WWE Monday Night Raw Preview – 25th June 2012

OK, I’m venturing into the somewhat unknown here writing about the WWE. I said a few weeks ago to Damian (the main man “Mr UKASF” – that’s your wrestling name now and there’s no getting out of it!) that I’d happily supply some content on this area.

I won’t lie – work and Euro 2012 may have put the brakes on slightly, due to early morning shifts and late nights, which are always a bad combination.

However, better late than never, I’m going to be delving into the world of WWE as well as potentially creeping into TNA and ROH.

First of all, let’s look towards tonight’s offerings. We are closing in on that 1000thEpisode of Raw, being only a few weeks away, and back with a bang tonight will be Chris Jericho.

Jericho was suspended for 30 days last month when he crumpled up and kicked a Brazilian flag whilst in ring with CM Punk at a live event in Sao Paulo. Local police intervened initially in the match up to give Jericho the opportunity to apologise to the crowd, or face arrest. He did so, and as he likes to say he’s the best in the world at what he does, that apology must have been an extraordinarily good one to come out of Brazil alive.

However, as many think it is scripted and so on, I must admit to having my doubts over this so-called suspension, or at least the nature of it and how it transpired. Jericho was down to do some touring with his band Fozzy (at Download Festival in fact earlier this month) and in all honesty, he may have been lined up for a “suspension” or a kayfabe injury, perhaps with the heat off the Brazilian authorities over doing such a stunt, which was not believed to be scripted, it made it easier for WWE to use this as a decent enough excuse to pull him out sooner rather than later.

He’s back anyway tonight, and it should be interesting to see where he fits in, and how he’ll fit in to Vickie Guerrero’s plans as she takes over the running of Raw and SmackDown this week, with an appointment for General Manager still being worked upon. My guess is that it will culminate in a reveal come the 1000th Episode; makes perfect sense.

John Cena also announced on Twitter that he would be making an announcement tonight of huge proportions.

Whatever that might entail we will see. Perhaps we will see him announce his participation in his first ever Money In The Bank match? It keeps the embers burning on the feud between him and Big Show, but part of me believes that was a way to just wrap up the whole Big Johnny thing ahead of the landmark episode. It’s a great way to build something out of nothing anyway, unless it is a fall-off-your-chair moment but I just can’t see it.

The entanglement between CM Punk, Daniel Bryan, Kane, and the deranged AJ – I’m sure I can say deranged (it basically is right? How many females have you seen dressed as Kane?) – that might get the Vickie treatment tonight. If Vickie isn’t top woman, no-one can be so watch out for that too.

Brodus Clay might fight tooth and Funkasaurus claw back onto Raw so there is a chance he can face up with Big Show in the Raw MITB match, that is building nicely, and it’s good to see a change in attitude from Clay and might well carry off being face against Show if all goes well.

Ziggler won’t be left out tonight – no doubt will be paired up once more against Sheamus or even in a ridiculous tag match such as Ziggler/Swagger vs Sheamus/Marella.

No offence to the Divas division, but I’m waiting on Kharma to come back and be a presence. I’m sick and tired of the drivel that the WWE Creative Team are putting out; yes it’s been like that for years but there’s no real talent like there used to be and they know it unfortunately. Therefore until it happens consider it a closed topic until it does. But when Kharma comes back (and goes head to head with Beth Phoenix – the only one worthwhile to go in ring with) then I’ll talk Divas.

It’ll all be interesting that’s for sure and maybe a few more surprises with it. I’ll be watching and once it’s over, come back to see what I thought of the whole show and where it might lead building up towards Money In The Bank.