Jesse’s WWE RAW Report: Nexus, Edge & More
By Jesse Castleman
Monday Night Raw is live from Washington, D.C. To view the quick match results, scroll to the end. Otherwise, enjoy!
The Nexus 5 stands in the middle of the ring as Raw goes on the air. Barrett grabs the microphone to a chorus of boos, and says that Nexus delivered on last week’s threat by dismantling one of the WWE’s institution’s: the Undertaker. Otunga grabs the mic and declares that Nexus is alive and well after having an unprecedented night last week on Raw. Tarver grabs the mic next and says that they took their dominance to the next level by facing team WWE last week. Heath Slater grabs the mic next and declares that he pinned WWE Champion, Sheamus, last week. Just Gabriel tells Slater to calm down, and says he’s one of the only people who can declare that they’ve hit their finisher on the Undertaker and John Cena in one night. Gabriel says that every time he hits the splash on Cena, it gets more and more satisfying, and that it will continue to happen again, and again. Barrett grabs the mic again and claims to have “devenomized” the viper. Barrett claims that was just a sign of things to come, as he will defeat everyone at Night of Champions and become the next WWE Champion.
Orton walks out to interrupt Barrett’s soliloquy. Orton says he took something out of last week as well: he took out two Nexus members in less than thirty seconds. Orton says he doesn’t need to play video footage of it, however, because he can just do it again, and that he will make a point to make it his business to hit Wade Barrett with an RKO. Barrett rebukes by tempting Orton to enter the ring and giving him an RKO right now. Just as Orton walks down the ramp…
Blinks: Michael Cole walks to the podium to announce an email from the anonymous General Manager. Cole relays that the GM agrees that last week was monumental for Nexus–as a unit–but tonight they will fight individually. Justin Gabriel will face off against John Cena! Randy Orton will get his opportunity to hit an RKO on Wade Barrett tonight, as they will face off. In addition, Nexus is banned from ringside during both matches tonight to ensure fair fights. Nexus yells in dispute, and Jerry Lawler rants about the possibilities of these matches as Raw takes a commercial break.
Replays of Chris Jericho and Edge are played prior to Raw’s return from commercial break. Break the wall down! Chris Jericho makes his way to the ring, but before he can enter… blinks! Another GM email: last week was a slap in the face to the WWE universe when Edge and Jericho walked out of their match. So in response, if Jericho and Edge do not win their respective matches tonight, they will be taken out of the 6-pack challenge match at Night of Champions. Jericho’s opponent will be: John Morrison! Out Morrison walks, and it’s down to business. Jericho stomps on Morrison to start. He pounds Morrison down, whips him into the ropes, but Morrison rolls Jericho up twice for near falls. Jericho hits Morrison with an elbow, pins him for 2, then tosses him over the ropes to the outside. Jericho yells at the crowd in a taunting manner, and then pursues Morrison as Raw takes a commercial break.
Back to the action: Jericho has Morrison in a headlock, and Morrison struggles to break out, but he lands a few elbows to Jericho’s midsection. Jericho hits a back body drop on Morrison and covers him for 2. Jericho taunts the GM podium, and then turns his attention back to Morrison. Jericho raises his arm and goes for another back body drop. Morrison flips out of it and hits a heel kick on Jericho. Morrison hits Jericho with a backbreaker, but Jericho kicks out at 2. Jericho counters a Morrison kick into the Walls of Jericho, but Morrison counters out. Jericho hits an elbow on Morrison, then goes for the Lionsault, which Morrison evades. Jericho lands on his feet, however, and pursues Morrison again. This time he is met by a big kick off the ropes from Morrison, and Morrison covers Jericho for 1, 2, Jericho kicks out. Morrison looks frustrated and walks face first into a flapjack from Jericho.
Jericho misses a Codebreaker on Morrison, then Morrison tries a kick to Jericho’s face, which Jericho evades, and Jericho rolls Morrison up for 1, 2, big kick out from Morrison. Jericho enziguri’s the back of Morrison’s head. Jericho pins Morrison for a near fall, and now Jericho shows frustration, and smashes Morrison’s head into the canvas a few times. Jericho whips Morrison into the corner, but Morrison evades Jericho’s rush. Jericho goes down, and Morrison goes up for Starship Pain, which he misses. Jericho counters into the Walls of Jericho, and Morrison is locked in. In pain, Morrison manages to reach the ropes and break the submission. Jericho pursues Morrison to the apron. Jericho brings Morrison to the top rope and tries the superplex, but Morrison knocks Jericho off. Morrison looks determined, and NAILS a big Starship Pain on Jericho! Morrison pins Jericho–1, 2, 3! Morrison stuns Jericho with this victory. Cole mentions that he would have bet the house on Chris Jericho, and that Jericho looks hurt. Effectively, Morrison has knocked Jericho out of the Six Pack Challenge at Night of Champions. After the match, Jericho sits on the steel steps in wonder, then exits up the ramp to a mixed bag of boos and Y2J chants. King mentions that this could be a turning point of Jericho’s career.
John Morrison def. Chris Jericho by pinfall; Jericho is removed from Six Pack Challenge match for WWE Championship at Night of Champions
Diva’s Champion Melina enters the ring as RAW returns from commercial break. Melina will defend her title against Alicia Fox, who enters next, looking sassy. Fox informs Melina that she will not be defending her title at NOC, because Fox will be champ, and has more followers on twitter, facebook, etc than Melina, Layla, or McCool. Fox kisses Melina, and the match gets underway. They lock up, then Melina pins Fox in the corner. Fox breaks out but runs into a flip. Melina runs off the ropes and hits a split kick to Fox’s face. Fox says she’s leaving, but Melina grabs her and tosses her in the ring. Melina slaps Fox, kicks her midsection, then hits a cross body off the tope rope. Near fall. Fox trips Melina and assaults her. Melina puts a Matrix move on Fox, and then takes control. Alicia dumps Melina over the ropes to the apron, but Melina recovers and hits the Sunset Split on Fox, after a primal scream of course. Cover, 1, 2, 3, and Melina successfully defends her title.
Melina def. Alicia Fox by pinfall; Melina retains Diva’s Championship
The Miz tells Josh Matthews that tonight is all about The Miz. Matthews tries to uncover something that Miz repeatedly praises as, “perfect.” Commercial break.
Edge has a great rant backstage with Zack Ryder. This one was Youtube-worthy. After Edge complains about his match stipulation tonight, and claims the referee called his mother derogatory names, Edge ultimately says he used to think Ryder was a tool, but then informs the GM that he accepts Ryder as his opponent tonight. And, Edge says, if Ryder’s music does not play as his opponent tonight, he will dismantle the anonymous GM’s computer and podium at ringside. Ryder stops Edge and asks if he just called him a tool, because that really hurt his feelings, bro. Edge shakes his head and walks out of the locker room.
Ted DiBiase is on his cell phone, says he loves spending time with this person, says he loves her, and in walks Maryse… She asks whom Ted is talking to, and he responds that it’s his mother, and that he’ll call her back. Maryse then says, by the way, me too. Ted asks what she means, and Maryse says that she found Ted’s note back in the limousine. Ted says he didn’t write the note that says “I want you so bad,” because he could tell her to her face. Ted says that the note may be for him, not her, and that the rookie divas would love to be in Maryse’s shoes right now, with a millionaire. Maryse starts ranting in French, and DiBiase remarks that he cannot understand her and walks out. Maryse is left by herself.
Out walks Nexus member Justin Gabriel for his match with John Cena. Out comes Cena to a nice pop from the crowd. Cena is all jacked up. He makes his salute, and runs to the ring. As he slides in, Gabriel slides out. Cole and King rant about the excitement this match is generating. The bell rings, and we’re underway here. Gabriel locks a headlock on Cena to start, but Cena rolls Gabriel off. They lock out again, and Gabriel tosses Cena into an armbar. Cena counters out and locks a submission of his own onto Gabriel, slowing him down. Chants of “Let’s Go Cena!” and “Cena Sucks!” alternate from the crowd, indicating split support. Cena slaps Gabriel’s chest and breaks the hold. Gabriel looks infuriated as Cena smiles at him. They circle one another, and then Gabriel kicks Cena in the midsection. Gabriel throws some forearms into Cena, but the ref breaks it up. Cena reverses and whips Gabriel to the corner. Gabriel knocks Cena with an elbow though, and Cena tumbles to the outside. Gabriel fallows and throws him back in. Gabriel jumps from the apron over the top rope, flipping onto Cena. Gabriel covers Cena, but Cena kicks out at 2. Gabriel kicks Cena’s legs, and then hits a jumping kick to Cena’s head. Another cover, and another kick out by Cena at 2. Gabriel stalks Cena, then hits a cross body to Cena in the corner. Gabriel jumps over the ropes for another cross body on Cena, and covers him for 2. Gabriel hits a modified leg sweep on Cena, and then locks in a unique submission. Cena displays his raw power by getting out of the hold, but Gabriel shows some strength and poise of his own by hitting a gutwrench sitdown powerbomb. Gabriel positions Cena, then attempts a top rope lionsault, which Cena evades. The high-risk maneuver does not pay off, as Cena takes control with a few shoulder blocks and a back body suplex. Cena hits the Five Knuckle Shuffle and goes for the Attitude Adjustment, but Gabriel counters out kicks Cena in the back of the head. Gabriel positions Cena for the 450 Splash and heads up top. Cena meets him up there however, and lifts Gabriel up for a super Attitude Adjustment! Cena tosses Gabriel off and hits the maneuver. Cena covers Gabriel, 1, 2, 3, and this one’s over. Cena picks up the victory after an impressive effort from Gabriel fell just short.
John Cena def. Justin Gabriel by pinfall
A sneak peek of WWE Films’ Legendary, starring John Cena and Danny Glover, is shown. Commercial break.
AWESOME! Mike Mizanin reintroduces himself as the former reality television star that had no chance in the WWE. The Miz started at the bottom, competing in Tough Enough. He said he heard the voices of stars, audience, asking him what he was doing there, telling him to go back home. But the Miz moved on, doing whatever he had to do to get a job in the WWE, so he got a job as the host of Smackdown! Still, the voices got louder, and told him to leave. The Miz formed a tag team with John Morrison, who the WWE universe claimed as the star. When the former tag team champions split, they said Morrison was the star, and that the Miz would never rise to the next level. Next, The Miz won the United States Championship though, and after that he won his guaranteed WWE Championship match. The Miz is now a star, which leads him to this… and the Miz unveils the picture of perfection: The Miz on the cover of WWE Magazine.
The Miz says this is significant because he purchased every issue of the magazine when he was a child. And now, the Miz wants to hear it from everyone in the arena: he wants everyone to admit that they were wrong! The Miz says he is the poster child, and that he did it. The Miz says no one can hide from the fact that they are wrong, because he’s the Miz! And he has earned the right to say that HE’S AWESOME! And Mr. Buzzkill, as Cole dubs him, Daniel Bryan, walks down to the ring, interrupting the moment that the Miz had been waiting years for. Bryan enters the ring with a microphone. He greets Mike Mizanin, and says that he has a lot in common with the Miz.
Bryan says they’ve both made it–the Miz interrupts and says he’s done nothing in this company. Bryan describes himself as the anti-superstar, but that if he faces The Miz for the United States Championship, that he will win. The Miz agrees… that Bryan paid $10 for his haircut, but that there’s no way Daniel Bryan would win. Bryan then says that if he does win though, that next month’s issue of WWE Magazine could look like Bryan making The Miz tap out. The crowd chants “You tapped out!” to this, and then Bryan makes his case to face The Miz at NOC. The Miz rebukes, saying that he doesn’t like Daniel Bryan, and says that he can annihilate Bryan. Bryan interrupts The Miz and asks him Yes or No to a match at Night of Champions for the US title. The Miz says YES, and Bryan thanks The Miz. The Miz says no, thank you, and tries to hit Bryan, but Bryan counters into a crossface! Alex Riley comes through the crowd and saves the Miz, but he is met with a kick to the face. The Miz tries to hit Bryan in the face with his suitcase, but Bryan evades it and tosses Miz to the outside. Bryan locks Riley in the crossface in the ring, but the Miz does not come to save his protégé. Afterwards, The Miz and Daniel Bryan have a stare down, then Bryan looks at the Miz’s magazine picture, and kicks it off its stand. The crowd cheers as the two stare down each other. Nice segment here, nice buildup, and all I can say is that I can’t wait for their match at NOC, because this feud is culminating tremendously.
Edge walks backstage… his match is up next, after a commercial break. Next week: John Cena will face the winner of tonight’s match between Randy Orton and Wade Barrett.
You think you know me… Edge’s music hits and out comes the Rated-R Superstar. His opponent: not Zack Ryder, but instead… The Great Khali! As Khali walks down the ramp with his interpreter, Edge makes his way to the GM computer and makes some weird faces as if he was going to break it. Edge decides not to do it, and starts the match by walking outside of the ring, mocking The Great Khali. Before the referee counts Edge out, he slides back in, but slides out again to mock Khali. Edge grabs Runjit, but Khali grabs Edge from the ring, and then follows Edge up the ramp. Edge knocks Khali down, and then runs back into the ring. Khali limps back to the ring, but before he can reenter, is counted out by the ref: the winner is Edge, by count out… Blinks! Cole says that the GM refuses to acknowledge Edge’s cheap count out victory. The match will be restarted as a No Disqualification, Over-The-Top-Rope Challenge!
Khali starts off in control, slapping Edge’s chest in the corner. Edge falls to the outside, and Khali walks over the top rope, but the ref doesn’t stop the match. Cole points out that Khali just eliminated himself, but they go back in the ring. Next, Khali chokes Edge and tosses him through the ropes to the outside again. This time, Edge grabs Khali as he walks over the top rope, and drags him over to the outside, and the ref rings the bell. Edge squeaks this one out, and he remains in the title match at NOC.
Edge def. Great Khali by count out; Edge def. Great Khali in No DQ Over-The-Top-Rope Challenge; Edge remains in WWE Championship Six-Pack Challenge Match at Night of Champions
Back from commercial, Chris Jericho is teary-eyed backstage. Josh Matthews asks Jericho if he can ask a couple of questions: since Jericho is out of the Six-Pack Challenge at NOC, he cannot win the WWE Championship. Since Jericho said that he will walk out of the WWE if he doesn’t regain the title at NOC, he cannot win it back, and he will have to make a decision to honor that statement. Matthews thanks Jericho and walks away. Zoom out, and John Morrison is sitting next to Jericho. Morrison says bad day, huh? And asks Jericho if he still thinks he’s that best in the world at what he does. Morrison puts his arm around Jericho and says not to worry, and that things will get better. Jericho shoots Morrison a look, and Morrison asks Jericho if he understands what he’s saying to him. Silence.
WWE Champion Sheamus makes his way to the ring, joining King and Cole at ringside for some commentary during the main event, which is next.
We learn that John Cena and Edge have also joined Cole and Lawler at ringside for the next match. Wade Barrett makes his way out to the ring first, and yells at the wrestlers at ringside. Randy Orton makes his entrance next, and the bell rings. Orton pounds away on Barrett to start. Orton whips Barrett into the corner and knocks him to the outside. Orton smashes Barrett into the announce table, then kicks and punches him. He rolls Barrett into the ring and yells for Wade to come on! Orton stomps Barrett’s midsection. The crowd chants RKO, and Orton’s whip is reversed by Barrett. Barrett nails Orton with a big boot to the face. Barrett begins his assault on the fallen Orton now, hammering away with bare knuckles to Orton’s face, and then chocking him on the bottom rope. Barrett hits a neckbreaker on Orton, pins him, 1, 2, kick out by Orton. Orton applies a headlock on Orton, but Orton counters into a back body drop. Cena comments that Barrett is showing something right now in his ability, after he hits a back breaker on Orton. Pin for 2. Barrett punches Orton, nails a big right hand on him, then taunts Orton to get up. Barrett stalks Orton, goes for Wasteland, but Orton counters out and hits a modified back breaker on Barrett. Orton gets a crazed look on his face, then nails a few clotheslines, dodges a fist, and hits a scoop slam on Barrett. Orton grabs Barrett through the ropes on the apron, goes for the rope hung DDT, but Barrett tosses Orton out of the ring. Darren Young interrupts now, telling Barrett that Nexus had no business kicking him out, and that he wasn’t the weakest link, but the missing link. Barrett is distracted, and turns around and is met by an RKO from Orton! Orton pins Barrett, 1, 2, 3! Orton invites Young into the ring, and then hits an RKO on Young as well! Edge runs in and tries a spear on Orton, but he evades and hits an RKO on Edge! Sheamus threatens, but Orton evades a Bro Kick and hits Sheamus with an RKO too! The Viper strikes tonight, but John Cena faces off with Orton in the ring. The two have an intense stare down, as they will face off one-on-one next week on Raw!
Randy Orton def. Wade Barrett by pinfall; Orton will face Cena next week on Raw
MATCH OF THE NIGHT goes to…
CHRIS JERICHO vs. JOHN MORRISON
With Justin Gabriel vs. John Cena coming in a close second
PROPS:
THE MIZ for continuing to captivate the WWE universe with his spot on promos. This guy is talented, and he’s got “it” so it looks like the future is now. Formula for success: Personality+Charisma+Storylines+Awesome=Success
JOHN MORRISON and DANIEL BRYAN for looking strong tonight. They made the most out of their face time tonight, including a nice match by Morrison
JUSTIN GABRIEL Sure, Cena carried their match and made Gabriel look good, but this kind of raw talent, plus a nice job on the microphone, could make this Nexus member frightening if he keeps improving
EDGE Another backstage promo, another brilliant rant. Hilarious as a tweener lately
COME ON, NOW…
DAVID OTUNGA is trying hard, but he sound’s like a porn star whenever he speaks, and I just can’t take him seriously. Is anyone out there with me on this one?
QUICK RESULTS:
John Morrison hits Starship Pain and pins Chris Jericho, eliminating him from the Six-Pack Challenge Match at Night of Champions for the WWE Championship
Melina pins Alicia Fox
John Cena hits a Super Attitude Adjustment on Justin Gabriel and pins him for the victory
Edge defeats The Great Khali twice and remains in the Six-Pack Challenge Match at Night of Champions for the WWE Championship
Randy Orton RKO’s Wade Barrett and pins him for the victory
Orton also RKO’s Darren Young, Edge, and Sheamus, then stares down John Cena in the ring as Raw goes off the air
See y’all next week.