What We Learned from the Dec. 9 Edition of Raw
Well, the go-home episode of Raw is in the bag, and Tables, Ladders and Chairs is drawing nearer and nearer.
The show needed to be a good one to try and secure more purchases of the pay-per-view, and personally, I thought the show delivered big style.
Both of the handicap matches at the event were pushed nicely, and we saw teases of fractions, potential new rivalries and explosive action.
Best of all, the main segment was one of the most enjoyable to watch in a long time, and the pay-per-view is now one that is looking like it may deliver.
Let's take a look at what we learned from the go home edition of Raw ahead of TLC.
A Touch of Retro Is Always a Good Thing
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As well as all the hype for TLC, Monday's edition of Raw also featured the annual Slammy Awards.
One thing we're always guaranteed with these awards is the odd returning Superstar from days gone by, and we were treated to a bunch of them this week.
Naturally, it was nice to see Eve Torres back on screen. Then there was Mick Foley and Shawn Michaels, who had a couple of nice moments with Daniel Bryan to boost the crowd noise—more on that later, though.
For me, the highlight was the New Age Outlaws, who once again delivered an entertaining, funny segment. Billy Gunn and Road Dogg got the crowd going early on in the show, and the momentum didn't slow from there on.
Langston vs. Sandow Will Be Excellent for TLC
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If you are going to have a good pay-per-view, then you need to have a strong card all across the board.
One match that will hopefully live up to an exciting-looking card is Big E Langston vs. Damien Sandow for the Intercontinental Championship.
It is an intriguing match given that Sandow only recently failed to cash in his Money in the Bank against John Cena. This is Langston's first major title in WWE, and the two are both bright prospects for the future of the company.
Hopefully the match will provide the viewers with a glimpse into just how strong the roster can be if booked properly.
Miz vs. Kofi Must Now Stop
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It's one of the most confusing rivalries in recent memory, as for the first three weeks of their tussles, nobody was quite sure who was going to be the real heel of the rivalry.
Now that it looks like The Miz is the one who has made the permanent turn, the rivalry seems to have gone a little bit flat.
It's sad that after just four weeks, a rivalry can go completely stale and boring. That is what has happened, though, and it almost sums up where The Miz and Kingston are with their WWE careers right about now.
Whilst the rivalry will no doubt continue, it needs to be freshened up if it is to have any potential.
The Tag Team Championships Need Sorting
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Raw often features a bulk of tag team matches these days, and the clash between Erick Rowan and Luke Harper vs. The Usos was a timely reminder that there are some very good teams in the WWE.
Unfortunately, the champions were once again booked in a larger tag match and not really given a serious direction to head down with a credible challenger. Both Ryback and Curtis Axel and The Real Americans could have a claim to be at the top of the queue to fight Cody Rhodes and Goldust, but nobody has really been given a chance.
With the pay-per-view just days away, SmackDown must provide us with an answer as to who the true No. 1 contenders are for the Tag titles.
The Shield Offer a Dose of Irony and Teasing
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From the moment The Shield came out to award the Slammy for "Double-Cross of the Year," you could just smell the irony.
With a rumoured split in the pipeline, there will have to be a double-cross from one of Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins or Roman Reigns to initiate it.
Ambrose then uttered the line that this was "one category you would never see The Shield nominated for."
It seemed just a little too obvious. Not least when Ambrose told Reigns and Rollins he would go it alone in his match vs. CM Punk—before losing.
The tension between Reigns and Ambrose in particular is becoming fiercer by the week. Could TLC be the place where the split occurs? It certainly looks like it.
Punk vs. Ambrose Is Championship Material
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Speaking of Dean Ambrose vs. CM Punk, we were treated to a feast from two indie darlings of the wrestling world on Monday night.
Ambrose and Punk individually are two of the best wrestlers in the business, so when you throw them together, it is always guaranteed to make a humdinger of a match.
Could this be a match that would involve gold somewhere further down the line? Perhaps. Ambrose has all the credentials, and it will surely only be a matter of time before Punk is back in the mix.
It would be great to see these two go at it over a prolonged period. Hopefully they get some good ring time together Sunday at TLC.
Cena and Orton Put Some Thumping Promo Work in
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It will no doubt be a hotly anticipated match because of the variety of endings it can throw up to us all, and John Cena vs. Randy Orton had some pretty major promo work on Monday night.
Cena is becoming more and more demonic and sadistic in his promos—and people will continue to demand that he must turn heel at some point. He cut a nice angle on Orton, claiming that the Viper has had everything handed to him from day one.
Orton, too, was in good form, taking shots at humiliating some of the former champions who were in the ring. His angle with Bret Hart in particular stood out as yet more good heel work from Orton.
If the match is as good as that segment on Raw, we will be in for a treat at TLC.
Teasers Aplenty
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That main event angle was good enough between Cena and Orton to send the fans home happy. But then, all hell broke loose, as we were treated to a number of potential teasers.
It all started when Orton provoked a fierce reaction from CM Punk after the former and Cena were being split up in the ring. That suggests that if Orton wins—or merely retains his belt if the unification route is not explored—Punk will be the next cab off the rank.
That isn't biased toward Punk; it is just an angle that looks to have been setup. Punk then took his anger out on Triple H after he threw Punk to the floor, before Shaun Michaels laid him out in the middle of the ring.
Daniel Bryan then got his revenge on Michaels for screwing him out of the WWE Championship by laying him out. Perhaps that rivalry could be about to resume just in time for WrestleMania season.
The final say went to the COO, though, as he laid Orton out with a Pedigree after Stephanie was knocked down accidentally by Orton.
Pick the bones out of all that—it certainly has left people wondering what will happen next.
Daniel Bryan Must Not Align with Bray Wyatt
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Sometimes in wrestling, plans are nixed for a variety of reasons. One of these reasons is crowd reactions to particular wrestlers.
Let's get this straight, plain and simple: Daniel Bryan is over. He's more over than any Superstar in the company at this moment in time and is more over than any wrestler has been in recent memory.
OK, he was in his own backyard on Monday night. But the crowd loves Daniel Bryan. He's the underdog who consistently gets screwed—the type of endearing character wrestling fans are always able to connect with.
If there were plans afoot to have Bryan brainwashed by Bray Wyatt, I sincerely hope those plans have been binned quickly.
It would be wrong for Bryan to do such a thing. He cleaned up on Monday night—the two Slammy Awards were a precursor for what happened in the main event angle.
The crowd went nuts for Bryan even though he stood in the ring doing nothing. That's a pretty big sign you're over.
WWE cannot afford to waste this momentum Daniel Bryan has. The company has a main event Superstar on its hands. Time to use him.
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