After an electric Survivor Series PPV where The Rock and John Cena reigned victorious, and where CM Punk was crowned new WWE Champion, what would be the fallout on Monday Night Raw? We are only a few weeks away from the next PPV “TLC” which will be live at the 1st Mariner Arena in Baltimore, MD!!!!! Tonight Raw is also pretty close in Hershey, PA.

WWE Monday Night Raw Results 11/21/11

The new WWE Champion CM Punk makes his way out to the ring to start the show. He tells a story about sitting in 1st grade class and the teacher asking them what they wanted to be when they grew up.  One kid wanted to be teen wolf.   He wanted to be a professional wrestler. He wants to make sure everyone heard professional wrestler and not sports entertainer. He said it was a huge deal for him to walk into Madison Square Garden and win the WWE title. He says he’s done it as himself and never tried to be anything else. He said the game of WWE champion hot potato is over and that it will stay with him. I really really hope this is true. I am so sick of seeing short title reigns. Champions are supposed to be guys who are the best in the world and represent the company. Back in the 80’s Hulk Hogan was the champion because he was the man associated with the WWE. In the 90’s Stone Cold and The Rock were champions for the same reason. And all these title reigns were long and meant something. I can’t remember the last time a title reign has meant something. So I am really hoping WWE does the right thing and recognizes that CM Punk is the face of the company and that his title reign needs to be long and meaningful. He needs to hold this title clear up until Wrestlemania, where I’m hoping he faces Daniel Bryan for the championship. That match would be amazing and would easily steal the show. Back to the speech. Punk sits down Indian-style in the middle of the ring. He says he’s going to make the title interesting again and bring danger to the show. He wants to figure out where the WWE ice cream bars are. I can’t wait for them personally. Punk says he wants John Laurinaitis to go from interim Raw GM to former Raw GM. Laurinaitis comes out to congratulate Punk and say that he wants them to get along. Punk says that Vince McMahon is a sole-less bastard but will tell you things to your face. He says Laurinaitis is like Bill Lumbergh from Office Space without the comedy. He says Laurinaitis is undermining, middle management, a stooge, and something that was beeped that I think was deusch. Laurinaitis says Alberto Del Rio will get his title rematch next week. Punk says he wants to face him right now. Laurinaitis informs him that he has a match with Dolph Ziggler tonight. CM Punk says he doesn’t listen to “his WWE Universe” and that the fans don’t want to see CM Punk vs. Dolph Ziggler. The fans start chanting “we want Ryder”. Punk says the fans want Ziggler vs. Zack Ryder. Laurinaitis says Ryder has a match with Alberto Del Rio. Punk says he will beat Ziggler tonight, Del Rio next week, and someday someone will beat some sense into Laurinaitis. CM Punk and Booker T is officially trending on Twitter. (Booker T is on commentary tonight.)

They show a video of Survivor Series after it went off the air last night. The Rock is in the ring talking when the fans start chanting “we want Ryder woo woo woo.” The Rock says I’m a fan too, I want Ryder too. Good stuff. Zack Ryder’s music hits as he makes his way out to the ring before a commercial break.

Zack Ryder vs. Alberto Del Rio– Ricardo Rodriguez goes to introduce Del Rio as usual but Ryder grabs the mic and says “woo woo woo.” Del Rio runs into the ring and attacks Ryder. He hits some hard kicks and a single arm DDT. Del Rio continues to work the arm for awhile trying to set up for his submission finisher. Punk vs. Ziggler is officially trending on Twitter. Ryder powers up and hits a few clotheslines on Del Rio. Del Rio counters with an Irish Whip into the corner. He charges Ryder but he counters with knees to the face and his Samoa Joe corner kick. He goes for the Rough Ryder but Del Rio counters. Enzuguri kick in the corner from Alberto followed by the Cross Arm Breaker. Ryder taps out and Del Rio wins the match. I’m glad to see Ryder in the opening match. It makes sense for Alberto to win since he’s still the #1 contender for the WWE Championship and Ryder is in contention for the mid card championship. Although Ziggler has done a great job at elevating that title to be much more important.

Sheamus vs. Jack Swagger w/ Vickie Guerrero– This match is a result of Sheamus getting disqualified at Survivor Series after repeatedly bashing Swagger in the head with his knees. Tie up to start the match. Swagger wrestles Sheamus down and where he would normally continue to chain wrestle he instead starts clubbing at Sheamus’ back. This is excellent psychology and really puts over Swagger’s anger towards what happened last night. Sheamus counters and clubs away himself. The two reverse a few slams until Sheamus hits a knee to the head. More clothesline counters and Swagger hits his second rope Vader Bomb. He clubs and stomps away for awhile. A boring reverse full nelson from Swagger but Sheamus counters with vicious headbutts from the back of his head. He charges with the 25th clothesline of the match and hits the 10th body slam of the match. He misses the Battering Ram, misses the Brogue Kick, and Swagger hooks on an Ankle Lock. Sheamus kicks out of it and hits the Brogue Kick for the win. Vickie Guerrero screams as usual. Mediocre match with a lot of repetitive moves. But what can you expect for a big man vs. big man match?

The old school NWO music hits and out comes Kevin Nash to the top of the stage. He said he watched Survivor Series from the back last night and thought about what should have been. He talked about winning the WWE Championship there from Bob Backlund in 8 seconds. He brought up how the Kliq was born there too. He said he came back to the WWE to see his friend Triple H and instead found him as a boss. He said at Survivor Series he and Triple H should have taken out The Rock and John Cena. But instead he was taken out with a sledgehammer. Nash says the only survivor of the Kliq stands before you now.

Intercontinental Champion Cody Rhodes is in the ring. He said the constraints of his mask have been removed like a rabid dog without it’s muzzle. Good line Cody. But then he does his creepy yet stupid laugh for no real reason. Santino Marella’s music hits as he comes out with The Cobra sock on his arm and a karate t-shirt.

Intercontinental Champion Cody Rhodes vs. Santino Marella– A couple tie ups to start but Rhodes comes back with a hard right hand. Santino takes Cody’s legs out and goes for the Cobra, but it’s countered by Cross Rhodes for the win. A 30 second match. My favorite. (Sarcasm.) Was there a point in having this match? Rhodes walks over to Booker T at the commentary table and throws water in his face. Booker T has been trash talking Cody’s attitude over the last few weeks on Smackdown. Booker T is angry. He is returning to the ring soon and it looks like his first feud will be with Cody Rhodes. Michael Cole is upset that he got wet and needs a towel. Haha Cole is hilarious.

In the back Josh Matthews is talking to Dolph Ziggler. Ziggler says he is the only guy to win 2 matches last night. Mathews reminds him that he was eliminated first from the Survivor Series match, but Vickie says that he was still on the winning team. Ziggler says he is the new face of WWE and not CM Punk.

Back from break Cole is asking Booker T how embarrassing that was. He says Booker’s biased reporting finally caught up to him. Booker says he’s a true professional and will stay right there.

WWE Champion CM Punk vs. United States Champion Dolph Ziggler w/Vickie Guerrero- Ziggler has new music. It’s a “I am perfection” remix song. I don’t see the reason for him to have new music. The old stuff was good and effective. Immediate CM Punk chants from the fans in Hershey. Good chain wrestling to start the match. Punk rolls Ziggler into a few grounded head locks. Santino Marella and Cody Rhodes are officially trending on Twitter. More chain wrestling in the match from Punk which is eventually taken over by Ziggler. Hopefully Punk is teaching Ziggler a few things here. They do a spot where both guys hit multiple leap frogs but Punk outsmarts him and throws off the timing causing Ziggler to get frustrated and exit the ring. He comes back in to get a series of hard kicks from Punk. Near fall. Ziggler back up and hits a neckbreaker. Near fall. I like how both guys are going for quick covers to put emphasis on every move that is hit early. Ziggler takes control with a lot of punching and some boots to the head. He hits his leaping elbow drop for another near fall. He continues to try to wear Punk down with a chin lock which is double countered into a knee to the gut from Ziggler. More punches and kicks from Ziggler, which really slows the match down and starts to make it boring. This is the only problem with Ziggler. He is talented in the ring, but he doesn’t have a big arsenal, and isn’t the best pure wrestler there is. He really needs to improve in that department now that he has a amazing mic skills. Finally Punk takes back over with a clothesline. Vickie Guerrero gets up on the apron and blows Punk a kiss but Punk just laughs at her. Punk punches away at Ziggler, throws him into the corner, but misses the running knees in the corner. He falls to the outside as Dolph Ziggler does a headstand in the middle of the ring and taunts the crowd. Now there’s something you don’t see much of anymore, taunts. Maybe it’s just because there is a new WWE video game out and taunting always plays an important role in the matches on that game. Maybe they are trying to incorporate the video game into real life scenarios, or maybe Ziggler is just that original and that good. Back from commercial break Ziggler has Punk in yet another chin lock but Punk counters with a leg lariat, clothesline, and swinging neck breaker. He goes for the Go To Sleep but Ziggler counters with one of his finishers, the dreaded sleeper hold. I have a question. If Ziggler has supposedly mastered the sleeper hold then why wouldn’t he hook that every time instead of using chin locks??? Just saying. Ziggler goes for a pin with his feet on the ropes but is caught by the referee. Punk rolls Ziggler up but puts his feet on the ropes as well and is also caught by the referee. Ziggler charges and Punk misses with his kick to the head. Ziggler goes for the Zig Zag but Punk holds onto the ropes. He throws Ziggler into the corner and finally hits his knees to the face followed by a bulldog out of the corner. He hits a slam and goes to the top rope for the Macho Man Elbow Drop, but Ziggler roles out of the way before Punk even jumps. Punk hops down and Ziggler hits a nasty dropkick to the face for a near fall. Ziggler puts Punk on the turnbuckle and punches away at him but Punk knocks him down onto the mat. Macho Man Elbow Drop off the top for a nearfall. Punk taunts the GTS but Ziggler counters it into a pretty sweet reverse t-bone suplex. This match is very good. Ziggler shows frustration by stomping away at Punk and almost getting disqualified. Ziggler goes for the Fame-Asser but Punk counters a botched spot. He was supposed to catch him on his shoulders but Ziggler was dropped. Punk picks him back up and hits the GTS for the win. Regardless of the botched finish this match was excellent. Well wrestled. Punk is already proving to be right when he said he will make the title exciting again. Now I just wish the WWE would make every single match every night this way. Instead of putting on great wrestling in all of CM Punk’s matches why don’t they make great wrestling in every match? If there are guys in the company who can’t handle that style of wrestling then they shouldn’t be in the company at all.

The Big Show comes out to the top of the ramp. He says he proved he is better than Mark Henry at Survivor Series and when Henry realized that he took the easy way out and kicked Big Show in the groin for the DQ. He says Henry left the World Heavyweight Champion but he was carted out. In case you missed it The Big Show hit a leg drop with Mark Henry’s leg between a chair. He says when Henry returns he has a fist waiting for him.

In the back Alicia Fox and Kelly Kelly are playing the new WWE 12 video game. Beth Phoenix and Natalya walk in and talk trash. They said the video game characters don’t cry like the real life divas do.

Wade Barrett vs. Kofi Kingston- An earlier today promo is shown from Wade Barrett where he talks about winning last night. He calls it the Barrett Barrage and wants the World Heavyweight Championship. Barrett starts the match with a knee to Kofi’s face and some punches. He hits a suplex but it only gets a 1 count. I love 1 counts early in matches. It makes so much sense. Not everything needs to be a nearfall. Kofi comes back with some clotheslines, dropkicks, and counters a side slam into a roll up. Barrett hits a stiff clothesline and goes for Waste Land when Randy Orton’s music hits. Orton walks down the ramp as Kofi gets back into the match. Kofi goes for Trouble In Paradise but Barrett rolls out of the ring. By the magic of commercial break Barrett is back in control with a chin lock. Orton is now sitting on a chair at ringside. Tilt-a-whirl side slam from Barrett for a nearfall. More hard punches on the mat. He chokes Kofi over the ring ropes and hits multiple knees to the face. Barrett with a running big boot that knocks Kofi out of the ropes. Barrett is distinguishing himself away from all the other big men. Barrett is looking very agile around the ring lately and is really developing an impressive arsenal. This guy is the real deal and is a future world champion. Barrett wears Kofi down some more on the mat with stomps, kicks, and an arm stretch. 6 of the top trends on Twitter right now are WWE including Alicia Fox, GTS, Masked Kane, and Big Show. There was some sort of Kane promo that I must have missed where he throws down his burning mask.  That’s why Masked Kane is trending. Back to the match. Kofi hits a suicide dive to the outside. He climbs the top rope but Barrett cuts him off and goes for Waste Land off the top rope. Kofi pushes him off and hits a frog splash cross body off the top. Boom Drop from Kofi as he sets up for Trouble In Paradise. He misses, Barrett charges, kick through the ropes. Kofi goes for a springboard but Barrett kicks the top rope to knock him off. Waste Land is hit as Barrett stares at Orton. 3 count, Barrett wins. Another impressive match. We already knew Kofi Kingston was good, but now we know that Barrett is great. He picks up the mic and reminds Orton that he is the winner of the match. Ortons psychs him out, smiles, and walks to the back.

John Cena makes his way out to the ring for the main event segment. Someone has a sign that says “Cena deliver my baby.” He looks into the camera during his entrance and says “she wants me to deliver her baby, I’m not qualified.” Have I mentioned that I love how Cena talks into the camera during his entrances? In the ring Cena talks about history being made at Survivor Series. He says finally the world knows who Zack Ryder is and that everyone should follow him on Twitter @ZackRyder. Cena says that The Rock and himself could co-exist and won last night. He said The Rock’s ovation last night was the biggest he’s ever seen. He tells the story of how they won last night and The Rock invited him into the ring. He says he knows it wasn’t to share a bowl of Fruity Pebbles. And then he was Rock Bottomed by The Rock. Cena says The Rock proved that he never lost it and that Wrestlemania will be what it needs to be. Then the music of Awesome Truth hits. The Miz says “really.” He says Cena’s ego won’t allow him to admit how bad The Rock showed him up last night. He say’s Cena is painting a pretty picture about Survivor Series but fails to mention how 17,000 people were chanting “don’t tag Cena.” He say’s “Your always saying you can’t see me, but last night nobody wanted to see you.” Excellent line. The Miz is great. R-Truth says forget about what Wrestlemania needs to be, what it’s going to be is The Rock beating Cena. But he says it with a bunch of weird words I don’t understand. Cena says something about knocking The Miz’s makeup off his face and R-Truth’s braids out of his hair and selling to Mr. T. He says that The Miz thinks R-Truth is a a whacked out nut job riding the coat tail of The Miz. And that R-Truth thinks Miz is a d-lister who was a pompous loud mouth on a crappy reality show. Cena say’s don’t boo me, you should be booing yourselves, which is of course R-Truth’s line. Miz and R-Truth begin to argue. Someone is about to turn face! Which one? Miz pushes R-Truth. R-Truth punches Miz. Miz pleads for him to calm down and that they need to go get Cena. They walk up the ramp and Miz hits the Skull Crushing Finale on the entrance ramp. He stares down at a lifeless R-Truth laid out on the steel. So I wonder if R-Truth will be cheered next week or if they are going to do a heel vs heel feud. I’m okay with either. I love heel vs heel matches and I would also love to hear people cheering along with R-Truth’s crazy tirades. The show ends with trainers checking on R-Truth.

I have 2 major things to talk about here. First of all….Jonah Hill??????? Wasn’t he supposed to be special guest host this week???? Where was he??? There was no mention about him at all. This is the first time this has ever happened. Raw has had dozens of guest hosts and none of them just didn’t appear on the show before. Could they have given an explanation?

Secondly, a new cryptic video.  This is one of the coolest things I’ve ever seen in wrestling. During one of the “Twitter Trending” boxes that appears in the corner of the screen there was a weird YouTube Link. The YouTube Link takes you to a special tease video. This is amazing!!! This is by far the most innovative thing the WWE has ever done with Social Media. Only those who caught it and went to the link are in the know about this right now. The video can be seen here http://www.youtube.com/itbegins2012 What is it begins 2012? The video begins with a shot of a bridge and water. Then a little boy is sitting at a desk in an empty room writing. He says “Come my people and shut thy doors about thee.” There is a whisper in the background that can’t be understood. He continues to say “For powers shall come to punish the meek for their inequities. For on the second day of 2012 a familiar force shall arrive to claim what is his. And it will be the end of the world as you know it.” Followed by a graphic that says “it begins.” Who could this be? There are a few options. Let’s look at the last 2 times the WWE did a secret tease video. The first one was a random number code that would interrupt live television that turned out to be Chris Jericho. The second was a dark man walking in an abandoned house that turned out to be The Undertaker. These two guys immediately have to be the favorites as to who the big return could be. The Undertaker hasn’t been seen since Wrestlemania and is usually linked with darkness like this. Also all the video shots are of swings and things that could be found in “a yard.” The Undertaker calls the ring “his yard.” His search for his final Wrestlemania opponent could begin. However, consider the 2nd day of January. 2January. 2J. Y2J. Chris Jericho. I would be ecstatic to see my second favorite wrestler of all time, Chris Jericho, return. Jericho has already mentioned on Twitter that he will be in Hawaii on January 2nd. But of course he would lie to cover up the storyline if it were him. Doesn’t the end of the world have something to do with the Walls of Jericho? Some people will think it’s Kane but there was already a promo hyping the return of Kane so he is out. Other options could be Bill Goldberg, Brock Lesnar, Batista, Kurt Angle, and Vince McMahon. I really think it’s Undertaker or Jericho personally, and I would put my money on the dead man.

 

**UPDATE- It looks like the WWE has suspended R-Truth for 30 days on Tuesday following failure of their Wellness Policy…that means steroids or other illegal drugs like marijuana.  This explains him being taken out on Monday Night Raw.  Evan Bourn was also recently suspended.

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