RAW after Rumble - Cody vs Balor - 1.30.23
 

Cody makes it official he challenges the BIG DOG Roman Reigns the TRIBAL CHIEF

Balor vs Cody will main-event RAW

Rhea will announce who she is facing at WM

Dom is so bad.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">REIGNS. RHODES. WRESTLEMANIA.<br><br>Can <a href="https://twitter.com/CodyRhodes?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CodyRhodes</a> dethrone <a href="https://twitter.com/WWERomanReigns?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@WWERomanReigns</a> this April at <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WrestleMania?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WrestleMania</a> or will the Head of the Table reign supreme? <a href="https://t.co/TuTzUCgBtc">pic.twitter.com/TuTzUCgBtc</a></p>&mdash; WWE (@WWE) <a href="https://twitter.com/WWE/status/1620232668712697859?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 31, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Like, is this prison gimmick supposed to be serious?

holy shit he really is. That promo was some of the worst promo work I've ever had the misfortune of hearing.

Seth Rollins qualifies for the US Title Elimination Chamber

I like Dom...I think the gimmick is entertaining

Put it on.

Saw the opening Cody promo. Was technically good, but still feels like there is something "missing" about Cody. Maybe "passion" or "charisma" or some other word.... but very good in crafting words. Still don't like the idea of him vs Roman at WM, and like even less the idea of him winning.

Seth/Gable match was "probably good" but I stopped paying attention at all.... RAW in the background until such time as I start paying attention again when Bloodline or Rhea Ripley have segments.....

damn @ elimination chamber being only 2 weeks away

Like if a guy like John Cena was delivering the same promo/words it would have been "awesome", but when Cody delivers it is just "good".

Damn TMZ did Ricochet dirty with that headline!

oh no

ratings damage up next

They just debuted Indi Hartwell at the Rumble, why not play up on that history and have her be out there with Candice instead of randomly Mia Yim.

and candice and mia yim


bayley is the only one of the five people onscreen who has a defined personality or a character

I haven’t seen this promo but you can always easily tell when Cody is actually digging deep and bringing out genuine passion and when he’s just being a wrestler who’s cutting a promo because that’s what he was told to go do.

Cody feels like a Corporate Heel version of Cena, he's basically Cena in a suit but instead of JBL is poopy jokes he smiles

Which is strange because when he’s playing an over-the-top gimmick that is not at all rooted in who he really is, he excels.

It’s like the only role he can’t “pretend” to play is Cody Rhodes.

It's why people definitely turned on him as a face in AEW after a while

Face Cody is super serious and passionate

At some point in the build I have no doubt Cody and Heyman will go face to face, Heyman will say all the right things to bring out genuine Cody and people will go nuts.

Rhea Ripley here. Paying attention again.

Throwback shirt!

Rhea vs Big Match Char official for WM

Rhea vs Charlotte makes sense given the history..... but still, was hoping for Bianca. Wonder who will face Bianca then.... triple threat with Becky/Bayley maybe?

Rollins vs Logan Paul at Wrestlemania CONFIRMED!

Undertaker in the WM video...please stay retired...

Wait I thought those degenerate Chrissleys went to prison, why they have new shows?

lol corbins theme is turrible

Johnny's new remix is worse :rofl:

Gargano's gear reminds me of TMNT (this is a good thing)

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">2023 Women's <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RoyalRumble?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RoyalRumble</a> Match winner <a href="https://twitter.com/RheaRipley_WWE?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RheaRipley_WWE</a> challenges <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SmackDown?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SmackDown</a> Women's Champion <a href="https://twitter.com/MsCharlotteWWE?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MsCharlotteWWE</a> this April at <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WrestleMania?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WrestleMania</a>! <a href="https://t.co/Gg0gtAQF8f">pic.twitter.com/Gg0gtAQF8f</a></p>&mdash; WWE WrestleMania (@WrestleMania) <a href="https://twitter.com/WrestleMania/status/1620245414979969024?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 31, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

take that loser corbin

lol

Safe bet Bronson Reed will win his match with Dolph

Very NXT EC then with Bronson/Gargano/Theory/_______/_______/Seth

Paying attention to this segment I guess even though I don't really care about Austin Theory....

Imagining the lowly production assistants lugging a heavy couch down the ramp and over the ropes and into the ring.....

Austin Theory looks sort of Amish to me tonight

I think things are headed towards Brock vs Lashley vs Theory at WM

Think Brock made it very clear he won't "slum it" with the US Title when they had him cost Bobby Lashley the title before entering in a feud with him. Would have been "great" to "elevate" the US Title like that.

I'm hoping they get Bobby vs Lesnar out of the way before mania so we can get Lesnar vs Gunther

lol pat patterson never looked that good.

Paying attention to The Miz.... feel like he should have Austin Theory's "spot"... only thing Theory has over him is that he is more "fresh".

Miz needs to go away for a while. He's starting to feel like ziggler.

BOOOOOOOOGS

Rick Boogz lol

lol what was that

lol at Miz "I'm in a suit"

Boogz to Miz: YOU AIN'T HYPE!

lmao @ Otis segment

Otis to join Maximum Male Models?!

New boom period confirmed

MMM looking like villains from Captain Planet

Maximum Male Models and Boogz to RAW

I like Bayley's outfit.....

Becky bullying and intimidating Bayley into accepting her challenge..... dastardly....

Now that I know Bloodline or Zayn ain't gonna be here at all, I should stop watching...

New Day are NXT Tag Team Champions? What?

Also, wow, Bron Breaker sounds exactly like a Scott Steiner. (I know he is Rick's son, but his voice in that promo was like 100% Scott)

Show seems to be dragging tbh

UR MOM SEEMS TO BE DRAGGING TBH

nah it really is dragging though

lmao Ali

Guessing Raquel vs Bianca for WM

Carmella back to three gimmicks ago

Asuka a sharp dresser out of wrestling gear

Bianca vs Asuka at mania please

Probably gonna be raquel tho I bet

I don't care about anyone in this segment

Wait what happened to Bianca?

That new M Night Shamalamadingdong movie looks interesting.

Probably gonna suck though.

Should make a movie about Cody Rhodes neck tattoo being cursed and it has to be destroyed or the world will end.

Is this new music for Balor?

Okay I thought it was the way Justin Roberts said it but it turns out I don't like how anyone says "the American Nightmare" when introducing Cody

Yeah they all got new versions of their themes.

new chic on NXT kinda hawt

Seph is going to see Cocaine Bear

Has anyone watched the new Night Court? Is it funny?

The name doesn't even make "sense" for a face character..... why would being an American Nightmare be a good thing? As a heel I get it, he is not the American Dream but a Nightmare who will go against all America to get what he wants.

I kind of likes the show he made with Johnny Drama's real-life brother.

maybe it's supposed to be like everyone in America fears him or something I dunno it never really worked for me either.

Yes, the nickname is also dumb

I got it. It's because his tattoo is American AF but also v nightmarish.

He first got the nickname as a heel, right? In that case I totally get it and even like it.... like "I ain't my daddy, I'm not here to be your dream, someone for you to look up to and live through.... I am here to be your nightmare because that's what you all deserve"

I wonder if Balor vs Edge happens at WM since EC is in 2 weeks

I like the Codycutter as a move but I feel like his opponents need to be a little closer to him. Comes so close to not reaching them sometimes. I dunno.

Probably now that Rhea won the Rumble. Woulda thought her and dom v edge/beth before that.

You know what, at least the card isn't predictable this year

but also it doesn't feel haphazard - I have no doubt HHH knows what card he wants for the show

Cody winning the Rumble made me realize I see him as upper midcard at best. Not excited about him vs Reigns.

(never really thought much about Cody before this)

I do NOT miss Vince throwing the WM card together 2 weeks before the show

I feel like Austin Theory vs Cody and LA Knight vs Cody could be good programs at some point

Ronda's entire run since she came back has been a bust and she's gotten lazy and sloppy in the ring. I wouldn't wish Bianca on her.

Gunther should win EC and just fuck up everyone's Mania ideas.




That. Do that. That man is an absolute machine.

I'm good with that. All in on GUNTHER.

Still not sold on Gunther, even after the Rumble. Great "striker" but terrible generic look and character.

I don’t mind the look. I think “generic” fits his style. He’s a big no-nonsense mauler. Doesn’t need any bells and whistles. Just keep him rooted in reality.

Big fan of Gunther. Doesn’t need anything extra.

Gunther is Da Man.

That's the gimmick. He's the Ring General. And for once, he's someone who lives up to the moniker.


He gave zero fucks who he was looking at in the Rumble. I cannot wait for him to clash with some of the bigger beasts.

We’ll know Vince is back in the kitchen when Gunther is beating some guy down in the ring and then Otis runs out for the save and Gunther hightails it out of the ring.

He's so over and didn't even win.

Gunther breaks the Honky Tonk Man’s IC Title reign length record just after Memorial Day weekend. WWE are missing a trick if they don’t run the UK with Gunther vs. Sheamus with that being Gunther’s final defense before breaking it.