Official Raw thread

[jeffro151]

Supposedly Taker may show up at fast lane tonight.

 

[futballiscool]

Neville might be the best in ring performer in the WWE after AJ. He's only 30. I wish he was in the main event picture.

Also think this was the first signature match for the cruiser weights on the main roster. That match was fantastic.

 

[jeffro151]

So who will help Goldberg win, Jericho or Lesnar?

 

[jeffro151]

Lol lol lol lol

 

[jeffro151]

The main event at WM is going to be shit.

 

[futballiscool]

Owens had one of the weakest booked championship runs I've ever seen. It was Honky Tonk Man adjace. He deserved better.

What a weird PPV.

Neville and Gallagher was great though. Saved the show for me.

 

[wazzu31]

That PPV was the definition of shitty. Goldberg winning was bunk, if they wanted that garbage then they should've had Lesnar win the world title and have a secondary raw and smackdown title and have the world title a headliner every so often. Creative has done great story lines with both shows, but none are many caliber, they are filling in the rest of the calendar type storylines.

 

[Judge Fudge]

This Proves Smackdown is the Superior brand

After Elimation Chamber:

After Fastlane

 

[wildturkey]

That PPV was a steaming pile of horseshit

 

[futballiscool]

I seem to be less critical of WWEs booking of this PPV than the rest of the IWC. This almost never happens so I figure I might as well explain it.

I HATED Lesnar getting squashed by Goldberg at SS. Lesnar's mystique was absolutely the most valuable booking commodity the WWE had and I think the only time he should have taken a clean pin was to put over the WWEs next full time mega star. An argument I heard at the time was that the next star of that nature wasn't on the roster. In 96 you wouldn't have guessed that guy was the Ringmaster or the blue chipper who was getting booed out of the building. I would have been fine with the WWE keeping Lesnar unbeatable for a year or two to wait for that guy to emerge if that's what it took. With that said, if you're willing to have Lesnar's mystique tarnished for the sake of a nostalgia pop than you might as well go all in with it and put the belt on Goldberg.

On a side note, KO is fantastic in the ring and on the mic.He has a legit anti-hero charisma similar to Punk or SCSA while being original and nothing like either of those guys. Still...... From being handed the belt by HHH, to winning every match via interference from his buddy cop movie side kick, to eventually losing in a squash he was booked like a mid card comedy champ. WWE didn't allow him to come across as a WM main eventer. I fault the entire process more than the final descion.

Strauman is no longer the unbeatable super heel on the Raw roster. That's Samoa Joe. I love Braun's longterm potential but he's not ready for big time, main event programs. I'm fine with him taking a step back now and getting the mega push when he's closer to the finished product.

The Women's title picture intrigues me. Sasha looked strong beating Nia Jax. She also cheated Charlotte out of the belt adding validity to the Stephanie theory that she's helping Bayley because she's a champ Sasha an beat (unlike Charlotte). That's a well set up WM triple threat and/or Sasha turn on Bayley. I'm OK with Charlottes PPV streak and Nia Jax being sacraficed to setup that dynamic for a possible money WM fued.

Also while AJ is still in his athletic prime just give me one 30 minute match with Neville please. Neville in viscous heel mode is money. Gallagher is great too.

 

[anotheridiot]

Owens had one of the weakest booked championship runs I've ever seen. It was Honky Tonk Man adjace. He deserved better.

What a weird PPV.

Neville and Gallagher was great though. Saved the show for me.

Owens did not help himself, you cannot continue to berate fans, young children and old guys that pay the network subscriptions by having your fake champ insulting them. WWE just proved they can do whatever they want. Got the crowd behind Brian Danielson, a 180 pound champ like CM Punk, then switch over to a huge steaming turd like owens while Roman Reigns gets booed wherever he goes.

I dont know what to expect from a Goldberg title reign, does not seem like he wants to be in a match for more than a minute or so, and honestly, it can work. Spear and sledgehammer back to the day of Magnum Terry Allen and his 6 second wins with a belly to belly.

 

[jeffro151]

I wonder if a Taker/Lesnar/Goldberg match at WM is in play? Hopefully they aren't going to end the Stroman/Reigns program already just to throw Reigns at Taker.

 

[futballiscool]

Owens did not help himself, you cannot continue to berate fans, young children and old guys that pay the network subscriptions by having your fake champ insulting them. WWE just proved they can do whatever they want. Got the crowd behind Brian Danielson, a 180 pound champ like CM Punk, then switch over to a huge steaming turd like owens while Roman Reigns gets booed wherever he goes.

I dont know what to expect from a Goldberg title reign, does not seem like he wants to be in a match for more than a minute or so, and honestly, it can work. Spear and sledgehammer back to the day of Magnum Terry Allen and his 6 second wins with a belly to belly.

That's part of the psychology of the wrestling heel. He insults the crowd so they pay money to see him lose the belt to the hero.

The crowd boos whoever gets pushed as the top Babyface and cheers every indie darling so it makes the formula more complicated. Owens already gets cheered despite.of being a heel. If he didn't berate the crowd to get heat it'd be even worse for the Cenas, Romans etc

 

[StanMarsh51]

I HATED Lesnar getting squashed by Goldberg at SS. Lesnar's mystique was absolutely the most valuable booking commodity the WWE had and I think the only time he should have taken a clean pin was to put over the WWEs next full time mega star. An argument I heard at the time was that the next star of that nature wasn't on the roster. In 96 you wouldn't have guessed that guy was the Ringmaster or the blue chipper who was getting booed out of the building. I would have been fine with the WWE keeping Lesnar unbeatable for a year or two to wait for that guy to emerge if that's what it took. With that said, if you're willing to have Lesnar's mystique tarnished for the sake of a nostalgia pop than you might as well go all in with it and put the belt on Goldberg.

.

At the same time, if they have Lesnar beat Goldberg at WM, I don't think Goldberg ultimately loses much (if any) in terms of reputation/mystique from the Survivor Series loss.

He'll always have the reputation of being a 'badass' from his UFC championship.

 

[StanMarsh51]

That PPV was the definition of shitty. Goldberg winning was bunk, if they wanted that garbage then they should've had Lesnar win the world title and have a secondary raw and smackdown title and have the world title a headliner every so often. Creative has done great story lines with both shows, but none are many caliber, they are filling in the rest of the calendar type storylines.

Goldberg winning the belt is going to do what they want - get more appeal/press for WM. It sucks for the guys who've busted their ass for the entire year, but it is going to get the event added hype, considering that Goldberg was a big name at a time when just about everybody watched wrestling.

 

[futballiscool]

At the same time, if they have Lesnar beat Goldberg at WM, I don't think Goldberg ultimately loses much (if any) in terms of reputation/mystique from the Survivor Series loss.

He'll always have the reputation of being a 'badass' from his UFC championship.

It's not that it hurts Lesnar. It gave him a big time program with a legendary guy from when wrestling was mainstream. He probably loves the booking. I just don't think you can ever recreate that shock moment of the first time Lesnar lost after ending the streak, squashing Cena etc. That was a one time moment and it should have benefited a young, full time wrestler imo

 

[anotheridiot]

Lesnar and Goldberg are just on a different level than the rest of the guys you want pushed. Cena has always been a fabricated champ, there is nobody else on the WWE roster that should even be able to stand in the same ring as Lesnar and Goldberg. Let them have a match at WM.

The rest are just a joke. Look at what they did with a 350 pound big E, put him in pastel, wearing a horn and twerking. He should be battling Stroman. Thats where everyone else on the roster is, even the new favorite AJ Styles with the same moves each match. Its exhausting to watch. Yeah, you know the spear and jackhammer are coming and when he does them they are devastating, not a top rope forearm that nobody should be waiting for.
Get them in a lineup and Kevin Owens and Bray Wyatt are the two top guys? Top guys in line at the buffet. There was no way they were both going to hold the belts together long. If anything, this jericho music took away from what Goldberg should have been able to do.

 

[StanMarsh51]

Lesnar and Goldberg are just on a different level than the rest of the guys you want pushed. Cena has always been a fabricated champ, there is nobody else on the WWE roster that should even be able to stand in the same ring as Lesnar and Goldberg. Let them have a match at WM.

The rest are just a joke. Look at what they did with a 350 pound big E, put him in pastel, wearing a horn and twerking. He should be battling Stroman. Thats where everyone else on the roster is, even the new favorite AJ Styles with the same moves each match. Its exhausting to watch. Yeah, you know the spear and jackhammer are coming and when he does them they are devastating, not a top rope forearm that nobody should be waiting for.
Get them in a lineup and Kevin Owens and Bray Wyatt are the two top guys? Top guys in line at the buffet. There was no way they were both going to hold the belts together long. If anything, this jericho music took away from what Goldberg should have been able to do.

The obvious risk with your dream of putting all of the big guys in matches with each other is that many of them are limited in the ring....30 years ago that could fly, but today you risk the crowd hijacking a boring batch, which doesn't look good for anyone.

I mean, Big E isn't a 'good' wrestler by any means so what exactly would putting him vs Strowman accomplish other than a potential snoozefest? Being in the New Day is the best thing that could happen for him considering his limited abilities.

 

[futballiscool]

Damn, this is as over as Jericho has been in his entire career..

 

[Judge Fudge]

Yep. Not since 2012??????