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2/11 WWE RAW LIVE REPORT FROM ABU DHABI, U.A.E

By Andrew Marrington on 2012-02-11 14:46:28

The venue (Abu Dhabi International Tennis Centre at Zayed Sports City, Abu Dhabi) for all three shows is open-air. Capacity about 6000 - there were probably 5000 there tonight by my estimate.

10 Man Battle Royal for US title shot
-Show opened with a fun battle royal in which Kofi Kingston and Santino Marella were the definite favourites. The end of the match featured Dolph Ziggler knock out Kofi Kingston only to be eliminated by Santino, who won the title shot later on.

Tag Team Championship Match
Mason Ryan and Alex Riley vs Epico and Primo
All men fresh from the Battle Royal...
Match mostly featured Ryan scaring the champs by posing at them, and Riley taking all of his team's share of the bumps. After a hot tag to Ryan, Ryan cleaned house then tagged Riley back in very quickly. Riley went to the top, hit a cross body on Primo (I think), who rolled through into a cover and the win.

David Ortunga vs Michael McGillicutty
Crowd was all over Ortunga but this was the match where the initial energy of the crowd started to calm down. The crowd got back into it by the end though, and McGillicuty pinned Ortunga with a small package.

Dolph Ziggler vs Kofi Kingston
Very high energy match. The crowd loved Kofi and hated Ziggler! Back and forth with a lot of false finishes, Kofi eventually nailed Ziggler with his spinning kick and pinned him for the win. This match was my favourite for the night.

US Championship Match
Santino Marella vs Jack Swagger
The Abu Dhabi crowd loved Santino, who did his usual routine. Swagger did Santino's trumpet playing act to the crowd's amusement at one point. Santino was given one big hope spot but Swagger got his foot on the ropes at 2, and went on to win the match.

Chris Jericho and The Miz vs R-Truth and CM Punk
All of these guys got a huge reaction, but CM Punk got the biggest. Jericho cut a short promo, and told the crowd that when he talked we were to listen, at which Punk and Truth sat in the ring like school children listening. Jericho told us that he was the best in the world at everything he does, and his partner the Miz was the second best in the world, and was awesome. After a reply from Punk and some audience interaction, the match got started. R-Truth seemed to be in really good form, and all four guys seemed to gel very well. The match ended when the Miz accidentally took out his partner with the Championship belt, before Punk hit the GTS on him for the pin. This match got my wife's pick for best of the night!

Tables Match
John Cena vs Kane
Cena had the biggest reaction of the night. I think I was sitting in just about the only corner which booed Cena as well as cheered him - and most of the "duelling chants" were by kids in Cena clothes chanting both "Let's go Cena" and "Cena sucks". Seems like the "mixed reaction" has become so established that even some Cena fans take both sides. Match was OK. Kane hit the referee with a flying clothesline which bumped him to the floor. After some tussling, Cena threw Kane through a table propped up against the buckle, but the unconscious referee didn't see it. Cena must have been the only person in the arena who was surprised when the bell didn't ring, and spent a lot of time trying to wake him up. Kane set up a table in the middle of the ring, but his attempt at a chokeslam was reversed into an Attitude Adjuster through the table, this time while the referee was compus mentus.

Other notes:
-The crowd was very interesting. Whenever the Western audience members chanted "You Suck", the Arabic members chanted "Loser". Makes me wonder whether that's how the subtitlers have translated crowd chants here (I can't read Arabic so I don't know).
-I couldn't bring myself to keep chanting "You suck Cena" when three little kids, who were sitting in the row in front of me, and had been fighting the urge to sleep all night to stay awake to see Cena, all with their handmade with colouring pencils Cena signs, looked so upset at the occasional anti-Cena yell. At least the kids went home happy!
-Two busloads of US Servicemen and women were in attendance. Not sure if they are stationed here or on leave.
-It was good to see WWE in the open air, and in a smaller venue. No pyro or big screen, but every seat had a great view.
-It was announced that WWE would return to Abu Dhabi next year. Why not Dubai too?

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