The big news, locally, was the announcement that John Cena will be the honorary starter for the 54th annual running of the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway.
Cena will wave the green flag for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season-opener at 1 p.m. on Feb. 26 on Fox TV.
Cena was asked by No. 99 driver, Carl Edwards, supposedly on last week's show, to participate, and Cena said, "Yes!"
"John Cena is the greatest Superstar in WWE today," Daytona International Speedway President Joie Chitwood III said in a DIS press release minutes after the announcement just after 9:30 p.m. on Monday Night Raw. "We look forward to seeing him on the flag stand waving the green flag to start 'The Great American Race' and kick off the new NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season."
This is great publicity for WWE for WrestleMania XVIII on April 1 in Miami, when Cena faces The Rock in one of the biggest matches if not the biggest match in WrestleMania history.
I'll keep my eyes open for "Embrace the hate" signs for Cena.
As for the rest of Raw, it was a case of setting up and pushing huge matches without saying a word (the latest trend) and chopping tag-team partners very hard across the chest to make a tag (the newest trend). It's something different on both counts, which I like.
I thought Monday's show, though, coasted.
Let's review:
Opening segment with Triple H. REACT: This served two purposes -- to push the verbal feud with John Laurinaitis and to push the WrestleMania XVIII match against the Undertaker. I like how HHH called Laurinaitis a "weasel." I like how HHH said he was "in awe" and "humbled" by the Undertaker in the past, but recently, "felt bad for the Undertaker." I liked how HHH said he respects the Undertaker and his 19-0 streak and might have to "finish it," but doesn't want to be the guy who does so. I liked the Undertaker's response with him watching the match clips from last year and saying, "This is not over." Very effective segment.
The Big Show beat World Heavyweight Champion Daniel Bryan (with AJ) by countout. REACT: Hated the early commercial break. Awesome spear by the Big Show. Awkward almost squash of AJ into the ring post by the Big Show. I'm OK with the countout win. Bryan's post-match promo on the Big Show was nicely done.
Sheamus beat David Otunga. REACT: Effective pre-match promo with Otunga showing his support for Laurinaitis as the Raw Interim General Manager. Funny Tim Tebow prayer pose by Otunga. It was refreshing to see Otunga wasn't squashed by Sheamus. I was surprised he even got a DDT in.
Best of 2011 Raw and Smackdown with Sin Cara on the cover. REACT: Really?
Chris Jericho's promo. REACT: I liked his focus on putting an "end to the wannabes." I liked how he mentioned The Miz (slow talker), Kofi Kingston (great moves), R-Truth (catch phrases), Dolph Ziggler (ring escorts with a Stephanie McMahon mention) and CM Punk (best in the world). Nice subway into the "end of the world" to "reclaim what is his." The silent treatment with the pipe bomb (microphone) drop, holding up the title belt and walking out worked.
The Great Khali/Randy Orton beat Cody Rhodes/Wade Barrett. REACT: So much wrong here. Where to start. Chop tags are understandable, as everyone wants to win the title at the PPV. While Rhodes vs. Orton was superb, and pushing Orton as a "loner" was smart, having The Great Khali get the pin on Rhodes wasn't the best option. And then The Great Khali was given an RKO by Orton. Orton is on a higher level than most others in the match to begin with. Now so even more.
Twitter war with The Rock and Cena. REACT: Entertaining.
Eve/Kelly Kelly/Tamina/Alicia Fox beat Beth Phoenix/Natalya/The Bella Twins. REACT: Smart to push Phoenix's "no competition" character, and having Tamina get the pin. Another chop tag. What is going on here? Tamina vs. Phoenix is a solid, but more importantly, new feud before Phoenix vs. Kharma.
Segment with HHH and Laurinaitis. REACT: Liked Laurinaitis mentioning Shawn Michaels showing up on Raw next week. I'm not a fan of the reported "special enforcer" role for HBK in the HHH-Undertaker match at WrestleMania. I also like Laurinaitis making Cena vs. Kane an Ambulance Match at the PPV. The last one of these was at the 2003 Survivor Series when Kane beat Shane McMahon.
What will happen at 10 a.m. Tuesday with Laurinaitis? REACT: Probably not much. It would be stupid to rid the story lines of his daily-emerging character. I like how Laurinaitis "admitted his mistakes" and called HHH a "coward" for avoiding the Undertaker in a rematch at WrestleMania.
Six-pack challenge with Chris Jericho beating R-Truth, Dolph Ziggler, Kofi Kingston, The Miz and CM Punk. REACT: Smart to have Jericho win. It really was the only way to go. Sad to read R-Truth was injured flying out of the ring. Glad to hear initial reports say he is OK and will wrestle at the PPV. I'm not a big fan of these matches as wrestlers sandbag on the outside of the ring, something Jericho did quite a bit. However, there were some nice spots, like Kingston's leap off the top rope and a Punk superplex on Ziggler with a double assist. A double drop by Punk on Ziggler and The Miz was questionable. I liked the double pinfall count. Kingston vs. Jericho was solid, as was Punk vs. Ziggler. Very strong finish to a slow-starting match with Jericho's pin after tossing Punk out.
Eve yelling at Kane. REACT: I thought these sounds were girls "cheering" for Jericho when I first heard them. Bad swap to backstage. Kane being "afraid of himself" is to make him more of a monster and put Cena over strongly heading into WrestleMania. Smart.
Journey 2 -- The Mysterious Island. REACT: Not a big fan of The Rock's movies, but this one looks solid.
ANALYSIS: While there was nothing wrong at all with the matches, there seemed to be little advancement on HHH-Taker and Jericho-Punk. Granted, those matches are another month away at WrestleMania, but that bothered me as they were pushed the most but advanced the least. I liked the push for the Elimination Chamber matches and Tamina-Phoenix. Don't care much for having WWE.com control Laurinaitis' fate. The Khali/Orton vs. Rhodes/Barrett match really bothered me. It brings down the grade by a full point. However, Cena coming to Daytona helps this grade by 1/2 mark. GRADE: B-.
LATEST HEADLINES AND MY REACTS
WWE
Shaquille O'Neal reportedly won't appear on TV for his story line with The Big Show until after the Elimination chamber pay-per-view. REACT: Makes sense.
Maryse said her persona was "the best female persona in years within the WWE." REACT: One of the best, but seriously, what is it up against?
Reports of having Drew McIntyre become more of an "arrogant playboy." REACT: Not sure if that will work.
Ron Simmons reportedly the next entrant to be announced for the Hall of Fame. Simmons would join Edge, The Four Horsemen (Arn Anderson, Ric Flair, Barry Windham, Tully Blanchard and JJ Dillon), Mil Mascaras and Mike Tyson for the March 31 inductions. REACT: Shaping up to be a very strong class.
No Brodus Clay for the second straight week. REACT: I don't get this one. I understand he's not a big part of the Elimination Chamber PPV, but he should be on TV. Or it's a depush, and he will be forgotten.
