RAW Review and Reactions 8/02
As announced a couple of weeks back, the Fastlane main event would see Roman Reigns, Dean Ambrose, and the beast, Brock Lesnar compete in a triple threat match with the winner going on to face Triple H for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at Wrestlemania and his week's Monday night RAW kick started with the official contract signing for the Fastlane main event. I honestly was not expecting this segment to open last night's show what so ever and I know there were a lot of people that said it should have taken place later on in the show and so on I actually really liked that it was the opening. You had several top names kick starting the night, it was an exciting, fresh way to start the show and saved something bigger for later on in the night. We're so used to seeing big contract signings take place in the main event of RAW, we're used to seeing a very predicable and typical ending to a contract signing and we didn't get that with this last night. We saw all three sign their names and Lesnar once again get one over on both Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose, focusing more of he's attentions on the lunatic fringe. Triple H showing he's face to close the segment was a nice little touch, maybe not completely relevant but it was a nice reminder that he was the man that held what all three of those superstars wanted; the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. I've briefly mentioned it already this month but I have to say that I am seriously enjoying the direction the WWE are going in with Dean Ambrose. He has had such a great start to two thousand and sixteen and even though he's been put in this triple threat to take the pin fall he has embraced every single moment of the build up, easily becoming the centre of attention. It's Ambrose who has been pushing this match and the build up, Ambrose who has gotten me excited for the Fastlane main event, Ambrose who has cut the strong promos and interviews over the past couple of weeks. He's the main attraction in this whole build up and it's fantastic seeing him finally get the level of attention he deserves.
For the past couple of weeks now we have seen Kevin Owens and Dolph Ziggler challenge each other on a handful of separate occasions and I have to admit that despite absolutely loving every single one of their matches I have zero interest in an actual feud. What I say in this entire paragraph is going to be controversial but I'm just going to come out and say it. Ready? Three....two...one... I'm not the biggest Dolph Ziggler fan in the world. I know I know I know. Trust me when I say that I believe he is an extremely talented superstar, wrestler, and all round performer and I do think he has been miss used by the WWE over the years but I just am not feeling the hype as much as everyone else. I don't enjoy watching him as much as most people, and I just ain't a big fan. Don't hate me. It's just a personal opinion and I had to get it out. Now, like I said, Ziggler and Owens have put on a great match every single time they have stepped in the ring together and so the standard and the expectations are high whenever the pair of them compete against one another. Throughout their match last night two proved to know each other very well in the ring. Owens wasted no time taking it to Ziggler looking for an early victory but as he and the WWE universe knew, it was going to take a lot lot more to knock off the former world champion. Once again, a solid back and fourth match up with Owens brining all the character and charisma one could ask for, mocking Ziggler, talking trash and proving to be a dominate force, Owens made he's presences known and he looked to be on he's way to scoring a solid victory over Dolph. To my surprise however, Ziggler would use the ropes to he's advantage allowing him to be the one to walk away with the win, yet another win over Kevin Owens. I wasn't expecting the ending but I kind of liked it. It was different and linked into the story of the match and the feud well. Owens' little tantrum at the end was a great addition to the whole thing. Like I said, despite loving the work between these two I would much rather see them both move onto something new sooner rather than later but with such little high competition at the moment with the likes of Ambrose, Jericho, and Styles being otherwise occupied with other things there isn't really an option but to see them continue to feud. If we are set to see more than I want to see a strong definite story that keeps me interested, engaged, and entertained, something that could match the quality of their matches.
After pinning Charlotte last week on RAW, Brie Bella has earned a shot at the divas Championship and will challenge the champion at the Fastlane pay per view in under two weeks time. Last night Charlotte was on the hunt to regain some momentum when she took on Alicia Fox. Two very talented and athletic divas but I honestly was not expecting a lot. I knew what we were going to get from this match and roughly how long it was going to be so I didn't pay as much attention to the action. One of the big issues I had with this match was how messy it was. It just seemed to be all over the place, I don't know if there was anyone else that picked up on that or if it was just me but it all seemed so jumbled at times. Now, I'm a fan of both these women and I know for a fact that given the time Foxy and Charlotte could put on something pretty amazing but last night was a mess in my eyes. The pace was all wrong, it felt like such a rushed match and I just wanted to tell Alicia to slow down and calm down a little. There was some degree of story telling and I will admit that Charlotte played her role perfectly but the match itself just did not work for me at all. There were so many things I wanted to change and I do wish that Alicia was being used right and was being given the time to show off her talents more but it isn't happening and it certainly did not happen last night. Charlotte did pick up the win she needed to get back on track but the crowd were chanting for one girl. Sasha Banks.
Another Monday night RAW, another edition of Miz TV. I hate to admit it but I honestly am becoming a big fan of Miz TV. Yeah we get the same thing and the same ending almost every single time but I don't think there is a single person in the world that can deny the fact that the Miz is extremely entertaining and he does make every episode of Miz TV somewhat fun to watch. Last night's guest was the one and only Chris Jericho and who soon turnt the Miz TV set into the Highlight Reel set witch I thought was actually pretty amazing. Honestly, I don't know why but I loved this way more than I should have. You have to love the sass in Chris Jericho and it shined bright like a diamond last night. The main focus of this whole segment was AJ Styles with both superstars knowing what its like to fall at the hands of the phenomenal one. I mentioned in my RAW Prediction posts that I felt as though Styles was still looking for he's place on the WWE roster and something solid to really get into during Wrestlemania season. Last night it became perfectly clear that he's first feud should one hundred percent be with Chris Jericho. Their first match up the night after the Royal Rumble pay per view was such a big deal and such a highlight moment of the month for me personally and many others, why would the WWE not want to develop that and work on something amazing between the pair? However, this little segment last night also made me actually seriously crave a triple threat match between AJ Styles, Chris Jericho, and the Miz. Now, we all know how talented the Miz is. He's never shy to remind us all that he main evented Wrestlemania and had a fantastic year back in two thousand and elven. He has some serious charisma and great amount of experience and history in the WWE. Yes, he has one hundred and ten percent been used terribly over the past four years or so but I for one certainly have not forgotten what he is capable of and I honestly believe that these three superstars could put on a match worthy of being named one of the best of the year. A bold statement, but one I stick by one hundred percent. I say, give him the chance, we could be in for something real special and the addition of Miz for a Fastlane match could open more doors for AJ Styles and Jericho and Wrestlemania.
If there is one thing the WWE really are getting right at the moment it is what they are doing with the Wyatt family. Currently not working a storyline with a particular superstar, they have become the
Adam Rose took on Titus O'Neil next in a one on one match up. I'm a big big fan of Titus O'Neil you guys all know that. I have recently written a couple of blog posts talking about him in more detail and explaining what I think about him personally and I will link them both down bellow at the end of the post today. Throughout the match last night, Titus demonstrated he's amazing strength impressing everyone once again but despite the dominate performance he found himself picking up a loss against Adam Rose witch I honestly was not expecting what so ever. Titus has been on such a high recently picking up wins here and there and really taking some spotlight. In all honesty I don't believe he's loss last night will badly effect him. It's something Adam Rose and the Social Outcast should and could focus on but after this week Titus should be reminded of it in the slightest. I do still think he is a strong contender for a future IC or United States championship shot later on in the year.
Throughout the build up to the Fastlane main event we have seen Ambrose focused on proving he can get one over the beast. Proving that he is worthy of being in this match, and proving that the beast is not impossible to slay. There has been this clear frustration in Ambrose and it's grown into desperation. Desperate to prove a point, desperate to leave Brock Lesnar on the ground, and after taking he's second F-5 from Lesnar back at the start of the show, Ambrose wanted nothing more than to face Lesnar out on he's own and take him down. Proving just how insane he really is, the Intercontinental champion made he's way to the ring, calling Lesnar out to the ring, teasing the beast and pushing all the right and wrong buttons. Eventually, the lunatic fringe got what he was asking for as Lesnar made he's way to the ring not holding back or wasting any time as he once again fed Ambrose a good old fashioned, Brock Lesnar beating. But there was one thing no one could miss; the fact that Ambrose just would not stay down. He kept getting back up, he kept fighting, and he kept on asking for more and more. Ambrose was a man with a point to prove and a message to send he was not going to give in any time soon. Despite being told to remain backstage by Ambrose, Reigns soon made an appearance of he's own distracting the beast in time for Dean to hit a low blow and get what he searched out for. I don't think many people saw just how significant this was. This wasn't just Reigns coming down to distract Lesnar, this was Reigns interfering. There was a much bigger meaning to this and a much bigger story behind it. Reigns didn't leave Ambrose out there to do he's own thing and prove the point he wanted to make on he's own. I really do hope this is something that we see develop and added into the storyline as a much bigger deal.
Last night also saw the return of Sn Cara who teamed up with he's tag team partner Kalisto to take on Alberto Del Rio and Rusev. I thought this booking was actually really good and made perfect sense, I only wish that the match was much longer. We know that in two weeks time at the Fastlane pay per view Kalisto will defend the United States Championship against Alberto Del Rio and so the match did make great sense and I didn't have a bad word to say about it at all, like I said I just wish it was a longer match up. I would have liked to have seen all four superstars able to do more in this match but the ending is what was key. Del Rio not only got the win for he's team but he was able to pin the United States champion, a huge deal when you have a match for that championship in under two weeks. A win much needed for Del Rio but it is going to be important for Kalisto to pick up some momentum before next Sunday.
We then had our second divas match of the night with Sasha Banks joined at commentary we saw Becky Lynch take on Tamina Snuka. After what we saw go down during last weeks Monday night RAW we learnt that Sasha Banks and Becky Lynch will be joining forces to take on Tamina and Naomi at Fastlane. Anyone that has been watching NXT for the past year or so will know that Sasha and Becky have so much history together. Two of the four horsewomen, former team B.A.E members and remembered for putting one of the best NXT matches of twenty fifteen. Their alliance is strong and makes sense and it really does work. It's also refreshing to see a divas storyline that not only actually makes sense but is pretty entertaining. I do think there is more that they could be doing to generate some interest but if done right this could be a fantastic tag team match at Fastlane and seeing where it takes Becky and Sasha heading into Wrestlemania is going to be very interesting. I actually, legit cannot wait to see where this goes. The match itself last night was weak but the closing moments where such key moments in developing this storyline and proving why this is such a strong storyline right now in the divas divsion. Tamina's victory last night was a huge deal for her and Naomi and was great to see booking in the divas division that actually made sense.
The main event match up for the night was a tag team tables match with the Usos teaming up with the Dudley Boyz to take on the tag team champions, the New Day and Mark Henry. I wasn't as excited for this match as I would have liked to have been or was expecting to. I mentioned it in my RAW Predictions post yesterday that I feel as though the tag team division is very very weak right now. There is a lack of competition with only three or four tag teams really getting the attention and even so it only really ever boils down to the Usos and the New Day taking the spotlight. If I had my way and I was booking the next several months I would have no problem with keeping the tag team championships on the New Day until a new team got the call up, preferably Enzo and Cas and they feuded for the titles. I don't think there is any other tag team that as it stands I would genuinely be happy seeing take the titles from the New Day. Back to last night and the match itself and like I said I wasn't expecting anything phenomenal but I of course was expecting some great entertainment especially from the New Day and I do love a tables match anyway. The start of this match saw the New Day abandon their worlds strongest unicorn tag team partner as it soon became a four on one situation with the Usos and the Dudley Boyz all going for Mark Henry. When RAW returned from the commercial break the action was in full swing with the New Day back in the ring and taking control of the match until Henry finally had enough of taking orders from the tag team champions and being used by them and walked out of the match leaving the door wide open for the Usos and the Dudley Boyz to pick up the victory. I honestly do think the New Day need to pick up a win within the next week but what is so great about the New Day is the may not pick up the most victories in the world but they always manage to score a win when it's most needed. What did put a smile on my face last night was the moment The Dudley Boyz turnt on the Usos. A move much needed and one that I very very much enjoyed. Exactly what they needed.
The big news in the wrestling world for the past twenty four hours has of course been the retirement of Daniel Bryan and last nights Monday night RAW focus on this throughout the entirety. The whole night was spent celebrating the fantastic career of Daniel Bryan and while the news was hard to take in and accept it felt good looking back at all the amazing things Bryan has done throughout he's WWE Career. I do have a #ThankYouDanielBryan week coming up and that will start on Friday or Saturday this week with the first being my top five Daniel Bryan moments so make sure to keep an eye out for that later this week. Back to last night and closing the show as of course Bryan who came
So that was this weeks Monday night RAW. I actually really enjoyed writing this blog post despite doing so at 4 am and finish at just gone 5 am. I'm going to try super hard to make this a regular, weekly thing again. As always, you can let me know what you thought of last nights show by leaving a comment bellow or by tweeting me at @TezangiVictoria.
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