Raw Thoughts, August 29th

The show kicks off with another opening segment featuring HHH and who else but CM Punk.  So Kevin Nash makes it official, he is back under WWE contract.  I love CM Punk but there may be a little bit of overexposure happening as of late, he was funny tonight though.  The Nash vs. Punk match is made official (for now) at Night of Champions. Nash confesses that he did lie to HHH last week about the car wreck which proves again the WWE universe is a strange place were friends only speak to each other during Raw, Smackdown and PPV events.   

HHH makes reference to the two brands combining for the foreseeable future.  Where will they go with this?  If this stays do we need two titles?

The opening bout sees the first of the brand combining matches with The United States Champion Dolf Ziggler taking on Smackdown World Heavy Weight Champion Randy Orton.   It’s Orton picking up the win in a great match and performance from both wrestlers.  I think this match really made Ziggler look good and I am wondering if there could possibly be a face run for him in the near future.  Jack Swagger watched this match tonight from backstage and later in the evening they get in each other’s faces again during Swagger’s match with Sin Cara.  These two are very likely headed for a Night of Champions showdown.  Could Vickie Guerrero turn on Ziggler, cost him the title and leave with Swagger?

Mark Henry interrupts John Cena addressing the crowd.  Mark Henry’s motivation doesn’t make a lot of sense to me here.  Anyone else he’s went after he’s either had a match with or some issue with and he got his title shot now.  In any event it leads to Christian entering the ring, then Sheamus and we got us a main event later in evening.

The Miz finally gets a high profile match taking on CM Punk.  This one ends in disqualification when The Miz's new friend R-Truth gets involved.  Last week I was wondering if The Miz and R-Truth could end up taking on the Tag Champions Kofi Kingston and Evan Bourne at the next PPV.  Truth and Miz are yet to actually be in a tag match together as a team.  That wouldn‘t stop the WWE from setting up the match.  I am thinking The Miz needs to be on this card somehow and right now I don’t see how else to get him in there.  We are still a couple weeks away so this will be one to keep an eye on. 

This is the third week in a row for a Kofi Kingston and Evan Bourne (to be known as Air Boom) vs David Otunga and Michael McGillicutty.  This one doesn’t go on too long and hopefully we have seen the end of that for a while.

We have a Diva's match (yawn).  See my earlier post on the Divas when I thought (hoped) it was about to get interesting.  But it's completely fizzled again.   

No Alberto Del Rio on Raw?  I know we had Randy Orton, but no Raw brand champion on the show tonight?  I guess we will have to wait to see him on Smackdown tonight.   

Right after the main event which sees Sheamus and Cena scoring the win over Christian and Mark Henry we see CM Punk and HHH interacting back stage.  The programs ends with the announcement of a change in the earlier confirmed match for Night of Champions and it will now be HHH vs CM Punk.  I have to admit that excites me more than Nash and Punk.  This should be a great match.  But you have to think Nash and Punk will mix it up at some point.  Will we see this match happen on Raw? What role will Nash play at Night of Champions?  I see him costing Punk the match again and clearly showing his allegiance with HHH. 

Certainly shades of the Austin and McMahon feud ringing through in the Punk and HHH ensuing feud.  Not the same magnitude and will not go down in history like the former but very entertaining none the less. 

There is more wrestling tonight with a live Super Smackdown.  I am looking forward to the steel cage match.  If I get time I will be back tomorrow with full thoughts.  Enjoy the show tonight!