12/26/11 WWE Raw Recap

by Hans Keller

Merry Post-Christmas to everyone and Welcome to Monday Night RAW LIVE coverage on Gerweck.net! We are greeted by John Laurainitis coming out to Punk’s music. He calls himself Mr. Excitement. The crowd is drowning him out as he says things are going to change. He says they will continue a golden era in CM Punk’s hometown. He calls himself a Punk believer as the REAL CM Punk comes out to confront the Interim GM. Punk accuses Ace of antagonizing, of trying to get a reaction. He asks what is stopping himself from kicking Ace in the face. Ace plays the boss card and says he might fire him, but says he’s not going to and says he likes to empower talent and offers him a gift: the night off.

He was kidding and asks who thinks hes unpredictable. Punk says everyone. Ace says everyone is wrong and that he listens to everyone and gives them what they want, and he knows they want to see him compete. Ace says he is going to have a Gauntlet match. If anyone pins him, they get a WWE Championship match next week. Punk says he’s up to it and asks what happens WHEN he beats his three guys. Ace says he didn’t think about it, which Punk says is the problem.

Luckily for everyone, Punk has great ideas. As a present to Chicago, Punk proposes a FOURTH match should he win. The crowd approves. The fourth match: CM Punk…. vs. Johnny Ace. Ace says he doesn’t want any of him and that would be unfair. The crowd drowns him and CM Punk calls him on his lies. Ace says it isn’t good business for Punk to beat him. Punk asks the crowd if they want to see Punk vs. Johnny Ace; met with loud unanimous approval. Ace accepts the challenge.

Video feed cuts to another 2012 promo.

NEXT: Booker T laces up his boots again to face Cody Rhodes in a rematch of last Sunday!

Booker T makes his way out to the ring, followed by Cody Rhodes and this match is underway!

Non-Title
Booker T vs. Intercontinental Champion Cody Rhodes
Lockup. Booker gets the heads up with a hammerlock. Rhodes with a headlock and then a shoulder tackle. Booker gets a hip toss and then chops him in the corner. Body slam. Cover good for one only. Cody gets a boot and some fists in. He works Booker into a corner, then to the ropes. Irish whip, countered by Booker who follows with an elbow to the face. Suplex by Booker, cover also gets one. Scissors kick misses, neckbreaker by Cody Rhodes, followed by a knee lift and mudhole stomps while referee Scott Armstrong gets him off. Cody tosses him out and lets him get counted out as we head to a commercial.

Back from break and Cody Rhodes has an armbar. Booker fights back up and fights him off. Booker fights him into the corner, irish whip, Cody counters. Knee drop. Cover for two. Unique snapmare and another armbar/sleeper combo. Booker fights back up again, punches to the gut, a slap to the face, irish whip, and Cody uses a move from Goldust’s repertoire. Cover for two after a clothesline. Cody kicks at him repeatedly and Armstrong breaks him up. Booker fights back after a couple punishes, and a dropkick by Cody. Cover for two again. And another armbar variant by Cody, sunk intertwined in his own legs, then goes with a facelock sort of camel clutch-esque.

Booker fights out but gets a knee to the kidneys, and more punches. Irish whip, Booker gets an elbow, then two feet. Booker gets his wind. Sidewalk slam. Cover for two. Booker brings Cody to his feet and a punch to the gut. Sunset flip by Booker for two followed by a cover by Cody for two. Another missed Scissors Kick missed and a cover for two despite pulled tights. Enziguiri by Cody, cover for two. Both to their feet, Cody kicks Booker’s knee out, going for cross rhodes, and Booker gets a high kick. Kick by Cody, counter by Booker, knee to the gut, SCISSORS KICK!

WINNER: Booker T

Booker sends the crowd off with a spinarooni!

Camera cuts to US Champion Zack Ryder thanking Cena for giving him his opportunity. Cena says he owes him nothing, its all because Zack. He waited for that opportunity, after no one thought he had it, and he got it. When asked about Kane, Cena says if Kane is in the building, he’ll make RAW come off with a bang. King learned of Ace’s picks for Punk’s opponents and takes the mic. Tonight, Punk’s first three opponents are: Jack Swagger, Dolph Ziggler, and…Mark Henry. King reminds the crowd about the fourth match if Punk gets all three of them. Big show is back with Kelly Kelly and referee Scott Armstrong says Ace needs him. Wonder what this is all about.

We are back in Laurainitis’s office who is on the phone delaying Brodus Clay’s entrance yet again. Big Show enters. Laurainitis asks for an explanation as to why he WMD’d Otunga. Otunga threatens a lawsuit. Show says he can beat Otunga with one arm behind his back. Ace tells Otunga to drop the lawsuit and take the match. Show then burns Otunga saying that a Giant with one arm is better than one smug lawyer with no balls.

Swagger and Ziggler talk trash to each other. Vickie tries to break them up. Mark Henry comes in threatening.

Eve makes her way out for Mixed tag team action! She’ll team with Zack Ryder NEXT!

Back from commercial and Eve and Zack will face Natalya and Tyson Kidd. The bell rings and the match is underway.

Mixed Tag Team
Eve and US Champion Zack Ryder vs. Natalya and Tyson Kidd
Kidd puts Ryder in a corner and attacks him. Irish whip and a back elbow. Elbow drop cover for one. Back to the corner, irish whip, countered and a dropkick. Tag to Natalya and Eve has to come in under rules. Eve puts Natalya in the corner and clean breaks. Snapmare by Eve, kick and another snapmare. Moonsault by Eve, cover for two. Counter on the ropes by Natalya who chokes her out. Kick to the midsection and then she tries a snapmare and gets countered. Eve tags Zack who goes medieval on Tyson Kidd. Kick to the mid by Kidd and a sit out powerbomb by Ryder for two. Natalya tries to interfere but Eve interferes and a DOUBLE broski boot. Rough Ryder to Kidd seals the win!

WINNERS: Eve and Zack Ryder

Zack lets Eve hold his belt and the two share a hug.

NEXT: Cena calls out Kane

Cena makes his way out to more boos than usual. We are shown what happened last week as Kane menaced Cena. Cena said he cant say he’s Chicago’s favorite. He had his first match here, but feels Chi-town treats him salty. But he says theres magic in this building, it had 3 Wrestlemanias, inducted Eddie Guerrero into the Hall of Fame, and CM Punk became WWE Champion in this building. It is often said MSG is home of WWE, but Cena sees a sold out crowd and sees the WWE Universe is loud and proud. This is the last RAW of 2011 and says let the world remember this night…and Chicago. Right now, he says he’s probably signing his own Death warrant, but he is going to call out Kane!

But he doesn’t get Kane, he gets The Miz. Miz says he’d rather see himself vs. Cena, saying they have loose ends. He says 2011 was the Year of the Miz, saying he beat him at Wrestlemania, but it was tainted because of The Rock. Rock stole his spotlight and won’t let the year end that he doesn’t need The Rock to beat Cena. He wants the last image: him standing over a beaten Cena, and Cena wants him to shut up and wash the tan off his body. Cena says he’ll beat him here and now. Referee comes out and this match is underway.

The Miz vs. John Cena
Lock up. Armdrag by Cena. Waistlock takedown by Cena. The crowd does not like this match. Headlock takedown by Cena, dual chant going on as Miz makes his way back to his feet. Irish whip by Cena and Miz goes out grabbing a mic, saying the crowd is chanting the wrong name, forget the match and says he is the most must see WWE champion of all time. He says Miz beat him at Wrestlemania, it doesn’t matter and this match doesn’t matter.

WINNER VIA COUNT OUT: John Cena

The Miz calls himself a winner, like the Packers beating the Bears. He says he’s walking out of Chi-town and does his send off. “THE TRUTH HAS SET ME FREE!” R-Truth is back! Revenge…is NOT a good color on him as he attacks his former partner The Miz! Truth grabs Miz’s mic after he sends him through a set of stairs. He says he wants every Monday night like Christmas, and he’s gonna take his time getting back at him, and Little Jimmies said its ok. This New Year, everyone’s gonna get got. He takes King’s water (the thing that started his heel turn) and splashes Miz with it.

TONIGHT: Gauntlet Match

We relive R-Truth’s attack on The Miz.

Cole confirmed Kane’s presence tonight as we head into the Big Show/Otunga match

Big Show (w/ one arm behind his back) vs. David Otunga
Otunga opens trying to avoid Show. Show traps a leg between his legs and continues chasing him. Elbow to the back of the neck. Otunga keeps trying to avoid him. Attempt at a spear on Show failed. Otunga keeps trying to spear but keeps failing. Show tosses him over with one hand as Mark Henry comes out. Referee Jack Doan throws the match out. Mark Henry takes Show down as Daniel Bryan comes to the rescue and a chokeslam to Otunga as Henry books it.

WINNER BY DISQUALIFICATION: Big Show

Kane answers Cena’s call out tonight

Alberto Del Rio makes his way out to ringside in a wheelchair pushed by neckbrace-wearing Ricardo Rodriguez (the funniest, most awesome person to follow on twitter). ADR announces he got an injury last week to his groin. He asks why people are happy for that (Im not, that hurts). The Bellas come out to his side to defend him, which is met with more boos. Nikki says she was going to throw a party in his honor, which causes her and Brie to get into a fight. Del Rio dismisses both of them, saying he can’t see them right now. He promises one thing: he will be back and more vicious, more aggressive, and he doesn’t care who it will be, he will be WWE Champion again.

We are given a WWE ’12 highlight of Punk vs. Mark Henry. That with the rest of the Gauntlet will happen NEXT!

Gauntlet Series! The first to Pin CM Punk will get a match next week for the WWE Championship. If Punk wins, he gets Johnny Laurinitis.

First: CM Punk vs. Jack Swagger
Lockup, headlock by Punk turned into an armwrench. Punk works at Swagger who tries to power him. Punk works back and looks to over power Swagger who kicks him. Headlock followed by a shoulder tackle. Punk gets a lariat and covers for two. He uses his kicks to his advantage but gets hit with a gutbuster and elbow drops followed by a leg drop for one. Ground waistlock applied trying to suck out Punk’s energy but Punk gets to his feet and into a corner, kicking a charging Swagger. Punk to the air but gets a knee to the gut for one. Kne in the corner as Scott Armstrong gets a break. Irish whip turned into a knee to the gut and a vader bomb is countered almost into the GTS. Roundhouse kick!

WINNER: CM Punk

No rest for the wicked, on to the next match!

We get back and Dolph is working on Punk’s leg. Punk kicks with his free leg and breaks free. Body slam attempt fails and Dolph covers for two and goes back to the leg. Cover for one and right back to the leg. Small package by Punk for two. Cover by Dolph for two followed by a DDT to Punk’s weak leg. Dropkick followed by a variant of a bow and arrow hold. Punk fights back up and headbutts Dolph to get free. Dolph misses a forward dropkick and gets thrown into a turnbuckle. Neckbreaker countered by Dolph and right abck to the bad leg and then an elbow to the back of the head for two.

A major stomp to the leg and then Lance Storm’s single leg Boston Crab is applied. Punk’s face turns red as he fights hard to get to the rope. Fingertips away as he finally makes it to the rope. Punk dodges a Dolph attack and gets a flurry on Dolph. And a huge punt by Punk followed by a body slam and multiple kicks to the back of the former US Champion and a shining wizard for a cover of two. And back to the leg, missing Punk in the corner. Irish whip and the running knee, he tried to go GTS but Swagger and Vickie interfered. Dolph gets him down by gets two only. Johnny Ace heads to the ring and asks for a mic. He says there was an injustice tonight and points out Swagger and Vickie’s interference throwing them out. Ace then distracts Punk for Ziggler to beat Punk.

WINNER AND #1 CONTENDER FOR THE WWE CHAMPIONSHIP: Dolph Ziggler

NEXT: Kane answers Cena’s call out

Second: CM Punk vs. Dolph Ziggler
It starts with a cheap shot by Swagger. Punk is grounded and slow to get up, Punk wants this match and the referee rings the bell as we go to commercial.

Kane makes his way out to the ring with his usual pyro and customary overmask (I don’t know what else to call it). He has a mic, telling everyone that everyone is seeing his true self. He may wear a mask, but it is everyone else living a lie. He gets cut off by Cena who stares bullets into Kane but then pyro goes off and Kane says he isn’t here to pick a fight with Cena. Kane says he chose to make Cena his victim because he led everyone astray, asking them to rise above hate, but that’s a fallacy. This world is a dark dark place. Its ok to hate, humans are hateful according to the Big Red Machine. He says deep down everybody hates.

Why rise above when the natural impulse is to embrace, to allow the hate to consume? People hate their miserable existence. Rising above hate is a fraudulent myth according to Kane. Hate is the seed from which everyone is born, it drives and motivates us and fuels impulses. He knows Cena feels it under his skin. But once he embraces the hate, Cena will become honest with himself. Kane says he will be free. Kane says what Cena fails to see is that he grows weaker with denial, and until he embraces his hatred, he will never truly be free.

Kane says he can help, and everyone in the arena can help him too because now the last image that Cena will see this year is each and everyone of these people chanting the words that tear him apart: Cena Sucks. The Big Red Monster laughs maniacally as Cena stands tall on the ramp as the crowd chants Cena Sucks as RAW goes off the air.