Monday Night Raw TV Report 10/3/11



Reported by Earnest I Aguilar

It's another new month following a Pay-Per-View, which means we must have another new champion, considering how they are playing "hot-potato" with the titles lately. The question is, who is the champ - Alberto Del Rio, C.M. Punk, or did John Cena manage to retain the WWE gold?

Also, will Miz & R-Truth (or any other uninvited guests) make an appearance on tonight's show as they did at last night's "Hell In The Cell"? Plus, what does the C.O.O. Triple H have in store for Monday Night Raw and his roster? Read on to find out...


Introduction Segment: Arena Welcoming

Raw kicks off right away, no pyro/video, with Michael Cole, Booker T. & Jim Ross also on commentary, and we see that a 12-Man Tag-Team Match is on the cards featuring Sheamus, C.M. Punk, John Cena, Mason Ryan, & WWE Tag-Team Champions "Air Boom" (Kofi Kingston & Evan "Air" Bourne) VS. WWE Champion Alberto Del Rio (there's your answer!), Christian, WWE United States Champion Dolph Ziggler, WWE Intercontinental Champion Cody "Old-School" Rhodes, Jack Swagger, & David Otunga.


Match #1: Single - Randy Orton VS. Drew McIntyre

Betcha this is over before it really begins! Still clips of Mark Henry VS. Randy Orton from last night are shown, with M.H. retaining his World Heavyweight Championship. Lockup by both wrestlers into the corner and the ref has to separate them. Clothesline out of the corner by Orton and stomping away on Dew with an uppercut and high dropkick taboot! Orton chucks McIntyre to both sides of the barricade and then back in the ring.

10-Punches-in-the-corner from "The Viper", but Drew soon comes back with a smacking boot-to-the-head. Drew mount-punches Orton and hits a Snap Suplex for a 2. Up against the ropes, Orton turns it around and begins to hammer away on Drew, slamming his head into the turnbuckle. McIntyre counters with two boots out of the corner for a quick two-count. Swinging neckbreaker for another 2 by McIntyre. Drew dives off the second rope but Orton gets his boot up to nail McIntyre in the chin. "The Apex Predator" gets into his zone and finishes the Scotsman off with his sequence of the Slingshot DDT and a fiercely-driven R.K.O. for the 1 - 2 - 3!

Winner via Pinfall: Randy Orton

Post match, Orton delivers another R.K.O. for good measure and celebrates his win - until the World Heavyweight Champion Mark Henry walks out and gloats with his title above his head. Orton jumps out of the ring and the two rivals brawl with each other and security who come out to try and break it up.

Executive Vice-President Of Talent Relations John Laurinaitis is also out and just watches on as Randy tosses Henry over the barricade into the crowd. Security push Orton up the ramp as Cole declares "chaos and bedlam continue!"

Commercials.

Match #2: Single - World Heavyweight Champion Mark Henry VS. John Morrison (Non-Title)

Prior to the bout, a video package of Mark Henry's recent destruction is aired and we learn that one of his victims - The Big Show - is set to return on Friday Night Smackdown!

Morrison right away ducks and hammers away on the back of Henry to no avail. Mark just throws John into the corner and takes control of the match with power moves. The "World's Strongest Man" attempts the World's Strongest Slam until The Monday Night Delight lands on his feet and chops him down with dropkicks to the knee, kicks, and a knee-to-the-face.

This set up Morrison for the "Starship Pain" and hits it! 1 - 2 - shoulder's up by Henry! Henry regained domination with a huge boot and the "World's Strongest Slam" to get the W!

Winner via Pinfall: World Heavyweight Champion Mark Henry

Segment #2: Post match Attack/Promo

Much like Orton earlier, Henry gives Morrison his finisher to make his point. He also cuts a promo on what it's like to be in the ring with a beast! Henry declares that he's done with Orton and is ready for The Big Show on Friday night.

Ads.

Segment #3: Backstage Promo

The Heel-Side of the 12-Man Tag is with John Laurinaitis and are asking him about the grievances against Triple H. John said he will talk to "The Game" but Vickie isn't satisfied, so she & the gang are headed to the ring to plead their case in public.

Commercials.

Segment #4: Arena Promo

All mentioned above are in the ring and now the NEW WWE Champion Alberto Del Rio walks out (sans Ricardo Rodriguez). He takes the microphone and the lead, saying that while he is the new champ, he couldn't celebrate because of Miz & R-Truth's interference after the match last night. He blames Triple H for allowing "those hooligans" to come in and lay a beat-down on Del Rio.

Christian now has the stick and claims that since Triple H has taken the role of C.O.O., Raw has become an unsafe workplace. (Hello - it is WRESTLING!). Cody accuses HHH of using his ego, while Dolph says they will take action. Jack tries to get the sympathy vote mentioning his family and friends' concerns, and Vickie is vulnerable. David, the lawyer, gives two options: keep working and risk livelihood or band together and contemplate legal action. (Ooh!)

If they want to, then they better "Play The Game." The man walks out to the stage and ponders what happened to the WWE. He contrasts the times of when people used to be in the ring and fight like men. Triple H doesn't care about the lawsuit from R-Truth & Miz, but orders the men in the ring to "shut-up and fight" in the twelve-man tag.

Ads.

Match #3: Diva Tag-Team - Kelly Kelly & Eve Torres VS. Natalya & WWE Divas Champion Beth Phoenix

Yes, that's right, Beth finally won the Divas title! Herself and Kelly start out in the ring, until all four Divas brawl on the outside like Orton/Henry. The ref quickly calls for the bell after Kelly repeatedly slams Phoenix's head against the commentary table and pounds away on her until both Eve & the referee pull her off.

Winners: No Contest

Segment #5: Backstage Promo

Triple H is on the phone when John Laurinaitis interrupts. He questions the C.O.O.'s ability to do the job and asks him to give the roster a vote of no-confidence. HHH grabs Laurinaitis by the collar and aggressively agrees.

Commercials.

Match #4: Single - Jinder Mahal VS. Santino Marella

For some reason, Jinder Mahal is in the ring and speaking Indian. I have no idea what he's saying and neither does Marella who returns from injury complete with new beard. He mocks Mahal and J.R. has a great line "the closed-captioning person just walked off the job!"

Quick one with Mahal missing a knee in the corner and Santino nailing him in the head with "The Cobra" Chop. 1 - 2 - 3!

Winner via Pinfall: Santino Marella

Ads.

Segment #6: Promo Video

Footage of the 6'8", 367-pound behemoth Brodus Clay airs, with a voice saying "the man who will become the future of the WWE."

Segment #7: Replay Video

The events of Miz & R-Truth invading Hell In The Cell last night plays. (Read the PPV report on www.Wrestling-Online.com for full details!). Great segment and even though you know it's not, great acting by all to make it seem very, very real.

Segment #8: Apology Video

Following the above video, Miz & R-Truth say their sorry to the WWE Universe, but file assault charges and wrongful-termination suits against Triple H. This was done via "YouTube."

Match #5: 12-Man Tag-Team - C.M. Punk, John Cena, Sheamus, Mason Ryan, & WWE Tag-Team Champions "Air-Boom" (Kofi Kingston & Evan "Air" Bourne) VS. "The All-American-American" Jack Swagger, Christian, David Otunga, WWE Intercontinental Champion Cody Rhodes, WWE United States Champion Dolph Ziggler, & WWE Champion Alberto Del Rio

Cena & Christian begin with a huge backdrop from Cena onto Christian. Quick tag to Otunga and Cena works over him fast too. Ziggler now in and Cena elects to trade with Ryan. Dolph & Mason have a jaw until the U.S. Champ mistakenly slaps Mason in the face. Ryan military-presses Ziggler onto Swagger outside the ring. The heels regroup and Dolph tries an attack on Dolph but gets caught with a standing powerslam. 1 - 2 - kickout by Dolph!

Mason slaps hands with Sheamus while "Perfection" tags in Jack Swagger. Sheamus just dominates Swagger and stomps away at him into the corner. Jack comes back (that rhymes!) until getting caught in a backbreaker. A huge pop is heard when C.M. Punk gets the tag.

He works over the "All-American-American" until he is matched up with Cody Rhodes. Both mat wrestlers lock up and Cody receives the advantage in the corner with stomps and punches. Ground-Abdominal Stretch but Punk reverses an Irish Whip and hits his knee/running bulldog combo in the corner. A G.T.S. attempt is thwarted when Cody wiggles out and all 12 competitors enter the ring to a standoff and commercials.

After the break, it's now Kofi Kingston and Cody Rhodes going at it. Cody soon tags in Alberto Del Rio who dominates Kingston with an on-target dropkick to the back-of-the-head. Christian quickly in, as is Swagger and Dolph. Ziggler stays the longest to work over Kofi. Kofi is chucked to the outside, but reverses Cody's whip into the barricade. Kofi attempts a tag but is blocked off by Christian. Dolph misses a jumping elbow which allows Kofi to almost leap over and tag, but Dolph holds him off and slaps hands with Otunga.

The lawyer is in and out, and Dolph re-enters. He and Kofi attempt double-crossbodys and impact on each other. This allows the double-tag and Evan is now in. Bourne cleans house and even flys off the turnbuckle with the "Air Bourne" Shooting Star Press. He covers Swagger and almost gets it until Vickie puts Jack's foot on the rope. For this action, the referee and face team are more than happy to eject her from ringside.

Ads.

Dolph is all over Bourne then tags in Christian, who viciously slaps him. Evan strangled in the ropes by Christian standing on him. Huge Tilt-A-Whirl Backbreaker from Del Rio, who was tagged in by Christian. Bourne gives Alberto a boot-out-of-the-corner then jumps on him with a Tornado DDT. This allows enough time for "Air" to crawl and slaps hands with John Cena.

The "Dr." cleans up on Del Rio with his usual moves until Alberto wiggles out of the A.A. into a DDT. Swagger is now stomping away on Cena, as do all the heels. Del Rio back in and wears down John for Swagger, who jumps off the second turnbuckle rope with a Splash. 1 - 2 - Cena gets the shoulder up!

Swagger goes for the same move but Cena rolls out so Jack only kisses canvas. John jumps to Sheamus for the switch and the Irishman is powering over Dolph. Sheamus even goes to the top but gets shoved off by Del Rio. This ends up being mayhem with every hitting their finishers and taking each other out, including Punk hitting Del Rio with the G.T.S., Cena with the A.A. on Otunga, and Sheamus completing with a Brogue Kick to Dolph Ziggler - the two legal men and the fall!

Winners via Pinfall: C.M. Punk, John Cena, Sheamus, Mason Ryan, & WWE Tag-Team Champions "Air-Boom" (Kofi Kingston & Evan "Air" Bourne)

(That was probably the most paragraphs I used for one match - worth it though!) Up next is "Triple H's Vote Of Confidence!"

Commercials.

Segment #9: Arena Promo

Both rosters are surrounding the ring as the C.O.O. Triple H is in the middle. He pleads his case, including justifying The Miz & R-Truth's firing and his "old-school philosophy" of "watching people beat the hell out of each other."

He enjoys confrontation, the battles, the chaos that is Monday Night Raw and the WWE. Triple H asserts that the WWE Universe likes that as well and reminds the rosters that it is the fans who they work for truly.

"The Game" then asks for the wrestlers' opinions and Wade Barrett is the selected one to speak. He believes that it is still an unsafe working environment, mainly because HHH cannot control his talent and enjoys chaos. Barrett completely blames HHH, but gets fired back at with Triple H reminding Wade of his Nexus attacks 16 months ago (June 2010).

Even the refs get a say, as Mike Chioda includes their opinion that they have never taken this much abuse in all their careers. Beth Phoenix tries to play the "girl" card, but HHH says that nothing has happened to the Divas yet.

A returning Jerry "The King" Lawler sits in the middle, saying that while he agrees the show is falling apart, it is actually not Triple H's fault but rather someone behind the scenes trying to sabotage Triple H's position. However, Lawler states the bottom line is that Triple H is in charge for all this.

Christian gets the vote going, and everyone who spoke says "no confidence." Lawler takes it a step further by actually walking out and all the superstars, referees, Michael Cole, Booker T, Justin Roberts, Jim Ross, and even the camera crew follow him to the backstage area. The only people left in the arena - the fans - are cheering for Triple H, until John Laurinaitis walks out and shakes his head before going back. The show goes off the air with Triple H alone in the ring and the fans chanting his name.

End Of Raw.

Reporter's Rumblings - By Moe Tapp

Another great show with a intriguing "cliffhanger." The WWE is definitely producing great storylines in the main event picture to keep me positive week after week. Plus, some more great wrestling helps too! The usual nitpicking is below.

Excellence: Randy Orton/Drew McIntyre - surprised this wasn't a complete squash and these two actually gelled pretty well! Same with Morrison/Henry, shorter but played the big/little man story decently too. Mark Henry focusing on a new challenger - like that he's basically saying "Orton, you got your shot and you lost twice. It's over." Moving on is good.

Santino back, winning, and with a beard! Makes him look a little more "manly."

Brodus Clay video package - watched this dude on NXT and Smackdown a while back, he can actually wrestle and cut a decent promo, so it'll be interesting to see what they do with him. Cody Rhodes with the CLASSIC Intercontinental Title - this is cool and was put over well about the heritage/lineage of the championship and why it is/should be very important to the wrestlers who compete for it.

As mentioned above for the reasons why, the footage/ending to H.I.A.C. with the Miz & R-Truth, plus the unique way they used social media to give their "apology." The ending - definitely a "what now" moment they have created and I guess this will leave the door open for the big boss of the company to come back?

Bogus: Divas - enough said until they get new feuds. Happy Beth has the title, but again, moving on is good.

No Zack Ryder match considering the push over the last few weeks?

The 12-Man-Tag main event. While a very good and long match, I felt that not everyone (C.M. Punk, "Air Boom", Cody Rhodes mainly) got time to wrestle. This was a LONG main-event and all wrestlers should've gotten a decent amount of time.

Overall though, Raw is another winner for the week and leaves plenty of questions for next. Until then as always, be excellent Wrestling-Online readers & wrestling fans!