WWE RAW – November 28, 2011 – Columbia, South Carolina
Announcers: Michael Cole & Jerry “The King” Lawler
[ REVIEWED BY BRAD DYKENS ]
IN THE RING (PIPERS PIT)
Rowdy Roddy Piper: Roddy Piper asked how does a guy who has never won the WWE champion, was never the strongest guy or the biggest guy become a WWE Hall of Famer and become one of the biggest icons of the WWE Universe – Answer: ENERGY! Roddy pointed at the fans and told them they were his energy. Roddy said when the fans cheered him he felt good so he did good, and when they booed him he felt bad so he did some rotten things. Roddy said it was their energy that made him go to work. Roddy said there was a man in the building who wasn’t sure if their energy was important. Roddy called out Mr. JOHN CENA! Cena came out and milked the crowd then asked what Piper was taking about. Piper played a game to prove his point, saying the names Stone Cold Steve Austin (crowd cheered), Bret The Hitman Hart (crowd cheered), The Rock (crowd cheered and booed), and John Cena (crowd mostly booed, then chanted CENA! CENA! CENA!). Piper said he was trying to help Cena. Cena said Piper must have seen Survivor Series and heard the reaction he got from the Madison Square Garden crowd when the Rock gave Cena a Rock-bottom. Cena said he’s been dealing with that his whole career. Cena said there is a group of people who know what he stands for and he is extremely loyal those people. Cena said he knows you can’t please everybody. Cena said that is what makes the energy of the WWE Universe so good, because they can do what they want. Piper said Cena is the face of the WWE, he is THE MAN – and the booing is getting louder! Piper said Cena is losing it. Piper said if Cena doesn’t suck it up and tell the people what he thinks about them he will be the loser of the biggest WrestleMania in history. Cena said Piper was going overboard. Cena remembered WM22 when he faced Triple H and a series of other events where he was booed by the crowd. Cena pointed out some kids in the crowd and some service men in the crowd having the time of their lives. Cena said he believes in himself, knows what he is, and knows he can beat the Rock at WrestleMania. Piper said his generation passed the torch to Cena and he raised the bar. Piper said Cena is stepping up to the plate every day. Piper took of his Hall of Fame ring and put it in Cena’s hand, calling him a future Hall of Famer. Piper said if Cena doesn’t get it off his chest he will be in denial and it will kill his chances. Cena said it was a fine gesture, but he was in a good place. Piper said he would help Cena, and then hauled off and slapped him! Piper screamed DO YOU FEEL THE ENERGY??? Cena put the ring back in Piper’s hand and left the ring full of tension.
RECAP: Last Monday when The Miz attacked R-Truth with a Skull Crushing Finale on the stage.
FALLS COUNT ANYWHERE MATCH
The Miz defeated John Morrison by referee stoppage: John Morrison came out and was attacked on the stage by The Miz with a steel pipe. The Miz repeatedly smashed Morrison’s knee with the pipe until he was pulled off by WWE officials. The Miz walked to the ring looking remorseless. John Morrison limped down the ramp and got in the ring to have the match. The Miz targetted Morrison’s injured knee. The Miz found a kendo-stick under the ring and whacked Morrison’s knee. Morrison knocked Miz down and got his hands on the weapon. Morrison began whacking Miz with the stick and attempted a pin on the floor. Miz tried to crawl up the ramp but Morrison gingerly limped after him. Up on the stage, Miz pushed Morrison head first into the giant metal WWE logo. Miz then planted Morrison on the stage with the Skull Crushing Finale and rolled him over. The referee stopped the match because Morrison was unconcious. Morrison was put in a neck brace and stretchered out. This would be John Morrison’s final appearance with the WWE as he was released soon after.
IN THE RING
The Miz: The Miz walked to the ring again looking remorseless, having eliminated another former friend. Miz said last week it was R-Truth, this week it’s John Morrison, next week …. we’ll see! Miz said there’s only one Superstar that can make this kind of impact – that person is ME! Miz said he can do it because HE’S AWESOME!
DIVAS TAG TEAM MATCH
Kelly Kelly & Alicia Fox defeated The Bella Twins (Nikki & Brie): The Bella Twins dedicated the match to Alberto Del Rio (they have developed a crush on him). Moments into the match, Beth Phoenix & Natalya Neidhart ran out and jogged around the ring and then ran back through the curtain.
VIDEO PACKAGE: Building up SHEAMUS!
BACKSTAGE SEGMENT
John Laurinaitis + David Otunga + Alberto Del Rio & Ricardo Rodriguez + WWE champion C.M. Punk: John was talking to Brodus Clay on the phone telling him to wait one more week. David Otunga said he can only imagine how angry Brodus is getting. John said that’s what he wants and he’s actually doing Brodus a favour. John asked Alberto if he was prepared for his WWE title match tonight. Alberto said he was ready. John said he was unbiased but there are lots of people who want the WWE champion to have integrity. C.M. Punk knocked and came in and said when you type in Laurinatis+spinless into Google you get 156,000 hits, and when you type in Del Rio+boring you get 918,000 hits. Punk said he typed in David Otunga’s name but all he got was a bunch of stuff about somebody named Jennifer Hudson. Punk said he knows all of them are dreaming about the safe vanilla champion but the WWE title is going to stay with him. Punk left. Otunga threw out some legal mumbo jumbo, saying he thinks Punk will get DQ’d on purpose to lose his title. Laurinaitis told him to spread the word that if Punk gets DQ’d he will lose the WWE championship.
NON (WWE UNITED STATES) TITLE MATCH
WWE United States champion Dolph Ziggler w/Vickie Guerrero defeated Randy Orton: Wade Barrett joined Michael Cole & Jerry Lawler on commentary for the match. The finish saw Ziggler bail out of the ring as Orton was setting up for an RKO. Ziggler motioned to Vickie that he wanted to leave. Barrett got up and distracted Orton, allowing Ziggler to slip in and hit the Zig-Zag for the victory! Ziggler celebrated by doing a headstand on the ringside floor!
IN-RING INTERVIEW
Michael Cole & Mr. Money in the Bank Daniel Bryan + World Heavyweight champion Mark Henry: Michael Cole introduced Daniel Bryan as the “biggest hypocrite in the history of the WWE.” Cole said tomorrow on SmackDown!, Daniel will be GIVEN a title shot… but Daniel corrected him saying he earned the title shot by winning a four-way last week. Daniel said he didn’t expect much from Cole because everybody knows he is the worst announcer in the history of the WWE. Daniel said he thinks by now he should have earned just a little bit of respect from Cole. Cole asked how he could respect someone who tried to cash in his MITB contract on a defenseless man (uhhhh, what?). Cole asked how he could respect a liar. Cole said Daniel promised to cash in at WrestleMania. Cole showed a clip if Big Show knocking out World Heavyweight champion Mark Henry and Daniel Bryan running down to cash in on Henry and win the title! Cole said Daniel went up to him and shoved the title in his face! Cole said it was funny that Daniel actually thought was the champion, because Theodore Long realized Mark Henry was not medically cleared to compete so he gave the title back. Cole said if he was G.M. he would have stripped Daniel of the MITB briefcase and suspended him! Cole said Daniel is a hypocrite and he hopes Mark Henry destroys him in the steel cage. Daniel said he had big plans to main event WrestleMania, but plans change. Daniel said he saw an opportunity and he took it. Daniel said Mark might try to put him in the Hall of Pain tomorrow but becoming World Heavyweight champion is that important to him! Mark Henry came out to the stage and said Daniel has got to be kidding. Mark said Daniel should be ashamed of taking advantage of a defensless man. Mark said Teddy Long should be ashamed for booking him in a match when he’s half-way injured. Mark said it’s okay because he’s World champion and one of the toughest Superstars that ever lived. Mark promised to retain his title inside a steel cage tomorrow. Mark said his injury didn’t matter because Daniel can’t beat him. Daniel got out of the ring and walked up the stage and kicked Mark’s injured leg saying “I can’t beat you? We’ll see tomorrow night!”
SINGLES MATCH
Zack Ryder defeated Jack Swagger w/Vickie Guerrero:
ON STAGE
“Santa Clause” Mick Foley: Mick Foley came out to the stage dressed as Santa Clause to hype the LIVE SmackDown! Holiday special tomorrow night with a poem.
BACKSTAGE INTERVIEW
Josh Mathews & WWE Champion C.M. Punk: Josh asked Punk about the DQ stipulation set by General Manager John Laurinaitis. Punk said Laurinaitis can KISS MY ASS!
WWE CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
C.M. Punk defeated Alberto Del Rio w/Ricardo Rodriguez to retain the WWE championship: Alberto & Ricardo tried desperately to trick Punk into getting DQ’d throughout the match. Late in the match, Alberto tried to pull an “Eddie Guerrero” by giving Punk a chair and playing dead, but Punk just gave it back and played dead himself. Alberto somehow convinced the referee not to disqualify him. Ricardo got on the apron in an attempt to help Alberto, but Punk remained focused and hit the Go-To-Sleep on the exposed turnbuckle while the referee tended to Ricardo for the win! Ricardo protested to the referee over Punk’s tactics but he wouldn’t budge. Punk knocked out Ricardo with a Go-To-Sleep!!