Reflections on WWE Raw King of the Ring 2010

For a while now, WWE story lines have been…well, let’s be honest, a little bit stale. As recently as SummerSlam, there had been very little to get truly excited about.

I'm smiling because my shirt is somewhere making more money than you

However, the last month or so has seen the WWE pick up tremendously. The on-going battle between John Cena and the Nexus is at a fever pitch now, as Cena, who is ostensibly fired from the WWE after the events of Survivor Series, has to work behind the scenes in order to take out each member of Nexus. A lot of wrestling fans have long criticized Cena’s character as being too much of a Superman–a sort of an uber-face that is always honest and forthright and yet at the same time nearly undefeatable. I think that the story development that’s occurring now will give those fans and Cena’s character a bit of what they really need: a John Cena who is not afraid to get his hands dirty. Monday night, Cena attacked three Nexus members: Mike McGillicuddy in a surprise backstage ambush, Heath Slater receiving an Attitude Adjustment through the announcers’ table, and Justin Gabriel being put through a car door, some trash cans and then a windshield out in the parking lot. Thus, Cena is now less of a Superman and more of a Batman or Punisher. I seriously doubt the constant rumors of Cena turning heel are true; Cena as a face puts the meat in the seats, and the WWE isn’t about to abandon that. But I do see the lines between face and heel being blurred a bit. My prediction is that the Cena/Nexus rivalry will continue to be hashed out for a few months until being ultimately resolved at Wrestlemania.

The only "straight edge" right now is on the surgeon's scalpel

And what about C.M. Punk at the announce table? I think he’s amazing in that capacity, even though I never really liked him as a heel on Raw or Smackdown. It’s unfortunate that he’s being forced to assume this role due to an upcoming non-kayfabe hip surgery, but to be honest, I hope he stays on as a commentator. His voice is surprisingly fresh in contrast to Lawler and Cole, and it’s actually very nice to have a counterpoint to the sniveling Cole, who gets more and more irritating each week. I know that heel commentators have been around for a long time, and I remember Jesse Ventura’s rants against Hulk Hogan, but Michael Cole is simply not as good as, well, anybody who has ever worn the headsets. Cole’s continuous bro-mance with the Miz has passed the point of nauseating, and it’s not even really convincing. And then of course, there’s his slobbering over Sheamus and Alberto Del Rio. Having C.M. Punk as a third commentator provides a counter-point to heel Cole and white-knight face Jerry “The King” Lawler, and as Punk will tell you himself, he’s very talented at doing just that.

I'm the King of whoopin' the tar out of Michael Cole!

Speaking of Jerry “The King” Lawler, who saw that championship tables, ladders and chairs match coming?? I have to admit, when Lawler challenged the Miz to a championship match and the anonymous General Manager approved it, I was sitting there with the biggest, most idiotic grin on my face. I have never been that giddy over a WWE match, and the closest I’ve come recently was when Sgt. Slaughter fought on WWE Raw Old School a few weeks ago. Lawler, of course, is from my hometown of Memphis, and it was great to see my city represented well. The match itself was amazing. I had no idea that Lawler still had so much left in him, though I noticed he didn’t get put through a table himself, despite having the strength to put both Alex Riley and the Miz through one. I sort of expected a powder-puff sort of fight with very few slams and some light fisticuffs, but Lawler and the Miz put it all out there. And though I knew there was no way the WWE was going to give Miz’s title away so quickly–least of all to a semi-retired superstar–I sat there hoping against hope. And let’s be honest, I think we were all winners when the King finally beat the living snot out of Michael Cole. I cheered with every single punch. I’m hoping this makes the dynamic at the announce table even more exciting in the days to come.

Why yes, mayonnaise and ginger do mix well together!

The actual battle, the King of the Ring tournament, sort of shuffled in behind all the Cena/Nexus story-line drama and the birthday celebration of Jerry Lawler. It’s not really surprising that it essentially led into yet another hum-drum chapter in the story of the John Morrison/Sheamus rivalry. I just hate that it used potentially interesting characters like Daniel Bryan, Kofi Kingston and even Alberto Del Rio as cannon fodder to get there. Most frustrating was the complete waste of Ezekiel Jackson and Drew McIntyre, as they were both counted out and therefore neither made it to the next bracket. Frankly, I could have done without the King of the Ring portion of the broadcast, and Raw could’ve accomplished everything I enjoyed in the normal 2 hours instead of 3.

So, as we move closer to the Tables, Ladders and Chairs pay-per-view, what will the WWE do to keep things interesting? I don’t know, but I’m looking for the return of Mr. MacMahon soon, and I’m almost positive that Triple H is the anonymous G.M.