Ratings:
Ryback vs. Titus O'Neil: 1/4*
Alberto Del Rio vs. Great Khali: 1/2*
Tamina Snuka vs. Alicia Fox: DUD
Kofi Kingston vs. Tensai: *1/4
Rey Mysterio vs. Daniel Bryan: **1/2
John Cena vs. Dolph Ziggler: **1/2
Sheamus vs. Antonio Cesaro: **
Damien Sandow vs. Zack Ryder: *1/2
CM Punk vs. Kane: **
_________________
Reviews/Thoughts:
Ryback starts the show against Titus O'Neil. Nothing real pretty about this match. Titus wants timeout but doesn't get it. Awkward toss into D-Young. Meathook and Shellshocked get three. Ryback wants Punk or the three guys who attacked him (Reigns, Rollins, and Ambrose). Five security guys come down. Ryback gets Vickie to put him in another title match against Punk at the TLC PPV in a TLC match. Funny how Vickie has so much power over someone like AJ Lee, but zero leverage with Ryback. Must be great to have Vince McMahon in your back pocket. The security guys bail.
Possible seeds being planted for Del Rio and Rosa Mendes? Oh, and Khali and Hornswoggle again. Next!
Del Rio defeats Khali. Why is Khali wrestling again? At least it's cool to have Rosa on camera in some way. No, we don't need more scandals. Ricardo with the distraction, and ADR locks in the cross armbreaker for the submission win.
Vickie got explaining to do to Punk. Vickie also puts Punk in a match against either Daniel Bryan or Kane. One of those RAWactive polls to get the WWE Universe involved.
Time for the sit-down interview between Cole and Ambrose, Rollins, and Reigns. Ambrose says they're not working directly with Punk. So why are they on WWE TV? To right wrongs. No clear bias towards anyone. Not about being another nWo or Nexus. It's about principles and honor. Seems good enough for now. Of the three, Ambrose seems the best on mic skills. They are the Shield. Simple name, and if that's what the group name is, I like it.
Another vignette hyping Fandango (a.k.a. Johnny Curtis). Well, at least it's a fun-looking gimmick.
Alicia Fox has a wrestling outfit fit for Halloween (sexy skeleton?). Basically here to make Tamina look good. Tamina is the chaotic exotic and doesn't like little girls who disrespect authority. I guess Tamina's injury earlier this year halted her push, and WWE wants to re-push her to a more prominent role. Shouldn't be too hard to get to the top of the list these days, anyway. Too long to deliver that superfly splash.
Cena promo, and Vickie has to interrupt. Mention the word "unstable," and AJ Lee is there. Oh, now Ziggler wants in on the AJ Lee stuff. Cena does the cheap pop and wants to kick Ziggler's ass. Finally, Cena and Ziggler in a match. Enough appeal to trend worldwide on Twitter.
Next up is Kofi and Tensai. Barrett on commentary. Kofi gets the win with the springboard crossbody. Not sure if WWE is getting a new finisher over, but I prefer Trouble in Paradise to finish Kofi Kingston matches. Barrett hands Kofi his IC Title.
DB gives data that he's winning the interactive poll. Kane wants to send DB to hell to find out if the monster's winning the poll down there. But hey, Kane actually won the vote (59%). Red rules! Earth to Cole: I wouldn't call 59-41 a landslide win.
DB faces Rey Mysterio next. Hey, a great consolation prize! Now this is wrestling. Good pace to this one. Mysterio counters the NO lock twice. 619 using the ringpost. Top-rope splash gets three.
Ziggler and Cena are up. Cena does his usual moves of doom, but Ziggler counters with a jumping DDT. Ziggler counters the STF and puts the sleeper on. Cena gets out of that and it's STF time. Ziggler off the top, but Cena rolls through. AA countered into a Zigzag, but only two. Cena about to hit the Five Knuckle Shuffle, but all of a sudden the left knee won't work. Oh really? So basically he's Supercena for the first so many minutes and all of a sudden he's not? AJ comes out, and Vickie does the same. AJ with the unstable look to Vickie. Ref distracted. Ziggler misses with the briefcase, and Cena with the "miracle" AA for three. Yup. Nice match, but typical result.
AJ and Cena liplock in the ring. Get them a room, please.
Sheamus battles Cesaro. Can always expect a hard-hitting match here. Several near falls. Cringed when Sheamus went for the battering ram off the top and ate that Euro uppercut. Sheamus Brogue Kick to Cesaro was really a glancing blow. Cesaro to the outside. Ref counts Cesaro out as Big Show comes to the ring. Sheamus confident he can win at TLC. Show rips the chair up in front of Sheamus. Enough said.
Sandow and Ryder in a polar opposite of gimmicks. Fairly formulaic here. Sandow avoids the Broski Boot and catches Ryder on the top rope. Terminus ends it. Cue the Rotation of Illumination (cartwheel). Now he gets Cena on Main Event.
I guess we get Punk and Kane this time because DB and Punk has already been done a few times. Come on, I want to see more DB and Punk. Kane in control first, then Punk slows the action down in his favor. Punk favoring the left knee, which has a bandage underneath the kneepad. Punk with two running knees in the corner, but the third isn't a charm. Kane chokeslam. Heyman tries to pull Punk out of the ring. Kane signals for the Tombstone. All of a sudden, the Shield show up around ringside. GTS by Punk ends it.
Shield now around ringside. Shield attacks Kane and Punk bails. DB runs down to help, but he too gets taken out. Here comes Ryback! Punk bails through the crowd now. Shield gangs up on Ryback. Powerbomb to Rollins and meathook for Ambrose. Punk jumps Ryback. Ryback wants to powerbomb Punk, but Reigns with the spear. Another gang beatdown. Shield leaves as Punk gets to stand over Ryback again.
Not a bad show, but now I can't help but feel Ryback's getting "de-pushed" a bit too much. Shield gets the new push to make their mark, while Punk gets to keep the glory. Is this what happens when WWE decided to put Ryback in all these title matches too soon? I get that you gotta ride the wave, but figures this had to happen when wanting to keep the long-term effect of a Punk year-plus title reign and an upcoming date with Rock.
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