Raw Revelations: Bob Barker's Price is RAW

Monday night's episode of Raw featured the first host who really was a host for many years on television, Bob Barker. For years, Barker hosted the very popular game show on CBS, The Price is Right, featuring all sorts of fun contests for big prizes. They translated that as the theme for Raw quite nicely Monday night in an original game show format, hosted by Barker. Rosa Mendes and The Bella Twins served as Barker's Beauties from the divas. For the most part, Barker did an acceptable job in this gig, making an entertaining night of game show folly. He had a few spots of talking over wrestlers or the announcers, and a bit of what seemed like a blunder during the Big Show vs. Santino bodyslam match. Otherwise, Barker seemed to enjoy himself on the show and the Chicago growed appreciated his presence. He even had an interesting interaction with Chris Jericho early in the show, setting the "I don't care what you have to say to me" attitude in place. He even told Jericho his mother wouldn't like his attitude. Great stuff.

Knock on wood, let's hope Santino Marella is still with the company in 2010. But even if he's let go between now and March, he's still got that all-inclusive travel package for Wrestlemania 26. He'll be at the biggest PPV one way or another...

Not sure who came up with the idea for WWE Diva Kelly Kelly to ask Bob Barker backstage about his book and charity. Perhaps nobody else on the Raw roster would have seemed sympathetic in the role though. Kelly's scripted question was pretty dry and unemotional, but then again perhaps nobody even was listening to anything either one of them said with Kelly on the screen.

An interesting main event with Chris Masters getting teamed up with Orton to face D-Generation X. Masters ended up losing the match when he tapped to an HBK submission, but at the same time, Triple H had a submission locked on Orton. Luckily for Orton, Legacy stormed the ring to save him. DX and Legacy ended up fighting all over the place, in a just right moment to promote their "Falls Count Anywhere" match. The brawl moved outside the area, with Legacy stealing some guy's car and DX trying to chase them. From there, Orton started to brag in the ring, prompting an upset John Cena to rush down and attack. Things didn't go so well for Cena though, as Orton gained control when he DDT'd Cena through the ropes. Orton followed that with a RKO of Cena's head onto a chair in the ring. Didn't Orton do something similar about a year ago to Cena on Saturday Night Main Event? Deja Vu...

Still wondering how far Hornswoggle can really go on Raw. They keep trying to team him up with spare wrestlers; first it was Festus/Goldust, then Mark Henry, and now it's Evan Bourne. Seeing him win thanks to a squirtgun from Hornswoggle seems to set Bourne below the standards he set on ECW. Evan Bourne deserves a better push, because in fact he was in the hunt for the US title weeks ago when he defeated the champ Kingston.

Impressive moment with Mark Henry bodyslamming Big Show. He started favoring his back after the move, and it wouldn't be surprising if he hurt it slightly with that much weight being slammed. Not expecting MVP and Henry to take the titles Sunday, but they had two good wins on Raw.

Speaking of that, none of the guys from last week's US Title Fatal Fourway were on Monday's Raw. The Miz, Kofi Kingston, Jack Swagger and Carlito, all absent. Not even a promo or backstage skit. Makes you wonder if they'll be doing something at WWE Superstars on Thursday, or a late match on Breaking Point Sunday.

Also, no divas matches? Was thinking they'd do a Barker's Beauties tag match, but instead they just used the divas as extras for skits and prize presentation. Next week's host might change that though.

Next week, there is supposed to be a big announcement from the Animal Dave Batista concerning his career...Perhaps more importantly, the host will be the all-time "diva" from WWE...the return of 7-time Women's Champion Trish Stratus to give the fans 100% Stratusfaction!