Raw 1-25-16 - The Rock Returns and Saves WWE for One Night

[Hooker]

If we're going to complain about high spots that look like total fucking garbage in terms of impact, can we start with top rope splashes where twelve guys catch the guy that jumps and fall over like they have the vapors?  Compared to that, the Styles Clash looks like a snuff film.

[Phantom Lord]

Last night I was thinking "sure would be nice to see Jericho vs. AJ Styles at some point". Should have realized some point for the WWE means...the next night. I thought it was a good match. Styles has to transition from what he does to the WWE. It was easily Jericho's best match probably since the Neville match in Japan last year. Jericho looked like he was enjoying himself for once.

 

I am confused as to how Brock got into the title match at Fastlane. Did I miss something when I changed the channel? Wasn't the whole point of the night that you had to "impress them to earn your way in". Yeah yeah, I know these people just make it up as they go along. Ambrose vs. Reigns could have made a good enough match.

[Michael Sweetser]

Last night I was thinking "sure would be nice to see Jericho vs. AJ Styles at some point". Should have realized some point for the WWE means...the next night. I thought it was a good match. Styles has to transition from what he does to the WWE. It was easily Jericho's best match probably since the Neville match in Japan last year. Jericho looked like he was enjoying himself for once.

 

I am confused as to how Brock got into the title match at Fastlane. Did I miss something when I changed the channel? Wasn't the whole point of the night that you had to "impress them to earn your way in". Yeah yeah, I know these people just make it up as they go along. Ambrose vs. Reigns could have made a good enough match.

I'm assuming their implication is that Heyman would sue the fuck out of WWE on Brock's behalf if Brock didn't get a fair shot at the title.

[DreamBroken]

Yeah can't make sense of the Authority willingly giving Reigns another chance so soon either. If their idea was feeding them to the Beast, surely they would know the Wyatts are going to gang up on Brock. But I guess it will just be played as Triple H being confident that he'll have no problem beating Reigns or whichever. Thought Triple H's opening promo was very good tonight, solid stuff.

 

The Rock was greatness and on fire. Styles/Jericho was a pretty cool match, great Raw debut for AJ to keep his momentum going. Thought Kalisto/Miz was a good little match too.

[BrianS81177]

I'd like to believe that they'll explain Brock being in the 3 way by saying he should not have been eliminated from the Rumble when the Wyatts threw him over, but I feel like I'm giving creative way too much credit for actually planning ahead

[Zac_Fu]

As far as post PPV Raw goes,this was hardly the worst that we've had. Rock trolling the backstage and using his usual Roadto Wrestlemania Say What I Want And Get Away With It spot post Rumble was brilliantly employed tonight. It got New Day over and boosted the Usos which desperately need it because they've been stagnant as fuck lately. Maybe we'll get a spot with him and Trips leading up to Mania, one can hope. Styles and Jericho was adequate but we all know AJ is destined for greater things. Trips as Authority Champ is going to be drizling shits so we're gonna need everyone else to step up to cover it. He needs to be The Game again for it to have any meaning. I think the swerve is gonna be Ambrose up for the belt and there won't be a damn thing Reigns can do about it given his lack of help he's offered his so called "brother". Fastlane wiĺl be filler prior to WM and wont mean shit.

[Big Fresh]

This was the most Rock has entertained me since he came back in 2011. Though I think that was mostly New Day.

[Big Fresh]

Xavier sure was legitimately pissed at that Byron Saxton snub by the Rock. I like Kofi's "watch the product" follow-up

Yeah but Woods followed it up with, "But that's not saying much. I'm the best on commentary anyway" Kofi had the win though with, "We was in a straight line, though."

Was Charlotte the biggest heel on the night? I swear she got the loudest boos.

I liked:

"'Plan B?' Like contraception?"

"I took care of that years ago, brother."

[THEmanWITHnoNAME]

If people are getting their necks broke, does it really matter whose fault it is?

 

When one guy is getting wrongly blamed for breaking those necks? Yeah...it does.

[HumanChessgame]

The Authority's match making process is James Bond villain level dumb and will have the same end result of backfiring on them but there's an understandable level of logic there - they know Reigns wants his title back and will do anything to get it so they're making him fight his best friend, someone they know is crazy and can dish out and absorb insane amounts of punishment, to get the chance.  Not only that but they're throwing into the mix someone who has been shown to be a virtually unstoppable force (and who would have inserted himself into the title picture anyways either by sheer force or by Heyman's machinations) to provide further punishment to Reigns and his buddy.  So basically Reigns has to overcome the physical challenges of two tough and dangerous opponents who are likely to put a serious hurt on him as well as deal with the emotional challenges of having to beat the hell out of his best friend in order to get within sniffing distance of the title once again.  They probably figure there's no way he'll get through all that and enjoy watching him get beaten up in the process.  Naturally he's going to overcome all that, but still the idea makes sense to them.

[Victator]

Brock has not received a proper rematch for the title since last WM. Undertaker attacked him in his match with Rollins and last night was a battle royal.

With Reigns they have painted themselves into a corner. With Austin, Vince could say that Austin made him lots of money but he did not want him as champion. 

With Reigns, maybe he had a rematch clause or something and HHH wants to squash him for good.

[Cristobal]

They can't even kayfabe that Roman is a draw.

[Victator]

They could just lie about it, or figure out a way to have someone with power backing Reigns secretly. They should make Reigns Vince's personal corporate champion. That after Reigns pummeled him, Vince respected him. Or was super afraid like when Homer punched out Mr.Burns.

[Hollywood Cibernetico]

This was actually a really fun show. Everything I saw worked for me. Full disclosure: I had the first 15-20 minutes on as background noise while I searched for music and something (dishes?) had my attention during The Miz match. I have to be honest, but I am not a fan of "goosebumps" Rock. If he is having a match, I am fine with that, but if he is popping into places to just say 'thank you' and take up TV time, I'm just not entertained. If the roster (and Rock's material) were stronger, perhaps I wouldn't have a problem with that but making fun of Show (A guy who is getting 'boring' and 'please retire' chants across the country), outing Lana as a slut as she smiles and nods while making Rusev look like a goober, and signaling out Byron Saxton by his skin color and Byron's terrible performances (though they have been smoother as of late) was just all bad. After all the 'thank you's', comedy, burials, and other non-sense outside of the New Day all we are left with is that Rock is going to be at WM. As if that is enough? Again, if Rock is wrestling,great. If he is coming in to be on the show to cut another 'goosebumps' promo, no thank you.

 

Does anyone else feel that The Usos are just one Philly crowd from being shit on by the rest of the country? Remember New Day were de-facto faces when they came in but the crowds for the most part were very cold for the act. Philly (?) started the whole "New Day Sucks" stuff. I feel its bound to happen to The Usos. These guys are over, but BARELY. Having the 'Love to Have Fun' gimmick is running its course and I can hear it in the crowds and its been going on for months.

 

I wouldn't mind seeing Jericho/Styles II at Fast Lane and Becky/Sasha/Charlotte at Fast Lane. Its been reported WWE wants this show to be more than a Lame Duck and these two matches will definitely help ensure that it will be as far from a Lame Duck as possible. With the main event of Ambrose/Lesnar/Reigns, this is shaping up to be a hell of a pre-WrestleMania card!

 

 

Re: Taking the title off Reigns

 

It was pointed out earlier in this thread how much it doesn't make sense and the whole thing just makes undermines The Authorities presence and entire mission. Neither The Authority nor Reigns come out looking good and then of course Lesnar was tossed into the match just because.

[Phantom Lord]

I think Byron or Cole flat out said early in the show "why would they authority give Roman a title shot after last night" and JBL replied "they don't have like to him but they know its best for business".

 

Last night I kinda wished they would have had Ambrose in a moment of lunacy throw Reigns over the top rope and just be like "OH SHIT I WASNT THINKING". I mean that would have made the Triple H factor even more funny when he won.

[Niners Fan in CT]

Reigns absolutely has a rematch clause so this might be the best way to get rid of him. Make him fight his best friend and the guy who gave him hell at last year's WrestleMania. 

 

I would love to see them bring back the 30-day rule. It's getting close to day 30 so Triple H has to bring out an easy enough challenger. They could use it to get someone over with a near victory or they could just use it as another way for Hunter to troll people.

[stro]

God damn did Jericho look old, fat, and slow, which in turn made AJ look slow and like a dork because he had to slow down so Jericho could keep up with him. If you have to have dad boner Jericho around, please don't put him in the ring with fast guys anymore. Jericho thought it was 1998, but his body thinks it is 2030.

[Niners Fan in CT]

It wasn't that bad.  I thought it was okay enough. AJ is on another level currently but it was still decent and they had the crowd interested which was tough because outside of The Rock segment they weren't a hot crowd.

[The Comedian]

Jericho trying to fill the Mick Foley "semi-retired legend who comes back to put guys over" role is pretty sad. Foley could pull that shit off cause he was never in shape to begin with, so his stuff was built around a combination of savagery and damage soak. Jericho is a flabby mess and he's still trying to work like a cruiserweight.

[BrianS81177]

They could just lie about it, or figure out a way to have someone with power backing Reigns secretly. They should make Reigns Vince's personal corporate champion. That after Reigns pummeled him, Vince respected him. Or was super afraid like when Homer punched out Mr.Burns.

"That's some nice reckless driving Mr. McMahon!"

 

Now I'm picturing Vince playing a Mr. Burns type character, sitting in his office at Titan Towers with Brad Maddox as his Smithers.

 

"Maddox! This Reigns fellow is proving to be quite the fly in my ointment. We need somebody to take the title from him!"

 

"Well who do you suggest sir?"

 

"I don't know... (looks at pictures of the roster) What about this pasty fellow with the orange hair?"

 

"That's Sheamus sir."

 

"Sheamus, eh? New man?"

 

"Actually sir he's the one Reigns beat for the title. You were there at ringside."

 

"Bah. Never mind, just bring in Andre The Giant. He'll get the job done!"

 

"Andre The Giant passed away 23 years ago sir."

 

"Damn it all. Well get his son then!"

 

"He never had a son, sir."

 

"Yes he did, I saw him. That big fellow from WCW that faced Hulk Hogan in the monster truck challenge!"

 

"That was Big Show sir. We've had him under contract for years."

 

"Excellent (sits back and tents fingers together)"

[AxB]

If we're going to complain about high spots that look like total fucking garbage in terms of impact, can we start with top rope splashes where twelve guys catch the guy that jumps and fall over like they have the vapors?  Compared to that, the Styles Clash looks like a snuff film.

 

I'd love it if just one,they did that spot and they took it as a human dominoes bump instead. The front guy knocking the second row down, who knock the third row down... The everyone fall down together thing, even when it's obvious some guys were just brushed (or were untouched completely) looks stupid*. Especially when it happens in TNA where nobody wants to be the guy who actually catches them, so the guy jumping ends up diving onto the floor anyway.

 

The Styles Clash looks like you're going out of your way to drive the guy's kneecaps into the mat as hard as you can, while gently cushioning their face down. Which only makes sense if you're using it to set up a knee submission. If a good finisher is something that looks like it could knock somebody out, but is safe to take, and the person who's move it is can do it to anybody... then the Styles Clash is a terrible finisher and a little guy like AJ shouldn't be doing it.

 

* Just about acceptable if they're jumping off something super-high, like a ladder or a balcony or something. Top rope to floor, Wrestling audiences are conditioned to think that's a One guy diving on One guy spot.

[StretchMediatedHypertrophy]

Bo-Rida should carry on. Given Bo is essentially a guy who's swallowed a library of self-help books, it actually makes legitimate sense for him to 'model' John Cena's road to success by doing a rapper gimmick. I'm sure Axel can say "Boo-ya!". Then Bo can get a bit more Single White Female and start sabotaging Cena's Make-A-Wishes so he can do them instead, stuff like that. Will never happen, but I'm just saying it's completely organic character development.

[nate]

I would watch Vince McBurns forever.

I think AJ's springboard Superman punch isn't long for the world, since it's much sweeter than the one Reigns The Chosen One finishes fools off with.

[piranesi]

It's weird how much I enjoyed this show given that it had

 

- a 20 minute McMahon/Helmsley promo

- two factions made up of seven total guys being stooged by two separate celebrity guests

- A match with a Bella

- a match with a jericho

-the same damn main event we've had the past month

[AxB]

Sometimes Reign's Superpunch Man looks great. Sometimes he's already jumped halfway past the guy before he throws it, so he has to over-twist and throw it all the way across his body and it looks like there's nothing on it by the time it gets there.

 

But Styles' move isn't a Superman Punch. It's