Eivion Posted April 9 Share Posted April 9 Opening segment was a solid 15-20 talking segment that somehow went twice as long as it needed to. I didn't hate it, but fuck was a it way way too damn long to basically leave us with "To be Continued." Ilja/Shinsuke was random but solid as a showcase for Dragunov. The Judgement Day segment was made fun with Truth getting involved. It worked out well as a lead into the 6-man tag and eventual Cena appearance as Awesome Truth's partner. Dug how it came together and turned out by the end. Rhea pushing Dom to fight Andrade next week and the subsequent sneak attack by Liv was good to see. There was no need to talk about anything. This has already been a long time coming. I'm curious to see if Liv can stay a face in this feud with Rhea and if we get a stip match out of it. Roxanne/Indi was short but decent and another addition to the continued Candice heel turn mixed with an Indi who still rather be good. Sami/Gable vs. Imperium was pretty solid as expected. Looking forward to Sami/Gable. I don't really want a Gable heel turn, but it will probably be impossible to not happen with the defense happening in Sami's hometown. The setup to Jade/Chelsea was fun. The actual squash was super quick and a bit of a non-factor as a result. Kind of wish Chelsea got stooge a bit and rag things out a minute or two. Drew/Ricochet/Bronson/Jey was good though it felt weird to see Ricochet here with no big achievement compared to the other 3. Loved Drew's promo at the beginning and his reaction to getting cut off by by Jey. The finish was perfect and another nice extra moment of Punk giving Drew the finger. I thought was decent in terms of moving forward a bit and showing what is to come in some of the bigger areas. Ilja & Roxanne were nice surprises. Their appearance here feel like confirmation of both being on their last year as NXT regulars. Now its just a matter of when both come up. Could have used less drinking in the moment of such a big Wrestlemania. I get why they do it, but it always feels like they go overboard about it. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Natural Posted April 9 Share Posted April 9 https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=eIeVupBBGGY Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hail Sabin Posted April 9 Share Posted April 9 1 hour ago, Phantom Lord said: This sure was an interesting RAW after Mania. I did not expect them to dedicate most of the commercial free hour to a Rock promo that went absolutely nowhere. The Rock came off as someone who was defeated more than Roman was the night before. "Can I just hold the title" was so lame. Cody looked like a idiot by not saying fuck no (or something more pg). The whole segment just came off weird. It would have been better if The Rock just didn't show up tonight. On the flip side when Judgement Day were out and posing the with belts and R-Truth materialized from thin air to pose with them, I couldn't stop laughing. We got a usual Judgement Day match which is neither good nor bad. All three guys are good at what they do so I really can't say anything bad about them. I'm just not sold on Priest being a world champion. The match though was fun and I loved Cena's run in and hot tag and everyone doing the five knuckle shuffle and AA. That was a fun moment. Poor Chelsea. No one takes a squash quite like she does. I thought Jade was on Smackdown though. Ehh, when has that ever mattered. Main event was all right. By process of elimination I knew Bronson wasn't winning. Also neither was Richochet. Then half way through the match I remembered this was for Priest's title...not Cody. So there went Drew's chances. CM Punk screwing Drew was funny though. Let them have a meme war to end all meme wars. Jey Uso wins by default. Pearce said he & Aldis made an agreement to use a smackdown talent tonight because they both wanted to see Chelsea get squashed after she sent emails to their bosses after the Slammy incident. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
odessasteps Posted April 9 Share Posted April 9 Oh yeah. We never did get a GM vs GM match at Mania. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greggulator Posted April 9 Share Posted April 9 Did everyone rightfully think the original version of Judgement Day was the absolute most DOA thing in years? Now Priest and Rhea are world champs. I think Judgment Day have been the past year or so the heart and soul of Raw — Rhea, tag champs, Dom’s awesomeness, etc. Well deserved for a stable that has clearly worked really hard with a lot of individual talent who know how to make each other shine as a group. Priest really looks like he’ll be a pretty good heel champ for a few months until they have a good face to put over. I loved the Rhea/Dom walk-and-talk last night. They set up a match for next week, Liv gets the jump, and then they go to the next match — all in one of those long take single shots. 6 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Dave Posted April 9 Share Posted April 9 54 minutes ago, Greggulator said: Did everyone rightfully think the original version of Judgement Day was the absolute most DOA thing in years? Now Priest and Rhea are world champs. I think Judgment Day have been the past year or so the heart and soul of Raw — Rhea, tag champs, Dom’s awesomeness, etc. Well deserved for a stable that has clearly worked really hard with a lot of individual talent who know how to make each other shine as a group. Priest really looks like he’ll be a pretty good heel champ for a few months until they have a good face to put over. I loved the Rhea/Dom walk-and-talk last night. They set up a match for next week, Liv gets the jump, and then they go to the next match — all in one of those long take single shots. They have gone from "this is why I don't watch this shitty company anymore" to being one of the only things I'll check out on youtube... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greggulator Posted April 9 Share Posted April 9 They kind of remind me of The New Day in that matter — from the DOA gospel gimmick to one the all-time best stables who could do everything asked of them and always make it work. Judgment Day have a long ways before they make that happen and are a different kind of group. But they really click and make it work. It’s really clear that they all do enjoy each other’s company in real life, too. Their coming out after Damian’s cash-in and celebrating really felt organic. They also do have the benefit of having Rhea Ripley. Like… she is just an absolute star. Could easily see her headlining a PPV or two this next year if she gets a really hot feud with someone. Not sure Liv is it (although Liv is really solid) but Bianca or Jade? That would do it. I also think we could easily see Rhea not in the WWE in a few years to start playing a hench woman in some action movie. But she also is really funny and could even show up in some bit role in a comedy. I think she has that much of an it factor. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greggulator Posted April 9 Share Posted April 9 Also: Sami and Gable is going to be awesome next week. The Montreal crowd and those two who already have great chemistry? Give that a few final hour segments and end it with Sami winning and a sore loser Gable trying to snap Sami’s ankle right in front of his crying wife and you could end up with a riot. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Godfrey Posted April 9 Share Posted April 9 Overall a lackluster episode imo, not much action and the angles could have used more forward momentum. The Raw After Wrestlemania can be a crapshoot especially with a punchy crowd, felt like they wanted to ride the emotional high of Sunday night a little longer and I can't fault them for that Opening stuff wasn't for me. A chant for Samantha Irvin is rad and I loved the mix of stfu chants with people throwing the one up for the Bloodline, other than that this took way too long. Rock at minute 31: "Now before we begin." Come on, man. But now we have a mystery object, that could be interesting. Cole at minute 46: "Welcome to Raw." Leave it to WWE to have an hour of commercial-free programming and have only a few minutes of actual wrestling on it But what a few minutes! Nice debut for Dragunov although I hate to see Nakamura job like that I can't do more talking, sorry Judgement Day. Good hot tag by Miz Gable & Zayn/Imperium is my kind of wrestling, I tell you what. That title defense will be sick Shout out to Chelsea Green, the Miz of the women's division Solid enough TV main event. Hope Jey can make more out of this challenge than he did with Jimmy and Roman but him vs Priest is not a world title level program right now 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craig H Posted April 9 Share Posted April 9 I rewatched the opening segment again because I first watched it on the YTTV app on my phone since my wife and daughter were watching ratings juggernaut Spring Baking Championship. The first time I watched it I thought it was interesting, a little weird, but good. On rewatch, it’s great. And not great because it’s awkward. I get the criticism that the Rock seemed out of it, but on rewatch, the Rock is playing a version of himself that is far darker and even more sinister than he’s ever been. Like, I’m talking he destroyed Roman when they got to the back after the match and what he gave Cody could be anything from Roman’s ear, a tooth he knocked out of Roman’s mouth, or more likely, a ceremonial bead from the necklace the tribal chief wears. The “don’t you break my heart again” line applies to making the Rock beat the shit out of his own family and blood because Roman lost to Cody. More than anything, more than Roman, the Rock sounded like the real mob boss, the real head of the table. Roman has been playing a young guy who was cocky and thought he was untouchable and while he’s menacing, he ain’t the seasoned boss he thinks he is. The Rock is that motherfucker coming out of the darkness to see how this young punk is running things and the young punk doesn’t know that the real boss, his own blood, has a gun pointed to the back of his head the whole time. It also sets up a fuckton of storytelling options. That’s the beauty of all of this. HHH hasn’t pigeonholed himself into one single story with one single ending. He has a larger story with so many options and a handful of very satisfying outcomes, any of which can be used based on injuries, if someone gets ultra hot and a title change is warranted, or whatever. The rest of Raw was…whatever. Just like AEW, I’ll cut WWE a break following a big show because folks need a break. You can’t hit a dong every time you step up to the plate. That said, there was still stuff I liked a lot. Truth cracked me up, Drew continues to be the hero we deserve but not the one we need right now, calling Priest what he did made it feel like Drew reads the board and saw @Dolfan in NYC call Priest “bisexual Undertaker,” and the finish with Punk looking like he was having some of the most fun of his life was great. Jey vs Cody doesn’t do much for me. I think I’d like to see Cody vs a monster like Reed, but we’ll probably still get that at some point. Or maybe Sami beats Gable and then Reed murders Sami afterward. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stefanie Sparkleface Posted April 9 Share Posted April 9 17 minutes ago, Godfrey said: Shout out to Chelsea Green, the Miz of the women's division This is such an important role to have, and I hope she embraces it because she's fantastic at it. Every division needs a random thorn in the side and I really enjoy her as being a nuisance that a newer wrestler pummels to establish themselves. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AxB Posted April 9 Share Posted April 9 Wrestling twitter has been calling Damien Priest "Cuntertaker" for months. Gigi Dolin even called him that (on twitter). WWE is just PGing that. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craig H Posted April 9 Share Posted April 9 12 minutes ago, AxB said: Wrestling twitter has been calling Damien Priest "Cuntertaker" for months. Gigi Dolin even called him that (on twitter). WWE is just PGing that. I don’t do Twitter so I had no idea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craig H Posted April 9 Share Posted April 9 Couple other things…I LOVED the tiny set. Hey, if you’re going to draw enough fans so you don’t need a giant tron to block a quarter of the seating then go for it. It looks fucking cool. It looks big league. Second, after the last two nights, to again steal a line from Moneyball, how can you not be romantic about Pro Wrestling? 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gorman Posted April 9 Share Posted April 9 47 minutes ago, Craig H said: Jey vs Cody doesn’t do much for me. I think I’d like to see Cody vs a monster like Reed, but we’ll probably still get that at some point. Or maybe Sami beats Gable and then Reed murders Sami afterward. I thought the same thing, but then I realized that Jey won a shot at Priest's title. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curt McGirt Posted April 9 Share Posted April 9 I would miss the Russian not just showing up in his suit again, wouldn't I. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cobra Commander Posted April 9 Share Posted April 9 Nice of Rock to give Cody those photos of Dusty that Baby Doll was gonna use as blackmail material 4 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eivion Posted April 9 Share Posted April 9 3 hours ago, Stefanie Sparkleface said: This is such an important role to have, and I hope she embraces it because she's fantastic at it. Every division needs a random thorn in the side and I really enjoy her as being a nuisance that a newer wrestler pummels to establish themselves. She loves the role. She is one of the few wrestlers around who just wants to be a character opposed to being the world champ. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curt McGirt Posted April 9 Share Posted April 9 Watched the Dragunov match. I bet him and Shinsuke have a series in them, or would make a great tag pair. They're both really good at stiff work and ridiculous emoting. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cobra Commander Posted April 9 Share Posted April 9 I’m surprised to find that Dragunov has never worked any matches in Japan because he seems like a guy who would have fared very well there in several eras 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greggulator Posted April 9 Share Posted April 9 2 hours ago, Eivion said: She loves the role. She is one of the few wrestlers around who just wants to be a character opposed to being the world champ. Best role you can have for long-term work, too. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliff Hanger Posted April 9 Share Posted April 9 Chelsea also has the very best part of the very goofy women's story mode in this year's WWE game, in a side story where Spoiler she becomes the exhausted main character's personal assistant, fucks everything up, gets bored and hires Tiffany Stratton to be HER personal assistant. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HumanChessgame Posted April 9 Share Posted April 9 51 minutes ago, Cobra Commander said: I’m surprised to find that Dragunov has never worked any matches in Japan because he seems like a guy who would have fared very well there in several eras I also looked his record up after this as the match with Nakamura made me think he'd be a natural there. As good as it was to see Ilya and Roxanne on the main roster I wondered the point of it considering they're both still champs and obviously not getting called up. Then again Bron was drafted to Smackdown and is still a tag champ. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hail Sabin Posted April 9 Share Posted April 9 12 minutes ago, Cliff Hanger said: Chelsea also has the very best part of the very goofy women's story mode in this year's WWE game, in a side story where Hide contents she becomes the exhausted main character's personal assistant, fucks everything up, gets bored and hires Tiffany Stratton to be HER personal assistant. Spoiler Conan's assistant did that in real life. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jrag Posted April 10 Share Posted April 10 (edited) They sucked me back in temporarily with how great that WM main event was. Count me in the group that loved that opening segment. Too long yes, but Rock clearly wanted to hit a few story beats and decided the only way he was going to be able to get there was to let the crowd wear themselves out. They broke the 3 million mark so I suppose he was right to slow play it. Anyways, I loved it because Rock was doing some very off standard wrestling stuff. Asking to hold the belt didn’t lead to the usual wrestling result. He reacted to holding the belt how a billionaire would react to something he can’t buy. Always wanting more, I imagine, isn’t all that fulfilling, but it definitely makes for an intriguing heel character trait. Edited April 10 by Jrag 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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