Opening Segment:
Triple H starts off the show. He tells the fans he was about to fire John Laurinitis, but was interrupted. The Board of Directors are going to review and make a decision in the near future. The Game then addresses The Undertaker. He talks about how much he respects him, how his entrance gives him chills, and the impact he has had on the company. He shows a video showing Taker's career in a positive light, and says he wants to remember him for this. He shows another video, this time showing Undertaker not able to get up after last year's WrestleMania, and says he does not want to remember him like this. He says he does not give him chills anymore, and that he does not accept his challenge. His music hits, but is stopped. The lights go out, and a video runs of Taker in a film room watching the clips from his match last year. He says he wants his Vengenace, and that he will give Triple H one more chance at immortality. This is not over between them.
What I Liked:
A great start to Raw, hitting the most important segment that finished us off a week ago. I knew that Undertaker would not be seen, so I was curious to see how they would use him. Triple H did the right thing by addressing John Laurinitis, and then focused it on Taker. What an absolutely incredible set of videos, especially the last one featuring The Undertaker. I have never seen something this creative and unique for him before. I absolutely loved the entire segment, and it capped off with this video. The feud needs to build in a different way, and this shows that Taker throwing out the challenge is different and much more complex.
What I Disliked:
The crowd seemed uninterested for a brief moment with Laurinitis, but when Triple H spoke about Taker, I felt like they were so hush because they needed to hear his every word. It was not a sense of boredom, but more of an intrigue.
Grade: A
Big Show def. Daniel Bryan by Countout:
What I Liked:
The match was much more fast paced than I thought it would be. I really enjoy how Show can take some solid bumps and sell moves effectively from a much smaller opponent. Bryan needed to focus on Show's leg to ground him, and that is exactly what he did. Show hits a solid spear on Bryan, which is something he needs to use more. He is like a truck hitting a deer, powerful and with a splat.
What I Disliked:
Daniel Bryan, in my judgment, is doing everything right with his character. I just cannot stand his screaming before the match. That needs to go. Also, Bryan and AJ can be a good combination of evil, but AJ is still in the green stages of being really relevant. She needs to cost Show or someone else a match on purpose. Get rid of her cute and clean personality, and make her just like Bryan. He will be much better with that, if they really want to keep them together. The countout was what needed to happen, I assume, but I just wish they put more stock and believability into Bryan able to cleanly win a match.
Grade: B-
