NintendoLogic Posted January 20, 2015 Report Share Posted January 20, 2015 Bryan was drawing less than John Cena at house shows, selling less merchandise than John Cena and his television segments were lower rated than John Cena's, so they wrote it off as a vocal minority that didn't really represent the WWE fanbase as a whole. What's missed there is that such outcomes were almost entirely the result of self-fulling prophecy. Not to say Bryan would have been a bigger draw than Cena with the right push, but he had enough fan support that they needed to try to do something more with him. Somewhere along the way, their perception changed, probably more because Batista ending WM as the champ wasn't going to work than anything else. That's my theory. Just imagine Batista going over at the end of the same show where John Cena defeated Bray Wyatt and the Undertaker's streak ended. WWE's hand was forced by outside circumstances. Punk leaving blew up their Mania plans, and the Yes chant at the Michigan State game embarrassed them. Plus, the plan was always for Brock to win the belt at Summerslam, so there was no harm in giving him a Benoit-esque placeholder run. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jmare007 Posted January 20, 2015 Report Share Posted January 20, 2015 I think they made him job to sell the idea he might lose on Thursday against Kane and lose his Rumble spot. It's WWE short term booking 101. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jmare007 Posted January 20, 2015 Report Share Posted January 20, 2015 With Kane and Big Show already having segments and Rollins in the title match on Sunday. I wonder if they are stupid enough to put Cena against Rusev for free without any promotion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KrisZ Posted January 20, 2015 Report Share Posted January 20, 2015 Wyatt is getting Taker at Mania obviously so either a non-finish or a pin was coming for Bryan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hammerva Posted January 20, 2015 Report Share Posted January 20, 2015 Well I would say that pretty much buries the Ascension but they were buried a long time ago and we were stuck with the fall back Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WingedEagle Posted January 20, 2015 Report Share Posted January 20, 2015 I thought tonight was the best job they've done making Reigns feel like a big since perhaps the breakup of the Shield. Problem is there's just nothing about him that feels like a Mania main eventer. This isn't Batista in '04/'05 where you had the slow tease of his turn and people were dying to see him against HHH. It feels like he's being forced into a position people have zero appetite or demand for yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WingedEagle Posted January 20, 2015 Report Share Posted January 20, 2015 Bryan, Reigns, whatever. Taker back to the face Wyatt? Who cares. Are we getting Miz vs. Mizdow at Mania?!? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jmare007 Posted January 20, 2015 Report Share Posted January 20, 2015 The Ascension vs The New Age Outlaws added for the Royal Rumble. I guess we know when Will is gonna take a piss break Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt D Posted January 20, 2015 Report Share Posted January 20, 2015 Hopefully this show ends with Orton coming back because he's really not a "surprise" royal rumble entrant no matter what WWE might think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strummer Posted January 20, 2015 Report Share Posted January 20, 2015 Sting!! Lol Cena with the little kid! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strummer Posted January 20, 2015 Report Share Posted January 20, 2015 Per twitter during the main event a little kid was crying over Cena being outnumbered and both Hunter and Steph broke character to console him. Ha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hammerva Posted January 20, 2015 Report Share Posted January 20, 2015 Watts would have slapped the little kid and then explained heat to him Patton style Seriously that is a cool thing for Steph and Triple H to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jmare007 Posted January 20, 2015 Report Share Posted January 20, 2015 Hopefully this show ends with Orton coming back because he's really not a "surprise" royal rumble entrant no matter what WWE might think. Nah. Orton is probably gonna have the biggest entrance pop at the Rumble, it'll be a nice "surprise". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coffey Posted January 20, 2015 Report Share Posted January 20, 2015 That place came unglued at the end. Sting, for sure. Brock was on another level. Holy crap, Brock as a babyface that took no shit would be awesome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goodhelmet Posted January 20, 2015 Report Share Posted January 20, 2015 The Ascension vs The New Age Outlaws added for the Royal Rumble. I guess we know when Will is gonna take a piss break Guaranteed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strummer Posted January 20, 2015 Report Share Posted January 20, 2015 Watts would have slapped the little kid and then explained heat to him Patton style Seriously that is a cool thing for Steph and Triple H to do. https://twitter.com/chrisolds2009/status/557385734860972032/photo/1 awesome Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawkeye12 Posted January 20, 2015 Report Share Posted January 20, 2015 Hopefully this show ends with Orton coming back because he's really not a "surprise" royal rumble entrant no matter what WWE might think. Nah. Orton is probably gonna have the biggest entrance pop at the Rumble, it'll be a nice "surprise". I think I'd save Orton's return until Rollins cashes in his briefcase. Orton comes in, RKOs him to a huge pop, and you set them up for Wrestlemania with Orton having cost him the sure title win. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
artDDP Posted January 20, 2015 Report Share Posted January 20, 2015 Watts would have slapped the little kid and then explained heat to him Patton style Seriously that is a cool thing for Steph and Triple H to do. https://twitter.com/chrisolds2009/status/557385734860972032/photo/1 awesome Wade is gonna come unglued over this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny Sorrow Posted January 20, 2015 Report Share Posted January 20, 2015 I watched that ending of RAW on youtube and it was fucking awesome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goc Posted January 20, 2015 Report Share Posted January 20, 2015 If the Ascension is done, I think Konnor just needs a new hairstyle to make a fine fake Mongolian. Wrestling is sorely missing white guys with silly haircuts claiming to be Mongolian. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sek69 Posted January 20, 2015 Report Share Posted January 20, 2015 To paraphrase the WWE Creative parody account on Twitter: between Sting, Hogan, and the nWo this was a great episode of Nitro. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigBadMick Posted January 20, 2015 Report Share Posted January 20, 2015 Watts would have slapped the little kid and then explained heat to him Patton style Seriously that is a cool thing for Steph and Triple H to do. https://twitter.com/chrisolds2009/status/557385734860972032/photo/1 awesome Wade is gonna come unglued over this. Thinking exactly the same thing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zoo Enthusiast Posted January 20, 2015 Report Share Posted January 20, 2015 I hope HHH explained to the kid that they are just entertainers who play bad guys on TV. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iamthedoctor Posted January 20, 2015 Report Share Posted January 20, 2015 The Ascension vs The New Age Outlaws added for the Royal Rumble. I guess we know when Will is gonna take a piss break Pretty obvious Outlaws will job then. Honestly if thats all they are being brought into is job then Id rather they just not come back and just have someone else current in WWE put assention over. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zoo Enthusiast Posted January 20, 2015 Report Share Posted January 20, 2015 Hopefully the Outlaws win. Every team in the history of wrestling could lose to the Ascension and it wouldn't help anyone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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