WWE Monday Night Raw
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
October 1, 2012
Commentators: Jim Ross & Michael Cole
Report by: Greg McNeish of Wrestleview.com
Dave Stephens has the night off, but you’re in good hands tonight, with me. Well, okay hands… Maybe…
Regardless, it’s time to stop questioning your heart, and join me on this wild ride. It’s time for Monday Night RAW!
We begin with a video recapping Mick Foley and CM Punk going back-and-forth last week, then John Cena getting the jump on Punk with a pipe, finally ending with the WWE Champion staring into the eyes of Ryback, to end last week’s show.
CM Punk begins his 316th night as WWE Champion, making his way to the ring with Paul Heyman in tow. Punk sounds very despondent, calling Cena a coward for attacking him last week, while his back was turned. Mick Foley is a disrespectful coward, too, evidently, and Punk put him down. Foley wouldn’t have been disrespectful to Cena, The Rock, or Steve Austin, and Mrs. Foley should have taught her little boy some manners. He then announces that CM Punk vs. John Cena, at Hell in a Cell, is still NOT going to happen. Paul Heyman takes over, moving on to a “more relevant” piece of business.
They show a recap of Paul Heyman proposing to AJ Lee, but getting slapped for his trouble.
Heyman points out that AJ Lee never said “no”, and reminds us that the WWE Board of Directors ordered her not to lay a hand on any WWE employees, and that now she should be fired as General Manager. To fill the power vaccuum, the new GM should be him, Paul Heyman.
EXCUSE ME! Vickie Guerrero & Dolph Ziggler make their way out, with Vickie reminding everyone that she and Dolph were victims of AJ’s juvenile decision-making. After a video recap of Vickie & AJ’s issues, Heyman asks when this became about her. Vickie calls Dolph Ziggler the future, but Heyman tells her that CM Punk is the here & now. Dolph Ziggler steps in to make peace, proposing that Guerrero & Heyman become co-GMs.
General Manager AJ Lee makes her way to the ring, announcing that the Board of Directors has put her on probation, and assigning her an Executive Coach. Daniel Bryan’s music hits, and out he comes out screaming his usual NO! He is out to apologize, because all of AJ’s issues stem from him dumping her after Wrestlemania. He can’t blame her, though, because he’s a catch, with a great beard, and he is the Tag Team Champions. This brings out Kane, who stands over AJ, and says that we’re all forgetting something: AJ is a great kisser. Not only that, HE is the Tag Team Champions.
Not only do Kane & Daniel Bryan start screaming at each other over who is the Tag Team Champions, but CM Punk and Dolph Ziggler get in each other’s faces, yelling about being the WWE Champion & Money in the Bank winner, respectively. AJ Lee freezes them all with a few “STOP IT”s, and announces that probation or not, this is still her show, and tonight, CM Punk & Dolph Ziggler will team up to face the WWE Tag Team Champions, Team Hell No.
Rey Mysterio & Sin Cara are shown walking backstage. They’ll be out next, for a #1 Contender’s Tag Team Tournament match.
****Commercial****
Rey Mysterio & Sin Cara vs. Epico & Primo w/Rosa Mendes
Sin Cara & Epico start things off, trading some low kicks. Primo takes control and brings Sin Cara to his corner, tagging in Primo. Primo works Sin Cara over in the corner, before Sin Cara fights back. He hits a flying head scissors, followed by a springboard arm drag, then tags in Mysterio. They hit a double team head scissors, sending Epico & Primo to the outside. They load up for stereo planchas, but the Colon cousins dive out of the way.
The Prime Time Players make their way out onto the stage, to have seats for this match.
****Commercial****
Rey Mysterio avoids a splash in the corner from Epico, and makes the tag to Sin Cara. He hits a springboard crossbody on Epico, and pushes the advantage (this isn’t my normal gig, so this is just way too fast for me). Epico turns things around, and brings in Primo, who grounds Sin Cara. He goes for a powerbomb, but Sin Cara counters into a sunset flip. Epico tags in, and tries for a sidewalk slam, but Sin Cara again counters. Both men tag out, and Mysterio takes charge. he hits a flurry, leading to a top rope seated senton. Epico enters to break things up, bring Sin Cara in with a missile dropkick. They get Epico & Primo into position, and Mysterio dials up a double 619. Mysterio & Sin Cara both climb the same turnbuckle, with Sin Cara leaping with a crossbody to Epico on the floor, while Mysterio hits his falling splash on Primo, for the pinfall.
Winners via 619 & Splash: Rey Mysterio & Sin Cara
As Mysterio & Sin Cara celebrate their victory, the Prime Time Players talk trash from the stage. They’ll have their first round match this Friday on Smackdown, against the former-Champions, R-Truth & Kofi Kingston.
****Commercial****
Non-Title Match
Brodus Clay vs. WWE United States Champion Antonio Cesaro
During Cesaro’s entrance, he says “appreciation” in 5 languages, in an inset. Brodus Clay wastes no time, hitting a flurry of punches in the corner. Cesaro gets some separation, but Brodus hits a big headbutt. Cesaro then avoids a splash in the corner, and hits a springboard shoulder block. He then muscles big Brodus Clay up for a Neutralizer. That was impressive.
Winner via Neutralizer: Antonio Cesaro
Kaitlyn is backstage, when AJ Lee comes up to introduce her Executive Coach, Christopher J Stephenson. I wonder if he’s a distant relation of Dave Stephens. Anyway, AJ talks about how close she and Kaitlyn used to be, and apologizes for wrecking that. Kaitlyn looks moved, before AJ breaks out in laughter, saying that she’s not sorry at all. AJ skips away, leaving Kaitlyn alone with Stephenson. She doesn’t seem to like him.
****Commercial****
Non-Title Match
Zack Ryder vs. WWE Intercontinental Champion The Miz
Miz grabs an arm wringer, and messes up Ryder’s hair. Ryder responds with a dropkick, but eats a boot when trying to follow up in the corner. Miz hits a big boot on a seated Ryder, and locks on a rear chinlock. Ryder fights up and catches Miz with a facebuster. Ryder gets knees up on a charge, hits a dropkick, a running forearm in the corner, and nails the Broski Boot. Ryder loads up for a Rough Ryder, but Miz catches him, and powerbombs him into the turnbuckle. Miz follows up with a Skull Crushing Finale, and this one is over.
Winner via Skull Crushing Finale: The Miz
Booker T is shown walking backstage. He’ll moderate the Sheamus-Big Show debate, next.
****Commercial****
World Championship Debate
Sheamus vs. Big Show
Podiums are set up in the right, and Smackdown General Manager Booker T is out to introduce Champion & challenger. Big Show is out in an enormous suit, but no tie. I guess this is going to be a casual affair. We see a video of last week’s Smackdown, where Big Show defeated Randy Orton to win this title opportunity. He hit Orton with a WMD after the match, for good measure. Sheamus is out next, and yes, this is a casual affair. He’s dressed to compete.
Big Show begins with his opening statement. He calls this debate ridiculous, because he’s going to knock out Sheamus, and be the next champion, and if Sheamus tries to hit a Brogue Kick, he’ll rip his leg off. End of Story.
Sheamus begins his opening statement by introducing himself, thanking Booker T, and acknowledging Oklahoma City. He asks Big Show not to rip his leg off, because he’ll need it to kick his teeth in.
Question #1: What’s the most difficult aspect of your opponent?
Sheamus talks about Big Show’s size, body odour, and hopes that this lasts longer than 45 seconds. Big Show says that he smells fantastic, and that Sheamus had better take this seriously.
Question #2: What’s better, the Brogue Kick or the WMD?
Big Show is obviously going with the WMD, and lists some people he’s knocked out. He says that Sheamus can’t even get his foot up that high. Sheamus makes another allusion to Daniel Bryan beating him in 45 seconds. Big Show’s podium falls apart, and he is not happy. He says that he’s overweight, and this isn’t a serious debate, so he’s not interested. Sheamus pitches to a Tout of “Rey Mysterio”, which is Sheamus wearing a poorly crafted Mysterio mask. Big Show is pissed, and goes to walk away. Sheamus stops him, and says that all jokes aside, he wants to know how it feels to be going against a guy that won the World Heavyweight Championship in 18 seconds, from the very man that ended Big Show’s reign after 45 seconds. They stare each other down, and could come to blows, but Big Show walks away.
Ryback is walking backstage. We’ll find out who is on the menu, next.
****Commercial****
Tensai vs. Ryback
My stream dropped out momentarily. Sorry, folks.
Coming back, Ryback hits a big scoop powerslam, then unleashes his lariat. Ryback goes for the Shell Shock, but can’t get him up. He tries again, but no dice. Yikes! They call an audible, and Ryback finishes Tensai off with a second lariat. That was messy.
Winner via Lariat: Ryback
Cody Rhodes & Damien Sandow, the Rhodes Scholars, are talking backstage. They were not impressed with the debate, with Sandow voicing the same criticism that I did, that Sheamus wasn’t dressed for the occasion. You’re welcome, readers.
****Commercial****
Non-Title Match
WWE Divas Champion Eve vs. Beth Phoenix
In an inset promo, Eve talks about how proud she is to represent all the great women in the Divas division.
Eve is apologizing to Phoevnix, and extends a hand, which Beth shakes. She bolds on, and takes Eve down. Carrying her to the corner, Beth hits a series of stomps. Eve avoids a shoulder charge, and Beth hits the ringpost. Ever follows her outside, and runs her into the barricade & ring apron, before rolling in to go for a countout. Beth makes it back in and hits an inverted atomic drop, and a Polish hammer. Eve begs off, and grabs the ropes. As the ref backs up Phoenix, Eve hits a kick to the gut, and a neckbreaker, for the victory.
Winner via Neckbreaker: Eve
AJ introduces Stephenson to Wade Barrett, who says she needs a coach, because he isn’t even on the show. He doesn’t know what she’s going to do one minute to the next, and walks off disgusted. AJ thinks that Stephenson is intimidated. He’s done nothing but stare with wide eyes, all night. That’s going to dry out his eyes, if he keeps it up.
****Commercial****
They show a Tout from JBL, from the top of Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest peak in Africa. The WWE is sponsoring him climbing the highest mountain on each continent, to raise money for children’s charity.
Santino Marella vs. Heath Slater w/Jinder Mahal & Drew McIntyre
They have an air guitar-off, I suppose, then trade shoulder blocks. Slater isn’t interested in having fun, and takes Santino down with a back elbow. He hits some stomps, goes for a cover, then slides into a rear chinlock. Santino rolls out, and Slater hits a spinning heel kick for a near fall. He chokes Santino on the bottom rope, hits a bodyslam, and climbs to the second rope. He takes too much time, and Santino greets him with a boot. Santino with a few jabs, hits a hip toss, a diving headbutt, and the Cobra. Jinder Mahal and Drew McIntyre rush the ring before the pinfall, though.
Winner via DQ: Santino Marella
Drew McIntyre drops Santino with a Future Shock DDT, and Heath Slater grabs a microphone. They have something everyone needs to hear. McIntyre is still the Chosen One, Jinder is still the *insert random word in Punjabi*, and Slater is still the One Man Band, babyyyyyyy.
****Commercial****
Non-Title Match
World Heavyweight Champion Sheamus vs. Damien Sandow w/Cody Rhodes
Cody Rhodes is joining commentary. They tie up, and Sheamus pushes Sandow to the ropes. Sheamus blocks a punch in the corner, and hits one of this own. They trade arm wringers, and Sheamus takes him all the way to the mat with his. Sandow gets a rope break, hits a kick, and pulls Sheamus down with a side headlock takedown. Sheamus turns it around, and grabs a handful of Sandow’s beard. Damien ducks under a clothesline, and bails to the outside. Michael Cole is really riding Cody Rhodes about his partner running away from matches.
****Commercial****
Sheamus is in control, and Sandow again slips out of the ring. Sheamus follows him outside, and after a distraction from Rhodes, Sandow hits a big diving clothesline. Back in the ring, Sandow get a nearfall, and controls him with a half nelson chinlock. Sandow drives Sheamus to the turnbuckle, hits some shoulders to the midsection, then a couple crossfaces down on the mat. Sheamus tries fighting back, but Sandow hits a side Russian legsweep, then the Elbow of Dispair. Sandow slides out and drives an elbow into Sheamus’ face, on the ring apron. Back into the ring, Sandow locks on a rear chinlock. Sheamus punches out, but is sent into the bottom rope with a drop toe hold. Sandow runs the ropes, and drives a knee into the back of Sheamus’ head, on the ropes. Sandow with a head scissor to the grounded Sheamus. Sheamus fights out, and climbs the turnbuckle, but Sandow again shuts him down with a right hand that sends Sheamus tumbling to the mat. Sheamus keeps slugging away, but Sandow maintains the advantage with a key lock that transitions back into a half nelson chinlock. Sheamus breaks free, but is backbody dropped over the top rope to the floor. Sandow brings him back in, and is back to a rear chinlock.
Sheamus gets off a side suplex, to get some separation. Sheamus with a series of Irish Hammers, a shoulder thrust, a Million Dollar knee lift. Sandow slips out of a powerslam, and drops Sheamus for a nearfall. Sandow chokes Sheamus with his boot, and the ref steps in. Sheamus with a boot on the charge, and pulls himself to the top rope for a Battering Ram shoulder block. Sandown ducks under a Brogue Kick, and tries to get away. Sheamus catches him, and hits 10 clubbing blows on the ropes. Cody Rhodes is tries to sneak attack Sheamus, but is sent into the announce table for his trouble. Sheamus tosses him into the ring, and hits a DOUBLE BROGUE KICK on both Rhodes & Sandow.
Winner via Brogue Kick: Sheamus
****Commercial****
Michael Cole is in the ring for Jim Ross Appreciating Night. Jim Ross gets a full entrance, which is interesting, because he’s been at ringside all night. Michael Cole asks how emotional it is for JR to be back announcing on Raw, here in his home town. Ross doesn’t get the chance to answer, as CM Punk and Paul Heyman make their way back to the ring. Watching Michael Cole get mad at someone treating Jim Ross poorly is funny. Punk orders Cole out of the ring, and mocks the crowd for losing their spirit. Punk leads them in a “JR” chant. He says he respects Jim Ross, the best announcer they’ve got, but the crowd doesn’t know anything about respect. He tells them that they turned their backs on him. Punk puts an arm around JR, and says he respects him. He tells Ross to help him teach the crowd a lesson, by calling him the best in the world.
JR is glad that Punk isn’t there to embarrass him, because Punk has done a great job embarrassing himself, over the past few weeks. Punk is not impressed that he came out as someone with something in common with JR, but gets disrespected in return. He asks Ross who would save him, if he did to him what he did to Mick Foley last week. Punk says that Stone Cold Steve Austin isn’t around to save him anymore, because all that 3:16 means now is that CM Punk has been WWE Champion for 316 days. Punk again orders Ross to call him the best in the world. JR says that he won’t, because he’s had the pleasure to call matches with many of the best in the world, like Shawn Michaels, Bret Hart, Triple H, and The Undertaker. They earned the right to be called the best in the world, and never had to ask for it. If CM Punk wants to be called the best in the world, he’ll face John Cena at Hell in a Cell, and if he does and wins, Ross will be first in line to say it.
CM Punk takes JR’s hat and stomps it on the mat. John Cena is like the Oklahoma Thunder, who couldn’t get it done, and just like them, Cena has to get back in line, and work his way back up to the best in the world. Punk is the most dangerous man in the WWE, and threatens to kick JR into next week if he doesn’t leave the ring. Ross goes to leave, but Punk stops him, and orders him to take a walk of shame up the ramp, because he doesn’t get to go back to commentary, after disrespecting him like that. Ross drops his head, and walks away. Punk berates JR as he walks up the ramp, until Ryback’s music hits. He leads Ross back to the ring, and goes face to face with Punk. The crowd is chanting “feed me more” as they stare each other down, but CM Punk eventually backs down, slowly backing up the ramp, never taking his eyes off Ryback.
****Commercial****
Alberto Del Rio vs. Kofi Kingston w/R-Truth
We see footage of Del Rio assaulting Randy Orton after Smackdown went off the air. A very timid Ricardo Rodriguez is forced to join commentary. Del Rio hits a very quick snap suplex, but Kofi returns fire with his double leapfrog elbow. He clothesline Del Rio out of the ring, and follows up with a leaping clothesline to the floor.
****Commercial****
Alberto Del Rio has Kofi locked in an abdominal stretch, and punches him in the ribs. Kofi gets out with a hip toss, catches Del Rio’s foot on a kick, and goes to work with a dropkick, a leaping clothesline, and the Boom Drop. He loads up for Trouble in Paradise, but Del Rio ducks. Kofi catches him with his pendulum kick in at the turnbuckle, but crashes and burns on a springboard crossbody. Del Rio smells blood in the water, and wastes no time slapping on the Cross Armbreaker.
Winner via Cross Armbreaker: Alberto Del Rio
AJ Lee & Christopher J Stephenson are in the GM’s office. Stephenson is telling AJ that executives need to be able to admit when they’re wrong. AJ says that she needs to do somehting to make tonight special, like make Shephenson the special guest referee for the main event. He’s not thrilled with the idea, and AJ puts on her mean face. She doesn’t need a coach, let alone an executive one, and she wants him out of her arena, and off her show.
****Commercial****
Non-Title Match
Team Hell No vs. WWE Champion CM Punk & Dolph Ziggler
Special Guest Referee: Raw General Manager AJ Lee
Dolph Ziggler and Kane start things off, with Ziggler grabbing a headlock. Kane shoulder blocks him down, and works him over in the corner. Kane with a bodyslam and elbow drop for a nearfall. Kane whiffs on a running clothesline to the corner, but holds onto the ropes on a Zig Zag attempt. He clothesline’s Ziggler to the outside, and Daniel Bryan tags himself in.
****Commercial****
Ziggler has Kane in a sleeper hold in the middle of the ring. Kane crushes him in the corner, but Ziggler takes him down with a dropkick for a nearfall. Dolph slaps both Kane & Bryan, and eats an uppercut for it. Bryan tags in and is Irish whipped by Kane to dropkick Ziggler. Kane back in but Ziggler turns things around with a DDT, and tags out. CM Punk with a running knee, but can’t get the bulldog, as Kane hits a sidewalk slam. Kane with a top rope clothesline, and as he sets up for a chokeslam, Bryan tags himself in. Bryan misses on a dive from the top rope, and Punk hits some strikes in the corner. Bryan regains control and hits his Yes kicks, before Punk nails a kick to Bryan’s head. Ziggler tags in and dropkicks Bryan to the outside. He throws him into the barricade and Kane backs him up. AJ makes Kane leave, and Ziggler sends Bryan into the barricade again. Back in the ring for a nearfall, then a chinlock on Bryan. Bryan with a jawbreaker, and Punk tags in. He climbs the turnbuckle for an elbow drop, but gets crotches. Bryan climbs up and hits a butterfly superplex. Bryan with a No Lock, and Punk is crawling for the ropes. Paul Heyman pushes the rope closer, and Punk gets a foot on it, to break the hold. AJ kicks him out of the ringside area. Vickie is livid, and gets tossed too. Dolph Ziggler grabs his briefcase and walks out on his partner. Kane comes in off the tag and delivers a thunderous Chokeslam, for the victory.
Winners via Chokeslam: Team Hell No
Kane & Daniel Bryan argue over who is the Tag Team Champions, as we fade to black.
Thanks for joining me, everybody. I’ll talk to all of you wonderful VIPs this Wednesday, on Wrestleview Telemundo.
Until next time, vive la Maryse~!