WWE Raw Discussion Thread

[Christian Slater]

I'll be amazed if Shane doesn't announce Cena as his surrogate before 'Mania. It would be such a bizarre match to go ahead with. Great to see him back, mind.

 

[Captain Scumbag]

The problem is, whoever goes in there with Taker is going to be the de facto heel. It's WM in Texas, FFS. They're not going to boo Taker. They're teasing a Shane takeover/return angle, but they're making it conditional on him (or his proxy) beating a guy that 99.9% of wrestling fans don't want to lose. From a crowd psychology PoV, that makes no sense.

They have plenty of time to develop it, I suppose. And it's a more appealing match-up than Taker Vs Brown Snowman, which was apparently an option until a few weeks ago. But yeah… if they're going with this, it really underlines what bad shape they're in.

 

[This Charming Mike]

There's absolutely no way Shane O'mac will be taking any major bumps (like he did vs Angle and Blackman) in this if he does indeed wrestle, which I just don't see happening. He's a 46-year old father of three who hasn't wrestled in eight years for goodness sake.

 

[Libertine]

Shane O'Mac!

Also finding the pairing of him vs Taker odd. Just can't see Taker losing here and the storyline will probably end there as previously said. The crowd won't know how to cheer for, just feels a bit of an awkward fit, currently at least.

 

[kopite]

I marked out proper when Shane's music hit and finally got excited watching a Raw. Now some hours have gone, the more retarded Shane Vs Undertaker in the cell sounds.

Undefeated Undertaker...streak goes to Brock and then Shane friggin McMahon!?!? The match has to change surely? Shane has to win because the Authority has run its course but by beating Taker in the cell at Wrestlemania??

Dean vs Brock looks a complete mismatch but great to see Ambrose in such a big match. Should elevate him more after Wrestlemania.

 

[Leewilson]

I marked out proper when Shane's music hit and finally got excited watching a Raw. Now some hours have gone, the more retarded Shane Vs Undertaker in the cell sounds.

Undefeated Undertaker...streak goes to Brock and then Shane friggin McMahon!?!? The match has to change surely? Shane has to win because the Authority has run its course but by beating Taker in the cell at Wrestlemania??

There is no way Undertaker loses to Shane McMahon in Texas so don't worry. I completely agree with Scumbag that the crowd psychology is wrong though. Shane is being portrayed as the 'good' member of the McMahons yet is going to be up against the ultimate crowd favourite handpicked by the villainous boss to do his dirty work.

And since when did The Undertaker fight for anybody? The entire last 8 years or so have been built around his mysterious aura. He turns up and fights whoever he wants. This is a very odd change up. Not to mention the story is shit with the whole Vince got into trouble and they made a deal rubbish. That was thrown together so quickly.

Still, I'll forget all rubbish storyline just to enjoy the match because I think it's a good matchup at this stage of both men's careers. There won't be much actual wrestling, the pace doesn't have to be overwhelming in the cell, there'll be a lot of slow moving and building up between weapon hits and spots etc. I disagree with Mike though. I don't think Shane will settle for a meh match, he wouldn't have agreed to it otherwise. He's never had to take risks before what with being born into an empire but he pulled some ridiculous bumps. He'll throw himself about for sure.

 

[T.A]

Would have made more sense to have Shane as a mouthpiece for someone who's decent but shit on the mic. He would have been great for Cesario. Undertake went stale as soon as Brock beat him, he should have retired there and then.

There's still nothing on this WM card that makes me wanna watch it.

 

[silvergull]

I disagree. I actually prefer post streak taker. Far more based on methodology. Plus taker in control vs a non worker is great. Shane's attitude era matches are based in a believable never say die attitude.

Fantasy booking is you have Shane hang with taker, kicks outs etc. Just long enough for a bullet club run in (with Balor) and Shane heel turn. You then build to an eventual situation where the bullet club runs the show and eventually the authority reforms the shield ahead of summerslam.

Rollins injury almost gifts you this opportunity. Plus there's not reason for the bullet club to touch NXT. Rollins return for a shield vs bullet club fued is gold.

It also writes Vince off tv (whose looking very much his 70 years) and you use Shane in the Vince role. Bring him back either as heel or face when required.

Makes sense.

 

[Saddlerrad]

I'd agree that the throwing together of this match just goes to show how empty the barrel is to scrape at the moment, the writing and background makes no sense and it's basically a case of throwing someone in at the last minute who could at least provide some entertainment - which is exactly what Shane should provide based around his previous in-ring reputation.

Contrary to the opinions in hear, I and quite a few others on the other Wrestling Forum I occasionally read actually think in the last 2 weeks or so WM has come together somewhat. Prior to those weeks we were potentially looking at Undertaker/Strowman, Reigns/HHH and Lesnar/Wyatt. Which just looked a slow, stodgy card. There is also an angle that people aren't looking at, which is that Shane has been brought in to help get Reigns over, along with the Rock.

A few weeks later and we are looking at Undertaker/Shane O'Mac - a spotfest (much along the lines of HHH/Sting last year), Lesnar/Ambrose, where only good things can happen for Ambrose and I'm convinced HHH/Reigns won't just stay a normal match, I'd also be surprised if they don't make it a triple threat match of some sort. All of a sudden when you add Owens/Ziggler/AJ Styles to the event and a tag match...it's not looking so bad.

I mean, storyline wise it's not great and it's definetely being thrown together late on - but with a shocking injury list and constant setbacks it's hardly a surprise. It should at least be entertaining and I'd much rather it was good to watch than told a good story but was boring.

 

[Oaf]

Man, never been so torn on a match as I am right now with Shane vs Taker.

On the one hand, fuck me, that sounds AWESOME. I honestly don't know if there's anybody in wrestling with a better matches wrestled: great matches ratio than Shane O Mac. Yes, it's been years since he's been in the ring, but the man has been involved in some of my favourite matches of all time. And he fucking owned it on Raw. And Taker is Taker, he's just awesome all the time. Plus Hell in a Cell. It can't fail to be great.

But then on the other hand, as everybody has said... story wise, it's insane. Why would Taker do Vinces bidding like that? Are we supposed to root against Taker? Is Taker being booked as a heel (which is stupid) in friggin' Texas (even stupider!)? And if (SURELY NOT?) Shane were to win, would it be acceptable that Shane suceeded where 22 other, full time wrestlers have failed in beating Taker at WM? Logically, it's genuinely so stupid that I honestly, right now, don't feel like we're going to see that match happen simply as Shane vs Taker.

I genuinely feel as if it's more likely that next week on Raw, Taker will show up and ask Vince why the hell he'd fight for him. Because he's no mans slave, you don't give orders to the fuckin' Deadman. So he'll team up with Shane in some way... and we'll end up with Shane and Taker vs Vince and... somebody. Don't know who. Either that, or the other scenario... maybe something like Vince'll tell Taker that if he loses, he's finished, so he has some incentive to want to fight Shane. Because right now, Taker has nothing to gain at all and no reason to want to be in this fight. And, as fans, there's no logical choice as to who we're supposed to be rooting for.

 

[Oaf]

Well, so much for those theories.

All that fucking hype for Taker showing up. His entrance was the longest part of his segment. Seems he's happy to just be Vinces puppet afterall, which makes no sense.

In a similar sense, that ending of the Lynch/Banks match was silly as fuck too. But, as with the Shane/Taker thing... the making of the match is fucking bizzaire and illogical, but fuck it, they're matches I want to see happen so I guess I'm not all that fussed about how we get there

But yes. Pretty pointless Raw, disappointing after last week for sure. But when you've gone and made three big marquee matches and then only have one person from each marquee match in attendance on any given night, it's going to really be difficult to progress things.

 

[Christian Slater]

This might not be a popular opinion, but they should always do Raw like this episode i.e. more emphasis on talking segments and angles with fewer matches. Watching Raws loaded with matches that are trying to sell you on seeing matches has proven not to work. Take the recent series between Owens and Ziggler for example, they could have used all the time they wasted on matches on talking segments or in action based angles, but they just repeatedly put them in matches good filler. That's lazy and boring.

I enjoyed this Raw. It's brilliant that Ambrose is getting then reaction they want Reigns to get. Baffling that they think this will put the heat on HHH for 'Mania, the fans will merely boo him against Ambrose and cheer for him against Reigns.

Although I said I prefer talking I think having two long segments surrounding Shane was redundant. Steph delivered a promo for the ages and that was all that was required. The Vince segment felt pointless and silly.

 

[Oaf]

Yeah, to be fair I actually thought Stephanies promo was possibly the best part of the show... which is saying something, because I've found her just annoying for a long time now.

I actually agree on the more promo/less match time thing. Everybody always used to moan about the lack of time matches got... but honestly, with 5 hours of WWE content each week (not counting anything like NXT, or PPV's, or whatever else) it's damned hard to fit it all into your life, so I tend to skip through a lot of matches anyway these days on Raws and such.

 

[Christian Slater]

Unless I'm watching live I'll skip any match that has no rhyme or reason or features people I've no time for, which are plentiful. All I want is a reason to care.

 

[Libertine]

Completely agree. Save the big long matches for the main event and PPVs. Always used to be loads of crazy backstage segments back in the day which really helped set matches up.

Actually enjoyed the divas finish as I was hoping for the draw leading to the 3 way at WM.

 

[Luke]

I sort of see where you are coming from but to have 4-5 matches lasting under a couple of minutes on a wrestling show is embarassing.

Also do we really need to hear from Triple H, Steph & Vince for so long, talk about taking over the show.

That said I didn't think it was a bad Raw but have seen other people think it was dreadful on other websites.

I seee HHH/Ambrose title match is a week Saturday on the Network called Roadblock, I wish this was the Mania main event instead of Reigns but what can we do we are just going to have to get used to good old Roman.

Finally this whole Undertaker basically representing Vince still isn't really making much sense and wasn't really explained on Raw.

 

[Oaf]

Actually enjoyed the divas finish as I was hoping for the draw leading to the 3 way at WM.

Oh yeah, don't get me wrong... I think we ALL want that triple threat at WM. In fact, I'd say it may well end up being one of the best matches of the night, let alone just the best WM Divas match in over a decade or so.

It's just how stupid that ending looked that got to me. Sasha just kind of landed, looked absolutely fine, then laid down and let herself get pinned. It looked ridiculously fake, even by wrestling standards!

 

[Christian Slater]

You know, if it was anyone else but HHH holding the title they'd probably be seriously considering having Ambrose win it at Roadblock. No chance his ego will allow himself to drop the belt now and drop down the card. That match really didn't need the title.

 

[Saddlerrad]

I'm thinking that main event won't just be Reigns/HHH regardless. Infact, 90% sure they will add at least Ambrose, or Ambrose and Lesnar to make it some sort of 4 corner match. No way just Reigns/HHH will work as a title main event match. Don't be surprised if you see HHH beat Ambrose by some sort of screwjob and then him get added to the main event after baiting HHH as a wimp on Raw. Read on the net that the arena holding Raw after WM has made a massive mess up and added Shane O'Mac as 'running the programme' - indicating that he will beat Taker somehow.

 

[Christian Slater]

I'm thinking that main event won't just be Reigns/HHH regardless. Infact, 90% sure they will add at least Ambrose, or Ambrose and Lesnar to make it some sort of 4 corner match. No way just Reigns/HHH will work as a title main event match. Don't be surprised if you see HHH beat Ambrose by some sort of screwjob and then him get added to the main event after baiting HHH as a wimp on Raw. Read on the net that the arena holding Raw after WM has made a massive mess up and added Shane O'Mac as 'running the programme' - indicating that he will beat Taker somehow.

I'd love something like that to happen, but the truth is they don't have enough talent to throw four guys in one match. My bold prediction is Ambrose loses against HHH but beats Lesnar. I kind of want the HHH vs Reigns match to go ahead as is just to see the catastrophe.

I've read they've been advertising Monday Night Raw vs WWE. That sounds exciting.

 

[Captain Scumbag]

Brand split?

 

[Christian Slater]

They're far too petty with internal politics for that to be a good thing. It'd benefit Smackdown no doubt.

 

[Oaf]

Can we all just take a moment to appreciate the fact that we're getting ourselves a Sasha Banks/Becky Lynch/Charlotte triple threat at WM?! It's not just most certainly going to be the best divas match at WM in about a decade (not that that's saying all that much) but could actually be one of the best matches of the night. Really looking forward to that one.

As for the rest of the matches, those being Lesnar/Ambrose, Shane/Taker and Reigns/HHH, my biggest issue with them is that, really, each of those matches seems to have an obvious winner. I can't see Ambrose beating Lesnar, Shane shouldn't beat Taker and it'd be a massive shock is Reigns didn't beat HHH. Surely they're looking to surprise us with at least one of those matches...

Then again, we all thought Sting was definitely beating Triple H last year... I'd have said that there was more chance of him beating Reigns this year than there was of him beating Sting last year. And we all also assumed that it was a sure thing that Reigns was walking out with the title. I guess they have the capacity to surprise us...

 

[Christian Slater]

Can we all just take a moment to appreciate the fact that we're getting ourselves a Sasha Banks/Becky Lynch/Charlotte triple threat at WM?! It's not just most certainly going to be the best divas match at WM in about a decade (not that that's saying all that much) but could actually be one of the best matches of the night. Really looking forward to that one.

As for the rest of the matches, those being Lesnar/Ambrose, Shane/Taker and Reigns/HHH, my biggest issue with them is that, really, each of those matches seems to have an obvious winner. I can't see Ambrose beating Lesnar, Shane shouldn't beat Taker and it'd be a massive shock is Reigns didn't beat HHH. Surely they're looking to surprise us with at least one of those matches...

Then again, we all thought Sting was definitely beating Triple H last year... I'd have said that there was more chance of him beating Reigns this year than there was of him beating Sting last year. And we all also assumed that it was a sure thing that Reigns was walking out with the title. I guess they have the capacity to surprise us...

I think Shane winning is a certainty and Ambrose will win because there's mitigation thanks to the rules.

 

[iesty wfc]

What do you reckon the chances are of sting being shanes proxy?? Gone very quiet in him recently and there is the eve connection (even if he wasn't used in the invasion angle due to his universal studios contract at the time).
Plus he is going into the ball of fame
They could be swerving for the match that everyone wanted to see right under our noses

 

[Luke]

Wednesday morning & nobody has posted about Raw yet, wouldn't think it was Wrestlemania season!

Thought it was a decent Raw, enjoyed Owens/Neville & Tag team title match. Zayn returning was a nice surprise and the Y2J heel turn was predictable but well done I thought. If its leading to Owens/Zayn & Y2J/Styles at mania then at least they should be two good matches.

Read they are debating Kalisto/Ryback for US Title, please no.

Anyone reading anything into the whole Bray staring down Triple H and stroking his title or just Bray acting his usual weird self, some are reading to much into I think seen one article they think it could lead to Bray helping Shane at mania, I highly doubt that and I am not reading much into it but you know how they do these little things sometimes to make you think for future plans.

 

[Oaf]

Wednesday morning & nobody has posted about Raw yet, wouldn't think it was Wrestlemania season!

Thought it was a decent Raw, enjoyed Owens/Neville & Tag team title match. Zayn returning was a nice surprise and the Y2J heel turn was predictable but well done I thought. If its leading to Owens/Zayn & Y2J/Styles at mania then at least they should be two good matches.

Read they are debating Kalisto/Ryback for US Title, please no.

Anyone reading anything into the whole Bray staring down Triple H and stroking his title or just Bray acting his usual weird self, some are reading to much into I think seen one article they think it could lead to Bray helping Shane at mania, I highly doubt that and I am not reading much into it but you know how they do these little things sometimes to make you think for future plans.

I guess roadblock on Saturday is going to answer a lot of questions about WM. If Ambrose wins, the entire thing is going to be spun on it's head I reckon. I can see us getting at least a fatal four way (Ambrose as champ, Triple H getting his rematch, Reigns getting his title shot and Lesnar getting in because he was due to face Ambrose anyway)... but then what is left for Bray? Throw him in there as well, was what I was thinking... and that little interaction with Triple H kind of hinted at that as a possibility. Everybody knows that 5 man matches are weird, so it'd have to be a 6 pack challenge or something... who's the 6th man?

STONE COLD!

Probably not. But man, wouldn't that be sweet?

I dunno. Triple H will probably win and we'll be stuck with Triple H/Reigns... meh. That'll do I guess.

Still though, that undercard looking like:
Banks/Lynch/Charlotte
Styles/Jericho
Zayn/Owens

That's pretty fuckin' tasty so far...

 

[Libertine]

Sounds like the IC match will be another multi-person match rather than SZ/KO.

 

[Christian Slater]

Thought it was another good Raw. The crowd made the matches better by reacting rather than chanting the token "this is awesome." The Owens match and the tag match were great, especially the latter.

 

[Luke]

Yeah think IC is gonna be multi man again and they are going with Kalisto/Ryback for US.

New Day versus Barrett/Sheamus at road block for titles, I wonder who will get pinned in that one, spoiler - he's English. That's meant to be leading to possibly 6 man New Day/LON at mania and slowly turning new day face. I love the new day but not sure they need a face turn, think they are best as they are where they act a bit of both but slightly more heelish.

Oaf a fatal four way would be great for the title but I'm 95% sure HHH wins and we are stuck with him and Roman at Mania.