The Official UKFF RAW Thread...

[Yakashi]

 

With the way their writers have so clearly been watching episodes of RAW from 1997 to 2001 on the Network, I wonder if Ambrose vs. Triple H will cleverly rip off that Bret Hart vs. Sid cage match prior to Wrestlemania 13.

I've always thought that was a really cool, clever match, with each guy's respective Wrestlemania opponent (Austin and Taker) helping their nemesis so as to make their match the Title match on the big show. It'd be really cool and could perhaps sow the seeds of an eventual heel turn for Ambrose or Roman if we saw Brock helping Dean and Roman helping Triple H, both attempting to ensure they're fighting for the belt at Wrestlemania.

I just think that if you're going to blatantly rip off stuff from the late 90s you might as well rip off the good stuff. Someone needs to figure out how to redo the Summerslam 97 main event finish too, because that was fucking awesome.

Wouldn't work because Ambrose already said Reigns gets the shot whatever but it doesn't necessarily have to be against Triple H.

Thought the opening segment was great. This Dean Ambrose is a fucking megastar. Once the matches start he's seriously average but does that matter? The Rock was great long before his work was. Austin was the biggest star in the business while his matches were kick-punch fests.

People seem to love Ambrose. So push him to the moon.

I just don't see it happening. I think Vince believed he gave wrestling fans a chance already with "their guy". When business numbers were poor under Daniel Bryan, it just proved to Vince that he was right and we were wrong. It doesn't matter that they booked him like shit and had him headline the historically poor markets, I'm sure that in his head he won and was "right all along". Bryan pulled significantly lower numbers than Cena and then kept getting injured because of all the 'unnecessary' physical abuse he took. Thats all the ammo he needs. Ambrose is another skinny tramp that came from the indies that only the basement dwellers care about (in their opinion). The network gives them the excuse they need not to take action. Edited March 2, 2016 by Yakashi

[Kaz Hayashi]

5 minutes of coming up..

 

How long was the come down?

 

 

 

 

 

 

.. fuck off

[NEWM]

The HHH/Ambrose match certainly ramps up discussion for possible implications on both singles matches, but it does make me wonder if last Monday's Reigns beatdown was the final fork in the road, and they're going to take both singles matches and make a fatal four way for the title. You've then effectively got two heels and faces, a guy who's never won the belt with Ambrose, three people for Brock to chuck about, and some real intrigue over the outcome.

[Yakashi]

The HHH/Ambrose match certainly ramps up discussion for possible implications on both singles matches, but it does make me wonder if last Monday's Reigns beatdown was the final fork in the road, and they're going to take both singles matches and make a fatal four way for the title. You've then effectively got two heels and faces, a guy who's never won the belt with Ambrose, three people for Brock to chuck about, and some real intrigue over the outcome.

There's still no intrigue over the outcome though and it robs the card of one of its few big matches. Unless they're completely giving up on Roman, there's no way he fails AGAIN.

[Supremo]

I'd be so gutted if they made it into a four way. Ambrose vs. Brock is one of the best feuds they've done in ages, and that match has the potential to be phenomenal. I can easily see it being this generation's Austin vs. Bret at Wrestlemania 13. Brock wins, but Dean becomes a made man coming out of it. I can't wait. The last thing I want is Hunter and Roman diluting it with their shitness.

 

They've made their bed with Triple H and Roman. They refused to see the signs, they stubbornly refused to change direction, so now they're going to just have to deal with it. It's Triple H vs. Randy Orton at Wrestlemania 25 all over again. The match is fucked before the bell even rings. The only thing that could probably save it is them shuffling the match order at Wrestlemania and putting Shane and The Undertaker on last. They'll never do it, but they should.

[Mr_Danger]

No way will they take two big matches and make it one. Given the lack of star power already with no big names returning and Cena and Rollins on the shelf they'd be making a rod for their own backs.

[NEWM]

The card would barely notice the dent. Shane/Taker will probably go 45-odd minutes and steal the show out from under everything, leaving HHH to be in a silent Mania title match at the end of the night for the 3rd time in his career. Between now and the show they'll beef it up with enough midcard dross and maybe something good with AJ Styles - or if we're super lucky, John Cena - to fill the time.

 

I'm also a big fan of what they've done with Ambrose/Lesnar, by the way, but I disagree that Ambrose will be a made man on the other side... unless he wins. He's as over as a result of this programme now as he's ever possibly going to be, because it's WWE and when Brock fucks off, Ambrose will constantly be half-pushed like he has been the last year. The fans were apeshit when he was down to the final 2 in the Rumble, and you know there's going to be a near-fall at WWE T-Junction or whatever the network special is called where we all lose our mind and think he's won the belt.

[tiger_rick]

A pensioner in wrestling terms against a middle aged business man who hasn't worked in ten years and who was an untrained spot monkey at his peak and we're talking about it going on last and going 45 minutes. Jesus fucking Christ.

 

Not claiming I've anything better, like!

[Supremo]

I'd love for Ambrose to beat Brock at Wrestlemania. For what feels like forever it's been obvious that he's got the potential to be the top guy, far moreso than Roman, but I highly doubt they're going to do it. There's too much money on the line with Lesnar.

 

It definitely feels like something has changed though. Whereas previously all of Dean's losses felt like they just made him into a loser, the way in which he's been beat down these last two weeks, but then booked to still smirk or refuse to stay down, it feels like they're either trying to turn him around or are doing so accidentally. It doesn't feel the same as it did when monitors were hilariously exploding in his face. As I mentioned previously, it's starting to feel like Austin passing out at Wrestlemania 13. He loses, but he does so in a way that gets him over as a tough motherfucker who'll never quit. I love the idea of Brock breaking his arm or something at Wrestlemania, but he still refuses to submit, and although Brock eventually beats him with a third F5 he comes back at the end and shakes his hand, impressed with his toughness.

 

Maybe I'm just imagining it, I dunno. I just want them to make him a star. It's going to be such a waste if we look back in ten years and he never got a fair chance at making it. He's brilliant.

[Briefcase]

I know Raw can be shit but its amazing how anyone can watch the same programme every week, get through two hours and just forget the last hour and do so every single week.

 

If its that bad I just wouldn't watch or if I am a fan I watch regardless the whole show. 

 

I know the majority of replies will say how bad Raw is but surely we all at least watch it until the end?

[Yakashi]

Depends what is on at 10-11. If there's nothing decent on at 8-10 and then Game of Thrones is on at 10-11 then I'd imagine lots of people would switch over. If it's two hours of mostly shit and then you've got the option to watch something good then I'd pick something good and catch up later.

[King Pitcos]

I wonder if changing from 7-10 would make a difference.

 

 

Probably not. The 10-11 hour was the highest rated when the show was two hours, which suggests that people just can't be arsed with hour three of Monday wrestling rather than it being the time it's on.

[IANdrewDiceClay]

They get an extra $32million from the network for that 3rd hour. I cant imagine them ever dropping to 2 hours. I dont know what they could do really. Having people miss the last hour is a problem they definitely need to deal with.

Edited March 3, 2016 by IANdrewDiceClay

[tiger_rick]

They could make it unmissable? Just a thought.

 

When was the last great main event? Reigns winning the title? When before that? Aaaages ago.

 

Trips title reign has been fucking shit. He's done nothing except cut the same promo on Smackdown last week as Raw this week. Trips defending against Bray Wyatt, Neville, New Day, etc would have been cracking little main events that meant nothing in the grand scheme of things but were one time events that people felt they couldn't miss. They're on the right lines with Trips and Ambrose but they're sacrificing TV ratings for a Network special. I think at this point, that's the wrong way around but it's their act to balance.

 

This week's third hour had less of a drop off because Taker appeared and Ambrose was in a main event. Imagine if Taker's appearance was actually significant. If Ambrose wasn't wrestling a shithead? Imagine if the bits between the top of the hour and the main event on Raw weren't ALWAYS absolute throwaway shite? Imagine.

[Mr.E]

Main events that feature the champion and maybe an under card guy might be the way to go. Sure Triple H would muller them in the end, but putting on a truly competitive match, selling it as "[Wrestler X] may never get another chance" would be cool.

 

Its effectively what made the Cena open challenge so good, as he was having just good wrestling matches with everybody. His match with Zack Ryder was even very good hah.