Nothing too dramatic happened this week on RAW . Some more 'Mania matches set. Some more segments hyping the matches already in place. Assuming next week's pre-Mania RAW is filled with fireworks, this was a decent set up.

So when Steph said that Daniel Bryan wasn't going to be on RAW last night, she meant it. No Bryan run-in on the show and no Bryan in the post-show. Sure, he wrestled at a house show/live event on Sunday (so I don't know how that fits with the "injury" storyline), but I don't see why the poor guy shouldn't get a Monday off. He's earned it. Plus, The Shield now being babyfaces all of a sudden covered the work-rate gap nicely. So RAW managed to do without Bryan just fine - using Undertaker, some guest stars, and a great Shield vs. Real Americans match to anchor the show.Though I'm not sure how to reconcile my anger over the Scooby-Doo appearance last night. Because that was f***ed up. No, I didn't object to the idea of Scooby making a cameo when they announced it last week, though I was curious as to how they'd do it. Would they incorporate CGI into backstage segments? Would he appear on a screen? Nope. Turns out they decided to Six Flags that s***. Just a guy in a costume for a one minute match that buried Sandow. A costumed Scooby. Which means we didn't get to hear Scooby talk. Or laugh. Or give into his drug-fueled munchies. And I think we only just saw the very edge of the door of the Mystery Machine. So when it came right down to it, we didn't get a genuine Scooby or the real Sin Cara.So why even do it? Why not just plug the DVD and then show clips like you always do? Eh. The movie's not for us anyhow, though a half-hearted, ironic viewing is most definitely in order. I just figured we'd get something a bit more impressive given that they advertised Scooby so heavily. Maybe they were just like "It's Brooklyn. No one here gives a Shasta McNasty about a cartoon dog. And they love crime." Still, it was a missed opportunity to not have a costumed monster get unmasked...and revealed as Zeb Colter. Because he basically looks like every mean old man behind the haunted amusement parks.The Brooklyn crowd itself got a bit voice-y a few times, trying to dish out a "CM Punk!" chant at the beginning, though Steph was able to overcome it and move on with her segment featuring the two guys who weren't enough of a draw to be in the 'Mania main event on their own. Orton whined for a bit. Then Batista came out and accused Steph of someone who's been "drooled on a lot." In Batista's defense though, Steph has three kids.Still, he deserved that slap just for wearing sunglasses indoors. Like anyone who wears sunglasses indoors deserves. Just a full palm on the side of the head, knocking those shades to the ground.If the internet's taught me anything however, it's that sunglasses are supposed to lower down from above and rest on your nose before you scream "Deal with it!" Batista's effing with the matrix here. Fortunately, the web always wins...Then...AS IF THE GODS THEMSELVES BESTOWED US WITH A DIVINE GIFT...Batista split his freakin' pants in front of the whole world. And I know there are endless skinny jeans jokes to be made, but he wasn't even wearing skinny jeans. And he wasn't even doing a Batista Bomb. He did a plain old spear (his awful-looking version) with plain old pants. But yeah, the entire ass came off the back of his trousers.And naturally, the internet had a crudely-photoshopped field day...If you don't get the reference then A: You're not living right, B: For Shame, and C: Get yourself straight...Now all I need are for the fellows at @BritishAnnounce to make that into Batista's new entrance theme. They do good work. Like when they put my Squirrel Nut Zippers pick with Kane. Or this one, for Triple H...Anyways, Batista fortunately wasn't required to be in any more segments the rest of the night, much less sketches that may have required a covered-up butt. Again, he and Orton are after-dinner mints these days. They're both just getting obligatory air time. The "Punk" chants during their segments weren't really for Punk - and I don't really think they are anymore at all, in general. Not literally. They're just what the crowd chants when they don't approve of the content. Of the spots and status whoever's in the ring currently holds. Because they shifted from Punk, to "Daniel Bryan!," to "Bo-ring!" And it all meant the same thing honestly.And might I add, knowing full well that rotten vegetables may be lobbed at my head, that Steph's whole "the masses need rich people like me to make decisions" shtick was basically was what Dixie was doing last November in TNA. The 1% tirade.

Cena's nightmare and The Shield as babyfaces on Page 2...