-- 3/22 WWE Raw Reax

Jimmy Eaton of Kissimmee, Fla., PWTorch Livecast All-star (9.0): Best Match: Morrison vs. The Miz. Worst Match: Divas match. Best Segment: Batista-Cena altercation. Worst Segment: Pete Rose-Kane comedy. I really enjoyed this show. What a great way to build up your biggest show of the year. So many high points in the show included the opening (minus Pete Rose), and the great ending with Batista and John Cena. The show opened with a really good TV match with Morrison-Miz and some good build-up for the tag match that will more than likely open WrestleMania. Kofi didn't have a horrible match with Koslov; he just can only do so much with him. I could have done without Pete Rose on this show, but it reinforced the idea that the guest host concept really doesn't drive the show when the storylines are compelling. HBK was solid in his mic work and, while it seems his victory over Kane and desire to win shows he can beat the Undertaker at the big show, it still has enough drawing power to make people believe anyone can be victorious. ... The handicap match with Legacy & Sheamus vs. Hunter & Orton was short but to the point and it gave people more reason to invest in the characters involved. But, of course no show is perfect, as the skits with Pete Rose left some to be desired, yet it wasn't as bad as some Hornswoggle stuff in the past. The Divas still are a joke in my opinion but as long as they're just on the preshow, I'm good with that. I can't speak enough on the end of the show, as it was great to build the drama that played out over the last month. Batista has done a great job despite my general dislike. If I had a kid watching that show with me, I would have known right then and there that I'd be $65 dollars poorer. Great job again leading into the big show, and I personally can't wait to see where everything goes from here.

Arturo R. Garcia of San Diego, Calif., freelance writer (4.0): This was not the time for WWE to experiment with a glorified pre-game hype show. Especially when one of the four (!) matches we got tonight was a waste of the most organic angle the company has had in the past three years. Throwing Miz vs. Morrison out there with no hype was as misguided as TNA ignoring the X-Division, but at least TNA delivered two 10+ minute matches and a solid undercard feud in Tara vs. Daffney.

Terrie Neilson of Las Vegas, Nev. (6.0): Best: Michaels promo (with tons of reservations); Batista-Cena promo. Worst: too many replays. Friday's Smackdown was a decent show, which I'd give a 9.0. The promos were solid and the show overall was very focused on WrestleMania (and everything connected to it, noted by the "Word Up" tie-in to main sponsor Slim Jim). The Michaels-Taker ending forced me to shelve the idea of a Smackdown reax since it screamed a reaction to come Monday. Come Monday, there weren't too many wasted minutes on something other than WrestleMania, but there weren't too many minutes focused on original programming. There were too many highlight videos for a go-home show, leaving Bret to spin in his wheels in his promo. Six men in a Money in the Bank Match seems ideal. Eight men seemed a little much and occasionally crowded. Ten men in a MITB match is a guaranteed car wreck. Orton was about as face as face can be tonight without really being 100 percent face. But I do appreciate that Hunter and Orton's issues weren't swept under the rug so easily. Swagger, Show, and Truth all did a great job on commentary for the respective matches they covered. But, that in the world was the Divas match for? If it was meant for a Divas match at WrestleMania, it didn't work. Based on the finishes tonight, Big Show and Miz will retain, at least for now. The question will be whether this match will be light or dark. With ten in the Money in the Bank, there just can't be a clear winner, and whoever does will not cash in WrestleMania night. It's been talked about too much. Cena-Batista was treated separate from Vince-Bret, but I'm still looking for a re-connect to screw Bret over. If not Batista, Drew McIntyre will probably need to "earn" the Taker loss being expunged. As for Michaels-Taker, nothing has changed; Shawn will say good-bye the Monday after. There is still no reasonable doubt to speak of. I can't consider beating Kane reasonable doubt since the match was too short to mean anything. And Taker's burial of Cryme Tyme, Hart Dynasty, and Drew McIntyre didn't help the equation either...unless all of them get involved to avenge their squashings to protect Taker's loss. Sheamus-Hunter is a tough call, but if a full face turn is in Randy's future, a resourceful win is coming Sunday. The flip side could be daddy Ted DiBiase getting involved in Legacy's favor. In the end, I wish I were more excited about WrestleMania. Sadly, I'm not.

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