Hulk Hogan opens WWE Monday Night Raw. I, for one, am happy to see him using Real American again instead of the nWo song. He immediately pimps out the WWE Network and talks about his favorite matches from the past that he is watching on it, including him fighting Ultimate Warrior, Randy Savage and Andre the Giant. He announced a 30 man “Andre the Giant Memorial” over the top rope battle royal at Wrestlemania 30. They then show the Andre the Giant Memorial trophy on the Titan Tron that the winner will win.
For some reason, that brought out John Cena. They shook hands and hugged and then Cena called for a mic. Cena then welcomed Hogan back to the WWE, right where he belongs. He then talked about watching Wrestlemania III as a child and realizing that Hulkamania would live forever. Cena then became the first wrestler to enter his name in the battle royal.
That brought The Wyatt Family out to the ring. Wyatt talked about his fascination with pride, his favorite sin. He said it even blinds Immortal ones. He compared “eating vitamins and saying prayers” with “hustle, loyalty and respect” and called both Cena and Hogan liars. Wyatt said if you look up at him, you will see a friend and if you look down at him, you will see an enemy. If you look eye to eye with him, you will see a God.
Cena said he doesn’t see a God in Bray Wyatt, he sees a homeless guy who got wasted one too many times on margarita and then sang some Jimmy Buffet. This caused Cena to pull out of the battle royal and challenged Bray Wyatt to a match at Wrestlemania 30. Bray said that Cena is caught in a spider web and sent Erick Rowan and Luke Harper to the ring where Hogan and Cena were waiting … and we go to a commercial?
Back from commercial and John Cena vs. Erick Rowan is underway. Hogan is in Cena’s corner. Rowan dominated the entire match but Cena snuck away with the win using a small package. After the win, Bray planned on sending both Harper and Rowan after Hogan and Cena but then called them back. After the match, Hogan and Cena did a long pose down for the fans.
The Authority came out next. Stephanie McMahon said that when Daniel Bryan kicked Triple H, it was grounds for immediate termination. But they won’t fire him and issued an apology to him for Triple H retaliating with the Pedigree. Then she said the apology was only good if Daniel Bryan apologized as well later in the show – or else.
The New Age Outlaws came out next. Ryback and Curtis Axel are out for the match (Ryback announces he is entering in the Andre the Giant memorial battle royal) and their opponents are The Usos. The match ended with The Usos great finishing move where one tags out while flying out of the ring onto one opponent and the one who is tagged in hits the flying body splash.
Backstage, Kane has The Shield in his office. He mentions how they lost to The Wyatt Family twice and might be disposable now. He said it all started when they lost the tag team titles to The Rhodes so he will give them a chance to exorcise those demons tonight in a rematch. Seth Rollins said that was cool, but wondered if he was trying to deflect attention from the fact that Daniel Bryan pinned Kane last week on Main Event (Ambrose: “Again”) and then was knocked out by Big Show on Smackdown and Bryan pinned him (Ambrose: “Again”). Kane told them to get their jobs done tonight. Roman Reigns got in his face and said they would exorcise their demons and any other “demon” that gets in their way. “Believe that.”
These guys are awesome and I don’t want them broke up.
Jack Swagger took on Big E again. He told Zeb Colter and Cesaro that he has this under control. Big E said he will be in the battle royal as well, so it looks like the Intercontinental title won’t be on the line at Wrestlemania 30. When Colter told Cesaro to help interfere when the referee’s back was turned, Cesaro said “he said he’s got it.” Swagger was mad and then Big E rolled him up for the pin. After the match, Swagger blamed Cesaro who said that he thought Swagger had it. Swagger was pissed and Cesaro was just mocking him. Finally, Zeb Colter flipped out and ordered them to shake hands again. Cesaro put his out and when Swagger finally agreed, Cesaro squeezed hard.
The Undertaker came out next to start the second hour of WWE Monday Night Raw. Before Undertaker could say anything, Paul Heyman showed up on the stage and kissed up to Undertaker by talking about how great the streak was. He said Shawn Michaels never won two in a row, Triple H won two in a row, Hulk Hogan only could win three in a row and both Steve Austin and John Cena only won four in a row. He then said Undertaker is a myth and a legend and asked him not to wrestle Brock Lesnar because the WWE Universe needs to worship Undertaker and Lesnar would end the streak. Undertaker said the fear of death is worse than the death itself but the fear of the unknown is worse than both. He then said if Lesnar shows up he will Rest in Peace.
Goldust and Cody Rhodes vs. The Shield is up next. It will be Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns wrestling for The Shield. I am still amazed at how good Rhodes and Goldust are. They hit a beautiful move outside the ring where Cody ran and leaped to the top buckle and hit a flying splash while Goldust criss-crossed him with a flying press of his own at the same time. Amazing move. The Shield dominated a lot of the second half of the match. Cody actually pulled off the Muscle Buster in this match. The end came when Seth Rollins blocked both the Cross Rhodes and the Beautiful Disaster kick and then hit his Black Out for the win.
AJ Lee and Tamina Snuka are out to fight The Bella Twins. Natalya is at commentary. AJ was putting Nikki Bella in the Black Widow, but Nikki blocked it and then hit the Shock Treatment on AJ for the pin. Nikki posed with the Divas title which caused Natalya to jump on the apron and stare her down.
Daniel Bryan is out next, but will he apologize. He brought up Stephanie’s apology and said he knows it wasn’t sincere. He said they now want him to apologize for something he should have done a long time ago – kicking Triple H in the face. He then said that if Triple H wants to be the boss, that is fine, but if he wants to get involved and hurt him then he will fight. He said if they want an apology, he doesn’t have two words for him, he just has one – “NO.” Bryan said it ends tonight because Triple H doesn’t listen to anyone. He told the fans to “Occupy Raw” with the Yes Movement. He then said he won’t leave the ring until Triple H accepts his challenge. He then called fans into the ring and a ton of fans came in all wearing Daniel Bryan shirts. There had to be about 50 people there!
Triple H and Stephanie McMahon came out. Triple H threatened to have them all arrested and they all chanted “NO.” He asked what Hunter would think if everyone walked out and left the arena empty. Triple H sent security down to throw everyone out. It was two guys and they refused. Stephanie took the mic and was furious and told them that they were brainwashed by Daniel Bryan. Bryan then told Stephanie that the people own the ring, not her.
Triple H said to start the next match anyway and Damien Sandow’s music started. Daniel Bryan asked Damien Sandow to come in the ring and join the Yes Movement, but Sandow refused. Stephanie then said they were disrespecting the McMahon name and the entire WWE belongs to her and she ordered everyone to leave and started screaming. Bryan and the crowd chanted “NO.” Bryan said he would give the show back when he gets his match with Triple H at Wrestlemania 30. Triple H said that he likes Daniel Bryan and has been protecting him because the fans will turn on Bryan if he makes it to the top. Triple H said that he ends people and that is why he was protecting him, but he accepted the Wrestlemania 30 challenge.
Daniel Bryan then said that is not all he wanted. He said that if he beats Triple H, then he gets put into the WWE World Championship match with Randy Orton and Batista. Triple H lost it, tore off his coat and charged the ring. Security grabbed him and dragged him to the back while Triple H yelled that he accepted everything and would end Daniel Bryan at Wrestlemania 30.
That was awesome.
Christian vs. Sheamus is up next and the fans got to vote on what stipulation they wanted, and it ended up as a Memphis Street Fight. This match was awesome. Christian bludgeoned Sheamus with a kendo stick. During this match, JBL asked Jerry Lawler if he called in connections to help Daniel Bryan get away with it without police coming to help clear the ring and Lawler deflected the question. Both men had bloody whelps by the end. This was so much better than the Dolph Ziggler vs. Damien Sandow street fight from last year. Christian placed two chairs on Sheamus and hit the frog splash onto them but still couldn’t get the win. Christian tried to walk over to hit Sheamus with a large drum, but Sheamus Brogue Kicked Christian through the drum for the win.
Brad Maddox is backstage with Batista and trying to explain that Triple H and Stephanie McMahon had left when Randy Orton came up. Maddox said that The Authority said that they needed Batista and Randy Orton to put aside their differences for one night and take care of Big Show and Daniel Bryan. Orton said he would do it for Triple H and Stephanie McMahon and Batista just chuckled and walked off.
Lana came out and introduced Alexander Rusev again. This was just another time where he came out to the stage, just like last week, with the two putting themselves over as villains by speaking Russian.
A Bray Wyatt promo followed. He said that John Cena made a big mistake by falling in the hands of the reaper. He asked if John Cena sees himself in Hulk Hogan, two men who can’t put their pride aside. He then said that Cena is underestimating him and he accepts the challenge. Wyatt said that Cena’s time is over and Wyatt is forever and then sang “Time is on my side” like he used to do in NXT. Then Erick said “RUN.”
Big Show is out next and he will team up with Daniel Bryan for the tag team main event match with Batista and Randy Orton. The announcers were really annoying in this match, almost hijacking the show themselves. Jerry Lawler won’t stop calling Batista “Bootista.” The end came after Batista speared Randy Orton. Bryan tried for a pin but Orton kicked out and then hit his hanging DDT. Orton went for the RKO, but Bryan reversed into a backslide, which Orton kicked out of. Orton stood and turned into the Running Knee and Daniel Bryan pinned Randy Orton.
