THE AFTERMATH - WWE TV - 4/3 - 4/9/2023

[blitzkrieg]

1 hour ago, Eivion said:

The opening segment was long but generally solid with them still pushing Cody wanting to face Roman. The final segment it led was interesting. I hate it when an announced match doesn't go down, but Brock's murderous heel turn was done well. The crowd seemed shocked and pissed in a mostly good way. 

It felt like the first time, in a long time, that a Brock beatdown didn't result in "one more time" chants. 

[ExcellenceofAirPollution]

I'm a big AEW fan, but I did watch WWF/E religiously since the 80's until a few years ago, hope I'm qualified to post in this thread

I actually didn't watch RAW, and nothing that did or didn't happen at WM was going to change that.  It's too easy to just check out clips on youtube and track down a random match that gets strong word of mouth.  I think the last time I watched semi-regularly was around when Shane started the underground fighting thing, so I lasted a long time watching bad 3 hour RAWs. 

It reads like Heyman suckering Cody into that scenario.  The idea of Brock back with Heyman as a mercenary and Roman having to be in an uneasy alliance with him is intriguing to me, would be an interesting twist to the Bloodline story

I was more glass half full on the Mania booking knowing everything going on and feeling confident that they're invested in Cody and he's a great performer who's been super over since he came back to WWE.  Having to go through Brock Lesnar to get another match with Roman is a pretty good story, and another stadium show at Ford Field for SummerSlam is a great place to win the title.  And in the meantime Roman hits 1000 days.  Win-Win

 

[Krone]

2 hours ago, Raziel said:

Honestly,  that's better than 90% of the thread made up of people screeching that its not booked specifically to them, even though they don't watch it, and they give up, again, and am going to Wednesday where everything is sunshine and rainbows.

 

Yall mother fuckers never stopped watching, you won't stop watching, and the performative outrage and making a show of "never watching again, to AEW!" has gotten boring. 

Isn't this a direct contradiction? I will admit that I'm one who watches WWE on my second monitor while doing something else so it's just there for me. I don't intently watch it as much as I might AEW, but I try and keep up with stuff just so I know what's going on. 

I think the answer lies somewhere in the middle of all the back and forth here. WWE is what it is and has been what it has been for the past decade plus or so now. We weren't going to tune in tonight and get TV-14, over the top wrestling but I do think the expected debut or call up of some talent gets people excited for some fresh faces on the roster. Bron Breakker, Roxanne Perez, the rumors of Jay White gets the people somewhat excited, but don't forget we still have a SmackDown after Mania so there's still hope for something "new" to happen on that show. I for one prefer face Brock to heel Brock, but that being the giant WOAH of the night was kind of a letdown. I see where they're going and I think this is Cody's path to another title shot down the road - but the question is what's the Bloodline storyline now? The major storyline saw nothing really to keep some of us coming back next week. There's no "a new challenger emerges" or anything like that. It was just no more title shot for you and that was it. I'm not expecting them to blow their load tonight, but maybe give us a little something something to bite into for the future. Is Cody/Lesnar that thing? Well, judging by social media the answer is no. And I know social media isn't the end all be all, but I will be damned if the WWE's twitter post about "What did you think of RAW after Mania" didn't have 2x more replies than likes at last check and that's a no bueno ratio for a company with 13.1 MILLION followers. That has to speak for something in the modern age.

Would the show be A+ if there was a debut? No. Would the show be an A+ if a new challenger emerged for Roman? Maybe depending on the story that they decided to tell. But as others have said, the logic doesn't seem there - but maybe that's because we only have half of the story (finish it damn it!). We have to hear Lesnar's motives, why doesn't he want Cody to win the title or help him, because if Romans champ and he can't challenge him, wouldn't logic suggest he would want someone else to be champion as someone else mentioned?

 

[Hail Sabin]

2 hours ago, HumanChessgame said:

.

Was Bronson Reed on the main roster already or was that the only call up we got on this episode?

He was on the main roster already he debuted to help Miz win the Ladder Match against Lumis & Had a Hell of a Run in the Chamber. 

[A_K]

4 hours ago, Greggulator said:

 

Oh I will just be aggressive Gregg. I think there are a lot of people who don’t watch WWE who came out of the woodwork to shit on WWE. There is all kinds of stupidity being posted here about proof that Vince is back (how?) or then burying Cody Rhodes (dude just main evented WM, a Brock feud is a big fucking deal) or whatever else.

Like… go watch AEW then. 

You're arguing with a bunch of "intellectuals" who think Kenny Omega spending 20 seconds to actively roll from one side of the ring onto a table outside and flail around there while a 5 ft 3 midget in a 10$ body suit does acrobatics is the apex of wrestling storytelling & are utterly baffled as to how that carny narrative-style yielded half its demo number in a year. Let it go. 

 

p.s. - no LA Knight 

Edited April 4, 2023 by A_K

[Eivion]

1 hour ago, Krone said:

We weren't going to tune in tonight and get TV-14, over the top wrestling but I do think the expected debut or call up of some talent gets people excited for some fresh faces on the roster.

This is something they actually cut down on a lot in recent years. They try not do this anymore since the post mania Raw pop while nice doesn't really amount to much afterwards. People will debut when WWE is ready to try something with them or they need bodies.

[Thunder Down Under]

18 minutes ago, A_K said:

You're arguing with a bunch of "intellectuals" who think Kenny Omega spending 20 seconds to actively roll from one side of the ring onto a table outside and flail around there while a 5 ft 3 midget in a 10$ body suit does acrobatics is the apex of wrestling storytelling & are utterly baffled as to how that carny narrative-style yielded half its demo number in a year. Let it go. 

I’m far from a fan of the Omega/Bucks style of wrestling, but it’s hard to point to that as being deleterious while fans being deprived of gratification when they assume they are going to get it after a 3 year long story isn’t. Both have just as negative an effect as the other. And when you consider how many fans have been shed over the years, it’s hard to point to WWE as a company that really does well in servicing their fans in general.

 

[Krone]

26 minutes ago, A_K said:

You're arguing with a bunch of "intellectuals" who think Kenny Omega spending 20 seconds to actively roll from one side of the ring onto a table outside and flail around there while a 5 ft 3 midget in a 10$ body suit does acrobatics is the apex of wrestling storytelling & are utterly baffled as to how that carny narrative-style yielded half its demo number in a year. Let it go. 

 

p.s. - no LA Knight 

LA Knight is a SmackDown guy. I even know that from half paying attention. So why would we be expecting him on RAW?

[Andrew POE!]

After reading the Raw results, I feel so justified in cancelling my Peacock subscription. Brock Lesnar has a hissy fit and attacks Cody Rhodes because reasons. I watched the highlights of Lesnar's attack and they pipe in crowd noises.

And this is what Vince McMahon wants. ANOTHER 3 years of Roman Reigns as the WWE/Universal champion. If this were the Attitude Era or the nWo days, the ring would have been littered with trash and security would be trying to keep fans from Brock Lesnar. Cody Rhodes is being punished for daring to leave the WWE and start AEW. I bet he wished he stayed now.

Wake me up when a current WWE wrestler goes out there and has a CM Punk Pipebomb or a MJF After Double or Nothing Pipebomb.

Edited April 4, 2023 by Andrew POE!

[GuerrillaMonsoon]

3 hours ago, ExcellenceofAirPollution said:

It reads like Heyman suckering Cody into that scenario.  The idea of Brock back with Heyman as a mercenary and Roman having to be in an uneasy alliance with him is intriguing to me, would be an interesting twist to the Bloodline story

Yep - that backstage segment with Roman questioning Heyman if he knew about Brock being there makes me think that's gonna happen too

[GuerrillaMonsoon]

1 hour ago, Andrew POE! said:

After reading the Raw results, I feel so justified in cancelling my Peacock subscription. Brock Lesnar has a hissy fit and attacks Cody Rhodes because reasons. I watched the highlights of Lesnar's attack and they pipe in crowd noises.

And this is what Vince McMahon wants. ANOTHER 3 years of Roman Reigns as the WWE/Universal champion. If this were the Attitude Era or the nWo days, the ring would have been littered with trash and security would be trying to keep fans from Brock Lesnar. Cody Rhodes is being punished for daring to leave the WWE and start AEW. I bet he wished he stayed now.

Wake me up when a current WWE wrestler goes out there and has a CM Punk Pipebomb or a MJF After Double or Nothing Pipebomb.

Big shout out to this guy's parents for keeping kayfabe alive.

[Andrew POE!]

1 minute ago, GuerrillaMonsoon said:

Big shout out to this guy's parents for keeping kayfabe alive.

Really? Is that even necessary? I get attacked for saying fans should have beaten up Roman Reigns on the Raw after WrestleMania yet this is acceptable?

So I guess I'm supposed to enjoy the shit sandwich the WWE is serving and calling it filet mignon.

[GuerrillaMonsoon]

You will eat that shit sandwich and you will like it.

[HumanChessgame]

27 minutes ago, GuerrillaMonsoon said:

Yep - that backstage segment with Roman questioning Heyman if he knew about Brock being there makes me think that's gonna happen too

In the pre-Mania promo Cody even told Roman that Heyman would "go back to being an advocate" when he lost. If this ends up being some 4D chess by Heyman to bring Brock in as a hired gun for The Bloodline that Roman has to co-exist with which leads to Heyman and Brock turning on Roman and winning the title back in their 438th match it will be the most WWE thing ever.

[Ziggy]

6 hours ago, BobbyWhioux said:

pipe dreams of Davina Rose being All-Elite officially rekindling on my end

Though Bayley has been featured as one of the top Women on Raw under HHH,  the circumstances of the booking has left her on the losing end alot. She was going over Bianca in the Fall and  even though I think they should have , her and Damage Control wasn't going over Trish Lita and Becky. It sucks that she wanted to have WWEs first dominant women's stable and they can't dominate. She probably thought she could be kept being in a faction without having to lose to the Champ straight away but she was feed to the Champ straight away.

If Bayley was to go to AEW, it would increase the likelihood of Sasha coming in. Naomi teased this weekend she isn't done wrestling. She was backstage at ROH visiting Athena so I could see her coming in to AEW 

[The Natural]

Quote

Dave Meltzer confirmed a PWInsider report from Monday night saying that Vince McMahon was in charge of much of Raw on Monday.

"He was running TV tonight," Meltzer said. “He's back. It's what it was. It will be what it was before. And if people think that was bad, it will be bad. And that's just the way it is."

Meltzer said that the show was changed when McMahon arrived and also while the show was going on.

"Levesque will be head of creative and will be doing the busywork and all that stuff. Vince is going to have the final say in everything."

No shit, Sherlock. This fucking sucks.

Edited April 4, 2023 by The Natural

[For Great Justice]

We’ve had 200 posts on Cody/Brock and exactly one post discussing Bianca and Rhea planting the seed that they will go the distance this year and face each other at WM40.

That will be a main event. It will rule.

More talk about that.

Edited April 4, 2023 by For Great Justice

[Just Adam Bay Bay]

Honestly I thought the opening everyone should rise and kiss my ass while I cut a twenty minute, pointless promo from Triple H was worse than the non match main event. God that went on forever, and had absolutely nothing to do with anything. Plus the stupid ending with “acknowledge Roman”. I was honestly hoping by about minute five that they’d cue Romans music just to shut him up, and Roman would walk out and demand that Triple H acknowledge him. That would have been a better way to set up the main event, plus it would have cut down on the long winded BS from “our hero” who in all honesty wasn’t booking things “better than Vince” despite what some posters claimed. 
 

Plus for everyone saying the ending sucked it’s still miles ahead of the last two Raw after Mania episodes. Last year ended with Roman being “acknowledged” and two years ago ended with T-Bar and Mace laying out Drew. I don’t see how either of those things are Raw after Mania worthy much less better endings than Brock setting up a huge match.

Edited April 4, 2023 by LF2

[Just Adam Bay Bay]

1 minute ago, For Great Justice said:

We’ve had 200 posts on Cody/Brock and exactly one post discussing Bianca and Rhea planting the seed that they will go the distance this year and face each other at WM40.

That will be a main event. It will rule.

More talk about that.

We don’t need to add another year onto Bianca’s already year long reign. Who hasn’t she beat on Raw already? People shit on Romans title run, well at least there’s still new challengers for him. Bianca’s run was stale going in to Mania, and it will be beyond stale if they try to run it until Mania 40. 

[For Great Justice]

6 minutes ago, LF2 said:

We don’t need to add another year onto Bianca’s already year long reign. Who hasn’t she beat on Raw already? People shit on Romans title run, well at least there’s still new challengers for him. Bianca’s run was stale going in to Mania, and it will be beyond stale if they try to run it until Mania 40. 

I read TV results but watch WWE PPV to PPV, not week to week, so this doesn’t bother me. I’ve seen her win three Manias in a row and it doesn’t seem stale to me. Let’s do four.

[Raziel]

27 minutes ago, The Natural said:

No shit, Sherlock. This fucking sucks.

Well fuck.

 

Yeah, I'll take it all back, we're fucked.

[Just Adam Bay Bay]

1 minute ago, For Great Justice said:

I read TV results but watch WWE PPV to PPV, not week to week, so this doesn’t bother me. I’ve seen her win three Manias in a row and it doesn’t seem stale to me. Let’s do four.

Seriously? Just because she gets a great reaction at Mania doesn’t mean it’s not stale. Plus you completely ignored my question. Who’s left for her to beat week to week, much less PPV to PPV as you watch it? Name three to four compelling challengers please as she’d need at minimum six or seven to make it another year.

[EVA]

The thing with Bianca is that if you only watch during Mania season, you would assume she’s one of the biggest stars in the world. Gets great opponents, great entrances, has great matches, gets put over strong. But WWE really seems to struggle with what to do with her the other 10 months of the year. Very much comes across as Just Another Gal in the summer and fall.

[The Natural]

Edited April 4, 2023 by The Natural

[Just Adam Bay Bay]

2 minutes ago, The Natural said:

All that shows is (just like Twitter) trolls are going to troll. I posted two much worse Raw after Mania endings in this thread already, but yes let’s just post screenshots of a bunch of people that don’t post here downvoting something. 

It’s like on Rotten Tomatoes when DC fans give Marvel movies terrible audience scores and vice versa.