Live notes from this week's RAW

Report by Mickey Micklon:

I was in the arena most of the night (missed the first couple of segments on the ECW taping due to getting lost on the way to the arena, which we haven't been to since the last time WWE was there about 4 years ago), and thought I would pass on some notes.

When the Superfly theme hit, people actually thought it was the legend coming to the ring at first. I personally didn't figure it out until he got to the ring. My mother and I were seated in the section in the corner of the arena next to the stage (we were blocked by a curtain, and couldn't see people on the stage. But it did protect us from the heat of the pyrotecnics -- especially Kane's, which is super hot), so we saw him from behind when he entered the arena.

Before that match, "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan came out to host the Kiss Cam.

Lillian Garcia, who looked absolutely amazing in that outfit in person, did not sing the National Anthem. She is now using the song she performed on RAW from her solo album as her entrance music. She promoted the Superstars t-shirt sold exclusively at the live events.

Yes, people. You actually heard Randy Orton, one of the top heels on the RAW Brand right now, actually getting cheered during the main event. People were chanting for the RKO.

There was very little reaction to the CM Punk match. The crowd was pretty dead for the match.

Mickie James possibly got the biggest pop for the Divas battle royal, which was pretty predictable.

When Shawn Michaels was teasing taking a dive for his new boss, JBL, fans were chanting "Don't do it!"

As soon as the Fatal Four-Way ended, people began to rush for the exits as Michaels knelt in the ring with his head bowed. People stopped in their tracks when John Cena's music hit and he came to the ring. He said something to Michaels, without using a microphone for the arena audience to hear him, and Michaels just slowly left the ring not saying a word. A few moments after Michaels went through the curtain covering the entrance to the Gorilla Position (which we could easily see from our seats), Jericho came out, and people came rushing back in. Apparently, 99% of the audience didn't pay attention to the TV promos for the show, as the match between the two, a Street Fight for the WWE World Title, was promoted in the promos on local TV leading up to the show.

Cena retained the title in the Street Fight against Jericho. Funniest moment of the match was when Jericho was attempting to toss the ring stairs into the ring from the arena floor. After finally getting the stairs over the top rope, after the third attempt, Jericho jumped up to the apron and jokingly flexed his muscles to the crowd.

At one point, Jericho went over to John Cena, Sr., who was seated in the front row, and got in his face. The elder Cena then began to tease taking off his jacket to fight with Jericho. For those in the northern Mass/southern NH area, if you didn't know, John Sr. is seen on the independent circuit in the area under his real name or as a heel manager named Johnny Fabulous. You can watch him as the Commisioner of the Millenium Wrestling Federation (under his real name) on BostonWrestling.com, and as Johnny Fabulous in promotions like Chaotic Wrestling.

Despite myself, and others reporting various TV guides (Comcast, DirectTV and another) promoting that the Rumble participants were going to be announced last night, it did not happen.

After the match, Cena took the mic to address the crowd. He mentioned that this was the final RAW of 2008, and that it was a rough year for him with all the injuries he sustained. He mentioned being from the area, and said that his "old man" (his words), friends from college and friends from high school were in attendence. He mentioned that his brother was there with his new wife (they were recently married). He also mentioned that the arena was sold out (legit sell out. My mother saw a guy being denied his request to be moved because the children he was with could not see. The gentleman was told that they would if they could, but he would have to upgrade to the next seating level. However, every seat in the place was sold out and he couldn't be moved.)