The Official UKFF RAW thread (part 2)...

[Guest]

21 minutes ago, hallicks said:

Isn’t there a thing about Sami not wanting to go or not being able to go to Saudi? 

If I remember rightly, that was whilst Saudi Arabia had a bad relationship with Syria (where Sami's family is from). They're doing better now, and I believe Sami has been on recent trips.

[JLM]

He didn't initially participate in the Saudi as both of his parents are Syrian and relations between Saudi Arabia and Syria were particularly tumultuous when the WWE/Saudi 10 year deal began. He didn't work any of the shows from 2018-2022.  I don't think it's ever been 100% clarified if he was barred or if WWE made the call. He said in interviews he wasn't invited to go and wasn't  keen to go either.

Saudi Arabia and Syria entered talks in 2023 with a view to restoring ties, so it was a less of a thorny issue for him to attend after that. He was in the main event of Night of Champions in 2023 in Jeddah and also made a pilgrimage to Mecca on that trip. Notably headlined that show teaming with Owens, who also hadn't worked the previous Saudi shows. He also worked Crown Jewel 2023 and King and Queen of the ring. He is wildly popular with the Saudi fans as he's a devout muslim, can speak Arabic and wore a kandura for his first appearance there. Also because he's Sami Zayn of course.

EDIT: What Duke said, evidently I had not clicked onto the last page of the thread. 

 

Edited October 29, 2024 by JLM

[FLips]

Just catching up with Raw and Wade Barrett saying the ref was dressed up as Bela Lugosi cracked me up.

[Supremo]

Now JBL training for a return makes sense! He sees an opening to be the top brass on Smackdown once again! 

[TheScarlettChad]

So is Smackdown just gonna have a bunch of jobbers then? I don't see all of them going to RAW. 

[d-d-d-dAz]

Am I right in thinking both shows are on Netflix, though? So it doesn't really matter? It sort of sounds like Netflix just want one proper super show with all the stars on.

[Lion_of_the_Midlands]

4 minutes ago, d-d-d-dAz said:

Am I right in thinking both shows are on Netflix, though? So it doesn't really matter? It sort of sounds like Netflix just want one proper super show with all the stars on.

Both shows are going to Netflix outside the US Dazzler as their deals in each country run out. Smacky D will still be on USA in the States. 

[WyattSheepMask]

3 minutes ago, d-d-d-dAz said:

Am I right in thinking both shows are on Netflix, though? So it doesn't really matter? It sort of sounds like Netflix just want one proper super show with all the stars on.

 

6 minutes ago, Lion_of_the_Midlands said:

Both shows are going to Netflix outside the US Dazzler as their deals in each country run out. Smacky D will still be on USA in the States. 

Yeah for another 5 years I think the deal was for.

[TheScarlettChad]

Is Smackers three hours then? God help us if so. No star power. Goodbye brand split. 

[Supremo]

Sami Uso! Yes! Get the T-shirts printed now! Get Roman wearing one by Friday!

<Keegan> I would LOVE IT! </Keegan>

The pace of The Goodline reunion is bonkers though. The speed they’re rushing through it is like nothing I can remember seeing in WWE. No narrative cockteasing at all. Relentless, constant, hardcore super sex!

I saw a funny theory online that Hunter is trying to box off all his long-terms plans out of fear that The Rock is going to turn up and fuck everything up like he nearly did last year. Or maybe the risk of hiring Jacob Fatu is already coming true and he wants to get the most out of him whilst he still can! Scamming a charity. Grim.

 

Edited November 5, 2024 by Supremo

[Chili]

I like Jacob Fatu from what I've seen, he's a beast and has a proper presence. But... I can't put my finger on it, but I'm wary of him. I think he will be extremely prone to dicking about, I get a vibe of when Umaga was working as Jamal and outside the ring he was just a constant fuck up so they shit canned him. Jacob Fatu is brilliant and basically I'd like to be wrong down the road.

[DavidB6937]

Sure, I want a Sami Uso tshirt but I also really want an "I LOVE SOLO!" tshirt.

[Hannibal Scorch]

35 minutes ago, DavidB6937 said:

Sure, I want a Sami Uso tshirt but I also really want an "I LOVE SOLO!" tshirt.

I LOVE SOLO is definitely a phrase many wrestling fans can relate to....

[The King of Old School]

That whole Uso/Zayn segment was brilliant, I just wish they had done it in front of a real audience and not in Saudi.

[FUM]

5 minutes ago, The King of Old School said:

That whole Uso/Zayn segment was brilliant, I just wish they had done it in front of a real audience and not in Saudi.

The crowd were hot as hell and Sami is, arguably, more over there than anywhere except Quebec.