Raw is John Cena Is Good At His Job - 8/28/2017

[Rehabilitated Rick]

I saw it more as Cena showing tough love rather than it not helping anyone, sure it was business exposing and probably went off script, but Roman will learn from it and it won't matter in 4 weeks when Cena puts Roman over clean. I figure Cena is pissed that he's willingly given up his spot on top of the card only for Roman to spill the ball time and time again. 

[Craig H]

13 minutes ago, MarcosLoura said:

I don't even watch this show, but all the buzz made me watch the damn promo.

Why are you setting up your top guy (that has been pushed to the moon and people don't like) to fail and get buried like that? What's with all this breaking the 4th wall, meta, worked shoot bullshit? This shit kinda worked on the Cena vs Rock feud but now is just sad.

This company is run by a moron.

So that's how I saw it. Half way through I wondered, "what the fuck are they thinking?" Seriously, how many times did we talk about how this exact moment would go and then it went EXACTLY like how we predicted. Roman got fucking starched. Cena's a god-tier promo and they're really going to see if Roman can hang?

AND SOME OF HIS SHIT WAS SCRIPTED! Even then, him forgetting his lines made him look like even more of a dope. So Roman either looks shook to non-smart fans or he looks shook and dumb to smart fans who know he either forgot his lines or couldn't even think of a comeback.

How many more opportunities do they need to give Roman before they learn that this motherfucker is not capable of carrying the promotion like John Cena? Him being in that Orton or Batista tier is fine, but maybe that's even too lofty, at least with regards to Batista. Fine, you gave him the win over Undertaker. Fine, you've had him main event the last THREE WMs. But this dude is never going to be who they want him to be and shoving him into situations like this expose him badly.

Meanwhile, my man Braun is doing everything they should have had Roman doing his entire singles run and look how successful that is. People want to see Roman beat ass and not talk. He should have been booked like Brock or Braun this whole time and instead he's low-rent Rock and, I'll steal the line, bootleg John Cena.

This company is run by morons, indeed.

[Beech27]

Fwiw, Meltzer has said the entire thing was scripted, other than Cena's "it's called a promo" dig after Roman forgot his line. The exchange went exactly how they wanted it to go, for better or worse. 

[MarcosLoura]

34 minutes ago, Beech27 said:

Fwiw, Meltzer has said the entire thing was scripted, other than Cena's "it's called a promo" dig after Roman forgot his line. The exchange went exactly how they wanted it to go, for better or worse. 

Yeah, that's what's bad about it.

[Spritenaut 32]

42 minutes ago, Beech27 said:

Fwiw, Meltzer has said the entire thing was scripted, other than Cena's "it's called a promo" dig after Roman forgot his line. The exchange went exactly how they wanted it to go, for better or worse. 

For some reason, I'm picturing someone saying to Vince "Um, we're burying our top guy out there.".  At which point Vince gives him or her a big shit-eating grin and breaks into Shane's wacky "Here Comes the Money" dance.'

Vince loves the smell of burning napalm money in the morning.

[sevendaughters]

I'M GONNA JUMP OFF THIS BUS WITH A BIG ASS SHUFFLE...SHU....SHOVEL?

Watched because of the hype. I suppose there's two ways of looking at it. We all know here that it is bad long-term strategy whatever the intent was because Cena absolutely SMOKED him. It was the first Cena promo in years where I didn't roll my eyes (mainly because it was devoid of the quasi-militaristic capitalist sloganeering) and he seemed way more animated than usual, like actually motivated to slay Reigns. And it succeeded. He knew that he could and not get any fire back on him and he did it anyway, which is sort of the definition of a bully (which seems odd in this context, but it is). How on EARTH can Reigns come back from that? It's not like he can wrestle his way into our hearts. Guy is toasted.

The other way is that it was a very good segment and it was a good quarter hour of TV and Reigns is staying upper card so get used to it.

Found it amusing that two guys who are more-or-less pure WWE born-and-bred were calling each other fake though.

 

[Beech27]

16 minutes ago, MarcosLoura said:

Yeah, that's what's bad about it.

I'm not saying it was a good idea, if they're still trying to position Roman as the breakout mainstream babyface. I just don't care enough about that to be bothered. I was amused for a segment, which is about all I ask from Raw at this point. ~Lowered expectations~

[JCM]

1 hour ago, Beech27 said:

Fwiw, Meltzer has said the entire thing was scripted, other than Cena's "it's called a promo" dig after Roman forgot his line. The exchange went exactly how they wanted it to go, for better or worse. 

Meltzer is just taking a guess he isn't in the room with writers. I have a hard time believing "I'm still here because you can't do your job" was scripted unless Vince fucking hates Roman.

[Jrag]

Complain about the business exposing aspects all you want, but that's a goofy thing to care about when they have documentaries and shoot interviews right next to the PPVs on the network. I still get the gripe.

Now, griping about burying the top guy? I haven't been around here in a while, but do you guys still really give a shit about Roman as the top guy? I mean, hell. He's the fourth most over monster tweener on this damn show.  It's time to move on, guys. He is great in the ring, but he isn't an ace.

Is he really still being booked as the top guy, even? It sort of feels like WM was the last effort. He lost to Braun leading up to SS and then they added two more over guys to his title match on the big card.  Braun is clearly lighting fires.

I don't watch week to week, but in the broad strokes it feels like they are moving on from the idea of Roman as the man. Am I wrong about that?

[(BP)]

For some reason when I watched the promo the first time I kept hearing "golden shuffle" instead of "golden shovel" and I was mystified. Anyway, it was very reminiscent of the original incarnation of NXT where they'd have a guy try to get over in a promo while Cole or one of the pros would interrupt them and push them around. I guess that's a fine way for Vince to feel out a new project, but maybe do it before he main events Wrestlemania three times. 

For Cena it was a full circle career moment because it was essentially 

[Jrag]

If it was scripted it makes Cena's delivery even more impressive. Seemed like they were going for it on the fly though.

[Curt McGirt]

WWE conveniently cut the promo down to five minutes without the freeze in it. Where is it here, just so I can see it? I don't wanna watch the whole thing again. Even without it I can say stick a fork in Reigns...

 

[sevendaughters]

here is all 15 min

 

[caley]

The easiest way to finish the promo with both guys being over (if that really was scripted), is for Cena to do all his shoot-y nonsense, Reigns to rebut, then Cena to do his final shoot, and Reigns to say something like "That's the thing with you, John", then have Cena turn and pander to the crowd, turn around and get speared by Reigns, then have Reigns say something like "I do my talking in the ring" while Cena sells.  Then you could still have Gallows/Anderson come out (Also, isn't it hilarious how Gallows/Anderson are the de facto bad guys whenever they're needed: "Go help Big Cass beat up the Big Show", "Go attack Cena and Reigns!"), have Angle force Cena/Reigns to team (which comes off even better because we know Cena now really distrusts Roman), do the same ending.  That way you have Cena beating Reigns up on the mic, but Reigns beating Cena physically.  Both guys get over.

[Craig H]

23 minutes ago, Jrag said:

Complain about the business exposing aspects all you want, but that's a goofy thing to care about when they have documentaries and shoot interviews right next to the PPVs on the network. I still get the gripe.

Now, griping about burying the top guy? I haven't been around here in a while, but do you guys still really give a shit about Roman as the top guy? I mean, hell. He's the fourth most over monster tweener on this damn show.  It's time to move on, guys. He is great in the ring, but he isn't an ace.

Is he really still being booked as the top guy, even? It sort of feels like WM was the last effort. He lost to Braun leading up to SS and then they added two more over guys to his title match on the big card.  Braun is clearly lighting fires.

I don't watch week to week, but in the broad strokes it feels like they are moving on from the idea of Roman as the man. Am I wrong about that?

The plan is still for Reigns' coronation at WM beating Brock for the title. He's still the top guy and the thought is that losing makes Reigns look like an underdog or makes fans sympathetic to him.

[Curt McGirt]

7 minutes ago, sevendaughters said:

here is all 15 min

Yeah, but where does Roman freeze up/forget his line? I just want to see that part since I already watched the WWE edit. 

[Jrag]

Welp. If they go that route then they go that route.  Roman is a top guy in the ring, but man there is no next-level charisma there and there never will be. He is basically Cesaro to me.  

I would rather watch Cena gun for him than have Cena hold back to make him look good. The gap in promo talent between Roman and Cena would have been obvious no matter how they handled this feud.  Roman can't keep up with Joe on the mic. He had no chance of looking good against Cena.

[MarcosLoura]

22 minutes ago, Jrag said:

Complain about the business exposing aspects all you want, but that's a goofy thing to care about when they have documentaries and shoot interviews right next to the PPVs on the network. I still get the gripe.

Now, griping about burying the top guy? I haven't been around here in a while, but do you guys still really give a shit about Roman as the top guy? I mean, hell. He's the fourth most over monster tweener on this damn show.  It's time to move on, guys. He is great in the ring, but he isn't an ace.

Is he really still being booked as the top guy, even? It sort of feels like WM was the last effort. He lost to Braun leading up to SS and then they added two more over guys to his title match on the big card.  Braun is clearly lighting fires.

I don't watch week to week, but in the broad strokes it feels like they are moving on from the idea of Roman as the man. Am I wrong about that?

1. It's not "business exposing", it's the same shit with having Ed Sheeran (btw I never remember the dude's name and I always have to google "ginger singer") on GOT "Hey I'm Ed Sheeran famous singer-songwriter and this. IS GAME OF THRONES!". John Cena is not Deadpool, that shit doesn't work for him.

2. Even if they abandoned the idea of him being the top guy, how is moving on burying the dude on tv like that? After years of The Roman Experience, Vince just goes "Ok you're right this guys is shit. Ahah. Hey John just go out there and embarrass the kid. Mention that United States demoting thing, that will show him who's boss. Me. Ahah".

I don't even watch this shit. I'm dumb.

[Jrag]

See, it wouldn't have been such a burial if Roman could work the mic.  

I'm sure they had an idea of what they wanted to do with that promo, but there is absolutely no way that was all scripted.  Roman could have turned that around, but he truly is not capable.  

If it was scripted down to the word and Roman ok'd it, that's on him too.

Either way, my main point is that they had nowhere to go the minute they started this feud. Roman getting exposed on the mic was bound to happen unless Cena held back.

 

[Curt McGirt]

2 minutes ago, Jrag said:

there is absolutely no way that was all scripted

Quote

The Roman Reigns/Cena verbal battle, which was almost completely scripted ahead of time and the key wording was mostly from the writing team and not anyone coming up with unapproved wording, was always scheduled on the show, so Joe's injury did not lead to the segment taking place.

Dammit, I still want to see the freeze *sigh*

[Jrag]

"And the key wording was mostly from the writing team" is supposed to prove something? That's some vague nonsense. Again, i'm sure they had an idea of where they were going with that promo. "Mostly" is the key word there.

If it was really scripted down to the very last word Cena looks even better. Dude really needs to get out of this business and try something else.

 

[RIPPA]

Couple of quick things

Joe apparently hurt his knee at a live event over the weekend - hence why no Joe

Quote

SAMOA JOE SUFFERS KNEE INJURY AT WWE HOUSE SHOW
BY DAVE MELTZER | @DAVEMELTZERWON | AUG 28, 2017 11:01 PM

Samoa Joe, who was scheduled to headline Raw tonight against John Cena, missed the show due to a knee injury.

The injury was suffered most likely at a Saturday night house show in Jonesboro, Arkansas, where he faced Cena. Joe missed both the Sunday night house show in Tupelo, Mississippi, causing the card to be rearranged, as well as not being able to wrestle on tonight's Raw.

Cena ended up facing Bray Wyatt in Tupelo instead.

The Roman Reigns/Cena verbal battle, which was almost completely scripted ahead of time and the key wording was mostly from the writing team and not anyone coming up with unapproved wording, was always scheduled on the show, so Joe's injury did not lead to the segment taking place.

Right now the word is that Joe will be out of action for six weeks or less.

WWE itself did not confirm the injury when contacted earlier today.

Also - the original plan was for Alexa Bliss at Summerslam was for her to beat Bayley so it appears they gave Sasha the title win A) to win in Boston since they had her loss the last Boston PPV and B) as a way to get back to Nia vs. Alexa. Plus Dave keeps saying that they are really high on Alexa so bumping her title count (like they did with Charlotte) is one of those weird Vince things

[JonnyLaw]

Roman and Cena talking about burying people would have been an ideal time to have Rusev come out and lay them both out.

[kiguchi]

It's scripted. Cena getting the last words while Reigns looked beaten is scripted. Reigns looked beaten because it was in the script, not because he was slow witted and couldn't think of a good retort. Next week, the script will have Cena eating a spear or something. The following week they'll have another scripted segment. That's how it works. 

[Overly Critical Man]

So instead of Bayley looking like an even bigger loser than she already was, Sasha ends up proving Alexa right and is now the confirmed legit boss of losers.

Whew boy, that's some great writing for your babyfaces, folks.