Category Archives: Raw Redux

Raw Redux (June 17th, 2013): The Queen Bee Confronts the Black Widow and Kaitlyn Stings Like a Hornet

Posted on by
Reply

To say that Payback delivered in a big way would be a gross understatement. It was a nice full of twists, turns, upsets, and flat-out incredible action. Divas AJ Lee and Kaitlyn upped their games delivered the best match in recent history, telling a story full of a rollercoaster ride of emotions. The former best friends and tag team partners squared off in the most highly anticipated match of the current Diva era and lived up to the hype. The job both women did left a lasting impression on Diva fans and the WWE Universe as a whole, and personally, I couldn’t more proud to be a fan of both of them. After coming off the highest of highs, many of us wondered if Raw would be able to deliver. It’s fair to say that since we’re on the road to Summerslam, the ‘E’s second biggest event of the year, good things are likely to come our way. And for once, none of us were disappointed. The goddess herself, Stephanie McMahon, dazzled our screens last night in a segment with our newly crowned champ and jilted challenger. And Queen Vickie Guerrero more than made up for her terrible tweet on Sunday night that basically spoiled the outcome of Prince Dawlf’s match.

So what went down on Monday Night Raw?

Lets kick things off with Vickie Guerrero’s BEST SEGMENT EVER!

I know, I know. Pretty shameless on my part, but there was just so much Vickie stuff last night, that I had to narrow it down. It shouldn’t shock anyone that I picked BB Christian‘s return. Thank God, and not a moment too soon. I was so close to signing my divorce papers when it came to my marriage to WWE. The Prince Dawlf thing just didn’t work for me. But anyway, Queen Vickie and Brad Maddox brought back my first love, and I couldn’t be more happy.

It’s also nice to have Vickie back on television. She’s such a good character and they’ve really cooled her off in recent weeks. It kind of sucks in the sense that there’s so much you can do with the general manager’s role and Vickie has proven herself as a perfect fit for it. It’s also a change of character for her as well, and it’s interesting to see her not really being a heel. She’s always going to get that heat because of her catch phrase, but she’s acting as more of a tweener now. She’s being a professional, so to speak, and it’s definitely different. It also looks like she’s getting a mini-storyline now. With Triple H, Stephanie, and Vince McMahon all urging our favorite cougar to follow their lead, it’ll be interesting to see what happens in the upcoming weeks.

To be honest, I think Vickie should just tell them all to just buzz off. That’s what I would do, haha. And seriously, welcome back to my beloved BB Christian. It’s been way way way way way to long.

Raw was so solid last night and a very strong Divas segment just added to that. Newly crowned champ, AJ, decided to come to the ring and brag about her victory.

Hahaha, oh AJ! Already calling yourself the greatest Divas Champion of all time. Beautiful.

Okay, the fact that Stephanie and AJ had a segment together just kills me, in a good way. Stephanie is the goddess of all Divas, and she always will be. No one generated as much heat as she did back in the day (except maybe Vickie), and something tells me that a young AJ probably looked up to Stephanie just as much as did Lita and Trish Stratus to a certain extent. It probably meant everything to AJ to get an opportunity to share the stage with Stephanie so to speak, and it means everything to me that Stephanie is back on television every week. I’m not sure how long it’s going to last but I’m going to enjoy every single second of it. Stephanie brings all the intangibles to the table that so many other people can not. She knows how to work absolutely everything from her body to her face to her voice. I love her and to be honest, I always have.

I loved AJ in this segment as well. She’s so disgustingly full of herself it’s ridiculous. I love how she didn’t hold anything back and just went after Stephanie. AJ definitely isn’t afraid to throw shade at anymore, now is she? Stephanie, being Stephanie, threw it all right back at the champ. I love how she threatened AJ’s job and I love it even more that she couldn’t just let Kaitlyn get away with interrupting her. Everything worked.

Kaitlyn was fantastic. I loved the brawl between the two women and just like I thought, this feud is just getting started. This is making both Divas, and I couldn’t be more excited to see how far we go this summer with them. Much like Payback, I can’t say enough nice things about the work these two are doing, and kudos to Stephanie for giving them a nice little rub with her presence. There’s not a lot left for me to say right now. Kaitlyn and AJ were magnificant. I really hope we get something fantastic on SmackDown as well.

Raw Redux (June 10th, 2013): Kaitlyn Gets ‘Catfished’

Posted on by
Reply

I know that every single one of us spend a great deal of time talking trash about the ‘E and their treatment of the Divas. We’ve all spent countless amounts of hours wishing, wanting, and praying that some day the company would wake up and realize just how talented their girls actually were and would give them actual storylines and whatnot. If you’re reading this, then you can’t sit there and tell me that you haven’t hope for any of that to happen. I’m guilty. Everyone on the Diva Dirt team is guilty. My entire Twitter timeline is guilty. I’m pretty sure the Divas themselves are also guilty of wanting more. After all, their the ones putting their lives on hold and investing themselves in a business that isn’t always kind to the fairer sex. It doesn’t matter if they’ve come up through the indies, or if they were plucked from a catalouge – every one who steps inside the ring is risking their health and well being. The Divas deserve respect – from fans, their peers, and the business as a whole.

Slowly but surely we have started to see change in the WWE. The Divas are getting more chances so to speak. Girls are being given non-wrestling roles, they are getting a chance to actually work the mic, and have backstage segments that mean something. When they do get matches, they are getting more time than they have in the past. And, in my opinion, above all else, they are being given a chance to have different personalities, and in some cases, actually play off their real personalities. It’s all positives for the most part. It’s definitelty not perfect, but what is? I’ll gladly watch the baby steps being taken because when big things do happen, they come off almost flawlessly. Last night’s episode of Raw is a great example of this.

I’m curious. How many people took Kaitlyn‘s secret admirer storyline seriously other than me? You can answer by raising your hands.

Of course, I mean this figuaratively. I don’t actually expect you to raise your hands. But probably only about half of us even gave it a second thought. Despite being the Diva’s Champion, Kaitlyn hasn’t been on television much and some people could have just chalked it up to the company’s attempt at giving her an actual reason to be on the screens every week. Fair play. Nine times out of ten, storylines like this just fizzle out any way. I certainly didn’t expect it to blow up into probably the best Diva segment we’ve seen in a long time.

Kaitlyn and AJ Lee have obvious chemistry. They have the history behind them. They have a storyline. Hell, they even have Prince Dawlf in common; he’s kinda, sorta Kaitlyn’s ex-boyfriend. So when AJ finally earned the right to become the number one contender, and Kaitlyn continued to hold the title, we all knew what was coming. I’m not going to sit here and say that the secret admirer thing was obvious. To me, it actually wasn’t until Big E. Langston walked down to the ring. The way they had been interjecting the Bellas into the equation, I honestly thought those two would be behind the mysterious love notes and presents sent to Kaitlyn.

But it wasn’t the Bellas. It was Big E. Langston, and clearly AJ was the mastermind of the operation. When Big E. walked out in his pimpin’ street clothes, with flowers in his hand I thought to myself, this won’t end well for Kaitlyn. Big E. professed his love to a confused, maybe slightly disappointed Kaitlyn, and even took her in his arms. He dramatically held the Diva’s champ, only to drop her right on her butt with a sadistic little smirk. AJ comes out to the ring, and the promo she delivered was nothing short of amazing. Whether I like what she’s doing now or not (the angle is getting better, to be honest), she’s always put forth the effort. AJ has a passion for the business that a lot of people, male or female, don’t. It was on full display last night and she didn’t hold anything. AJ literally unleashed everything she had been holding back right in Kaitlyn’s face and the champ had no choice but to take it. You kept expecting Kaitlyn to cry, and several times she came close. Her lip was quivering, her eyes were watering, but she held back the tears.

AJ’s emotions are that of someone who is clearly unstable and she plays it up so, so well. We all know she’s crazy. It’s plain as day. She basically blamed Kaitlyn for not being there for her during all her break-ups last year when we all know that wasn’t the case. Kaitlyn tried to be a good friend, she really did. AJ wasn’t having it. And when Kaitlyn finally snapped last night, it was incredible. The crowd went nuts when she beat the tar out of AJ, and the look on AJ’s face as she made her way up the ramp was amused. These two are going to have one hell of a match come Sunday night at Payback, and I can’t wait to see how it all unfolds. I don’t think this feud is over. To be honest, I feel like it’s just getting started. Even if AJ wins come Sunday, Kaitlyn will still get a rematch. And ultimately something will happen between Prince Dawlf and AJ, and she’s going to need someone to turn too. The Chickbusters may actually end up allies again down the line, especially if the Bellas end up next in line for a title shot. It’s kind of already been teased that the Bellas have it out for AJ. But, you know, I’m not going to get ahead of myself.

Right now, it’s all about Kaitlyn and AJ. And after last night, both of them proved exactly why it should be. They are the best Divas on the roster right now and I’m keeping my fingers crossed that they leave it all in the ring come Payback. If both of them are allowed to go out there and work like they’re both capable, it could be the turning point in both of their careers. I really can’t wait.

Nothing but kudos to AJ and Kaitlyn (and yes, to you too, Big E. for the small role you played!), for what they delivered last night. It made everything else on Raw irrelevant to me, including the McMahon saga. For sure I’ll be back next week continuing that, but as of now this Redux is done. Nothing else needs to be said because Kaitlyn and AJ stole the show last night.

Oh, and welcome back Prince Dawlf!!!!! Boy were you a sight for sore eyes last night.

Until next time… Cryssi out!

Raw Redux (June 3rd, 2013): Stephanie Takes the Heat and AJ Delivers Some Payback

Posted on by
Reply

It figures that the one night I don’t watch Raw, the show is like actually decent and stuff. That’s just my luck. Never in my wildest dreams did I think that the original Queen, Stephanie McMahon, would kick off tonight’s show. Nor did I think we’d get lucky two weeks in a row with a Natalya ringside appearance. It absolutely boggles my mind that we actually got a match featuring the Diva’s Champion, Kaitlyn, in addition to the usual AJ Lee and Summer Rae ringside bits. With so much to cover in one short little Redux, why sit around and waste any more time?

Hehe, I love Steph getting heat. As much as you love to cheer her, back in the day, this woman could make a crowd literally eat her alive. There hasn’t really been a better female heel since, although Vickie Guerrero came so close at the height of her WWE popularity. I don’t necessarily think that Steph was going for a heel reaction, but that’s exactly how it came off. I love how she stepped up and decided herself that her man was in no condition to compete tonight. She’s always been a take charge kind of woman, and this is really no exception. Like usual, she was superb on the microphone, and when Vince came out the crowd got even more rowdy. I can’t complain. Just seeing Stephanie on Raw is a treat within itself. I respect that she’s a mom and a wife now, and a business woman, but she’s also a great character. She lights up the screen whenever she’s on it, and she never seems to age ever. Nice opening segment, and a nice surprise for Diva fans. How can you not love Stephanie McMahon?

If nothing else, this also gives me a shameless opportunity to mention the Shield. They looked absolutely delicious walking down to the ring tonight, especially the gorgeous Dean Ambrose.

Seriously guys, I’m dying without Prince Dawlf on Raw. Need more eyecandy ASAP.

Triple H isn’t exactly the eyecandy I was speaking of, even though back in the day he was right up there on my list. His executive dad haircut and look doesn’t really do it for me these days, but regardless, this gave us another opportunity to see Queen Steph.

Triple H is clearly hellbent on wrestling Mr. Perfect’s offspring, but Stephanie is doing her best to put her foot down. I love how she brought up two weeks ago and slipped some personal touches in it. It was amazing to hear her talk about how they were watching on television two weeks ago when Hunter (should I call him Paul like she did?) collapsed at ringside. She brought up how their kids were crying and she was on the phone with his mother and his sister. Despite all that, Trips still wanted to compete. Vince had to step in, and then Steph had to step between the two men, and we have McMahon family drama. To be honest, I love it.

The McMahons have this business in their blood it seems. They all come off so natural on TV. Two Stephanie segments in one night just makes me so darn happy. Even if nothing else happened on Raw, I feel like just seeing one of my all-time favorites on TV again would have been enough to leave me completely happy.

But like I said earlier, we had A LOT of Diva goodness going on last night. Up next, AJ Lee made her first appearance of the night alongside Big E. Langston. Last week, we watched our favorite punk princess cost her friend his match against Albie Del Rio and then refuse to take the blame. What’s gunna happen this time?

A relatively uneventful match with no hijinks from AJ or Ricardo. I must say that AJ is in stupid good shape. I hate her. She can rock skinnies and shorts better than any Diva on the roster. She’s so natural and legit girl-next-door when it comes to fashion and whatnot, that it makes me sick. In a good way, of course. She’s just so down to Earth, and no matter what crappy storyline she’s put in (like this one), I’ll always love her. Not a proper AJ fix, but there will be more of her later that’s for sure. I do like how she gave Langston the evil eyes after the loss. These two misfits definitely need their Prince Dawlf back!

As we’re rolling merrily along, Stephanie and her beloved Triple H once again grace our television screens and it seems like “The Game” has had a change of heart. He’s still baffled that Vince, of all people, would lecture him about his ego. He doesn’t really want to beat Vince up on television because his kids would see him abusing their grandfather so he makes the decision to leave. He does vow to face THEE Offspring next week.

Something tells me that when that door closed, Stephanie put her foot down. And lets be honest, she wears the pants in that family. I do like how Triple H made a proper excuse though. Typical man ;-)

And speaking of typical!!!! Okay, so this next bit isn’t typical at all. Fandango and Summer Rae cha-cha their way to the ring so the future Dancing With the Stars winner can take on The Great Khali. Hornswoggle and Natalya accompany Khali out. And what follows that is just a mess of a storyline that I don’t understand.

To be honest, I really don’t have a hell of a lot to say. I’m not sure where this is going, or who is heel and face? Are all these people going to be feuding for the Intercontinental Championship held by the strapping young Robert Baretheon before he married Cersei and got fat? You know I had to get in a Game of Thrones reference sooner or later, especially after the Red Wedding. But really, I just wanted to include Summer and Nattie in this. So there you go Summalya fans.

Segments and Diva sightings galore, and to top it off, an actual match too! Diva’s Champion, Kaitlyn, once again teamed with Naomi and Cameron to take on AJ and Brie and Nikki Bella. Anyone remember what happened last time the Bellas and AJ ended up on the same team?

Seems like AJ managed to get some revenge on the Bellas this go around for leaving her high and dry several weeks ago. I liked that twist a lot because it shows that it wasn’t forgotten. The ‘E slowly but surely tying all these little storylines together and I’m incredibly pleased with that. The six girls involved in this did a nice job. Everyone got a chance to work a little bit, and it got a nice amount of time. I can’t really pick on too much, to be fair. There were nice spots, the ever popular hot tag, and the champ got a much needed victory. The ending was very fitting given what happened last time this match took place, and I’m pretty happy with how everything came off. The Bellas definetly need to get a little sharper. They’ve been back long enough that ring rust can’t be used as an excuse now. Cameron continues to get better every time we see her in the ring and I credit Naomi with a lot of that. She’s so naturally gifted and I love the partnership she’s built with Cameron. They’re not just dancers. They’re becoming the total package. The live crowds love them and you know what, so do I. It’s taken me awhile to reach this point, but I really really enjoy the Funkdactyls whether it’s them at ringside or wrestling.

Kaitlyn’s reign as champion isn’t one for the history books as of yet, and it probably won’t be. At the beginning stages of her run, she wasn’t given anything to work with. Now that she’s had a storyline, she’s finally gotten show her personality. Like AJ, Kaitlyn is also different from the other Divas. She’s very random, funny in her own way, and she has a unique look that is all her own. I’ve loved her since day one on NXT. She’s gaining in popularity and I think she’s definitely a star. Whenever her match happens with AJ, I know that I’ll be on the edge of my seat. I want to say that these two could very well be the next Trish and Lita, but I’m not. They are Kaitlyn and AJ, and I think that could end up being better than Trish and Lita.

Until next time… Cryssi out!

Random Side Note: How freaking brilliant was Daniel Bryan last night?? Unreal. Not enough adjectives to describe how incredible that guy is at this whole wrestling/entertainment thing. Favorite performer, no doubt.