WWE started its week with a solid RAW last night that I thought did mostly the right things building towards this weekends Royal Rumble in San Antonio. The main event was a street fight highlighted by Shawn Michaels and Edge. The last two weeks they have featured Michaels more and more solo, and it seems that all early indications that someone would join him to take the place of HHH while he is out is now out the window. The match ended with Edge getting the win with help from Randy Orton, but then Orton, in a prelude to the Rumble, threw Edge out of the ring. Ric Flair as well as Kenny and Carlito also showed up, but Michaels stepped it up and ended the show standing after some sweet chin music.
Overall they have done a solid job with DX and Shawn over the last two weeks, and despite the interesting booking to have Michaels go over last week, this week he was strong as well. He seems to be relishing the role again as a singles guy, not having to play off HHH. We’ll see where they go from here with DX when Hunter is back in the picture in the early Summer.
As they have the last two weeks, they did scare me with having John Cena more or less lose to the Great Kahli, who as I predicted is one of the last three that will be in the Rumble on Sunday. After an impromptu Over-the-Top-Rope Challenge, Cena was left in with Kahli, who ended the segment throwing him over the top. Umaga came in shortly thereafter, and beat on Cena, furthering their setup for Sunday’s Last Man Standing match at the PPV. Cena should win this one Sunday, and if they are thinking he and Kahli for WM 23, the setup will be shortly thereafter.
Most of the other stuff was filler – Chris Masters losing to Super Crazy with a flip into a pin off the Masterlock. Jeff Hardy beat Joey Mercury even with Nitro and Melina involved, setting up their tag match with the Hardys and MNM on Sunday. I still contend we will then see that feud continue into a TLC or Ladders match at Mania on April 1st.
There also was a womens tag match that was okay, and Kenny beat Carlito as the match going into the main event with Michaels and Edge. The highlight of the night was the strong street fight that ended the show, and the put over of Michaels again. He stated he wants to again be champion, but I can’t see he and Cena in any sort of program at this time unless they really throw a curveball into the booking for about the next three months.
