Well the long awaited "Raw Homecoming" on USA Network has come and gone. Many fans felt like this may be the event where WWE finally got things back on track, I mean with all the star power on this show there's no way they could drop the ball right? WRONG!
As for Piper's Pit, I really don't take issue with it the way many have because I've been waiting for WWE to capitalize on Orton's "Legend Killer" status to call Piper out on treating his dad as a lackey for years, so I think that this is a good thing that will help futher Orton's gimmick.
The Ironman match was another great match in the Angle/HBK saga but the ending was a bit dissapointing but it does leave room for another rematch down the road. Although I don't think I would have opened with a 30 minute Ironman match BUT that's just me.
Great to see Kevin Von Erich in the audience, big ovation for the Texas legend, word on the net was he was also there to finalize the sale of the old World Class Championship Wrestling video footage to Vince for WWE 24/7 and future dvd releases. Good news for us tape trading marks!
OK, now here is where I'm sure to catch some crap from people. Now overall the segment with Austin and the McMahons was decent (especially compared to the current state) BUT after watching the old clips it made it painfully obvious that the timing just isn't there anymore. The whole thing seemed really contrived and it just had the feel of going back to a well that's dried up. The dialogue between Austin and McMahon just didn't flow like before, it was like a poor reinactment, or watching a really shitty improv group. But it was passable for nostalgia untill it wouldn't END!!! McMahon after McMahon. Shane I could live with, hell maybe even Big Steph, but when will they learn to NEVER EVER put Linda McMahon on camera. She is horrible, and I'm not even talking about the fucked up stunner, I'm talking about the fact she shows the raw emotion of a three day old coarpse!!! She makes Lita look like Sally Field. Also, the other thing that bugged was the fact this segment drug on for 20 minutes and all the McMahons sold the Stone Cold Stunner like a bullet to the fucking head. Honestly how does Vince lay there MOTIONLESS for 10 minutes from having his chin dropped across Austin's shoulder?!?!?! Anyway, enough about that.......
We come back from the break and Vince promises someone is gonna get fired, well hopefully it's who ever the dumbass is that wrote that last segment..........
Next up was the "Money in the Bank Loser leaves Raw" Ladder match. Good match, but the ending was the second most predictable one of the night, only to be outdone by our next match.....So it's back to Smackdown for Matt Hardy V.1 at least now Christian will have a friend to hang out in obscurity with.......
Speaking of "going to the well", WWE just never tires of the endless hilarity that is Mae Young and Moolah. Here we have Mae trying to strip for Hacksaw Jim Duggan, Jimmy Snuka, and Ted Dibease. Dibease offers Mae a few grand to put her shirt back on while Snuka bogarts the money and goes to get him a piece. Hot damn, we're back home! Thanks USA!!
I missed Flair's promo, as I was on the phone with Stevie Wonder who called to tell me HHH was about to turn on Flair. Damn, he ruined it for me! Well after getting a rub from HBK and Flair respectively "The Game" is here to bitchslap Chris Masters and Carlito back down to the midcard. If your gonna turn anyway, why not turn before the pin and let them go over? I guess it helped "build the suspense". Whatever. Triple H tries to break Austin's record for longest segment by beating Flair's ass through the commercial break. Can't wait to hear the 30 minute explanation next week. So help me God if this a swerve and Flair joins back with him I will never watch this shit ever again........
We return with the legends standing in the ring. Dusty intro'd a few but didn't get to mention KoKo and his stuffed parrott. The very "pimpishly" dressed Hillbilly Jim or Dr. Death Steve Williams who recently went over on throat cancer(would have been a nice thing to mention for a cheap pop) Anyway, "Duthdy" starts to put over Harley Race when the horrendous music of the ratings killer himself, "Buff 2.0" Rob Conway plays. He comes down making depends jokes and whatnot and gets into the ring. Dusty tells him guys like Harley Race set the table that he eats at everyday. Conway replies with a remark about that being an ironic statement since it looks like Harley has spent a lot of time at the dinner table or something to that effect, it was actually the most amusing thing I've heard out of Conway. Anyway, the old guys attack and Conway gets a punch from Race, the bionic elbow from the Dream, the claw from Kevin Von Erich, and takes a top rope splash from "SuperPerv" Jimmy Snuka. Not bad, a good way to let the legends do something besides sit in the front row.
Bra and Panties match was next. Good for T&A. Not much else............
Next was the Smackdown 6 Man which ends before it starts.......Can't say I was that upset. Don't know if that was the original plan, so they would have an excuse to run in at the end or if the neverending Austin segement got them bumped......Oh well.
Mean Gene brings out the Hulkster. You can tell Vince kicked him in the ass and told him they were low on time cause we didn't get the standard 10 minute milking of the crowd that has become the norm of the Hulkster in recent years. He makes it short and sweet and says he wants to wrestle "Stone Cold" Steve Austin(likely at WrestleMania 22). On paper this is the dream match of all dream matches, the two biggest box office draws ever in wrestling going one on one. However, after seeing Hogan's mobility(or lack of) at SummerSlam, and Austin's bad knees, neck, back, etc. This will have to be VERY strategically booked for it not to fall on it's it face, perhaps they should bring back Pat Patterson for this one, if he could drag a good match out of Hogan/Warrior he can do anything. But, it's now or never and neither one can pass up what could be the biggest money match of there careers.
Due to the time they blew through the main event, although I don't understand having Bischoff in the Main Event for the title. Smackdown guys run in to I guess kick off a new rivalry between the shows that will likely come to a head at Survivor Series.
All and all, better than a lot of the stuff they've been putting out the last year or so but really subpar considering the talent at their disposal. That's just my opinion. I would be interested to read everyone elses.
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