The Official UKFF RAW Thread...

[Onyx2]

It was nice to see one of the UKFF mods represented in the crowd.

 

[visitor from another forum]

I find it mad that people have been blind to the long term game they are playing,The story has been built brilliantly leading to this showdown with Triple H.

 

Wasn't it supposed to be CM Punk vs HHH at Wrestlemania though? It's hardly a long term game when they've changed their plans due to unforeseen circumstances.

 

There is no long term plan for Bryan, they seem to be throwing shit at a turnbuckle and seeing what sticks. The half arsed joining the Wyatts for a week was mental. It served no purpose for Bryan or The Wyatts.

 

I also don't think that the Bryan HHH match has been built particularly well. Hunter seems to have had a whale of a time at his smarmy best with lines like

 

'Solid B star'

'great little worker'

and of course

'you're not worthy of me'

 

Bryans response has been to stamp his feet over and over and say I am so, I am so worthy of you. Listen to the fans. I am so.

I think you should go back to the other forum.

 

Cutting edge stuff and highly original.

Bravo sir.

[ShortOrderCook]

The half arsed joining the Wyatts for a week was mental. It served no purpose for Bryan or The Wyatts.

 

It did wonders for both.

 

Hunter seems to have had a whale of a time at his smarmy best with lines like

 

'Solid B star'

'great little worker'

and of course

'you're not worthy of me'

 

Indeed he is and rightly so, it's worked wonderfully in riling up fans in the right way and getting those same fans more and more behind Danny B+. I get Iuns point, but the reason why this works and why D-Bry isn't coming across as moanyarse whinger is because he is completely representing the opinion the WWE Universe already have. He is the voice of the voiceless. They are very much living vicariously through him as he vents their frustrations and the Yes/No chants are a great way of doing that and telling that story and showing their massive support. Also, D-Bry has always prided himself on being a wrestler, getting shit done in the ring because that's what this is all about and he believes and the fans believe he's fucking good at that shit. That's been the story with him ever since the weak link stuff and that character has been stayed true to. Jumping whoever would be uncharacteristic of this Daniel Bryan, he wants to prove himself in the ring and he continuously does so. He knows he can and should be WWE World champion and wants to do it the right way no matter how much injustice he is faced with and the fans respect the shit out of him for it. He also knows he can beat Triple H and deep down Triple H (and maybe Shawn Michaels) know it too. Triple H laughs it off and claims he only wrestles A+ players these days, but he knows Daniel is good and wouldn't dare embarrass himself by entertaining the idea of wrestling him or letting him feature in something big at WrestleMania because he's not the sort of guy he wants representing the company.

 

The booking of the Rumble and Batista may not have been intentional in building Danny Bry and further developing the story but it's worked majestically in doing so and I think they are going to run with the obvious story, just not make that obvious quite yet. WrestleMania XXX has to end with the happy Christmas time ending. That's WrestleMania tradition but particularly at WMX and WMXX in a similar vein to Daniel Bryans story. The happy Christmas time ending has to be Daniel Bryan finally winning the WWE World title proper. I actually think Batista vs Orton vs Bryan is the absolute perfect way for this to go, now especially with the reactions all three men have been getting. Batista being brought in as Triple Hs other perfect face of the company and ensuring both of them feature in his WrestleMania main event by nefarious means and ensuring Daniel Bryan couldn't get in there by doing it through his undeniable abilities. I see Triple H somehow being goaded into the match through a double stipulation of some kind if DB loses that suits Trips and DB getting in the title match if he wins and some comments by Shawn Michaels getting in Triple Hs head and affecting his decision too. Or something like that.

 

Whether intentional or not, they've stumbled upon a perfect story. A perfect WrestleMania story. Everything that happened Monday tells me it's leading to that story being realised.

[Pinc]

Bryan's been a whiney, entitled bitch ever since Team Hell No ended. I like his matches and everything but I don't understand why he's so popular when he's been so consistently unlikeable for ages now. "Listen to these people, they love me!" He's done great character work in the past as well, so he's definitely capable of better. His mic work and acting have regressed massively over the last year. Back to the support groups and misogyny this year please Dan, less of the being-a-nobhead every single night.

 

Maybe I'm getting carried away by the hype (but sure isn't that the point anyway?) but in Wyatt and the Shield WWE have a core of guys who can all go on to be bonafide stars for years, I even see some crossover potential in a couple of them. Everyone talked about how promising Cena, Orton, and Batista were 10+ years ago, but even at the time it felt like we were all kidding ourselves a bit; they were always an obvious step down from the Austin/Rock/Foley generation who preceded them. Cena only eventually became a great act by virtue of his unique, polarised relationship with the live crowds, and Orton and Batista have been chronic bores for almost their entire careers (admittedly excepting those few months as a heel when Batista decided to be the best wrestler of all time for a laugh).

 

With the new lads though, there's an exciting feeling that the new era they bring in will be a big improvement on what came before them. They all have at least one or two genuinely great elements to them and loads of time to improve. They all seem pretty clever as well; I love that Rollins wrestles the style he does. He's all about the quickness and the big strikes, and it makes him a plausible threat despite his size. Big contrast to CM Punk reminding you that what you're watching is just a bit of a laugh every time he does his comically unsuitable finisher on a larger opponent.

 

On the subject of Punk, presuming he doesn't come back I reckon he might end up regretting leaving when he did. In hindsight it may prove to have been the eve of a really exciting time. If he keeps improving at his current rate I want to see Wyatt go over the 'Taker at Mania 31, I don't even care if it means we never get to see Cena/Taker at the big show. Undertaker losing the streak has seemed a daft idea since Mania 21 at the latest, but that was because there's never been anybody with the requisite youth, potential and character to be a good fit for the spot. Wyatt's starting to look like he has all three.

[Fox Piss]

Great post Pinc. Agree about Bryan (from what i've seen) and Rollins.

 

Found the HHH-Bryan bit on RAW a bit too contrived. To the point i think it will eventually hurt Bryan if it continues in that way.

Edited February 26, 2014 by Fox Piss

[Vamp]

The problem is three fold, nothing really seems to happen on WWE programming or if it does it happens again and again until wrestlemania where both the company and the fans have got it in their heads that the big moments happen which isn't completely true and means there's no development in the mean time, secondly the fans think they're smart to the business and have a huge sense of entitlement and a huge lack of patience, on the one hand they're entitled to a good show when they pay for their live ticket but they're not entitled to dictate the story, they come to watch it unfold, it's the WWE's job to measure the success of a story and change it and that leads to the third issue which is that Bryan is over like a rover but people aren't invested in him to the stage where they'll part big cash apparently. His merchandise being rubbish has nothing to do with why it wasn't selling, anyone who says that is either ignorant or being willfully so, but the reason why his merchandise is so rubbish is because the character hasn't developed to a point where they can get it across on the front of a t-shirt. Cena is a fantastic hero and his shirts with their defiant good guy slogans and equally defiant colours get over his rebellious old fashioned heroism. Austin drank beer and swore a bit. His t-shirts get that across. Daniel Bryan is what? The quality of his merchandise reflects that they don't really know. He's a guy who doesn't look like a star who wrestles and keeps being screwed over. He expresses the fact that hard work doesn't always make you a star. Which is true but difficult to market. He's the guy who people will cheer for but don't love as much as Cena or Punk who both have t-shirts that make you get avoided because you look like a mug but you wear them defiantly because that's what coolest guy ever Cena and wannabe hobo Punk do. And that lack of development is probably partly because neither the crowds nor the company is giving a chance for the character to grow. He's still just demanding things, he isn't taking them. The company is being too slow with that growth and the fans are being too impatient for that growth. Bryan should have probably done something a while ago. He shouldn't have won the belt and kept it though. Because that ends the story and it's not time yet. Partly because wrestlemania has become heralded as the one night of the year where stuff can actually happen. Which is mental but it's not just the company who's done that. That and everybody's got it in their head that the story ends with Bryan triumphantly hold the title. But that isn't wrestling. Wrestling carries on. What exactly does Bryan do when he wins the title? God knows no one wants him to face Orton again, so who? They need to position someone in that spot. Now it could very well end up being a heel Batista, which much like if you ever turn Cena heel could be problematic for the blue eyes because Batista is a cool dude. It could possibly be the Wyatt's, that's why they're with Cena to get the character development and rub that a story with him will give them, but they aren't there yet.

 

The story is far from over. And it should be. And rushing it to that tipping point, where Bryan really does do it no taksy backsies would be a mistake because if you get the timing wrong it stops. It falls flat. The high point is nullified. But the thing about stories is they have to keep moving, the characters have to keep going on a journey, Bryan seems to have stood still.

[Shane O' Mac Version 2]

I think it ages him by about 20 years personally. The goatee is a nice touch, but beyond that, when I saw a still of him about to chokeslam Brock, my immediate reaction was, "who is this grandma trying to take on the Beast?"

He's the Undertaker, not Gareth Gates. He's the Clint Eastwood of wrestling. You might want to try enjoying this a bit more. It must be shite to watch if you cant invest in the big characters.

I was just making a comment about his appearance, I love the Undertaker and Undertaker vs. Lesnar is one of the biggest matches for me in years.

 

If I seem like I'm overly negative about WWE, I apologise. The only thing I dislike about WWE right now is the presence of Batista, and it's not because I have some irrational hatred of Batista, it's just the fact that he's been undeniably shit since returning. And now they're making steps to rectify that, based on Raw's developments. Daniel Bryan is getting a big match at Wrestlemania 30, and everything involving the Shield and the Wyatts is amazing. I'm really enjoying WWE at the moment, I gave Elimination Chamber a positive review, and Raw was a strong follow-up. I had one big issue, and it's being fixed. I do remember being a bit of a buzzkill in the "things are good" topic, so I retract that and will say that things are really good in wrestling right now.

Edited February 27, 2014 by Shane O' Mac Version 2

[Carbomb]

Orton and Batista have been chronic bores for almost their entire careers (admittedly excepting those few months as a heel when Batista decided to be the best wrestler of all time for a laugh).

 

I don't agree with that at all. Orton and Batista are a bit shite now, but they've both had great periods in their careers prior to now. Orton was great as the young gun of Evolution, then later as Cena's perennial nemesis and member of Team RKO, and also later when he went full psycho and DDTed then kissed Stephanie - sure, it was derailed by shit booking, but he showed he could hold up his side of things.

 

secondly the fans think they're smart to the business and have a huge sense of entitlement and a huge lack of patience, on the one hand they're entitled to a good show when they pay for their live ticket but they're not entitled to dictate the story

 

Again, don't agree. If we follow that rationale, the crowd were hugely entitled when they got behind Cena and Batista prior to their big, first-time title wins at Mania. They were hugely entitled when they got behind Austin for WM13.

 

This is a case of someone getting over, and the crowd wanting so badly for them to win. I don't see what's wrong with that.

 

Wrestling carries on. What exactly does Bryan do when he wins the title?

 

Why is that an issue? There have been plenty of big moments that have been built up for, that we didn't know what was going to happen afterwards because we didn't care. Who cared who Cena, Batista and (without hindsight) Benoit were going to face after their big WM moment, and what they were going to do? Who cared what Warrior was going to do after he won the belt off Hogan? The moments existed for their own sake, because it's Wrestlemania, for crying out loud - it's what everything builds to.

 

This is a classic storyline of a face chasing a goal, fighting for that big, culminating moment on the big stage, and everyone cheering for him for that moment. I don't see why so many people on here are having trouble with the idea of Bryan doing what so many have done before him.

Edited February 27, 2014 by Carbomb

[IANdrewDiceClay]

Why is that an issue? There have been plenty of big moments that have been built up for, that we didn't know what was going to happen afterwards because we didn't care. Who cared who Cena, Batista and (without hindsight) Benoit were going to face after their big WM moment, and what they were going to do? Who cared what Warrior was going to do after he won the belt off Hogan?

 

This is a classic storyline of a face chasing a goal, fighting for that big, culminating moment on the big stage, and everyone cheering for him for that moment. I don't see why so many people on here are having trouble with the idea of Bryan doing what so many have done before him.

Because he's already won the belt a few times and lost it. This isn't a once in a life time thing. Its a "I wonder if they'll fuck him up like they did last summer" thing.

[Carbomb]

Why is that an issue? There have been plenty of big moments that have been built up for, that we didn't know what was going to happen afterwards because we didn't care. Who cared who Cena, Batista and (without hindsight) Benoit were going to face after their big WM moment, and what they were going to do? Who cared what Warrior was going to do after he won the belt off Hogan?

 

This is a classic storyline of a face chasing a goal, fighting for that big, culminating moment on the big stage, and everyone cheering for him for that moment. I don't see why so many people on here are having trouble with the idea of Bryan doing what so many have done before him.

Because he's already won the belt a few times and lost it. This isn't a once in a life time thing. Its a "I wonder if they'll fuck him up like they did last summer" thing.

I think that's irrelevant. Look at Punk. His win at MITB was practically a main-event re-boot. It's not about the belt, it's about riding the big wave and giving him his big moment, to finally cement his place in the main event. Sure, he could have a big moment without the belt, but the fact is the crowd want him to be The Man at WM.

[IANdrewDiceClay]

Punk's the biggest example of it. His win was big it went pair shaped for a few months and it eventually took off in 2012 when he turned heel. From Money In the Bank 2011 to the Summer of 2012, he feuded with the likes of the Miz, Dolph Ziggler, Chris Jericho and Del Rio, put Triple H over, had a feud with Kevin Nash which went nowhere and never main evented a PPV until he turned heel and was rubbing shoulders with Cena. Money in the Bank was a memorable moment. What came after was a big load of fuck all until Heyman and Punk did the Bockwinkle and Heenan act.

 

So I'd be scratching my head for months on end if after Bryan wins the world title he then loses it, wins it back, then works second from top, before turning heel. There is massive intrigue over how they handle Bryan following this title win when he gets it. Do you feud him with Orton again? Kane? Turn Batista? Put him over Cena (again)? Big Show? Everyone has in their head how he should win the belt. Its much harder to think what WWE do when he wins it.

Edited February 27, 2014 by IANdrewDiceClay

[Carbomb]

Punk's the biggest example of it. His win was big it went pair shaped for a few months and it eventually took off in 2012 when he turned heel. From Money In the Bank 2011 to the Summer of 2012, he feuded with the likes of the Miz, Dolph Ziggler, Chris Jericho and Del Rio, put Triple H over, had a feud with Kevin Nash which went nowhere and never main evented a PPV until he turned heel and was rubbing shoulders with Cena. Money in the Bank was a memorable moment. What came after was a big load of fuck all until Heyman and Punk did the Bockwinkle and Heenan act.

 

I get that, but does that mean that, just because what came afterwards was fuck-all, the big, memorable moment wasn't worth anything in itself? I agree that, should they book Bryan to win the belt (and I'm not necessarily saying they should), they should book a programme for him straight afterwards instead of doing nothing with him, but I don't think the lack of an idea for a plan should be grounds in itself for not doing it, which is what I'm getting at with Vamp's point. And besides, who's to say they haven't got anything lined up?

[IANdrewDiceClay]

#Creativebomb.

[Carbomb]

#Creativebomb.

 

Hah! But I know what that means, and I haven't suggested anything, so put that in your pipe and smoke it

[air_raid]

Re : Bryan being a whiner/bitch/knobhead - if the masses think his complaints are unjustified, they'll perceive him as a whiny little bitch. If they think his character has a valid point, he's their hero. Right now, it's the latter, for the vast majority of the people in the arenas, if not everybody posting here. I'm glad, it's nice to have at least one full-time top babyface that illicits proper unanimous positive reactions from live crowds.

 

Maybe have Austin referee Bryan/Hunter to make sure "it's fair." It's WrestleMania 30, let's have a Stunner.

 

I still want this to happen, even if the typicals will complain that it's WWE's attempt to make us think Bryan can't beat Triple H on his own. He doesn't have to Stun Trips himself, just interference runners. Kane, maybe even Steph. Or Stun Hunter after the match, to Bryan's encouragement/amusement.