Raw Thoughts- 1/31/11

Read on for my thoughts on the first show after the WWE Royal Rumble!

Alberto Del Rio starting Raw was the best choice of anyone. Pretty cool segment to start the show. Great work by everyone in telling the story of setting up the match. I'm certainly looking forward to Del Rio vs. Edge at Mania. And we start the feud with a bang as Del Rio channels El Kabong. I kind of figured that they'd tease it out a few weeks, seeing as how Del Rio usually likes to do things on his time.

Interesting idea for the main event. They've done crazier. It's a nice setup for the next PPV.

Santino retains the tag team titles with a move that almost won him the Rumble. That was a big fake-out last night. Who would have thought Santino would be the last man thrown out?

Punk didn't give Orton much of a reason to not kick Harris.

I really hope that Jerry Lawler finally gets a WrestleMania match this year. He's earned it. Not in a WWE Title match or anything, but not just the pre-show either.

Finally Maryse reaches the boiling point with Ted DiBiase. Well, at least until tomorrow night's NXT.

Yes, WWE's doing a storyline between 2 announcers. But they're doing a good job with it, and that's what matters.

Oooh, spooky. My first thought was that this was for The Undertaker (I didn't get a good look at it), but I suppose it could be Amazing Kong, or someone completely different.

So, who's going to team with Gail Kim to face The Bellas? Kong maybe?

Edge vs. Miz should have been given more hype. This is one area WWE could really improve on. That could theoretically be a WrestleMania main event, and they didn't treat it as well as they should have. It should at LEAST be the main event on a show.

Cool look for Tough Enough. I wonder how it will play out.

Good idea to use Vickie to set up a big match/angle on Smackdown. WWE/World Title matches should be more important and be given more build though. I know I'm kind of a broken record on that, but those are theoretically the two biggest prizes in wrestling. I'm guessing Cena vs. Miz at WrestleMania. That could work.

I wouldn't rule out a Laycool break-up, it's just not happening tonight.

Ok, WWE PG critics, I'll give you this one. The dance contest was pretty dumb. I was somewhat entertained by it, but I have no idea why they booked this, and I don't see how it will help business at all.

I wonder if we'll see the 2/21/11 stuff on the other shows. That's the night after the Elimination Chamber.

That's Lisa Simpson ('s voice actor) in The Chaperone as the woman who let Triple H be in the title role. HHH definitely looks smaller there.

That spot by John Morrison was awesome.

A 3-on-2 Intergender match for the World Heavyweight Championship is certainly different, if kind of bizarre. It makes sens with the storyline from last night, but theoretically Layla could pin Kelly and we'd have a new World Champion. Ugh. I say Kelly pins either Layla or Michelle so Ziggler still looks strong and has even more of a gripe. Then he gets to be in the Elimination Chamber match for the World Title.

I'd go with Miz vs. Morrison at the Elimination Chamber.

They could have had Lawler eliminate all 3 opponents when they were fighting on the apron for a smart but somewhat fluke win. I'm glad they didn't though, because what remained in the match was good.

Well booked ending. Miz can get a big win at the Chamber, and we can get to Lawler vs. either Cole or Riley at WrestleMania.

R-Truth vs. Sheamus vs. Morrison vs. Punk vs. Orton vs. Cena in 3 weeks is a pretty good Chamber match. I wonder where those first three fit into WrestleMania.

That's all for tonight's thoughts. Tomorrow will see my opinions on the latest episode of NXT.