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Wrestling’s 4R’s PPV Edition 10.26.12: WWE Monday Night Raw Reviewed

October 26, 2012 | Posted by Tony Acero

How the 4R’s of wRestling Work!
Here is a quick explanation of the 4R’s. The column will run TWO times a week, THREE if there is a PPV to review. We will group our feelings on the shows in various categories: The Right, the wRong and the Ridiculous. The Right is stuff that worked very well: a great promo, a great match and so on. PuRgatoRy is a section between the right and wrong. It shows equal traits from both sides that cannot be ignored and need discussed. It is not a bad place per say, as things can get remedied or go the wrong way the very next week. The wRong is what it sounds like: bad matches, bad or boring promos and so on. The Ridiculous is stuff that had no right on TV: Stupid angles and so on. And there is always a possibility of a 5th R, which is as bad as they come. This column is supposed to be analytical, and at the right time very critical of the shows, it was the whole reason it was created. This is not a “mark” column, nor a “smark” column, our goal is to analyze the show from many different fronts, reward the good and call out the bad. We will not apologize for our opinions, they are as they are, whether positive or negative.

Let’s rock…

By: Tony Acero

WWE RAW 10.22.12:

QUICK RESULTS
– The Rhodes Scholars Defeated Rey Mysterio and Sin Cara [**]
– Kofi Kingston Defeated Michael McGillicutty [*1/2]
– Justin Gabriel Defeated Antonio Cesaro [*1/2]
– Ryback Defeated The Miz [*]
– Dolph Ziggler Defeated Daniel Bryan [***1/2]
– The Big Show Defeated Kane [**]
– Alberto Del Rio Defeated Zack Ryder [*]
– CM Punk Defeated Sheamus [***]

THE RIGHT:

START WITH A BANG: Now that’s how you start a RAW! Sure, the match wasn’t anything spectacular, but it had a month-long build, and an emotional investment from fans. For the past few weeks, we’ve been invited to RAW with a promo that set up the main event and it has gotten quite tediuous. Sure, they did that very thing just a few segments later, but they started with action, and that’s almost always a way to get your audience invested. The decision to give the win to Rhodes and Sandow was one that I enjoyed, as they just SEEM like the younger, more vibrant duo. I love that JR and Cole brought up that Cody is a former tag team champ, and in a sense he is going back to those roots. I had damned near forgot. All in all, a good way to start the show that got me pumped for what was to come.

TAKING KOFI SERIOUSLY?: As I said last week, the kick that Kofi laid on The Miz could very well be the springboard needed to make him something more entitled. Tonight, we saw Kofi dispatch a dude that really didn’t matter, but moreover, we learned that a rematch was coming for him at the PPV. This feud had roughly two weeks to be built, but it didn’t matter, because that kick was all they needed. Now, we have motivation for The Miz, and a spark under the ass of Kofi that should make this something to look forward to by all parties.

GABRIEL WON…WAIT, WHAT?: Raise your hand if you thought Gabriel was winning this match? You, sir, are a liar! Well, if you did, then kudos to you, because I had already wrote down that Cesaro won…what a false assumption that was. Both of these men have distinct styles that are different than what we’re used to, but they are also entertaining styles that SHOULD be different than what we’re used to. It appears they are 1 and 1 now, and if the United States Title is slowly gaining a program here, then I’m all for it. Now only if they could work Kidd in here somehow…

THIS IS WRESTLING: Did you see this match? It was amazing, and seems like it’s not getting enough love. Of course, that could just be me not really looking into if it’s getting enough love, but this match was just great. Bryan’s scoop of the leg, that disgusting dropkick in the corner, and a busting out of the Figure Four was great.

Dolph’s second rope Zig Zag, his counter into a DDT, and his wonderful selling brought about some awesomeness, too! Dolph went over clean and looked good doing it. Bryan ate a loss, but didn’t look bad doing it. It was all good in this hood.

PUNK VS SHEAMUS: I suppose this was about as good as a Lumberjack match could be, even if the little inconsistencies that come with these matches were present. I get that perhaps the “heel” side didn’t want to attack Sheamus from the offset due to him possibly being “too fresh,” but it came off as odd. What really worked here was the intertwining of the two big matches heading into the PPV. Big Show got a punch that told Sheamus he needs to realize this ain’t a joke, and Ryback got to show CM Punk that he knows more moves than John Cena and Goldberg combined. It was an interesting way to end the show, and the crowd loved it (with as little emotion as possible…).

PURGATORY:
“YOU DON’T FIGHT FOR FREE!”: I was ready to throw this in wRong the minute Cena tried to use Ryback’s catchphrase to get the crowd behind him, but luckily Punk came out. In the end, there was really nothing new here, so I can’t see myself putting it in the Right. I loved that Punk was ready and willing to fight, and Heyman was the one stopping him. He truly believes Cena cannot beat him, so why back down? The flip of Cena is still bothersome, but I have to remember that without Cena’s injury, Ryback wouldn’t be given his chance.

AJ’S WORLD GONE GREY: I’m still not 100% sure how I feel about this. One on hand, I am hoping this means that AJ will be able to lace up her boots and get in the ring for a match or two, but on the other hand there’s really no viable opponents for her. Moreover, the entire situation with John Cena seems very….TNA-sequel? Not to knock TNA, because I’m slowly getting into it, but didn’t they just do something similar? Anyways, “affair” storylines and the like aren’t anything new, but this is just odd and I don’t like it. I’ll give it a chance; maybe it will lead to some interesting pairings and developments…but my hopes are not high.

DEL RIO BEATS RYDER: Nothing really impressive here, but it keeps Del Rio in the mind of us viewers and reminds us of the match coming up. What I loved the most was JR’s mini-shoot about wrestlers whining about “their spot.”

KANE/BRYAN/STRIKER: So, guess who isn’t interested in anything Striker is doing with the two here? Me. Not that it’s not funny what Kane and Bryan feed us, but it’s unnecessary. I am so glad that dating show-like segment didn’t go over as I thought it would…

THE WRONG:
NOTHING

THE RIDICULOUS:
NOTHING

The 411
It’s hard to rate the show as anything over average due to the fact that there were so many “average” matches. Yet again, we run into the issue where if we had a solid 2 hour show instead of a lacking 3-hour show, this may have been something great. Still, I can’t knock it too much as it was entertaining for the most part, had a good main event, and a solid match between Dolph and Bryan.

SHOW RATING: 8.0

YEAR IN REVIEW (PPV) by Csonka:
TOP PPVs:
* New Japan Pro Wrestling’s King of Pro Wrestling iPPV – 9.5

* ROH Glory By Honor iPPV – 8.5

* Chikarasaurus Rex: How to Hatch a Dinosaur iPPV 8.4
* TNA Destination X – 8.3
* DGUSA Open the Ultimate Gate 2012 iPPV – 8.2
* DGUSA Mercury Rising 2012 iPPV – 8.1
* WWE Extreme Rules – 8.0
* EVOLVE 13 iPPV – 8.0
* ROH Border Wars iPPV – 8.0

* WWE WrestleMania 28 – 7.9
* DGUSA Enter the Dragon Gate 2012 iPPV – 7.8
* TNA Hardcore Justice – 7.7
* DGUSA Untouchable 2012 iPPV – 7.6
* ROH Best in the World iPPV – 7.5
* TNA Bound for Glory – 7.5
* ROH 10th Anniversary iPPV – 7.4
* TNA Slammiversary – 7.4
* ROH Showdown in the Sun: Night One iPPV – 7.4
* EVOLVE 12 iPPV – 7.3
* TNA Sacrifice – 7.2
* EVOLVE 16 iPPV – 7.1
* WWE Money in the Bank – 7.0
* EVOLVE 17 iPPV – 7.0
* EVOLVE 14 iPPV – 7.0
* EVOLVE 11 iPPV – 7.0
* ROH Boiling Point iPPV – 7.0

* WWE Summerslam – 6.9
* EVOLVE 15 iPPV – 6.8
* TNA No Surrender – 6.7
* WWE Night of Champions – 6.6
* TNA Victory Road – 6.5
* TNA Against All Odds – 6.5
* WWE Over the Limit – 6.5

* CZW Down with the Sickness iPPV 5.0
* TNA Genesis – 5.0
* WWE Royal Rumble – 5.0

* WWE No Way Out – 4.9
* WWE Elimination Chamber – 4.0

* TNA Lockdown – 3.0

TOP PPV MATCHES:
* From NJPW King of Pro Wrestling iPPV – Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Minoru Suzuki [*****]

* From The ROH Showdown in the Sun: Night Two iPPV –ROH Title Match: Davey Richards vs. Michael Elgin [****¾]
* From The ROH Glory By Honor iPPV – ROH Title Match:
Kevin Steen vs. Michael Elgin [****¾]

* From WWE Over the Limit – WWE Title Match: CM Punk vs. Daniel Bryan [****½]
* From WWE WrestleMania 28 – Hell in a Cell: The Undertaker vs. Triple H [****½]
* From DGUSA’s Untouchable 2012 – CIMA and AR Fox vs. El Generico and Samuray Del Sol [****½]

* From The ROH Glory By Honor iPPV – Jay Lethal vs. Davey Richards [****¼]
* From WWE Night of Champions – WWE Title Match – John Cena vs. CM Punk [****¼]
* From DGUSA’s Enter the Dragon Gate 2012 iPPV – I QUIT Match: Johnny Gargano vs. Chuck Taylor [****¼]
* From TNA Slammiversary – Tag Team Title Match: Kaz and Daniels vs. Kurt Angle and AJ Styles [****¼]
* From WWE Extreme Rules – World Title Match: Daniel Bryan vs. Sheamus [****¼]
* From DGUSA’s Mercury Rising 2012 – Low Ki, BxB Hulk and Akira Tozawa vs. Ricochet, PAC and Mazaaki Mochizuki [****¼]
* From EVOLVE 11 iPPV – Fit Finlay vs. Sami Calihan [****¼]
* From TNA Destination X – TNA Title Match – Austin Aries vs. Bobby Roode [****¼]

* From TNA Bound for Glory – Street Fight – Bobby Roode vs. James Storm [****]
* From TNA Bound for Glory – World Title Match – Austin Aries vs. Jeff Hardy [****]
* From NJPW King of Pro Wrestling iPPV – Low Ki vs. Kota Ibushi [****]
* From NJPW King of Pro Wrestling iPPV – Kazuchika Okada vs. Karl Anderson [****]
* From TNA No Surrender – AJ Styles and Kurt Angle vs. Christopher Daniels and Kazarian [****]
* From TNA Hardcore Justice – Bound for Glory Series Ladder Match – AJ Styles vs. Christopher Daniels vs. Kurt Angle vs. Samoa Joe [****]
* From TNA Hardcore Justice – TNA Title Match – Austin Aries vs. Bobby Roode [****]
* From DGUSA’s Enter the Dragon Gate 2012 iPPV – Open the United Gate Tag Team Title Match: AR Fox and CIMA vs. Rich Swann and Ricochet [****]
* From WWE Extreme Rules – John Cena vs. Brock Lesnar [****]
* From WWE Money in the Bank- WWE Title Match: Daniel Bryan vs. CM Punk [****]
* From WWE Extreme Rules – WWE Title Match: Chris Jericho vs. CM Punk [****]
* From EVOLVE 11 iPPV – Low Ki vs. El Generico [****]
* From EVOLVE 13 iPPV – El Generico vs. Sami Calihan [****]
* From DGUSA’s Untouchable 2012 – Open the Freedom Gate Title Match – Johnny Gargano vs. Akira Tozowa [****]
* From DGUSA’s Mercury Rising 2012 – Open the Freedom Gate Title Match – Johnny Gargano vs. Masato Yoshino [****]
* From DGUSA’s Open the Ultimate Gate 2012 – Open the United Gate Tag Title Match: Chuck Taylor vs. Johnny Gargano vs. Ricochet and Masato Yoshino [****]
* From DGUSA’s Open the Ultimate Gate 2012 – Akira Tozowa vs. Masaaki Mochizuki [****]
* From WWE WrestleMania 28 – WWE Title Match: CM Punk vs. Chris Jericho [****]
* From The ROH Best in the World iPPV – Hybrid Fighting Rules: Adam Cole vs. Kyle O’Reilly [****]
* From The ROH Showdown in the Sun: Night One iPPV – Last Man Standing Match – Kevin Steen vs. El Generico [****]
* From TNA Sacrifice – AJ Styles vs. Kurt Angle [****]
* From TNA Destination X – Last Man Standing Match – AJ Styles vs. Christopher Daniels [****]
* Chikarasaurus Rex: How to Hatch a Dinosaur iPPV – Ladder Match: Gran Akuma vs. Icarus [****]
* From EVOLVE 17 iPPV – Samuray Del Sol vs. El Generico [****]
* From EVOLVE 15 iPPV – Samuray Del Sol vs. El Generico [****]
* From EVOLVE 14 iPPV – Samuray Del Sol vs. El Generico [****]
* From DGUSA’s Enter the Dragon Gate 2012 iPPV – I QUIT MATCH: Johnny Gargano vs. Chuck Taylor [****]
* From DGUSA’s Enter the Dragon Gate 2012 iPPV – Open the United Gate Tag Team Title Match: AR Fox and CIMA vs. Rich Swann and Ricochet [****]

* From TNA Bound for Glory – Tag Team Title Match – Daniels & Kaz vs. Angle & Styles vs. Chavo & Hernandez [***¾]
* From The ROH Glory By Honor iPPV – Adam Cole vs. Eddie Edwards [***¾]
* From EVOLVE 17 iPPV – Ricochet vs. AR Fox [***¾]
* From WWE Night of Champions – Randy Orton vs. Dolph Ziggler [***¾]
* From WWE No Way Out – WWE Title Match – CM Punk vs. Kane vs. Daniel Bryan [***¾]
* From TNA Destination X – Bound For Glory Series Match: Kurt Angle vs. Samoa Joe [***¾]
* From TNA Slammiversary – X-Division Title Match: Austin Aries vs. Samoa Joe [***¾]
* Chikarasaurus Rex: How to Hatch a Dinosaur iPPV – Campeonatos de Parejas Match: Chuck Taylor vs. Johnny Gargano © vs. The Young Bucks [***¾]
* From NJPW King of Pro Wrestling iPPV – Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Hirooki Goto [***¾]
* Chikarasaurus Rex: How to Hatch a Dinosaur iPPV – Lucha de Apuesta: Mask vs. Hair Match: Hallowicked vs. Tim Donst [***¾]
* Chikarasaurus Rex: How to Hatch a Dinosaur iPPV – Eddie Kingston, Mike Quackenbush, Jigsaw, Soldier Ant & Green Ant defeated 17, The Shard, assailANT, combatANT, deviANT [***¾]
* From TNA Sacrifice – Austin Aries vs. Bully Ray [***¾]
* From TNA Lockdown – Bobby Roode vs. James Storm [***¾]
* From WWE Over the Limit – World Title Match – Sheamus vs. Chris Jericho vs. Randy Orton vs. Alberto Del Rio [***¾]
* From WWE WrestleMania 28 – The Rock vs. John Cena [***¾]
* From The ROH Best in the World iPPV – ROH World Title Match: Davey Richards © vs. Kevin Steen [***¾]
* From The ROH Border Wars iPPV – ROH World Title Match: Davey Richards © vs. Kevin Steen [***¾]
* From The ROH Showdown in the Sun: Night One iPPV – ROH World Title Match: Davey Richards © vs. Roderick Strong vs. Eddie Edwards [***¾]
* From TNA Victory Road – Kurt Angle vs. Jeff Hardy [***¾]
* From TNA Against All Odds – TNA X-Division Title Match: Austin Aries vs. Alex Shelley [***¾]
* From The ROH 10th Anniversary iPPV – Eddie Edwards & Adam Cole vs. Davey Richards & Kyle O’Reilly [***¾]
* From DGUSA’s Mercury Rising 2012 – El Generico vs. Lince Dorado vs. Rich Swann vs. Cima vs. Chuck Taylor vs. Samurai Del Sol [***¾]
* From EVOLVE 12 iPPV – Fit Finlay vs. Jon Davis [***¾]
* From EVOLVE 12 iPPV – AR Fox vs. Sami Calihan [***¾]
* From EVOLVE 13 iPPV – Low Ki vs. Jon Davis [***¾]
* From EVOLVE 13 iPPV – DGUSA Open the Dream Gate Title Match: Johnny Gargano vs. AR Fox [***¾]
* CZW Down with the Sickness iPPV – Title Unification Ladder Match: AR Fox (CZW Junior Heavyweight Champion) vs. Dave Crist (CZW Wired Television Champion) [***¾]

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