgia pop, or too crippled to hold up his own kids. Then he says that for the first time in his career he finds himself at that crossroad. He says that Brock has made him asks if he is done. He doesn’t know. He’s more tired than ever and broken again. He says he wants to come out to the ring and be the king of kings and the game. He says he wants to tell the fans that he will rise again and kick Brock’s ass because that what he does. He says that what he wants to do but he can’t because he doesn’t know if he can. He says that Lesnar made him look inside himself and ask if he is done. If he can’t comeback and beat Brock then maybe he answered his own question. He says that he can thank the fans. Every person that’s ever gotten in the ring put their health on the line. They pay the price for the fans entertainment. He says that every person stands backstage and right before their music hits they ask themselves if anyone will care when they walk through that curtain. Triple H says that he feels like the fans have cared every time he’s come out. He says that the fans got him through his career and he thanks the fans for letting him play the game. They all gave him a reaction an he will never forget that. He says that hopefully the fans will never forget him. The fans cheer and chant thank you Hunter. Then he does his pose with his good arm. Then he slaps a few fans hands as he walks up the ramp. I thought this was a good promo. I liked that he mentioned how every super star that gets in the ring and does this for a living sacrifice a lot to entertain the fans.  

The lights go out and Chris Jericho’s music hits and Dolph Ziggler comes out doing Jericho’s pose. Dolph says Y2J will not be seen because of him. He says he cost Jericho his WWE contract and now the fans will never ever see Jericho again.

World Champion Sheamus & Randy Orton vs. Alberto Del Rio & Dolph Ziggler. Sheamus & Orton win when Sheamus pins Dolph. This was a solid match. Ricardo gave Dolph the MITB case but Orton gave Dolph a back breaker before he can use it. Then Sheamus hit Dolph with the Brogue Kick for the win.

Jerry Lawler is backstage and is talking to someone. Lawler says that he appreciates this someone being there for him. Then he says that the guy he has to fight Punk on his own. The cameras show that Lawler is talking to John Cena. He tells Cena not to get involved because then Punk will say that Lawler couldn’t beat him without Cena. Lawler says he isn’t doing this for Cena. He’s doing this for himself. Cena wishes Lawler good luck.

Kane comes out and Josh Mathews leaves. Then Kane sits in Josh’s seat for commentary but doesn’t speak. Why have him come out for commentary if he isn’t gonna say anything?   

Zack Ryder vs. David Otunga. Ryder gets the pin. This wasn’t much. Then Kane gets in the ring and grabs Ryder by the throat. Then he choke slams Otunga. This was pointless. I actually thought Kane was going to choke slam both guys.

Josh Mathews is in the ring and it is time to find out what stip the fans picked for the Lawler-Punk match. The match will be in a steel cage.

AJ Lee comes out. She says that regardless of the outcome of tonight’s cage match, Punk will defend the WWE Title at Night of Champions against her choice, John Cena. What was the point of letting Punk pick his opponent and then have AJ say he will face Cena?

Jerry Lawler vs. WWE Champion CM Punk in a steel cage match. Punk wins by submission. This was a solid match. Punk dominated most of this and Lawler got some offense in for a bit. Afterwards Punk gets the mic. Then he looks under the ring and empties a toolbox. Then he gets back in the cage and locks the door with a steel chain. Then Punk gets Lawler in a chin lock. says that Lawler has 1 arm but he knows Lawler’s mouth works just fine. He wants Lawler to say that he is the best in the world. Lawler says hell no. Punk pounds on Lawler and tells to him say it. Then John Cena comes out. He tells the ring crew to raise the cage. Punk knees King in the head and Cena screams to Punk that he’s gone over the line. Then he is the best wrestler in the world. Then they raise the cage and Punk heads up the ramp. Cena checks on Lawler to end the show. This was good. Punk was really good here. This was the “young heel dominates and the old baby face veteran mounts a bit of comeback” match.

I thought this week’s show was a mixed bag overall. The opening promo with Lawler & Punk was good and I liked their cage match too. I thought the match was booked well. The Kane-Daniel Bryan anger management segments were beyond idiotic!! The R-Truth-Daniel Bryan match wasn’t really much. It was just more of Daniel screaming no to the fans. Ryder-Otunga was filler and I knew Kane was gonna go after them. Thankfully AJ was only on the show twice this week and her segments were short. Layla-Natalya was ok but there wasn’t much to it. Sheamus & Orton vs. Del Rio & Dolph was solid. Dolph coming out to Jericho’s entrance music was good too. Triple H’s promo was decent too. Brodus & Sin Cara vs. Damien Sandow & Cody was decent also. Santino-Slater wasn’t much. It was more of a WWE not funny comedy bit. The bit with Santino & the “cobra” is idiotic too. I have no idea why they’re acting like the cobra’s real and it’s has eyes for Aksana. Just plain stupid! Ryback-Swagger wasn’t much either and Cena-Miz was decent but I knew Cena would win. On the whole I thought this week’s show was hit and miss at best.