WWE Raw 8-25-14

[Yo-Yo's Roomie]

It's besides the point to talk about the specifics of Cena's beatdown vis a vis Swagger's or anyone else's. The point is that Cena got dominated in that match like no defending champion ever has before, and it would only be prudent to sell the effects of that, both physical and mental, for at least a couple of weeks. Wrestling doesn't have to be consistent across the board. That's the beauty of a scripted form of entertainment. You can bend things in order to tell a more compelling story. Cena getting brutalised, then coming back 8 days later better than ever is less compelling (to me at least) than Cena getting brutalised, followed by an extended period away to put over the effects of the match, and to make it stand out from just any old beatdown.

[MoeCristyV.1.6]

 

 

It's weird to say this but isn't the Swagger-Rusev feud the boilerplate of how they should be booking Cena-Brock. 

 

If only Lesnar's complete annihilation of Cena had the same damaging effects as Jack Swaggers ankle lock which is still giving Rusev all sorts of trouble. 

 

Because getting suplexed a bunch is *exactly* the same as having a pretty strong dude wrench the shit out of your ankle over and over again for two months...

 

 

Nobody ever said it was exactly the same. The point is, Swagger keeps on getting his ass handed to him and he keeps on coming back for more. Through the feud, both competitors are showing signs of wear.

 

Contrast that with someone taking the worst main event beating any of us have ever seen only to come back 8 days later physically exactly the same as before. Cenas healing ability is particularly impressive seeing how it was presented that Lesnar practically killed the Undertaker, 

 

I hate to be the one to break this to you but wrestling is a work. Rusev isn't really injured. He's not even really Russian. And his Russian valet went to college in Florida. An ankle lock is only more damaging than multiple germans if they tell you it is.  It's called selling.

 

 

 

You do know that Lana is Anal backwards, right?

[Spritenaut 32]

I think I liked the Bella feud more when the heel Bella called herself Stephanie McMahon.  Nikki was fine last night, but she's basically playing the same character Stephanie played better a month ago.  Aside from the family angst, there's not much difference between Brie vs. Stephanie and Brie vs. Nikki.  And eventually they'll have to settle it with a match **shudder**

 

Rusev is great.  I wish he had come along 25 years ago or so.  Lee Scott and George South seem like they were born to be squashed by Rusev once a week.  I just wish he had wilder hair and a scraggly goatee.  He looks a little too well-groomed for a Russian ass kicker.

 

I enjoyed JBL interrupting Cole as Cole began to shill the network (again) to talk about the wrestlers in the ring.  What a wacky idea!  Though both Cole and King went back to the network shill right after, so I imagine Vince was screaming "9.99" into their headsets.

[Yo-Yo's Roomie]

I worry that anyone who sides with Nikki in this feud might have slight sociopathic tendencies. I actually thought that was a good segment, but fail to see any way in which Nikki comes off as sympathetic.

 

I also really liked the Swag/Rusev match. They have good chemistry. Disappointed in no Henry follow-up though. 

 

Overall, I thought Raw was a pile of shit. JBL seemed worse than ever on commentary, and the direction they went with Cena, not to mention the sacrificing of the Wyatts, just cast a terrible shadow on the show. Shame, because Summerslam and the fall-out had me really hopeful about things going forward.

 

As an aside, I really hate Bo Dallas. I just see absolutely nothing in the guy, and he actually really creeps me out (and not in a good heel way).

[evilwaldo]

This show was probably the WWE's answer to The Emmy's being on television and ceding the night to them but if so they need to change that way of thinking.  In the Internet and Digital Media age the show can be replayed the next day and if it gets trashed people are less likely to watch online or the next day if the lady of the house had control of the remote and chose The Emmy's.

[Super Ape]

I worry that anyone who sides with Nikki in this feud might have slight sociopathic tendencies. I actually thought that was a good segment, but fail to see any way in which Nikki comes off as sympathetic.

Stephanie was de facto face in their feud after Brie turned out to be awful at acting. I could see some sociopaths rooting for Nikki out of spite.

Also, Bo Dallas looks like what you'd get if the snowman from Frozen got stoned off his ass and grew three feet. Don't see the appeal.

[Matt D]

Also, Bo Dallas looks like what you'd get if the snowman from Frozen got stoned off his ass and grew three feet. Don't see the appeal.

I wish that what you just said existed and teamed with Jason and Leatherface in Japan.

[Ace]

[The Green Meanie]

People can get a semi over Terminator Cena being back, but that Cena rarely lasts and the last time we had Terminator Cena was back when he buried the Nexus. Terminator Cena is weak sauce because it never, ever lasts and you know it's just a distraction from the rote, boring ass character that gets pushed constantly.

 

Actually, the last time he was like that was when he was a terrible friend to Zach Ryder and Kane kept injuring him.

[Craig H]

How could I forget.

 

Gee, it seems like any time Terminator Cena shows up, it's when an angle or feud has gone to shit.

[scraylo187]

I feel like Rusev could have survived a loss to Swagger at Summerslam, and 'We The People' vs Brock's first defense would have been enough for a Night of Champions Main Event. Let Rusev murder Sheamus for the US title and get his heat back.

 

Anything to just keep Cena away for more than three weeks. Good lord.

[Phantom Lord]

I feel like Rusev could have survived a loss to Swagger at Summerslam, and 'We The People' vs Brock's first defense would have been enough for a Night of Champions Main Event. Let Rusev murder Sheamus for the US title and get his heat back.

 

Anything to just keep Cena away for more than three weeks. Good lord.

 

Oh wow, Rusev as The Champion Of America would be so great.

 

As for Cena, this is why the WWE should take more of a lesson from MMA. Build up the rematch until at least Survivor Series. Since everything hinges on the Network now, it wouldnt matter if the rematch is at NOC or two months for now. Once they subscribe/resubscribe that's all that matters.

 

I think the only thing to explain what happened last night was Vince demanded rewrites an hour before the show or something.

[Pete]

http://youtu.be/VCPrb6e7T_A

 

If they can make a little dude like Matsunaga into a monster, how hard can it be to do the same thing with Brock? Give him one match a month to nuke dudes for the next 67 months...

[supremebve]

I requested this on the first page, as soon as Raw was over.  That kid believes in John Cena more than I believe in anything.  His dad's no selling is also great.  This is an all-time great gif, it's magical.

[Pete]

The single-dumbest part of the Bella feud: neither sister has locked the other out of their shared Twitter account yet. COME ON.

[cool arrow]

 

I feel like Rusev could have survived a loss to Swagger at Summerslam, and 'We The People' vs Brock's first defense would have been enough for a Night of Champions Main Event. Let Rusev murder Sheamus for the US title and get his heat back.

 

Anything to just keep Cena away for more than three weeks. Good lord.

 

Oh wow, Rusev as The Champion Of America would be so great.

 

 

Especially if they pulled a Lance Storm and Lana started calling the belt the Russian championship or somesuch.

[Dewar]

Yes, that United States title would need a sticker and a name change ASAP.

[Jamal]

Although the womb comment was OTT, I also dug the Bellas segment. I think Brie is doing a better acting job here than against Stephanie and seems to be garnering sympathy from the crowd. Nikki is a fantastic bitch. The slap to Lawler was awesome. And that cat fight looked brutal. Then again, they've always been good at those.

I'm also digging AJ and Paige trying to out-crazy one another. The "oh shit. What have I started" look on Paige's face was awesome. Can't wait for CM Punk chants during AJ segments to finally die.

[Dewar]

Re: The Bellas, there's no way Nikki is sympathetic. Brie quit, and Nikki got tormented after that. So instead of being mad at who torments her, she's mad at her sister? That's some flimsy ass logic.

[ebbie]

Well, did you see the way Nikki grabbed Brie's hair the first, second and x numbered of times? That wasn't a cat fight; that was "some abusive asshole in a Lifetime movie that most women love to watch" shit.

Poor Brie.

[Bear Wyatt]

Nikki ragdolling her sister by the hair while telling Lawler to fuck off makes her the biggest babyface in the WWE now that Ambrose is gone.

[evilwaldo]

The single-dumbest part of the Bella feud: neither sister has locked the other out of their shared Twitter account yet. COME ON.

 

 

For a company that prides itself on its social media presence they are doing a bad job as of late.  Neither sister locked the other out of the shared account or started a new one.

 

Bray Wyatt has been burying the WWE on Facebook about his losses and being buried, intermixing those tweets with a family photo.

 

Not sure if they are just looking at traffic stats or not but it is odd.

[scraylo187]

 

This gif just reminds me of how fucking wrong all of us are when we're like 'blehweh Cena.'

 

Damn, kid.

 

Damn.

[ebbie]

I do wish the adults would shut the fuck up about how Cena sucks and let the kids enjoy their superman. Imagine if there were legions of losers to show up just to do dueling Let's Go Hogan, Hogan Sucks chant. It would've been equally terrible.

[Craig H]

People were booing Hulk like crazy at the Royal Rumble where he acted like a punk bitch when Hogan pulled Sid out of the ring.