WWE RAW Results: 12-26-11
Results courtesy of
PWTorch.com (direct link to Caldwell's complete report). Condensed here to mostly in-ring results.
1 -- IC champion CODY RHODES vs. BOOKER T -- non-title match
Before the bell sounded, they replayed footage from Smackdown when Booker sang Christmas tunes for Rhodes, causing Rhodes to lose to Zack Ryder. Back live, Cole complained about everything before the bell sounded. Booker teased the scissors kick early on, but Cody ducked and delivered a swinging neckbreaker. Cody followed with an exposed knee to the mid-section, followed by kicks and stomps. Rhodes then dumped Booker to the outside and they cut to break.
Back from break, Rhodes was wearing down Booker in the ring. Meanwhile, Cole and Lawler debated when a wrestler is too old. Lawler said you can be as old as you want in WWE because it's an individual sport, as opposed to a team sport, where an athlete could drag down a team. Rhodes continued to wear down Booker, who then fought out of a corner with blows, but Rhodes responded with a dropkick that floored Booker again. The crowd tried to rally behind Booker, who continued to take a beating.
Booker finally mounted some offense with a corner attack before landing a flying forearm and a series of clotheslines. Booker followed with a sidewalk slam for a two count. Booker got that look in his eyes, then rolled up Rhodes out of the corner for a two count. Rhodes responded with a quick pin attempt, but Booker escaped. Booker then wanted an axe kick, but Rhodes ducked. He then scored with a Disaster Kick that he almost turned into a missile dropkick. Booker kicked out of a pin attempt in time, though. Rhodes tried Cross Rhodes, but Booker blocked and landed a back kick. Booker, sucking wind, missed with a kick, but hit the axe kick moments later. Booker made the cover and it was good for the win.
Post-match: Lawler popped like Booker won the World Title as they went to crowd shots of a pro-Booker crowd reaction. Post-match: Booker took his time walking around the ring playing to the crowd before posing for the hard camera. To cap off the celebration, Booker dropped down to one knee and did the spin-a-rooni. Booker continued to point to the crowd.
WINNER: Booker at 12:03. Is Booker retiring for good? They acted like this was Booker's retirement match with Rhodes putting him over to have a feel-good send-off. It will be interesting to see what the fall-out is. Overall, good match that effectively built to a clean finish. (**1/4)
2 -- U.S. champion ZACK RYDER & EVE vs. TYSON KIDD & NATALYA -- mixed tag match
Back from commercial, Tyson Kidd and Natalya were in the ring as the opponents. As the action started, Cole told viewers to mark down July 23, 2012. Cole said that will be the 1,000th episode of Raw. He also noted Cena is coming up soon to address Kane again. After the Divas battled, Ryder took a tag, which also brought in Kidd. The action broke down and Team Ryder delivered stereo Broski Boots. Ryder followed with the Rough Ryder on Kidd for the pin and the win. Post-match: Ryder and Eve fist-pumped for the crowd before Ryder handed his title belt to Eve to hold for a second.
WINNERS: Ryder & Eve at 3:03.
3 -- JOHN CENA vs. THE MIZ
Cena and Miz started this impromptu match-up with some basic back-and-forth feeling each other out. Lawler equated Miz to Cousin Eddie showing up at Christmas uninvited. Great "Christmas Vacation" reference. The crowd picked up a dueling chant for and against Cena, which led to Miz leaving the ring. Miz took the mic and said he's done with this match. the ref was applying a ten count as Miz continued to rant and rave. Miz noted he beat Cena at WrestleMania because all that matters is he beat Cena on the grandest stage of them all. The bell then sounded, indicating a count-out.
WINNER: Cena via count-out at 2:23.
Post-match: Miz continued to talk to the ringside fans that he is a winner, unlike the Bears, who lost to the Packers last night. Miz vowed to "leave this crappy city" with his head held high. Because he's The Miz, and he's...Suddenly, R-Truth's music played to bring out Truth returning from suspension. Truth tackled Miz ringside and the fight was on. Cena ducked out of the ring in the background as Truth and Miz brawled ringside, including using the announce table as a weapon. Truth blasted Miz into the table, then the guardrail, then the table again. Lawler noted Truth has snapped. Truth stalked Miz, who tried to crawl away, but Truth threw him into the ring steps. Truth talked to himself throughout this.
Truth retrieved a mic and stood over Miz before telling him he could finish this right now, but there's no fun in that. Truth landed more right hands before shoving Miz's head into the ring steps. He said the problem with Christmas is you open all your presents and it's over. Truth then blasted away on Miz some more. He said he wants every Monday night to be like Christmas, so he's going to take his time getting to Miz. Truth said Little Jimmy told him it's okay. He sang the New Year's song before noting Miz and the Jimmys are going to get got. Truth stood up and the crowd was initially unsure how to react before cheering. Truth wasn't done, though. Truth grabbed a water bottle and blasted it over Miz's head to finish off the attack. Cole declared that man is insane as Truth's music played. Lawler said Miz can look forward to that treatment every single week in 2012.
4 -- BIG SHOW vs. DAVID OTUNGA
Otunga tried to run around Show, who trapped Otunga's foot in-between his legs before landing some left arm chops. Otunga continued to run around Show before taking a headbutt. Show then one-handed Otunga over the top rope to the floor. Suddenly, Mark Henry's music played. Henry came out to the ring as Show appeared to escape the knot tied around his arm. Meanwhile, the ref called for the bell, apparently ending the match.
Post-match: Henry kicked Show in the face since Show apparently did not escape (or just loosened the knot). Daniel Bryan's music suddenly played to bring out the new World champ, who distracted Henry. Show, now free from the knot, teased an attack on Henry when Henry turned around, but Henry escaped when Otunga attacked Show from behind. Show then dropped Otunga with a chokeslam to send him away. Henry walked off as Show stared him down to conclude the segment.
WINNER: Show via DQ at 2:01. There are a lot of moving parts on this show this week.
5 -- WWE champion C.M. PUNK RUNS THE GAUNTLET
In-ring: Justin Roberts introduced a "special" gauntlet match. Roberts set the ground rules for the match before Jack Swagger came out along with Vickie Guerrero. The crowd booed Swagger before Cult of Personality played for the third time tonight. Punk came out to a strong reaction, but not like the opening segment with the law of diminishing returns in-play. Before the bell sounded, Cole advertised Kane in the building later tonight.
5a -- WWE champion C.M. PUNK vs. JACK SWAGGER (w/Vickie Guerrero) -- non-title match
As Punk and Swagger started the action, Cole went back to July when Punk won the WWE Title, walked out of WWE, and began his revolution to change WWE "for good or for bad." Punk scored with a hard kick to the face as Cole went through the timeline of Punk's last five months in WWE. A pro-Punk chant started up as Swagger tried to wear down Punk. Swagger targeted Punk's mid-section before trying a Swagger Bomb, but Punk caught him in mid-air. After teased moves on both sides, Punk delivered a big roundhouse kick to the head that KO'ed Swagger for a three count.
WINNER: Punk at 3:26.
As Dolph Ziggler made his way to the ring to face Punk next, Swagger attacked Punk from behind, targeting Punk's left leg. Ziggler wanted to start the match right away, but ref Scott Armstrong checked on Punk to make sure he could still compete before ringing the bell. Punk nodded his head up and down before they suddenly cut to break.
5b -- WWE champion C.M. PUNK vs. DOLPH ZIGGLER (w/Vickie Guerrero and Jack Swagger) -- non-title match
Back from break, the match was already in progress with Ziggler working on Punk's injured left leg. The crowd to rally behind Punk, who suddenly tried a small package, but Ziggler kicked out. Ziggler then resumed the attack.
Ziggler sat down on a half-Boston Crab as Punk resisted tapping out. Punk crawled and crawled toward the bottom rope before reaching out to break the hold. Ziggler nearly got himself DQ'ed by not breaking until four. Punk, now on his feet, landed right hand blows and chops, followed by a standing back kick and punt to the gut. Punk followed with punishing right leg kicks to the back before delivering another KO kick to the head. This time, Ziggler kicked out. Vickie and Swagger then ran interference, which allowed Ziggler to hit the Zig-Zag for a close nearfall.
Suddenly, Laurinaitis came down to ringside and marched over to the timekeeper's table. Laurinaitis grabbed the mic and said there has been an injustice here tonight. Suddenly, Punk had a cover as Laurinaitis occupied the referee on the mic. Laurinaitis tossed Vickie and Swagger from ringside, which disallowed the ref from counting a three for Punk. Laurinaitis then got on the ring apron to talk to Punk. Suddenly, Ziggler dropped Punk from behind with the Zig-Zag and Laurinaitis stopped talking. Ziggler made the cover for the win.
Post-match: Ziggler yanked the WWE Title belt away from the timekeeper and paraded around with the belt. Cole shouted that Ziggler gets a title shot next week as Ziggler ran circles around the ring with the title belt. Ziggler continued to parade around with Punk's title belt as Punk sat up in the ring. Ziggler kissed the belt and told Punk to kiss it good-bye. In the ring, Punk sat up and shook his head that it's not happening.
WINNER: Ziggler at 7:32; Ziggler gets a WWE Title shot next week. A sample of the 15-25-minute match they could have next week to start 2011. It will be interesting to see if Ziggler wins next week, then if WWE uses Ziggler as a transitional champion to get the belt to Cena ahead of WM28 (if Cena vs. Rock will actually be for the WWE Title) so that Cena doesn't take the belt from Punk.