The Redman Report: WWE Raw 21/11/11: “The SeeYaLaterNation!”By Jimmy Redman| November 23, 2011 The Redman Report One can hardly believe it…a good Raw? Where have they been? Seriously, there be a whole bunch of wrestling up in this here. Punk out first. We’re still in the Northeast so he’s still over huge, which is a great look going forward. This particular promo was on the right side of the ‘insider’ line, and putting over the win in MSG made it seem like a huge deal and not just this month’s title change, which is how it felt watching it too. I hope to God he’s right and they stop throwing the belt around. I can only hope. Punk suddenly feels like a big deal again so they might as well go with it. Ace is just laughably bad at saying long sentences and having a conversation. I liked the Zack part and I like the matches booked too. Good segment. Showing Rock putting over Zack last night was a great call. Shame this was so short, because while Zack got offense in, any time you lose a match that quick it screams job, even though it wasnt put across like that. But the Zack stuff is really translating to the wider audience and they’re going to have to pull the trigger soon. At the same time I dont mind them teasing his title shot, because its only going to mean so much more to us when he finally gets it. I like the little detail of The Swag Man wanting revenge for Sheamus going nuts on him at the PPV. This was a good bigish man battle while it lasted. There was one sequence that I think ended in the Ankle Lock that I thought was great. Nash talking. Whatever. At least this was short. If he can just do 5 minute bursts like this I wouldnt resent him so much. I liked Cody’s promo announcing the change, but at the same time tacking the long, goofy laugh on at the end just made him seem like the same goof as before. He needs less laughing. Anywho, I’ve been firmly back on the Cody Train for some time, so I’m glad they’re positioning him higher. Having said that, while I’ve known about the Booker feud all along, with Cody going so well now it actually feels like a step down for him, in a way it didnt 6 weeks ago. But anyway, cant hate on The Book Man. The Zig Zag Man’s backstage promo was a step in the right direction, as he needs to basically cut #HEEL promos on Raw as much as possible. Punk vs Dolph was AWESOME. The latest long, awesome TV main and a serious contender at this point. Just super work. I liked them starting off working a D-Bryan-style indy chain wrestling match. Punk missing the knee and spilling outside into Dolph DOING A HEADSTAND FOR FUN was AMAZING. Just a wonderfully wacky thing to do. Loved that. Dolph needs to find more and more ways to show off. A f*cking HEADSTAND. The entire second segment of this match ruled. The GTS into the almost-forgotten Sleeper Hold back into the GTS into the rollup and Dolph holding the ropes was great, and then Punk trying his own hand on the ropes. That was a super knee into the bulldog and a great nearfall. Everything from this point was awesome nearfalls. Dolph’s BAMDROPKICK was AWESOME. Punk completing the Elbow Drop was fun. Dolph countering another GTS into the inverted powerslam was great, until finally Punk nailed it. A super, super fun match. Its funny, a month or two ago, whenever it was that everyone in the world suddenly went “Dolph needs a push now!” I mean, I was there, dont get me wrong, but it wasnt like he was OMG my new favourite wrestler like it seemed with everyone else. I didnt think he needed a push today so much as next year. But man, I am totally on board. I didnt really need convincing, but he’s impressed the hell out of me the last month or so, starting from the last Orton match, and I’m glad they seem to be noticing it. He really needs to drop the belt to Zack and move the hell up pronto. Kane’s mask. Interesting. I liked Show’s promo here, very simple, explaining how Henry took the easy way out and screwed him, but he still kept his promise to send him out on a stretcher. Cant wait for III. The Divas backstage thing was funny to me, only because I cant imagine Kelly Kelly ever playing a video game in her life. I loved her going “Bam! Bam! BAM!” though. Shades of me. Kofi vs Barrett was another fun match. I was expecting 5 minutes and got 10, so that was good. Kofi and Barrett always work well together, I’ll say it again. Started slowly but picked up in the second half. Man, when Kofi was in the ropes I thought one day, he’s going to dodge Barrett’s running Boot and hit the Pendulum Kick, and its going to RULE. Anyway, today wasnt that day. Good finish though, with Barrett staring at Orton, and then the gloating and RKO feint that scared Barrett. Orton was badass here. I have to say, one thing I loved about today’s show was that everything from Survivor Series mattered. Punk won the title, he was out first and put the win over huge. They made a point to mention Zack’s wild reception. Swagger wanted Sheamus because of the PPV match. Cody was kept strong off the win with a promo and a squash. Dolph and Vickie pointed out Dolph winning both his matches. Orton was pissed off enough, and impressed enough, by Barrett beating him that he came out here to “scout” him. It seemed like everything that happened on the PPV, all the results actually meant something, which was a nice touch. Also, lots of wrestling. Raw doesnt need to be that most of the time, but it was nice for a change. I liked how they kept Cena off until the end. It seems that usually he’s at least opening the show and having a main event match, so not seeing so much of him was different. I also have to say, he turned me right around. After the PPV I was so disappointed in him taking such a whooping like a bitch, but he brought me right back here. He remained consistent, acknowledging the crowd and trying to be the bigger man, as always. But when Miz came out and reminded him AGAIN that Rocked showed him up and everyone hates him, he thought “F*ck this” and FIRED UP and told them that they’re the actual geeks. It was a good recovery and at the same time a nice little addition to the “At Some Point He Has To Snap” file, since it was the Rock barbs that goaded him into responding with uncharacteristic venom. Plus, “Dont boo me, you should be booing yourselves.” I laughed forever. He’s a wonderful man, really. I liked the conversation MizTruth then had, with Truth going crazy and Miz being the smart one, but he goes too far and Truth smacks him. I liked the minor detail of Miz being decked in the face-off, so then pretending to make up and leave because he needed to attack Truth from behind. I’m not as mad as I could have been because I already know about the suspension, and besides, Truth is going to make a WONDERFUL babyface.
