-- 11/23 WWE Raw Reax

David Miller of Terre Haute, Ind. (8.0): Best match: Battle Royal with McMahon/Ventura on commentary. Worst match: Finlay vs. Sheamus. Jesse Ventura made this show. He just belongs on a wrestling show. Kofi vs. Ziggler was okay, but I agree with Wade Keller that Kofi needs to lose the mid-card gimmick entrance music. Like Carlito's music, Kofi's is too happy to be taken seriously. Finlay vs. Sheamus should have been a knock-down, drag-out instead of the short squash it was. It was good seeing Vickie Guerrero again, if only in a dumb skit. Punk cut a good heel promo before his match. It's more acceptable to boo his straight-edge lifestyle when he's being a jerk by trying to push it down everyone's throat and being arrogant about it. Good solid match, too, against John Cena. The six-man qualifying match was good, if just to see R-Truth actually get something resembling a mild push. The guy's a good talent, even if his rapper gimmick is outdated by 15 years. I loved the DX segment. It was exactly what it should have been, which was a comedy moment completely blowing off any animosity from Survivor Series. Definitely one of the highlights of the show. Ventura putting Orton in the tournament made perfect sense to me, seeing as how Jesse was always favoring the heels in his color commentary days. Michelle McCool acknowledging the stupidity of the divas match was funny. I was beginning to wonder if Tatanka was going to be escorting the babyfaces to the ring. I like how WWE can poke fun at itself by bringing back one of the worst gimmicks of all time, the Gobbledygooker, and having fun with it. DX vs. Hart Dynasty was good, as was the interaction with Jericho after the match. The only bad thing about Kane getting in Batista's face is the knowledge that Kane will be jobbed out if they have a match. Seeing McMahon in his classic tux and coming out to the original Saturday Night's Main Event theme was priceless. If there's one thing I'm thankful for about this show, it's WWE allowing me to take a trip down memory lane by hearing the classic combo of McMahon and Ventura on commentary for the battle royal. It really gave me goosebumps hearing their back-and-forth banter again. I have no problem with Sheamus getting the title shot against Cena. It will be nice to see something different for a change. The beat down at to end the show was good, even if the crowd reaction to it seemed a bit flat. Three hours well spent.

A.A. Norman of Okla. (9.5): Best: Jess Ventura. Worst: Hornswoggle (even though he wasn't even on the show). I am a big fan of Jesse Ventura and this was one of the best guest host shows I've seen so far. I really hope fans get behind Sheamus's push, whether they think he's the right guy for the glass ceiling breakage or not, because if Sheamus fails at taking the ball and running with it here, how long will it take for WWE to promote a new star again? I am very over the Hornswoggle angles. It was cute with Finlay at first, but now it's just getting stale, kind of like DX. End it all in favor of promoting new stars.

Terrie Neilson of Las Vegas, Nev. (6.0): Best: Cena vs. Punk; Santino-divas segment. Worst: divas match; Sheamus facing Cena. This episode got off to a good start, but went downhill at the end. The "thankful" promos did well to give TV time to those who weren't in the matches leading to the battle royal. Why wasn't Miz in it anyway, being that he's the U.S. champ and all? Cena-Punk and DX-Harts should have been saved for a PPV, pure and simple. Both matches were decent, but a PPV feel would have gave them an importance. DX missed the boat on dissension from Sunday to Monday. Everything between them is still even, so there is still nothing to suggest a DX split. Meanwhile, why in the world is Hornswoggle suing DX? For the Pedigree, which only one of them did? Why is WWE going there with DX? I'm still tired of them taking a win, loss, or credit as a team when it's the actions of one that make such things happen. On the funny side of things, I won't apologize for the feminist in me getting a big kick out of the chauvinist character Santino getting his. Batista's promo was fine as follow-up to Survivor Series, but felt out of place when the rest of those representing Smackdown (save Kane) got chumped. Vince and Jesse back on commentary was pretty nice for nostalgia. Vince's voice was markedly different in this mode. It was nice to hear the Animotion song that themed SNME as Vince's entrance music. I still love that kitschy number. However, the small talk that makes Striker-Grisham and Byron-Matthews work doesn't apply well to McMahon-Ventura. That wasn't what made their chemistry work. Jesse slowly turning heel as the night progressed was predictable but fit their turning back the clock commentary. I was wishing for the reverse version, though. The battle royal bothered me for two reasons. First, if this match was about breakthroughs, why wasn't Orton targeted for elimination first, regardless of how Kofi finished? In the end, Sheamus, all too pale with backne that can't be ignored, wins the darn thing. The signing that followed was executed well, but why Sheamus? I can probably count on one hand how many months Sheamus has been on WWE TV, and he's vaulted into World Title territory? After all this build for Kofi, it might time to wonder aloud if Vince and WWE aren't "ECW" and "Canadian," too.

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