RAW Retort – AJ Lee drops a Diva pipebomb

The WWE is really stepping things up week by week, storyline by storyline, match by match. It’s as though something clicked with creative and they’re going back to the things that have worked the best for them all along. They’re going back to relive storylines that have worked the best, yet tweaking them and working them with some of the best in the company.

I adore Cena for the man he is, but I think his time off could be a wonderful thing for the WWE all the way around right now. In the end, Cena will return and sell more merchandize than ever, but right now it’s best for Bryan to carry the company, no matter how much they claim Orton is the face of the WWE.

Opening Segment

Triple H with Randy Orton

This opening segment was much stronger than last week, even though last week showed Steph turning heel on Bryan to align with her husband and father. Triple H trying to make claims about the company, and doing the right thing, then giving Orton a Caddy – he played the boss to the hilt, and then verbally abused Bryan, who would take nothing of it, and neither would Bryan’s fans.

They played this segment stronger and better than even last week’s closing segment, making Bryan look at least like he had a chance to make it through the entire three hours, even though it was obvious that Trip was sure he wouldn’t.

Maddox Plays Long

As soon as I saw Sandow on announce in his ring gear, it was obvious that something was going to happen with him and Cody, but when Miz came out, I was almost on the floor laughing. Miz in Fandango‘s ring gear is too funny for words! But then when Maddox came out, it was obvious that he was going all Teddy Long on this match, and I actually thought he handled it better than almost anything he’s ever done on RAW.

Maddox was a riot on mic and handled it really well. The match, on the other hand, was nothing to write home about, though I do like that Fandango keeps ditching his tag partners. He’s setting a precedent and is an interesting bit to his character going forward. I do have to say that it’s lame that two matches only lasted 4:10, but those matches weren’t about the ring work, but about the storylines, and it worked really well for those.

Joshing Backstage

They seem to be using Josh a lot more than they had been, but I think he fits in really well. Actually, they’re using Renee a lot more too. I like that they’re returning to solid backstage reporting, and both Josh and Renee are working things well. I don’t like that Josh was bullied by Ryback, but it’s the storyline at this point and Ryback will get his.

Abusing Punk

Axel handled himself much stronger in this match than we’ve ever seen him. Axel keeps stepping up and looking stronger and stronger. His mic work isn’t the best, but it’s better than it was back in Nexus! I fell back that Axel is the afterthought in all of this, but in reality the core of this is the relationship between Punk and Heyman. The fact that Punk and Heyman are so close makes this storyline that much stronger.

We all know they’re close, and that emotion is carrying over into their work. Those two are a couple of the strongest storytellers in the WWE, and working together has brought their stock way up in the company. I cannot get over the power of this relationship on TV, and that Heyman would beat his best friend with a kendo stick to bleeding the way he did.

Heyman really looked like he’d been bawling his eyes out when he and Axel were stopped by Renee on the way out of the building. That’s some serious selling. I’m not sure how they’re going to handle this feud going into Night of Champions, but I’m sure it’s going to be fantastic.

Divas All Over!

The match between Brie and Natalya was nothing compared to the pipebomb that AJ dropped on mic after the match. I’m thrilled to see more of the Divas, but I wish their ring time was more than 1:39. On the other hand, everything AJ said was spot on.

AJ Lee

AJ has been the top Diva this past couple years, which is funny because she’s not the typical Diva. AJ had appeared to be nothing that would work in the WWE, and here she is the top Diva. Things had been a bit boring with her, even through the tail end of her feud with Kaitlyn, but by ticking off all six Divas on Total Divas, she’s going to be opening a whole new tube of lipstick. I expect to see AJ on the newest episodes of Total Divas, since they ordered six more episodes of the show. Honestly, it makes sense to have the top Diva on the show, especially since it’s going so well.

Creative Use of Chants

I wasn’t too sure about Ricardo running with RVD, but they’re already proving themselves to be a formidable team. Further, ADR is the one who will be dealing with the issues Ricardo and RVD are going to bring about working together. Actually, for the first time in quite a while I really enjoyed one of his matches.

RVD kept ADR on his toes and really shook up his normal and quite boring ring work. For the first time in what seems like years, ADR couldn’t run through his same boring routine; he was on the defensive rather than the offensive, and for the first time in quite a while, I didn’t find his ring work a complete offence to my senses and all I know about wrestling as a whole.

While ADR doesn’t get injured at every turn like Sin Cara does, the fans are apathetic to him. I’m waiting for them to start turning their backs on ADR the way the NXT fans did with Bo Dallas. ADR just isn’t that good in the WWE.

Christian Flies in the Champ’s Face

It was great to see Christian in the ring together with Orton. The two have great chemistry, and their match was fantastic! I love seeing Christian allowed to work better matches since his return, but I worry that his conditioning isn’t what it once was, and his age is catching up with him a bit.

Toward the end of this match, Christian looked as though he’d been through the wringer. He actually botched a DDT, and Orton landed on his face. Add on that Christian was drenched in sweat and looked as though he was about to keel over, and there’s a problem.

Honestly, I thought Christian was lucky to walk away from the way Orton pushed him off the top rope, but Orton is back in McMahon’s good graces, so he won’t get in trouble for putting a top wrestler in such physical danger.

I know a lot of wrestlers sweat a lot in the ring, but this was different, Christian appeared to really be dragging and having issues keeping up with Orton. I was hoping that he’d have one last run as World Heavyweight Champion, but after this match, I don’t see it happening.

Randy Orton‘s Car

Randy Orton

I’ve loved that the WWE is pulling up old storylines that worked so well and reusing them in new and creative ways. The way Bryan talked about Triple H being the rebel back in the day should have clued me in that he was going to do something in the latter’s rebel way. That he covered Orton’s new car with Yes! Yes! Yes! is absolutely something that Triple H and HBK would have done back in their DX days. I see a lot of hilarity ensuing!

I also have to give Maddox props for the way he handled Triple H when they were standing around the car. Maddox seems to have discovered a personality this week on RAW, and for the first time I actually don’t loath the man right now, and that’s huge as I thought he was a waste of a pay check until now.

Prime Time Americans

I understand that the WWE is riding the wave of Young’s media since coming out of the closet, and that does make sense, but to put O’Neil, a man who can barely hit half of his moves on a good day in the ring, with the man whose ego is so big that I think he’s dangerous to anyone in the ring with him, is a recipe for disaster. The WWE was very lucky that it wasn’t a bigger mess than it was. The match just looked sloppy, but it could have been tragic.

Bray loves Abigail

The Wyatt Family has taken the WWE by storm, and the WWE has done a lovely job with their creative use of the faction. That they have gone at them in non-traditional ways has made the group that much more interesting and compelling. Their promo videos, the WWE reporter going to find them in the woods, the way Bray works the mic and his body, and his sheep has made this faction unlike anything we’ve ever seen before.

I’m enthralled with Bray and The Wyatt Family, to the point that I see them at the top of the food chain before very long. World Heavyweight Champion at some point before too long? Wouldn’t surprise me in the least!

Running the Gauntlet

I thought Triple H and all the Superstars he was trying to intimidate on stage handled themselves wonderfully. I loved Miz’s interview with Renee, but even better was Big Show Yes-ing with Bryan as he came out, but then kowtowing to Triple H’s threats.

What I don’t like it that they have suddenly forgotten that Big Show had an iron-clad contract with the WWE when he was a heel, but now that he’s a face and disobeying Triple H, his contract doesn’t seem as iron-clad as it once was. Hopefully this isn’t more of the WWE suddenly conveniently forgetting plot points and expecting the fans to do the same. It seems as though the WWE sometimes thinks their fans are the stupidest in the world.

I’m supposed to be pissed off that Triple H was being so mean and unfair to Bryan, but in reality, if anyone could handle The Shield in a Gauntlet Match, it’s Bryan. Seeing Bryan back in the ring with Rollins was a treat for all watching, and I had hoped the same would happen with Ambrose, but then things crumbled.

I’m not surprised as Bryan was looking too strong, like he might actually beat Ambrose as well, but it was great while it lasted. For the second week in a row Bryan took quite the beating, but he sure won over the fans that much more. The reaction Bryan has been getting from the fans is something that no Superstar since the Attitude Era got, and something all WWE Superstars should aspire for.