[flag sabbath]

Originally Posted by Rah

Thanks, man. I'll avoid it, then.

Btw, cheers for the NXT links - I'll rep you when it lets me again...

[Chismo]

Originally Posted by Rah

I'm guessing this from the 10/02/2013 show? Anything else of note from it? The main looks like it could have been a standout.

Yep, and that's the only match I caught thus far. Can't find the whole show in one part to download.

[antoniomare007]

John Cena vs CM Punk - RAW 25/2

Juanito's hilarious stop-and-go selling and the most unnecessary hurracarana I've ever seen in a non-spotfest didn't stop this from being fun as fuck to watch. It's gonna be hard to get a better RAW match this year.

[Jack Evans 187]

Winner Faces The Rock at Wrestlemania
John Cena vs. CM Punk (RAW 2/25)

Holy FUCK, do these two know how to make magic or what? What an incredible big match feel this had. Cena looks so nervous at the start, he clearly knows he has everything to lose. Punk? Yeah, he's focused as shit. Some really great chain wrestling & counters in the beginning, Cena looks on point. Then we get fucked in the ass by TWO commercial breaks, thus missing just about all of Punk's control segment. Whatever, we come back from the 2nd break and it's time to take it to another level. Like 10 straight minutes of marking out with nearfalls & close calls. Punk looks like the fucking GOAT by countering nearly all of Cena's signature moves, making it look pretty/easy in the process. Hits some KILLER knees in the corner too. Cena on the other hand stepped up big time by busting out the Batista Bomb & a hurracanrana (looked rough but credit still goes out). I'm probably just rambling at this point but what the fuck, I'm all marked out right now. I felt like a little kid. The countout spot was off the charts close & the piledriver near the end was straight brutal. Match of the year so far, and we didn't even see most of the first half! Booking wise, Cena comes out REALLY strong... but what the hell does Punk do now??? He's lost 3 in a row...

**** 1/4

[Rickey]

John Cena vs. CM Punk -RAW 2/25/12
TV Match of the year for me.

[Saint Dick]

CM Punk v John Cena - Raw (2/25/13)
WWE match of the year so far. Loved how they went the extra mile and busted out new/different stuff to try to beat each other. Cena's rana looked like shit but whatever, it was still cool to see, and the powerbomb, piledriver and Crossface were great. Aside from one awkward moment during the middle I thought it was awesome and a good example of how to work WWE's main event style. It doesn't compare to the show they put on at MitB '11 but it's just a notch below their Summerslam and Night of Champions matches.

[asdf0501]

Even with the rana being shitty i give Cena the props because at least he and Punk still try to pull new secuences of their asses after they had traded finishers at least 400 times, so being shitty and all that Rana seems a really desperate spot to confuse Punk and set up the AA fine. And they doesn't go to "well we know how to do this so trade finishers for 20 minutes again"

Plus mark out for the Liger bomb and the Piledriver.

[Caponex75]

So I caught the Cena vs. Punk and I was expecting something great but not something this great. I almost feels like a complete asshole for being broke and not being able to see this live. This was light years better than their NOC match(Which I hated). The story of Punk being Cena's perfect enemy and absolutely stopping Cena's comeback at every turn. Every part of Cena's usual comeback had to be worked in different moments because Punk would catch on BECAUSE he knows Cena so much. Get hit with a shoulder block? Well prepare for the next shoulder block. Hit with the blue thunder bomb? Well I already know this is followed by that damn taunt! Amazing in keeping a consistent but intriguing story through out the whole match. Oh and the Powerbomb was the freaking best.

Reason that got a gigantic mark out from me is because after both guys try their Finishing move and none can quite get it in, Cena resorts to a move that he has never fucking used. I thought one of the guys would end up doing a fancy reversal after both guys couldn't get in their finishers but it instead took a way better turn. Resorting in something the opponent never sees coming like that Big Dick Powerbomb. It made sense from a storytelling perspective as well since that wasn't a move Punk was ever familiar of Cena ever doing so he didn't have a counter for that situation. Same with Cena and the piledriver. It's brilliant yet simple storytelling.

One of big pet peeves about the match would be the Cenaranna which I have a little of issue with(Rather he just Clothesline Punk out of his tights) but I understand it as it made sense with the story. Cena busting out with a Ranna against Punk made sense due to the fact he has never used it against him and he has only busted it on one occasion(Against Ziggler at TLC). So while I'm not to high on him using it, it did make sense. This has to be the second best match that they have ever had outside of the MITB one and may be one of the best Raw matches EVER. MOTYC for sure. Far better than anything I've seen this year.

[777]

I just can't agree. Wasn't a horrible match or anything but all the fun in the world couldn't make me ignore its flaws. Half the action was lost to commercial time and the finish left me wanting more. The botched huracanrana alone should take it out of the race unless we're talking comedy spots, which it wasn't meant to be.

[septurum]

Cena vs Punk (RAW 2/25/13)- ****