10 Ways WWE's Monday Night Raw Has Never Been Better

After some truly horrendous episodes of Raw in late 2011 (anyone remember when Triple H outrageously proclaimed that a broomstick was better in the ring than most of the roster?), WWE's flagship show has had a remarkable turnaround in the past month and emerged as a must-watch program going into 2012.

While Raw still has its flaws (just how many times does John Cena need to come out and remind us that he is perfectly fine with the fans booing him and respects their right to their opinions? We get it, John: you're a cool, calm guy), considering the hellish quagmire the the program languished in for many months this return to form should be welcomed with open arms.

With this in mind, here are the 10 ways Monday Night Raw has never been better...

The End of the Kevin Nash/ Triple H Feud

Yes, the end of this awful, soul-sapping feud between Kevin Nash and Triple H has surely played a part in Raw's increase in quality in recent weeks.

A dreadful wrestling storyline, it's difficult to decide what the worst thing about this program was: Nash's long, rambling promos that made no sense whatsoever, the awful, clumsy matches, Nash's laughably bad dye-job or the preposterous angles ("Does he have a pulse!?" screamed one actor/paramedic as he was attending to a fallen HHH at one point, presumably WWE's misguided way of trying to conjure up some drama. Relax, guys: Hunter lived).

Mercifully, it's over now, and Nash is apparently done with WWE and eager to retire from the business, feeling his TLC match was a fitting end to his long career (well, the bout was slow, middling and full of botches, so in a way it was the perfect summation of Nash's wrestling legacy).

We can only hope "Big Sexy" is being genuine here. If only so we don't have to see any more of those awful '70s style t-shirts. Or hear about that huge pop he got at last year's Royal Rumble.  

The Eve/Zack Ryder Storyline

Hey, while all you grizzled tough guys might complain about a sappy, romance storyline like Zack Ryder attempting to date Eve blighting an otherwise macho wrestling show, we know you are all secretly enthralled by this angle and are hoping friendship will eventually blossom into true love for the geeky, awkward US Champion. It's like the guy version of The Notebook or something.  

Kane's Return

Veteran star Kane recently returned to Raw with a new mask and a new attitude to match. This has helped reinvigorate Glenn Jacobs' struggling career. Indeed, for the first time in a long time the Kane character seems relevant again—no mean feat after some of the atrocious angles he's been burdened with in the last two years (Paul Bearer getting kidnapped, anyone?). 

Okay, sure he looks a bit like a welder, and his constant talk of "turning John Cena to the dark side" makes him sound a bit like Darth Vader. Also, in one of the campiest wrestling moments in history, he tried to drag Zack Ryder to Hell last week (Zack was saved at the last minute by good friend Cena. It's almost a shame because an episode of Z! True Long Island Story from Hell would have probably garnered the US Champion a few more hits on Youtube).

But rather than being a detriment, it may be all this silliness that makes the Kane character so wonderfully absurd. Indeed, the monster's return has become a fun, guilty-pleasure and a callback to the cartoonish wrestling angles of the 1980s.

And, besides, stuff like this is why we love wrestling. Let's face it: until a terrified MMA fighter is almost dragged to Hell by an opponent through a hole in the Octagon, the ultra-realistic, serious world of UFC will always be missing something.

Kelly Kelly

While Raw's women's division has seen better days (putting it mildly), former model Barbara "Kelly Kelly" Blank remains a highlight of WWE's flagship show. With her stunning good looks, bubbly energy and charisma, she is in many ways a modern-day Sunny. Now if the WWE writers could only give her something to work with. 

Dolph Ziggler

With his superb athletic skills, great promo ability and frat-boy charisma, former Spirit Squad member Dolph Ziggler has emerged as one of WWE's finest young talents in a long time. His heightened profile on Raw in recent times, as he attempts to take CM Punk's title by any means necessary, has certainly helped the flagship show in terms of in-ring quality and interviews. Hopefully his push will continue.

John Laurinaitis

Since being appointed by the WWE Board of Directors in October to the role of Raw General Manager (he was only supposed to be temporary, but it looks like he's sticking around), WWE's real life Vice President of Talent Relations John Laurinaitis has been a revelation as the bumbling, weaselly middle-management man presiding over Raw with a fake, empty smile and even emptier words.

You see, while "Mr Excitement" may be a heel authority figure, he's an altogether different type of heel GM. Unlike over-the-top baddies like Vickie Guerrero or Vince McMahon, he's not out there screaming and boasting to everyone who will listen about his intentions to screw enemy CM Punk, even though his actions pretty much prove that he is.

No, Laurinaitis constantly tells us he wants to appease his rebellious employee and has even attended "management classes" to find out how to interact with him better. He wants the insolent Punk to know that he's not the villain here—he's just a nice guy in a difficult job. The way he flashes that cheesy grin, we could almost believe it. 

He also sucks up to everyone incessantly on-screen, while no doubt plotting and scheming behind their backs (it took MENSA member Triple H several months to figure out that Laurinaitis was actively trying to sabotage his run as COO, even though it was incredibly obvious to everyone else). Not to mention, he's on the phone so much backstage, his monthly bill must be absolutely massive. 

One of the best characters to emerge from Raw in years, the Laurinaitis gimmick has a wonderful campy quality about it, but it is also rooted in realism. Indeed, it apparently plays off John's real-life rep for being a Yes-man and corporate kiss-ass.

Zack Ryder's Title Chase and Win

It has often been said that there are few satisfying pay-offs in wrestling anymore. That may be true, but Zack Ryder's quest for Dolph Ziggler's US Title and victory at the TLC pay-per-view was a wholly welcome exception.

Completing Ryder's full graduation from lower-card job guy to major WWE Superstar, Zack's win at TLC was built up incredibly well as Zack's underdog status was emphasized to fans. The hard-fought victory provided a rare heart-warming moment on WWE television (Zack's dad could be seen going crazy at ringside after his son's victory). You could see some Ryder fans literally jumping for joy in the background after he won.

It also helped the prestige of the US Championship. Indeed, looking at Zack's weepy celebration, it's hard to think of a time when a mid-card belt in WWE came across as such a big, important deal.

Thankfully, rather than being forgotten about by the fickle WWE booking team, he has continued to maintain a strong presence on Raw as US Champion too, and who knows? Maybe he might even surpass his current level and get around to the WWE belt one day.  

Vickie Guerrero

One of the best heel managers in recent times, Vickie Guerrero continues to be a highlight of Monday Night Raw. Make no mistake about it, few do it better than this woman.

With her unrivalled heat-garnering skills and intentionally annoying promo style, the villainous valet has helped get over wrestlers like Dolph Ziggler and Jack Swagger, the latter of whom was languishing in the lower-card before Vickie came to his aid. We can only hope more wrestlers will be added to her stable soon.

Certainly, her formidable presence remains one of the reasons Raw is so great right now.

CM Punk's WWE Title Reign

CM Punk's title reign (he won the belt at the Survivor Series from Alberto Del Rio) has been a much-needed breath of fresh air for the stagnant, struggling Raw brand. With his wit, connection with the fans, wrestling ability and unrivalled promo ability, the Chicago native has done a stellar job of carrying the red brand. 

Sure, the CM Punk character has become a bit muddled in recent times (remember when he was going to challenge the status quo in wrestling and then got distracted by ice-cream bars?), but Phil Brooks deserves credit for his hard work and outstanding promo work. In terms of ratings numbers of pay-per-view buys he may never be John Cena, but he is still a great No. 2 babyface that the fans can steadily get behind and root for.

David Otunga

While his wrestling skills remain so-so, David Otunga has really come into his own lately as a smarmy, bow-tie wearing Harvard educated lawyer (Otunga actually did gain a Law degree from Harvard several years ago and amazingly abandoned it all for a wrestling career, so this role is a perfect fit to play). 

We also reckon the new heel pairing of Otunga and Raw GM John Laurinaitis could provide great entertainment value to Raw. While Otunga may lack the in-ring talent to be World Champion one day, he can surely flourish as an on-screen character annoying all the babyfaces with his smug, obnoxious attitude. Make no mistake about it: things look better than ever for the former Nexus member.

There is one issue: David, please, stop drinking all the coffee. You're downing a cup every time we see you on Raw or SmackDown. It can't be healthy.