RAW Retort - The authority falls

Another Battleground replay

I really don’t understand why Santino is being saddled with Khali these days, but it’s happening, and we’re stuck with it for now. I also don’t understand why we had to see this dreadful match for a second time. Yes, Cesaro’s giant swing on Khali went off much better at Battleground than it did in rehearsals, but that doesn’t mean we really needed to see it again.

Honestly, the best part about this match was the glimmer of humor from Cesaro when he made like Hornswoggle was too heavy for him to lift. One of the biggest problems Cesaro has had is getting over with the fans, but if he showed more moments like that, I think the fans would fall in love with him, the way I did watching him when he was with Ring of Honor Wrestling.

The Miz TV that wasn’t

I don’t know if The Wyatt Family coming out to get in Miz’s way was the start of something big for Miz, but I hope so. Right now there’s too many really great Superstars who are flailing around without any solid feuds, or even storylines. If Miz was to get into it with The Wyatt Family, it could only help his future character development, and possibly point him in a direction that could help him work his way back to being a main event wrestler. That Miz managed to get past Bray and his family shows cunning that was unexpected, but could add a lot to what might be to come.

Maddox not acquitted

Maddox, working under Steph’s orders, sent Big Show to the ring at Battleground, yet when things didn’t go the way Steph expected, Maddox is to blame. Steph and Trip are playing the strong leaders who will never take any responsibility for their own actions. I have to wonder how long that will continue, and who else will be caught in their line of fire. First Bryan, then Big Show, now Maddox. Only time will tell how long they will last, how far they will go, and who will be taken down in their path.

Big Show and Bryan get the last laughs

It was obvious that Big Show would be returning at the end of the show, it’s the way things happen in the WWE. There’s no sense in waiting for next week, making Big Show chase the WWE to their next location without first letting his feelings at being ‘fired’ known to Trip.

The match between The Shield and Bryan, Goldust, and the new great martyr, Cody Rhodes, was really strong, very entertaining, and continued to show the Rhodes brothers in the best light. Both Dustin and Cody have really stepped up their ring work, and the fans are responding in kind.

Of course Trip had to make sure that the main event ended, and ended in a way that he wanted it, but the good guys got the last laugh with Big Show’s return. He looked stronger than ever, as a giant like him should, and he easily took out Trip, leaving Bryan with the biggest smile we’ve seen from him in a very long time. Bryan sold his joy and mirth over Trip being knocked out in such a way that left a huge smile on my face as RAW went off the air.

Many people were very upset about the way Battleground ended, but I hope the way RAW ended changed some of their views of the current direction of the WWE right now.