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Welcome, Torch readers, to another Raw edition of the Logic Check, where I do my best to make sense out of wrestling so you don't have to. Last night, Raw went Sci-Fi, due to the US Open, so grab your tinfoil hat and let's go find Sasquatch...
 
(Quick note, I was unable to watch Smackdown this week thanks to my DVR filling up without my knowledge)
 
The Resurrection...

Shawn Michaels returned to Raw with a burr in his saddle as he was given time to properly address the breaker of his wife's jaw, Chris Jericho. Rebecca is hurt but after being married to HBK all these years, she has become tough and she'll be fine. I'll bet a fist in the face is nothing compared to the Sweet Chin Music (I kid, I kid but that had to have come out wrong). Michaels was angered by Jericho's lack of remorse so he did what every good-natured Christian man would do and came looking for vengeance. HBK let us know that he wasn't finished and as the crowd went bonkers, Jericho showed up to ruin everyone's day. After some more heeing and hawing, HBK challenged Jericho to a match. Shawn claimed that he could legally get away with what he had planned as long as it took place in the ring. Jericho refused and was unfavorably compared to Rebecca Michaels, apparently the last straw, because he reluctantly accepted. Shawn said something to the effect of getting medieval on Jericho's posterior and we have a rare "unsanctioned" match.

Thoughts: This is playing out beautifully. Shawn Michaels was perfect here whether it was tossing the hat down at ringside or the way he delivered "I knew I wasn't going anywhere" or how he dropped to one knee as he referred to the ring. This is why he is the greatest wrestler of our generation. Chris Jericho continues his string of strong performances and I'm really interested to see what becomes of Y2J once this feud with Michaels reaches it's conclusion.  This is the best angle in wrestling today with some very outstanding work, both in-ring and out, from two ridiculously talented individuals. It's a shame that the rest of the show can't be treated with the same amount of consideration and respect as this angle.

3rd time's the chump...

If you remembered that Raw was on Sci-Fi, you were treated to Punk-JBL III, which had almost no build-up and barely an explanation, right off the bat. The match was going well until Punk managed to break up a pin after getting clotheslined from hell. JBL got the boo-boo face and decided to get hardcore so he grabbed a steel chair. Fortunately for the Punker, the ref remembered this was not a street fight and grabbed the chair from JBL. JBL jawed at the ref before turning around and bring put to sleep.

Thoughts: Why was this match just thrown out there without any context? There wasn't any explanation as to why these two would be wrestling for the third time in under a month. And I can't believe the words are coming out of me but I think JBL should have won. If he wasn't going to win then I don't understand the purpose of this match because now one of the contenders in the Championship Scramble has lost three consecutive times to the champion. This seems like a rather backwards approach to building excitement for a new championship match concept.  Punk came out of this looking relatively strong but what's so wrong with having him go over cleanly without the chair being involved? I get the strangest feeling that WWE is moving towards JBL as the champion so he can defend the title at 'Mania. If JBL comes out of Unforgiven with the belt, consider the Youth Movement officially dead.

A knee for a knee...

Batista and Kane had the main event duties last night as a result of Kane figuratively eviscerating Dave's little buddy, Rey. Irresistable force met immovable object as the two titans pounded each other with everything they had. Kane finally decided he didn't want to wrestle anymore so he wrapped Batista's knee around a ring post and started bashing on it with a chair. Batista managed to escape and hit a one-legged spear before taking Kane to the ring post and returning the knee-bashing favor.

Thoughts: How much damage did Kane really do if Batista could shake it off to hit a spear, some chairshots and finally a bunch of chairshots while Kane's leg was on the ring post? This seemed so rushed. I don't know why they couldn't have have Kane go to town on Batista's knee this week and then have Batista bring his receipt to Kane the following week. Now, Kane looks weak because his assault on Batista didn't even faze the big man or at the very least, keep Dave down long enough to set off the hellfire. The way this match ended pretty much ensures that we'll be watching Punk/Batista vs JBL/Kane as next week's main event as well as the return of Rey Mysterio.

Charlito's Way...
 
Charlie Haas made his quarterly return to WWE TV last night dressed as Carlito to assist in the debut of Primo Colon, Carlito's brother. Donning the afro, apple, skin tone and attitude of the posterchild for the WWE Apathetic Era, Haas tried his best to saddle the debuting Colon with 0-1 record but eventually fell victim to a flying Cuban body block for the pin. 
 
Thoughts: I hope this isn't the start of a weekly Haas homage to the superstars of WWE, past, present and future. I'll admit that the guy doesn't exactly ooze charisma but that doesn't mean you turn him into Rich Little. This is a perfect example of a lazy creative staff:

Prinze Jr. - "Sorry, Charlie. All we can think to do is have you impersonate people with charisma. Hopefully, some will rub off."
Haas - "That's not cool."
Prinze Jr. - "It's working already." **
(**Author has no proof this was Prinze Jr.'s idea)

Haas will do what he all he can with this because he's a good hand that way. Personally, I'd put him into a tag team with Jaime Noble but what I do know? Primo's debut was fine; he showed good fire and he was very crisp in his movements. I think Primo's got potential to be a solid mid-carder so we'll see where they take him from here.  However, what's with Primo's lack of a finishing move? I'd venture to say that a big reason some of the new guys don't get over as much in their debuts is because of the lack of a unique finisher. Case in point: Evan Bourne. He is getting over, thanks in large part, due to his ability to completely stand out from everyone else you see that night. I'm not saying everyone needs to start diving off the top rope but these guys could be produced a little better so that everyone has a chance to separate themselves from the rest of the wrestlers.

Blast from the past...
 
Hacksaw Jim Duggan and Jerry "The King" Lawler took on Ted Dibiase and Cody Rhodes in a match that seemed a little out of place until WWE aired that video package explaining that the match should have taken a place a month ago. Bizarrely enough, a competitve match ensued and in the end, Dibiase/Rhodes managed to eek out a victory against two men who have been portraying the same characters since before the champs were born. After disposing of the Team of the Century, Rhodes and Dibiase were heckled from the luxury box by Cryme Tyme, who then proceeded to challenge the champs for the belts at Unforgiven. One awkward challenge later and the match is on. 
 
Thoughts: Was I the only one a little confused when the King and Hacksaw came out? Thankfully, the WWE was kind enough to remind us of why this match was signed. Also, while I can understand giving King/Duggan some hope spots, this match was booked way too competitvely. How tough are Rhodes/Dibiase when they can't even dominate two men on the wrong side of 50? Given what transpired between the four men, this match needed to happen, if only to serve as a blow-off. I just don't know why WWE waited a month to pull the trigger. Cryme Tyme vs. Dibiase/Rhodes should be a good opportunity for the young guys to get a chance to show what they can do. I think a long feud between the two teams could really do all four some good.
 
Logistical Ruminations:

- It's too bad about Cena's injury. While I'm not the biggest fan of his work, there is no denying that John Cena is a great professional wrestler. He's always giving back to the fans, he's a consummate professional and he's a tireless workhorse so the man deserves all the respect and adulation he receives, plain and simple.

- I found it strange that Mike Adamle hasn't bothered to get the tag titles back from Cryme Tyme. Ronald Reagan would not be pleased.

- A professional wrestler with a contract is the exact opposite of "priceless."

- I wasn't laughing until I saw Charlito's name.

- Why doesn't Carlito have a last name? I'll never understand the double standard WWE has with last names.

- Poor Beth Phoenix took a knee to the face; she just can't seem to catch a break. I thought it was funny how they initially thought it happened during the shoulderblock spot when you could clearly see that their heads never came close to one another.

- For some reason, the unibrow works for Santino.

- Where was D'Lo? One would think that after getting screwed out of the IC title due to outside interference, he would have gotten a rematch or complained to the G.M. or maybe even shown up at the Wachovia Center.

- Kofi Kingston shouldn't be an afterthought.

The Judgement:

This was a better show that the debacle we got last week. Most of the storylines were advanced, some further than others and there wasn't anything too ridiculous. Everyone stayed within their characters and with the exception of Cryme Tyme, everyone was smooth in their promos. Nothing must-see, but enjoyable if you did watch it.

Score: 6.5

Got a comment? Want to share a difference of opinion? Drop me a line at adunn.torch@gmail.com.

ABOUT ME:

I've been a wrestling fan for twenty years, I reside in Dallas, Tex, and I approved this message.

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