Talents included Paul Burchill, Charlie Haas, referee Scott Armstrong, and two I've met and gotten autographs from: Shane Helms and Maria.
Who knows what will end up happening to these folks? One would think TNA is counting down those 90 days. The wrestlers are all pretty sound in the ring. And Maria is looking to expose herself to new people on the upcoming season of Celebrity Apprentice.
Fun fact about Maria: She made her on-screen WWE debut in Peoria, Ill., during a live RAW on Nov. 1, 2004. This was her first appearance as a backstage interviewer and not just as a Diva Search contestant.
Now, onto RAW...
RAW in Review
I liked this show tonight. It did a lot to build towards WrestleMania while furthering the storylines. We got to see one confirmed new match in Bret Hart vs. Vince McMahon, and we'll likely see Sheamus vs. Triple H.
Batista gave a really good promo on why he wants to wrestle John Cena. Plus, Legacy didn't get destroyed by Randy Orton tonight, but didn't really do anything to help themselves either.
RAW: Shot by Shot
I really liked that RAW kicked off with promoting Bret Hart for tonight, as well as the Orton-DiBiase match. It at least gives me a reason to care about the show.
HBK comes out and they show a video on last week's promo with the Undertaker, interspersing clips from each's WrestleMania highlights. Fans chant for Shawn and he looks surprised; I was surprised, too, since he's challenging the almighty Undertaker. Shawn talks about the WWE locker room not believing he can end the streak, and challenges anybody in the back to tell him he can't win. Surprise, surprise, Triple H shows up.
Triple H ends up giving Shawn a pep talk about ending the Deadman's streak while talking about invoking their rematch clause for the WWE Unified Tag Team titles. HBK accepts the rematch. Interestingly enough, they failed to even mention Big Show and the Miz by name.
RAW is just filled with surprises tonight - that can't be the Bellas hanging out with Cheech and Chong! Hornswoggle gives Chong hallucinogenic Lucky Charms out of a box he cleverly Photoshopped himself on.
I hated Randy Orton's character for the longest time - slow, boring promos and slow, boring matches. But I really like how he hasn't turned fully babyface yet, and I kind of hope he doesn't. This seems to be his schtick right now. Since he hasn't talked that much, it leaves a sort of mystery to him. Finally it's like we're not getting him shoved down our throat, and the fans get to make up their minds.
Man, after watching the Olympics, I really wish I had WWE in HD.
All Orton before the break, all DiBiase after. I didn't pay much attention to how the crowd reacted to DiBiase when they teased the Legacy break-up before, but whatever heat I read about before seems to be gone, it seems. Orton gets that "vintage" stomping in before Rhodes interferes. Orton swings at him and DiBiase tries the roll-up. Orton reverses the roll-up, but spears Rhodes - that was pretty sweet. DiBiase saves Rhodes from that second-rope DDT. Good, it was looking like Orton was going to destroy both again. I still think Legacy needs to get some good heat on Orton.
A mind-altered Cong is petting Eve's hair. To keep it PG, Cheech blames the delusions on sugar, asking why his partner is petting...William Regal! He also confuses Chris Masters for Kelly Kelly in a poorly executed voiceover. Hornswoggle and Chong peer-pressure Cheech into taking some of the Lucky Charms.
Jack Swagger squashes Santino to join Shelton Benjamin, Christian, Dolph Ziggler, and Kane in the Money in the Bank ladder match.
Backstage, WWE Champion Batista is walking towards the ring. King asks, "What's up with all that security?" Adam asks, "What's up with that stupid sleeveless leather vest thing?"
HBK-Taker video with a Johnny Cash song. Awesome.
After the break, Cena comes out and gets the "what?" chant. But people chant his name anyway...I don't get it.
Batista shows up with security guards, saying they're there to prevent him from demolishing Cena. Basically, Batista says he is jealous of John Cena's success even though they started in the WWE together, more or less.
Batista says they're the biggest two stars since the Attitude Era, and John shakes his head. Is he being modest or does he agree he doesn't measure up to guys like Stone Cold and the Rock?
Anyway, Batista and Cena have a really good exchange - probably the best Batista promo I've ever seen - and Batista challenges John Cena to say a catchphrase, but intimidates him into silence claiming John Cena knows he can't beat Batista.
MVP makes quick work of Zack Rider to join Money in the Bank. Has anybody else noticed that parts of Ryder's theme sounds like Corey Hart's "Sunglasses at Night," background beat for one of the greatest videos of all time - My New Haircut?
Divas pillowfight. Oh boy. I wonder why the heel Divas participate. Seems like something they wouldn't want to stoop to. Eve wins by pinning Alicia with something reminiscent of a kind-of RVD Rolling Thunder leg drop...thing. Then Hornswoggle starts throwing around Lucky Ludes everywhere, in something of an inappropriate transition to...
the announcement of Mad Dog Vachon into the WWE Hall of Fame.
Vince McMahon invites Bret "The Hitman" Hart out. I see with his injury, Bret has reverted back to wearing some awful-looking jorts. Well, maybe it's not the jorts. But the jorts-leather jacket combination. I dunno, this isn't E!
Bret Hart is pissed about his spoiled farewell two weeks ago. McMahon lies about having Hart give his final farewell, and cuts a promo challenging Hart at WrestleMania, telling him about all the wrongdoings McMahon has caused him.
That line about Bret being a Canadian hero bombed so hard on this Oklahoma City crowd.
McMahon goes on a tirade about Hart being a coward, kicking Hart's crutch out from under him. Hart finally gets so pissed, he accepts Vince's match at WrestleMania.
I'm not looking forward to this unless it's a short brawl. I can't say Bret isn't physically able to wrestle anymore because he knows better than anybody, but I can't imagine how great he can be physically after 10 years away from the ring. So let's hope this match is just an all out ass-kickin.'
Vince wants to show Bret he's 100% next week by wrestling Bret's biggest fan, John Cena. Randy Orton will also face Legacy in a handicap match. And who's going to be the guest host you ask? None other than the Mindfreak himself, Criss Angel.
DX and ShowMiz have a pretty sweet back-and-forth brawl until...surprise again! (Not really). The Undertaker is on the TitanTron, staring a hole through HBK. Distracted due to his tunnel vision, as Cole puts it, Miz rolls up HBK.
Dude, The Miz is having a great 2010. If he's not in some multi-man matches for the WWE title by the end of the year, I'll be surprised.
Michaels is upset in the middle of the ring, and walks away when Triple H tries to console him. Confused, Triple H misses the sneak attack from Sheamus!
I'm diggin' this WrestleMania card:
WWE Championship
Batista vs. John Cena
World Heavyweight Championship
Chris Jericho vs. Edge
The Streak vs. The Career
The Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels
Bret Hart vs. Vince McMahon
Money in the Bank Ladder Match
Kane vs. MVP vs. Jack Swagger vs. Shelton Benjamin vs. Dolph Ziggler vs. Christian vs. ??? vs. ???
We'll probably see Triple H vs. Sheamus.
