Raw Is Cruiserweight Madness - 9/19/16

[Spritenaut 32]

I really have no idea why i should cheer a babyface for climbing out of the cage on the opposite side from the heel, and winning the match because he drops to the floor a second or two before his opponent.  Particularly since the WWE lays out the match for both guys to sell the beating they took like they were tortured by the CIA and left in the desert for a couple days, meaning they take way too long to crawl sluggishly to the exit (to build drama and not accidentally get to the side of the cage too much before the other guy).

I'm fine with that ending if it's been a long match and both guys really took a beating.  It seems silly when it's a 12 minute tv match and the wrestlers spend half their time pulling each other off the cage or the door.   

[Burgundy LaRue]

Owens-Reigns did the best they could with the match stipulation.  It was good, but not on par with what they did the previous week.  The cage wasn't necessary.  The two don't get along, but they're not blood-sworn enemies who've been engaged in a months or years-long rivalry. They don't need to be contained in a cage at this point.

But they wanted to get Reigns a win without actually pinning Owens.  Going with a cage match reeked of Creative throwing ideas against the wall based on what Vince/HHH wanted the finish to be.  Also, the cage allowed Rollins to look all babyface as he leaped from the top as he went after Owens and faux-saved Reigns. 

Truthfully, the match shouldn't have happened.  KO has had no problems walking away from matches that don't benefit him.  This one certainly qualified.  A non-title match against a guy who isn't your CoC opponent who can cause serious damage to you and therefore lessen your chances of retaining the Universal title? I can see Reigns wanting to get a win against KO that he could use later on as a means to get a title match, but KO should have sat on the ramp and told the ref to count him out.

This is all going to lead to HHH interfering with the Universal match to screw over Rollins anyway, so everything else is moot.

[Technico Support]

The only time the "escape the cage" thing works is if your babyface beats the heel to death and leaves with a disdainful "I'm done with you, motherfucker" vibe.  Otherwise, yeah, why would "being faster at escaping a fight than the other guy" end a feud? 

[(BP)]

1 minute ago, Technico Support said:

The only time the "escape the cage" thing works is if your babyface beats the heel to death and leaves with a disdainful "I'm done with you, motherfucker" vibe

Spoiler

"I'm finished!"

 

[Burgundy LaRue]

Having the match forced the participants to act out of character.  Owens finds ways to not engage in fights that don't have anything at stake. Reigns doesn't hesitate to grab a fool and wreck them. If KO had tried to leave without having the match and Reigns cornered him against the cage to wallop him a few times, it would have worked better.

But the more I think about it, the more I think it was all done in service for Rollins to leap through the air like Crossfit Superman.  Never mind that he's still pretty much a prick.  I suppose that changes once HHH kicks him around again on Sunday.

[Sky Blue Sam]

Given that the audience kinda likes both Owens and HHH, and that Rollins is still a ratty little entitled brat who's face turn boils down to "wasn't allowed to cheat his way to the title this time", I can see HHH meeting a lot of cheers if he assaults Rollins again

[joseph2112]

Remember how well the original Orton face turn worked when he got beat up by Evolution? Me either because I remember thinking Randy was a dick and I was glad he got beat up.

All these years on, WWE still fails to realize that's not a good way to turn someone face.

[Dewar]

21 hours ago, Charlie M. said:

Foley's character being turned into a white knight for Stephanie McMahon has to be a rib on him, right?

Jericho's List should result in him replacing Foley as the RAW GM but I think he's leaving again for Fozzy soon.

I think he mentioned on the podcast he did with the two guys from Fozzy that were Stuck Mojo members that Mojo is back together, and Fozzy is taking a year off, so hopefully delusional heel Jon Bon Jericho sticks around until at least Mania 33. He may not be what he once was in the ring, but his act is still entertaining, and I need to see more lists.

[cbartt11]

If Jericho had said, "#13, Mick Foley doesn't know how to apply an ARM-BAR!" I would have lost my mind. 

[Curt McGirt]

Jericho might stick around... but Stuck Mojo exists again. Well, it's a tradeoff I guess.

[odessasteps]

I mentioned on the pod i did with Sempervive is that one of the issues i had with the Last Battle of Atlanta is that it was a pretty straightforward match with repeated running the other guy into the cage. And not much visceral hatred being shown.

I compared it to tully/magnum, which might be unfair, since that might be one of the best cage matches ever.

[Nice Guy Eddie]

10 hours ago, Sky Blue Sam said:

Given that the audience kinda likes both Owens and HHH, and that Rollins is still a ratty little entitled brat who's face turn boils down to "wasn't allowed to cheat his way to the title this time", I can see HHH meeting a lot of cheers if he assaults Rollins again

HHH being the proud papa behind nxt pretty much guarantees he's never getting booed again.