WWE RAW 07/16/12 Review

WWE RAW for July 16th 2012 features the WWE Champion CM Punk stepping into the ring with the Big Show. All of the fallout from Money in the Bank, leading to RAW becoming three hours for the 1000th show next week. Let us watch WWE RAW for 7/16/12.

WWE RAW 7/16/12

First the results for WWE RAW for July 16th 2012.

WWE RAW 7/16/12 Results

WWE Tag Team Champions Kofi Kingston and R-Truth defeated Darren Young and Titus O'Neil the Prime Time Players.

Alberto Del Rio defeated Zack Ryder.

Rikishi pinned Heath Slater.

Daniel Bryan and A.J. defeated Eve Torres and Miz.

Brodus Clay pinned JTG.

CM Punk defeated the Big Show via disqualification.

WWE RAW 7/16/12 Review

And for the record, I point blank refuse to Tout and WWE's likely attempt to shove it down our throats over the coming months.

We head to the ring where CM Punk is out. 1000 Raws will have passed as of next week and in 1993, CM Punk would not be in the ring as the champion. The show is three hours, for those who don't remember that fact. Doom is coming. Speaking of doom, the Big Show interrupts and back and forth. Show promises pain for Punk and also brings up the fact that there is a possibility that John Cena could cash in on his Money in the Bank after Show finishes Punk. That actually lends a bit of drama but we know they're never going to turn John Cena heel for merchandising reasons.

Kofi Kingston and R-Truth defeated The Prime Time Players to retain the WWE Tag Team Titles.

The Prime Time Players get their tag team title shot tonight and they fall right to the tag team champions. Fair enough opening match I guess, but surprised that they did not pull the trigger on Young and O'Neil right now. Trouble in Paradise takes out Titus and Little Jimmy gets the pin. The champions keep their titles.

Backstage, Eve informs A.J. and Daniel Bryan they have a match with her and a partner of her choosing.

Alberto Del Rio made Zack Ryder submit to the Cross Armbreaker

I feel we've seen this match a bit too often, with the same result. Del Rio beats up Ryder and makes him submit to the Cross Armbreaker.

After the fact, Rey Mysterio is seen for the first time in over a year. Rey beats up Del Rio. Yeah, Del Rio against Rey, there's the new fresh feud that will take us to the promise land. Matches will be decent but overdone.

Heath Slater has resigned himself to his fate of being beaten up by legends and here comes Rikishi.

Rikishi defeated Heath Slater.

Stink face, Samoan Spike(nice tribute to Umaga), and the Banzai Drop gets the pin for Rikishi. Then the Usos come out and dance with their father. Perfectly acceptable entertainment.

Eve has a partner and he's awesome.

Daniel Bryan and A.J. defeated The Miz and Eve Torres

A fairly decent mixed tag team match right in the center of the ring. The ending came when Bryan reversed a pin from Eve on A.J. and allowed A.J. to pick up the victory.

After the match, Daniel Bryan proposes to A.J. She says yes. Then they kiss. I care little for this.

Jack Swagger and Ryback were to have a match and Swagger beats up Ryback before the bell but Ryback fights back and sends Swagger packing. Swagger is an interesting choice for Ryback's first opponent.

Vickie Guerrero introduces Dolph Ziggler. He's the Money in the Bank winner, but Chris Jericho interrupts. Ziggler rightfully says Jericho has been coasting for a long time and hasn't won many matches. He could be losing his touch as a matter of fact. Jericho hits the Codebreaker. Face turn, maybe?

Brodus Clay pinned JTG

You know the drill by now. Brodus runs over JTG rather handily. Funk is on a roll and all that jazz. Brodus wins with the Big Splash of doom and death.

CM Punk defeated the Big Show via disqualification

Ah yes, my favorite finish, the Big Show beating up some guy and being too aggressive, thus getting disqualified. They obviously booked themselves into a corner with this one. Otherwise, fairly decent RAW match, not good, not great, but okay. The finish brought this one down.

Here comes John Cena. He's going to cash in next week on the 1000th RAW. Oh dear, 3 hours and John Cena winning the title, someone fetch me my sedative. Big Show tries to get Cena to cash it in now. No nice as Cena introduces the briefcase into Big Show's head.

So yeah, RAW existed this week. Three hours next week. Two years of three hour WCW Nitros clued me into the fact that that is way too long for a wrestling show. And WCW had two hundred and some wrestlers at its peak, and WWE doesn't have that roster depth. You know if WWE spent more time learning from WCW's mistakes and less time with juvenile mockery of their mistakes(and fans as well), they would understand why three hours is a bad idea.

For better or for worse, I'll see you next Monday.