WWE TV 11/28-12/4

[goc]

Hey there was a 3 hour Raw last night and I'm sure some of you probably actually even watched it. I'd even guess that at least one of you goofs came to write about that episode of Raw and said "oh man there's no topic for this week, whatever will I do???" instead of completing the very arduous task of clicking the "Start New Topic" button.

[Grimmas]

Only watched the main event and it was freaking great. Some huge spots (like the moonsault) and some really good brawling. Went **** 1/4.

 

Weird HIAC is not the end of the feud, nor was a Falls Count Anywhere, not sure what the finale will be now.

[Codysseus]

Thank goodness. Now people can read my thoughts, but I don't have to be the star of the show. Thank you, goc.

Show was pretty decent, Sasha/Charlotte rocked...again. This feud could use a couple less title changes, but I look forward to every match and they keep delivering. Not sure this was as good as the HIAC match, probably not, but it's not far off. I'm generally not into the WWE style wandering around ringside brawls, but this kept moving and was a whole lot of fun.

[Badlittlekitten]

The best Raw I've seen in a couple of years. Every segment was entertaining and served a purpose. Heyman interview was tremendous and the Cesaro/Sheamus skit was goofball fun. There's been some good stuff from WWE recently.

[Badlittlekitten]

Not to mention the stuff between Zanyne and Foley. Strowman looks decent theses days too.

[KawadaSmile]

Didn't watch it yesterday, watching it right now.

 

I just gotta say: I have no more time for Owens. As a wrestler, as a promo, as anything. He had something different but he's fallen hard after the Cena program - which itself was not exactly the best thing ever - and his title reign is absolute shit.

 

At this point I just want Roman to pull a Lashely and get all the belts.

[WingedEagle]

Didn't watch it yesterday, watching it right now.

 

I just gotta say: I have no more time for Owens. As a wrestler, as a promo, as anything. He had something different but he's fallen hard after the Cena program - which itself was not exactly the best thing ever - and his title reign is absolute shit.

 

At this point I just want Roman to pull a Lashely and get all the belts.

 

Have to agree with the sentiment on Owens. His matches been pretty awful working with Reigns of late, both this week and in the recent cage match, as well as with Rollins. Some of the worst big matches the company has produced of late. Can't quite put my finger on why, but its almost as if he's deliberately working to be a bore, only without using any fun & interesting shortcuts for heat or building to any kind of decent finishing stretch. Combine that with not taking a killer beating in any matches and the whole character is rather stale.

 

Very curious what direction they're going with the title. Didn't think they'd move it back to Reigns this soon, but I can't imagine waiting for Mania to do Owens/Jericho if its for the title.

 

Speaking of Reigns, it really is amazing. This isn't Luger where the character was just dead. It seems he'd be a blazing hot heel if they would let it happen, not to mention facilitate the babyface coronation down the road once that runs its course.

[MoS]

I've said this before, but rewatching Goldberg's comeback entrance and promo, if Roman had done something even remotely similar instead of spinning Looney Tunes rhymes in early 2015, I think he would have been a hot babyface. I think Goldberg is underrated as a worker -I prefer him to Kevin Nash any day of the week- but Reigns blows him out of the water as far as working ability goes. All they needed to do was book a badass character as a complete badass. Watching the first few Shield promos, they were doing exactly that. In their first interview, Rollins and Ambrose did all the talking, while Reigns stayed silent. When Cole turned around and asked him what he wanted to say, he coldly replied something to the effect of "If I want to say something, I'll say it." That was awesome. How difficult is it to continue booking someone like that?!?

[The Thread Killer]

Thirded on Owens. He's one of the main reasons I don't enjoy Raw. I don't get his appeal, I really don't. Goofy look, middling promos at best, and boring as hell in the ring. If they ever do pull the trigger on an actual program between he and Jericho, I don't hold out much hope for the quality of the matches, I'll tell you that.

 

Oh and one other thing...

 

So Cedric Alexander gets the loudest reaction from the crowd to date for a Raw CW match. So of course, Cedric gets beat in his hometown, because WWE.

 

But my other bitch is, this is a cruiserweight match on television, where they only have a few scant minutes. Tony "I have a head the size of Andre The Giant's head" Nese decides that an exciting move would be a rear chinlock. But not just any rear chinlock, no. He actually lays down behind Cedric to slap it on, to make sure it's EXTRA boring. WTF?!

[Coffey]

I hate Owens. Don't buy him as a main eventer at all & never will. Didn't like him in ROH. Didn't like him in NXT. Don't like him on RAW. I hate his style & his look.

 

Not loving that the direction for Rusev looks to be a feud with Big Cass.

 

Sheamus/Cesaro bar fight was fun. Look forward to them being a real tag team with the problems behind them. At least it gives them both something to do. Plus, hopefully, we're getting the end of New Day soon. That ship sailed a long time ago.

 

Main event was fine I just don't know why Hell in a Cell wasn't the blowoff.

 

The Club are terrible. They shouldn't be anywhere near the titles. I honestly don't know why WWE brought them in from NJPW. Karl Anderson has always been mediocre and Gallows is a worse A-Train. I just don't get it. Maybe just to try to hurt New Japan? There's better talent out there.

 

Paul Heyman promo was great. Goldberg & Lesnar both being in the Rumble adds some name value to the match & probably means they eliminate each other. Which is a better outcome to me than either of them winning it. So I'm fine with it.

 

The December PPV could not happen at all and I don't think anyone would even notice.

 

Cruiserweights are dead in the water. Hope 205 Live works out for them. They need more wrestlers in the division.

 

I find it funny that the vocal minority at the live shows boo the wrestlers that I'm thoroughly entertained by, like Sheamus, Strowman, Reigns, Miz & Rusev and cheer guys like Owens, New Day, James Ellsworth & Sami Zayn. I must really be out of the loop.

[KawadaSmile]

At least they are making Swann a big deal. He's been the star of the division and alongside Cedric, the saving graces of it.

 

I'm not sure who is laying out those matches, but they surely ain't doing the CW any favors. They are just normal guys with half the screen time and 40 pounds less. It's very underwhelming.

 

Also I have to wonder, Triple H is coming back at Roadblock right? I mean, they haven't addressed him at all in quite a while and it's not like he didn't attack Roman either....

[FMKK]

Just catching the main event of Smackdown. American Alpha really aren't very over. They need some longer showcase matches.

[KawadaSmile]

Just catching the main event of Smackdown. American Alpha really aren't very over. They need some longer showcase matches.

Give them time. When they finally give them a serious program for the tag titles, they are going to be over as fuck.

 

Worked with Slater/Rhyno and now with Orton/Wyatt.

 

 

Also, Gallagher is getting over pretty quickly, which doesn't really surprise me in any way. He can talk, has a different look, a different style, can do comedy and be more serious. I would take him over ZSJ any day.

[The Thread Killer]

Tony Nese gets in the opening match of the debut episode of 205 Live, and he does it again! Rear chinlock, laying down no less! SO BORING!

 

I really dug the opening episode of 205 Live though, and I was glad to see the crowd was into it.

[Mrzfn]

Never really got the big deal with Nese. Sure, he can be very athletic, but I don't feel like he really puts it all together very well or uses it to his advantage.

 

Definitely agree on Gallagher > Sabre.

[Parties]

A dominant Orton/Wyatt team holding the belts until Mania - with Alpha chasing and being the ones who finally beat them - sounds awesome in an 80s/90s Japan kind of way, but one can't likely picture Vince "wasting" pet projects Orton and Wyatt's WM appearances on a Smackdown tag match.

[The Thread Killer]

Yeah but American Alpha have been kinda meh since they got called up, IMO. They always seem like they're trying too hard. Plus, they ain't hype.

[TheDuke]

I am surprised they are still putting so much focus on James Ellsworth. I don't think he is that good. His kick to Styles in the ladder match a week ago looked weird to me, and tonight whenever Styles would knock him over it looked like as he fell he was awkwardly moving into the position he wanted his body to land in. Like at one point it looked like he was going to land on a chair, so he moved the chair out of the way as he was falling so he wouldn't end up lying on it. And then when Styles knocked him out of the ring it looked like he was awkwardly lowering himself through the ropes to the floor. During the replay a moment later it looked like they were focusing more on AJ than Ellsworth, so I wonder if somebody in the truck also thought it looked weird. That Styles Clash off the steel ring steps to the floor looked pretty brutal though. I wonder if jumping off things with the Syles Clash is something he usually does. I haven't seen a lot of AJ Styles matches, but It seems like it would be a dangerous move. I am surprised they spent so much time after showing the stretcher and ambulance. Its like they really expect us to get behind Ellsworth as an underdog, but I still see him as basically a joke. I didn't have the volume up very loud, but I don't think the crowd was really getting behind him all that much either.

[C.S.]

My thoughts on 205 Live:

 

- Cedric Alexander got, by far, the biggest pop of the night when everyone was standing by the entrance being introduced. I wonder if they should've gone with him instead of Swann in the main event.

 

- The Bollywood Boyz aren't as good as some of the other cruiserweights, but they have characters and personality - which is what really matters in the WWE and honestly what the entire division desperately needs right now. To put it kindly, it's been a massive flop since the CWC ended. I'm not sure what the point is of having a tag team or tag team matches on a one-title show like 205 Live though.

 

- Could they have telegraphed Tony Nese and Drew Gulak any harder as jobbers? No entrance, no intro, no personality, no charisma. Heck, Nese wasn't even in the opening entrance segment. (Edit: Yes he was. Apparently he was forgettable even there.) Also, is it just me or is Nese now less muscular and defined than he was during the CWC? Guess he can't risk being Wellness'd. Nese is a great athlete with a good body, but he literally has nothing else going for him. His personality is non-existent. Gulak reminds me of a science teacher. And the promo they cut after their loss was the drizzling shits - with Nese being especially bad as a whiny bitch heel, which is all wrong for his look and body type. Yeah, needless to say, I'm not high on "Mr. Personality" Tony Nese and Drew "Bill Nye" Gulak at all - I haven't been from the very beginning. I hope they prove me wrong. A year of seasoning in NXT is probably what they really need, because neither of them are ready for prime time.

 

- Jack Gallagher is awesome. The division should be built around him. Daivari's brother didn't show much in the ring this week IMO, but he could be a decent heel.

 

- Kendrick vs. Swann was a fun match. A Swann victory seemed obvious to me before the show, but they did a nice job of casting doubt with that Kendrick-Perkins locker room confrontation earlier on. My hope is that Perkins will turn heel and jealously go after Swann. His anointing as a plucky underdog babyface in the CWC was great, but that goodwill has already evaporated, so may as well try something else with the kid now.

 

- Austin Aries was "just there" as a commentator. Definitely not a natural.

[Johnny Sorrow]

Owens is fucking amazing on all levels. Some of you motherfuckers are either dim or else you prefer non charismatic twinkies.

[Codysseus]

Not a big fan of Owens's matches, but his character work and promos are pretty funny. He's probably the best guy in the company when it comes to guest commentary and I hope his friendship with Jericho never ends.

Looks like they're really trying to make Rich Swann with all those big kickouts and the heart-warming win. Jack Gallagher is already one of my favorite 5 wrasslers in the company. What a joy. Just not looking forward to when he inevitably runs up against Enzo or someone who starts a "Ron Weasley" chant at him. Oh well.

[The Chief]

Should they have the cruiserweights interact with the rest of the roster?

 

It could go a long way in getting the division over if one of them scores an upset over Jericho or they get a "seal of approval" from Seth Rollins or something like that. On the flip side I could see some of them becoming Braun Strowman victims every week. But I don't think something like Rollins/Swann vs. Jericho/Kendrick would be the worst idea in the world. They could take some steps to show that the division is on the same level as everyone else and not a step down.

[goc]

The Club are terrible. They shouldn't be anywhere near the titles. I honestly don't know why WWE brought them in from NJPW. Karl Anderson has always been mediocre and Gallows is a worse A-Train. I just don't get it. Maybe just to try to hurt New Japan? There's better talent out there.

 

I don't understand the people who act like The Club has been some big huge wasted opportunity by WWE. Like even the most hardened "OMG EVERYTHING IN NEW JAPAN IS THE BEST THING EVER!" fanboys weren't pimping Gallows & Anderson tag matches as anything special.

 

I'm also completely baffled as to how Gallows is so bad now. He looks COMPLETELY broken down physically and I just don't get it. He was good, sometimes REALLY good, in his first WWE run. He's only 32! Did 3 years in Japan really break his body down that bad or what? I don't understand it.

[FMKK]

Owens is fucking amazing on all levels. Some of you motherfuckers are either dim or else you prefer non charismatic twinkies.

Have you ever actually argued a point before other than just calling everyone an idiot?

[WingedEagle]

Owens is fucking amazing on all levels. Some of you motherfuckers are either dim or else you prefer non charismatic twinkies.

 

What's the point of engaging in a discussion if all you can add is childish attacks on people who disagree with you? You don't have to consider why some people might find certain aspects or components of the product to be unappealing, or what they think might improve it. You also don't have to consider discussing why you seemingly find every aspect of the product so terrific, or what accounts for the difference in tastes with those who don't simply love all of it. But if you're not open to that why bother saying anything at all?