WWE Raw 12-21-15

[Jrag]

"You know I can't hit you, Steph. But I know someone who can..."

Out comes Team BAD in an Escalade. Sasha rolls out. Naomi and Tamina tell her not to. But Sasha gives them the hand, slaps Steph silly, does the knee strike and Bank Statement and afterwards her and Roman immediately start an on-camera relationship. Now Steph has a reason to mess with Sasha in the Diva's Division, too.

 

 

Here is how it would really go.  Roman Reigns is in the ring to start the show, Steph comes out and does some quality heeling before slapping Roman and heading to the back.

 

2 hours later Steph's music hits.  "I know you guys love Sasha Banks.  She is a strong woman and with that in mind I will grant her a Diva's title shot tonight!  It's a revolution!"  *Pause for applause*

[Charlie M.]

Also, I know the button they're trying to press with Stephanie smacking the shit out of a man BUT she would have got nuclear heat if she did that to Renee.

[Patrick B.]

 

How many times can you hear  Michael Cole before wanting to jam a pencil into your ears?

 

Tell me I'm wrong.  I won't believe you, you'll need more people.

 

 

Current Cole is a godsend compared to his heel days.  I knew people who quit watching WWE solely because of him.

 

Pulled up a match from a few years ago with heel Cole on commentary and it took all of two seconds for me to be sick of that schtick again.

[Nice Guy Eddie]

Heel Cole could make a seemingly normal person homicidal. These days I find him pretty easy to tune out for the most part. The Tribute to the Troops ad being drilled into your head about the most patriotic event of the year just bothers me.

[Peck]

How odd was Charlotte briefly encouraging the Bayley chant? That one caught me by surprise.

[caley]

But there isn't a final defeat with her. 

 

 

 

 

The big question remains unanswered, though--will Reigns or anyone else ever get the last laugh on her?

 

 

There is no last laugh/final defeat with anyone in WWE, though, is there?  Whoever won the endless Orton/Cena, Cena/Edge series?  It's really only rare occasions where there is a definitive end to the feud in WWE, and that's usually only because of extenuating circumstances: Michaels-Hart would have kept feuding in perpetuity if not for the Montreal screwjob.  Rock-Austin would still be feuding if both hadn't retired, same goes for Rock-Triple H, Triple H-Foley etc. etc. etc.  There was no final winner in the Authority vs. Daniel Bryan story, because Bryan got injured.  If Bryan was back tomorrow, he'd probably end up in an Authority feud within 6 months.  It's the way WWE works.  No one ever gets a final defeat/last laugh over another worker because they can always cycle back to that feud later on down the line, unless someone retires/quits/gets hurt.  Why are we holding Stephanie, who has been humiliated probably just as much if not more than other WWE  main event/authority characters over the years, to a different standard than Vince McMahon, Triple H, Stone Cold Steve Austin (Co-GM/Sheriff SCSA was the worst, most ruinous angle that never provided any benefit to anyone other than Austin storyline and never involved any final comeuppance for Austin, he even got to go over Lesnar and Goldberg on his way out before just leaving), The Rock, John Cena etc. etc. etc.?!

[Hollywood Cibernetico]

The Slammy Awards is something that should never be three hours and shouldn't be something that takes up an entire show (if it TRULY is not dedicated to itself). Michael Cole running down the winners during nothing matches and break between matches is fine. A scroll at the bottom of the screen works as well. The big winners (and there should only be no more than three actual aware presentations [one each hour] should be for the highest honors and should actually lead to something or maybe some forced narrative.

 

Maybe have the guys who were nominated in the OMG category compete in a NHB match later in the show. Maybe the Superstar of the Year gets a shot at the U.S. title that night. Maybe Comeback of the Year has to face a surprise opponent (this is when WWE can use its connections and bring in someone like RVD for one night or someone completely ridiculous like Buff Bagwell). Something that keeps the show moving and fun.

[caley]

I've never had a problem with the Slammys at the end of December, because it's kind of a nothing show, they know a lot of people have Christmas plans/are preoccupied so it's usually just kind of a throwaway show.  Personally, I'd love for them to make it really wacky: a World Title match for R-Truth after Santa grants his wish, more comedy-style matches, John Cena actually wrestling as Juan Cena, lots of Legends etc. etc.  Just have this really silly, fun show that the die-hards who turn in every week will enjoy, while the ones who aren't as fervent won't feel bad if they miss.  The Slammys works into this because it's rarely important, but there's usually something worth laughing at, so thrown them in there.  I mean, if the Slammys turned up in the middle of the Wrestlemania build, I'd understand the complaint, but it's a end-of-the-year, we're-not-going-to-kick-off-new-angles type of show, so it makes complete sense.

[jstout]

 

RE: Train being featured on the WWE Tribute for the Troops special, why does Vince hate America?

The USO book the music acts, I'm pretty sure. And fuck all y'all, I like Train.

 

You should probably make an appointment with an endocrinologist about some TRT. That should straighten that out right quick.

 

 

RE: Train being featured on the WWE Tribute for the Troops special, why does Vince hate America?

How many times can you hear the Tribute to the Troops ad with Michael Cole calling it the most patriotic show of the year before wanting to jam a pencil into your ears?

The answer, my friend, is blowing in the wind ...

[Infinit]

Maybe Big Steph's final comeuppance is being saved for when Bayley makes it to the main roster? Yeah I know it's a long shot, but I think Triple H would do it to elevate his future star diva babyface and Steph would probably go along with it.

[Phantom Lord]

RE: Train being featured on the WWE Tribute for the Troops special, why does Vince hate America?

 

Because they failed to elect Linda...TWICE.

 

I knew last week was a fluke of a show. They threw a hail mary and hoped for the best. I only made it to the New Day match and DVR'ed the end the of the show so I'll watch it tomorrow. Paul Heyman taught Joey Styles well if any of those votes were legit.

[Cristobal]

Why are the Slammy's still a thing? Can they at least put this worked bullshit no one cares about on a network special so it doesn't drag the hell out of Raw?

Solid point here. Because if there's one thing we associate three hour Raws with, it's tight, streamlined presentation.

[MORELOCK]

The people who come into this thread every single week and talk about how The Authority should be taken off TV deserve lots and lots of mockery. But not as much as this guy:

 

And fuck all y'all, I like Train.

[RIPPA]

[brandonr4s]

So wanted Reigns to refuse to leave the ring, give Steph the middle finger and a stunner.

 

Never thought it was real violence against women when it did happen.

[cwoy2j]

Heel Cole could make a seemingly normal person homicidal. These days I find him pretty easy to tune out for the most part. The Tribute to the Troops ad being drilled into your head about the most patriotic event of the year just bothers me.

 

I've sat through a lot of shitty things in wrestling in my time but heel Cole is the only thing I can think of that's made me actively change the channel and not watch wrestling. I couldn't stand him.

[nate]

General statement:

You know what's more awesome than complaining? Complaining about complainers.

[Patrick B.]

Let the business numbers decide if they're doing it right or not...

 

...oh wait.

[JRGoldman]

The tropes that people complain about in John Cena's face character are all present in Stephanie's heel character. It's not that she never gets comeuppance, it's that no matter the blow that she is dealt, you know she will come out and portray herself as completely unflappable. They could have her lose to Rhonda Rousey tonight on live Smackdown, and she would probably come out on Raw the next week and make zero mention of it, or laugh it off, or talk about what a big moment it was for the diva's revolution or something. 

 

Nothing makes your awards show seem more important than having half the winners not even show up. 

[Brysynner]

Subtle heel Charlotte is good. I like that after Becky won she gets in the ring, looks at her then immediately takes off her belt and hoists it high in the middle of the ring so even though it was Becky's victory Charlotte is seen holding the title high in the center of the camera shot.

[Jamal]

Lastly ... the fuck was Nikki Bella wearing? "Wake up, girl, I think you won something!"

"And I just put on my 'jamas!" *shrug* WOMP WOMP!

 

Nikki looked like a video vixen from 1996.

 

Trying to shoehorn the Slammys into a Raw is never fun. 

[Jamal]

Subtle heel Charlotte is good. I like that after Becky won she gets in the ring, looks at her then immediately takes off her belt and hoists it high in the middle of the ring so even though it was Becky's victory Charlotte is seen holding the title high in the center of the camera shot.

 

Yea that was good work. 

[hammerva]

To all those who can't stand Train it could have been much worse.  It could have been Florida Georgia Line again.  I know when I think Mountain Dew I immediately think of dry and dull bands like them 

[J.T.]

I thought the whole point of WWE Network was not to muddle the broadcasts with shit like the Slammys.   I haven't cared about them since Owen Hart tried to convince me that winning a Slammy was a big deal.

[Patrick B.]

I pulled up Ziggler vs. Kaval recently since I hadn't seen it.  Whoever the face commentator was(Lawler?) was trying to talk up Kaval achieving his dream of being on the WWE roster and challenging for a title on PPV and Cole was literally shouting over him "WHO CARES!  WHO CARES!  WHO CARES!"