ThunderStruck: WWE Raw Analysis 11/11/13

We kick off with a Veteran’s Day video narrated by John Cena. Classy.

Randy Orton comes out says he is in charge tonight. Brad Maddox and Kane interrupt to argue with him about it. Vickie Guerrero comes out and overrides both Kane and Maddox’s ideas and books Orton in a handicap match against Goldust and Cody Rhodes right now.

^Good humor between the people wanting to be in charge. I like the storyline and quite honestly it’s refreshing not to see Triple H and Stephanie start the show with the same old promo. Good booking to start us out!

Randy Orton gets himself counted out and loses to Cody and Goldust. Big Show comes out after the countout and attacks Orton. He chokeslams Orton through the announce table while standing on top of steel steps. The crowd chants yes.

^Great action with the tag champs taking on the WWE Champ. I love how Cody has FINALLY been elevated into the main event scene and is now viewed as a top player. I can’t wait to see him come out on top in a feud with his brother next year.

Los Matodores and Santino take on the 3MB. They are introduced as the Union Jacks and they come out in British flag themed clothing. Santino wears bullhorns to the ring and wins the match using the cobra on Mahal. They celebrate after the match.

^Comedy segment more than a match, but it wasn’t really all that bad. I like the British theme being pushed on the show as they only make it to England two or three times a year.

Orton is shown backstage getting checked on by the trainer. Brad Maddox comes in and apologizes to him. Vickie comes in and apologizes as well but he yells at her. Kane comes in the room but Orton interrupts him and says he won’t listen to him. Kane says he’s the director of operations and Big Show won’t be his only problem if he keeps mouthing off. The doc continues examining his shoulder as they leave.

^Funny stuff here. Kane is now in his ten thousandth persona and is a very good actor. A versatile guy like that is the perfect example of someone who can go for years in the business and never be stale.

Damien Sandow defeats Kofi Kingston. Sandow gets the three count after delivering the you’re welcome(full nelson slam).

^Short one here, and not the best match these two have had, but I welcome both of them in a match on Raw. Sandow needs to get back into the World Title picture and push out Del Rio.

Dolph Ziggler challenges Curtis Axel for the Intercontinental Championship. Axel wins the ten plus minute match when he counters a zig zag and delivers a flapjack throw before hitting the perfect axel facedriver for the three count.

^Excellent match! Easily three and a quarter to three and a half stars for an outstanding encounter by both men. Best one on one match on the entire show. Ziggler is too talented not to be in the main event every week, but it just goes to show the depth of the roster right now and how great it is.

Kane and Brad Maddox talk backstage. Maddox tells Kane he needs to listen to him and Kane says the same thing. Maddox suggests Jack Swagger and Antonio Cesaro against John Cena in a handicap match. Kane likes it and then books all three members of the Shield against Daniel Bryan and CM Punk. Maddox likes that too and wants to shake hands. Kane doesn’t and walks away.

^I laughed all through this. Maddox has grown on me more and more as a character since he first arrived.

It’s time for a divas match. Nikki Nella takes on Tamina Snuka. The crowd chants we want tables and ECW during the match. AJ interferes on behalf of Tamina and knocks down Brie Bella at the same time. Tamina hits the superfly splash on Nikki for the win.

^Excellent divas match with a lot of effort by Nikki. The crowd wasn’t into the match itself, but they should have been. Tamina’s splash didn’t look as confident as when she executed it in the past.

The Shield comes into the trainer’s room and talks to Randy Orton. He wants to know where they were when he got attacked and yells at them. Dean Ambrose tells him it’s none of his business where they were. They say they don’t work for anyone at the arena, but they tell him to feel better.

^Nice to see the Shield not kissing ass. They’re established as tough guys who do what they’re told by their set boss(es). Orton did a good job acting semi-intimidated after what they said.

Fandango w/Summer Rae takes on Tyson Kidd w/Natalya. The match goes less than three minutes and Fandango gets the three count victory countering the sunset flip by Kidd(Bulldog/Hart Summerslam 92 in England finish by coincidence).

^Mock Bulldog/Hart finish to keep history alive? It works, but I definitely think these two could’ve done a lot more for a match if they had longer than three minutes. Good to see Tyson Kidd back with a new look on the show.

John Cena takes on Jack Swagger and Antonio Cesaro. Alberto Del Rio comes out to watch the match from the commentary table. Cena forces Swagger to tap out to the STF after clotheslining Cesaro over the top rope. Cesaro beats on Cena after the match but he fights back and knocks him out of the ring. Del Rio jumps Cena with a chair and then beats him down. Big E. Langston comes down for the save when Del Rio stomps on Cena’s arm in a chair and applies the cross amrbreaker.

^Great match! Anyone who says John Cena can’t wrestle needs to wake up and realize what an excellent performer he is. Cesaro shined here, and even Swagger put on an above average showing.

R-Truth defeats Ryback. Ryback tries to clothesline Truth but misses and gets pinned on a school boy rollup.

^Ryback loses to become angry, and the face wins on a tour show in Europe. No surprises here. Truth has been so irrelevant for so long that this win doesn’t really mean much anyway.

Big E. Langston takes on Alberto Del Rio. Del Rio wins the match using the cross armbreaker.

^Langston continues working with one of the best wrestlers on the roster, and he continues to improve while he’s at it. I’m excited to see him in the World Title picture in 2014. His versatility and mic skills are both very promising.

Paul Heyman is in the ring in a wheelchair with Curtis Axel by his side. He’s wearing a neckbrace, leg cast and is holding a crutch.
He cuts a promo on what Punk did to him and what he will do to him for revenge. Punk comes out and takes out Axel before dumping Heyman out of the chair. He beats on Heyman with a kendo stick as the crowd chants yes. Daniel Bryan comes out for their match against the Shield.

^Heyman continues to get his after the long and drawn out storyline with Punk. I’m sure we’ll see an official resolution down the line with this.

Punk and Dbry take on the Shield in the main event. Punk hits a GTS on Reigns and then puts the vice on Ambrose. The Wyatt Family comes out and they shove the Shield. Rollins and Harper exchange words but Ambrose tries to be the voice of reason. They end up fighting against each other. Reigns and Wyatt get into it on the outside and take it into the ring. It’s three on three until Wyatt breaks it up and the crowd chants yes. Bray yells at them and gets them to all unite against Punk and Dbry. They try to beat them down and the Usos along with Cody Rhodes and Goldust come down for the save. It’s an all out brawl as the faces clear the ring together and stand tall to end the show.

^Excellent three on two match, and an even more exciting finish to the show with the twelve men battling. Can anyone else see an elimination match forming for Survivor Series? Mmmmyup. Nice finish to a strong wrestling show.

Wrestling, wrestling and more wrestling. Storyline enhancements were suspect, but the wrestling was top notch. Call this another seven out of ten stars show for this writer. Thanks for reading!

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