RAW Review and Reactions
Before this weeks RAW got started the WWE honoured the late great Rowdy Rody Piper and I was so glad they did so. I will admit I did genuinely have a couple of tears. For me, growing up, he was just a superstar I always always looked up to and someone who had such a huge impact on my life as a wrestling fan and I still cannot believe that he is gone and we will never see him again. I get goose bumps just thinking about it but it's now time to celebrate he's amazing life and phenomenal career. He brought so much to the world of pro wrestling and sports entertainment and for that we all have a lifetime of thanking to do.
As the show really got started, WWE World Heavyweight Champion, Seth Rollins kicked things off and after breaking the nose of John Cena in the main event last week, despite loosing to the current United States Champion, Rollins was sporting a great big smile on he's face. Opening the show with one of he's boastful, cocky, arrogant, same old same, old promos, Rollins told the world that he was the only person that could stop him and get in he's way. He continued to boast about what he did to Cena during the main event last week, witch was all pretty much what we had heard last Thursday on Smackdown. Now, I'm not going to lie, I have sat here and I have moaned about the similarity of Rollins promos quite a bit here on my blog and a little on twitter but I didn't mind what we got from him last night. It wasn't much different. It had the same feel as always, the same message, the same story, and the same direction but I think what we get from Rollins is improvement. He get's better and better every single week. He get's more confident, he get's a better connection with the crowd going and has more interaction. I loved the new T-shirt that Rollins debuted last night. It was the first time since the "Suplex City" shirt that I immediately thought "oh my god, I need to buy that" and with my birthday around the corner I'm seriously considering buying it. I liked how he mocked Cena throughout the promo and the night. It brought more to the storyline but I am still hating it. I don't think my opinions on this will be changing any time soon. Last night Rollins issued a challenge to Cena. A rematch. However, this time it will be title for title and for the first time in history the winner will hold both the United States Championship and the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at the same time. I expressed my displeasure towards this idea straight away last night on twitter. I cannot tell you in words just how much I hate this idea. I think it's stupid, I think it takes away a lot of opportunity for other WWE superstars, and I don't think that it is going to benefit either superstar. In my honest opinion I think they are wasting the US Championship. Don't get me wrong, I understand why they are going with this story. It's about proving who really is the best of the best and holding the gold to prove it but this just does not sit well with me. Cena has brought so much to the United States Championship and he gave it what it needed after years of being just another title in the WWE but I think now it's time to pass it on and let it do it's job. Once again if Cesaro and Owens were feuding for the championship my opinions would have been completely different and I wouldn't be so annoyed with the WWE. I however, don't doubt for a single second that these two won't put on a phenomenal match but I don't want it. Back to last night and felt as though Rollins really carried that opening promo perfectly. He didn't mess up, he sold the feud, he was convincing and he had the entire crowd either totally behind him or totally against him. Any reaction is better than no reaction.
During the opening of last night's show, mocking Cena, Rollins issued an open challenge for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. However, there were a couple of things that the challenger had to have. They had to be under six foot tall and less than two hundred pounds. Despite JoJo's cute little El torito joke I new straight away it would be Adrian Neville taking on Rollins last night. He fits the bill perfectly and it made the most sense. I liked that we got to see these guys compete last night. I said in this weeks prediction post (witch will be linked bellow) that even though I love Neville's current feud I would like to see him booked stronger and competing against bigger and better names on the roster. Rollins is a great guy for Neville to go up against. One of Neville's first matches on the WWE Main roster was against Seth and they had a great match. We all know that these two are capable of putting on an epic match and so I didn't doubt the fact that we were going to get a great opening match. After all we had two former NXT Champions. The first ever and the longest reigning, it doesn't get much better than that now does it? Straight away this match was fast paced, entertaining and interesting. There was so much going on so early in the match that you were gripped right from the start. Neville immediately became a stand out in this match bring a whole new pace to the match and getting everyone excited. I think it was he did a corkscrew moonsault that he did right at the start of the match before it went to a commercial break. From that moment the match just got better and better and better. The crowd were bloody amazing throughout this match. They were so into the action and Neville could not have been more over if he tried. This was the type of match that you want to see open Monday night RAW. I was excited, I was on the edge of my seat and I was hooked. It was a very fast paced match, both superstars showcased a great deal of talent but for me Neville was the stand out. He's performance was insane and I was taken right back to he's NXT days. I wanted the match to last forever it was that good. I didn't want it to end I was left more excited than I have been for a RAW match in a while. We need more one on one matches where you genuinely think things could turn out differently to how you originally predicted them to be. Great match, amazing performance from Neville (he won't suffer badly from that loss what so ever), and a huge win from Rollins. I don't think us Neville fans have anything to worry about. He's still getting he's build up and getting stared on the roster. If they keep he's booking this strong he will be just fine and I still picture him as WWE World Heavyweight Champion one day. Great way to start the night.
Tag team action next and the Lucha Dragons teamed up with Los Matadores to take on the Ascension and the New Day, with the tag team champions, the prime time players at commentary. I really do like the Prime Time Players on commentary. They bring some fun and character to the announce table and make me laugh a little witch rarely happens on Monday night's I didn't like the booking decision for the tag division last night. I think it could have been stronger. I would have much preferred to have had the Lucha Dragons VS The Ascension or some singles competition amongst the tag division. It all just seems like we have seen it all a million times before and even though I love tag team wrestling and I think the division is at a high for the first time in a long time, the booking isn't creative enough for my liking and the match didn't grab my attention or stand out. There was nothing that made me feel like I had to watch the action. I don't really know where the WWE are going right now with the tag division. With the Lucha Dragons getting some kind of little discreet push but at the same time the New Day are still going strong and keeping the feud alive with the tag team champions. So it's all a little confusing for me. In my opinion I'd like to see the New Day capture the titles again and later drop them to the Lucha Dragons. I think there could be something there and maybe even later down the line something with the Wyatt family. I'd also really like to see more singles work from Connor,Viktor and Kalisto. I think they have so much more to show and in a couple of singles matches they could really shine and stand out more. The match last night was very fast paced. There was a loot going on and it was an exciting match to watch I just wasn't as interested in it as I would have liked to have been. The New Day had a great showing and in the end picked up a much needed win. Yes, I'm still team "New Day Rocks".
Divas action next and you guys know I'm loving the diva revolution right now. Its still going strong and we are all enjoying what we are getting from the division at the moment. Last week, Paige and Sasha Banks went one on one in a great match that lasted over thirteen minuets! Yeah, thirteen minuets! We are seeing such big, awesome improvements and I'm so proud of the WWE and the Divas division. For the first time in forever we are not using Divas matches as bathroom breaks and to go and get a drink, crowds are getting into the match and enjoying them just like every other match on the show. Last night we had some tag team action with the Bella Twins taking on Charlotte and Becky Lynch. I think I would have preferred to have seen Paige in the tag team match last night and maybe Becky in a singles match. Lynch did have an amazing one on one match with Brie Bella where she picked up her first singles win on the WWE Main roster. I am still waiting for her to have her first RAW Singles match victory. The Bella's were stand outs in this match particularly Nikki. She actually competed like she was and is the WWE Divas Champion.She looked strong and dominate throughout the time she competed. She came across like a great heel and did everything she needed to do prove herself to be a top heel diva. The match was up and down. Because I was so tired there were moments I was more interested than I was others. I was delighted that we got to see more of Becky Lynch. We are starting to see more of her as the weeks go on and I love that. She's one hundred and ten percent the dark horse right now. She's the one that the people who haven't seen NXT doubt a little and don't see the spark they see in Banks and Charlotte but I and everyone else who have seen her in NXT know that she is one of the best technical wrestlers in the division and she has so much to bring to the divas division. She's someone who gets better and better as the weeks go on and waits for her perfect moment to blow us all away. So make sure you are all keeping close close eyes on Lynch. What I did really like about this match that I haven't mentioned yet was the story telling. With Nikki claiming that the divas revolution started when she became the divas champion it gave the match a story to go on and had me interested. We saw the Bella's work as great heels. Brie continued to impress me as well. Once again the crowd were really into the match. Charlotte was the most over again and the crowd made it clear they were not team Bella. There was a great deal of passion in this match and I got more into it as it went on. In the end Charlotte picked up a huge huge win she made the WWE Divas Champion tap out. It just makes things even more clear that the WWE are going for Charlotte as the next Champion. A great tag team match last night.
There was then a special edition of Miz TV with guest, Kevin Owens and Cesaro. You know what? I missed Miz TV. I'm still super pissed at the Miz for saving Amanda in last weeks elimination on Tough Enough but that is a whole other topic. Even though I think the WWE have more they need to do with the Miz right now, I liked that we got an edition of Miz TV and we had these two guest in particular. The whole world know's by now that I am absolutely loving the Owens/Cesaro feud. It's the feud I'm enjoying the most right now in the WWE and the one I am most interested in. I think it's the most realistic, the most convincing, and the most entertaining. It get's better week after week after week and I cannot wait to see them go one on one, hopefully at Summer Slam. Before things got started last night it was great hearing Miz honour and say a thew words about Piper. I have to admit the realisation of there never being a pipers pit made me really upset but it was also great having Miz keep he's feud with Ryback alive. Now, when Cesaro came out in that suit last I may have got a little too excited but anyway we are borderline TMI so I won't continue. Talking of Cesaro, when it comes to mic skills he is getting so much better. He may not be as talented on the mic as Owens but he has something special and unique. I think Vince claiming that Cesaro doesn't connect with the fans is bullshit. He is one of if not the most over WWE superstar on the main roster right now and when you look at him you can see he has it all. Phenomenal wrestler, decent on the mic, great look, carries a feud well. There was a comedic part to last night's segment but I liked it. The whole thing was one of my favourite parts of the night's show and I thought it was a nice part to the feud.
Rusev was in action next and I think we all knew what was coming last night. The former United States Champion went toe to toe with Mark Henry last night in what was a predicable match beyond predicable match. I am a big Rusev fan. I've been very vocal about that. I think he's such a great talent and he has had some outstanding matches throughout the year, I just sit and hope that the WWE know just how much talent they have in Rusev. He's booking was a little weaker this week but over the past month he has been booked much much stronger and has had a great month. Last night he picked up another big win over Mark Henry. A great way to gain momentum and look strong. You can't look much stronger than making the worlds strongest man tap out, right? I was hopeing to get a Ziggler return last night so I was totally disappointed. I think now, he's been out a little too long and we needed him back last night. After that we had the worst booking in the entire world when some idiot decided to have Barrett go one on one with Zack Ryder. I'm so angry about this I'm going to save a whole other blog post to rant about this. All I'm going to say is that Barrett should be main eventing and competing against the big names not going one on one with Zack freaking "I hardly ever get booked" Ryder. Attentions the went on Brock Lesnar, with Paul Heyman first coming out cutting a promo reacting to the return of the Undertaker and what happened two weeks ago on RAW the night after Battleground. The promo of course was great and nothing less than we could have expected from him. Lesnar's arrival just made things even more fun and entertaining and I think the moment that he's entrance theme hits we are all hooked and have our eyes glued to the TV. The beast and he's bad mood was clear last night and it felt very real and that is what I love about Lesnar. He makes everything feel so much more real and convincing. Heyman did a freaking awesome job selling the Summer Slam main event and I can seriously say that thanks to that promo from Heyman I'm so much more interested and excited for the match. There is just no faulting what Heyman can do, the man is the best of the best and Lesnar didn't even have to do anything to get me excited. Witch I know sounds weird...
Up next, divas action and this time Paige was going one on on with Team B.A.D member, Naomi. I was looking forward to this match a heck of a lot. With the diva revolution being so alive and so strong and having the divas compete in such great, long matches, who wouldn't be excited. These two have had some great match over the past year or so and so we know that they can put on great matches and they have a great deal of chemistry. The crowd were into the match just as much as the first divas match of the night with it being a very Team Paige crowd as usual but to be fair Naomi did get a strong reaction and she had a great deal of crowd support last night witch I loved seeing. Talking of Paige she spent the early stages of this match in full control, dominating the match but it took a distraction from Sasha Banks for things to turn around for Naomi to take control. What is so awesome about these two divas is they bring out the best in one another and push each other. Naomi has a very very diverse move set and has a seriously aggressive side and that shines through in ever match, last night's was no different what so ever. She's the one diva that when you see compete you know she can seriously hurt you. She's convincing and I love that. I did think the match was a little slow last night. Maybe it was because I was so tired by this point of the night but I felt as though at times I was watching it in slow motion but there were so many strong spots and great moments in the match that I couldn't not enjoy it. The girls had so much chemistry and really put on a strong match and in the end we had the predicable ending of Paige getting the in by submission. I did really enjoy this match but I still think that Paige's match last week against Banks last week was better but she looked cleaner in this one.
And finally, the main event and last night saw one epic six man tag team main event with Roman Reigns, Dean Ambrose, and Randy Orton taking on the team of Luke Harper, Bray Wyatt, and Mr Money in the bank, Sheamus. I loved this booking. Once again it was something a little different and it fitted into the show perfectly. Not to mention how great it was seeing Wyatt booking in a strong match and actually wrestle on RAW. I'm loving that over the past couple of weeks we have seen some great main events and most importantly something different in the main event picture and I could not be happier about it. It's so refreshing seeing a mixture of main events on RAW every week and I hope that is something that sticks. Start having some tag division and divas division main events maybe in the near future. Okay, that might be getting my hopes up a little too much. But I do think that the booking decision last night was a great one for the main event. It was what all six superstars needed. Before the match last night earlier on in the show there was a great backstage moment between Harper, Wyatt and Sheamus where I once again had the feeling of Sheamus being a perfect fit for teaming with the Wyatt family and maybe joining. I have wrote about this more in previous blog post but I have said before that I feel as though Sheamus would just be a great fit with the Wyatt family and seeing them together last night and booked to team with each other it just made things more clear for me. I wasn't really taking a side for this match. I had a load of my favourites all in one match so I was very happy and I just let myself sit back and enjoy this one. We had Team Sexy VS Team Awesome facial hair and with so many different styles and level of experiences this
Altogether I thought it was a great show last night. We had a couple of strong matches and good promos but not as good as previous weeks so I would rate the show a seven out of ten for this week but I want to know what you thought so leave a comment bellow or tweet me at @TezangiVictoria. I will see you in my next blog post.
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