WWE RAW Workrate Report
What Worked
PAS: I enjoyed the last section of the Battle Royal with Jericho and Orton working a long scaffold match section on the ring apron. Orton has gotten really fun lately, and should have a really good PPV match with Beniot.
PAS: First 55 or so of the Ironmatch was pretty great, I really liked the work on the sternum, which was different then you generic "work the arm, work the leg" stuff. Beniot did some nice leg work which didn't really lead to much, outside of the figure four. Beniot's tope was really beautiful, as was his missed headbut, add the chairshot to the back of the neck and Beniot is trying to catch up with Kobashi in the "90's superworker bumping his way to traction" contest. I also really liked the use of the countout as a way to catch a fall. Helmsley was fine, although really pedestrian for most of the match. Finish was really overbooked and stupid, and I would have at least liked to see Beniot hit a move before he got the pin.
TKG: I really liked Venis vs. Richards on Heat. liked it alot, and I think I liked the Canadian vs. long haired guy with worked back stage pull, more than I liked the Canadian vs. long haired guy with shoot back stage pull. But really thats no criticism of this match. Yeah this was alot better than I expected. They did the weird WWE thing of telegraphing that this is an "important-big-match" by having both guys sell fatigue long before they did anything that should fatigue them, here early in the first fall. Liked the crossface into crucifix that won the first fall, really good looking spot that they should have saved as finish for a big match. Helmsley really shouldn't ever take dragon screws and Benoit is a little too short to be applying abdominal stretches. The blood came really late in the match as maybe the match could have used some blood early but that late in the match just felt like the story was already set too late to add that kind of blood heat. Lawler really fucking great job covering blown stuff, but both he and Ross were really Gargiuolloing alot of stuff. Liked the sternum work and really enjoyed all the falls. Good good match. Not sure what the finish accomplices and also unsure what the whole match is supposed to have accomplished. May not be as good or have accomplished as much as the two minute 40 second Morishima vs. Kikuchi match but well infinitely better than the last time a Canadain worked an Iron man match against a long haired clique member.
What Didn't Work
TKG: Smackdown recap and, what the fuck? Did Herd fire Eddy? Whose idea is it to run poor man's Windham vs. poor man's Luger for the title? I mean at least Herd was smart enough to put it in a cage, and well the real Luger has a decent piledriver.
PAS: Outside of Regal and a nice bump by Helms, that Battle Royal was a big batch of nothing. All of the workers I like get dumped early, poor Rodney Mack doesn't get the welcome he richly deserves, and the kept recycling spots from other battle royals. That Batista v. Kane standoff, was move for move, their stand off from the last RAW battle royal. Plus Maven? Stevie Richards is right there.
TKG: Nice singlet on Regal and liked him working over Orton, but he gets dumped early and really felt like majority of this wasn't layed out at all. For gimmick match to determine title shot, this wasn't as smartly paced or worked as the musical chairs match. Has Maven painted on his eyebrows, he looks like a Chinese Opera star. And God was Grenier in their way way too long. The fighting to avoid getting thrown section between Orton and Jericho wasn't as good as Jerry Jarrett vs. Don Greene from the sixties. Better than Travis vs. Gilbert from 97 though. Also battleroyale for number one contender spot is really played out and just feels like lazy booking. Why am I supposed to get excited by the Royal Rumble when you're running that spot on free TV before every PPV.
PAS: Kamala is an amusing idea, and he had a bunch of good cooning spots Booker T or Bob Sapp should steal, but watching hollywood gash after hollywood gash trying to improv with Kamala was painful. It is clear that the Playboy model has decided that this is beneath her. When a playboy model has too much dignity you know you are scummy. I did like the skinny black girl who decided that the best way to out coon Kamala was to jack lines from Eddie Murphy movies, that really showed some poise.
TKG: The strippers come out in bikinis and the WWE goes for closeups. God damn did they all have these wide dilated eyes. Was their second Diva challenge to see who could snort the longest line? Maybe they did find something searching Bischoff's office. Man that collection of strippers, models and trannies really can't throw game. I was really impressed by Kamala's mime attempts to carry them. Made me want to get more Memphis TV.