Raw is Y2AJPowers Exploding 3-7-16

[Kyuubi]

Well that is the end of Team Dad Bod with them being boyfriends wearing matching shirts and all. Looking all cute and shit.

 

I mean look at them? They look like they are attending church and the pastor is going on a homophobic tirade and they look like they are low key reflecting on their "sinful" relationship. I don't care if AJ Styles were to read this post and hate me because he can't take a joke and he is homophobic as hale(yes I am aware that hell is not spelled that way). This is the only way I can enjoy most feuds in the WWE because they are usually bland as hell.

 

Why do people even trust Jericho in any tag team scenario? He is worse than Shawn Michaels. What even is Jericho mad about? That they were called Y2AJ instead of Jeristyles? Anybody pick up the subtext that this feud began because Jericho has this creepy fascination with AJ? Like looking back at it, he is always ogling at AJ and talks about him incessantly. Like how before NXT every Diva feud had a lesbian vibe to it, but not really unintentional because patriarchy and fetishizing of lesbians.

 

And Becky telling her girlfriend Sasha to hurry up and stop doing makeup so they can go on their datehave their match was adorable. And Becky is like this peppy girlfriend that smiles all the time and has all the energy to do shit while Sasha is like dad who rather not go anywhere because it is Sunday and football is on.

 

Gotta give the WWE props for the Kevin Owens vs Sami Zayn matchup at Wrestlemania. It certainly is better than Kevin vs AJ and this feud has a year's worth of anticipation in it. I do doubt the health of Sami Zayn after Takeover., however. If he even survives the match to even wrestle Owens. This match is too big to be a squash match and needs time.

[Technico Support]

Steen vs Generico at Mania.  LOL fuk u cornette

[Iron Moose]

I am, at this point, worried about the tag and US title situations at Mania.

For the former, it looks like we have Dudleys/Usos and League/New Day as storylines, and then the indistinct mass that is the ascension on the outside. I don't think it makes sense to see those four all at once, and I'm reluctant to fall back to NXT callups to even out the division, so ... what do they end up doing? (moreover, after the stellar spectacle that was Y2AJ v New Day, any of the above would feel like a cakewalk unless they get majorly built up over the next few weeks)

Meanwhile on the US side of things... Ryback? Some kind of multi-man mess, possibly including Sin Cara or the outcasts?

[RIPPA]

Meltzer said last night is that - the multi-man match will be for the IC title.

So those dreaming of Zayn/KO will be disappointed

 

And yes - the US Title match is going to be Kalisto/Ryback. God I have to imagine that and Brie Bella/Lana are going to be the preshow

[Brysynner]

So Neville once again looked strong in defeat. I'm somewhat curious where WWE sees him on their totem pole. He seems to float around that upper midcard level where his losses do not matter to the fans and he remains popular. I kind of want to see him get a rematch against Owens next week for the title and win the belt due to Sami interference. This way Neville can get a title match at Mania, and Sami/Owens can just be a pure fight without the title which might allow them to do more because there's no title at stake)

 

Also before the night I thought the main visual from Taker/Shane would be Vince pleading with Taker to just end the match after he's destroying Shane but now I'm starting to wonder if Stephanie will be the one who begs Taker to just end the match. If Steph turns babyface, then when Hunter wrestles as the hero later in the match, it would make sense that Vince would then align with Roman Reigns to punish Steph via HHH because Steph ended Vince's fun of watching the Undertaker destroy Shane

[steve]

Well that is the end of Team Dad Bod with them being boyfriends wearing matching shirts and all. Looking all cute and shit.

 

I mean look at them? They look like they are attending church and the pastor is going on a homophobic tirade and they look like they are low key reflecting on their "sinful" relationship. I don't care if AJ Styles were to read this post and hate me because he can't take a joke and he is homophobic as hale(yes I am aware that hell is not spelled that way). This is the only way I can enjoy most feuds in the WWE because they are usually bland as hell.

 

Why do people even trust Jericho in any tag team scenario? He is worse than Shawn Michaels. What even is Jericho mad about? That they were called Y2AJ instead of Jeristyles? Anybody pick up the subtext that this feud began because Jericho has this creepy fascination with AJ? Like looking back at it, he is always ogling at AJ and talks about him incessantly. Like how before NXT every Diva feud had a lesbian vibe to it, but not really unintentional because patriarchy and fetishizing of lesbians.

 

And Becky telling her girlfriend Sasha to hurry up and stop doing makeup so they can go on their datehave their match was adorable. And Becky is like this peppy girlfriend that smiles all the time and has all the energy to do shit while Sasha is like dad who rather not go anywhere because it is Sunday and football is on.

 

Gotta give the WWE props for the Kevin Owens vs Sami Zayn matchup at Wrestlemania. It certainly is better than Kevin vs AJ and this feud has a year's worth of anticipation in it. I do doubt the health of Sami Zayn after Takeover., however. If he even survives the match to even wrestle Owens. This match is too big to be a squash match and needs time.

wut

[StretchMediatedHypertrophy]

So Neville once again looked strong in defeat. I'm somewhat curious where WWE sees him on their totem pole. He seems to float around that upper midcard level where his losses do not matter to the fans and he remains popular. I kind of want to see him get a rematch against Owens next week for the title and win the belt due to Sami interference. This way Neville can get a title match at Mania, and Sami/Owens can just be a pure fight without the title which might allow them to do more because there's no title at stake)

 

Also before the night I thought the main visual from Taker/Shane would be Vince pleading with Taker to just end the match after he's destroying Shane but now I'm starting to wonder if Stephanie will be the one who begs Taker to just end the match. If Steph turns babyface, then when Hunter wrestles as the hero later in the match, it would make sense that Vince would then align with Roman Reigns to punish Steph via HHH because Steph ended Vince's fun of watching the Undertaker destroy Shane

 

 

I really hope Stephanie has enough self-awareness not to try a babyface turn. 

 

As you say, Neville does jobs but never gets squashed like bug. But it feels like he's treading water, I'm disappointed they didn't do more with the thing with The Miz.

[Technico Support]

Steve if you don't understand that the Jeristyles love affair/feud is an indictment of the religious right, I don't know what to tell you.

[Patrick B.]

Really liked the tag title match.  AJ finally hit the Asai moonsault/inverted DDT cleanly after whiffing on it a few times in WWE, plus he also debuted the springboard 450 in WWE.

 

Would be an interesting twist if Ryback tells Kalisto to wrestle for himself and not rely on tag partners (after which he went out and destroyed his former tag partner Curtis Axel, something the commentators missed)...only for SIN CARA to turn.

 

Couldn't exactly have either guy lose in the main event with Roadblock in the near future.  Figured Ambrose would get off the Dirty Deeds when HHH gave him too much time to recover.  That match should be a lot of fun.

[Spritenaut 32]

Meltzer said last night is that - the multi-man match will be for the IC title.

So those dreaming of Zayn/KO will be disappointed.

Sigh. And just like that, I'm back out.

[JohnnyJ]

I'm trying to understand the dynamics of Shane v. Taker. Taker doesn't lose at Mania. Nobody wants to see him lose. He's also a major face. He is facing off against a 45 year old pedestrian who is also being booked as a face. My favorite part of the whole thing is that in the event Shane somehow wins, all he gets is control of Raw. This should have been Shane v. HHH. That would have actually made sense.  

 

Neville should have Kalisto's spot. He's a much more credible version of the undersized wrestler who does exciting aerial moves. Instead he's stuck in no man's land because both the secondary titles are tied up and WWE is incapable of booking non title based feuds.

 

Zayns debut was a little underwhelming. He's had a tough time regaining his momentum. I'm bummed KO wasn't attacked by a mysterious masked wrestler. 

 

Y2AJ/New Day was such a great mach. I can't recall the last time the New Day got that kind of showcase. Of course, the moment Jericho turned it hit you that the New Day don't have opponents for mania.

[Patrick B.]

New Day vs. LEAGUE OF BOOTY, man.

[The Natural]

Man AJ Styles has some good looking moves particularly his forearms either standing, springboard or sliding, the springboard DDT, Calf Killer Crusher and Styles busting out the springboard 450 splash for the first time in WWE. Style' has got used to WWE style, no pun intended just like that.

[Kyuubi]

Meltzer said last night is that - the multi-man match will be for the IC title.

So those dreaming of Zayn/KO will be disappointed

 

And yes - the US Title match is going to be Kalisto/Ryback. God I have to imagine that and Brie Bella/Lana are going to be the preshow

And I lost all interest in this event and am back to only being invested in Horsewomen Triple Threat.

 

At least the storyline between jilted lovers, AJ and Jericho, actually has life to it now for the fourth match which is saying something.

[Patrick B.]

Hoped for Kalisto-Breeze to get more than a minute and a half.  It got slightly over two minutes.

 

Ryback is such a troll to do the step-up knee and then the Go 2 Sleep motion in Chicago.

 

Wade wrestled, but only to eat a fall.

[Michael Sweetser]

As James F'n X noted, splitting up Y2AJ before their shirts were even shipped is some hilariously evil shit.  AH LOVE IT, MAGGLE.

 

Both Jericho and Styles were absolutely masterful in the turn.  Beautifully done, and for all everyone complains about the camerawork lately, the shots used were completely on-point.

 

Styles shows he belongs in WWE and Jericho sold me to the point I'm looking forward to this angle.

 

WWE needs to forget the stupid multi-man-lets-get-everyone-on-Mania match and do Owens vs. Zayn for the IC title, because that's where the money is.  You can run that shit up through SummerSlam.

 

Neville is quickly becoming the new Tito Santana.

[Patrick B.]

I'd honestly prefer the U.S. Title be the schmozz as anything with Kalisto would have very little build at this point.

I could see New Day facing the Usos and Dudleys in a triple threat, maybe throw in some League duo to make it a four-way.

[sydneybrown]

As James F'n X noted, splitting up Y2AJ before their shirts were even shipped is some hilariously evil shit.  AH LOVE IT, MAGGLE.

 

 

Neville is quickly becoming the new Tito Santana.

 

If you seriously bought a Y2AJ shirt, you got exactly what you deserved.

 

I think the problem with Neville is that he's just seen as the "cool finish" guy and doesn't have quite the added depth or fully rounded character as Owens or Zayn and isn't connecting with the fans as much as a result.  And I'm not blaming him, he's just being booked that way.  Though I think he's probably a step above where Evan Bourne was. 

[RIPPA]

I will say that at least everyone who appears to be going into that multi-man match has a beef with Owens (well expect maybe Miz).

 

So at least you could argue there is a logical reason they are running the match.

[MonteCarl]

Yeah, doing a multi-man schmozz match for the IC title and then doing a one-on-one Kalisto/Ryback match for the US title is so backwards. Nobody is invested in Ryback or Kalisto enough for that match to matter. Even in a rushed three week program, Zayn/Owens one-on-one for the IC title would have so much more fan interest, and then the US can be the multi-man ladder match spectacle. Put Ryback in the battle royal and have him win it to make him happy.

[JohnnyJ]

 

As James F'n X noted, splitting up Y2AJ before their shirts were even shipped is some hilariously evil shit.  AH LOVE IT, MAGGLE.

 

 

Neville is quickly becoming the new Tito Santana.

 

If you seriously bought a Y2AJ shirt, you got exactly what you deserved.

 

I think the problem with Neville is that he's just seen as the "cool finish" guy and doesn't have quite the added depth or fully rounded character as Owens or Zayn and isn't connecting with the fans as much as a result.  And I'm not blaming him, he's just being booked that way.  Though I think he's probably a step above where Evan Bourne was. 

 

 

The same thing happened with Neville in nxt. It wasn't until the Zayn v. Neville feud that he had a character you could invest in. 

[JCM]

The Jericho turn came off great, and got some nice heat. I'm kind of looking forward to the match even if it's the 4th one just to see it with Jericho working heel instead of washed up high flyer. I really like the way Sasha set up the back stabber. I have to be honest while I love Becky this women's title match should be Charlotte vs Sasha one on one. I think it would come off as a bigger deal that way.

 

It would be so backwards if they do a multi man for the IC and a Ryback/Kalisto singles match. They have a shot for a really strong undercard with Zayn/Owens, Jericho/Styles. and the women's title match if they can find some fun stuff to do for the tag and US titles. I really couldn't give a shit less about the HIAC match and HHH/Roman.

[Eivion]

Meltzer said last night is that - the multi-man match will be for the IC title.

So those dreaming of Zayn/KO will be disappointed

 

And yes - the US Title match is going to be Kalisto/Ryback. God I have to imagine that and Brie Bella/Lana are going to be the preshow

Well that sucks. I understand the idea behind with Owens pissing off so many. Still I was hoping for one on one. I suppose it will be after WM then.

 

I actually look forward to Kalisto/Ryback. Their match during the world title tournament from last year was really good. It just that it is going to die horribly at WM as neither is over enough at this point.

[Greggulator]

I'm glad to see Jericho get a lot of love on here for the AJ breakup. The dude has put on a masterclass of a slow build toward a heel turn for a while now. It started when he had his run with The Shield. And he's always given off a few hints of not really being into this partnership with AJ since it started. They had a cool subtle thing before the match where they had a miscommunication doing a pre-match high five thing. It may have just been good improv on Jericho's part, but it had the whole "AJ's showy to the fans and Jericho's out-of-touch" vibe the match went to.

That match was fantastic. Best Raw match of the year so far. Jericho has great chemistry with The New Day. Lest we forget the death of the original Francesca? I also love that little bit of storytelling -- Jericho's inability to get the best of The New Day led to his just killing AJ post-match.

[Pete]

Anyone else want to see AJ tell Jericho to piss up a rope? "Sorry, but I already won our feud... that's why we were teaming, remember? Go back to your rock band- you suck at that too, but at least you seem happier doing it."