Bleacher Report - WWE Raw

WWE Raw: Extreme Rules 2013 Results, Potential Spoilers, More for May 20

Donald Wood — Mon, 20 May 2013 09:16:03 -0400

There were some mixed expectations for the 2013 edition of the Extreme Rules pay-per-view, but after an amazing show, the WWE Universe is expecting a great follow-up episode of Raw this Monday from Kansas City.

With major fallout from the results of Sunday night’s PPV—John Cena and Ryback are dealing with injuries, Brock Lesnar stole a win from Triple H and The Shield are solid gold—casual and hardcore wrestling fans alike are ecstatic for what will happen on Raw.

There was a major layoff between WrestleMania and Extreme Rules, but with Payback already less than a month away, the aftermath of Sunday’s show will lead right into the build for June’s PPV.

Expect Monday’s episode of Raw to be action packed.

Where: Sprint Center, Kansas City, Mo.

When: Monday, May 20, at 8 p.m. ET

Watch: USA Network

2013 Extreme Rules Results

WWE Champion John Cena and Ryback wrestled to a No Contest in a Last Man Standing Match.

Brock Lesnar defeated Triple H.

Alberto Del Rio defeated Jack Swagger ('I Quit' Match).

Dean Ambrose defeated U.S. Champion Kofi Kingston.

The Shield defeated WWE Tag Team Champions Team Hell No (Tornado Tag Team Match).

Sheamus defeated Mark Henry (Strap Match).

Randy Orton defeated Big Show (Extreme Rules Match).

Chris Jericho defeated Fandango.

The Miz defeated Cody Rhodes (Pre-Show).

Potential Spoilers

After one of the wilder WWE PPVs the fans will see all year, the WWE Universe could be getting another treat on Monday’s Raw, as F4WOnline (via Wrestling Inc.) is reporting former World champion Christian will be returning soon:

The latest word on Christian is that he will be returning to action soon after WWE's Extreme Rules pay-per-view. We noted last week that WWE creative was still working on plans for his return.

The WWE’s midcard has been a joke over the last three months, but now that WrestleMania and Extreme Rules are out of the way, the hope is that the company will shift some of the focus to building secondary storylines.

Instead of allowing talented stars like Intercontinental champion Wade Barrett and Antonio Cesaro to wallow away in obscurity, the addition of the face Christian as the foe to either man would bring instant relevance to the feud.

Give the WWE Universe Christian vs. Cesaro any day.

John Cena’s Injury Status

The expectations for the WWE Championship match between defending champ John Cena and Ryback were low coming into Extreme Rules, but after one of the coolest spots in a long time—both men went through the light wall on the stage—this is the bout the WWE Universe is talking about Monday morning.

Question on Everyone’s Mind: How Bad Are These Men Injured?

While there is little doubt that the injuries to both men are likely a work, the intrigue over how severe the WWE says the damage is and what role they will play in the outcome of next month’s Payback PPV has fans excited for Raw. With Ryback and Cena likely getting a rematch, the injuries from Extreme Rules could be used as the basis for the storyline starting at Monday's show.

Hype Meter: 4 out of 5 Memorable PPV Moments

As much as fans want to complain about Ryback, his Last Man Standing match against Cena was great throughout and it was capped off with an amazing ending. Ryback may not be the best on the mic, but the monster heel will come out on Raw and speak truths about how he really is the most serious threat to Cena’s title reign.

WWE News: Cena Refuses Medical Attention After Extreme Rules (WWE.com)

The Age of The Shield Has Begun

Believe in The Shield.

Before Sunday’s PPV, that was just a mantra that the young trio of fresh faces breaking into the WWE, but now that Dean Ambrose has the United States Championship and the duo of Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns have the WWE Tag Team Championships, the age of The Shield is upon the WWE Universe.

Question on Everyone’s Mind: Do YOU Believe in The Shield?

The focus has shifted from the trio’s success at Extreme Rules to what the heel stable will do next. When the trio comes to the ring with their titles Monday night, it will be abundantly clear that the WWE is firmly behind The Shield. With Raw offering the company a chance to clear the slate and start new feuds, don’t be surprised if The Shield look to send a message to the rest of the locker room Monday.

Hype Meter: 4 out of 5 Coming Out Parties

When these three men debuted in the WWE at Survivor Series 2012, there was a legitimate concern that the company would drop the ball and misuse the talented trio. After almost six months of utterly dominating the biggest stars on the roster, it’s clear that all three members of The Shield have a very bright future.

Expect even more of these three young stars starting on this Monday’s Raw.

WWE News: Kofi Kingston Claims He’ll Beat Dean Ambrose Next Time (WWE.com)

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Read more WWE Raw news on BleacherReport.com

My Top Wrestling Moments of the Week: Extreme Rules Card, AJ Styles and More

Kyle Schadler — Sun, 19 May 2013 01:59:27 -0400

Another week of professional wrestling has come to an end, and it was an overall good week!

Things started out, for me at least, with ROH Border Wars. Officially airing a few weeks ago, I finally got around to watching Ring of Honor’s big event in Toronto. It was a great show overall! While there weren’t any particular moments of note, there were a number of excellent matches.

WWE Monday Night Raw was better than it was last week, but it was still a decent show at best. There were a few good matches and solid build for Extreme Rules; it’s just that the show was a bit boring at times.

WWE Main Event was also a decent show. Out of the three matches, only one was any good, which is a change of pace for the Wednesday night show.

WWE NXT, TNA Impact Wrestling and WWE SmackDown were all solid shows. All three events featured good matches, while both Impact Wrestling and SmackDown had moments that made it onto the list.

TNA Xplosion wasn’t very good this week as its one match fell flat, and WWE Superstars delivered a decent show as well. With two matches and long recaps, my first time watching Superstars in weeks was a disappointing experience.

As for the May 11 edition of ROH Wrestling, the episode was a Road Rage edition. For those that don’t know what that is, Road Rage episodes recap whichever big event that had just happened. In this case, it showed three matches from Border Wars. Due to no new content, the show will not be featured.

Which show, or shows, was the best this week? Click here to cast your vote!

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What Are Dean Ambrose's Chances of Winning the United States Championship?

Bryan Haas — Fri, 17 May 2013 08:38:43 -0400

All it took was one pinfall to make the most outspoken member of the upstart faction The Shield, a top contender for Kofi Kingston's WWE United States championship.

Now Dean Ambrose is primed to make a lasting impact upon the company when he gets a shot at that title at the upcoming Extreme Rules pay-per view.

It wont be an easy task to defeat Kingston, whose blend of speed and agility make him a formidable opponent. However, Ambrose is not without his own merits, and will need to rely upon all of them to come out on top of this encounter.

With a swagger unseen in recent memory, Ambrose's cockiness and steadfast belief in the group ideal have made him perhaps the most dangerous member of his group. He blends good size (6'4"), speed and aggression into a mix that would befuddle even the best that the WWE roster has to offer.

Add to that the fact that Ambrose is a slick talker when delivering a promo, and you have a young and hungry superstar that will not rest until his goal is accomplished. In this case, that does not bode well for Kingston or the United States title.

One need only look at Ambroses' victory over Kingston in tag team competition as proof of his qualifications. Sure, Kingston was pushed off the top rope by Seth Rollins, and perhaps whatever high flying move he was attempting would have been successful.

But that did not happen, and like a predator pouncing upon his prey, Ambrose quickly hit a headlock driver on the champ for the emphatic 1-2-3. He had previously done the same thing to Kane on SmackDown.

That move in and of itself is proof that Ambrose is dangerous.

Taking one of the fundamental wrestling holds, one that is learned very early on in wrestling training, and turning into a high impact finishing hold is nothing short of phenomenal.

Sure, guys like Sami Callihan and Derrick Bateman have used the move in the past but Ambrose has now showcased it on a national stage.

It is interesting to think of the situation that could arise should Ambrose win the US title at Extreme Rules, while Rollins and Roman Reigns could win the tag team titles from Kane and Daniel Bryan.

The Shield are already an incredibly dangerous team. Imagine the amount of damage that they would be capable of inflicting if not only their goals, their message, but also a championship belt were at stake.

That scenario could possibly lead everyone in the WWE Universe to finally believe in the Shield.

Read more WWE Raw news on BleacherReport.com

WWE's Championship Titles vs. Fan Scrutiny

Tom Clark — Fri, 17 May 2013 07:18:17 -0400

WWE’s championship titles are the cornerstones of the company. In terms of the value they hold to the Superstars who wear them and the overall value we as fans place on them, the fact is that at any given moment, the belts are easily the company’s most important focus.

But how well does the concept of the modern day champion in WWE hold up under serious fan scrutiny?

“The belts are just trophies, they don’t mean anything.”

I have heard that very line so many times from fans that at this point I have grown used to it. It’s a valid point, because at the end of the day pro wrestling is just work.

The interviews, the spots, are all set up ahead of time. The matches have predetermined outcomes and for the most part, one situation leads to another in dramatic fashion due to the fact that it is all part of a bigger storyline.

We are all very aware of this and understand how it works.

So, we know that pro wrestling is a business and not a legitimately competitive sport. Doesn’t that mean the championships themselves are just a work as well? The answer is yes, they are just props, created solely for the purpose of selling the program on TV and to sell tickets to the event itself. This makes sense and for many fans this is where the conversation ends.

But then there is the other side of the argument, the one that the majority of fans tend to fall on.

“That guy needs a main event shot, he’s earned it. He deserves to be champion.” Sound familiar?

That line has likely been repeated as much as the earlier one and this is where the subject gets a little confusing. After all, if the belts are indeed just props, then why do we care so much when certain WWE Superstars either have or do not have championship gold?

John Cena is the face of WWE, the standard bearer of the company. And because of that, we expect him to be WWE champion. Some fans may hate the idea and perhaps even dread it when Cena is pursuing the title, but as long as he is Vince McMahon’s guy, then John will always be in the title picture.

John’s critics are quite frankly sick of seeing him as WWE champion.

They believe his time is over, that his character is too stale to warrant constantly being on top of the company. For these fans, the further away John Cena is from the WWE Championship, the better.

But again, the fact is that we expect Cena to wear the gold. The bottom line is its good business for WWE’s top draw to be the top titleholder. It’s not required, but when the opportunity presents itself for John to be the champ, then that is exactly what happens.

So since we understand that and since some of us feel that the belts don’t really mean anything, then why do we get so bent out of shape when John goes over for the title?

Dolph Ziggler was a WWE Superstar who was always just on the cusp of hitting the big time. His matches were consistently viewed by many fans as being the best on the card and he was certainly a guy who had worked extremely hard to attain a higher level.

And every time he came within an eyelash of winning the World Heavyweight Championship, Dolph came up short.

Fans who supported Ziggler and praised him for his efforts in the ring wanted to see him reach the top. They wanted to see him succeed because he had earned it.

They believed he deserved it.

So again, understanding that championships are a work, why did we get so upset when Dolph Ziggler could not go over for the world title?

Of course, this is only the WWE and world championships that we’re talking about here. Think of how disappointed fans have been with WWE’s mishandling of the intercontinental and United States titles.

Both of these belts at one time were historically always heavily featured, in high profile matches that were the backbone of the card.

Now however, either champion is lucky to get a quality win on TV. And sometimes they are not even featured on pay-per-view, as Wade Barrett and The Miz worked for the Intercontinental Championship on the WrestleMania 29 pre-show, but U.S. Champion Antonio Cesaro was not booked at all.

What about the WWE Tag Team Titles?

Until Team Hell No, the tag belts had little to no spotlight and it was not surprising to watch a week’s worth of WWE programming and not even see the tag team belts defended at all.

What about the Divas championship? Perhaps I should say what Divas championship?

But the question remains. If title belts mean nothing, then why do we care? Why do we care what happens to them, who has them, or how often they are defended?

The answer is because we are supposed to.

Despite how much we know and how smart we are about what goes on behind the scenes of WWE or any other pro wrestling promotion, the truth is that a lot of what we feel and care about is fed to us. We don’t want to admit that, however, because perhaps it could be seen as an admission of gullibility.

But there is a reason why crowds pop for the babyfaces and boo the heels. There is a reason why when we see a Superstar do the right thing that we tend to react so positively and that reaction grows exponentially when a conniving heel gets his comeuppance.

Pro wrestling works.

No matter how much we may know or how much we may complain about the product, the simple truth is that when WWE is firing on all cylinders that we are sucked into the program and we truly care about what we’re seeing.

And that goes for the company’s championship titles.

For me, the title belts will always be important. They may only be trophies but they are trophies that can reward Superstars for their work and dedication, just as they can be used to make a statement of a worker’s position in the company. Storylines are written and real drama can evolve from these championships and that is why they are such vital cornerstones of WWE.

Read more WWE Raw news on BleacherReport.com

Top 5 WWE Superstars That Are Undeserving of Their Success

Bryan Haas — Wed, 15 May 2013 10:51:45 -0400

Mention the name John Cena and you are likely to get one of two reactions.

First, you'll hear that Cena is the current WWE Champion, and he is the greatest thing since sliced bread.

Or you might hear the second opinion, that Cena is the current WWE Champion, and he is perhaps the worst competitor to ever set foot in a wrestling ring.

Judging by the boos that fans seem to be showering upon him on a weekly basis, Cena could perhaps be one of the most unpopular superstars in recent memory.

However, those boos are normally buffered by an equal amount of cheers, which Cena seems to feed off of much more than the negative reactions.

And love him or hate him, Cena seems to do more promotional work and more public appearance than any other superstar on the WWE roster.

Add to that his being the new spokesperson for Fruity Pebbles cereal, his great relationship with the Make-A-Wish Foundation and his burgeoning movie career, and you have all the makings of a superstar that actually might not receive a fraction of the credit that he rightfully deserves.

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Brock Lesnar vs. Triple H at WWE Extreme Rules Was Set Up Perfectly on Raw

Tom Clark — Wed, 15 May 2013 07:50:41 -0400

Triple H’s feud with Brock Lesnar came to a boiling point on the May 13 edition of Monday Night Raw when the two men faced off inside a steel cage at the end of the program. Hunter and Lesnar waged a short battle inside the unforgiving structure, all in anticipation of their match that will take place at WWE’s upcoming Extreme Rules pay-per-view on May 19.

While some have voiced their dissatisfaction over this rivalry and the match itself, I for one believe that this particular moment went a long way to increasing fan interest. At this point, there is likely no one who does not want to see this bout take place.

Okay, maybe that was a stretch. But it sounded good, right?

The truth is that the segment between Brock and Triple H may not have fully swayed popular opinion in their favor. A good number of the WWE faithful may still be of the mindset that three matches is just too much, that perhaps these two men have no story left to tell.

It’s over and WWE doesn’t even realize it.

But I happen to disagree with that notion. The reason for that is because there was an element introduced into this feud on Monday that could very well breathe new life into the entire angle.

The moment came when Triple gave the man WWE has called “The Anomaly” a typical babyface invitation to fight. Lesnar, as the heel of this scenario, was backing down from The Game as we all knew he probably would.

After all, Brock is a heel and heels are usually the most cunning men in the company.

Why do it? Why play into Triple H’s hands and meet him on his own turf? Brock may have had a career in the Octagon, but to meet a pro wrestler inside a steel cage is like challenging Superman to a test of strength. This was Hunter’s territory and he is at his most dangerous when he feels right at home and has freedom to do what he wants.

And when Triple H realized that Lesnar, along with Paul Heyman, had made the decision to not charge the ring, he decided to bait the trap with some rather colorful language.

Or as my four-year-old would say, “that’s a bad word, Daddy.”

There’s nothing like getting all adolescent on a guy to get him to jump, is there? The fact is, Hunter’s ploy worked. It received the desired response. Brock indeed did walk that aisle and he played right into Triple H’s hands.

They don’t call him the Cerebral Assassin for nothing.

But more importantly than the word that prompted Lesnar to enter the ring was the point that Triple H made on Raw to Paul Heyman before that:

See, I can look at Brock Lesnar and I can tell Brock Lesnar still believes inside him, that he is the baddest man standing in this room. The problem is Paul; you don’t think that’s true anymore, do you?

To me, this is a hook to sell this match like none that WWE has used thus far. For the first time, Lesnar’s prowess in the ring is being called into question. Despite the losses he has suffered since returning to WWE last year, Brock’s ferocity in the ring has never been up for debate.

Win or lose, he has consistently been referred to as “The Beast,” a killing machine who cannot be stopped. He is a wild animal who mercilessly devours any prey that is unfortunate enough to be in his path. Lesnar has always been respected for what he’s done in the past, not just in WWE but in UFC as well. But more than that, he has always been feared.

Now, however? Not so much.

For fans who have often criticized Triple H for being a superstar who will not budge an inch to put over anyone else, this is just more evidence of that happening right in front of our eyes. After all, Brock’s reputation of being the destroyer was well constructed from day one and was perpetuated by one vignette after another produced by WWE.

Leave it to Triple H to ruin all of that because at the end of the day he doesn’t want to lose a feud, right?

But this is not the case in my opinion. For me, admitting that Brock’s teeth have dulled somewhat is the right move on WWE’s part. Because at some point, Vince McMahon has to either stick to booking Brock as a monster and see it through all the way, or he has to let it go and admit that Lesnar is truly only there for a payday.

That is not to suggest however that Brock is to be hated, if indeed money is his true motivation as many fans believe. If WWE did not want him in the company, he certainly would not be there. Lesnar’s reasons for doing business have little to do with why WWE is doing business with him.

But Brock is 1-2 since he came back to WWE. This is no secret. And even for the most casual fan that enjoys Brock’s work in the ring, there has to be a point when eventually the question of believability comes into play. How can anyone buy him as a wrecking machine when he cannot even piece together two wins?

WWE’s roundabout admission that Brock Lesnar is only human after all should factor in heavily this Sunday when he faces Triple H in the cage at Extreme Rules. I believe that Brock will not only find his killer instinct again, but that he will go over on The Game. This is not a must win for Triple H like their match was at WrestleMania 29.

This is a must win for Brock Lesnar. And I think he will do just that.

Brock Lesnar and Triple H’s match at WWE’s upcoming Extreme Rules pay-per-view was hyped up one last time on the May 13 edition of Raw. The spot looked good, the fans responded well and everything just worked. This match needed one last impact, one last big moment, to sell it to fans. That is what happened on Raw and now all that’s left is to ring the bell and go to work.

That sounds good to me.

Read more WWE Raw news on BleacherReport.com

WWE Monday Night Raw, May 13: GSM's Analysis and Aftermath

Graham 'GSM' Matthews — Tue, 14 May 2013 19:46:50 -0400

Mere days before WWE Extreme Rules, the build for the pending pay-per-view took center stage on this week's Monday Night Raw.

Despite being painfully boring, this go-home show succeeded in progressing towards Sunday's event and hyping every advertised match on the card.

Here, I will analyze each significant segment presented on the show. I will also provide a combination of predictions and wishful thinking about what I hope to see in the coming weeks.

Fandango's Dance-Off with Chris Jericho Went to a No-Contest

Lame segment to kick off the show, featuring Chris Jericho and Fandango. I wasn't looking forward to the dance-off to begin with, so I wasn't distraught that it never actually happened.

However, it felt like it dragged on longer than it should and didn't excite this viewer in the slightest. It's nice to see Summer Rae develop a personality, but she was the only thing worth watching about this opening segment.

Ryback def. Zack Ryder

Basic squash match, with Ryback defeating Zack Ryder. It was a nice momentum-booster for Ryback, but it didn't accomplish much more than that.

The match was over within a blink of an eye, but at least they switched things up by giving us a bout we've never seen before. On a side note, I can't say I'm a fan of Ryder's new attire, but I appreciate the effort he's putting into reinventing himself.

The Prime Time Players def. Tons of Funk

Meaningless match between The Prime Time Players and Tons of Funk. While I'm glad to see Darren Young and Titus O'Neil emerge victorious, the win doesn't do much for them.

They've lost so many matches in recent months that it's difficult to envision them as threats to the tag team titles. Neither tandem is relevant at the moment, so I fail to see the point of this contest.

United States Champion Kofi Kingston def. Damien Sandow (non-title)

Nice match between United States Champion Kofi Kingston and Damien Sandow. It's a shame that Sandow is being utilized as a jobber to the stars at the moment, but at least his pre-match promos are consistently entertaining.

The two made the most out of the time they were given and developed some fun chemistry with one another. Kingston's victory was a forgone conclusion, but it helped establish his title defense against Dean Ambrose at Extreme Rules.

Sheamus Confronted Mark Henry

Effective segment featuring Mark Henry and Sheamus. Both guys played their roles and added intensity to this feud for the first time since it started.

Henry didn't lose much by running away from Sheamus, as he was the one who made the challenge in the first place. The feud up to this point has been terribly built, but thankfully this segment was enough to make me believe that the Strap match on Sunday could very well be decent.

Randy Orton def. Antonio Cesaro

Brief match between Randy Orton and Antonio Cesaro. These two just had a match against one another on WWE Main Event five days prior, so why bother having an unnecessary rematch the following week?

Not only that, but we've seen this match countless times before, so it was much of the same from Orton and Cesaro. It was only a week ago that Cesaro looked to be headed on the right track, but sadly it seems as if he's back to being an enhancement talent for the time being.

The Miz def. Heath Slater w/3MB

Throwaway match between The Miz and Heath Slater. I'm happy to see Miz back after a month-long absence, but I wish the appearance made more of an impact than it did.

Nonetheless, it was a fine match for what it was, before Miz inevitably forced Slater to tap out. Miz taking on Cody Rhodes in the pre-show match on Sunday should be good, but why not have the Awesome One invoke his rematch clause for the Intercontinental Championship instead?

WWE Champion John Cena and WWE Tag Team Champions Team Hell No def. The Shield by Disqualification

Strong six-man elimination match, with WWE Champion John Cena and Team Hell No defeating The Shield by disqualification. The match was very well wrestled and kept a consistent pace the entire time.

I wasn't fond of the disqualification finish, as it technically means The Shield is no longer undefeated as a trio. Nonetheless, Ryback's subsequent attack on Cena was ruthless enough to have me looking forward to their upcoming Last Man Standing match.

Jack Swagger w/Zeb Colter def. Big E Langston w/AJ Lee by Count-out

Good match between Jack Swagger and Big E Langston. The two work well together given their similar styles, but it was hard for the crowd to invest in this match with both Swagger and Langston being heels.

The count-out loss means Langston's undefeated streak is also over, but I guess it was necessary in order to have Swagger look like a threat going into Extreme Rules. It's disappointing that World Heavyweight Champion Dolph Ziggler won't be able to put his title up for grabs at the event, but his health is definitely top priority.

AJ Lee def. Natalya

Fine match, with AJ Lee defeating Natalya. It was probably one of the better Divas matches we've seen lately, but it's unfortunate that the chaotic commentary took focus away from the contest.

Kaitlyn's "secret admirer" angle is still intriguing, but I'm baffled as to why she won't be defending her Divas Championship against AJ at the pay-per-view. Bonus points go to AJ for debuting a new finisher that looks absolutely brutal.

Brock Lesnar and Paul Heyman Confronted Triple H

Solid segment featuring Triple H, Brock Lesnar and Paul Heyman to close the show. HHH delivers great promos when he's motivated, and this was no exception.

Of course, Heyman did all the talking for Lesnar and was as always excellent on the mic. The brawl between the two rivals was a nice teaser of what's to come in their Steel Cage match on Sunday, which might have sold some pay-per-view buys in the process.

Overall Show

Overall, a decent show that did its best to promote the hell out of every match on the Extreme Rules card. They really shouldn't have waited until the very last minute to confirm matches for the event, especially since they had six weeks to build towards it.

Furthermore, the three hours definitely dragged more than usual this week, which made for a dreadfully boring edition as a whole. The last few Raws haven't been the most exciting, so here's hoping the flagship show regains momentum following Extreme Rules on Sunday.

GSM out.

Visit my website at Next Era Wrestling and listen to my wrestling radio talk show SAVE US GSM every Wednesday night at 10 p.m. ET.

Follow @SAVE_US_GSM

Read more WWE Raw news on BleacherReport.com

WWE Desperately Needs to Make Changes to Flagship Shows RAW and SmackDown

Jamie West — Tue, 14 May 2013 15:58:01 -0400

"If I cannot overwhelm with my quality, I will overwhelm with my quantity." - Emile Zola

For better or worse, gone are the days of the WWE brand split. Gone are the days of SmackDown and Raw being marketed as two separate shows competing against each other for dominance within the WWE Universe.

WWE fans are now subjected to twice as much weekly programming but seemingly half as much original weekly content. Nowadays, Raw is the "A" show and SmackDown is largely a recap of said "A" show. Main Event and Superstars can be worth watching, but do they ever advance any major story or feud sufficiently enough for fans to consider the content unmissable?

I am not suggesting that the brand split has any chance of returning, but fans are beginning to tire of the current state of Raw and SmackDown.

Raw's most significant problem is that the show has become so crammed with filler, recaps and tedious plugs for the enthralling content of the WWE app that most fans can not stomach sitting through three hours of it every single week, and we're only at Monday.

As a fan from the United Kingdom, Raw is televised live at an inconvenient time, so I began to record the show with the idea that I would be able to skip segments and matches that seemed futile. At first this was great, but I soon fell into the trap of skipping most of the show, as fast-forwarding the squash matches, movie plugs and adverts essentially turns Raw into an hour-long broadcast.

A second problem is, of this now trimmed single hour, the content itself appears to become less and less original every week as we witness rematch after rematch after rematch. For instance, since Dec. 30, we have seen Randy Orton and Antonio Cesaro face off nine times.

Across these matches, Cesaro has never been victorious, only once scrambling to a no-contest draw against the Viper on Main Event. We know the story. Please spare us the weekly reminder.

Another example of unforgivably repetitive booking is that of Dolph Ziggler and Kofi Kingston, who have had the same Ziggler-wins-by-pinfall match countless times recently.

Of course, it must be acknowledged that WWE's thin roster means that repetitive booking is almost unavoidable given the amount of television it's are required to produce each and every week, but it does nothing to capture the imagination of new or old fans.

Finally, the match statistics from last night's episode of Monday Night Raw highlight an absolutely crucial flaw in the three-hour broadcast. Of the eight televised bouts, only two ran over five minutes.

Why, on a three-hour wrestling show, was United States champion Kofi Kingston given just over two minutes to put on a match with Damien Sandow? Why did the producers have Randy Orton go over Antonio Cesaro in just three minutes? Why could former United States champion Zack Ryder not last more than 63 seconds against Ryback?

Ultimately, WWE's primary problem appears to be that it values quantity over quality, which has led to a watering down of the product and a poorer weekly television broadcast.

WWE needs to do something to remedy this fundamental flaw before its fans, new and old, up and leave.

I look forward to debating those of you who feel I have displayed an unnecessarily negative attitude toward the current product in this article.

Read more WWE Raw news on BleacherReport.com

WWE Monday Night Raw Recap: Major Hype for Extreme Rules Pay-Per-View

Daniel Peragine — Tue, 14 May 2013 11:52:39 -0400

The Monday, May 13, edition of WWE Monday Night Raw aired live from Tulsa, Okla., at the BOK Center.

Jerry "The King" Lawler opened Raw by showing highlights from Fandango's victory against Chris Jericho at WrestleMania 29. Lawler introduced Fandango and Jericho to the ring for an exclusive dance-off to kick things off.

The dance-off itself actually never took place, as Fandango's partner seemed to twist her ankle. However, the distraction allowed Fandango to attack Jericho throughout the arena. After Jericho was left knocked out at ringside, Fandango's dance partner quickly rose from the ground and both exited toward the backstage area.

Match No. 1: Ryback defeated Zack Ryder

Whenever Ryder is in a match, the outcome is very predictable. Ryback completely dominated in this match and Ryder once again never stood a chance to show any momentum.

Match Rating: 1/5.

Match No. 2: The Prime Time Players (Darren Young and Titus O'Neil) defeated Tons of Funk (Tensai and Brodus Clay)

Another quick and meaningless match, this tag team battle lasted less than two minutes. Not a great start on Monday Night Raw in terms of matches, but at least there were tons of video packages to make time go faster.

Match Rating: 1.5/5.

WWE announcer Matt Striker introduced Teddy Long at the entrance way. After Jack Swagger and Zeb Colter interrupted and pushed for Dolph Ziggler's World Heavyweight belt to be stripped, Big E Langston and AJ Lee disagreed. Long announced that Swagger will face Alberto Del Rio at the Extreme Rules pay-per-view in a No. 1 contender's match for the World Heavyweight Championship.

Match No. 3: Kofi Kingston defeated Damien Sandow

Slightly better match than the previous two, but it still ended on the short side.

Match Rating: 2/5.

Striker interviewed with Mark Henry inside the ring about his strap match against Sheamus. Henry described the rules and pretended Striker was Sheamus after telling him to put on the strap. Sheamus came out toward the entrance way and made his way to the ring. After Henry backed away, Sheamus grabbed his own strap under the ring. The two wrestlers would then brawl until Henry exited.

Match No. 4: Randy Orton defeated Antonio Cesaro

Cesaro appears to be on a losing streak since losing the United States Championship. At least this was a somewhat decent match, but it ended rather quickly after Orton delivered an RKO on Cesaro.

Match Rating: 2/5.

Match No. 5: The Miz defeated Heath Slater

The Miz got the victory with a figure-four leg lock submission, which drew a chorus of Ric Flair chants throughout the arena. Pretty basic match to get The Miz back to his winning ways.

Match Rating: 2.5/5.

Match No. 6: John Cena, Daniel Bryan and Kane defeated The Shield

Very impressive six-man elimination tag team match with plenty of exciting action both inside and outside the ring. Bryan was certainly a highlight in this match until his elimination. Fortunately, this battle ended a streak of short matches on Raw.

Match Rating: 4/5.

Match No. 7: Jack Swagger defeated Big E Langston

Swagger was able to earn the victory against Langston by knocking him outside the ring for a count out. Not an overly exciting match but picked up nicely toward the tail end of the segment after Del Rio stepped inside the ring and brawled with Swagger and Langston. It was an effective set up for the match between Swagger and Del Rio at Extreme Rules.

Match Rating: 3/5.

Match No. 8: AJ Lee defeated Natalya

A decent match that was simply used to lead into the main event segment on Raw.

Match Rating: 2.5/5.

Triple H came out first, watched the steel cage above come down inside the ring, and invited Brock Lesnar to join him. Lesnar, who appeared with ringside manager Paul Heyman, arrived at the entrance way. Heyman told Triple H that he will be embarrassed to face his own family after the Extreme Rules pay-per-view.

After attempting to leave, Triple H questioned Lesnar's toughness. Lesnar responded by walking down the aisle, entering the steel cage and brawling with Triple H. After a back-and-forth battle, Triple H sent Lesnar outside the steel cage as Monday Night Raw faded to black.

Read more WWE Raw news on BleacherReport.com

WWE Raw Results: Dolph Ziggler Steals the Show on Twitter

Ryan Dilbert — Tue, 14 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400

Dolph Ziggler never even stepped in the ring on Monday night, but he was the highlight of WWE Raw thanks to his work on Twitter.

An overzealous kick to the head from Jack Swagger concussed Ziggler (h/t WrestlingInc.com). The injury derailed the Extreme Rules world title match and left Ziggler out of the action on the go-home episode of WWE Raw. No worries.

Ziggler took to Twitter to become the most entertaining star of the night. The Shield, Team Hell No and John Cena put on an excellent show, but The Show-Off delivered hilarity for much of the show's three hours.

He made fun of Jericho's outfit, of how often he has wrestled Kofi Kingston and of Daniel Bryan's resemblance to a certain gnome spokesperson.

Ziggler took an amusing shot at John Cena as well.

It's actually five moves of doom, but the joke still works. It's fun to see Ziggler mix his character and wrestling fans' own jargon. Ziggler did just that when he poked fun at Sheamus, toying with the perception that Ziggler has been a cowardly heel.

His hashtags here are worth a few chuckles as well.

Ziggler spent the night owning Twitter.

Getting kicked in the head and getting knocked out of his first pay-per-view world title defense apparently hasn't robbed him of his sense of humor. He made a reference to Swagger's kick in the following funny tweet.

At times, WWE Raw dragged. Michael Cole and Jerry Lawler mentioned the WWE App far too often. Squash matches and recaps occupied a large portion of the show.

If fans turned their attention to Twitter, they saw Ziggler entertaining without his trademark selling ability, without throwing a single dropkick or doing a mid-match pushup.

He made references to everything from Brock Lesnar reminding him of Zoolander to his own time as Nicky from The Spirit Squad.

Anyone who caught Ziggler as the host of WWE Download knows all about Ziggler's charm and comic timing. He may have also converted some new fans with his Twitter performance, maximizing that medium on Monday.

A concussion took away Ziggler's ability to wrestle for now, but it couldn't take away his show-stealing powers.

Read more WWE Raw news on BleacherReport.com

WWE Raw Results: Winners, Twitter Reaction and Highlights from May 13

Tim Keeney — Mon, 13 May 2013 23:23:08 -0400

In the last Raw before Extreme Rules, the WWE world was hoping the action from Tulsa would be both thrilling and successful in extending several storylines.

With nearly every star in action—even Triple H and Brock Lesnar—it's safe to say that the fans got their wish.

Let's take a complete look at what happened during this week's crucial and eventful episode.

Quick Results

Fandango attacks Chris Jericho after Summer Rae fakes an ankle injury

Ryback squashes Zack Ryder in about 14 seconds

Teddy Long announces Dolph Ziggler is officially out for Extreme Rules

The Prime Time Players defeat Tons of Funk

Kofi Kingston defeats Damien Sandow

Sheamus out-whips Mark Henry

Randy Orton defeats Antonio Cesaro

The Miz defeats Heath Slater

John Cena and Team Hell No defeat The Shield in an Elimination Match

Jack Swagger defeats Big E Langston via countout

AJ Lee defeats Natalya

Triple H and Brock Lesnar battle inside a cage

The Shield Finally Loses...Kind of

Let's go through the match in chronological order.

Kane was the first to get himself eliminated, but he certainly got his money's worth, beating up on the entire opposing trio outside the ring and eventually clocking Roman Reigns with part of the announcer's table. Unfortunately, it got him DQ'd.

Daniel Bryan was next, although he also got some good offense in, flying and flipping around the ring and showcasing his entertaining skill set. He was also the centerpiece of arguably the funniest Twitter interaction of the night:

Well played, Travelocity.

Bryan was eventually eliminated by Dean Ambrose (although it took work from the entire threesome), leaving John Cena to fend for himself.

Naturally, the WWE champ pinned Seth Rollins before Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose both got disqualified. One-on-3? No problem:

Nevertheless, the Shield got the final laugh with a triple powerbomb and—as if they needed any more momentum on their current push—a compliment from Stone Cold himself:

After the match, Ryback came down the ramp and attacked Cena's ankle with a chair.

The current champion is undoubtedly the favorite at Extreme Rules, but the WWE has been putting in a ton of work in the last few weeks to add some unpredictability and make Ryback out to be an unstoppable monster.

Triple H and Brock Lesnar Give Us a Little Preview

Triple H came out and gave another terrific promo, but he did it under some, well, interesting circumstances—like, you know, inside a cage:

As it turned out, there was a reason.

After Heyman talked about how HHH would have to wait until Sunday to face his client, Helmsley snapped back and got under Lesnar's skin, forcing him to come to the ring.

The two eventually battled it out inside the cage for a couple minutes before HHH threw Lesnar out to end the show.

Many may be tired of this feud, but this was an excellent way to build up the anticipation for their final match on Sunday.

Put two huge athletes inside a cage and you have the ingredients for an entertaining match—no matter how much you might not like said athletes. We got a little showcase of that on Monday night.

No More Ziggler

This was a real concern when it was revealed Ziggler had suffered a concussion on Friday's SmackDown (you can see the kick that did it in the following video), but it became official on Monday night: The World Heavyweight Champion will not compete at Extreme Rules.

Thanks a lot, Jack Swagger:

While this is a significant blow to the upcoming pay-per-view, it's important that Ziggler be medically cleared before re-entering the ring, and it's apparent that hasn't yet happened. Now the show must go on.

In his absence, Swagger and Alberto Del Rio will battle for the No. 1 contender spot in an I Quit match.

The early reaction is, well, underwhelming:

Nevertheless, Swagger, who went on to beat Big E Langston in a solid match later in the night, and Del Rio, who went on to attack him afterwards, are both capable athletes and the intrigue of an I Quit match is undeniable.

I'm on board.

Read more WWE Raw news on BleacherReport.com

WWE Raw Live Results, Reaction and Analysis: Extreme Rules Go-Home Show

The Doctor Chris Mueller — Mon, 13 May 2013 16:25:39 -0400

Welcome to the Bleacher Report live coverage for the Extreme Rules go-home Monday Night Raw.

We are less than a week from ER, and tonight is one of the last chances WWE will have to set up any additional matches

Tonight we have a face-to-face confrontation between Triple H and Brock Lesnar after Lesnar and Paul Heyman destroyed Triple H's office last week.

We also have The Shield looking to set up something for Extreme Rules, and with the way they have focused on the Tag and US champs, we could see The Shield start to collect some gold.

Hopefully, we will also find out Dolph Ziggler's Extreme Rules status tonight after he suffered an unfortunate concussion at a house show. Let's hope the show-off is able to heal as well as he can wrestle.

What will Triple H have to say to Lesnar?

Will The Shield challenge anyone for gold at Extreme Rules?

Can John Cena keep Ryback at bay?

Will AJ Lee set her sights on the Divas title?

And lastly, can anything make the feud between Randy Orton and Big Show worth caring about?

Make sure to bookmark this page and come back Monday at the start of the show for live coverage of all the action as it unfolds on Raw.

Read more WWE Raw news on BleacherReport.com

WWE Raw: Potential Spoilers, Rumors, News and Preview for May 13

Donald Wood — Mon, 13 May 2013 08:46:59 -0400

This week’s edition of Raw marks less than a week until Sunday’s Extreme Rules pay-per-view, and with one final chance to build to the event, this go-home edition of WWE’s marquee television program should be as exciting as they come.

Brock Lesnar is already scheduled to go face-to-face with Triple H—a plan that in no way would backfire on the WWE—and with the need to add a few more matches to the card, this edition of the company’s flagship show will be exciting to say the least.

With a wild night of Extreme Rules preparation on the horizon, there is little doubt that Monday’s edition of Raw will be one of the best since the build to WrestleMania.

Wrestling fans should be very excited.

Where: BOK Center, Tulsa, Okla.

When: Monday, May 13, at 8 p.m. ET

Watch: USA Network

Potential Spoilers

As peaceful as Raw has been without him, the WWE Universe should expect to see The Miz make his glorious return back to television after filming his movie over the past few weeks, according to F4WOnline.com (via Wrestling Inc.).

The Miz was involved in a throwaway feud with Wade Barrett for the Intercontinental Championship before leaving to star in this new movie, but the hope now is that they find something better for the midcard sensation.

While fighting for the IC title would be a great welcome back present from the WWE, the hope is that The Miz would continue his feud with Antonio Cesaro like the duo was developing before WrestleMania season.

Brock and Triple H Go Face-to-Face

After watching Brock Lesnar destroy Triple H’s office last week via video, Triple H has called out Lesnar and wants him face-to-face in the middle of the ring this Monday on Raw. As the old adage goes, be careful what you ask for, because you just might get it.

Question on Everyone’s Mind: Will This Come to Blows?

Lesnar has never been one of back away from confrontation since joining the WWE once again, and once he is toe-to-toe with Triple H in the middle of the ring, there is little doubt that this duo will start beating each other down. With Lesnar likely taking the win Sunday, expect Triple H to clear the ring Monday and stand tall, especially after Heyman and Lesnar's impromptu renovation of Triple H's office last week (via WWE's Twitter).

Hype Meter: 4 out of 5 Paul Heyman Promos

While there will always be a contingent of WWE fans that love Triple H and his work in the ring and on the mic, this long-term feud can only be considered a success because of the outstanding work by Lesnar in the ring and Heyman on the mic. Together, Heyman and Lesnar will walk to the ring Monday night and drop a heavy dosage of real talk on the WWE Universe.

WWE Rumors: Original Plans for Triple H vs. Brock Lesnar (PWInsider via Wrestling Inc.)

Dolph Ziggler’s Extreme Rules Status

When Dolph Ziggler cashed in the Money in the Bank briefcase the Monday after WrestleMania, it was clearly time for The Showoff to stake his claim as a top star. Just over a month later, the World Heavyweight champion’s status for Sunday’s show is in serious question after suffering a concussion at last Tuesday’s SmackDown tapings

Question on Everyone’s Mind: Will Ziggler Defend His Title at Extreme Rules?

The emphasis on concussions in all of the other major sports will have WWE playing by the rules of every medical test possible, and as long as Ziggler is cleared for activity—whether it's light duty or a full match—the company was incredibly lucky it was already a triple threat ladder match. If Ziggler is still feeling the effects of the concussion, the WWE could easily protect him by featuring Alberto Del Rio vs. Jack Swagger for most of the match and Ziggler running in late to retain the title.

Zeb Colter is already starting the trash talk:

Hype Meter: 4 out of 5 Ziggler Title Defenses

Monday’s Raw will be an incredibly important gauge about where Ziggler is medically and what his status will be for Sunday. If the WWE uses the star in a match or he takes an attack from another superstar, he’ll be fine for the PPV. If the company doesn’t allow him to engage in any physical confrontations, this could be a bigger issue than WWE is letting on to the media.

WWE News: Ziggler Talks Losing His Memory After Concussion (WWE.com)

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Read more WWE Raw news on BleacherReport.com

Brock's Confrontation with Triple H and the 7 Questions to Be Answered on Raw

David Levin — Mon, 13 May 2013 00:15:00 -0400

After beating down his office at WWE headquarters, Brock Lesnar has accepted Triple H's invitation to meet him one-on-one in Tulsa, Okla., this week on the "Go Home" show of Monday Night Raw.

Let the fireworks begin?

We saw the "invasion" of Lesnar and his associate, Paul Heyman, destroy the COO of the WWE's office on camera (all staged of course) as a way to further get under Triple H's skin. All it did was further the match stakes in the "Steel Cage" match between the two.

As I have stated before, I am actually intrigued to see this feud come to a final match. Triple H is one of the few wrestlers who could give Lesnar a match on equal footing. The Undertaker is hurt and will require surgery. Sheamus is in purgatory. Randy Orton cannot decide if he wants to be a face or a heel (he seems to be enjoying his feud with Big Show). Mark Henry would be great in this role, but he is chasing Sheamus around.

If the WWE had just kept to its plan of having Mark Henry continue to challenge John Cena, we could have seen Ryback and Lesnar face each other.

That's life and this is the WWE. What else would you expect?

The Raw on Monday night needs to deliver, get us excited and lead us into a week of anticipation. There have been six weeks since WrestleMania 29, and we are still trying to recover from it. Also, here are some questions which need to be answered during the program.

What will happen with Kaitlyn and AJ? I am hoping this will be resolved Monday night. Will it be added to Extreme Rules? It would be awesome to see the two of them in a cage match, but that won't happen. Could this be an extreme match? It should be. These two can deliver and have decent chemistry in the ring. And somehow, I see Dolph Ziggler interfering in this match and costing AJ the title.

Who will be left out of the pay-per-view? You can bet Wade Barrett and Kofi Kingston will not be on the card, which stinks since they are title holders and should be included in every single pay-per-view. I would like to see Fandango face Kingston and Chris Jericho get into a program with Barrett. If the WWE is reading this, maybe they will take my thoughts into consideration.

What happens to The Miz? Who knows? I hope it does not include Miz TV. I also hope it does not include him working solely as a face. The Miz has charisma and a great look, but as a face he's awful. Would he be great in tag team wrestling? Yes. Maybe with Jericho. If he were a heel, he and Fandango would be a better pairing. The company needs to find a medium between Miz and his marketing power.

Does The Shield challenge Team Hell No for the titles at Extreme Rules? It better happen. This is the plan the WWE needs to stand behind; titles need to start finding their way to the waists of Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins. Once the titles become a part of The Shield's shtick, it will only be a matter of time before they start looking toward the WWE Title.

Does Batista finally make an appearance? No, next question.

Does Christian finally return? No, next question.

What do we expect from Ryback and John Cena? Not sure, but I do not expect it to be big. I think there will be some kind of battle, and that The Shield may be involved. This has been a very tame feud of sorts.

Hopefully, we see Ryback grow a little more of an attitude, better dialogue and more of a menacing feel from the crowd. John Cena needs to really sell this, as he has to lose this match to look even better in the eyes of the WWE Universe.

Read more WWE Raw news on BleacherReport.com