Opening Segment:
What I Liked:
If you want to make CM Punk a full fledged heel, then have him feud with a guy who has always been a fan favorite. I understand the logic, but this is basically a recycling storyline from when Lawler got involved with The Miz before Wrestlemania last year. Punk is excellent, and I mean excellent, when speaking on the microphone. I also notice the small things, and his shaving of the hair was something that needed to be done. He needs to tweak his look just a bit to change his character. It happens to the best. Punk challenges Lawler to a match, and he has to think about it. I like the drama from the very top, and foreshadows what we can expect later in the night.
What I Disliked:
Alright, I am not a huge fan of implimenting Lawler in this feud. That is my personal opinion because I think there needs to be more of a focus on Punk overshadowing Cena's success, talking about his accomplishments and accolades over the past year. This needs to change very soon. King cannot be used to forward someone who is already established and loved with the crowd. It is very tricky because Punk got popular because he was so good at being hated. This is the thin line that WWE is trying to cross too often. Punk can stay how he is, get booed and cheered, and still evolve.
Grade: B+
Ryback Defeats Jack Swagger
What I Liked:
This could have been very meaningful if Swagger wasn't completely buried again. He has fallen so far, and it is ashame. He has all the tools in the ring, and just needs to find a personality to thrive. Nonetheless, he gets small offensive moves on Ryback. Ryback gets the crowd into it, like every week, I feel like he has gotten to a point where he needs something more than weekly squashes. He is not Goldberg, and cannot have long term success being booked and viewed so similar to him.
What I Disliked:
First off, Ryback totally screwed up and almost broke Swagger's neck. Maybe this is a reason why they are scared for him to work with top tier talent. Is he not completely ready in terms of move execution? Second, Swagger and Ryback should have done more here. It would have benefitted both guys if there was not a squash and easy finish. Their characters could develop and Swagger would benefit from a young guy with a lot of momentum.
Grade: C+
