monday night raw - 4.20.20

[slik]

not a lot of buzz for brand red 2nite

[Anybody Thrilla]

I might check it out live if my roommate is in his office. If not, I'm waiting until tomorrow. Don't want to put him through this.

[Anybody Thrilla]

I feel like there was a match that I was looking forward to tonight, but I forget what it was.

[Anybody Thrilla]

And I guess I'm watching live. Anyone else here?

[Emperor Smeat]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">No crowd.<br>No pyro.<br>No idea why we're considered essential.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RAWTonight?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RAWTonight</a></p>&mdash; WWE Creative Humor (@WWECreative_ish) <a href="https://twitter.com/WWECreative_ish/status/1252243837520695302?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 20, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

[Anybody Thrilla]

Whatever, I'm happy with new wrestling.

[Anybody Thrilla]

I like how they mentioned the NXT past between Drew and Andrade.

[Anybody Thrilla]

That looked like The Miz's belt there.

[slik]

"All of the released talent has been admitted to a Local Unemployment Facility" in Michael Cole voice

[Droford]

Seems weird to see the wwe champion on raw, wrestling

[Anybody Thrilla]

Angel Garza, main eventer. How about that?

[Anybody Thrilla]

This is actually live tonight?

[xrodmuc316]

Vince is ghostwriting these McIntyre promos. Feels like he is going for the cool good guy with Drew ala Diesel during his championship run.

[slik]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Universal Champion? Drew McIntyre is the WWE Champion. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WWERaw?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WWERaw</a> <a href="https://t.co/NoKGcccyq8">pic.twitter.com/NoKGcccyq8</a></p>&mdash; Italo Santana (@BulletClubIta) <a href="https://twitter.com/BulletClubIta/status/1252388188774993922?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 21, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

[ClockShot]

Where's the crowd?

[Anybody Thrilla]

Vince is ghostwriting these McIntyre promos. Feels like he is going for the cool good guy with Drew ala Diesel during his championship run.

Yeah, I was just thinking about how uncool he sounds. I hate the notion that a face turn has to mean they become COMPLETELY different than what got them over in the first place.

[Droford]

lol

[Anybody Thrilla]

I'd let Aleister Black give me ten black masks for five minutes with Zelina Vega. :heart::heart::heart:

[slik]

Already booking this new stable to look very strong

[Emperor Smeat]

Garza and Theory pulling a Cena by not bothering to help save their best pal Andrade.

[Anybody Thrilla]

Garza doesn't look like much of a main eventer from that exchange.

[Anybody Thrilla]

Already booking this new stable to look very strong

:(:(:(

[Droford]

I'd let Aleister Black give me ten black masks for five minutes with Zelina Vega. :heart::heart::heart:

I don't think he gives out black masks

[ClockShot]

MVP?

They kept him around?

Shows how much I haven't been following WWE these days.

[Anybody Thrilla]

Jerry Lawler's shirt is making me legitimately sad.

[Anybody Thrilla]

AHHHH, Murphy v. Mysterio. That's the match I was looking forward to.

[rockman725]

A couple of months ago, they sent me a survey with a bunch of talent listed wanting to know who you would like to see more of on TV. Zelina was on that list and was probably 1 of maybe 3 or 4 that I marked atop....glad they listened to me!!! Wowzers!

[Anybody Thrilla]

I don't think he gives out black masks

What's that kick called?

[slik]

:(:(:(

When they spent all of last Monday building them up the whole episode to have them all destroyed with ease I just :nono:

[slik]

MVP?

They kept him around?

Shows how much I haven't been following WWE these days.

He headlined WrestleMania last month against Goldberg in the "battle of the super legends". It was a First Blood match.

[Droford]

What's that kick called?

Black Mass

[Emperor Smeat]

So why is Charlotte on the poster for MitB if NXT isn't running qualifiers for the Women's MitB match?

Like it makes sense to showcase Bayley, Braun, and Strowman since the winners of the MitB matches get a title shot at those belts if they are from the same brand.

[Anybody Thrilla]

I never knew that. I thought it was like a mask because it lands on your face.

[ClockShot]

Triple H has been around for 25 years?

I feel like it's slightly less than that.

[Droford]

This will be awkward

[ClockShot]

Who ya rootin' for, Zelina?

[Anybody Thrilla]

I start HHH's tenure at Terra Ryzing.

[Anybody Thrilla]

Damn. Zelina's beauty is just striking. I can't help but, like...gaze at her, I guess. Out of body experience type shit.

[Evil Vito]

Zelina Vega is ridiculously hot. Aleister Black is a lucky, lucky man.

[Anybody Thrilla]

I got invited to go hang out with some friends in Dayton when Tommy End was coming through Rockstar Pro and staying with them, but I didn't know who he was at the time, and I was busy doing something else. I wonder if he had Zelina with him when he came through? I'm just going to tell myself no.

[slik]

Big Show always burns his steaks when grilling because he turns too often

[slik]

Triple H having a career retrospective on a show he famously never wanted to work on.

[Anybody Thrilla]

I don't dislike Austin Theory or anything, but I am kinda curious as to how he's the one that got called up out of everyone in NXT right now.

[Emperor Smeat]

I got invited to go hang out with some friends in Dayton when Tommy End was coming through Rockstar Pro and staying with them, but I didn't know who he was at the time, and I was busy doing something else. I wonder if he had Zelina with him when he came through? I'm just going to tell myself no.

Doubt it since they've only been together for maybe a couple of years at most.

[Anybody Thrilla]

Impressive powerbomb from Theory. :y:

[Anybody Thrilla]

Doubt it since they've only been together for maybe a couple of years at most.

Well that's good, at least. I'm still kicking myself for not going and hanging with him, though.

[Anybody Thrilla]

That looked like a Kenny Omega move.

[Evil Vito]

Nah, Zelina was with Austin Aries for years before Aleister was ever in NXT.

[OssMan]

Fuck wwe

[Anybody Thrilla]

Decent match. Theory seems a bit unsure at times, but not bad overall.

[Anybody Thrilla]

That Black Mass was on fucking point.

[Emperor Smeat]

Theory vs. Black was pretty decent to good.


I don't dislike Austin Theory or anything, but I am kinda curious as to how he's the one that got called up out of everyone in NXT right now.

Supposedly Triple H and NXT had their eyes on him for a while in EVOLVE as their next potential big star for the brand after Adam Cole and Undisputed Era's time on top ended.

Having him suddenly turn heel and lose a bunch of matches on the main roster seems counter-productive if the idea is to use this time to showcase him as NXT's next big star.

[Anybody Thrilla]

He wasn't even winning on NXT. Had some decent matches, but I'm sure he lost most of them.

[Anybody Thrilla]

Holy fuck, Caruso :heart:

[Anybody Thrilla]

I still love Baszler. Even with her stupid voice.

[Anybody Thrilla]

Shayna's theme still rips, too.

What a weird time to interview someone...right in the middle of their entrance.

[slik]

Wish Bobby Heenan and Gorilla Monsoon were the commentary team for RAW

[Droford]

Lol auto ending the match after an arm stomp

[slik]

shayna is boring af

[Anybody Thrilla]

Hell yeah, fuck her up Shayna

[Anybody Thrilla]

shayna is boring af

:fu:

[Emperor Smeat]

These match stoppage spots with Baszler have been pretty dumb.

[Anybody Thrilla]

Asian jobber p hot, though

[erickman]

if they were going to rehire logan there is her revenge story.

[slik]

"And she calls that the Armed Assault" in Michael Cole voice

[Anybody Thrilla]

Hey, check out these uber talented jobbers

[rez]

:fu:

shayna is boring af

[Emperor Smeat]

He wasn't even winning on NXT. Had some decent matches, but I'm sure he lost most of them.

Yeah he lost a bunch of matches there but seemed like that was starting to turn around earlier in the year and was heading towards a rise in stardom.

[Emperor Smeat]

Cedric & Ricochet vs. NXT Job Squad was pretty good.

[slik]

Ricochet/Cedric make a good tag team

[Emperor Smeat]

So who did Kairi piss off backstage to get stuck with Nia Jax again?

[teamXtremist]

So who did Kairi piss off backstage to get stuck with Nia Jax again?


Thats a big bitch

[slik]

Nia working w/ Kairi makes me nervous tbh

[rez]

The Main Event...aka Like Mike.

[Anybody Thrilla]

What if Nia WAS like most girls? Wouldn't that be something?

[Anybody Thrilla]

Kairi is hot. Did she have to borrow clotes from Io Shirai, though?

[Emperor Smeat]

Did WWE get new renders for Vacant since I don't remember the graphics before having a towel to hid mystery opponent faces.

Not even Vacant's job was safe from these roster cuts if WWE found a replacement.

[Emperor Smeat]

Yikes at that throw to the turnbuckle by Nia.

Could have seriously hurt Kairi's neck if she landed a bit lower or straight on the bottom turnbuckle.

[Anybody Thrilla]

Oh no that looked bad

[rez]

dumb

[slik]

Nia sucks

[Droford]

Seth Rollins from the big chair

[Emperor Smeat]

Rollins looks a bit goofy sitting in that huge chair.

[Anybody Thrilla]

Rollins looks a bit goofy sitting in that huge chair.

We all probably look at bit goofy sitting and watching this shit.

...nah, not really. The show's been fine. I just wanted to sound cool.

[Droford]

Jesus christ

[Emperor Smeat]

:| at that promo segment by the Viking Raiders.

[Anybody Thrilla]

RIP Viking Raiders, what the fuck

[Anybody Thrilla]

How does NXT talent get used so badly ALL THE TIME???

[Emperor Smeat]

:lol: at MVP forgetting who he was facing tonight

[Anybody Thrilla]

Wasn't Crews on Smackdown?

[Emperor Smeat]

How does NXT talent get used so badly ALL THE TIME???

Short answer - Vince.

Long answer - Supposedly WWE doesn't have anyone on Creative who's job is to scout and act as a bridge when it comes to call-ups and not screwing up NXT talent. Same for not having anyone act as a continuity supervisor so abrupt character changes like that promo don't happen without a real reason.

[Emperor Smeat]

Wasn't Crews on Smackdown?

He got traded to RAW as part of this year's post-Mania big debut and surprises for the brand.

[DAMN iNATOR]

#LOLMVP

[DAMN iNATOR]

Yikes at that throw to the turnbuckle by Nia.

Could have seriously hurt Kairi's neck if she landed a bit lower or straight on the bottom turnbuckle.

Yeah. Just reinforces people's perception of her as a dangerous worker.

[Anybody Thrilla]

He got traded to RAW as part of this year's post-Mania big debut and surprises for the brand.

Oh. Wow. What a great surprise. :|

[Anybody Thrilla]

I thought he had just turned heel on Smackdown, too.

[Evil Vito]

Just watched the Viking Raiders thing. What the fuck.

HOW DO YOU FUCK UP WAR MACHINE?

[Anybody Thrilla]

The Playmaker never looks like it would have much of an impact.

[Evil Vito]

That we didn’t get Viking Raiders vs Bludgeon Brothers is a god damn tragedy.

[Anybody Thrilla]

Just watched the Viking Raiders thing. What the fuck.

HOW DO YOU FUCK UP WAR MACHINE?

A giant turkey leg is a start.

[Emperor Smeat]

Crews vs. MVP ended up being a lot better than I expected.

[rez]

lol.."biggest win of his career"

[Anybody Thrilla]

MVP was also on the Money in the Bank promo poster, to whoever was befuddled about Charlotte before.

[DAMN iNATOR]

Wouldn't have expected him to win obviously, but it would've been potentially interesting to see what MVP could've brought to the table (or I guess ladder in this case, haha) in the MitB match.

[Droford]

A giant turkey leg is a start.

I want Otis and Tucker to fight em over the turkey leg, although HM are ham guys

[rez]

Why keep bringing up Sarah Logan? dumb..

[Droford]

Why keep bringing up Sarah Logan? dumb..

she's coming back

[Anybody Thrilla]

Why keep bringing up Sarah Logan? dumb..

She may have been unfired.

[erickman]

they talked more about logan tonight after being fired then when she was there

[slik]

sarah logan definitely returning tonight on raw

[rez]

Ahhh gotcha

[slik]

raw not trending well on twitter tonight

[Evil Vito]

Would very much like to have sex with Liv Morgan.

[Emperor Smeat]

If it wasn't for Ruby coming back from injury, Liv probably would have quickly gone right back to main eventing catering since the only notable thing she's done since showing up on RAW was revealing she was a lesbian during the Lana-Rusev wedding.

Like WWE dropped her becoming the new Emmalina faster than they did with Emma.

[Anybody Thrilla]

OK, that was a sick flatliner.

[slik]

Lashley lifting a tire about to be the biggest ratings of the night

[slik]

news reports saying Kim Jong Un in "Grave Shape" after surgery...death about to make a huge face turn...

[Droford]

I thought for sure buddy was gonna win. Only shock so far at of all the men's and women's so far

[Emperor Smeat]

Mysterio vs Murphy was very good overall.

Murphy should have won though.

[Anybody Thrilla]

I love Mysterio, but I really wanted Murphy to win that.

[slik]

so tired of Charlotte

[Droford]

I don't see Rey or Apollo Crews winning MITB. Black is the leader out towards the back 9 with SDs last two qualifying matches

[Anybody Thrilla]

Kayden Carter doesn't look like that should be her name.

[Emperor Smeat]

Charlotte vs. Kayden was meh.

Charlotte's NXT title reign probably going to end up being just as boring and/or way too drawn out as Baszler's reign.

[slik]

Lashley looking into the wrong camera

[Emperor Smeat]

Would have laughed if Lashley couldn't lift the big tire but Lana could.

Like Lana tries to console Lashley after his failed attempts but the big tire is in her way so she easily moves it out of the way and starts trying to cheer up Lashley.

[Anybody Thrilla]

I think Io Shirai needs the NXT women's title. How could it make sense, though? Can't just have her straight up beat Charlotte, right?

[Anybody Thrilla]

There must be a pretty limited number of workers down there. I feel like I'm seeing very similar combinations of the same people over and over.

[Anybody Thrilla]

I mean, I like Tozawa, but does he really need to be giving Andrade fits? I understand that he's in the Cruiserweight tournament still, but was there NO ONE else here to make Andrade not look like a bitch, especially after the opening segment?

[Emperor Smeat]

I think Io Shirai needs the NXT women's title. How could it make sense, though? Can't just have her straight up beat Charlotte, right?

If she does then Charlotte's NXT reign is going to be like almost every other reign she's had where it just felt like a big waste of time in the end. Also just more padding by WWE to desperately have their own homemade "Ric Flair" type star unlike with Ric who was already a made legend before going to WWE.

[slik]

"And he calls that Tranquil-KO" in Michael Cole voice

[Droford]

Bianca Bel Air needs a new theme

[Emperor Smeat]

Nice of the Street Profits to stick up for Byron on commentary.

[slik]

The street profits are annoying now

:(

[Anybody Thrilla]

I like Bianca Belair and The Street Profits, but the coonery can relax.

[Emperor Smeat]

Half of the matches on tonight's show were women's matches and they were all either bad or very forgettable.

[Anybody Thrilla]

Bianca Bel Air needs a new theme

Her theme before this one was very good.

[Droford]

Why did they put trees up around the ring on top of the building?

[slik]

Bianca is significantly better than most of the women's roster

[Droford]

Missing a fucking opportunity with trees around the ring to have a lumberjack match too

[slik]

Main-Event about to be 5 minutes long

[Emperor Smeat]

Ouch at Garza's chest after just a couple minutes into the match.

[Droford]

Zelina Vega has been in about 80% of the show

[Emperor Smeat]

Nice of Drew to get a souvenir from Garza. Not sure what he is going to with with a pair of ripped pants though.

[slik]

For the second week in a row this new stable gets taken out pretty easily by Drew.

[Emperor Smeat]

If the idea was to quickly make Zelina's new group into nothing more than just a big joke in 2 weeks, then I guess mission accomplished by Heyman and RAW Creative.

Raw itself was somewhat decent at best but way too useless junk nor "essential business" worthy outside of the Rey vs. Murphy match.

[slik]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="fr" dir="ltr">Touché <a href="https://t.co/Wsb62fuhFH">https://t.co/Wsb62fuhFH</a></p>&mdash; Shawn Michaels (@ShawnMichaels) <a href="https://twitter.com/ShawnMichaels/status/1252454816921669632?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 21, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

[XL]

Watched the whole show for the first time since before Xmas (not full attention though).

I got the first segment with Theory/Garza not wanting to jump in with Drew as they had their own matches coming up later in the night, but it feels like they needed to give them something. Drew walloping them by the end of the night has left them pretty dead in the water.

I like the idea that Zelina is the Heenan to Drew’s Hogan but I can’t see them going all in with it. Also, thinking maybe her group are a replacement for Seth’s Disciples due to one of AOP being injured. I also like the idea that Vega has hand-picked these great looking stars of the future, they just haven’t explained that (at least I don’t think they have).

They’re trying again with Apollo Crews. I’d have sooner had him in the team with Cedric Alexander with Titus taking a managerial role, and kept Ricochet in singles. He’d have been a better pick for a MITB push. They’ll lose interest in Crews in a month. Although they lost interest in Ricochet in about the same time period so same net gain I guess.

On the subject of the Crew’s /MVP match; I get them going with the younger talent but MVP is the much more interesting character. I like him for a managerial role too. He’s be a good fit for a heel Street Profits (not because they’re all black) or even taking over the aforementioned Crews/Alexander team.

Mysterio/Murphy was a good match. I could have seen Murphy winning but not cut up about Rey taking the spot. Does mean with have 4 faces qualified so far, which might telegraph who wins on SmackDown to fill out the field.

WTF was that Viking Raiders thing!? I get that they need to do something to flesh the characters out before they become caricatures/gimmick but this? Seemed like someone picked up a Heavy Machinery script by mistake.

Just not interested with anything they’re doing with the women.

Overall a pretty decent show.