A few notes: Before anything got started, a massive "We Want Ryder!" chant broke out. He was crazy over in his hometown and hopefully
WWE will acknowledge that.
Also, before the taping began, they played a video which showed images of various superstars. Cena got wicked heat despite every person under the age of 12 wearing a
John Cena t-shirt. That said, the most common t-shirt for adults was definitely
CM Punk.
Daniel Bryan,
Chris Jericho,
Zack Ryder and The Shield also had loyal followings.
Also, I swear I saw Bob Backlund walking around the concession stands before they let us in. He looks crazy as hell.
MIZ TV with
Randy Orton and Team Hell No
All three got major pops from the crowd as they come out to the ring. The crowd is so over for Bryan that you can't even hear the first question of the interview. Throughout the promo, the crowd takes every opportunity to show Bryan crazy love with "YES!" chants galore. Miz asks them about Bryan thinking he's the weak link. Randy and
Kane tell him that he's not – he's just acting crazy. Bryan continues to throw around accusations about not being respected. Randy eventually tells him that he loses respect for him when he whines. Bryan gets pissy. Kane eventually tells Bryan that he's had enough and exits the ring. They tease a Team Hell No breakup. Teddy Long comes out and announces the main event: Bryan/Orton vs. Rollins/Reigns.
Chris Jericho v.
Curtis Axel
Jericho gets a huge pop while Axel gets no response until Heyman speaks, causing the crowd to boo him. Heyman does commentary during the match. Decent match with each guy trying to hit their signatures. Axel grabs the ropes on a Walls of Jericho and Jericho counters out of what looks like a Perfect Plex setup. Jericho looks like he has the match wrapped up until
CM Punk's entrance video and music plays. He's distracted and Axel comes from behind and gets the rollup. When Punk's music played, the crowd lost their sh-t just on the slight hope that they would see the Second City Saint return tonight. Jericho leaves the ring, pauses, turns around to see Axel celebrate, runs back into the ring, and takes him down with a Codebreaker.
A Wyatt Family promo airs and the kids in the audience look creeped out. This is going to be awesome. Camera cuts to
Brodus Clay and Tensai who cut a short promo about how creepy those guys look. It looks like we may have our first victims to the Devourer of Worlds.
There's a short backstage segment with
Ryback and Kane. Ryback is his standard self. Kane tells him that
Daniel Bryan is his partner and that he supports him. Kane then says that because he buried his brother alive, Ryback's Rules don't apply to him. Ryback really needs to learn how to cut a promo – I just don't buy any of it.
Alberto Del Rio v. Heath Slater
Ricardo actually gives the intro in English and makes reference to the World Heavyweight Championship. 3MB comes out and nobody cares. The match never begins because all 3 members of 3MB attack Del Rio and Ricardo. However, because 3MB are the jobbiest of jobbers, they get tossed out of the ring. Ricardo gets on the top turnbuckle and jumps on them all outside the ring.
Dolph Ziggler appears on the Titantron and tells everyone that he's been cleared to wrestle again and that he'll be at Raw.
Kane v. Ryback
Kane gets a decent pop and Ryback's ambulance intro is much cooler in person than on camera. Kane controls much of the match, even landing a chokeslam, however Ryback kicks out. Ryback actually lifts Kane over his head at one point, which looks impressive because of how large Kane is. Ryback grabs a table and brings it to the ring. The crowd chants "We Want Tables." Ryback puts Kane through a table and gets DQ'd.
A promo airs touting the 20th Anniversary of Raw. The video consists of notable catch phrases from the last two decades.
The Damien Sandow Show
Sandow cuts a hilarious promo and has a ton of people of laughing. His mic skills are out of this world. He then unveils a super computer and challenged it to a game of chess. The computer tries to talk until Sandow yells "Silence!" at it. Of all the promos and segments cut tonight, this was definitely the most entertaining non-match of the night.
Sheamus comes out and tells Sandow that he can beat the computer in one move. Challenge accepted. Sheamus destroys the computer with a Brogue kick and Sandow lays out Sheamus. These guys have great chemistry.
Backstage segment with
Randy Orton and
Daniel Bryan. Randy suggests they work together and Bryan tells him to stay out of his way. Randy responds by telling Bryan that he doesn't like him.
Intercontinental Championship match for
Payback is announced:
Wade Barrett vs.
The Miz vs. Fandango. During this, the streamers come down by the entrance ramp and the MASSIVE
Fandango sign comes over the ring. People are looking forward to his entrance.
Fandango v.
Zack Ryder
The Miz comes out for commentary. Fandango comes out to a crowd that is signing and dancing for him. The crowd is pretty into him and it's a lot more clear in person than on TV. Zack Ryder comes out and the crowd goes INSANE! Zack Attack is the hometown hero and gets massive crowd support. It's a short semi-squash match. When Ryder fist pumps, the crowd pops big time with him with the "Woo Woo Woo's." Fandango slips as he climes the turnbuckle but doesn't fall. It's actually humorous though, given his character. He then lands a vicious flying leg drop and gets the pin. Fandango grabs the mic. "It's Faaan Dannnn Goooo." The crowd delivers the line with him. It's almost as if he's toeing the ling between heel and face. If Ryder wasn't his opponent, he may have been the crowd favorite in the match. Barrett is AWOL for this match, which is fine by me because it means he isn't jobbing out tonight.
Backstage segment with
Natalya and Kaitlyn.
Kaitlyn reveals that she is going to meet her secret admirer on Raw.
My favorite part of the night was getting up to go to the backroom and then being stopped by a security guard. A few seconds later, The Shield walked out and stood waiting in the stairwell. You can really the excitement in the area where they make their entrance. Everyone was rushing over to try and take a look. These guys are so over, it's ridiculous.
Randy Orton and Daniel Bryan v. The Shield (
Seth Rollins &
Roman Reigns)
Everyone in this match is crazy over with the fans. Daniel Bryan gets the biggest pop of the night. It goes back and forth a bunch with each guy looking good at various points. After The Shield lays in on Randy hard, he eventually tags in Bryan who cleans house! At one point, he gets on the top turnbuckle and dropkicks Rollins and Reigns at the same time – each with a different foot. The crowd goes batsh-t and then he does alternating "Yes!" kicks to each guy. He does all of his signature moves including the backflip, flying head-butt and dive outside the ring. I can't even begin to describe how match he ignites the crowd. Bryan goes for the win on Rollins. Reigns runs in and gets an RKO. Bryan accidentally nails Randy. Bryan puts Rollins in the No-Lock. Ambrose comes out from the crowd and interferes causing a DQ. The Shield jumps to the outside. Randy gives Bryan an RKO, gets big heat from the crowd and leaves.
Dark Match: Sheamus and Team Hell No v. The Shield
After the show went off the air, The Shield re-enters the ring and attacks Bryan.
Kane and Sheamus made the save, leading to the dark match main event.
Short match which ends with Reigns getting the DQ after hitting Sheamus with a chair. The Shield sets up a triple powerbomb but Bryan runs in, grabs the chair and hits Reigns with the chair. They all hit their finishers on
Dean Ambrose, who sells like a champ and the faces celebrate. Kane exists earlier than the others to sell the dissension.
