WHAT I LIKED:
The Authority: Gotta love how Triple H & Stephanie McMahon came down to the ring smiling and taunting the audience. You have to love it because they are baiting the audience to be just as rowdy as they want to be. This is why I feel no remorse when the smark fans boo. Because they want us to. On some level, I think they LIKE it. I LIKE how they are spinning this ordeal to work in their favor. It's really smart. The Authority are basically saying - without admitting - that they didn't put Daniel Bryan in the Royal Rumble because they were afraid he'd win. They were afraid he'd go to Wrestlemania - the one place they don't want him to go. And the way for Daniel Bryan to get to Wrestlemania now is for him to get into the Elimination Chamber. The Authority will most likely make Daniel Bryan jump through one hoop after another to get into that match, capitalizing on his popularity to garner more heat on them. This is the perfect way to take advantage of the situation that has been capituating for the past 24 hours. It sort of gives the fans what they want - Daniel Bryan back into the main-event - which will appease them for the time being. I still wouldn't bet on Daniel Bryan winning the WWE World Title before Wrestlemania, but at least that sliver of hope that was doused at the Royal Rumble is back in effect.
Mysterio/Sin Cara vs Real Americans: I didn't know what to think about this match until Zeb Colter smacked Jack Swagger before the commercial break. I don't know where that's going to lead to, but it made me realize that their relationship is about a year old now and could use a refresher. Rather it's a breakup or shakeup, it's gotten a little stale and it's been a failure so far. Swagger never held the World Title. Swagger & Antonio Cesaro never won the Tag Team Titles. Something needs to be done to take this stable to a different level or to end it altogether.
Orton/Batista/Lesnar: Wow. What a showdown in the ring. I thought it was just going to be the normal post-Royal Rumble confrontation between the sitting WWE Champion and the Royal Rumble winner. But the wrench was thrown into the fray when Brock Lesnar's music hit. I'm disappointed in how horribly booked/scripted Brock's match from last night was and I'm eager to erase that from my memory as soon as possible. I'm a fan of either of Paul Heyman's suggestion as soon as possible. Anything to get Lesnar back in the ring with someone who can actually still, I don't know, move around. Even though I'd rather not see him face either Batista or Randy Orton, they are far better options than Big Show.
Rybaxel vs The Usos: They really should not have any tag team matches before the Tag Team Championship rematch because it only serves to remind me of all the deserving tag teams that were passed over as WWE just handed the Tag Team Titles to the New Age Outlaws. This and the earlier tag match between Rey Mysterio, Sin Cara and The Real Americans are shining examples of how talented the tag division is in RAW. The New Age Outlaws cannot compete with them. Any match they have with any of these teams will be slower and less competitive because of their limitations. It was a mistake to have them win the tag titles when there are so many other deserving teams on the roster.
Kingston vs Del Rio: Lost in the other, more important, disasters from last night's PPV is how bad they made Alberto Del Rio look. I knew that he wouldn't win with Batista on his tail, but they could have at least allowed him to last for a little while. But no, he enters at 27, Batista at 28 and Del Rio is eliminated by 29. That's just wasting good talent. Kofi Kingston, on the other hand, was able to stave off eliminations in new, interesting ways but all for naught. But at least he was in the match for more than 10 minutes. This match was pretty good. The fans were more into it after the commercial break, when the near-falls started to come at a much quicker pace. Glad to see Del Rio pick up a win and show aspirations towards Wrestlemania. I hope there is something substantial planned for him.
8-Diva Tag: Oh, goddammit. I LIKED that match. It was actually pretty fun to watch. It's no coincidence that the match picked up when AJ Lee & Naomi were in the ring, given that they were the best two wrestlers involved. Well, AJ Lee is a good wrestler. Naomi is just a helluva athlete, but it translates well. The triple-suplex (I guess that's what they're calling it) was pretty impressive too.
Jake 'The Snake' Roberts: I have a phobia of snakes. So anyone who can make me LIKE them must be good in my mind. Jake Roberts was a great heel. He was demented and calculating. The innovator the DDT. And of course, if not for him and his quotations of the bible, Austin 3:16 would never have happened. Congrats to Jake Roberts on a deserving induction into the WWE Hall of Fame.
Six-Man Tag: I don't LIKE that the winners of this match get into the Elimination Chamber. It's too easy. Compared to previous years where the participants were just announced, it's more difficult, but I really wanted for The Authority to hold this over Daniel Bryan's head. It would have made for some compelling weeks of television. This was a very fun, competitive and exciting six-man tag, as The Shield is so fond of putting on. But that ending ruined it. Remember what I said about this being too easy? Well, that was far too easy. The Wyatt Family just handed Bryan, Cena & Sheamus an Elimination Chamber Title match. I'm sure there will be more to this story, but as it stands, I'm left scratching my head.
WHAT I HATED:
Battle of Cleveland: Dolph Ziggler is suddenly from Cleveland, Ohio? I thought he was from Hollywood, Florida. Oh, we're retconning here? The crowd isn't stupid. They know who is normally booked as being from Cleveland, which is why they were much louder for The Miz than Ziggler. These town-specific matches are kind of ridiculous.
Tag Team Championships: So, I'm a little biased already as I've been vocal about how much I HATE the decision to put the Tag Titles on the
QUOTE OF THE NIGHT:
"In the immortal words of Selena Gomez, when you're ready come and get it." - Road Dogg
I don't know what's worse, the fact that Road Dogg knows that song or that I do. But in my defense, Selena Gomez is freakin' hot.
MATCH OF THE NIGHT: The six-man tag had the most excitement, but Alberto Del Rio vs Kofi Kingston was the best wrestled match of the night. They even brought the crowd around towards the end.
BEST IN SHOW: I overlooked Daniel Bryan in favor of Bray Wyatt last night. No so tonight. Daniel Bryan is the most over superstar in WWE right now. Thankfully, he's back in the WWE World Championship picture. That was the best move WWE could make.
REACTION: The glaring omission from tonight's show was CM Punk. It's good that he wasn't there as his absence sells the chokeslam through the table he received during the Royal Rumble. But they should have had someone from The Authority make a reference as to why he and Kane were not there. Just a passing reference to Kane being suspended for a week or something after blatantly ignoring the ruling that he cannot put his hands on a superstar as Director of Operations. They may take care of that on Smackdown, but it should have been done tonight on RAW. I figured that The Wyatt Family would get involved in the main-event somehow. After Bray Wyatt's show-stealing performance last night, he has to be in the Elimination Chamber. I wish they would have capitalized on his growing popularity and featured him more tonight instead of relegating him to the last two minutes of the program. If it stands that Daniel Bryan, John Cena and Sheamus are the first three entrants into the Elimination Chamber match, WWE has some work to do to figure out whom will fill the other two spots. Brock Lesnar, Bray Wyatt and Roman Reigns are all legitimate contenders. And CM Punk still exists. Who will be the odd men out? In my mind, WWE responded well to the turmoil from last night's Royal Rumble. I have a little more faith in them than I did 24 hours ago. And Wrestlemania XXX seems a bit more palatable now that there is a chance that plans could be changed depending on what happens in the Elimination Chamber.
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