Raw Revelations: Return of Batista

Just one night after Wrestlemania 25, the surprise that the big Pay-Per-View lacked was dropped like a "Bomb" at the end of WWE Raw. Houston, Texas got a treat for Raw not only in an All-star tag team match but also with the surprise return of The Animal, Dave Batista. Randy Orton opened the show complaining about how Triple H won against him at Mania using a Sledgehammer, and how he deserved a rematch for the WWE title because the WWE owes him that. Orton's comments got uglier and uglier as he eventually mentioned paying a visit to Linda or meeting the McMahon grandkids. These words were enough to incite and bring out the Chairman Vince McMahon, who informed Orton he would get no rematch for the WWE title. Instead, Orton would be a part of a special six man tag match at the Backlash PPV, with Rhodes and Dibiase as his partners. Vince said he'd return to the ring along with Shane and Triple H for the battle, although Orton skeptically said the Chairman was merely going to hide behind his sons at that match. The two continued their banter with Orton eventually challenging Vince to a one-on-one contest in the ring, telling Mr. McMahon he wouldn't make it to Backlash after tonight's WWE Raw.

That match was of course the main event, Vince versus Orton. With Vince pummeling Randy in the early going and bashing his skull against the announcers table. Orton turned the tide in the ring and really started to lay into Vince. After hitting the RKO, it looked like the Punt kick would come next, but Shane McMahon rushed in for the save. Soon thereafter Legacy got involved, prompting HHH to come to the ring. Unfortunately, with Vince knocked out of the ring, it was 3 on 2, and Orton yelled out for Rhodes/Dibiase to keep a hold of HHH so he could dismantle him. To the shock of the WWE Universe and everyone in the ring, the Animal, Dave Batista's music came blaring over the spearkers and he rushed down to the ring. Orton managed to escape the wrath of Batista, and Rhodes thought he had too. Triple H grabbed Rhodes on the outside and tossed him back in, then Shane fed him to the Animal for the Batista Bomb.

Definitely a surprising moment just one night after Mania, and it makes good sense that Batista didn't show up at Wrestlemania 25 to aid HHH in the main event title win. Hunter needed that to be a "clean" win (if you want to call it that), where he took care of business. Now Batista will fill in for Vince in the six man match at Backlash. Of course Raw's new GM added a new stipulation though that if Orton's team won by pinfall, Orton becomes new WWE champ, no matter who makes the pin. If anyone on HHH's team wins it, then Triple H retains.

The new WWE Raw GM of course was revealed during Raw as the woman everyone loves to hate, Vickie Guerrero, who said the WWE board told her to choose either the Smackdown or Raw GM job. Most likely Vickie chose to leave behind that torrid love triangle at Smackdown, or she's bringing Edge back to Monday Nights in the upcoming draft. Smart move by WWE to put one of the most hated heels as Raw's GM because she certainly generates a ton of heat and will make things interesting for now. Before the night was over she not only altered the rules for Backlash's six man tag match but also made a World Heavyweight Title bout: Edge will get a rematch against Cena in a Last Man Standing match. With that particular set up, you've got to wonder if CM Punk will get involved and pin someone for the title at Backlash.

I'm usually not a fan of the big tag team matches where they just toss a bunch of the wrestlers involved in feuds together but last night's was fun to watch. It was an All-Star tag match comprised of various guys from the Wrestlemania 25 matches. It involved Steamboat on one team, who really had the crowd behind him and enjoyed some great moments in the ring going against various wrestlers. It was great to see Steamboat work against guys like Kane, Big Show and Edge just one night after losing to Jericho. Giving Steamboat the winning pinfall on Jericho may have been the best way to end it, but instead it was Mysterio taking the win for his team.

Notably absent from last night's show were JBL and Shawn Michaels. JBL yelled the words "I Quit!" at Wrestlemania 25. Will he resurface as the new GM of Smackdown? Or is JBL really just done with WWE and not goint to be heard from again? Also, Shawn Michaels was missing as well but that's truly understandable after he put on one hell of a match against Undertaker at Mania. Both guys took some serious hits and falls so rest/recovery time is definitely in order.

They had yet another WWE Divas Raw meets Smackdown type match, maybe to give a preview or practice time before the upcoming draft. Mickie James scored the win for Raw against Natalya, who somehow is the valet for Tyson Kidd on ECW, but was announced as a Smackdown diva last night. It was funny to hear the announcers say that the "whole landscape will be changing" for the WWE as of the draft. I guess they mean the WWE.com roster pages which list out who's part of which brand, because we all know every wrestler still appears on any show, any time. I'll have my draft predictions later this week, but already it's looking like Randy Orton might move to Smackdown as a formidable opponent for HHH, while Edge will come back to Monday nights. Wouldn't be surprised if CM Punk moves to his third WWE show, Smackdown in the draft also.

And on a side note, kudos to WWE.com which had was flooded with traffic (over 100,000,000 page views according to Lawler) due to the huge Wrestlemania 25 this weekend. The net was definitely buzzing over the Pay-Per-View happenings!