Reported by Mike Siciliano of WrestleView.com
On Tuesday, January 9, 2007 at 12:18 AM EST

Before I begin this, let me take a moment to plug my friend and colleague Hunter Golden's column here at Wrestleview for specifics and results from last night's Raw. I am here tonight as a one shot deal with just some opinions I had from having the rare opportunity to catch the show live. Hunter's column is always a good read, and you should check it out either before reading mine or afterwards.

One more thing. I also went 3-3 at New Year's Revolution with my picks.

Now on to business.

I learned a few things tonight. I want to thank World Wrestling Entertainment for teaching me a few things about myself after watching that spectacle that was on from 9pm to 11pm Eastern time.

I learned why I like Ring of Honor wrestling so much.

I learned that when it comes right down to it, I like raw emotion and bare promotion rather than gimmicky storylines.

I learned that although as predictable the world of sports entertainment can be, there are some times when the "hardcore" viewer can be surprised.

I learned why I have not been clarmoring to watch Raw as much as I have been in the past weeks.

And lastly, I learned that there is no rock, no stone, no piece of garbage Vince McMahon will not pick up, stoop to, or throw out in order to make some news, to make people talk, or to make an entire arena in St. Louis, Missouri scream "BORING!"

Allow me the chance to explain.

I watched Raw live for the first time in months. With my work schedule, it's not possible, and taping has been out due to issues that don't need to be addressed. I was very captivated as to how Raw was going to be re-written due to the injury to Triple H, and the subsequent victory of John Cena over Umaga.

Cena's promo at the beginning was pleasant. Not outstanding, but pleasant. He put over Umaga for kicking his ass, but he "beat the odds" and got the job done. I know the majority of you are going to say its the same garden variety promo that Cena gives week in week out, and you're right, but the truth from my eyes, I'm not sick of it. I have my reasons. You want to know, ask me. I won't bore you here with that drivel.

Khali being put to Raw is obviously to fill the void from Triple H being injured. I would have preferred some other form for Khali to make an impact rather than fighting Cena right off the bat, but that's me talking as a fan, and not as an attempted columnist. Obviously, when it comes right down to it, the program seems to fill itself out perfectly. Estrada takes another monster in to his stable, and both Umaga and Khali dog Cena leading to the rumble. Hopefully, WWE would not be stupid to make a triple threat with those three combatants, as I think it would devalue the characters of Khali and Umaga if Cena were to win, but anyway, as badly as I did not want to see Khali fight Cena, I did understand why the deal was done, and can't dog WWE for the decision. I'd like to, but its just not the right thing to do at this time.

By the way, whose brilliant idea was it to have Khali do an interview?? Get Daivari over here now if we're going to have to deal with this monster on Raw, because he cannot and should not be put in front of a microphone.

I thought Dykstra was going to win the IC title tonight, simply because coming off a cage match, Hardy had to be hurting, and I still believe Vince will come to his senses and reunite the Hardys full time for a run at tag team gold. Well, when Nitro came out to interfere, followed by the Nature Boy, it was obvious where the chips fell, and again, although predictable, this was enjoyable. Hardy is a good worker, and fun to experience, although his twist of fate tonight looked less than crisp. Dykstra, if he ever gets over his giant sized ego, can be on a level of a main event talent a lot sooner than the world probably expects.

I have to say, I was surprised as to what happened when Torrie got involved in the Carlito/Masters rematch. Although I said eariler that I am not one for a storyline, using Torrie as what happened, based on past events, specifically when Masters put her in the Masterlock (I didn't see that happen), was perfect. Torrie's use of the ring bell was also a new twist for her, and I liked that. Get down and dirty, get the job done, and get the hell out of there. I said the other day in my picks column that I was sick of Masters and Carlito. After seeing this segment, I gotta say, it's given me some renewed vigor for this "storyline."

The diva tag team match was pitiful. Granted, I am a Mickie James fan. I also am a fan of Maria. But Maria has no business in a wrestling ring until she can hang with talents like James and Victoria. Melina can compete on that level, but right now, the women's division is James and Victoria, and then everybody else behind. As goregous as these women are, they are wasting precious time on television.

I'll get to the crap in a minute. Let me continue with the rest of the show.

You know how much I was in to the show? After the whole mess with this so called publicity stunt, I fell asleep. I missed the entire Cryme Tyme/Cade & Murdoch match, and the segment with Vladimir Kozlov. I just heard about it now reading Hunter's column. Guess Raw had more of an impact on me than I thought. Now where's that snooze button. Moving on....

I didn't see the PPV sunday night. But, damn, did RKO look like they had been in a car wreck. Again, I had stated eariler that I am getting tired of the DX schtick. However, this new "harder" edge of killing the comedy and just beating people up, that, personally, is right up my alley. And its obvious, although I didn't see it, that both teams got their asses kicked. I feel bad for Triple H and his injury, I do. A lot more than I had anticipated, I feel bad for him, but the fact remains, that injury provides a whole new angle to this program that I personally would love to see, and will be interested to read and check out as the time ticks by. Shawn Michaels came out and did what I would consider to be a terrific promo, short, sweet, and effective, with the emotion laden words, "I'll deal with you two, next week." I thought it was perfect, in every way.

Finishing up the "wrestling", Cena did I thought as good a job as you could do under the circumstances. He had to be in severe pain from the beating he took last night, and he tried his best to move the redwood tree that is Khali. With Estrada at ringside, it was obvious how this segment was going to play out, and honestly, I was bummed. I thought for once that WWE would do the unpredictable, and actually have the talent not appear when they say they have the night off. Yeah, I know, its the fan in me talking. One thing is for sure, Cena took the beating pretty well, from where I sat. I'd be very curious to see how he sells the work Umaga and Khali did next week.

Now, I have been watching wrestling for a few years now. I have seen Katie Vick. I have seen Austin being run over by a car. I have seen Rikishi plead his love to the Rock. I have seen "This is Your Life". I have seen McMahon shoved up Big Show's ass. I have seen midgets drop their pants to a bunch of male cheerleaders. I have seen Vince kiss Trish Stratus right in front of his own wife. Each and every time I have seen something like this, I have said that WWE has sunk to a new low. Now, I know the truth. I don't like full blown storylines. I don't like soap operas. I would rather have person A and person B come out, say they are going to fight, step back, and beat the high holy crap out of each other, and whoever is left standing, wins.

The so called "match that the world wanted to see tonight." I understand why Vince wanted to put that type of spectacle on. To make people talk. To make guys like me with the forum scream and yell and holler and say how much bullS that it is. And you know what, it is bullS.

But, I think I have learned something tonight, and I owe this revelation to a friend of mine on Myspace. I am not going to sit here and rip this debauchery that we witnessed. This so called segment that had the entire arena in St. Louis screaming BORING at the top of their lungs. And why?

Because what else would you expect? Idiocy like that is what the top brass of WWE thinks will work when they have the opportunity to make it work. I witnessed the whole thing from start to finish, and I swear, I almost threw up. But, instead of sitting here and screaming about how much crap that WWE is sticking down the fans throats, I am going to say, c'est la vie, move on, and focus on the talent and their work in the ring. Not the bogus soap opera that is being spoonfed to us like Gerber Baby Food.

I really give the guys of the Raw locker room a lot of credit. I cannot believe that none of the Raw talents, from Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler all the way down to the ring crew think that this garbage that was put out there on USA Network tonight for us to stomach was going to be successful. I know nobody's going to talk because it's their livelihood, it's what puts food in their bellies and clothes on their back, but the truth is the truth, ladies and gentlemen. I cannot believe that anybody in that locker room is happy with the product that they see out there outside of their own work. I am just shocked that nobody has lost control and went nuts about it yet.

Now, to begin to wrap this piece up, let me go back to some of the "learned" things I found out tonight. And try to explain why.

I learned that I would prefer a "light" storyline, i.e., like what ROH is doing with Samoa Joe against Pro Wrestling NOAH. Joe comes out, says We're better than you, and bring someone to shut me up. NOAH will respond in time, and they're going to fight on 2/16 in the Manhattan Center. That, ladies and gentlemen, is what I enjoy. Like I said before, I enjoyed the RKO/DX segment tonight, because both teams went out there, beat each other within an inch of their lives, said so, and then moved forward. Consistent, simple, and straight forward. Not this drivel and ridiculous garbage that is being shoved down the fans throats from not just WWE, but TNA as well. Examples? Sure, DX was getting there, VKM is already there, the use of Eddie Guerrero's name, to name a few for now. This revelation makes me realize why I enjoy ROH so much. Because more often than not, much more so in ROH than WWE, there is little to no storyline use, and it's just two to six men in the ring, who walk out, beat each other up, and may the most athletic man win, one way or another. It's about the title, which if WWE remembered that, they would probably have an entire arena sold out week in week out and fans screaming for more.

I mentioned I was surprised tonight. And I was. I was surprised that RKO put over DX for their work last night. And yes, it wasn't a full blown kayfabe deal, it was in Edge and Orton's cocky way, but they did put DX over for the war they endured. And that, I enjoy for all the reasons that I went through. I just like seeing the respect back and forth. I guess I'm not the heel face guy that I thought I was. So it took me years to figure it out, what can I tell you, I'm slow at certain things.

I learned that as much as I want to hope for it, there is no way on the planet that I am going to get a WWE program that is going to keep me glued to the edge of my chair from start to finish. I also learned that, at this present point and time, I know why I am not dying to watch tapes of Raw. Because in my personal eyes,

I like watching Smackdown better.

Now, tomorrow night, I will attempt to stomach ECW and the rematch with Lashley and Van Dam, along with Punk and Hardcore Holly. I'll see what sort of impression that makes on me, and decide whether or not I am going to give you guys three columns in three days. I am not sure my keyboard can take the pounding.

I welcome your thoughts. Here are my links. Click here for my myspace.

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See ya!