Justin Gabriel takes on John Cena per order of the GM. (Source: Online World of Wrestling)

After last week’s 900th episode celebration, RAW is back to the normal routine and the WWE superstars are looking to make waves as we draw closer to Night of Champions.  Who would gain some momentum and who would fall off the wagon?  Find out here:

The Nexus are in the ring.  They rave about how things went last week on the anniversary show.  They talk about how they took out The Undertaker (video package shown).  Wade Barrett brags about “de-venomizing the Viper.”

• Randy Orton interrupts the segment and says that Barrett forgot that he took out two members of Nexus in about 30 seconds.  Orton says that he doesn’t care who he has to pin at Night of Champions to win the WWE Title, but he’s going to make it his business to hit Barrett with an RKO.
• Email comes in from the anonymous General Manager.  GM says that last week was a historic night for Nexus, but tonight we’re going to see Justin Gabriel vs. John Cena and Wade Barrett vs. Randy Orton.

Chris Jericho comes to the ring for a match.  There’s another email from the GM.  It says that because Jericho and Edge took themselves out of the main event last week, there will be appropriate consequences.  If Jericho or Edge lose their match tonight, they’ll be removed from the 6-pack challenge at Night of Champions.

Chris Jericho vs. John Morrison
WINNER: Morrison via pin fall after hitting Starship Pain

• Post match, Jericho looks like he’s about to cry as he takes a seat on the ring steps to ponder what just happened.

Diva’s Title Match
Melina (Champion) vs. Alicia Fox
WINNER: Melina via pin fall after hitting the Sunset Split (leg drop)

Backstage: The Miz is raving to Josh Matthews about his awesomeness.  He’s got something hiding under a curtain.  Josh goes for a look and Miz stops him.  I guess we’ll see it later.

Backstage: Edge ranting in the locker room to Zack Ryder about having to put his spot in the 6-pack challenge on the line tonight.

• Ryder says that title shots are precious and shouldn’t be taken for granted.
• Edge says out loud for the GM to hear that he want’s Zack Ryder for his opponent and if he isn’t that he’s going to bash the computer he communicates with to pieces.

Backstage: Ted DiBiase on the phone with someone saying “I love spending time with you…” as Maryse walks in.  She gets upset with him about it, and it was his mom.

• Maryse says that she was just back at the limo to get her purse and found a note that says “I want you so bad.”  She thought it was from Ted.  He claims he didn’t write it, and wonders why she would think it’s for her and that it might be for him.
• She gets pissed at him and starts ranting in French.

Justin Gabriel vs. John Cena
WINNER: Cena via pin fall after hitting an Attitude Adjustment from the middle rope to counter 450 splash

Video Package: Behind the scenes of John Cena’s new movie, Legendary.

The Miz is in the ring and recounts his road to awesome from Tough Enough all the way to the present day.  He’s done it all the while people were dogging him along the way.  Miz reveals the curtain to show that he’s on the cover of the newest edition of WWE Magazine, and says that he’s officially made it.

• Out walks Daniel Bryan who congratulates the Miz, but says that he can beat him for the US Title!  Miz doesn’t believe he deserves a title shot.  Bryan shows him what the next WWE Magazine might look like if he did beat The Miz (fake cover shown saying Miz Taps).
• Miz is getting angry now saying “I don’t like you… You say you can beat me… I will annihilate you!
• Bryan throws out the challenge… Miz accepts!  Then tries to attack.  Bryan dodges and locks on the LaBell Lock (version of a crossface).  Out of nowhere Bryan gets attacked by Alex Riley (Miz’s former NXT Rookie).  Bryan counters with a kick to Riley’s head.  He throws Miz out of the ring and then puts Riley in the LaBell Lock and he screams/taps.  Miz refuses to get back in the ring.  Bryan lets go of the lock on Riley and then kicks down the magazine cover.

Edge vs. The Great Khali with Ranjin Singh
WINNER: Edge via count out

• Post match, email from GM comes in to restart the match as an over the top rope challenge because Edge tried to get a cheap win.

Over The Top Rope Challenge
Edge vs. Khali
WINNER: Edge via pulling Khali over the top rope from the floor by the foot.

Backstage: Josh Matthews catches up with Chris Jericho who’s sitting in silence.  Asks him about what he’s going to do now since he won’t be able to win the WWE Title by Night of Champions like he hoped.  No response from Chris.  Josh leaves.

• John Morrison walks up and patronizes Jericho asking him about his day and tells him that things will get better.

Wade Barrett vs. Randy Orton
WINNER: Orton via pin after hitting RKO

• John Cena, Sheamus and Edge on commentary.
• Mid match, former Nexus member, Darren Young, comes out and distracts Barrett saying that he “wasn’t the weak link, he’s the missing link.”  It gave Orton the opening to get the win.
• Post match, Edge and Sheamus try to jump Orton, but he counters both with an RKO.
• John Cena gets in the ring and he and Orton stare down.

QUICK THOUGHTS:

I’m a little leery of this story line with Chris Jericho being removed from the 6-Pack Challenge at Night of Champions.  He said that if he didn’t win the WWE Title by then, he’d quit the WWE… Well, I don’t know what the WWE would do without Chris Jericho.  If Y2J leaves the WWE, it would be a real blow to the industry.

YES!!! It’s finally going to happen.  The Miz vs. Daniel Bryan!!!  I’m excited to see this go down.  Since the first season of NXT and the rivalry they had, all the way to the present day, it’s about time that they finally lock horns!

Would Wade Barrett and The Nexus ruin the RAW 900 celebration? (Source: Online World of Wrestling)

The longest running episodic show in television history just hit another milestone, 900 episodes.  The stars of all the WWE brands came together last night on RAW to put on a show for the WWE Universe.  Here’s what went down:

Video Package: RAW has had more episodes than any other show in television history with highlights over the years.

Bret Hart comes out to welcome us to the 900th episode of RAW.  Bret talks about how RAW is going strong because of the fans and then mentions about how he and only one other person still in WWE were at the first episode.  That other person is The Undertaker.

• Bret goes to introduce Taker, but out walks Kane who says that “There is no Undertaker any more… He’s just a man… The man you once knew, he’s like you, weak, feeble, scraggly, over the hill, irreversibly damaged.”  He then teases Bret over Taker putting Shawn Michaels out for good.  Kane tells Bret that Taker took out an icon in HBK, and now he needs to take out one in Bret!  Kane goes for the Chokeslam…

• The Hart Dynasty come out to help, but Kane fends them off.  He heads towards Bret Hart, but the lights go out/on.  Taker is in the ring.  He and Kane have a stare down in the ring.  Kane backs up the ramp and says, “Not yet big brother.”
• An email comes in from the anonymous General Manager that says in honor of the 900th episode of RAW, we need a main even befitting the occasion.  He makes a match between Bret Hart and The Undertaker.

Video Package: Clips from episode #1 (1993) with the original opening.

Video Package: Clips from episode #279 (1998) Stone Cold Steve Austin drives a Zamboni into the arena.

Kofi Kingston & Michael McGillicutty vs. Kaval & Daniel Bryan vs. The Miz & Alex Riley
WINNERS: Miz/Riley via pin fall after Miz hit the Skull Crushing Finale on Kaval

• Post match, Miz attacks Bryan with the Money in the Bank case.

LayCool vs. Melina & Even Torres
WINNER: Melina/Eve via pin fall roll up on Layla (by Melina)

• Post match, LayCool challenge Melina to a title unification match at Night of Champions
• Melina accepts only if it’s a Lumberjack Match.  They say fine.

Video Package: Clips from episode #889 (2010) The Nexus destroys John Cena and the RAW set.

Backstage: Nexus arguing backstage, and reveal that Skip Sheffield has a broken ankle, so now the fat has been trimmed.  Wade Barrett says that they have to do something big tonight to be remembered.

Video Package: Clips from episode #850 (2009) Bob Barker hosts RAW and picks on Chris Jericho.

Backstage: Josh Matthews is with Chris Jericho who cuts him off.  Jericho says that the only reason why he says “he’s the best in the world at what he does” is because it’s true.  He then puts out an ultimatum saying that if he doesn’t win the WWE Title at Night of Champions, he’ll quit the WWE.

John Morrison & R-Truth vs. Cody Rhodes & Drew McIntyre
WINNERS: Double DQ as the referee lost control of the match

• Post match, brawl continues and JoMo and Truth stand tall.

Video Package: Clips from episode #867 (2010) Bret Hart returns.  He and Shawn Michaels bury the hatchet after all the years since the “Montreal Screwjob.”

Bret Hart vs. The Undertaker

• Just before the bell rings, Wade Barrett comes out saying that this match isn’t going to happen… People want to talk about the future and that’s The Nexus.  Barrett vows to take out both men and gets in the ring only to be thrown around by Taker.
• Lights out/on, Kane is in the ring.  He and Taker exchange blows.  Taker goozles Kane, lights out/on, Kane’s gone.
• The Nexus surrounds the ring and attack Taker, and Taker holds them off.  Lights out/on.  Taker is on Barrett’s shoulders, Fireman’s Slam followed by Justin Gabriel’s 450 Splash as Kane looks on from the stage with sick joy.

Jack Swagger to the ring with the mic and gloats about returning to RAW as a conquering hero.

Jack Swagger vs. Evan Bourne
WINNER: Swagger via submission due to the Ankle Lock

• Mid match, Alberto Del Rio comes out to ringside.
• Post match, Del Rio cuts a promo on Rey Mysterio saying that his fans won’t see him tonight unless they visit him in the hospital.  He’s disappointed though because the RAW fans didn’t get to see what he did to Rey, so he decides to show them on Evan Bourne.  He locks on the Cross Arm Breaker and then goes to put his arm inside a chair to slam it into the ring post when Mark Henry comes out to knock the chair out of his hands.  Del Rio backs up the ramp.

Video Package: Clips from WWE’s first ever trip to China.

Video Package: Clips from episode #331 (1999) Mick Foley throws a “This is your life” segment for The Rock.

CM Punk & The Straightedge Society (Luke Gallows & Joey Mercury) to the ring.  Punk says that he’s better than the rock because he doesn’t make crappy movies like Tooth Fairy… He says that he doesn’t miss The Rock because he epitomizes this ceptic tank of a show with poor family values… even goes on to mention the Katie Vick situation…

• Punk shows his four most atrocious moments.

1. Episode #824 (2009) Triple H breaks into Randy Orton’s house to attack him.
2. Episode #691 (?) John Cena throws Edge into a body of water.
3. Episode #257 (1998) DX fires the first shot on WCW to start the Monday Night War.
4. Episode #304 (1995) Stone Cold hoses down Vince McMahon with a beer truck; Repeated in episode #754 by Austin on Santino Marella.

• Punk teases about Austin coming out there and spraying him down with the beer truck, and then Austin’s music hits… Punk acts scared and then starts laughing… It’s a trick.
• Punk shows one more clip, this one from episode #199 of Smackdown when Brock Lesnar Superplexed Big Show off the top rope and the ring broke.  CM Punk makes a fat joke.
• Big Show interrupts and is upset that all Punk could come up with was a fat joke.  Big Show does an impression of Hulk Hogan and then slaps Punk in the chest.  Gallows becomes the sacrificial lamb for Show as Punk and Mercury run.

Video Package: Clips from episode #450 (2002) Triple H returns from a major injury and destroys Kurt Angle.

Josh Matthews on the ramp and introduces Sheamus.  Asks about Night of Champions, but Sheamus goes right into talking about how Triple H isn’t here to celebrate because he took him out.  Sheamus then bitches about how he has to defend his title at Night of Champions in a Six Pack Challenge and then vents about having to tag with Randy Orton tonight.

• Edge interrupts.  Informs Sheamus that tons of crazy things have happened to him over the years, but the key thing is that he’s given it back three times as much.  Says he’s going to win the Six Pack Challenge and become WWE Champion.  Tells Sheamus to “head back to the lab, Beaker!”

Elimination Tag Team Match
The Nexus vs. Randy Orton, Edge, Sheamus, Chris Jericho & John Cena
WINNERS: Nexus via eliminating their opponents; Final fall Barrett hits Orton with Fireman’s Slam for pin

QUICK THOUGHTS:

It was really great to see all the old clips from the past RAW episodes, but for me this was a pretty lackluster show.  There wasn’t anything overly exciting about it, and I’m shocked that it wasn’t a three hour extravaganza.

When they announced the Taker vs. Hart match, I figured it wasn’t going to actually happen because it’s WWE and Bret Hart is in no shape to actually wrestle.  Part of me thinks he’s there because he’s hard up for cash, but then again who isn’t right now in this economy.

Another great booking of Alberto Del Rio.  He has no care for anyone else but himself and interrupts a match to cut a promo on Rey Mysterio.  Just brilliant.  He’s got more heat now.  It’s only been two plus weeks and he’s got a ton of heat.