SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
The following report originally published 10 years ago this week here at PWTorch.com…
KELLER’S WWE RAW REPORT
FEBRUARY 9, 2015
AIRED LIVE ON USA NETWORK
[HOUR ONE]
-The show opened with a video package on last week’s developments for the Fastlane main event.
-The Raw opening was followed by live pyro and Michael Cole introducing the show.
-Roman Reigns made his ring entrance. He looked around the crowd as if he was expecting hostility or something. Maybe I’m projecting at this point when it comes to that, though. A clip aired of last week’s win by Daniel Bryan over Seth Rollins as Reigns finished his ring entrance.
He received a mixed response while pacing in the ring. He smirked. He said this time last week he stood in the ring the winner of the 2015 Royal Rumble match. He said he still plans to go to WrestleMania and beat Brock Lesnar to win the WWE Championship, but last week The Authority made it pretty clear he’s not the guy they want in that spot. He said the way he proves himself now is he wins the Rumble, beats Bryan at Fastlane, and then goes on to WrestleMania and beats Lesnar for the championship. He tripped up a little on the word “beats” but regained footing smoothly and quickly.
He said if anyone gets in his way, it doesn’t matter because he has a spear with your name on it. He said you can believe that. Bryan’s music then played and Reigns went from a smile to a frown. However, he smiled for a full second or so after Bryan’s music played, so it’s like he almost forgot which emotion he was supposed to feel and express. Bryan came out smiling, as usual. Booker T said he sums up Bryan in one word: “competitor.” JBL said his one word for him is “cockroach” because he won’t go away.” A massive “Yes!” chant broke out.
Bryan said: “Now easy there, big dawg!” He said he didn’t come out there to fight him. He said he wanted to thank him. He said last week he speared the Big Show, which was amazing to see. He said without that, maybe Seth would have beat him and he’d be a goner. He thanked him for the opportunity last week. Reigns seemed to get distracted briefly by a heckler near ringside. Bryan said Reigns is bigger than him and stronger than him, and when it comes to looks, “I’d say we’re about even.” Reigns laughed a little too hard, like it was the most ridiculous thing ever so it was hilarious. Humility, sir. Bryan said what really matters most, though, is that when it comes to wrestling, I am the better wrestler than you.
The Authority’s music played. Stephanie McMahon spoke first. She said everyone is excited about Fastlane, which is available free the whole month of February. Triple H said at that pay-per-view, he will go face-to-face with Sting, “if he shows up.” He said he’s called him out for two weeks and he has yet to hear a word. He said he was giving him until the end of the night. “Are you a man or are you the coward that I think you are.”
Steph told Bryan and Reigns that tensions are incredibly high which would explain why they’ve been so antagonistic lately. Steph said the reason Reigns speared Show last week was out of spite because he pinned him earlier in the night. Reigns said he did it because he could. Steph said, “Well, that’s even worse.” Steph scolded Bryan for pushing Kane into a casket and closing the lid. “That’s where dead bodies go to decompose. I mean, how sick and twisted are you?”
Bryan said in response, “In all fairness, you guys did put me in that match. Also, considering what your husband has done in caskets, I thought you guys would appreciate it.” Hunter didn’t change his facial expression or shift or twitch. He stood there frozen no-selling it, which was perfect. Steph said as management, they take accountability very seriously. She said because they have caused physical pain, public humiliation, and emotional distress, so they are taking action by booking them against Kane and Big Show. And an opening Raw segment can’t end without someone saying, “And that match is taking place… NOW!” Kane and Show headed to the ring to Show’s music as they cut to a break. [c]
(1) DANIEL BRYAN & ROMAN REIGNS vs. KANE & BIG SHOW
They opened with Kane vs. Bryan. Bryan dove through the ropes onto Kane a minute in. Reigns tagged in to mostly boos. He took Kane down with – you won’t believe this – a clothesline. He actually did an arm bar and elbowed Kane’s arm, too. Kane tagged in Show. He kicked Show several times. Show shoved him off and then powered him head-first into the corner turnbuckle. Steph and Hunter were at ringside. Steph applauded with enthusiasm all of Show’s offense against Reigns. Reigns came back with several clotheslined in the corner. Reigns blocked a Show chokeslam with a DDT. He headbutted Show. Show no-sold it and headbutted Reigns, who bumped hard to the mat. Kane tagged in and pounded away at Kane’s back. When Kane settled into a chinlock, they replayed Reigns’s bit spear of Show last week on Raw.
Reigns hot-tagged Bryan at 4:00. Bryan got a nice but not huge pop. He knocked Kane off the ring apron, then hit Show with a running boot to the face twice. He followed with roundhouse kicks to the body. Show shoved him down. Bryan kicked Show’s leg. Show dropped to his knees. Bryan hit him with a series of kicks that the crowd was into cheering along with. Bryan then climbed to the top rope and dove onto Kane and Show. Kane and Show caught him and threw him hard against the ropes. He bounced to the floor as they cut to a break. [c]
Show had his arms wrapped around Bryan’s face after the break. Bryan escaped. Show put him in a bearhug next. Kane and Show tagged in and out and took turns beating up Bryan. Booker said Sting isn’t the kind of guy you want to call out to a fight. Bryan avoided a swing splash in the corner by Show. Bryan then crawled through the desert to try to tag Reigns, but Kane tagged in and cut off Bryan and gave Reigns an uppercut. Bryan surprised Kane with a Yes lock. Show yanked Bryan out of the ring and threw him over the ringside barrier into the time keeper area. The ref called for the DQ.
(WK Reax: What?! That’s a DQ? Doesn’t that happen in nearly every match? Let’s see next time that happens in the ref’s vision if it’s an instant DQ.)
WINNER: Bryan & Reigns via DQ in 14:00.
-Afterward Show and Kane beat up Bryan. Reigns hit Show with the Superman punch and then two chairshots to the back and a barrage of jabs. Show tumbled to the floor. Kane hit Reigns from behind. Kane set up a chokeslam, but Bryan tried to break it up. Kane let go, and Bryan’s running dropkick hit Reigns by mistake. Booker said it was an accident. Cole said Reigns was oblivious to what happened. Reigns got up and looked upset. Bryan explained himself. Reigns wasn’t listening, and he shoved Bryan to the mat. “You kick me in the face?” Bryan said, “Not on purpose.” Hunter said, “You two seem to get along great. What a team! I’ll tell you what we’re gonna do.” He set up a tag match with Kane & Show & J&J Security & Seth Rollins vs. Reigns & Bryan later.
-A commercial aired for the live NXT Special with the heavy praise by media from the Houston Chronicle and IGN. Nice ad that made you feel you were missing something pretty cool if you weren’t watching on WWE Network. [c]
(2) RYBACK vs. SETH ROLLINS (w/J&J Security)
Ryback charged at Seth early, but Seth ducked and he flew over the top rope to the floor. J&J threw Ryback into the barricade as Seth distracted the ref. Ryback gave Seth a backdrop which sent him to the floor to recover with J&J consoling him. As Jamie Noble distracted the ref, Seth and Joey Mercury went after Ryback. Ryback fended them off. When Ryback lifted Seth for his Shellshocked finisher, J&J attacked him for the DQ. Cole was outraged and asked if The Authority were going to let any match go to its natural conclusion. The attacked continued for another minute. Seth yelled, “We run the ship!”
WINNER: Ryback via DQ in 4:00.
(WK Reax: Cole was good here being absolutely outraged at the DQ. It’s got to be for a reason because usually he doesn’t sell these types of DQ finishes as much. It’s part of something larger.)
-The announcers plugged that Rusev and Lana will pay tribute to John Cena’s career tonight. [c]
-A public service spot aired with Big Show saying he won’t stand for bullying. He asked people to join the B A Star anti-bullying program.
(WK Reax: I think my head just exploded. Of all WWE Superstars, they chose him to give that message? It’s so counter productive to the immersive experience of getting people emotionally invested in seeing heels lose to have a heel pitch a message like that. It’s not about kayfabe, it’s about common sense when telling a story.)
-A vignette aired with Sheamus hyping his return.
(3) PAIGE vs. BRIE BELLA (w/Nikki Bella)
Brie grounded Paige for a while. She went for a clothesline, but Paige ducked and slapped her. They actually slapped each other at the same time. Paige took Brie down with three short-arm clotheslines. When Nikki stood on the ring apron, Paige shoved Brie into Nikki and then gave Brie her implant DDT finisher.
WINNER: Paige in 4:00.
-Cole plugged that Brock Lesnar and Paul Heyman will address the Fastlane situation later.
-They showed Rusev and Lana headed to the entrance tunnel. [c]
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[HOUR TWO]
-Rusev and Lana made their ring entrance. Lana said Cena has accomplished much in WWE and his never give up attitude has led him to be one of the finest fighting champions in WWE history. He said they want to recognize Cena’s career, just like is done at the Grammys or Oscars. She threw to a video package with great Cena moments. Then it shifted mid-video into Cena getting destroyed in various matches and being stretchered out with a neck immobilizer.
Back live, Lana said Cena’s body must ache. She said he looks stronger and greater than ever, but inside he is vulnerable. She said he is a man at his limits waiting for annihilation. Rusev said Cena is no longer what he used to be. He got upset at the crowd and told them to stop booing him because he is a hero. He said Cena is no longer the young man full of ruthless aggression. He said his fighting spirit has left him and he’s just weak. He vowed to crush his body and break his spirit.
Cena said he is half blind but not deaf. He said he hears Rusev talking about him like he’s a broken down shell of an old man. He asked why if Rusev is so unbeatable and Cena is so broken down, why are they having a match. Cena said it’s because the people want to see Rusev and Lana shut the hell up. He said they are both full of themselves and both full of crap. He said they need to watch their lousy propoganda films to know he’s been knocked down a few times. He said the part of his film they left out is that every time he gets knocked down, he gets back up. He said Rusev needs a lesson in respect, and he’ll give it to him at Fastlane. He said he’ll hit him so hard at Fastlane, his eyes will water. Cena said he’s not taking Rusev lightly and he is everything he says he is. He said he is a super athlete, but at Fastlane, they’ll find out if he’s tough. “You picked a fight with the wrong old man, son,” he said. He said, “At Fastlane, this old man is going to whip your ass.”
(WK Reax: And I was hard on TNA for drawing attention to Sting in his early 50s being old. Why is WWE drawing any attention to Cena being “old”? I guess it means less when it’s not true, and Cena’s still in his prime earning years based on WWE history.)
Rusev joked that Cena can’t even see him with is one eye. Cena said Rusev’s got the jokes, then added, “It’s just a shame that Lana has the balls.” Rusev and Cena charged at each other. Rusev tackled Cena onto the ramp. Cena rolled on top of Rusev and then tackled him on the stage. Rusev got right up and poked Cena in his eye. Rusev then threw Cena into the video wall on the entrance stage. Cole said this has gotten very serious. [c]
-The announcers commented on a replay of the Cena-Rusev battle.
(4) DOLPH ZIGGLER vs. BRAY WYATT
Cole said Bray refers to himself as “the new face of fear.” He said he tells the person he speaks to to come find him. As they began wrestling, a very intense battle chant took place: “Let’s go Wyatt! / Let’s go Ziggler!” JBL said the fans of Ohio State University love a winner, which is why they’re cheering for Wyatt.
(WK Reax: No, they’re cheering for Wyatt because of the WWE “modern approach” to presenting their product that includes Big Show doing a public service announcement speaking out against bullying.)
They locked up at the start. Bray overpowered Ziggler. They wrestled – as in actual mat wrestling – for a little bit. Bray grounded Ziggler. Ziggler made a comeback and showed a ton of fire, Chippendales style. Bryan tried to sneak out of the ring, but Ziggler caught him, dropped him over the top rope, then dropkicked him to the floor. They cut to a break. [c]
Bray remained on offense after the break. They collided mid-air, with Bray coming out better. At 9:00 Ziggler hit a DDT out of nowhere for a near fall. He landed a Fameasser a minute later and a superkick for a near fall. Booker channelled Michael Hayes circa late 1980s UWF and said Ziggler should have hooked the leg. Cole defended Ziggler, saying he just fell on top of Bray after having been put through the wringer. At ringside Bray nailed Ziggler with a clothesline.
Back in the ring Bray bent upside down in the corner, then dropped into the crab walk. Bray then gave Ziggler the Sister Abigail for the win.
WINNER: Bray at 12:00.
(WK Reax: Given Bray appears headed toward a match against Undertaker, this finish is not surprising. Ziggler was put in there to make Bray look strong, and he did.)
-Bray dragged Ziggler by his arm out of the ring onto the floor. Then he raised the mat at ringside. Two referees put the mat right back down and told him not to do it. Then they cut to replays of the ringside clothesline and finisher in the ring that ended the match. Cole said he’s a strange man. JBL said he’s dangerous.
-At ringside, Cole, JBL, and Booker threw to a video package on Junkyard Dog who was regarded as the first black man to headline his promotion. They aired Mid-South Wrestling footage and getting young fans to dance with him in WWF rings. [c]
-Brock Lesnar and Paul Heyman walked out next, at the mid point of three hours. Heyman couldn’t have looked prouder as he strutted behind Lesnar on the voyage to the ring. JBL said Lesnar has to prepare for two totally different possible opponent styles for WrestleMania. Heyman said the theme of tonight’s sermon is information because it’s readily apparent to his client that society never places value on credible information anymore. He said society has gone after Brian Williams for embellishing a couple stories or maybe fabricating some. He said the biggest liar in the land is a distinction held by Roman Reigns and Daniel Bryan.
Heyman said if either Reigns or Bryan think they have a chance against Lesnar, they are lying to the fans, their family, and themselves. He said when Reigns met Lesnar face to face, “That yellow stream running down your leg was not pineapple juice.” The crowd ewww’d. He said it’s a normal human reaction, nothing to be ashamed of.
He said Bryan, the ultimate underdog, believes he actually has a chance against Lesnar. Heyman asked the fans to look at Lesnar and truly say Bryan has a chance. “I’m not just talking about the size difference,” he said, because he makes up for it with in-ring ability, knowledge of submission wrestling, and a pipeline to God because he pulls off so many miracles. He asked if they really think he is the one to beat the one in 21-1.
He said it doesn’t matter who wins at Fastlane. He said if it’s Bryan or Reigns, the winner should hop in a helicopter with Brian Williams and subject themselves to enemy fire. He said there’s an F5 that will take that chopper down in the middle of the ring at WrestleMania. He said that is the fate that awaits either Bryan or Reigns or any man who tries to take the championship away from the Beast, the Conquerer, and the Reigning, Undisputed WWE Heavyweight Championship of the World.
(WK Reax: I don’t know how much Lesnar got paid to do that, but it’s a pretty fantastic job, and I’d argue he’s not overpaid. Nobody stands mid-ring saying and doing nothing in a way that makes we interested in seeing him wrestle than Lesnar.) [c]
-Clips aired of the Stardust-Goldust saga.
(5) STARDUST & GOLDUST vs. THE NEW DAY (BIG E. & KOFI KINGSTON w/Xavier Woods)
New Day sang and danced their way to the ring. Xavier said Goldust & Stardust have more paint on their faces than five year old kids at a birthday party. Yes, they said that. Stardust left the match after tagging in Goldust a minute into it. Goldust yelled at him to get back to the ring. Kofi schoolboy Goldust for the win.
WINNERS: The New Day in 2:00.
-Cole said their father Dusty Rhodes sent him a Twitter note saying boys will boys and they have to work things out themselves. Then they threw to a highlight package from the after opening match where Bryan accidentally dropkicked Reigns.
-Renee Young interviewed Bryan backstage. He said he didn’t blame Roman for how he reacted because he might have reacted the same way in the heat of the moment. Bryan is way, way too forgiving of everything and everyone. Reigns walked in and said, “Damn right we can.” He told Bryan they have a common enemy. He said regardless of what happens, it’s Bryan vs. Reigns at Fastlane. “See you pout there, Daniel,” he closed.
-Cole said Hunter will demand an answer from Sting live next. [c]
-Backstage Goldust grabbed Stardust by his shoulder and said it’s gone too far. He said this is his brother talking, not Goldust. He referred to him as Cody. Cody shoved him and said he told him never to refer to him as Cody again because Cody is dead.
-Triple H stood in the ring and said for 20 years he has tried to make WWE a better place when others have come and gone. He said his life’s work was almost all taken away because of one man – Sting, the face of WCW. “The company I helped destroy,” he said. He said 14 years later, Sting “finally gathers up the guts to do something about it.” He said he stayed away for 14 years because he knew if he came there, he would personally expose him. He said for whatever reason, he showed up at Survivor Series and take his shot. He said he didn’t do it like a man; instead, he attacked like a coward. He said he is a man and he is calling him out at Fastlane to stand in the ring face-to-face with him. He said he will explain to him why he was right to stay away for 14 years. He said if he agrees to never show up again, he can leave Fastlane with his dignity in tact. He said he is a patient man, but after two weeks with no answer, his patience has run out.
The lights went out and the crow squawks were heard. Then a video aired on the big screen with Triple H saying he wanted Sting. Then the lights went out again. Behind him, a guy in a wig showed up who obviously wasn’t Sting. Triple H fell to the mat. The video screen said, “I accept.” The lights went out and the ring was empty again. They showed Hunter, shaken up, looking around nervously as they cut to a break. [c]
(WK Reax: Without the Sting not-a-look-alike, this would have been fine.)
-A commercial aired for WWE Network’s debut of the “WWE Crazy, Stupid Love Show.”
-They went back to the announcers at ringside who talked about Valentine’s Day. Then they threw to a clip of the Cena-Rusev angle. Cole said Cena was nearly blinded. He said doctors are telling him he is suffering from a scratched cornea and his eye is worse than originally thought.
(6) THE USOS (w/Naomi) vs. CESARO & TYSON KIDD (w/Natalya)
They aired a clip of the double date that went wrong that aired on Smackdown. A minute into the match, when Kidd and Jimmy tumbled to ringside, Natalya and Naomi went to check on their men and ended up arguing. [c]
Kidd had Uso grounded after the break. Uso missed a charge into the corner. Kidd then rolled up Uso and put his legs on the middle rope. The ref saw it. As Kidd argued, Uso kicked him in the face. Then Cesaro shoved Uso off the top rope and Kidd covered him and pinned him.
WINNERS: Cesaro & Kidd in 11:00.
-Cole threw to the announcement that Rikishi was entering the Hall of Fame this year. It led to a lot of Stink Face highlights. It talked about the Usos, his twin sons, continuing the family legacy.
-They cut to his sons smiling wide in the ring. They lost the match, but the announcement of their dad in the HOF more than made up for it.
-They showed Miz and Mizdow headed toward the entrance tunnel backstage. [c]
-After another commercial for the NXT Takeover special aired, they went to the announcers at ringside. Cole hyped it as a WWE Network exclusive.
(7) SIN CARA vs. MIZDOW (w/The Miz)
Mizdow began the match wearing sunglasses. Miz yelled, “Stop! Stop! Stop! Stop! Stop! Stop!” He told him to take off his sunglasses. A minute into the match, when Mizdow went after Sin Cara at ringside, Miz interrupted and said, “Mizdow, since you’re out there, could you get me a water, please.” Mizdow fetched him a water bottle from five feet behind him. As Mizdow was about to enter the ring, Miz asked him to open it for him. The crowd booed. Miz told the fans, “Excuse me, when my hand goes up, your mouths go shut.” Sin Cara dove onto Mizdow and chopped away at him at ringside. JBL what’s lost in this is Sin Cara has been on a bit of a win streak lately. Back in the ring, Mizdow gave Cara the Skull Crushing Finale, and then kipped up. Cole said, “He does that better than Miz – a lot better.” Mizdow then began to apply the figure-four. Miz jumped onto the ring apron and told Mizdow to stop because that’s the move he made famous. When Mizdow looked upset. Miz told him check his attitude or he’ll send him back to what he was before. Sin Cara small packaged Mizdow for a quick win.
WINNER: Sin Cara in 3:00.
(WK Reax: Miz and Mizdow are both very good at their roles. It’s a nice slow build toward Mizdow eventually fully snapping. Poor Sin Cara was in a no-win situation here.)
-The announcers hyped the free month of February on WWE Network.
-A promo aired with Bray. He said from the dawn of existence, mankind has struggled to answer one simple question: Where do we go when we die. He said men of science think we become one with earth and nothing more. Men of faith do things from a much different perspective. “But what about those you and I?” he said to a mystery man. He said, “To us, there is no death. This world is our hell. We don’t belong here.” He said his eyes are wide open and he doesn’t fear him anymore. He said it’s time for him to go home.
-They showed Dean Ambrose heading toward the entrance.
-A video aired hyping the return of Sheamus. [c]
-Cole plugged that on Smackdown, Bryan and Reigns will go face to face to discuss their issues.
-Curtis Axel stood in the ring and said this is his spotlight and no one is going to try to steal it from him, not even Kanye West. He said he won the Royal Rumble. He encouraged a chant of “AxelMania!”
(8) DEAN AMBROSE vs. CURTIS AXEL
Booker said Axel just hasn’t lived up to his potential. When Axel yelled in Dean’s face that he’s nothing, Dean fought back and nailed him with a clothesline rebound off the ropes. Then came Dirty Deeds for the win.
WINNER: Ambrose in 3:00.
-After the match Dean told Bad News Barrett he has some news for him. He said his mug is going up on the Wall of Champions at WWE Headquarters. He said there’s a WWE IC Championship match that belongs to him and he won’t stop until he gets it.
Barrett broke in with a BNZ segment (a takeoff on TMZ). He said he has bad news, because declaring that you want to have a title shot doesn’t mean deserves one. [c]
-Clips aired of the set-up for the main event. Then Bryan’s ring entrance began with 6 minutes left in the third hour. Then Reigns. Then the heel five-some led by Seth Rollins, fresh off of his nude picture scandal that evening. When the match began, Show and Kane went after Reigns as Seth and J&J beat on Bryan. Kane and Show gave Reigns a double chokeslam. Kane the threw Reigns’s limp body out of the ring.
(WK Reax: Reigns’s body was symbolic of this show as it limped to a finish, with wrestlers everyone had already seen wrestling each other again. Even the announcers sounded truly dispirited and exhausted. They really need to move Raw back to two hours. People shouldn’t feel about this product how they feel at the end. I mean, the crowd is burned out, the wrestlers are burned out, the announcers are burned out, and certainly the viewers are burned out all too often. This was one of those weeks, for sure.)
At 3:00 Reigns recovered and jumped into the ring to try to save Bryan from a beatdown. Big Show gave him the KO punch. Kane rolled him out of the ring. When the heels began to set up Bryan for a spot at ringside on the announce table, Ryback, Ziggler, and Rowan came out to break it up. Everyone brawled on the stage, on the ramp, and around that area. Bryan recovered and made a comeback. He tried to fire up the crowd as he set up a top rope dropkick of J&J. He kipped up and played to the crowd. He kicked Noble and Mercury, then set up the big running knee. However, Reigns tagged himself in and speared Mercury to steal the win. Bryan looked upset.
WINNERS: Bryan & Reigns at 10:00.
-Bryan yelled at Reigns that he was on the floor the entire match. Reigns turned to leave. Bryan turned him back around and told him not to turn his back on him. He said he did all the work. He shoved Reigns. Reigns speared Bryan. The crowd booed Reigns as he stalked Bryan, writhing on the mat.
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