I would like to say last weeks Raw was one of the best done that I've ever seen. Ric Flair's farewell was tastefully done, and ever aspect was an extremely classy move on the WWE's part. I can not say the same for this week's Raw. This week, every match was sloppy and it seemed very third rate. The only thing that was even the least bit interesting was the Highlight reel with Batista and Shawn Michaels. Let's break it down.

Opening segment: JBL, Orton, Triple H and William Regal

The opening segment saw JBL get named the number one contender for the WWE title to face Randy Orton at Backlash. Triple H comes out and makes his claim that he was not beaten at Wrestlemania, and Orton stole the victory. A match is set for later, JBL and Orton against Triple H and if Triple H wins he will be added to the match at Backlash.

This was a typical opening segment for Raw. It was very predictable. I would like to see something different, why not put a brawl in this segment, showing that this will be a very intense rilvary.

Umaga vs. Val Venis

Where is Umaga's character going? Val Venis should be a main event player after his push in the late nineties, but he is reduced to jobbing to a guy who has gone extremely stale, and really does not seem to be going anywhere. Their was really no point in this match.

Jillian Hall and Melina Perez vs. Ashley Massaro and Micky James

I would just like to point out one thing about the WWE's woman's division. They have nothing when it comes to competing with the TNA woman's division. The division in the WWE lacks quality and intensity. Not to mention, seventy five percent of the women in the WWE were brought in as models and sex objects, not classically trained wrestlers who can put a decent match together. Micky and Melina were in the ring for ninety percent of the match. Usually I enjoy these two together, but it seemed like everything they were doing was extremely sloppy tonight. The match was lackluster and very boring.

Lance Cad and Trevor Murdoch vs. Briand Kendrick and Paul London

This was a very entertaining match. The only reason this match was entertaining was because London and Kendrick are two of the most entertaining wrestlers on the entire WWE roster. However, I have the same beef with this match as I have with the Umaga/Val Venis match, it is unknown where everything is going. Are London and Kendrick going to get a Tag Title shot anytime soon, or are they going to keep them on the bottom of the card forever? The tag team division is extremely talented, would it really hurt to give them a little more time to show off some talent?

JBL and Orton vs. Triple H

I am astonished by JBL. He at one time was in need of a dire push toward the mid card titles, and could have eventually been a very interesting main event player. However, he was on the bottom for a while and became a decent (at best) tag-team wrestler. When he became a main event guy he was "JBL" for no more than two months, and got the WWE title. JBL still does not deserve a main event spot in my eyes. He has definately put in enough time to be there, but he has gotten significantly worse in the ring as the years. His matches are stale, he punches and boots a lot, and does that annoying nerve hold everytime. I do not think that JBL should be in the ring anymore.

His match tonight only solidified my thought on this. It was slow paced, and very hard to sit through. I can not immagine that it is going to be any different at Backlash.

After the match Cena comes out and another handicap match is made, if Cena wins he will be added to the WWE title match at Backlash.

Hardcore Holly and Cody Rhodes vs. Carlito and Santino Marella

Carlito and Holly kept this match together. When Rhodes got in the ring, he was very technical but very sloppy. Santino is probably in the worst hape I have ever seen him in, and looks like a newcomer still in the ring. By this point Rhodes should start to get the hang of putting together a decent match, and the same thing goes for Santino. Holly and Carlito were in the ring for a majority of the match, and they seemed to work well together. The ref did not help the match, we really did not know who the legal man was for most of the match. It was rough and I wanted it to end with every move.

Maria Kanellis vs. Beth Phoenix

Maria is not a trained wrestler, but is getting better in the ring as time goes by. Beth Phoenix is booked as unstoppable, and really has done a good job with such a lame gimmick. The match was decent at best, but only backs my point that the WWE woman's division needs some revamping.

The Highligh Reel: Shawn Michaels and Batista

This was a very interesting segment. It is nice to see a rilvary that has something different as the personal angle. This was a good way to set up for the Michals/Batista feud. Kudos to the Raw writers for this segment!

JBL and Triple H vs. John Cena

JBL was in the ring for the entire match, and Cena does not help his cause. This main event was extremely slow, and a poor attempt at an exciting match on both Cena and JBL's part.

I would like to see a faster paced show. Everything that is on the Raw broadcast should make us beg for more. The show should start off with a bang and end with a cliffhanger. The cliffhanger should keep us talking all week in anticipation for next monday.

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My Opinion