9-30-13 Raw results and thoughts

Coverage and thoughts on the September 30, 2013 episode of Raw The show starts with CM Punk coming to the ring. Then they reshow the angle from last week. Then Punk says there’re a lot of people who say this thrives on unpredictability. He is as unpredictable as they come. But sometimes predictability works. Last week he was in his home town & it was predictable he would get beat up. It was also predictable that Heyman would brag about beating Punk. It was also predictable that he would go after Heyman. Then he mentions that last week he got jumped by Axel & Heyman. Punk’s ok with predictability. This story ends when he puts Axel to sleep, shows Ryback what happens to bullies & then finally gets to face Heyman 1 on 1. Then the fans chant Ryback sucks & Punk tells the fans not to be shy & to let the world know what they think. The story ends when he beats Heyman. It could end at Battleground, next Monday or right here tonight. Punk isn’t leaving the ring till he gets a fight. He doesn’t care if it’s Ryback, Axel or Heyman. The record books might say that Heyman beat Punk but everyone will know that Punk will put Heyman out of his misery. Then out comes Brad Maddox. Punk asks why Brad doesn’t have any entrance music (That was funny). Brad gets that Punk was embarrassed last week, but Punk’s looking for an ultimate showdown with Heyman & Ryback now & that’s not what’s best for business. Punk knows he gets to face Ryback at Battleground. Brad then says that as Raw GM he has the power to give Punk a match tonight if he wants 1. Punk says he’s looking for an outlet for his aggression. Cue Big E Langston’s music & out he comes (That was a nice surprise). He says if Punk wants aggression, he’s Punk’s guy. Then he attacks Punk. Punk gets out of the way when Big E goes for a charging shoulder block into the corner. Then Brad brings out a referee. Punk vs. Big E. will be next. This was a great way to start the show. Punk is always awesome on the mic & tonight was no different. I also liked that they had Big E Langston come out & be the guy that Punk faces next. It’s been awhile since we’ve seen Big E. CM Punk vs. Big E Langston. Punk gets the pin. This was a solid match. They show a YouTube video on Kofi Kingston’s Trouble in Paradise finisher. Kofi Kingston vs. Fandango. Kofi gets the pin. This was a decent match. Then out go the lights, The Wyatt family Tron show up & they come out. Kofi has a chair as Bray sits in his rocking chair outside the ring. The keep the lights off. Then Bray says he has spent most of his life trying to understand why horrible things happen to him. He wondered if the nightmare would end but it never did. Now he knows what he must do. 1 by 1 they will all fall down. Follow the Buzzards. This was a decent promo. Dolph Ziggler vs. Damien Sandow will be on the Battleground kick off. These guys are on the preshow & they announce this match when the PPV only has 3 matches scheduled? Backstage we see The Bellas. They’re thrilled Brie is the number 1 contender for the Divas title. Then Orton comes in. He congratulates Brie on her engagement to Daniel. Orton asks when the big day is. He asks because it should be set sooner rather than later. Orton says that if it’s after Sunday there’s a good chance Daniel might not walk down the aisle because he won’t be able to walk. This was a decent backstage promo. Backstage Renee Young interviews Paul Heyman. She wants Heyman’s reactions from before. Heyman says it must be hard for everyone to watch a guy with such promise descend into madness. Punk’s obsessed with getting his hand on Heyman but that won’t happen. After Sunday Punk will no longer be bullying anybody. Punk’s a nobody that became a Heyman guy, then a Heyman guy who became WWE Champion & then forgot that “THEY” were the best in the world. Renee asks if there’s another Ryback-Axel trap set up. Heyman says him being alive is a trap. He has big night planned he tells Punk to get the manhood to make a move & try. This was the usual good promo we get from Heyman. Time for the video package on Los Matadores. They’re debuting next. Out come Los Matadores (Fernando & Diego) for their debut. They have a guy in a bull costume as their mascot. This gimmick isn’t lasting very long. Los Matadores vs. Heath Slater & Jinder Mahal. Los Matadores win when Slater gets pinned. This was a squash. HHH & Stephanie McMahon come to the ring. HHH wants to invite the Rhodes family to come to the ring. He guarantees their safety just like any other super star. Out come Dusty, Dustin (wearing Goldust face paint) & Cody. Stephanie welcomes them & says the fans are happy to have them there. Then Stephanie congratulates Cody on his wedding & also wants to make sure that Dusty gave Cody her present. Then HHH asks why they look angry. HHH gave Cody a chance to get his job back by beating Orton but he lost. Then they gave Dustin the same chance & he lost too. Then he mentions that Dusty makes this about Dusty. Is Dusty still bitter about not making it outside the Florida territory? Then he mentions that when Dusty was in WWE with the polka dots gear that didn’t work for him either. HHH mentions that Dusty told Stephanie to go to hell & he got knocked out for it. Stephanie says Dusty has the most important job in WWE. He trains talent at the performance center. Stephanie then says that they’d like to give Cody his job back & Dustin an opportunity to gain employment. That will happen if Dustin & Cody can beat Reigns & Rollins at Battleground. HHH says if they win they get their jobs back. But if they lose then Cody & Dustin will never work in WWE again. Not only that but Dusty will also join them on the unemployment line. Dusty says HHH is big on getting in people’s faces. Then Dusty gets in Hunter’s. Then Dusty says that he will be in his son’s corner & will be Hunter’s Huckleberry all night long (Whatever that meant). Stephanie then says it looks like Dusty’s looking for a fight. Be careful what he wishes for, he just might get it. Then out come The Shield & Reigns spears Dustin. Then they attack Dusty. Cody goes after them too but they end up giving him the triple power bomb. This was a solid segment & thankfully not that long. HHH & Stephanie were their usual selves on the mic here & Dusty cut a decent promo. The Shield attacking Dusty, Dustin & Cody was solid too. R-Truth vs. Intercontinental Champion Curtis Axel. R-Truth gets the pin. CM Punk’s music plays during the match. That distracts Axel & then R-Truth hits him with his finisher for the pin. WINNER –R-TRUTH. This was a solid match but I’m tired of having someone’s music play & having that always distract someone in the match. Heyman’s reaction to Punk’s music was great though. Michael Cole mentions that Trish Stratus gave birth to a baby boy today. His name is Maximus. Congrats Trish! They show a video package on Daniel Bryan & Brie Bella. These are clips from Total Divas. They’re really making a big deal out of this marriage. Brie Bella vs. Alicia Fox. Brie gets the pin. This was alright. They showed AJ & Tamina watching backstage. Backstage we see Heyman & Axel. Axel is pacing. Heyman tells Axel that he is looking at this the wrong way. Then Heyman says Punk thinks he’s so cleaver but he’s out of their league. Then in comes Ryback. He says that no one has to be threatened by Punk’s presence. If Punk wants them why not give Punk what he wants. Heyman tells Ryback go find a snack. Then Heyman tells Axel that he has a whole new outlook on things since Ryback saved his life. Tonight Heyman will “propose” to Ryback. Backstage Renee Young interviews Big Show. He’s holding up as well as he can. Renee mentions the situations he’s been in & on Smackdown he looked like he was about to explode. Then they reshow the Big Show-HHH promo from Smackdown (which was terrible). Show says his financial situation is being held over his head. Everyone’s telling him to be a man & do the right thing. That’s easy to say when your neck’s not on the line. Show’s forced to choose the lesser of 2 evils. Big Show is that he wouldn’t choose evil & is a good man (even though he has been heel before). He is doing what is “right” for his family. He’s done everything he’s been asked to do. He knocked out a WWE Hall of Famer & a guy he idolized, Dusty Rhodes. He watched as The Shield attacked Dusty earlier but he couldn’t do anything about it. Now he can’t look Dusty in the eye. There’s only so much Show can take. Every sick weird thing they’ve made him do he’s done but he’s not going to take it anymore. He will find HHH & show him exactly how he feels. Renee asks what he’s saying. Show says he will knock HHH out. This was a really well done promo. Big Show was great here. Backstage R-Truth tells Brad he wants an IC Title match. Brad will take it under advisement. Then Big Show bursts in, roughs up Brad & asks where HHH is. Brad doesn’t know. Show tells Brad to find him because he will be waiting right there in the GM office. Zack Ryder vs. World Champion Alberto Del Rio. Del Rio wins by submission. This was a decent match but the everyone knew Del Rio was winning this. Then he kicks Ryder before leaving. Ryback & Paul Heyman come to the ring. Heyman says that not only was he man enough to pin Punk & prove he’s the best in the world but he’s an expert in political science. Since he “owns” Punk he knew it was his obligation to squash Punk’s attempted rebellion. Punk had to be put down by Heyman. Then Heyman gives us Exhibit A. They reshow Ryback & Axel-Punk brawl from last week. Then Heyman says Punk’s a man of commitment but his commitment has been to break Heyman’s face. The only reason Heyman’s face is on TV tonight is because of Ryback stopping Punk. Ryback says if there’s 1 thing he hates in this negative world it’s a bully. Punk took all the knowledge & friendship that Heyman gave him only to throw it back Heyman’s face. Ryback couldn’t let that stand. Heyman’s a genius & there’s nothing Ryback wouldn’t do for him. Heyman’s glad because 2013 is such a progressive year. It’s time people stop living in denial of their true feelings. Heyman doesn’t want them to be stigmatized in that super star-advocate stereo type. Heyman walks around like a man & feels free thanks to Ryback. Heyman wants to feel this way every day for the rest of his life. So in front of the entire world Heyman wants to…The fans chant something & Heyman yells at them for chiming in. Heyman says this needs to become an official commitment. Heyman wants to make an honest man out of Ryback. Then Heyman gets on 1 knee & holds his hand. Then he asks Ryback if he will….Become a Paul Heyman guy. Then Punk’s music plays & he jumps over the barricade but he fell over & hurt himself. Punk stands at ringside favoring his left leg. Then he tries to get in the ring but he can’t. Then a medic comes out to check on Punk. Then Heyman takes out a Kendo stick & canes Heyman. Then he gets in the ring to cane Ryback. Ryback blocks it but then Punk canes Axel him & then Ryback. Then Punk canes Axel some more. Punk chokes Axel with the cane & hits him with it again. Then he gives Axel the GTS. This was awesome! Heyman “proposing” to Ryback to become a Heyman guy was good. Punk faking the injury & then hitting Heyman, Ryback & Axel with the cane was really well done. I am curious if Axel will turn face since Heyman & Ryback left him to take the beating. Like all Heyman promos he said a lot & it was difficult to keep up with everything he said. My apologies if I missed anything. They show Big Show still waiting in the office for HHH. Dolph Ziggler & The Usos vs. The Shield. The Shield win when Reigns pins Dolph. This was a good match. Big Show’s still in Triple H’s office. He takes his jacket tie off & rolls up his sleeves. Break time. Back from break & Big Show’s still waiting. The cops come in. They ask “Mr. White” to come along. Then Stephanie comes in. She says that he’s been under a lot of stress. He’s had to knockout Daniel Bryan, The Miz & Dusty Rhodes. He’s trying to put food on the table for his family. Then she says that he also has a mortgage payment. Stephanie will vouch for him. Stephanie also spoke to Show’s wife & she said that he hasn’t been living up to her expectations. Stephanie & the cops leave as Big Show has a seat & worries. Then he looks at the Triple King of Kings poster & punches it off the wall. This was weak. Stephanie was awful here but Big Show was good selling his frustration. Backstage Renee Young interviews RVD. She says the world title match will be anything goes. RVD could talk about this but he’d rather show how he excels when it’s hardcore rules. They show some WWE & ECW clips of RVD’s spots. Then RVD says ADR is vicious & sadistic but he has no clue what hardcore rules means. When it’s hardcore there are no rules. This Sunday they’ll get hardcore for the world title. The perfect translation for hardcore is very simple, even ADR can understand it. It’s Rob Van Dam. Big Show will face The Shield on Smackdown in a 3 on 1 handicap match. Zeb Coulter, Jack Swagger & Antonio Cesaro are in the ring. Zeb says Mississippi is a third world country & a bit lower than Alabama on the ladder. Only real Americans can say what they say. We the People. I’m tired of this gimmick. Santino Marella vs. Antonio Cesaro. Santino gets the pin. This was a decent but short match. Jerry Lawler is in the ring. In case anyone missed this earlier (like anyone could’ve missed this. They talked about enough times) he congratulates Daniel Bryan & Brie Bella on their engagement. King says we’ll get the full story on that when Total Divas returns in November but till let’s bring out the guy who popped the question Daniel Bryan. Then King brings out the guy who will face Daniel for the vacant WWE Title Randy Orton. King says this is supposed to be a verbal confrontation. King mentions that HHH made a controversial decision taking the title off of Daniel. Orton was upset at first but he realized that he should be glad the title is held up because it inspired him. He’s no longer the viper that the fans got behind. He’s the viper who beat the crap out of Miz in Miz’s home town. Orton will beat Daniel for the title because he is superior to a weak, B + goat faced troll. Daniel says Orton talks a great game. He says that Orton is very monotone & it sounds like he practices in front of a mirror. Then he asks Orton why HHH felt the need to inspire him. Is it because he wants to make money off of Orton or is it because HHH knows that Orton can’t reach his full potential without Hunter’s support. Daniel has never needed anyone to reach his potential. This Sunday he achieves more when he beats Orton & becomes WWE Champion. Cue the Yes chant. Then Orton screams no tells the fans to shut up. He knows Daniel is on a role. After all he’s marrying a Bella, but what could be wrong with Brie for settling for Daniel. One day Brie will realize she’s sleeping with a barn yard animal. Then Daniel attacks Orton. They go to the floor & Orton gets the upper hand. He rams Daniel’s shoulder into the post a few times. Then he sets him up on the barrier. He punches Daniel & sets Daniel up on the ring for the elevated DDT. Then out comes Brie Bella & Orton gives Daniel the DDT. Then Orton takes apart the announce table. Brie pleads with Orton to stop. Then Orton sets Daniel up on the table & gives him an RKO through it. Brie screams at Orton to stop as referees check on Daniel. Then Brie checks on Daniel too & Orton has the evil viper look on his face to end the show. This was really well done. Orton did a good job in being the psycho heel & there was a good amount of sympathy for Daniel. Brie coming out & begging Orton to stop was also good. I thought this was a solid show for the most part. They did a good job building to the few matches that they have on the PPV. The Punk promo at the start of the show, leading to his match with Big E was well done & the match was solid too. The Daniel-Orton face off was also well done. The Big Show stuff was a mixed bag. He cut a great promo but the bit with him & Stephanie & the cops in Hunter’s office was a weak. The Rhodes family-HHH & Stephanie segment was solid too & not too long. The 6 man tag was good too, Brie-Fox was alright, Kofi-Fandango was decent, Truth-Axel was solid, Santino-Cesaro was ok & Ryder-Del Rio was decent. The Ryback-Heyman in ring segment was good too & then Punk coming out, faking an injury & then hitting the heels with the cane was really well done. Overall I thought this was a solid show & they did a good job building to the few matches that will happen Sunday.