8/25/08 RAW

Star rating key:
(negative stars) = Huh?! (BS finish; most squash matches)
DUD = Boring match (or could not enjoy the match)
1/4* to 3/4* = It had watchable moments.
* to *3/4 = Average match.
** to **3/4 = Above average match.
*** to ***3/4 = Great match; usually saved for PPVs
**** to ****3/4 = Match of the year candidate
***** = The rarest of all matches. A classic.
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8/25/08 RAW:
CM Punk vs. JBL: Great moves by Punk. Awesome suicide dive from Punk to the outside scores some points. JBL executed some good submission holds and impressed me a little by delivering a suplex and floating over into the cover. Great back-and-forth action. Punk's martial arts moves combined with his aerial attack are just a thrill to watch. JBL hit his finisher but Punk got the ropes; very nice to see the credibility of JBL's Clothesline From Hell remain strong. Tons of near falls and definitely a tough match to top. ***1/4

Kelly Kelly vs. Beth Phoenix: Kelly's mat wrestling was not bad. Kudos to Beth for continuing with the bloody nose. Nice roll-up by Kelly for the win. Crowd also marked out for that one, and I liked the underdog winning, so I'll give it a couple points. 1/2*

Primo Colon vs. Charlito (Charlie Haas): So Haas has joined the likes of Goldust and Big Show in impersonating other wrestlers in the ring. Some people were probably amused, but I wasn't. Nice moves from Primo, but the crowd was absolutely dead for this one, and I didn't get into the match, either. Clearly should have been a dark match. -***

Cody Rhodes & Ted DiBiase vs. Jerry "The King" Lawler & "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan: The two 50-somethings still got the wrestling left in them. I like the brash, arrogant team of Rhodes/DiBiase; they both have potential to be successful singles wrestlers in the future as well, should they keep improving. I liked that they kept it on the short side, since there is only so much two young guys can do with two guys well past their prime. 1/4*

Santino Marella vs. Kofi Kingston (IC Title): The match started out well. I liked the fast start to the match with Kingston trying for the quick win. Great basic pro wrestling moves, a fast pace, and some good wrestling holds score some points in my book. However, the finish was a mega letdown. How can a wrestler be pinned after getting tripped up? I don't care if it was Beth who tripped Kofi, or if Kofi's head struck Santino's knee. Atrocious finish which totally negates any good things I had to say about this match. I must say though, the whole Glamerella relationship is amusing. -*

Batista vs. Kane: These two big men executed some great mat wrestling and excellent wrestling holds. Batista targeted Kane's left arm in the match, scoring some rating points. Kane went after Batista's injured knee, gaining more points in my book. Kane is quite an athlete for such a big man. Too many wrestling holds slow the match down. Too many slow spots in the match, and the crowd was dead for most of the match. I guess that's what happens when two big men both go after an injured body part. To their credit, Kane and Batista did show me their versatility. DQ finish was another letdown. I liked the brawl after the match though; both men beat the crap out of each other. *3/4
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Unforgiven predictions:
The Cryme Tyme match with Rhodes and DiBiase should be your traditional decent PPV tag team match. I won't expect much from this one. My prediction as of now: **

The best part about the championship scramble matches is that there should be non-stop action everywhere. Put the best workers at the front and the not-so-good workers at the end, and the matches should be great.

The addition of Rey Mysterio to the World Heavyweight Championship scramble (replacing the injured John Cena) makes the match even better, in my opinion. I can see a ton of big spots and aerial moves in this one. Mysterio jumps back into the picture at the best time, as Cena may be out for about 18 months if the neck injury is indeed that severe. My prediction as of right now: ***3/4

The WWE Championship scramble looks to be at least 4-star material. I hope WWE continues to make Kendrick look strong. Everyone else should pull out their usual moves and we should have a match fit for PPV. My prediction as of right now: ****

The ECW Championship scramble announced in previews should be good, but they have nowhere near as deep a talent pool, so I'm not expecting much from this one, especially with Mark Henry as champ. Big men can only do so much. My prediction as of right now: **1/2

Look for the HBK/Y2J match to steal the show, especially because it is non-sanctioned. I was thinking a Last Man Standing Match, but this works too. Seriously, this has 5-star material written all over it. You cannot have a better storyline buildup to this match. My prediction as of right now: ****3/4 to *****