by Tarron Coalson

In the first MONDAY NIGHT RAW since the announcement of the decision to move SMACKDOWN to Tuesday night on the USA Network, starting July 19th, along with a heavily promoted “Return of John Cena” story line, anticipation was at a high as RAW was being broadcast from “Titletown, USA”, Green Bay, Wisconsin.

The show started up with a great Memorial Day tribute featuring a great Memorial Day speech given by then President Ronald Reagan but mixed in excerpts of WWE Superstars reading the speech as well. A really nice spot…but hour number one was downhill quick & in a hurry from there!

The show started with Shane McMahon coming out followed by Stephanie McMahon to “formally” announce the RAW & SMACKDOWN brand split. This was quickly followed by WWE Tag Team Champions, The New Day, who had questions for Shane & Stephanie about how they were going to split talent & who would run SMACKDOWN. Of course, they’re going to have an “officially unannounced” talent draft for both, probably in an upcoming MONDAY NIGHT RAW, but this spot somehow turned into a dance off for Shane & Stephanie?? Don’t ask, it was pretty wretched…

This was interrupted by The Vaude Villains, who was scheduled for a tag team match with The New Day, which the crowd, nor this columnist was into…but it mercifully came to an end when Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson attached The New Day (with the Vaude Villains helping) & ended with Gallows & Anderson hitting Big E Langston with the Magic Killer.

This is probably the end of the WWE Title opportunities for The Vaude Villains as it looks like New Day will start a feud with Gallows & Anderson, who announced in a promo right after, that “We Have Arrived” & that they don’t need A.J. Styles.

Following this was a recap of Sheamus’s attack on Apollo Crews followed by a promo of Crews joined by Big Show, who tells Crews that Sheamus is a bully who picked on Crews because he thinks Crews will back down & Big Show asks if Crews will?

Next up, Golden Truth (R-Truth & Goldust) join the commentary desk for The Uso’s vs. the undefeated team of Breezango (Tyler Breeze & Fandango), who in a high spot call Golden Truth, Molten Poop:):)

Another not very good match ends in a victory for the Usos as Jay distracts Fandango allowing Jimmy to score the victory with a back cradle roll up. Afterwards, Breezango blames the Golden Truth for their loss & a brawl starts that leaves Breezango laying.

The first hour mercifully ends as Roman Reigns comes out to a mixed reaction for a change. They recap the Seth Rollins run in at EXTREME RULES & Reigns comes out & challenges Rollins to prove that he’s “The Man”. Rollins comes out & shows how to work a crowd as he teases a run in four times & speaking on the mike twice…works the crowd & leaves, never saying a word…but again, after all the build up, not a very good opening hour.

Thinking that it’s got to go up from here, the second hour opens with Lana & Rusev, the US Champ facing Zack Ryder, who’s hoping for a Miracle on Memorial Day. The hopes fade quickly as Rusev locks in an Accolade on Ryder who submits quickly.

Rusev gets the mic & tells everyone that American’s should strive to be like him which immediately brings out…Titus O’Neil, who slugs Rusev, who rolls out & leaves to the USA, USA, USA chants while I’m watching & thinking…what the heck? Did WWE creative take the week off since it was Memorial Day weekend?

Next up is an already tired promo by The Shining Stars from Puerto Rico & it’s at this point, I’m considering an early bedtime & setting the DVR.

Finally, they recap the Charlotte/Ric Flair situation from last week where Charlotte verbally assaulted her father, followed by Stephanie McMahon confronting WWE Women’s Champ Charlotte & in a strong rebuke & promo, tells Charlotte that she’s a “waste of talent” & she’s ashamed that Charlotte is the WWE Women’s Champion. Maybe the night is starting to look up!

The next match is Enzo & Big Cass, who run through their predictable (but enjoyable) stick, including the “How you doin?” & S.A.W.F.T…ssaawwfft! chant that gets the crowd going versus The Dudley Boys. What follows is a nice match with all getting some spots but comes to an end when Big Cass hits Devon with a Size 16 boot in the mush, followed by a Rocket Launcher for the victory. I get the New Era but I don’t get having one of the best tag teams of all time-The Dudley Boys, & pretty much using them as they’re using Chris Jericho in the Singles division, basically working with all the new young talent.

Wretched Promo up next with Dean Ambrose, Sami Zayn & Cesaro concerning their main event match with Chris Jericho, Kevin Owens & Alberto Del Rio. They were talking about being Swiss & Canadian & who knows what else. My hopes start to fade again when suddenly…..

THE RETURN OF JOHN CENA, just in time as the clock approaches 10PM. Right on time, you gotta give WWE credit for their timing! Cena comes out to mostly cheers & a meager chant of “Welcome Back”, fresh off his injury & hosting of American Grit.

Cena breaks into a patriotic speech (which he does better than anyone in the business) getting the crowd into a USA chant again. He speaks up about the troops which paid the Ultimate Price for their service, which this columnist gives a big THANK YOU as well, as Cena promotes the price of freedom!

Cena then asks if he still belongs in WWE & brings up the New Era. He announces that he will not go quietly into the night & that the New Era will go through him, which bring the music of The Phenomenal One, A.J. Styles, who comes to the ring. The crowd gets into competing chants of “Let’s Go Cena” vs. “A.J. Styles” & one thing noticed by this columnist is that Cena looks a ton smaller on his return, barely bigger than A.J..

After a two to three-minute battling chant, AJ tells Cena welcome back & is interrupted by Gallows & Anderson, who accuse AJ of sucking up to John Cena. Gallows & Anderson come to the ring & AJ throws out the challenge with him & Cena taking them on.

But, in an instant and a great unforseen move, Styles turns on Cena & a three on one Club beat down follows with AJ laying an Old School beating on Cena, returning to the ring three times to continue the beat down. Leaving, Styles is screaming “You’re Welcome World” to a stunned crowd & a happy columnist!

After a break, we’re treated to Dana Brooks with WWE Women’s Champ Charlotte verses Natalya & in a fairly quick match, Dana Brooks gets the win as Natalya is distracted by Charlotte. After the match, they double team Natalya who’s saved by the most mis-used woman in WWE, Becky Lynch. Maybe they’ll figure out a way to get Becky back in the spotlight.

Then, we’re asked to endure a Dolph Ziggler promo about Baron Corbin, who’s “technical” match follows a commercial break. As they start the “technical” match, Ziggler delivers a hard low blow, paying back Corbin for his low blow at EXTREME RULES, but is immediately disqualified & is in fact, proud of the DQ!

Really almost forgot that they did an agonizing Miz promo….had to go back & add this to the column…..:)

This is followed by an equally awful promo featuring the other three guys in the six man main event, Alberto Del Rio, Chris Jericho & Kevin Owens who are facing Cesaro, Zayn & Ambrose. We can only hope that the upcoming main event six man match is a lot better than the promo’s!

Cesaro starts against Del Rio with Charles Robinson still refing after his Natalya screw job! Cesaro starts the uppercut train rolling on everyone..

but gets cut off & is worked over by all three men. Sami Zayn is tagged in & does his over the top rope sommersault on all three opponents. After a back & forth match & a minute of all guys hitting their moves, Dean Ambrose hits Dirty Deeds on Kevin Owens for the win.

OK, with Memorial Day & the Warriors/Thunder Game 7, maybe we can excuse WWE’s creative team for an off night. Other than the standout spot with The Club, Styles & Cena, it wasn’t a very good RAW by their standards. Let’s hope for better next week which will hopefully feature a Styles/Cena match or spot!!