Opening Segment:
Mean Gene Okerlund welcomes us to the show and introduces Sheamus. Sheamus apologizes to referee Chad Patton for kicking him, but John Laurinaitis comes out and replays the footage. He makes Sheamus apologize again and then puts him on probation. He says if he touches a referee, he will fine him $500,000. He books Del Rio and Bryan vs. Sheamus and Mean Gene for later tonight.
What I Liked:
Love the power struggle between champion and boss. It is something we have seen time and time again, but I like how Lauriniaits is running both shows with his cocky and arrogant personality. He continues to improve in terms of believability. Sheamus and Johnny seem to have a small feud brewing, which will lead to Laurinaitis having someone that will beat Sheamus. I feel like Laurinaitis is best suited for hiring henchmen to really control the rebels in the company. This could be something that will help the overall story lines of Laurinaitis on each show. It also can build younger guys quicker and more effectively.
What I Disliked:
Mean Gene in a match? I realize this is blast from the past, but why not have someone else fight with Sheamus? I could name a handful, like Steamboat or Foley. This will make it at least interesting to the wrestling fan. It will end up being a joke of a match.
Grade: B
Randy Orton vs. Mark Henry ends in No Contest:
What I Liked:
The ending was great, especially because Henry and Orton both were able to use most of their offense to gain the advantage throughout the match. Orton rarely puts on a bad match, and Henry has been on the top of his game the past few weeks in terms of in ring performance. The headbutts were on key, and everyone enjoys the hanging DDT. Henry and Orton had a nice pace of the match, chemistry was there between the two, and it is because they are both veterans who are intelligent in the ring.
What I Disliked:
Another No Contest or open ended finish for Henry. Another week, and another feud that he is not the primary story in. I will give it time because I do think Henry, if he signs a new contract, will be a big player in 2012. The aftermath saw Kane attack Orton's dad in the back, which shocked me. I really do not like this, to be honest. The last time we saw Orton and his dad, they were on opposite sides. If they were going to execute this, Bob Orton should have been teased or have some sort of backstage segment before getting attacked. I just felt it came out of nowhere and has no backstory to it. Orton trying to save his father was just okay. Kane got the upper hand, once again, and was a good call. Where does this feud go from here?
Grade: B-
