RAW Superthread

Loughc

https://twitter.com/wweromanreigns/status/844043333831983107

Even his tweets are douchey.

Lord TSC

Agent Coulson wrote: »

Seriously I wish to fcuk they would stop chanting CM Punk every week it's not even funny.

I usually dont mind them as protest chants, but come on! Sami is standing right there, trying to get himself over. He's exactly the type of guy Punk would want to be getting the crowd going. Chant for Sami ****ing Zayn. All they do is make it clear the fans don't care about him.

I was thinking this yesterday while watching some of Bryan's matches at mania 30. The crowd got behind him in a massive, massive way, and WWE were forced to push him. So why is it that the crowds don't realise if they did that for Zayn too, or Cesaro, or whoever else, then they'd get pushed too?

The Punk chants really, really annoyed me, because they absolutely **** all over Zayn, a guy who the Punk chants originally were meant to shine a focus on (in terms of, "**** you Steph, this is the type of guy we want!")

Frank O. Pinion

I like Sami Zayn, but what is his gimmick? Hipster douchebag? Vegan lumberjack? I don't know, and the crowds don't care.

Agent Coulson

So Big E had his little joke at Woods with dubbed over cheering fans.

J. Marston

Frank O. Pinion wrote: »

I like Sami Zayn, but what is his gimmick? Hipster douchebag? Vegan lumberjack? I don't know, and the crowds don't care.

Generic Ginger. "I fight for what's right!"

Sami Zzzzzzayn.

sky88

taker/roman i do not have good feelings for that match.

taker doesnt look like hes moving too good

IngazZagni

Disappointing Raw with a disappointing crowd that really let themselves down. The CM Punk chants are pathetic and they were highly disrespectful during the Bayley match which was quite good.
There were so many video packages and not enough fresh content I felt. 2 weeks out from Mania I felt this should have been full of new action and next week have the final hype.

Lithium93_

The CM Punk chants are like (insert whatever STD/STI here), actually no wait those can be gotten rid off, the chants not so much, their a scourge/pain in the ass, when are people gonna realize/cop on that Punk and the WWE and I can't believe I'm quoting Taylor Swift lyrics here "Never ever getting back together".

The man has moved on to other things, (mainly taking a whooping in the UFC and collecting his fat check and laughing all to way to the bank). Instead of cheering for someone who literally walked out, those chanting his name should focus their energy on those who are there busting their asses off night after night trying to get themselves over with the crowds.

/Rant

briany

Lord TSC wrote: »

I was thinking this yesterday while watching some of Bryan's matches at mania 30. The crowd got behind him in a massive, massive way, and WWE were forced to push him. So why is it that the crowds don't realise if they did that for Zayn too, or Cesaro, or whoever else, then they'd get pushed too?

It would be nice for Zayn if the Brooklyn crowd got behind him, but that wouldn't make a lot of difference if he inspired a tepid reaction from a less smarky crowd in other weeks. Thing about someone like Bryan was that he was getting that reaction week to week. That's where a lot of people like Cesaro and Zayn are falling slightly short at the moment.

It's such a fascinating thing what makes a wrestler suddenly become massively and enduringly popular. It can be a catchphrase, a match, a moment or a combination of all three. For all the stick McMahon gets, this is what I feel he's getting at when talking about a wrestler connecting with the fans. There's also the thing of sticking up for yourself and your creative direction in the back.

martyos121

Austin Aries' impression of a Geordie accent was the best thing about Raw.

Mr.Nice Guy

Lord TSC wrote: »

I usually dont mind them as protest chants, but come on! Sami is standing right there, trying to get himself over. He's exactly the type of guy Punk would want to be getting the crowd going. Chant for Sami ****ing Zayn. All they do is make it clear the fans don't care about him.

I was thinking this yesterday while watching some of Bryan's matches at mania 30. The crowd got behind him in a massive, massive way, and WWE were forced to push him. So why is it that the crowds don't realise if they did that for Zayn too, or Cesaro, or whoever else, then they'd get pushed too?

The Punk chants really, really annoyed me, because they absolutely **** all over Zayn, a guy who the Punk chants originally were meant to shine a focus on (in terms of, "**** you Steph, this is the type of guy we want!")

I thought it was a damning indictment of their booking.

There you have Zayn who is maybe number two or three babyface in the company (as far as regular performers go), squaring off against the most loathed character on the show, and what do the fans do? They chant for a guy who isn't even on the show anymore. That tells me the audience have absolutely no faith in any of the good guys on this show getting any sort of payback on Stephanie. And honestly, the fans are right in that regard; in fact we saw that as Zayn ended up getting decisively beaten by Joe.

Stephanie never, ever, gets her comeuppance. The last time I can recall it happening was Vickie dumping her in that slime years ago. Everyone in the audience now knows Stephanie will always get the last laugh so they have taken to chanting for Punk because they know it's one of the few ways they can get under her skin.

I really don't understand why she herself doesn't advocate for coming off second best every once in a while. She got humiliated loads of times in the Attitude Era by the likes of Austin, Rock, Jericho, Foley, and it never hurt her character. Why can't she give the babyfaces a bit of a chance to get over at her expense. Her husband is held up as this genius of creative, so why isn't he making sure it happens. I can only conclude it's pure ego on their part.

Lithium93_

Stephanie on UpUpDownDown > Stephanie we see on television every week.

A Brad Maddox Guy

There's only a handful of WWE wrestlers that I will watch almost every segment they're in across RAW & Smackdown and Sami Zayn is not one of those. He's clearly a good wrestler but his character has done nothing for me ever since he got called up. Last night I switched on RAW and saw Sami in the ring with Foley & Steph, decided to forget about it once Zayn vs Joe was announced - I watched this fight at Fast Lane, I don't need to see it again two weeks later. So in terms of crowds not getting behind Sami, personally speaking he's given me no reason to yet.

Lord TSC wrote: »

I was thinking this yesterday while watching some of Bryan's matches at mania 30. The crowd got behind him in a massive, massive way, and WWE were forced to push him. So why is it that the crowds don't realise if they did that for Zayn too, or Cesaro, or whoever else, then they'd get pushed too?

The comparison to Bryan doesn't wash for me either; Bryan was a successful underdog, an unlikable heel, a funny heel transitioning into highly entertaining tag team face and finally the breakout star when WWE fully got behind him (Bryan was the one who ended The Shield's unbeaten run and repeatedly beat Orton on his way to being over. It was only when WWE tried to depush him in favour of Batista that fans took over.) Also Bryan was on the main roster for a few years before this happened, slightly different with NXT being much more streamlined but Sami is still only on the roster a year now and it's hard to make that instant connection with fans.

I'll stress that I do like Sami Zayn, I loved watching him on NXT and hope he does get over to Daniel Bryan or CM Punk levels. But I'm not going to complain about fans not cheering him (or chanting CM Punk as annoying as that can be) when I myself would rather go to bed than sit up an extra 20 mins to watch him.

Cesaro I can get behind. He's gotten over multiple times and I do think if WWE get behind him he can make them a lot of money.

Ben Gadot

The problem for me with Zayn is that they don't know what to do with him. That in turn makes the crowd not know how to react.....or not care.

No-one likes uncertainty and the show seems to be smothered by it in general. Now if this was the start of something Zayn could build on it but in all likeliness he'll be nowhere near Stephanie next week.

Stephanie needs to take a step back I think at this stage from the camera for awhile as no one is benefitting from her presence week to week. Not the roster, either male or female and certainly not the audience. After WM let Triple H run with the prospect of a stable of lackeys.

Agent Coulson

Steph & HHH need to take a break off TV for a year or two and let the talent sink or swim but that won't happen.

SureYWouldntYa

Lithium93_ wrote: »

Stephanie on UpUpDownDown > Stephanie we see on television every week.

Same as with HHH, there's 2 sides to both of them and the good sides are damn good but the bad sides are bloody awful

They really should have stayed away after SS 2014, they were only starting to outstay their welcome at that time but another 2 years has been mostly torture

It's really weird seeing her demean people week in week out on Raw and then when it's corporate Steph it's all "be a star"

briany

A Brad Maddox Guy wrote: »

Cesaro I can get behind. He's gotten over multiple times and I do think if WWE get behind him he can make them a lot of money.

After Wrestlemania 30, they put him with Paul Heyman. Having Heyman as your manager is not something the WWE reserve for peons, but one of the biggest nods you can get in the company, in both kayfabe and real terms. That pretty much fell flat, though.

Looking at people like Heath Slater and James Ellsworth, I do believe that there is a lot of scope for getting over in the WWE, but the onus is on the performer to do something that connects with the fans in such a way that their popularity is too great for the company to ignore. From there, great things can happen.

Looking at Jericho - he went from a well-liked and well-respected veteran babyface, stuck in what initially seemed like a placeholder angle with KO. From there he coined two new catchphrases and people are going absolutely nuts over him. Him, and his feud with KO, are the hottest thing going in the company right now and the most anticipated match at WM.

ricero

Would love eric bischoff back as the new GM or kurt angle

PTH2009

ricero wrote: »

Would love eric bischoff back as the new GM or kurt angle

The power struggle with the authority is going to happen eventually too whoever takes the GM role

Angle takes over the role at mania and at around Summerslam or survivor series time it becomes heated between Him and Stephnaie (no mention of there goofy love angle during the late Attitude era) and leads too Angle vs Triple H with the winner taking full control of raw and other getting fired etc

riffmongous

briany wrote: »

After Wrestlemania 30, they put him with Paul Heyman. Having Heyman as your manager is not something the WWE reserve for peons, but one of the biggest nods you can get in the company, in both kayfabe and real terms. That pretty much fell flat, though.

I don't think that was anything to do with Cesaro himself though, my memory of that is him coming out with Heyman and Heyman doing a promo on Brock while Caesaro just stands there. Same thing each week.. I'd be surprised if Heyman even said a single word about Cesaro

Itssoeasy

Agent Coulson wrote: »

Steph & HHH need to take a break off TV for a year or two and let the talent sink or swim but that won't happen.

As Jim cornette says "how can I miss you if you won't go away."

princemuzzy

PTH2009 wrote: »

The power struggle with the authority is going to happen eventually too whoever takes the GM role

Angle takes over the role at mania and at around Summerslam or survivor series time it becomes heated between Him and Stephnaie (no mention of there goofy love angle during the late Attitude era) and leads too Angle vs Triple H with the winner taking full control of raw and other getting fired etc

this but with angle vs joe

SureYWouldntYa

princemuzzy wrote: »

this but with angle vs joe

That was seen plenty of times in TNA, Kurt will only have a handful of matches in WWE if at all, they should be reserved for the likes of Owens, Zayn, Balor, Rollins imo

Bounty Hunter

SureYWouldntYa wrote: »

That was seen plenty of times in TNA, Kurt will only have a handful of matches in WWE if at all, they should be reserved for the likes of Owens, Zayn, Balor, Rollins imo

Rusev has to try to Machka Kurt, especially if say he was to replace Foley as Raw GM.

SureYWouldntYa

Bounty Hunter wrote: »

Rusev has to try to Machka Kurt, especially if say he was to replace Foley as Raw GM.

Him too, there's so many names for him to face before those he's faced before like Joe, Styles, Cena

princemuzzy

SureYWouldntYa wrote: »

That was seen plenty of times in TNA, Kurt will only have a handful of matches in WWE if at all, they should be reserved for the likes of Owens, Zayn, Balor, Rollins imo

not saying its what should happen more what i think will happen

plus take him and joe than hhh and him having a terrible ****e match ala sting/hh wrestlemania

ERG89

Bounty Hunter wrote:

Rusev has to try to Machka Kurt, especially if say he was to replace Foley as Raw GM.

Sounds like a dodgy eastern bloc Mario Kart rom

SureYWouldntYa

princemuzzy wrote: »

not saying its what should happen more what i think will happen

plus take him and joe than hhh and him having a terrible ****e match ala sting/hh wrestlemania

True that, one of the reasons I said I didn't want to see Joe/Angle is because we've seen it already, big ditto for HHH/Angle

There's something so sh1t about missing out on potential great matches because they wanted to do something again just because, matches like HBK/Rock or Austin/Hogan could have happened but will always be relegated to fantasy

Bounty Hunter

ERG89 wrote: »

Sounds like a dodgy eastern bloc Mario Kart rom

I can totally imagine Rusev as Bowser in a WWE version of Mario Kart

Lithium93_

Good brothers and sister, (hat tip to Liz). It's Mania week folks, here's your preview for the go home show for The Ultimate Thrill Ride :pac:, what's in store, well read on..

Goldberg and Brock Lesnar, under the same roof
Universal Champion Goldberg has exuded confidence during his recent encounters with Brock Lesnar, but after absorbing a ring-shaking F-5 the night after WWE Fastlane, the WCW icon might not be as sure of himself when he stands across the ring from The Beast Incarnate at WrestleMania, where Raw’s most elite prize will be on the line.

Six nights before The Ultimate Thrill Ride that is WrestleMania 33, Goldberg and Lesnar’s paths will cross in Philadelphia. Will these raging bulls lock horns on the final Raw before their battle on The Grandest Stage of Them All?

Will Seth Rollins sign Triple H’s Hold Harmless Agreement?
Even though his doctors shudder at the thought, the recently injured Seth Rollins is set on coming to WrestleMania to settle the score with Triple H, the man who masterminded Samoa Joe’s assault on The Architect’s right knee back in January.

Because of that heinous ambush, Rollins was expected to miss this year’s WrestleMania entirely — and Triple H’s subsequent assault on the injured knee earlier this month only bolstered those doubts. Yet, in light of the WWE Universe’s continued support for The Architect, The Game has extended an offer to the would-be “Kingslayer”: If Rollins signs a Hold Harmless Agreement this coming Monday night, he will face The Cerebral Assassin in a Non-Sanctioned Match at WrestleMania.

Should Rollins sign the document, neither Triple H nor WWE will be legally responsible for what happens to the recovering Superstar. Is Rollins willing to risk it all for the chance at retribution against The King of Kings? We’ll find out on Raw.

Can Bayley rebound before WrestleMania’s Fatal 4-Way Match?
It’s not often that one goes into WrestleMania as both a champion and an underdog, but that seems to be the case for Bayley. After being defeated by both Sasha Banks and Nia Jax in recent weeks, what could have been a one-on-one title defense against Charlotte Flair has transformed into a perilous Fatal 4-Way Match, where she has only a 25 percent chance of retaining her prize.

After suffering a decisive loss to Jax this past Monday night, The Huggable One will need to pick up some key momentum before the biggest match of her career during The Ultimate Thrill Ride. Can Bayley’s positive attitude propel her past her recent defeats as WrestleMania fast approaches?

Raw left without a General Manager
This past Monday night, Raw Commissioner Stephanie McMahon unceremoniously ousted General Manager Mick Foley, using the two words that seem to come naturally to members of her family: “You’re fired!”

Now, mere days before WrestleMania, Raw is left without a GM, and with so many high-profile Team Red matches at The Ultimate Thrill Ride on April 2, one wonders if Stephanie is looking for someone new to quickly fill the vacant position, or if she will take on the responsibilities of running the show herself, as she did on Monday after Foley was forced to leave the building. Either way, Raw’s management — or lack thereof — should prove interesting in Philadelphia this Monday night.

Can Chris Jericho get even with Kevin Owens following last week’s attack
On a special edition of “The Highlight Reel,” United States Champion Chris Jericho exposed Kevin Owens as a longtime “Fan of Jericho” who idolized The Ayatollah of Rock ‘n’ Rollah as a teenager. This revelation didn’t exactly sit well with The Prizefighter, who ambushed his former best friend before destroying “The List of Jericho.”

Moments later, Owens told WWE.com that even though he was entertained by Jericho growing up, their U.S. Title Match at WrestleMania “is not going to be about entertainment” and that the WWE Universe will be “absolutely disturbed” by what he does to Jericho. Given Owens’ actions and harsh words this past Monday night, how will the U.S. Champion respond in Philadelphia?

Has The Undertaker gotten inside Roman Reigns’ head?
The Undertaker emerged in Brooklyn to strike fear into the heart of Roman Reigns, but The Big Dog was ready, delivering a thunderous Spear that left The Deadman dazed … but only for a moment

Like a scene out of a slasher flick, The Undertaker snapped up from the supine position and rose to his feet, letting The Big Dog know, in no uncertain terms, that it will take more than a Spear to keep The Phenom off his feet. As an eerie mist surrounded him on the entrance ramp, Reigns gazed awestruck at his otherworldly WrestleMania opponent. Perhaps this isn’t Reigns’ yard after all.

SKY SPORTS 5 - 01:00 a.m