The Official WWE Thread, Brother!

[celestial phantom]

Last night was good, and I think I was over-hyping it, but it wasn't what I thought it could be. It felt like any other raw they could make great if they put time into the show minus all the 20th anniversary recaps.

Team Hell No and the Rhodes Scholars were the starts of the night in my opinion. The segment with Dr. Shelby was hilarious especially when Sandow outwitted him and said he's basically worse than Dr. Phil. And then the amazing triple YES!!! chant, oh my that was just over the top. I wish their matches would have went longer because for two top feuding teams, the single's matches were pretty short. All four men can provide good 5-10 minute T.V. matches and that was a shame they didn't get a lot of time for it.

I'm sad that Eve is leaving because she actually added to an already dead division. The Eve/Kaitlyn match was actually decent to an extent especially with the crowd getting behind Kaitlyn for being the hometown girl. But, the fact that all 3 men on commentary were pretty dead/bored for the match took away from the feel of it. A girl's in her hometown trying to win her first title, and has been making attempts to be taken as a serious contender. C'mon you can work with that WWE.

I am happy that Mick Foley is finally going into the WWE HOF. Growing up Foley was one of my favorites to watch behind Kane, X-Pac, The Hardy Boys, HBK, and Owen Hart. I'm glad his work is finally getting acknowledged for his legacy hopefully and not being "A glorified stuntman" as Vince/HHH makes him seem on TV. He was never going to be the man or anything, but he was the man to get other guys over. It's like he has a power to draw out emotion in people and make intriguing feuds. I didn't mind the Shield interruption, but I wish it would not go beyond Ryback, Orton, and Sheamus making the save.

I don't get why...but that Black Hole of Charisma known as Alberto DEL RIOOOOOOO has suddenly picked up interest in me as WHC. I dunno why, but watching that match on Friday, the crowd was into it, last night's crowd loved him, he showed some better emotion than he has in the past, and is a shaven spanish daniel bryan. SI! SI! SI! A mini continuation of the feud with the Big Show isn't all that bad either if he can continue promo work with the add-libbing he did last night. "WHAT'S UP WITH THE LETTER C?" lol, nice Show.

Let's see Cesaro showed some interesting promo work against Flair and Miz last night, which makes me actually want to see a Miz/Cesaro feud in the future. The whole anti/pro USA thing has been done, but honestly the crowds always will go for it. As well Barrett going over Orton was way too interesting. Either they are picking up on Barrett being the Heel Kofi and be king of the midcard, or they are grooming him for a World Title run soon. As well this can only mean either this is Randy's punishment still for his Policy Break, or that this could be a stir for a change in the future.

Finally, Ziggler/Cena. Damn this was a great match, but why the heck Cena won is beyond me. This would have been a great way to show that Ziggler is meant to rise to the top. The odds were stacked against Cena and he should have lost this match up. Save the he's super-cena and overcomes everything for PPV wins. Ziggler needed this win more to balance out the feud.

[Laser Shuckle]

As much as that was a superman performance, Cena is higher up on the card and honestly as much as I tend to dislike him Ziggler is even more stale with his whole generic heel thing.

[flamebeam]

i didn't see all of raw, as per yoozh.

i was surprisingly impressed with the diva's match. kaitlyn's little trick in the end was very clever, and not one i ever see. plus, she and eve really sold that spear. so kaitlyn is a diva i can get behind, which is important considering that wwe just lost their best diva. that division is shell of its former glory during the days of Trish and lita.

i didn't watch any matches with del rio, but i saw the recap with the confetti gun and him showing up big show and i was impressed by that, too. i knew del rio just needed a good push to show what he was capable of, and that he did.

i know the usa vs. other nation story has been done, but i think cesaro adds a freshness to it. there's something very charismatic about him, and i think he outdid the miz, which is sad, considering that's not the way it was supposed to go. oh well, miz. maybe next time. but ric flair was great, especially considering that last time he was behaving like a senile old man. this time he was pretty funny and witty.

i guess people are mad cena won. why, exactly? did you not see that coming? like i said a while back, dolph doesn't need a big push. the point is that, as mitb winner, he will engage in various rivalries and lose most of them, maintaining a midcard position, until he cashes in, and everyone will be surprised, and then he could potentially dominate. they did pretty much the same thing with edge in 2006. and like I've mentioned before, dolph's career is mirroring edge's. he dated vicky, he stole a girl from another superstar, and he's held his mitb case for a long time.

besides the miz, i have also been hard on the rock. I've done a 180 this week, because the rock concert was great, and i think better than last time. i see.what everyone means, he makes fun of others in the wwe like nobody else, and it's hilarious. and he really knows how to manipulate the crowd, throwing in statements like "how are all the ladies doing?" and i use that example because no one else in the wwe can pull that off. while i think the rock can't outdo punk in a combative promo, i will admit he brings entertainment to another lever in the wwe.

[Aura Guardian Ash]

The only reason why I didn't like Raw was because I was told HBK and Undertaker were going to be there and they didn't....i hate rumors. Was very disappointed, but was impressed with the Cena and Ziggler match. Other than that, not so much.

[Armando Payne]

The only reason why I didn't like Raw was because I was told HBK and Undertaker were going to be there and they didn't....i hate rumors. Was very disappointed, but was impressed with the Cena and Ziggler match. Other than that, not so much.

How can you be impressed with that match. It was a typical Super Cena match.

[DarkGengar]

RAW was pretty boring tonight.

What did you guys think of it?

[REL720]

Raw was alright to be honest. They did the typical "Let's have an all out brawl before the rumble" segment. Overall it was okay. I just believe they could have done more to make the feud between Rock and Punk more interesting. I mean the match itself is going to be amazing I just felt that there should have been more added to spice it up.

[flamebeam]

i thought that was the worst promotional "rumble before the rumble". it was obvious the second sheamus' entrance was played what they were up to. and there was no point in john cena's promo. and there was no point for paul heyman's promo. and the rock was okay, but i was a bit concerned when i saw him spit blood. that looked too real for me. and how many matches were there? 4? it's a 3-hour show. i didn't like raw today, but i know this is all because rivalries are at a minimum during the rumble season because 90% of the PPV competitors are in the same 1 match. hopefully it picks up next week. but there was ONE good thing: 62 weeks for cm punk! that's unreal

[Platinum fan.]

This episode of RAW was to get us all hyped for the Rumble. How many matches do we have besides the two title matches? Is the IC belt being defended? Is the US belt being defended? Are the Tage Belts being defended? And why is Dolph Ziggler even going to waste time with the Rumble when he has MITB? Don't get me wrong, I liked seeing him, AJ, and Big E screw up Sheamus's chance at the beat the clock challenge, but it's like, you don't even need the rumble. Sit back, watch Big Show and Del Rio destroy each other and then you go out and finish off the winner to win your World Heavyweight belt. Simple right? Ziggler's had that MITB case forever. Cash it in already.

Overall I found RAW to be average. We got a new name into the Hall of Fame, Bob Backlend. Did I spell his last name right? I feel bad not having watched wrestling as a little kid because half the people they put in the hall of fame I don't even know. I'm so ashamed of myself I don't know about the rest of you but I find the Shield aka Nexus Junior, more and more pointless the more I see them. I say they should just break them up and have them do singles stuff, because the Shield just isn't doing it for me. I have never felt excited for them like I did the NWO, Nexus or any other big evil group. Sorry but I find Shield a boring concept right now.


The Rock being banned from the area and the backstage security giving him tickets to let him in. Hmmm, I wonder of those security guys got fired by Vickie? Anyway it was to hype up Rock vs CM Punk. I'll be shocked if Punk actually retains that belt. Because unlike Cena vs Rock, the Rock is the clear favorite to win. If Punk does lose, I won't be disappointed. He had a long title regin and even though it was not the best it will still look better then Rock's two month title reign to mania. I doubt Rock will wrestle on TV. So I guess Cena and Punk will still be the main event wrestlers then? Whatever, as far as the Royal Rumble goes, I guess I want Ryback to win if only because I don't want to see Cena win it again, but I know he will. I just don't care to see Rock lose the belt to Cena. It was suppose to be once in a lifetime XD then again Hogan and Rock had a rematch in 2003 so it's not like we haven't had this before.

Daniel Bryan and Kane's segment was probably the most entertaining for me. The WWE universe hugging it out and I admit I like Brad Maddox on the commentary team. It's funny I will admit it. Am I excited for the Rumble? Kinda.

[charizardfan]

This episode of RAW was to get us all hyped for the Rumble. How many matches do we have besides the two title matches? Is the IC belt being defended? Is the US belt being defended? Are the Tage Belts being defended?

The full card for the Royal Rumble:

WWE Title: CM Punk (c) vs. The Rock
30-Man Royal Rumble
WHC Title/LMS: Alberto del Rio (c) vs. Big Show
Tag Titles: Team Hell No (c) vs. Team Rhodes Scholars

The Rumble usually gets 4-5 matches nowadays (and when's the last time a midcard belt was defended on that show?), and the only really importants ones are the Rumble and the title matches. So it's pretty standard.

[Laser Shuckle]

Probably the worst "main event" in months, if you could even call it that... It was as if they got that horrible John Cena promo and brawl crap mixed up with the Rock and Punk segment as far as timeslot...

I agree with the Shield being pointless/boring. They aren't very threatening when they are getting countered every other week by Randy/Sheamus/Ryback etc. I think they should work Lesnar in there somehow or even just Maddox, because this is getting stale...

Again 3 hours is too much, and even with the extra hour it still seems like there's barely enough time to build anything other than the main event.

[Cancer0081]

I like the HoF class that's being built up this year. Mick Foley and Bob Baukland are a good start to something that should be great.

[flamebeam]

Probably the worst "main event" in months, if you could even call it that... It was as if they got that horrible John Cena promo and brawl crap mixed up with the Rock and Punk segment as far as timeslot...

I agree with the Shield being pointless/boring. They aren't very threatening when they are getting countered every other week by Randy/Sheamus/Ryback etc. I think they should work Lesnar in there somehow or even just Maddox, because this is getting stale...

Again 3 hours is too much, and even with the extra hour it still seems like there's barely enough time to build anything other than the main event.

i don't know if 3 hours is too much every week but it definitely felt that way this week. as i watching, it looked like the writers were thinking, "okay, what's next?" like there was no flow and they took their time getting to the next segment of the show. last time i felt like this was the monday before summerslam when they had those back-to-back over-the-top promos between triple h, hbk, lesnar, and heyman. 3-hour raw shows can be good if they fill it with content, but in weeks like this they should just shorten it or something. it was such a joke for me

[-Raiga-]

In 2 say I totally have the biggest bro crush on ADR right now. I don't know if its because of his dos-caras stuff, but this guy GETS IT, on how to be a face. The guy simply connects with fans despite wrestling ALWAYS having the non-american nationality be a heel.

Here's to a great face run, of which hopefully won't be riddled with sheamus-esque pushing/staleness.

[flamebeam]

In 2 say I totally have the biggest bro crush on ADR right now. I don't know if its because of his dos-caras stuff, but this guy GETS IT, on how to be a face. The guy simply connects with fans despite wrestling ALWAYS having the non-american nationality be a heel.

Here's to a great face run, of which hopefully won't be riddled with sheamus-esque pushing/staleness.

i wish i called it sooner. i swear i had a feeling he would make a good babyface, but i didn't think they would make him one this soon. who knows, he could be the next eddie guerrero

[-Raiga-]

i wish i called it sooner. i swear i had a feeling he would make a good babyface, but i didn't think they would make him one this soon. who knows, he could be the next eddie guerrero

I think its safe to say he's surpassed Eddie already. He has 3 major championships to his name, and from what I understand was the biggest name in Mexico for like 10 years. However their situations are so different its hard to compare them accurately. Which is fine with me, I'd rather WWE focuses on making on making him the first Alberto del Rio, not the second Eddie Guerrero

[Laser Shuckle]

I agree Del Rio has pulled an impressive 180, I just don't get why they are teasing Tamina Vs Kaitlyn instead of AJ. Do they not know she can wrestle? I wonder how many people are watching all the Ziggler segments just to see AJ and Langston. It makes more sense to have AJ do something new and actually feud with another wrestler than to just pair her up with guy after guy, especially when Ziggler isn't as interesting as Bryan, Kane, Punk, or even John Stale Cena.

[-Raiga-]

I agree Del Rio has pulled an impressive 180, I just don't get why they are teasing Tamina Vs Kaitlyn instead of AJ. Do they not know she can wrestle? I wonder how many people are watching all the Ziggler segments just to see AJ and Langston. It makes more sense to have AJ do something new and actually feud with another wrestler than to just pair her up with guy after guy, especially when Ziggler isn't as interesting as Bryan, Kane, Punk, or even John Stale Cena.

Nor is AJ compelling as a heel in the slightest. She's just some chick who turns her head like an Owl for no reason.

Though I admit I like the team dynamic to the three. It reminds me of La Familia with edge/neely/Chavo/hawkins/ryder, in that they work together with their distractions. Of course, none of this matters when WWE won't let ziggler beat Cena with two distractions on his side.

[Laser Shuckle]

Nor is AJ compelling as a heel in the slightest. She's just some chick who turns her head like an Owl for no reason.

I like most of her mannerisms but that one is annoying along with the screaming... and the heel turn still looks to be a flop; She got bigger reactions as face.

Of course, none of this matters when WWE won't let ziggler beat Cena with two distractions on his side.

I don't get that either. Do they have anything planned other than the PPV dates? Thankfully we have ADR as face, Cesaro and the whole Punk vs Rock feud because everyone else's stocks seem to be on the decline.

[-Raiga-]

because everyone else's stocks seem to be on the decline.

I'd say Barrett seems to be on the rise, but as of the past few years, winning the intercontinental title has went from "we expect big things from you", to "you could be used for something....but we absolutely no plans whatsoever".

Speaking of barrett, if they're willing to have orton lose a little, would it hurt to let Sheamus job a few times? I am so ungodly sick of his stale character, and I really don't think he's as big of draw that WWE thinks he is. Even a heel turn could really help him out, and would make for an interesting turn of events, considering WWE apparently plans for ADR vs. Sheamus at mania anyways.