Sunday, December 18th, 2011, from Baltimore
DOLPH ZIGGLER vs. ZACK RIDER: So Rider won the U.S. title here. If you think Cena sucks then you either really hate Rider or you're just oblivious to the fact that Rider is, more or less, a Cena clone (he's colorful both literally and figuratively, he has lame, kiddie catchphrases and he's a total face). Like Cena, he's not very versatile in the ring. He is energetic, but seeing him in the ring on Monday Night RAW alongside Daniel Bryan and CM Punk just made him look even more goofy and terrible than he probably is. His character type is mostly what's always been wrong with pro wrestling. And I like Ziggler a lot but even he couldn't get a good match out of this clown. The burning question is: can anyone? *1/2
KOFI KINGSTON & EVAN BOURNE vs. EPICO & PRIMO: I watch RAW, every ppv, and most Smackdown! episodes...yet I don't even know who Epico and Primo are. That doesn't make sense, does it? I suppose it's good that there are at least actual tag teams in the tag team division. As for the match? Basic. **
RANDY ORTON vs. WADE BARRETT "TABLES MATCH": Not bad, actually. Although Barrett is a totally dry character. **
BETH PHOENIX vs. KELLY KELLY: Not good. 1/2*
HHH vs. KEVIN NASH "SLEDGEHAMMER LADDER MATCH": This was epically slow. And is this a leftover idea of Vince Russo's? Sledge hammer on a pole? Nash fell over before HHH could Pedigree him which just proves that Nash is too old to be doing this shit. For a ladder match they didn't do a lot of big spots. Nash did fall off and through a table. *1/2
SHEAMUS vs. JACK SWAGGER: Um...yeah, this was pure filler. 1/2*
THE BIG SHOW vs. MARK HENRY "CHAIRS MATCH"/DANIEL BRYAN vs. THE BIG SHOW: Mark Henry took a punch to the face and lost the title then knocked out Show. Bryan cashed in his MITB title shot and pinned show. The problem is that Bryan did this to Henry a few weeks ago on Smackdown! and won the title but Henry was injured and thus not able to compete and thus the title win was voided. So we already saw this. Still, Bryan as champ is the best thing the WWE has done in a long time. The chairs match sucked but giving the title to Bryan was awesome. **1/2
CODY RHODES vs. BOOKER T.: This was awful. And while Booker T. is old, it's not like he was entertaining in his prime, anyway (although his battle in the Green Frog supermarket with 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin was hilarious like, what? Ten years ago?). 1/2*
ALBERTO DEL RIO vs. CM PUNK vs. THE MIZ "TLC MATCH": The surprise? Cena wasn't on this show. Another surprise? Del Rio's ring announcer took the biggest bump in this match, falling off a ladder and through a ringside table, backwards. There weren't as many big spots in this match, but it was entertaining. **1/2
