WWE RAW Review: The Elimination Chamber Go-Home Show
This match was fantastic, and I would expect no less. For the second straight week, Chris Jericho puts on one of the best matches on the show. These are the kinds of matches I enjoy. Not just because its two fantastic wrestlers going at it, but because they ignore the typical heel/face dynamic that the WWE feels they have to do every match. These are two-face wrestlers that the crowd loves, wrestling. Imagine how cool it would be if they did this more often in one-on-one matches? You could have Randy Orton feud with Ryback with neither turning face nor heel afterwards. It would just be a match between two guys that the crowd would love.
Anyway, back from my tangent, this match was fantastic. Both Jericho and Bryan are fantastic grapplers. They made their transitions fun and showed that they have mat skills, without making it boring. I love Ring of Honor, but I cannot tell you how much of a turn off it is to see 13 minutes of mat-wrestling that looks super choreographed. Y2J and Bryan found just the right mix of that last night. Jericho gets the win and a spot in the Elimination Chamber. It should be fun if his victory over D-Bry will carry into the Elimination Chamber.
JOHN CENA, SHEAMUS, & RYBACK VS 3MBSo this match happened. I was surprised to see John Cena kicking off the second hour of the show. But yeah, this match was just to show that Cena, Sheamus, and Ryback are GOING TO WORK AS A TEAM, AND OVERCOME THE SHIELD! 3MB never had a shot. A few funny spots in the match though. Drew McIntyre thrusting at Sheamus was stupid funny. 3MB didnt really get in any offense. The ending spot where all three finishers were hit by TEAM SHENABACK was easy to see coming.
Post-match, they cut a promo about how they were going to be the real law and take down the SHIELD. The build was ok but since we really havent seen the SHIELD in an actual match (aside from the TLC PPV), it really didnt make either side seem strong or weak.
BACKSTAGE PROMO: Its not a good time to be a Jobber.Smackdown recap of the Big Show getting paint poured on him and his tour bus getting messed up. Alex Riley and Yoshi Tatsu are backstage making jokes about the incident when Big Show comes out of nowhere and knocks them both out. First off, welcome back to RAW Alex Riley. You used to be a thing until you sandbagged against Jack Swagger and seemingly disappeared. Also, good to see Yoshi Tatsu every once in a while to let me know that he does exist outside of Superstars. My biggest issue with this segment is you think wrestlers would learn. Why are you having a conversation in the middle of a hallway where other people can hear you? Couldnt Alex Riley just looked across the dressing room and been Hey, Yoshi, Big Show sure did look stupid last week, didnt he? Then they both could have had a chuckle at the Big Shows expense behind the safety of a locked door. But no, they have to make a scene backstage and get punched.
Following Backstage Punch-Time, Big Show comes to the ring to talk, but instead punches Matt Striker and leaves. Critics are already calling it the best interview Matt Striker has ever done.