LIVE Raw thoughts - May 20, 2013

11:08 - Remember how I said I would reserve judgment until the match was over?  Now it's over, and I'll judge.  You had all these former stars on Twitter (like Shane Helms and Lance Storm) saying how simply being in the ring with Triple H would make Curtis Axel.  Well, it surely didn't do a whole lot for him tonight, did it?  The focus was not in the least on Curtis Axel and his performance.  It was on Triple H and his career (life?) threatening injury.  And even while selling this injury, he couldn't even put Axel over.  Hell, he couldn't even let him have the offensive advantage!

Sadly, the purpose of the match wasn't to make a star out of Curtis Axel.  It was to build a story around Triple H.  A man who, at this stage of his career, does not need a story.  Anybody could have filled the role that Axel filled tonight.  And that's an unfortunate revelation of their priorities.

10:58 - I'm guessing somebody caught the fact that the entrance video originally said "Curt Axel."  By the way, this is an awesome theme music.

Considering that things are a little too tight to have a full on match, are you thinking that we'll see the debut of another Heyman guy?  Or perhaps the return of Punk and/or Brock?

10:50 - I am just now realizing that Ryback changed into his wrestling gear for the sole reason of beating up Zack Ryder.

10:48 - So are they going to insert Randy Orton into the World Heavyweight Championship title hunt?  I've never seen one guy get so many big wins without having any direction whatsoever.

Also, not a whole lot of time left for the main event...

10:21 - I know he's just playing a character, but that Triple H seems like a nightmare to work for.  First he says he doesn't care that Brock Lesnar roughed up one of his workers.  Now he's threatening a doctor's job because he doesn't like his prognosis.  And not for nothing, but he's not doing Dolph Ziggler any favors by saying, "Yeah, we don't really need to take time off when we're injured."  Good thing Dolph's a heel.

10:16 - Awesome match with the right team winning.  More importantly, the right person got pinned.  Bryan and Kofi have been beaten far too frequently -- Kane can sustain a loss like this and not suffer.  Awesome performance from Bryan, for that matter.

10:12 - This is a great match (awesome performance from Daniel Bryan), but I also totally recommend you read this story on Macho Man Randy Savage, on this two year anniversary of his death:

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1643969-the-final-days-of-randy-macho-man-savage

9:53 - I normally love Kingston's trunk designs, but his cow print theme is confusing me.

9:50 - I enjoyed the Shield promo and I like how they each seem to have a distinct personality.  But what the hell happened to Daniel Bryan's entrance jacket?  That thing ruled!

9:39 - Sorry Zack, but I'm starting to think that the spiked hair, sunglasses, headband, and short trunks weren't the problem.

9:36 - Yeah, we all hate seeing Ryder lose, but at least Cody Rhodes gets a clean win over somebody.  Can we PLEASE do something with him?

9:30 - Love this AJ push and that they're actually letting her beat people clean.  What took them so long?  It's too bad that they don't care enough about the Divas division to actually put her on a PPV card so that she can win the title properly.

9:20 - Very impressive performance for Langston and a big win for him as well.  However, they forgot about that Instant Replay thing pretty quickly, huh?

9:05 - I'm going to keep an open mind until the match actually happens, but I'm rightfully skeptical.  We were all very excited about Curtis Axel getting some attention, and then Triple H interrupts the moment and puts him down right away.  First verbally with his "adults are talking" comment, and then physically with a slap that knocked him off his feet.  So needless.  Yes, beating Triple H will do wonders for him, but I doubt that will happen.  Why not give him a convincing victory over somebody like Kane or Randy Orton?

8:56 - It's not Joe Hennig but it's a HELL of a lot better than "Michael McGillicutty."  I'm not disappointed.  This is a great opportunity to give somebody new a true shot.

8:47 - I've interacted with Titus O'Neil a few times on Twitter and I saw him signing autographs for little kids (while on his way out of the arena) at WrestleMania Axxess.  The guy is a class act and deserves much success, so I'm really happy that he got spotlighted a bit in this match.  I hope big things are in his future.  But if Mark Henry is out, where does Sheamus go from here?

8:41 - So let me get this straight....out of all the clips they showed just now, they leave out the one that set up this match?  Yeah, that makes sense...

8:37 - I guess Daniel Bryan didn't hear that faces aren't allowed to get upset about major losses.  You're supposed to just laugh it off.

8:31 - So the choices are Great Khali, R-Truth, and Randy Orton?  Geez, why even bother having a vote?

8:22 - According to WWE, the following things are more important than this match:
1) The WWE App.
2) Fandango's dancing

8:14 - Is there a less interesting feud than Wade Barrett vs. the Miz?  I almost hope Miz is the new Heyman Guy, just to give him SOME direction.  Miz turning face should have been a big deal -- he'd been a heel his entire career and he's a former WWE Champion -- but he's done nothing since turning.

8:03 - Here is the downside of all these gimmick PPVs:  Look at what you're putting your top talent through.  At the very least, your top two or three matches are in that show's specialty match.  And as we are all aware, the same people are typically in those two three matches.  That means your typical main event wrestlers (John Cena, CM Punk, Alberto Del Rio, Big Show, Sheamus, Randy Orton, Dolph Ziggler, etc.) have to compete in multiple ladder matches, multiple cage matches, a Hell in a Cell match, an Elimination Chamber Match, and then various Extreme Rules matches.  It's no wonder that these guys are constantly struggling with nagging injuries.

Also, that was an awful promo.  The premise was fine and it started off okay, but he lost me when he said that the audience was going to die for some reason.

7:57 - It's been a few weeks since I've done this, but I'm oddly intrigued by the prospect of a third Heyman Guy.  Who do you all think it is?  RVD?  Cesaro?  Ryback?  Big Show?  Is the interest enough to bring fans in after a seemingly lackluster Extreme Rules?  Let's find out...