BY WADE KELLER, PWTORCH EDITOR

KELLER'S WWE RAW REPORT
NOVEMBER 28, 2011
LIVE IN COLUMBIA, S.C.
AIRED ON USA NETWORK

[Q1]

-Michael Cole and Jerry Lawler introduced the show and hyped the C.M. Punk title defense againstAlberto Del Rio as pyro blatsted in the arena. Cole said they were having “championship fever” and narrated clips of Punk beating Del Rio at Survivor Series.

-Justin Roberts introduced Roddy Piper, who made his full ring entrance. He entered the ring and asked fans how someone like him – who wasn't the biggest or strongest – became a Hall of Famer. He said it was because of you”You! You! And you!” I thought he was breaking into George “The Animal” Steele's gimmick as he did that. He said it was the energy of the fans who defined him. He said when the fans cheered him he felt good and when the fans booed him, he did bad things. He said he's going to interview someone who says that energy of the crowd doesn't matter.

Cena came out with the usual smile on his face. He said it was an honor to be interviewed on Piper's Pit. He said just when he thinks he has the answers, Roddy changes the question. He said he has no idea what he means when he says the energy of the crowd doesn't matter to him. Piper said he was going to play name association. He mentioned Steve Austin, Bret Hart, The Rock, and John Cena. Austin and Bret were all cheers. Rock was a mix. Cena was a mix, heavier on boos than Rock. All reactions were passionate and strong, though. The “Cena! Cena!” chants overtook the “Cena sucks!” chants quickly. Cena said he sees what Piper is trying to do. Cena said he can see it on Roddy's face. He held out the mic and the boos got stronger. Cena seemed at this point to try to lead Piper to the next bullet point in their plans, mentioning the Survivor Series and The Rock. Piper said when all of the people were yelling at Rock to “Rock Bottom” him and then he did, he said the fans at MSG came unglued. Cena said he knows that because he was there. The fans chanted “Boots to asses!”

Cena told Piper it was okay. He said he digs a social experiment with word association as much as the next guy. He said this wasn't the first time this has happened in his career. He said there is a group of people who knows who he is and what he stands for, and he is loyal to those people. He said he knows also that he can't please all of the people, and some people are going to want to tell him to go to hell when they pay money for their tickets. He said that's fine, they can do what they want.

Piper said he needs to care more. He said he is the face of the WWE. “You are the man!” he said. “And the booing is getting louder and louder and louder. And you're losing it. You are losing it.” He said if he doesn't suck it up and tell the fans exactly what to think - “because this isn't Mick Foley's 'Have a Day' stuff, this is Roddy Piper's reality check” - he will end up losing at the biggest WrestleMania ever next year.

Cena listed big matches against Triple H, C.M. Punk in Chicago, Edge in Toronto, ECW's One Night Stand, and he said MSG was a cake walk compared to that. He said Rock had “one great night.” He pointed to a couple kids ages 3 or 4 and 5 or 6 (give or take) in the front row. He said they're having the time of their lives. The older kid waved his hand in front of his face. He said he had two Make-a-Wish visits earlier today. He said there are military personnel in the front row having a great time.

[Q2]

He said he believes in himself and knows what he stands for and he knows he can beat The Rock at WrestleMania, and that's why the boos don't matter to him. Piper said he traveled a long way to have a Piper's Pit with him. He said he's watched his career, and his generation handed the torch to him, and he raised the bar. He said he knows Cena steps up to the plate every day and is saying hi to the soldiers and the kids every day. He asked Cena how much energy he can tap into. He said he's seen it all and done it all, and he has the jewelry to prove it. He said: “From a Hall of Famer to a future Hall of Famer, if you don't get this off your chest and get it right with these folks, you will be in denial and it will kill your chances for everything you want to do.” He handed Cena his Hall of Fame ring. Cena said it's a fine gesture, but he's in a fine place. Piper said he wants to help him see things his way. He slapped Cena across the face. Cena looked upset. Piper asked, “Do you feel the energy? Do you feel the energy?!” Cena grabbed Piper's hand and gave him back his Hall of Fame ring. Then he walked out.

-They went to Cole and Lawler at ringside. Cole asked Lawler if he thinks the boos are finally getting to Cena. Lawler said he felt at Survivor Series was the first time he sensed the boos were getting to him. Cole hyped The Miz vs. John Morrison was coming up, then threw to Miz turning on R-Truth last week. Then they showed Alex Riley chatting and smiling with John Morrison backstage as they cut to a break. [c]

-Did You Know? WWE gives free tickets to military personnel.

-Miz attacked Morrison during his ring entrance and attacked him with a plastic vacuum cleaner attachment... I mean, a lead pipe. Medics checked on Morrison, who winced in pain. Miz strode slowly to the ring. Lawler said Morrison's leg might be busted. Morrison, though, insisted on limping to the ring and wrestling despite his injury.

(WK Reax: Lawler is helping this angle by calling it straight, rather than doing what Booker T or Taz would be doing in this situation, which is praising Miz for “doing what it takes” or “making a statement” and all of that other nonsensical, heel-heat-killing crap those two do all the time these days.)

1 – THE MIZ vs. JOHN MORRISON – Falls Count Anywhere Match

Morrison charged at Miz and punched him. Miz fired back with a kick at Morrison's injured leg. He stomped away at it. Cole said Miz was making a statement to the rest of the Raw locker room. He said this is a follow-up to what he did to R-Truth last week. He said Truth is going to be out of action for a few weeks because of that attack. (He's actually on a Wellness Policy violation suspension.) Morrison made another comeback with a kendo stick to beat on Miz. They brawled onto the entrance ramp. Morrison went for a cover and got a two count. Miz countered and threw Morrison into the side of the big WWE logo on the stage, then he gave Morrison the Skull Crushing Finale on the stage. He took his time rolling over Morrison's dead weight and was about to score the pin, but the ref called off the match because Morrison was KO'd.

WINNER: Miz in 4:00.

(WK Reax: Isn't the point of a falls count anywhere match to knock your opponent out so you can pin him? Why would the ref stop a match because Miz had his opponent knocked out? Why not just count to three? Had he lifted his shoulders at two, I'd get it, but this doesn't really make any logical sense. They're trying to be dramatic and sell the idea Miz really hurt Morrison, but shouldn't that be the point of every pinfall – to sell the idea that the move the wrestler just took was enough to knock them out?)

[Q2]

-Medics and officials put Morrison onto a stretcher and wheeled him out. That could be the final time you see Morrison on WWE TV, as his contract is reportedly up this month and there's long been talk that he'd be going the way of Melina.

-Miz re-entered the ring and said there is only one kind of Superstar who can make this kind of statement. He said that person is him because he is awesome. Lawler said he looks ice cold and is like the ice man.

(WK Reax: It'd good to see WWE trying to give some credibility and heel heat to Miz. What's always been a challenge for his character is to be taken seriously as a bad-ass due to his obnoxious personality and background and pretty-boy appearance. To draw as a heel, his best bet is for fans to see him as a threat to their favorite wrestlers.)

-A plug aired for the WWE DVD on Steve Austin. A clip aired of Austin talking about being piledriven. He said the first thing he thought of what Christopher Reeve and he felt he'd never walk again. He then said he didn't want paramedics taking him out of the ring. It comes out tomorrow. Sean Radican will have a review of it on the site soon and an expanded version in the PWTorch Newsletter. [c]

2 – THE BELLA TWINS vs. KELLY KELLY & ALICIA FOX

The screen flashed the plug for www.twitter.com/second2012 again this week. Early in the match Beth Phoenix and Natalya ran to ringside and jogged around the ring and then back again. Lawler said it appears to have been a mini workout. Lawler said Miz's attack on Morrison was so unnerving, it'd great to have the Divas out there to look at. Fox won with her flip legdrop out of nowhere. Lawler said the distraction at ringside may have worked in against the Bellas.

WINNER: Fox & Kelly in 2:00.

(WK Reax: That was about as short as it gets.)

-Cole hyped the WWE '12 videogame. He said it's so realistic, players can control everything. They showed videogame footage of Punk beating Del Rio. Cole said when he played it, Del Rio made Punk tap with the cross armbreaker. He said that could happen tonight. Lawler said it's hard to believe it was videogame footage and not the ring thing. Okay, that's pushing it. Lawler needs glasses if he's telling the truth! [c]

[Q3]

-A video package aired on Sheamus. Lots of smiles and lots of Celtic Crosses and Brogue Kicks.

-G.M. John Laurinaitis told someone on his cell phone that it'd be just one more week and it'd be perfect. He then said good bye to Brodus Clay. David Otunga, in a purple sweater vest, asked Laurinaitis when he'd finally let Clay wrestle on Raw. Laurinaitis said he's a killer and he's doing him a favor by delaying it and building up frustration in him. Alberto Del Rio then walked up and asked why Laurinaitis wanted to see him. Laurinaitis said he wanted to make sure he was ready for tonight's match. He said he lost last time in front of a lot of important people including sponsors at Survivor Series. He said he needs him to win and represent WWE properly and with integrity. Del Ro said Survivor Series was just a temporary setback. Punk knocked on the door and then walked in. Punk said 156,000 is the number of hits you get when you Google search “Laurinaitis and spineless.” He said there are nine times the returns for “Alberto Del Rio and boring.” He said he tried to do that with Otunga, but Jennifer Hudson's name kept coming up. The crowd ohhed and ahhed. Punk said the WWE Title isn't going anywhere tonight, then left. Otunga said the best way to retain a title is to get intentionally DQ'd. He said he has a law degree from Harvard and he knows what people are thinking before they say it. Laurinaitis said if Punk gets himself intentionally DQ'd, he will lose the title.

-They showed a split screen of Randy Orton and Dolph Ziggler heading toward the entrance tunnel. [c]

-Wade Barrett made a full ring entrance and joined the announcers on commentary.

3 – RANDY ORTON vs. DOLPH ZIGGLER (w/Vickie Guerrero)

Cole plugged WWE.com's Interaction page, inviting people to chat about the show. Cole said there's a lot of talk about Orton right now. Barrett said he doesn't like the way Orton is staring him down right now. He said he felt things were over after his team beat Orton's team at Survivor Series, but Orton won't let it go. Ziggler then came out to his newly remixed entrance music titled “Here to Show the World” (available on iTunes). Cole said Ziggler oozed confidence. A clip aired from earlier on an inset with Ziggler saying he admits he's a show-off. He said last week he took Punk to the limit and this week he's going to beat Orton this week and do what he does best – show off.” Lawler asked if Cole just posted at WWE Interaction that Vickie Guerrero is stunning. Cole admitted he did. Barrett vowed to become England's first World Champion some day. Cole explained that Vickie is in charge of Ziggler's business affairs.

[Q5]

Cole reset the show at the top of the hour as Ziggler continued to dominate offense. Ziggler dropkicked Orton off the ring apron, which Cole touted. Cole said eight nights after winning the title at Survivor Series, Punk would defend against Del Rio tonight.

(WK Reax: It's good to hear WWE getting back into the promoting business instead of just presenting big matches. They're giving hype to this WWE Title match by announcing it a week ahead and pushing it as a big deal throughout the show leading up to it.)

Cole brought up that Alicia Fox, #Raw, and the Bella Twins were trending on Twitter. A graphic on the screen listed those topics. Ziggler climbed to the top rope at 6:00. Orton caught him up there and punched and headbutted him. Orton then played to Vickie at ringside before setting up a superplex. He gave Ziggler a top rope superplex. They cut to a break, which included a plug for the live Smackdown holiday special the next night. [c]

Cole asked Barrett if he was impressed with what he has seen from Orton so far. Barrett said yes, but he's beaten him before and has him in his back pocket, so he's not intimidated. Orton continued to rally on offense. He played to the crowd and then gave Ziggler the DDT off the middle rope. Vickie reacted with worry at ringside. Orton pounded the mat and set up the RKO. Ziggler rolled to the floor. Barrett jumped onto the ring apron to provide a distraction. Orton dropkicked him to the floor. Ziggler then entered the ring and surprised Orton with a Zig Zag to get the upset win. After the match, Ziggler did a headstand at ringside, part of his “show-off” gimmick. The back of his tights say “#heel,” by the way.

WINNER: Ziggler in 12:00. (**1/2)

(WK Reax: Good 12 minute TV match. It felt like a TV match and not an epic climax to a feud, but it served its purpose very well at showing off Ziggler as a rising star who can get an opportunistic win over a top tier player like Orton, while also promoting Orton vs. Barrett.)

-A commercial aired for the live Smackdown holiday special narrated by Mick Foley doing a Santa imitation and throwing out cute holiday puns. [c]

[Q6]

-Daniel Bryan stood inside the ring for an interview with Michael Cole. Cole called him the world's biggest hypocrite. Cole said he has been given the opportunity to battle Mark Henry for the World Title inside the cage tomorrow night. Bryan said he wasn't given anything. He said he earned the shot by winning the Money in the Bank. He said he doesn't think Cole is going to get everything right, and he said everyone knows Cole is the worst announcer in WWE history. He said he thinks, though, he has earned just a little bit of his respect in his time in WWE. Cole said he can't respect a man who tried to cash in his MITB contract on Friday against a defenseless World Champion. He called him a liar for pronouncing on his vegan high-horse that he was going to cash in his briefcase at WrestleMania. He called him a hypocrite for not living up to his word. Cole said it was hilarious what happened on Friday Night Smackdown. He threw to a clip.

The clip aired of Big Show KO'ing Mark Henry, after which Bryan ran out and cashed in MITB and scored a pin. Cole said it appeared Bryan won the World Title, but then he approached the announce table and shoved the belt in Cole's face. Back live in the ring, Cole said what's so funny is that he actually believed he was the World Champion, but then the rug was pulled out from underneath him and his dreams were shattered. He said G.M. Teddy Long said Henry wasn't medically cleared to wrestle, so the match didn't count. Cole said if he were G.M., he would have stripped him of the MITB contract and suspended him indefinitely for conduct unbecoming a WWE Superstar. He said he hopes Henry decimates him in the cage.

Bryan said he is a hypocrite, but plans change. He said when Henry tried to induct him into the Hall of Pain, he realized the briefcase doesn't guarantee him anything if he isn't physically able to make it to WrestleMania. He said tomorrow night he is stepping foot inside the cage against Henry and what's more important than headlining WrestleMania is his becoming the World Champion.

(WK Reax: Great, believable, intense delivery from Bryan. That's how it's done.)

Henry interrupted from the stage. He said Bryan should be ashamed of trying to take advantage of a defenseless human being. He said Long should be ashamed of booking him in a title defense while he is injured. He said he will retain his title on Smackdown tomorrow night. Bryan began walking toward Henry as Henry said Bryan can't beat him even if he's only on one leg. Bryan marched up the ramp and stomped on Henry's bad leg. He then said they'll find out if he can beat him tomorrow night. Cole called it a cheap shot. Bryan returned to the back as Henry winced in pain. Cole said Bryan will get his tomorrow night.

(WK Reax: If WWE did a segment on Raw every week to promote Smackdown's main event like this, Smackdown ratings would go up, perhaps a lot. But that would take planning the main event before Tuesday afternoon, I suppose.)

-Lawler and Cole hyped the Punk vs. Del Rio main event. [c]

-Did You Know? WWE has more Facebook Fans than ESPN, Oprah, Pepsi, Gatorade, AT&T, and Nike.

(WK Reax: Okay, but what about Fox Sports, Verizon, Coke, Powerade, New Balance, and Gail King? Huh? Well?)

4 – ZACK RYDER vs. JACK SWAGGER (w/Vickie Guerrero)

Lawler talked up Ryder's petition. Cole said it doesn't matter what a bunch of Internet geeks want. Swagger said Ryder has to earn his title shot each and every night. The plug for the “second2012” video aired again. Back and forth match throughout. Cole said this whole Ryder thing is going to be over before everyone blinks. “Take a nap, you'll miss it,” he said. Swagger went for his corner swing splash, but Ryder kicked him in the face and then hit the Rough Ryder for the win. Swagger threw a fit. Cole said Ryder has more grease in his hair than Lawler does. That's not possible.

WINNER: Ryder in 3:00.

[Q7]

-Cole again hyped the Punk defense against Del Rio.

-A video aired again hyping the return of Kane featuring a lit match, shattered glass, a close up of Kane's face, and a general horror movie cellar scene right out of “American Horror Story.” The screen said: “Kane: Resurrected.”

(WK Reax: Giving tenured big names like Kane time off, whether required due to an injury or optional just to give them a breather to keep them from retiring entirely since a full time schedule isn't what they want or can handle anymore, these strategically hyped reintroductions really work to reinvigorate the characters who otherwise might overstay their welcome and become stale. It builds anticipation for how they'll be presented differently this time around.) [c]

-They showed the exterior of the Colonial Life Arena and the University of South Carolina. Then they threw to a highlight package on the Piper's Pit at the start of the show with Cena.

-Mick Foley walked out dressed as Santa. He read a reworked Christmas Carol plugging Smackdown with references to various WWE Superstars including a laugh-line about Hornswoggle, a reference to Sheamus's white skin, and a dig at Michael Cole. Cole had called Foley an idiot as he walked out. Foley wished everyone a Merry Christmas. Cole said, “I hope he crashes his sleigh.”

-Josh Mathews asked Punk backstage how he feels about the clause that he loses his title if he intentionally gets DQ'd. He said, “He can kiss my bottom... and by that I mean, kiss my ass.” He looked directly at the camera and said, “Kiss my ass.” [c]

[Q8]

-A commercial aired for the Henry-Bryan cage match tomorrow night on Smackdown.

5 – C.M. PUNK vs. ALBERTO DEL RIO (w/Ricardo Rodrigues) – WWE Title Match

The “Trending on Twitter” box said “Zack Ryder, Daniel Bryan, and #WWWYKI” were trending. “WWWYKI” has made it to the Urban Dictionary already, by the way, standing for Zack Ryder's “Woo Woo Woo, You Know It!” of course! Lawler said he doesn't think Punk would have taken the easy out and gotten himself intentionally DQ'd anyway, so the match stip isn't going to make a difference. The crowd chanted “C.M. Punk!” early. Del Rio got in offense including a headlock and an armbar, his usual pedestrian offensive arsenal. Punk clotheslined Del Rio over the top rope to the floor, then dove through the ropes and shoulder tackled him. They cut to a break at 2:00. [c]

Punk overshot on a sunset flip. Del Rio improvised with a fistdrop on Punk's arm, then climbed to the top rope. As Punk stood, Del Rio flew at him with a flying something of other. He more or less collided with him, driving his forearm into Punk's shoulder. It was good for a near two count. Del Rio stomped and yanked Punk's arm, then wrapped it around the top rope. Punk caught Del Rio charging at him with a big boot, then went for a crossbody, but Del Rio ducked and went back on the attack.

[Q9]

The crowd chanted “Where's Our Ice Cream” I think, as Del Rio slowed the match with another armbar. A “Del-Ree-Oh” chant began, followed by other fans chanting “Sucks!” Del Rio leaped off the top rope, but Punk met him with a kick to the head leading to a two count at 10:00. Punk rallied with more kicks and then a neckbreaker for a near fall. Lawler said Punk believes in himself and is a bit of a loner and has his own “idea-ology.” Del Rio came back with a knee armbreaker for a two count. Del Rio ducked a wheelkick from Punk and back suplexed him into a bridge for a near fall. Cole sold the near fall nicely. Lawler said Del Rio began to get frustrated or experience self-doubt. Del Rio went for the cross armbreaker, but Punk countered with a GTS attempt, but Del Rio contered that with a DDT for a two count. Del Rio expressed frustration and took some encouraging words from Ricardo at ringside.

Del Rio kicked Punk in the ribs, then began to unfasten the top turnbuckle pad. The ref scolded him. Ricardo slid a chair into the ring. Del Rio threw the chair to Punk, hoping the ref would turn and see it and DQ Punk. Punk threw the chair right back at Del Rio. Del Rio nervously threw the chair out of the ring. The ref asked what was going on. Punk was on the mat pretending he was hit with a chair. The ref was about to DQ Del Rio. Punk then schoolboyed Del Rio for a believable near fall. Del Rio then hit a double-knee backbreaker for a believable near fall. Lawler said he thinks the ref almost DQ'd Del Rio. Ricardo distracted the ref as Del Rio tried to toss Punk into the exposed turmbuckle. Punk, though, countered and gave Del Rio a GTS over the turnbuckle for the win. Lawler said, “That's what you call an opportunist.” When Cole said Punk used the exposed turnbuckle, Lawler did what a babyface commentator is supposed to do – he pointed out that Del Rio exposed it in the first place.

WINNER: Punk in 14:00. (***)

(WK Reax: Good match with an even better finish. I really liked the sequence with the chair spot playing into the special stip in the match. And then the turnbuckle, which was just a distraction fr Del Rio to try to trick so he could sneak the chair into the ring, ended up backfiring on him in the end. Well done. A very very good final few minutes of big moves, comebacks, near falls, teases, and a decisive satisfying finish that fits the characters of the wrestlers.)

-Punk celebrated his win, then they went to a final plug for the live Smackdown.

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