WWE Raw Discussion Thread

[Oaf]

Really disappointed with that. No need for it at all, are they scared Seth is gonna be more popular than Roman or something? Could've been similar to Roman v Styles - both tweenerish characters. Shame, but we'll see.

The problem is, this is exactly what is going to happen anyway. Only Seth will be acting like an asshole and Reigns will be acting like a hero, and it'll just look wrong as hell, similar to Triple H vs Reigns at WM.

 

[Libertine]

Owens "Shut up Cole I can hear you from here!"

 

[Leewilson]

https://twitter.com/PrinceCGR/status/734501299337584641

Brilliant statement

 

[Luke]

Only watched the first hour as had a footy match tonight but it has already been touched on but that opening segment has REALLY fucked me off.

Rollins gets cheered Roman gets booed oh let's make Seth the heel again when not many cheer Roman as it is. This was the golden chance to make Seth the top baby face and make Roman a monster heel but oh no.

 

[Smally]

Brand split has been announced from 19th July

 

[Luke]

Smackdown will be going live on Tuesday's as part of the move.

How are they going to fill 3 hours of Raw with half a roster?

Not sure how I feel about this draft split.

 

[iesty wfc]

They have the depth to do it

As long as bragging rights doesn't become a plc again

 

[Oaf]

Oh God yeah... any time they did Raw vs Smackdown it was awful. They treated it as if people actually cared and would pick a side, when actually nobody gave a fuck. And then there's the fact that I'm quite sure that Smackdown must have ended with a 100% winning record against Raw. I'm not sure if that's statistically correct, but it wouldn't surprise me if it was because Smackdown ALWAYS won.

Actaully, the only time I remember Raw winning was at WM one year when it was Team Johhny vs Team Teddy for complete control of both shows. John won it and it was awesome because it meant the end of Teddy Long, but then literally the next night or whatever they completely undid it all.

But overall then... I'm not sure. I can certainly see the benefits of splitting the roster. And maybe it'll lead to Smackdown not being shit anymore. But for me they need to do two things... 1, as I said, stay away from any Raw vs Smackdown BS. And 2, they need to keep just the one god damn world champion this time. Two world champions completely devalues the idea of having a world champion. Keep one of the world heavyweight, tag team and Womens titles and have the champions appear on both shows... and then have the US title on one show and the IC title on the other.

My big fear though... last time there was a roster split, it was just after that when I lost interest in WWE and stopped watching it for about 5 years as a result. Here's hoping it doesn't go down that same route again...

 

[Luke]

You'll be pleased to know Oaf the rumour flying about is there will be a seperate world champion on both shows!

Also read Roman is gonna be top boy on Raw and Cena on Smackdown.

 

[Smally]

I agree completely with the having 1 world champ, 1 women's champ and 1 tag team champ, and having IC and US titles one on each. I'd also like each show to have another belt below the IC & US, maybe European and TV titles. I'm not that up to date on the current roster and its size, but I think each brand having two exclusive titles and then the other 3 mentioned earlier going over both shows would work well

 

[Captain Scumbag]

I'm not sure why many so fans are vehemently against there being more than one world champion. I mean, I get the theoretical argument – i.e. that having more than one dilutes the concept – but in practice it doesn't really work that way. The 'exclusivity' of the world title doesn't matter. What matters is how you book people in that spot.

There's a whole raft of credible main-eventers (e.g. Benoit, Guerrero, Rey, Batista, Orton, Cena, Punk and Bryan) who won their first world title when there was more than one world title in the promotion. The fact they weren't the world champion in any exclusive sense didn't make people think less of them. In contrast, consider Seth Rollins, who was undisputed world champion (i.e. world champion in that exclusive sense) for 6 months. He doesn't have the main event credibility of any of the above, despite being super-talented, because he was booked to look like a cowardly dweeb.

The best reason for a brand split is that it provides more creative space in which you can build new stars. Done properly, a brand split essentially creates two promotions out of one. For that to work there needs to be sufficient differentiation between the two, and part of that is having two separate hierarchies, i.e. each show having its own main event guys, mid-carders, jobbers, etc. Having one world champion routinely working both shows undermines the idea of the split. It also overworks that top guy and is needlessly limiting from a creative PoV.

Having two world champions is fine provided they are brand-specific and booked strongly. What ultimately devalues the world title (any title, in fact) is adopting a booking philosophy in which wins and losses don't matter.

 

[Stevencc]

When does the brand split actually come into effect?

The thing that will swing it one way or the other for me is whether they go for the proper split (rosters kept apart - actual separate shows and almost promotions as CS says) or the soft split where it can be almost meaningless.

 

[Smally]

It's from 19 July I think, or around that time

 

[Oaf]

I'm not sure why many so fans are vehemently against there being more than one world champion. I mean, I get the theoretical argument – i.e. that having more than one dilutes the concept – but in practice it doesn't really work that way. The 'exclusivity' of the world title doesn't matter. What matters is how you book people in that spot.

There's a whole raft of credible main-eventers (e.g. Benoit, Guerrero, Rey, Batista, Orton, Cena, Punk and Bryan) who won their first world title when there was more than one world title in the promotion. The fact they weren't the world champion in any exclusive sense didn't make people think less of them. In contrast, consider Seth Rollins, who was undisputed world champion (i.e. world champion in that exclusive sense) for 6 months. He doesn't have the main event credibility of any of the above, despite being super-talented, because he was booked to look like a cowardly dweeb.

The best reason for a brand split is that it provides more creative space in which you can build new stars. Done properly, a brand split essentially creates two promotions out of one. For that to work there needs to be sufficient differentiation between the two, and part of that is having two separate hierarchies, i.e. each show having its own main event guys, mid-carders, jobbers, etc. Having one world champion routinely working both shows undermines the idea of the split. It also overworks that top guy and is needlessly limiting from a creative PoV.

Having two world champions is fine provided they are brand-specific and booked strongly. What ultimately devalues the world title (any title, in fact) is adopting a booking philosophy in which wins and losses don't matter.

To be fair, as a person who's always spoke out against the idea of two world champions, these are all good, valid points. And I guess it wouldn't be the end of the world having two champions and there are certainly positives (for example, it gives twice as much opportunity to make stars out of more wrestlers by giving them a world title and letting them run with it).

Still, I still want to see just the one champion. And yes, it's still just for that basic reason of just wanting ONE world champion because, to me, it makes the belt feel more important. And I say this even acknowledging that, if booked right, it can work well. No more god damn world heavyweight title fights to KICK OFF Wrestlemania, for example. Treat both titles with the respect they deserve, and it can work fine.

So yeah, all of my reasons for wanting the one title are pretty much superficial. But I still want it, damn it.

 

[Libertine]

So, AJ heel turn. About the only interesting thing this week.

 

[Oaf]

Cool, so Money in the Bank:

Reigns (face, who's gonna be boo'ed like fuck) vs Seth (heel, who's gonna be cheered like fuck)
Cena (face, who's gonna be boo'ed like fuck) vs AJ Styles (heel, who's gonna be cheered like fuck)

That's gonna be great.

And the most annoying thing is, Cena actually got a fair bit of love when he came back. Like, relatively. Like, they had a chance to actually get him, by Cena standards, not too hated. If the first thing he does after coming back is beat an AJ Styles who's just had to lose twice to Reigns, that's gonna put him right back where he was.

Plus Seth had a heck of a chance of becoming a massively over face, but they went the heel route instead.

Plus AJ was a massively over face, but they went the heel route instead.

On paper, those matches both sound fucking brilliant. Booking wise, I wish they'd gone about it a bit differently.

 

[Pilgrim Meister]

Personally I would do the following.

Raw Championship (Renamed intercontinental)
Smackdown Championship (Renamed U.S. Title)

Then keep the WWE WH title which is up for grabs during PPV events, same goes for the Women's championship

However, they are talking about keeping the Main title on Raw, and introducing a Smack Down Championship, and keeping the IC and U.S. titles, one on each show

 

[Christian Slater]

Total lack of effort that Raw. The only intriguing thing they had in AJ vs Cena was killed as a feud thanks to incoherent, nonsensical writing. It's a can't miss angle and they've blown it two weeks in.

The rest of the show was pointless. What are my reasons for wanting to watch again next week? And why bring Rollins back to not wrestle and not even be there this week? I enjoyed the video packages but is that it? We barely see or hear from the champion.

 

[JoeJoeJoeJoe]

Total lack of effort that Raw. The only intriguing thing they had in AJ vs Cena was killed as a feud thanks to incoherent, nonsensical writing. It's a can't miss angle and they've blown it two weeks in.

The rest of the show was pointless. What are my reasons for wanting to watch again next week? And why bring Rollins back to not wrestle and not even be there this week? I enjoyed the video packages but is that it? We barely see or hear from the champion.

How did they blow the Cena/Styles angle exactly?

 

[Christian Slater]

How did they blow the Cena/Styles angle exactly?

They used the tired old "you can't wrestle" trope, so old that its usage was brought up. Is that the best they can do? It's just another plug in and play feud for Cena. Same old shit.

 

[Libertine]

Opening promo was dreadful but cracked up at Teddy Long trying to make a tag match then getting escorted out the building. Twat.

 

[Christian Slater]

Opening promo was dreadful but cracked up at Teddy Long trying to make a tag match then getting escorted out the building. Twat.

I liked Jericho claiming he'd won MitB but other than that I agree. It's cringe-worthy the way they make them go out and stand on ladders in the ring to promote the match, WWE has never done subtlety.

 

[Oaf]

Didn't think it was that bad. I loved AJ Styles mentioning how if you lose to Cena you're "Buried" Wait though... WWE are actually aware of this dynamic? The whole "take a great wrestler then feed them to Cena then watch their career go down the shitter" thing? How is it that WWE are aware of this but still do it?!

Oh well. Whatever. At the end of the day though, man, MitB is setting up to be a fucking immense PPV...

Reigns vs Rollins is (sigh) a WM worthy match (yes it is, WWE, just fuck off saying it every 10 seconds please)
AJ Styles vs Cena is (sigh) a dream match (yes it is, WWE, just fuck off saying it every 10 seconds please)
That fatal four way tag team match should be great.
MitB featuring 5 awesome people and Del Rio should be superb as well. And so long as anybody except for Del Rio wins it, it is going to lead to somewhere very good at the end of it, as well.

So far, 4 great sounding matches out of 4.

On a final note: Fuck off Teddy Long. Just seeing him reminded me of the dark days when I stopped watching altogether. I pray this was a one off.

 

[Bluebird_Dai]

Didn't think it was that bad. I loved AJ Styles mentioning how if you lose to Cena you're "Buried" On a final note: Fuck off Teddy Long. Just seeing him reminded me of the dark days when I stopped watching altogether. I pray this was a one off.

Now hold on a minute playa, now it ain't going down like dat! Because in the main event, you're going to go 1 on 1, wit da Undertaka! Holla Holla!

He was so goofy it was funny I always thought.

Also, Rusev vs Titus has been added to the card. Meh.

 

[PaulWolves]

Dana Brooke is a right minger.

 

[Oaf]

Corr, this wrestling section sure has slowed down as of late. I guess just general interest in wrestling is dropping right now.

But regardless of this...

I've got some good shit coming up.

For starters, NXT in Plymouth on Friday Going to be incredible seeing NXT without having to go fucking miles from the ass end of nowhere to get there first. That alone would be great...

BUT... I've always wanted to go to New York, see. But now days, I don't really see the point of going over to the US unless I can tie it in with some Wrestling... and it just so happens that, once again, Summerslam is taking place in NYC this year. So fuck it, I'm going. Because I've got a real feeling that Summerslam this year is going to be the event that they wanted WM32 to be, if it wasn't for the injuries. I get the feeling it's going to be a pretty special event.

So... I have my flights and hotel booked. And yesterday, I went and got tickets for NXT Takeover: Brooklyn as well... missed out on the Dallas one and it's a massive regret. Not missing out this time. Just need to get actual Summerslam tickets now... and for Raw the next night, of course.

Then, once all that's done, looking beyond into next year... well, after making it to the last two, how can I possibly resist the chance to tie in a holiday where I do both Wrestlemania 33 AND Disney world? That one seems like a bit of a no brainer.

 

[mase]

Corr, this wrestling section sure has slowed down as of late. I guess just general interest in wrestling is dropping right now.

But regardless of this...

I've got some good shit coming up.

For starters, NXT in Plymouth on Friday Going to be incredible seeing NXT without having to go fucking miles from the ass end of nowhere to get there first. That alone would be great...

BUT... I've always wanted to go to New York, see. But now days, I don't really see the point of going over to the US unless I can tie it in with some Wrestling... and it just so happens that, once again, Summerslam is taking place in NYC this year. So fuck it, I'm going. Because I've got a real feeling that Summerslam this year is going to be the event that they wanted WM32 to be, if it wasn't for the injuries. I get the feeling it's going to be a pretty special event.

So... I have my flights and hotel booked. And yesterday, I went and got tickets for NXT Takeover: Brooklyn as well... missed out on the Dallas one and it's a massive regret. Not missing out this time. Just need to get actual Summerslam tickets now... and for Raw the next night, of course.

Then, once all that's done, looking beyond into next year... well, after making it to the last two, how can I possibly resist the chance to tie in a holiday where I do both Wrestlemania 33 AND Disney world? That one seems like a bit of a no brainer.

You must have one hell of a well-paid job! Definitely not jealous... not one bit.

 

[Luke]

Sure I read somewhere they are going with a four hour summerslam again this year so you may well be right they will want it to be what WM32 wasn't, I'm sure you'll have a great trip though.

MITB doesn't actually look too bad, I personally would like to see Owens/Cesaro win the briefcase but think it'll be Ambrose. If it leads to a shield triple threat at Summerslam that is fine by me. Would love to see a double turn with Roman/Seth at MITB but who am I kidding. Cena/Styles should be brilliant and the tag title match could be a good match.

 

[Libertine]

Surely it's only gonna be either KO or Ambrose.

 

[Oaf]

I'm actually happy with anybody winning it so long as it's not Del Rio. The rest of them would all be great for me. Maybe Jericho would be a bit disappointing because it'd be sticking with the old stars rather than going for the new, but he's been great as of late so I don't think that'd be too bad.

You must have one hell of a well-paid job! Definitely not jealous... not one bit.

The thing is, I actually don't I literally save all of my money for traveling and video games, I don't tend to buy much else.