RAW 19-9-16

Lithium93_

The go home show for the first RAW only PPV Clash Of Champions.. After their respective shenanigans in the main event last week, Seth Rollins and Rusev square off (expecting shenanigans from messers Reigns & Owens as retribution).


Seth Rollins must battle Rusev on Raw!
Raw General Manager Mick Foley might seem like a cuddly teddy bear of a man, especially if you’ve been binge-watching Holy Foley (holy crap it's unbearable) on WWE Network lately. But don’t forget that the heart of a Hardcore Legend still beats below the Santa Claus shirts and tweed blazers. Seth Rollins woke up a little bit of Cactus Jack in Foley last Monday night when he not only questioned the Raw GM’s integrity, but outwardly defied the Team Red authority figure by interfering in the main event bout between Roman Reigns and WWE Universal Champion Kevin Owens. Then again, so did United States Champion Rusev. Now, both Superstars must pay the price.

WWE.com has learned that there will be major fallout as a result of Rollins and Rusev's actions which helped deny Reigns his proper opportunity to join the WWE Universal Title Match at Clash of Champions. The punishment? The Architect must go one-on-one with The Bulgarian Brute on Monday night! Who will survive this absolute match of mayhem?

And while we’re on the subject, after being locked in Rusev’s excruciating Accolade submission hold, what retribution might Reigns have in store for The Super Athlete?

The Cruiserweights arrive on Raw
Outlasting 31 other competitors from all around the globe, the charismatic T.J. Perkins emerged as the winner of the Cruiserweight Classic Wednesday night, and will bring the WWE Cruiserweight Championship to Raw in Memphis … but he won’t be alone.

WWE.com can confirm that the following Cruiserweights are also joining Team Red:

Brian Kendrick
Rich Swann
Gran Metalik
Cedric Alexander
Lince Dorado
Noam Dar

Who will we see on the Cruiserweights’ first night on Monday night’s hottest show? You won’t want to miss any of the action as a new division ignites Raw’s New Era.

Cesaro looks to even up the Best of Seven Series in Match No. 6
Don’t call it a comeback. With two straight wins against Sheamus in their Best of Seven Series, Cesaro cemented his reputation as one of Team Red’s most resilient Superstars, shaking Sheamus’ confidence in the process. He’s also among the most crafty, using the ropes as leverage — when the referee wasn’t looking — to steal that second win this past Monday night.

With the score now at 3-2, The Swiss Superman is just one victory away from evening up the series. If he can defeat The Celtic Warrior just once more, he’ll force the competition to go to Match No. 7. Will Cesaro’s whatever-it-takes attitude prove effective Monday night, or will Sheamus halt The King of Swing’s momentum with one swift Brogue Kick?

Are the walls closing in on Charlotte?
Defeating both Bayley and Dana Brooke this past Monday night, Sasha Banks protected her place in Clash of Champions’ Raw Women’s Title Match, and will aim to reclaim the prize she lost at SummerSlam and wipe the smug smile off Charlotte’s face in the process.

With The Boss closing in, Charlotte is also entrenched in ongoing drama with her protégé Dana, who slapped Raw’s “Queen Bee” across the face last week in a shocking show of rebellion. Brooke might have apologized later on — moments after losing the night’s No. 1 Contender’s Triple Threat Match — but the damage has surely been done. Can Charlotte keep it together as her rematch with Sasha Banks approaches?

SKY SPORTS 5 - 01:00 AM

Agent Coulson

So will we get a mini Cruiserweight tournament tonight I wonder to introduce these guys to the general audience.

johnnyryan89

Agent Coulson wrote: »

So will we get a mini Cruiserweight tournament tonight I wonder to introduce these guys to the general audience.

More then likely be a six pack challenge match. Hopefully Smackdown gets some cruiserweights too as have no faith in Raws creative team doing anything worthwhile with them.

ERG89

johnnyryan89 wrote: »

More then likely be a six pack challenge match. Hopefully Smackdown gets some cruiserweights too as have no faith in Raws creative team doing anything worthwhile with them.

They have the same creative teams. But yeah they'd be a better fit & are needed more on Smackdown.

johnnyryan89

ERG89 wrote: »

They have the same creative teams. But yeah they'd be a better fit & are needed more on Smackdown.

Do they? Thought they had different writers but obviously Vincent had final say on what happens. Yeah I think Cedric Alexander would be perfect for Smackdown and would have a better chance of making it as a main event guy on the blue brand.

JP Liz V1

I thought we would have a tag match Reigns/Rollins Vs. Owens/Rusev, I suppose still could Holla Holla

CastorTroy

But how can they co-exist?

Agent Coulson

The big giant cardboard cutout of Piers Morgan's head lol

Mr.Nice Guy

I'm sick of this Steph/Foley act already. Why is she the one member of that family who never feckin' leaves? :mad:

johnnysmack

They've corporated/corporisationed/corporised (whatever the appropriate word is) Kevin Owens. Coming out in suits ever since he won the title.

J. Marston

Seth is throwing his shirt to fans now.

irish_stevo815

Guessing Jericho's mystery guest will be The Miz!!

Neil3030

Steel cage match... Rollins diving off the stage... Wow, the ratings drop really lit a fire. I wouldn't be surprised if they bring back evening gown matches at this rate.

Neil3030

Jericho made me lol with that "GET OUT OF MY WAY" off camera.

Mr.Nice Guy

Hope the Cruiserweights don't get given the death spot in the third hour.

ERG89

Neil3030 wrote: »

Jericho made me lol with that "GET OUT OF MY WAY" off camera.

Him lying down on the ground last week introducing Zayn was probably the funniest thing I've seen in wwe in years (Ric Flair wrapping Big E's head perfectly with a swing of a jacket was the last, pure Naked Gun like funny). Amazing how much funnier he is than try hards like Enzo n Cass, Gallows and Anderson and the New Day. I'm not even a Jericho fan then saying that.

Mr.Nice Guy

Oh good. Steph emasculating the top talent again.

'Let's go jobber' is one of the better chants of late.

Neil3030

ERG89 wrote: »

Him lying down on the ground last week introducing Zayn was probably the funniest thing I've seen in wwe in years (Ric Flair wrapping Big E's head perfectly with a swing of a jacket was the last, pure Naked Gun like funny). Amazing how much funnier he is than try hards like Enzo n Cass, Gallows and Anderson and the New Day. I'm not even a Jericho fan then saying that.

Dare I say it... the best thing in WWE at the moment? I know there's a lot of love for AJ so that might be a bit controversial...

Neil3030

Oh for the love of Christ... opening line introducing the cruiserweights and Foley references their size.... :mad: :mad:

Lord TSC

I really am not gone on whats happening with Raw at all.

Seth's in-ring ability as a face is great, but his segments are a disaster for a babyface. He comes across like a bitch when he's moaning to Steph about HHH, and I find it very hard to get behind a crybaby who is saying "Why you no love me anymore, heel?". Owens, meanwhile, is a heel who is being screwed round by the face Foley, being forced to fight a ****ing cage match the show before a PPV. Worse, he's losing to a guy competing for the US title, and who is being booed. For a heel, I feel way, way more sorry and sympathetic to Owens than I do to Seth "Waa waa" Rollins.

Owens, as a person, is great, and I love when he's on the mic. He's just been booked poorly.

And thats ignoring the fact that there's barely any story between him and Seth; Owens has spent far more time talking about or to Reigns, Jericho and Zayn than he has Rollins. Their match is more focused around stories with other people than each other.

CWs were great, but it's a shame they are rushing TBK's story. They should have spent a few weeks building TBK up the same way the CWC did, pushing this as his "last chance", etc. He's a grand fallguy for Perkins, but there's a compelling story they are missing on because there's less than a week till the PPV.

Overall, I feel the PPV has been built up so, so poorly.

Neil3030

The filler just makes your eyes bleed. Pretty much anytime anything happens, an authority figure needs to introduce it in a promo or backstage segment, where they hog the limelight. Like Bayley's first Raw pop, totally squashed by having Foley introduce her. The Cruiserweights introduced (clumsily) by Foley, meant everyone was bored by the time Rich Swan's music hit. Even last night's opening match - why did that need a lead in promo segment? Just start the match and have the commentators explain why it's taking place. Then after the match have a promo between Rollins and Owens and, oh, I don't know, let two really over guys have some mic time?

I'm almost expecting Mick Foley to introduce each commercial during the breaks.

"Ladies and Gentlemen your commissioner, Mick Foley"
Mick: "Americans have plenty of choice in their mobile phone provider, but one company claims it can do it better than anyone else, let's see what Verizon has to say for themselves in their latest television commercial"

And the infuriating thing is, they pad out the show with all the authority filler, and then go and waste TEN guys in a massive tag match?? That's three storylines just shoved together: New Day vs Club, Zayn v Jericho, Enzo & Cas v Shining Stars. Granted, Jericho aside, it was never going to be prime time material, but it's still three PPV matches that got minimal build, and about 30 minutes of airtime that could have been filled. But nah, let's have Mick and Stephanie talking to someone/themselves for 25 minutes instead, and just lump these lads in a 5-minute 10-man tag match.

J. Marston

So the guy who is fighting for the US belt on Sunday just beat the Universal champ in a cage match?

Way to make Owens look like a chump.

Neil3030

J. Marston wrote: »

So the guy who is fighting for the US belt on Sunday just beat the Universal champ in a cage match?

Way to make Owens look like a chump.

It basically stroked the two biggest egos in the company - Vince's guy looked strong, while also strengthening the idea that Owens is champ merely because HHH said so.

Although it may also mean Rusev and Owens going over on Sunday....

Mr.Nice Guy

I thought it was a disappointing episode of Raw, especially considering it was a go-home show for the PPV.

Seth Rollins has not been built well in this babyface turn. Last week Foley angrily told him they had to go back and 'have a talk' after he interfered in the match and that there would be consequences. Yeah, because you want a top babyface to be spoken to like he's an unruly child. I'm confused though why the consequences were that he would have to face Rusev in a match. That'll teach 'im...er, nothing. And Seth having his ass handed to him by Steph verbally just makes him look like a geek again.

I enjoy big guys squashing jobbers when done well. I can happily watch videos of Vader in WCW just destroying guys. But Strowman ain't Vader. And hearing Michael Cole talking about his great athleticism after he runs a moderate pace and catches a guy in a powerslam...oh boy. It just made me long for the days when the big men had talent. Hell, a young Big Show when he was The Giant had twice the talent Strowman possesses.

The Charlotte/Dana Brooke thing...why are the WWE so intent on pushing Dana Brooke? They seem to think they have the next Trish Stratus on their hands but she is way less over than Sasha or Bayley, and far less of a worker. I'm tired of this taking precedence over clearly better workers. I didn't like Bayley getting pinned either as it feels too early to me and I REALLY hope they don't give Bayley the belt yet as it's definitely too early for that. Bayley needs a long chase for that belt and ideally to win it at Mania.

Bo Dallas...I could tolerate him as a quirky lower card gimmick but this push is not going to go anywhere. He's showing more intensity but he still has the goofy music and the sign making him look like a fool. This is going to flop obviously. The only way I think Bo can be rehabilitated to any degree is to stick him with brother Bray and make him a Wyatt.

I quite liked the Sheamus/Cesaro match. The end sequence was a little off but the fans were into it and the final match could be very good at the PPV.

I liked the Jericho interaction with Foley but the big tag match was confusing. You get ten guys out there for a match and have it go five minutes? What a waste.

The Cruiserweight match was fun but I feel like they could have positioned this better and maybe had it at the top of the second hour, having built up to it for the first hour. Foley introducing it was not ideal (and with the paper to remind you these guys are not stars) and I don't think Kendrick was the right name to win. This felt like a Vince McMahon call - go with the guy he knows out of the four. And not introducing the champ TJ Perkins was especially idiotic. Most of their audience wouldn't have watched the Cruiserweight Classic so introduce the guy and have him put over the belt and make it mean something. Match-wise this was good but presentation-wise, no good.

The main event just screamed, 'our ratings took a dive so bring out the cage, damn it.' I actually don't hate Reigns like some do and I like his work (and I think the booing is so passe at this stage) but I've two main issues with this: 1) he should not have kicked out of Kevin Owens's finisher in a nothing match on Raw and 2) he should not be beating the Universal champion unless he is going to be facing the champion, which he won't as he's facing the US champ at the PPV.

This just came across to me like Owens is winning at the PPV so they need to do the usual 'have the guy who's winning lose the week before' bullsh*t and Reigns is probably losing to Rusev through some shenanigans, so to keep Reigns strong they decided to have him win here. If you're in a corner, why book the match at all then?

Here's an alternative: have Reigns team with Sami Zayn to take on Chris Jericho and Rusev in a tag match. Have Reigns pin either guy. That way you get to keep Reigns strong going into the PPV and you don't have your Universal champ do a job for a guy HE'S NOT GOING TO FACE AT THE PPV (and you can protect his finisher too).

I expect Clash of Champions to be a good show but this Raw didn't help it.

CastorTroy

I didn't understand what Reigns meant when he would never see HHH again. It didn't seem to be said in a "He'll probably not show up to face me" way but more in a "He's on a different show" or "He left" or "I'm leaving" type way. Very matter of fact.

Would've liked HHH be the one who introduced the Cruiserweights, or even Corey.

Ben Gadot

I don't mind Kendrick winning, we know what he is like at this stage and that's to be the old hand of the division. It allows TJ to have the spotlight against a guy who very much knows his character and role.

The rest of the guys can be given time to establish their own characters in the meantime.

Lithium93_

Whatculture WTF Moments

Agent Coulson

A small drop in viewers over last week.

sky88

There truly becoming even more delusional if there trying to make dana one of the top faces. She's very bad

ShagNastii

Only catching the odd show. How'd they play out HHH turning on Seth and siding with Owens to win him the title?

CastorTroy

Since I saw someone asking in another froum, what's the story with Neville? I know there was talk of him being part of the cruiserweight division, but since they have loads for that, where could he go?

J. Marston

Agent Coulson wrote: »

A small drop in viewers over last week.

Saw it mentioned on Reddit that next week they'll be going up against Monday Night Football and the Presidential debate so it could seriously tank next week.

Lord TSC

ShagNastii wrote: »

Only catching the odd show. How'd they play out HHH turning on Seth and siding with Owens to win him the title?

HHH hasn't been seen since, so there's been no explanation. Seth has been moaning to Steph about it, while she cries ignorance.

At a guess, we'll get a replay at the PPV this weekend with HHH helping Owens again, and then a promo on Raw next week from him.

DM_7

CastorTroy wrote: »

Since I saw someone asking in another froum, what's the story with Neville? I know there was talk of him being part of the cruiserweight division, but since they have loads for that, where could he go?

Smackdown!