RAW - 1.14.19 - OFFICIAL THREAD

[Dark One]

Sixx, Otis is an angel too pure/weird for this world and I will not tolerate you slandering him.

He has so much personality that his stomach expanded and consumed his entire neck in order to contain it.

[Sixx]

How can you Yanks even watch TV with that amount of commercials?

[slik]

They've never referred to it as "the royal rumble event"

If they are that worried about it, with all the massive influx of new fans and ratings, they should EVENT to the logo for the show

[DAMN iNATOR]

Which of these is worse

1) WRESTLEMANIA, THE ULTIMATE THRILLRIDE
2) SURVIVOR SERIES, WHERE FANTASY WARFARE JUST GOT REAL
3) SURVIVOR SERIES, THE ONE TIME A YEAR WHERE RAW AND SMACKDOWN FACE OFF IN HEAD TO HEAD COMPETITION
4) GLASS IS COMING

Yes.

[Dark One]

Given how much I've been harping on it the past couple of weeks, I've got to give some props to this Raw. While some of the content itself has been rough (anything Nia/Tamina, repetitive tag matches, etc.), some shit has actually happened tonight that at least SOMEWHAT rewards watching: 1) Braun getting his opportunity stolen, 2) someone getting to be the new #1 contender, 3) Women's Tag Titles revealed, 4) New IC champ, 5) Nikki Cross having a debut

And beyond that, there's been a compelling narrative through the whole show with Braun/Vince opening, Finn Balor having to overcome Jinder to get to the four-way, and someone getting made #1 contender. I'd argue that kind of narrative thread going through the full three hours makes a huge difference in how watchable a show is. At least it's not no main event until two hours into the show when two guys get into a fight and they suddenly decide to go with it.

[Sixx]

https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/streetfighter/images/6/6c/JumboFlapjack.png/revision/latest?cb=20161121134714

[slik]

I've still been pretty bored w / lots of it so I think I'm just burnt out

[Dark One]

They've never referred to it as "the royal rumble event"

If they are that worried about it, with all the massive influx of new fans and ratings, they should EVENT to the logo for the show

I understand your argument, but allow me to present some evidence as to what happens when they add shit to PPV logos:

https://780sports.files.wordpress.com/2014/12/tlcstairs.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/Xh4hHCD.jpg


So I hope you now see that you're wrong and should never suggest that again.

[Emperor Smeat]

:eek: Balor kicked out of the Super AA

[Sixx]

Always loved when they do the Rocky boxing in wrestling. No dodging, no blocking, no nothing.

[RP]

YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Dark One]

I've still been pretty bored w / lots of it so I think I'm just burnt out

That's still fair. I mean, we got some combination of Bayley/Nattie/Sasha/Ronda vs Riott Squad and Revival vs Luchas for the 78th time and a Jinder match...

But, I've been harping on nothing happening and no consistent plot threads for a while, so I've got to give credit when it happens. Foreshadowing of Vince having the driver buff out a scratch at the opening of the show indicates SOME kind of planning and thought process from segment to segment, which isn't something we've seen in like months.

Baby steps and all of that

[dronepool]

Oh shit.

[RP]

HOLY SHIT YESSS!

[Sepholio]

wow

[Emperor Smeat]

Not sure if Balor landed squarely on Cena's nuts but wow at Balor pinning Cena

[slik]

Balor pins Cena clean, Yesss!

[RP]

Oh god Cena shut up!

Why does Cena have to make this about him?

[Dark One]

Also, you can't argue that (at least for the short-term) they just strapped a fucking rocket to Finn Balor.

He overcame getting mauled during the promo schmozz, wrestling a match earlier in the night, kicked out of an AA, and pinned John Cena to get a shot at Lesnar. That's not going to completely undo a year or two of nothing, but that's a hell of a job of rehabbing a dude.

[Sixx]

So what does he win?

[RP]

That Cena bald spot is brutal. It's like a birds nest.

[Dark One]

I would however like Cena to sell the fact he just had 200 pounds of dude stomp on his chest from like ten feet in the air 30 seconds ago, but hey, let's take what we can get.

[Dark One]

That Cena bald spot is brutal. It's like a birds nest.

Cannot wait for him to rock the Hogan horseshoe

[Vastardikai]

So what does he win?

A chance to spend a couple extra hours in the makeup chair before getting murdered by Brock Lesnar.

[Emperor Smeat]

Could have done without the post-match Cena promo but decent RAW overall.

[Sixx]

Wait. I thought Strowman was supposed to fight Lesnar at RR???

[dronepool]

Brock better not squash Balor.

[RP]

I'm curious to see the ratings. I wonder how many people who would normally drop off the 3rd hours, stuck with it to see if this Balor thing went somewhere. It almost seems like they set the entire show up as a project to see if the fans would stick with Balor through out the show. The promo, then the match to defend his spot and then the main event. If the ratings didnt drop off or increase even, then Balor is in for a monster run possibly.

[Evil Vito]

Bálor isn’t beating Lesnar, but this is definitely grooming him for a Taker match at WM

[Dark One]

Back to Tinder. See you guys maybe tomorrow, maybe next week.

Except AAA, who will soon be dead from CIA neurotoxin.

RIP AAA

[Sixx]

So what about that Strowman vs Lesnar match?

[Dark One]

So what about that Strowman vs Lesnar match?

Vince canceled Braun's opportunity at the beginning of the night because Braun murdered Vince's limo trying to catch and murder Corbin.

Vince fined him 100k, then Braun talked shit about how the limo wasn't worth that much, so Vince took his title match.

[slik]

Going to need Demon Balor for the RR

[slik]

Better not be a squash either...I feel like it won't be...I think they are setting Finn up for something good at Mania...maybe against ElderTaker

[Sixx]

Going to need Demon Balor for the RR

Fuck that. That Demon shit is stupid as fuck.

Does he still do it?


AND WHO IS THE BITCH ON COMMENTARY?

[Triple A]

I only saw the last hour, but Raw seemed good based on the results

[slik]

Fuck that. That Demon shit is stupid as fuck.

Does he still do it?


AND WHO IS THE BITCH ON COMMENTARY?

Renee Young is the female on commentary

[Fignuts]

Graves is laying the heel stuff on a little thick. Approaching JBL levels of annoying.

[Volare]

Vince (and obvious henchmen) vs Braun for Mania run?

[GD]

Finn gets his win back from Cena. A bit surprised by the ending of the IC title match.

[Mr. Nerfect]

If Kevin Owens is close to returning, Lashley vs. Owens for the IC Title at Mania makes a lot of sense. That belt is such an albatross though.

[Mr. Nerfect]

I've got this weird feeling that Finn might win at the Rumble. When Brock won the belt back, I imagined that it would be to drop it at Mania to someone, but Vince might figure that he can put Balor over Brock at the Rumble and Braun over Brock at Mania and get two "stars" out of it. I still think Seth is winning the Rumble.

[Mr. Nerfect]

Big Dave is saying that Braun was pulled from the Rumble match for reasons other than injury.

[Sixx]

Well, if Benoit could beat Brock for the title (that happenned, right?) Balor is a possibility.

[Fignuts]

Benoit never best Lesnar. Even if he did, it's not the same. Benoit is way more believeable than Balor.

[GD]

Well, if Benoit could beat Brock for the title (that happenned, right?) Balor is a possibility.

Benoit never best Lesnar. Even if he did, it's not the same. Benoit is way more believeable than Balor.

Benoit has made Lesnar tap out on more than one occasion. The most memorable one being from Survivor Series '03. However he never defeated him for the WWE Championship. The title of the video I am sharing is also incorrect.

<iframe width="853" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/CzAuS5PwAYM" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

[Sixx]

Benoit never best Lesnar. Even if he did, it's not the same. Benoit is way more believeable than Balor.

Pfff, even Nancy never tapped out to Benoit.

[KIRA]

Balor vs Leaner

My Universe mode in 2k was predicting the bloody future.

[XL]

Big Dave is saying that Braun was pulled from the Rumble match for reasons other than injury.

My guess is the plan was/is to put Lesnar over and they didn’t want to job Braun out to him again, so they switched it up. Balor can lose but come out of it looking stronger than going in, and if they do Balor vs Lesnar here they can always keep The Demon vs Lesnar for somewhere down the line.

[Sixx]

My guess is the plan was/is to put Lesnar over and they didn’t want to job Braun out to him again, so they switched it up. Balor can lose but come out of it looking stronger than going in, and if they do Balor vs Lesnar here they can always keep The Demon vs Lesnar for somewhere down the line.

do not ever bring the demon back

fuck that noise

[Mr. Nerfect]

My guess is the plan was/is to put Lesnar over and they didn’t want to job Braun out to him again, so they switched it up. Balor can lose but come out of it looking stronger than going in, and if they do Balor vs Lesnar here they can always keep The Demon vs Lesnar for somewhere down the line.

Yeah, that seems to be it. Meltz also suggested that WWE think Brock vs. Braun is going to be the bigger ticket seller, so they advertised that to get people in.

[Evil Vito]

Wait, Rollins no-sold the goddamn Doomsday Device? Dude needs a talking to.

[Shisen Kopf]

Well that was shit.

[Volare]

I thought he was supposed to land on his feet...didn't...and said fuck it anyways.

[Simple Fan]

Those women's tag titles might be the best looking titles in the company.

[Anybody Thrilla]

I can only watch the 90 minute Hulu version since I've moved, but I enjoyed Raw quite a bit from what I saw. Best in a looooong time.

[Franco Vazquez]

I liked the way Lacey Evans made her debut to be honest. Elias used to make appearance like this.

[Dark One]

I can only watch the 90 minute Hulu version since I've moved, but I enjoyed Raw quite a bit from what I saw. Best in a looooong time.

No cable or no time?

You can surely con someone into sharing Comcast credentials to stream it. Not that it's worth it most weeks, but this week was.

[XL]

Those women's tag titles might be the best looking titles in the company.
Yeah I like them.
do not ever bring the demon back

fuck that noise

I think there’s ways to make it interesting. WWE have done an awful, awful job with it.

They shouldn’t have rebranded it “The Demon King”. He shouldn’t have used it on his first PPV. It should be a persona he “taps into” when necessary, not “its a PPV fuck it I’ll get covered in paint”.

He needs to change up his moveset and wrestle a more aggressive style when he’s The Demon.

They could do an angle where The Demon persona becomes like a split personality of sorts and he is “scared” of what he does in Demon mode, or he begins to enjoy it and stays in the persona more than he should.

Make it a bit closer to a Bruce Banner/Hulk type deal.

[Dark One]

Yeah I like them.

He needs to change up his moveset and wrestle a more aggressive style when he’s The Demon.


For what it's worth, he did do this when he ran over Corbin some PPV ago.

They kind of fucked it up by having him have like seventeen more matches with Corbin in the normal Grin Balor persona, but in isolation, the actual Demon part went better.

[Emperor Smeat]

Wait, Rollins no-sold the goddamn Doomsday Device? Dude needs a talking to.

Speculation going around is that was done as payback to Animal after he made some pretty bad remarks towards Becky online.

Somehow he took a huge offense to her boasting about being "The Man" and other random nonsense.

[Stickman]

Nikki Cross is terrible, wow.
Heavy Machinery retard interrupted Heyman, wtf?

I'm oldish with Finn winning, but what a hot mess of Raw. Didn't even care about the IC match because all 3 those guys bore me to death.

[Mr. Nerfect]

Nikki Cross is terrible, wow.
Heavy Machinery retard interrupted Heyman, wtf?

I'm oldish with Finn winning, but what a hot mess of Raw. Didn't even care about the IC match because all 3 those guys bore me to death.

I don't disagree, but do you watch regularly? I think it's really jarring how bad wrestling is when you come back to it after a while of not directly watching.

[Stickman]

I don't disagree, but do you watch regularly? I think it's really jarring how bad wrestling is when you come back to it after a while of not directly watching.

I pvr raw and smackdown and fast forward through quite a bit. I can't really get into NXT but I'm not much of a "non" WWE fan.

[Stickman]

Pretty much came to realize Raw needs more Kevin Owens.

[XL]

For what it's worth, he did do this when he ran over Corbin some PPV ago.

They kind of fucked it up by having him have like seventeen more matches with Corbin in the normal Grin Balor persona, but in isolation, the actual Demon part went better.

I’ll go back and watch that.

[Anybody Thrilla]

No cable or no time?

You can surely con someone into sharing Comcast credentials to stream it. Not that it's worth it most weeks, but this week was.

I hardly know anyone here yet.