3-4-13 Raw results and thoughts

Coverage and thoughts on the March 4, 2013 episode of Old School Raw

The show starts with The Undertaker making his return. This was cool. The gong sounded, the lights went out and Taker came out. He stood on the stage and fire pyro went off and then the WrestleMania logo showed up on the Tron.

Then they show a video package for the old school Raw. The arena is set up to look just like the old days. Looks great! They got old red white and blue ropes & the old school logo. They have the old Raw block entrance too. Seeing all that brings back a lot of good memories.

CM Punk & Paul Heyman come to the ring. Punk says he should be main eventing WrestleMania. He should be defending his title in the Mania main event, but he’s not. Not because of anything he did or didn’t do. He’s not the champion because of the fans. The fans screwed him and stole what he holds most prestigious. In screwing him the fans only screwed themselves because if Punk can’t be in the Mania main event then there’s no point of him being at Mania. But what the world just laid their eyes on gives him that purpose. He will beat Undertaker at WrestleMania. Punk says the fans like the 20-0 but they role their eyes when he mentions his 434 day title reign. Everything he does he backs up. He has a new number for the fans. 20-1. That 1 is drug and alcohol free, straight edge and the best in the world. He means what he says and at WrestleMania he ends the streak and tells the fans to deal with it. Then out comes Randy Orton. He tells Punk that he has already beaten him at Mania. Punk hasn’t faced Taker at the show of all shows. Orton has. He was a rookie and came close. Orton’s not a rookie now. Orton asks the fans who they would rather see face Taker at Mania, Punk or him. Naturally the fans cheer for Orton. Then out comes Big Show. He says Orton & Punk don’t have what it takes to stop Taker. Show fought Taker at Mania also but he didn’t have his KO punch then. To end Taker’s streak you need to be more than a viper and straight edge. You need to be a giant. This giant will knock Taker’s streak right into oblivion. Then out comes Sheamus. He says out of the 4 he’s the only one who ever fought Taker, which means he never lost to him. It will take more than an RKO, a GTS and a KO punch to end the streak. He says his Brogue Kick and the luck of the Irish will. Then out comes Vickie Guerrero. She says whoever beats Taker at Mania will cement his legacy as the greatest of all time. Tonight there will be a fatal 4 way to see who will face The Undertaker at WrestleMania. This was a good way to start the show. I liked having these 4 guys come out and talk about having the potential to end Taker’s streak. They all cut good promos.

They show a promo from Antonio Cesaro. He says that he speaks 5 languages and Ryback barley speaks one.

Ryback vs. U.S. Champion Antonio Cesaro. Ryback gets the pin. This was decent but once again they have a secondary champion cleanly lose a non title match.

Then as Ryback heads up the ramp Mark Henry’s music hits and he comes out. Henry & Ryback face off on the stage. Then Henry heads to the ring and looks back at Ryback. That was cool. Ryback vs. Mark Henry at WrestleMania would be interesting.

Zack Ryder vs. Mark Henry. Henry gets the pin. This was a squash.

Back to the show and Miz & Dolph are already in the ring. Before their match starts, Miz gets the mic. It doesn’t work right away. Then he says that since WWE is paying tribute to old school Miz introduces a guy who personifies both old school & new school. He brings out his “mentor” Ric Flair. Out comes Naitch.

The Miz vs. Dolph Ziggler. Miz wins by submission with the figure 4. This was a good match but Dolph lost another match. Then Flair & Miz strut and elbow the ring mat. Near the end of the match AJ distracted the referee. Then Big E tripped Miz and gave him a clothesline. Then Flair chopped Big E but Langston no sold. Then Miz gave Langston a baseball slide. Then Dolph rolled up Miz for a near fall. Then Miz got Dolph in the figure 4 for the win. The match was good but they had Dolph lose cleanly again.

The Rock comes to the ring. He says that he needs the fans to understand something. He just came in from Panama, where it is 95 degrees every day. Rock says he was excited about coming to Raw. He packed his stuff, went to the airport and he does his usual shtick. Then his plain landed and he stepped out. It’s so cold he had icicles on the people’s nipples. Then he says that after 10 long years he proudly stands in the ring and says, “Finally The Rock has come back to Buffalo!” We’re 34 days away from WrestleMania. Then John Cena comes out. He had to come out this second because he’s been waiting for this moment for a year. Rock can’t know why because he’s Dwayne Johnson, a guy who conquered the Attitude Era, then the movie world and came back to conquer WWE again. Last year Cena told everyone that he needed to win their match last year and he lost. Cena says that makes him feel worthless. Then the fans chant Cena sucks. It makes Cena feel like a crowd of hate is running down on him. Losing to Rock sent his life into a tailspin. He couldn’t jump over the hurdle after that he would get the job done and he didn’t. Rock was responsible for his collapse but also for his turn around. Cena says that Rock winning the title and him winning the rumble and then beating Punk wasn’t a coincidence. He gets a chance to right the biggest wrong of his life and isn’t throwing this chance away. Rock says he’s happy to see this desire from Cena. There was only 1 guy Rock wanted to face at Mania. That guy is Cena because Rock knows what this match means to Cena. No one has Cena’s heart to be the best except for The Rock. As much as it matters to Cena it matters more to him. When he’s out there and connects with the fans that matters to him. Cena won’t be getting redemption at Mania. He will get his ass kicked. Cena then says that Mike Tyson is responsible for one of the most powerful quotes that reminds Cena of Rock. That quote was in order to be the greatest who ever lived; you have to beat everyone living. Cena says that he has accomplished everything except for beating Rock. At WrestleMania Rock’s time is up & Cena’s time is now. Rock says his time is just getting started. Then Rock says that winning is about heart. You just gotta have it in the right place. Lance Armstrong said that. He was full of crap and so is Cena. Cena says in 34 days history will not repeat itself. Cena will become WWE Champion at WrestleMania. Rock says this is the biggest difference between them. Cena thinks he can beat Rock. Rock knows he can beat Cena. At WrestleMania Rock will beat Cena again. “If you smell what The Rock is cookin’.” This was really entertaining. Rock was great with his promo as usual and Cena was good here too. I liked how they both talked about how they need to win this match at WrestleMania.   

Jack Swagger & Zeb Coulter are in the ring. Then Hacksaw Jim Duggan comes out with Dusty Rhodes & Sgt. Slaughter This was supposed to be Hacksaw vs. Swagger but  Swagger hits Hacksaw, Dusty & Slaughter with Hacksaw’s 2 X 4. Then Swagger points to the WrestleMania sign, shouts, “We the People” and then gets the Ankle Lock on Hacksaw. This was decent. It was cool to see the legends and I knew they were going to put over Swagger. I thought they did a good job here.

Backstage Zeb tells Jack that he took out 3 legends. Then Josh Mathews asks him why he attacked the guys who paved the way for him. Swagger says they haven’t done anything. This is his America. Then Del Rio attacks Swagger from behind and they brawl. This was good.

The Million Dollar Man is at ringside for the next match.

WWE Tag Team Champions Kane & Daniel Bryan vs. The Primetime Players. Kane & Daniel win when Kane pins Darren. This was a decent match. Then DiBiase gets a hundred dollar bill out and stuck it in Darren Young’s mouth. I popped for that. Then Daniel took the 100 out of Darren’s mouth and stuck it in his trunks. That was funny.

Brodus Clay & Tensai come to the ring. Then out comes The Honky Tonk Man. 3MB are also in the ring. Slater says no one came to hear Honky talk or sing. They’re the real rock stars. He tells Honky to go back to Las Vegas.  

Brodus Clay & Tensai vs. Heath Slater & Drew McIntyre. Brodus & Tensai win when Tensai pins Drew. This was really short. Then Honky Tonk gets in the ring and his music plays. Then Slater comes back in and Honky breaks the guitar over his head. Cue Honky Tonk’s music and he does his bit as Brodus & Tensai do theirs. This was ok. I’m not a fan of the Brodus-Tensai duo but I enjoyed hearing Honky Tonk Man’s theme music.

Time for a look at Wade Barrett at the Dead Man Down premiere.

Up next was supposed to be Kofi Kingston vs. Fandango. Fandango comes out. He says he won’t make his debut till Justin Roberts learns how to pronounce his name. Curtis does the same bit with Roberts that he did with Striker. Fandango won’t watch him butcher his name. Tonight will be a night that everybody remembers. Tonight was the night that Justin Roberts, Kofi and everyone almost got to see the debut of…”Faaaandaaaanggoooooo.” Lame! This character is terrible and I hope they don’t have this bit with his name being “mispronounced” go for too long. 

Time for a look back at the awesome Triple H-Brock Lesnar brawl from last week.

Triple H comes to the ring. He says last time he was in the ring with a mic in his hands it was 8 days after SummerSlam after Brock broke his arm for the second time in 2 months. Triple H wasn’t sure if he was trying to convince the fans or himself that it was over. As soon as the cast came off he worked out in the gym and trained everyday but he had no real purpose. Then he mentions that he cut his hair and became COO. A few months later he is in the best shape he’s ever been in. Then he’s in the hospital looking at an old man who just had hip surgery. That old guy is the guy who created all this. He says that Stephanie & his kids were crying at Vince’s bedside. When Vince got out of his bed to challenge Heyman, Hunter found his reason. HHH tells Lesnar to feel the staples on his head and he will realize they’re just getting started. We’re 5 weeks away from Mania and HHH is calling Brock out. Brock usually does the destruction but last week HHH busted him wide open. The game is back and is calling Brock out for WrestleMania. Is Brock gonna show up and fight or is he just gonna sit there and bleed? This was a really good intense promo.

Time for a promo from The Shield. Ambrose says everyone wants to make history. Everyone’s throwing their hat into the ring to face Taker at Mania. Ambrose tells Sheamus & Orton they’re forgetting something. Rollins says that Taker isn’t the only 1 with an undefeated streak. They’re undefeated too. Ambrose says the eye of Justice is watching everybody. Even Big Show. Reigns says Show got Big Show got in a cheap shot but that was the only one. Ambrose says that no one can beat them. Believe in The Shield. This was a good video.

World Champion Alberto Del Rio vs. Intercontinental Champion Wade Barrett. Del Rio wins by submission. This was a solid match but I’m not sure why they had the IC Champion face the World Champion again. Then Del Rio & Ricardo stare down Jack Swagger & Zeb Coulter who were standing on the ramp.

Time for another Jack Swagger-Zeb Coulter youtube video.

The New Age Outlaws make their return. Road Dogg does his “Ladies and gentlemen…Tag Team Champions of The world” bit. Then Gunn says if you’re not down with that they’ve got 2 words for ya.

The New Age Outlaws vs. Primo & Epico. The Outlaws win when Gunn pins Primo. This was ok. Road Dogg & Billy Gunn dominated most of this.

Time for some TOUTS from fans about Undertaker’s return.

On the stage they have a few cakes and some of the roster is out there. Then out comes Mean Gene. He welcomes the oldest living member of the WWE Hall of Fame Mae Young. Mae comes out for her 90^th Birthday celebration. Then CM Punk & Paul Heyman come out. They head to the ring for the main event 4 way.

Randy Orton vs. Sheamus vs. Big Show vs. CM Punk to see who will face The Undertaker at WrestleMania. Punk wins when he pins Orton. Big Show was going to give Sheamus the KO punch, but Sheamus ducked and gave Big Show a Brogue Kick and Show fell out of the ring. Then Orton gave Sheamus an RKO and then Punk gave Orton an enziguri followed by the GTS for the win. This was a good match. I knew Punk was going to win, but it was a good match. Then the gong sounds and the lights go out. Taker’s lights come on and his music plays and he come out. They have a stare down to end the show. I liked this too. They did a good job in starting the build to Taker-Punk.  

I thought this was a really entertaining show overall. The opening promo was really good and I enjoyed the 4 way main event. The Taker-Punk stare down at the end was cool too. I liked The Shield video too. I’m thinking that they might have Big Show turn face and team with Orton & Sheamus and they’ll face The Shield at WrestleMania. The Rock-John Cena segment was really good also. Both guys were good on the mic. Miz-Dolph was good but Dolph lost again. The same with Del Rio-Barrett. Good match but the secondary champion lost a non title champion vs. champion match. Ryback-Cesaro was decent but again the secondary champion cleanly lost a non title match. Ryder-Henry was a squash. I liked the Ryback-Henry face off and would be interested in seeing those 2 have a match at WrestleMania. The New Age Outlaws vs. Primo & Epico was ok but I knew The Outlaws were winning that. Kane & Daniel Bryan vs. The Primetime Players was ok too. I popped when DiBiase stuffed the 100 dollar bill in Darren’s mouth and Daniel taking the 100 was comical. Brodus & Tensai vs. Heath & Drew was way too short to be much of anything. This was all about The Honky Tonk Man and I enjoyed hearing his theme music. The Fandango bit was lame The whole thing with his name being “mispronounced” is idiotic. I liked seeing Hacksaw, Slaughter & Dusty too and I figured they were going to put Swagger over. The Del Rio-Swagger brawl backstage was good too. I liked seeing Mean Gene too. Triple H’s promo was really good and intense. I’m looking forward to the Triple H-Brock Lesnar match. I wish they had Howard Finkel there to be the ring announcer for the 4 way. That would’ve been awesome. On the whole I thought this was a good show this week.