WWE RAW Coverage: Heyman vs. HHH and the Battle for Legitimacy

“Brock Lesnar offends me”- Triple H

When Triple H has something to say, you listen. His shoot on Lesnar was so borderline based on reality that it was scary. You know it’s fake, but goddamn, it’s so grounded in reality that it’s so goddamn sexy. There’s a reason marks and dedicated fans alike love this angle. It’s got a bit of everything.

So yeah, when Triple H’s shoots about Lesnar’s attitude, you listen. You listen hard.

But when Paul Heyman has something to say, you DVR it.

The shoot between these two was pretty damn solid. Heyman’s hubris is what makes him so solid on the microphone and last night, he was undeniably charismatic.

Between the big words, snarky attitude and evil facial expressions, Heyman was on top of his game last night. This angle has nowhere to go but up.

The same thing can’t be said for the angle between Big Show and RAW and Smackdown GM John Laurinaitis. What a bore. Yeah, it was emotional, but the segment was way too long. Johnny Ace is beyond long-winded and artificial on the mic, the main reason he could never get over as a performer in the United States. With Big Show kayfabe fired, something has to happen there in the future. The problem is no one really cares what happens.

And John Cena may earn some laughs making fun of Johnny Ace, but that match is nothing to go crazy about either.

Matches:

WWE Champion CM Punk and US Champion Santino Marella vs. Daniel Bryan and Intercontinental Champion Cody Rhodes: A decent opener, but it was more to hype the crowd than set up or further any angles. The face was back and forth and all four combatants put on a bit of a show for the fans. Marella did sell like crazy, which opened the door for a Punk hot tag. Once the champ got in the ring, it was all signature offense. He’d hit the GTS on Rhodes soon after and earn the win.

Alicia Fox vs. Beth Phoenix: A quick squash with a few botches. Phoenix won with the Glamslam.

Big Show vs. Kane: Two big men= a slow, tedious pace. This was torture. They did try though. Between the cross body from Kane and the second rope splash from Show, this was as athletic an encounter as it could be. Kane’s chokeslam, which earned him the win and came after John Laurinaitis’ verbal interference, was one of the worst in wrestling history.

Brodus Clay and WWE Tag Team Champions Kofi Kingston and R-Truth vs. The Miz, Jack Swagger and Dolph Ziggler w/ Vikki Guerrero: Clay did his three maneuvers and the tag champs more than held their own with Swagger and Ziggler. After Kingston hit the Trouble in Paradise on Miz, Clay delivered his trademark Splash for the win.

Randy Orton vs. Chris Jericho: World Champion Sheamus was ringside on commentary for a rather ordinary match. Orton and Jericho traded routine offense for most of the predictable encounter. Jericho spiced things up when he threw Orton into Sheamus on the outside. Once he got back up, Sheamus pulled Jericho out of the ring and nailed him with a clothesline, earning Jericho the win via DQ.