The Undercard
Mark Henry squashes Sin Cara in a few minutes. This was your typical squash, but the biggest thing that worried me was The Great Khali appearing. God, save us if this is going to be a match at Wrestlemania. NOBODY wants to see this, it does nothing for Henry to beat a joke of a wrestler who has lost to everyone, and will completely be a waste of talent on Henry's side. He is somewhat athletic and a beast, and should face Ryback. That is the only match I would approve of for Mark Henry. Grade: D… for the thought of even thinking of having Khali and Henry feud.
The Miz defeated Antonio Cesaro in a No Disqualification match. I actually was entertained by this match, as both men stepped outside of their comfort zones to deliver a strong performance. With the No DQ rules, Cesaro took advantage of using all pieces around him. It was very intelligent and crafty to see Cesaro focus solely on the shoulder of Miz, targeting the biggest weakness. The end of the match saw Cesaro tap out to the Figure Four, as Miz got a win in a non-title match. I understand that no other face is really ready to face Cesaro, and Miz is probably their best option. He needed the win here to stay afloat, as another loss would just turn the fans off completely from this feud. Now, Miz has hope for capturing the US Title. Hope is something that is very underrated, and can be used for a few more weeks. Grade: B-
Alberto Del Rio defeated Dolph Ziggler. This was another pretty solid bout, lasting over ten minutes for both men who can really work. Dolph took control by whipping Del Rio into the post, and then began to work his magic. Dropkicks, hanging DDT's, and aggressive stomps to Del Rio gave Ziggler the upper hand. Del Rio would charge back in the match. I love the kidney punches from Del Rio, which is something so small but effective to perfection. He made Ziggler tap after a smooth reversal. Good match, but I question the tapout. Do you really want Ziggler to lose clean to the champion, while Ziggler is next in line? Also, I loved the tease of cashing in. We need to remember that it can happen anytime, and not forget how important it is to see Ziggler week in and week out. Do NOT give him another Raw off. Grade: B
Brodus Clay, Tensai, and Naomi defeated Primo, Epico, and Rosa Mendes in a 5 person tag team match. Two things that I took out of this match: 1. Tensai and Clay are going to get a good push as a tag team because they have NOBODY else. 2. Naomi is smoking hot and she can be a great Diva in the future. She has the look, the athleticism, and raw talent. Grade: C
R-Truth returns, helps Kofi Kingston. This was right when Damien Sandow attacked Kofi before the bell. He aggressively took out the high flyer, and threw him around the ring. I loved the aggression, and then out came R-Truth. He saved Kofi and fought off Damien. Why do you have these guys fight now when you decide to split up Rhodes Scholars? Wait, Cody and Damien will reunite soon because they realize it was a HUGE mistake. Grade: D
Randy Orton defeated Kane in a solid match between former Wrestlemania opponents. Randy and Kane exchanged some great blows, back and forth, until Kane took advantage. I love the diving dropkick from Kane when Orton is down. He looks so good doing it, connects every time, and is something that a 7 foot guy should have problems with. Orton got back with clothesline after clothesline, spinning powerslam, and sets up for the DDT. Kane breaks free, gets distracted by Daniel Bryan on the outside, and Orton hits an RKO. I think Daniel Bryan vs. Kane would be a really good match at Wrestlemania, if they want to go that route, but PLEASE keep them in a tag team, They are the only faces that have gotten over more as a team this past year. They could easily be in a Tag Team Turmoil match with Kofi/Truth, Rhodes Scholars, Brodus'Tensai, and even a few more teams thrown together. BUILD THE WHOLE DIVISION. Grade: C+
