Last week’s four and one-half bagger of a show was more than enough to convince this writer to be excited about this week’s RAW far prior to Monday evening. Robert Lashley’s championship bout against John Morrison’s right-hand man was prominently featured throughout the show, and while perhaps tonight’s episode was slightly less to my taste than last week’s neat lil’ jaunt of wrestling programming, the action inside the ring and a couple of big moments on March 1st more than made up for the few segments that perhaps weren’t my favourite.

We wrap!

Big Bad Bob is on Top

We’ve got a new champ!

I sang the praises of Bob Lashley last week, and I’m happy to do so again. The guy’s a stud. The show’s consistent thread of counting down to Lashley’s championship opportunity was a really neat one, and it had me constantly looking forward to the Miz getting his ass kicked. Thankfully, he did, and we’ve got a new WWE Champion to boot. Lashley’s truly been incredible over the past year, and I’m sure I’m not alone in saying I’m truly happy for him.

Mac is Back

Hey! Drew is back!

Admittedly this flew a bit under-the-radar for me with all the excellent work around the WWE Championship match, but it was excellent to see Drewseph make his return to RAW three weeks after losing the WWE Championship. As he’s been prone to do over the past few months, his promo was excellent to kick start wrestling’s longest-running program of all-time. Going up against both MVP and the Miz on the microphone is no easy feat and McIntyre was more than up to the challenge tonight.

If his promo was great, his match was better. Far better, frankly, and that’s a testament to the absolute slugfest that he and Sheamus put on as the first match of the evening. The two UK natives beat the ever-loving hell out of each other during their three-segment tilt, absolutely laying into each other as though they were pounding meat. Easily one of my favourite matches I’ve watched in a while and one I’d suggest you check out.

Let’s Appreciate Mr. Mizanin

To circle back to the Miz, I’d have no problem with him continuing to be a part of this program leading into WrestleMania. He always seems to elevate his game when he needs to, and since claiming the WWE Championship he’s been on top of his game. He’s earned at least an extended run around the top of the card, and with Fastlane a little under a month away, there’s no sense in just casting him to the side. Besides, there’s still a ton of room to expand on the feud. For example, could we see Miz’s dad get involved? No, but I was struggling for an ‘in’ on how to mention him, and he’s always worth bringing up.

Coffee Talk

A section in which Spencer kicks around some ideas that made their way into his mind during tonight’s viewing, for your conversational needs.

• Boy, y’know who would look great with that WWE Championship? John Morrison.
• Real upset that Braun’s mystery tag team partner wasn’t Nicolas. Why not go with a track record of success? Silly decision-making skills, even with the whole ‘conflict resolution’ thing going.
• I really do not know who I’m supposed to cheer for in the whole Fiend/Bliss/Orton thing. I say that in the most literal of the sense of the words; while I like the Fiend, and I like Bliss, and I like Orton, there don’t seem to be any redeeming qualities about any of the people involved in the story right now, does there?
• Both Bobby Lashley and MVP were allowed to curse on RAW tonight. That’s a sign they’re doing a great job.
• Shayna Baszler’s promo was neat! Really neat, in fact. I liked it and I would like more of them. I would really like to see her win more, too. I’m definitely biased, she’s a favourite of mine, but geez!
• Riddle vs Ali is a program I’d certainly be interested in.

Bags o’ Popcorn

🍿🍿🍿.5/🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿

Please pardon the lack of a half a bag of popcorn to properly represent my rating. Tonight’s show certainly had some high points, but also some stuff that I’d certainly rather not talk about on a site about celebrating my love of wrestling. A three-and-a-half bagger it is, then!

What’d you think? Have you made it this far in the recap? If you did, hooray! Hopefully, it means you’ll tweet me @SpennyLove and give me your thoughts on tonight’s show or anything else in pro wrestling.

Later days!