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The Official UKFF RAW Thread...


d-d-d-dAz

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Another very solid episode. They're doing a good of balancing build for several shows and matches at once.

Presume this was the kick-off for a Becky/Shayna match at Mania. Wouldn't be surprised if it's earlier, and we get a rematch though. Either way, it's the next best thing to a Rousey match. Attack, Stone Cold Becky and return promo was very good. The biting angle with the very fake looking "blood" was a bit of a shame.

Building to two Lesnar matches without him being there is tricky, but they handled it well. A strong win for Ricochet and a good package was better than him talking. It's obvious he doesn't have a chance regardless but still.

McIntyre is a tricky one. They're getting him half right. Taking no shit from MVP, standing there looking like the coolest motherfucker (someone's being reading Ian's old posts on leather jackets) and headbutting the antagonist. They had to balance that with him pointing at the sign like a dork. MVP was decent in his role. I actually wouldn't mind him as a sports agent managing a stable. Probably should be on Smackdown. Do away with the fucking "lounge" though. Another of the million shit "TV chat shows" from the 00s that no-one missed.

Rollins' group (needs a name) and KO "and friends" were all good again in all their interaction. Funny, I was watching the opening segment and thinking how it would be great if Owens' hadn't been around FOREVER because as a hot up and comer, this would be a great way to watch him progress up the card. Joe is exactly the same. That was hammered home in the main when Duplicole said he's been fighting Rollins "for years". He has too. They've all been around for years. And they've missed the boat on them both.

Orton putting Hardy down was a good idea. It did hammer home how terrible they are at story telling though. If they'd done something last week where Hardy explained that he'd made up with Edge and was devastated for him, he could have come out this week and everyone would have got it. Instead, they had to stand around while he went over everything for about 5 years out of nowhere. Still, a "Lita" chant on Raw in 2020.

Lots of moving angles on the show. Plenty of good action for those who want it with Garza & Cedric, Becky & Asuka and the big 8 man. Kept little underneath things bubbling with Black, 24/7 title, etc. Not sure why they can't get the Street Profits to click though. Charisma coming out of their arses but just nothing natural feeling about them at all. Constantly messing with skits and stuff. Are they writing for them? I'd imagine sure. I'd try giving them a bit of free rein to see if something clicks. It's all a bit forced at the moment and it's such a shame.

Oh, and them Saudis sure love a random trophy.

Edited by tiger_rick
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I couldn’t disagree more. Becky Lynch vampire hunter for Wrestlemania, Sarah Logan for no apparent reason, Mojo being chumped out, twice in the same match to people who shouldn’t be on Raw right now, Matt Hardy basically saying goodbye in a promo which wasn’t well thought out, a crap MVP interview segment, Becky turning up again after driving an ambulance around after she had “a flesh wound”, an average main event. Raw is back to being crap after a good few weeks after the Rumble.

Edited by Hannibal Scorch
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21 minutes ago, Hannibal Scorch said:

Sarah Logan for no apparent reason

A pretty obvious reason, in fairness. A showcase for the NXT women's champion to further her story with Charlotte and plug Takeover. Wasn't about Sarah Logan. Not everyone is a star. It's good they get that.

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6 minutes ago, tiger_rick said:

A pretty obvious reason, in fairness. A showcase for the NXT women's champion to further her story with Charlotte and plug Takeover. Wasn't about Sarah Logan. Not everyone is a star. It's good they get that.

It felt to me it was a case of who have we got in the back that is disposable? Oh yeah, her. It's just my opinon, and you probably disagree with a lot of my comments on this weeks episode. But I thought the Shayna stuff was awful, and then for Stone Cold Becky to return to the arena later in the show, it just seemed so stupid. Amazing how hot she was following Survivor Series 2018 and watch her decline ever since in terms of popularity. Even the crowd didn't seem to care.

Also, the commentary sounded awful last night. At the beginning of the show, everyone sounded like they didn't want to be there. Was really weird.

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Just now, Hannibal Scorch said:

It felt to me it was a case of who have we got in the back that is disposable?

That's exactly what it was. Why wouldn't it be? That's how JTTS works.

Just now, Hannibal Scorch said:

But I thought the Shayna stuff was awful, and then for Stone Cold Becky to return to the arena later in the show, it just seemed so stupid. Amazing how hot she was following Survivor Series 2018 and watch her decline ever since in terms of popularity. Even the crowd didn't seem to care.

The fake blood thing was crap but the rest was OK. It's not novel but it fits Becky's character and her promo was good. The crowd do care. For all she's not as hot to us snarky bastards as she was in November 2018 or the day after the Royal Rumble 2019, she's still about the biggest babyface in the company and always gets a great reaction. That she survived the Rollins stuff last summer, and he didn't is testament to her popularity.

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I haven't jumped into the RAW thread in long, long, long while but I had to double check that WWE ran an angle where Shayna Baszler bit Becky Lynch's neck which resulted in her mouth being covered in blood. I saw the photos on Twitter and immediately assumed it was some weird Photoshop meme. 

 

Edited by Accident Prone
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Big swing and a miss with Shayna/Becky. It’s a shame cos things were building nicely. Good opening match with a great finish and Becky finally establishing a non-tapout move to go home, and Shayna pops up looking like the beast she is. Even the biting itself got a good reaction. But the obvious, super phoney looking blood just killed the segment dead. Nobody was willing to stretch their suspension of disbelief that far. Ludicrous, unnecessary stuff for such a believable arse kicker in Shayna Baszler. It says something about the good faith they’ve built back up that I don’t for a second think this them sticking a ‘hat’ on Baszler cos they don’t get her. Just a naked attempt to get people talking that misfired. Bummer.

Edited by Mr Butternut Squash
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51 minutes ago, Accident Prone said:

I haven't jumped into the RAW thread in long, long, long while but I had to double check that WWE ran an angle where Shayna Baszler bit Becky Lynch's neck which resulted in her mouth being covered in blood. I saw the photos on Twitter and immediately assumed it was some weird Photoshop meme. 

 

It’s all a build up to the Becky the Vampire Slayer merch that will no doubt be coming out. 

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It looks better in black and white than the daft screenshot I've seen from the moment.

Aside from the silliness, I'm not keen on the angle - biting a chunk out of someone's neck is establishing that you're crossing a line, and prepared to do some pretty horrific things to get what you want. That, combined with the Kirifuda Clutch, should have been an absolute kill move to establish Shayna Baszler to a wider audience as someone at least on Becky's level, and a significant threat. Having Becky play Stone Cold and honour the near 25 year tradition of WWE babyfaces commandeering vehicles just made Shayna look weaker by not having her attack even take Becky out for an entire episode of RAW. Could we not have let Lynch sell it for a week? Or even a couple of days - she could have been taken out of RAW in an ambulance, then gatecrash NXT on Wednesday night looking for Shayna. Why rush it all in a single episode?

 

I haven't even seen the angle with commentary, but all I keep thinking is how much worse it would be with Michael Cole calling it.

"Oh My! The Man Becky Lynch being taken to a Local Medical Facility, after she was left covered in a Viscous Red Liquid following a heinous assault from The Queen of Spades Shayna Baszler, Moments Ago On Monday Night RAW". 

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I love Shayna and judging by their previous promos, they should have a damn good feud. However that OTT "blood" was a terrible way of kickstarting it. It just wasn't necessary.

Also agree with Becky returning way too quickly. Give Shayna some bragging time on social media and NXT etc. Heat the audience up a bit for Lynch to come back and get her revenge. It all happened too fast, but that's WWE for you. They rarely have patience and in turn the audience don't either because they're no longer conditioned for a long build.

I do wish Becky could be as hot with the crowds for this feud as she was this time last year. Shayna is an absolute killer heel with none of that 'cool' vibe that makes some crowds get behind the heel. No nonsense. No pandering. Just going out there and kicking ass. Having such a pure heel against arguably the most popular babyface in recent years in Becky Lynch would have been something really special. Sure, I still believe it'll be a damn good watch, but the waters are a little murky with The Man in terms of character and crowd reaction compared to the height of her popularity.

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