The RAW match is a women's tag. I have no preconceptions if this collection of women are any good, except Beth, who I know to be fine. Nine seconds in, and I look for the 'Mute Lawler' button on Windows Media player (I refer to my legal television channels as my Windows Media player. It's just a little fun I like to have, copyright protection lawyers). This ws actually fine. The Bella Twins are competent, and don't look like pretty girls put in a ring with little training to justify their existence in a wrestling promotion. Beth drives the action, as short as it is, and looks as dominant as she ever does. No complaints.
Evan Bourne vs. Zack Ryder is the ECW match. I hoped to be impressed by at least one of them, as Bourne hasn't been as great this year so far (stuff with Henry notwithstanding) and Ryder is just working enhancement guys at the moment. This match was pretty formulaic, but it's a formula that works. Thing I've always liked most about Bourne is that he occassionaly does things that seem unusual. In this match, there's the matwork section with the series of armdrags which smaller guys normally wouldn't do in favour of more opening rope-running. Later, he escapes a sleeperhold into a single leg crab- comeback spots are normally more impactful, whereas Bourne shows here a greater interest in realism and looking less forced. Maybe he hasn't full adopted a template WWE small flyer style, and he's better for it. The great part about his WWE work is that he now has a couple of really spectacular high spots, which he works in much sensibly that an indie flyer would do. Anyway, this match turns out good. Ryder is charismatic enough to carry the middle section working on Bourne's injured ribs well enough before the comeback and hot finish stretch, and Bourne puts in a decent selling performance with the injury.
Main event is Jericho vs. John Morrison. With the horrendous writing Orton's charachter has attracted, Jericho is by far the best heel in the company at this stage, and this match is as much driven by his heel character work as it is Morrison's gymnastics. He even recalls the 2000 last man standing match with HHH, copying the lying on the corner taunt. Morrison suits his face turn - he has an impressive array of moves to show off. He hasn't changed significantly in demeanour except in small ways, such as the way and times he interacts with the crowd. I'm glad he hasn't turned in a grinning, fan-loving, cheery babyface all of a sudden, and prefer the more natural evolution of his character growing to love crowd approval after years of treating them with disdain. The last few minutes of this were exciting, and featured a couple of nice reversals of the Walls. I have no idea how Morrison has space to do a full 360 off a split leg moonsault, but there it was.
This show continues to provide the best hour of WWE TV each week. Who knew professional wrestling fans might enjoy professional wrestling?
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