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

[SwayWays]

It's hard to take him on face value, when he turns up looking like lady gaga and Elton John's wardrobe designers had a baby. You can't be dressed like a Bill and teds future council extra, while speaking about sincere blood fueds and be taken serious. 

Edited December 30, 2024 by SwayWays

[FLips]

Usually on the fence about these worked shoot promos but this one seems like there’s at least some genuine dislike for each other. 
Oddly though I think Seth had the better of Punk by a long shot in this. Seth made very valid points and Punk talked like he was trying to create catchphrases that never stuck.

[DavidB6937]

35 minutes ago, FLips said:

Usually on the fence about these worked shoot promos but this one seems like there’s at least some genuine dislike for each other. 
Oddly though I think Seth had the better of Punk by a long shot in this. Seth made very valid points and Punk talked like he was trying to create catchphrases that never stuck.

Yeah it's a tough one because you'd think Punk has a lot of valid points about what went wrong and why he wanted to leave etc but he almost can't go there in too much detail because it'll make the company look bad or it'll make him look bitter. So his version of things are quite toned down with a few 'I needed to leave' and 'you chanted my name' points thrown in, while Seth gets to go off on him mostly.

We're beyond the era where the company is the bad guy so Punk's character and past decisions etc don't really fit in.

[RedTwoster]

I really enjoyed that face-off, and I can’t wait for next week’s match, and I also agree that Rollins got the better of Punk. I’m curious as to how they finish next week’s match - I suspect they’ll use it to cement a heel turn from Rollins, but I’m not really sure.

The lack of references to the trade window as of late have been odd. Surely they didn’t just use it to have Strowman and Logan Paul switch shows?

[DavidB6937]

3 minutes ago, RedTwoster said:

The lack of references to the trade window as of late have been odd. Surely they didn’t just use it to have Strowman and Logan Paul switch shows?

I can only assume it was an attempt to put some logic in where they decided they might want to move things around a bit with Raw and Netflix etc. Somewhere in between the full blown Draft and their random wild card stuff. It's just kinda there as a "well we said.." if they decide to do any changes.

[d-d-d-dAz]

I know people are into it, so accept I'm either wrong or delusional, but this Seth v Punk thing just isn't for me.

A large part of that is my anti Rollins agenda, sure, but the other is there's no reason for it. It's riding on the coattails of Drew v Punk, in so much as it relies on lots of stuff that happened either off screen or years ago; it requires a level of knowledge most normal people won't have and it's even using some of the same beats as the Drew feud (the Vince references, the use of Punks family).

Its just a bit shit. I want Punk to be put on fast forward so we can see him involved in things relevant to the actual television we watch every week.

I agree with the above, Punk ends up coming off worst too as if the feud is all about Punk being a prick, he really has no ammunition and all he can do is operate from a defensive position. At least in the Drew feud there was some good wrestling segments within; this is just two lads shouting at each other about things I don't really care about to get 'oohs' from the crowd.

Not for me, gentlemen.

I hope it's a one and done and Rollins moves on to something else, and CM Punk gets to do stories that are based on CM Punk's actions and motivations as a wrestler, not Phil Brooks' life outside of wrestling.

Edited December 31, 2024 by d-d-d-dAz

[Guest]

Punk had me until "Arrow throwers".

[DavidB6937]

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

It's riding on the coattails of Drew v Punk

Rollins/Punk moving to Punk/Drew would have been a stronger development of Punk, so it's unfortunate they've had their Plan A go into Plan B and now back to Plan A because actually the Drew stuff ended up being a lot more enjoyable than anything with Seth ever could be.

 

[Snitsky's back acne]

I like the Punk/Rollins stuff insomuch as it reminds me of the Bret/Shawn stuff (bear with me...) where you are not quite sure which stuff was agreed beforehand and which bits they threw in off the cuff. I don't even know if they still genuinely hate each other or ever did genuinely hate each other. It's the kind of thing I like because it makes me question what is legit.

For instance, I still to this day have no idea whether Bret and Jerry Lawler like, or ever did like, each other. Neither has categorically said they don't but neither has said they do. I don't want to know either. 

[DavidB6937]

As long as we don't end up with a Kiss My Foot match..

[The Gaffer]

Absolutely loved the face off. Probably some of the best stuff Punk's ever done on the mic. 

Thought Seth was grand too, but if we want to take it at face value (and why not, it's fun and shows it's working) I'll never be able to see how he has the better of Punk given the overarching thread through his points seems to be "You should suck it up and keep working for your employer!" 

[Callum1993]

1 hour ago, Duke said:

Punk had me until "Arrow throwers".

Luke Littler run in confirmed on the first Raw on Netflix. 

[Supremo]

What do we reckon, lads? Anyone able to crack the code? Could be Shawn Michaels’ chin!

I’m fascinated by Pentagon in WWE. I can’t even explain it properly, but there’s just something about WWE’s marketing and production where it seems almost inevitable that he’s going to be a huge star. Even if they randomly bunch him with the LWO, which seems to be the plan. Their presentation, combined with his look and physical charisma? Especially if they turn him heel. You assume Jeremy Borash has the entire Lucha Underground archive on a hard drive, so they’ll know the potential he has. I think the sky’s the limit.

The montage of Raw on the USA Network was mostly notable for how obvious they were cutting around anything involving Vince. Benoit’d the shit out of him. 

If nothing else, at least that closing promo proved CM Punk has finally read the room. It was Punk who kept trying to keep it within the fiction of the show itself. Referencing Seth turning on The Shield, the kayfabe injuries from Bronson Reed, and Punk stealing his spot at War Games. Belter. All stuff you can follow and understand by watching the show itself.

Seth’s stuff was a complete mess though. Like a, “we have McDonald’s at home!” version of Eddie Kingston going off on Punk on Rampage. Shitter material. Performed shtterly. I hate promo battles at the best of times, but when you need an Observer subscription to even follow what they’re going on about? Rubbish. The entire crux being that he’s a better bootlicker than Punk was hilarious too, but I suspect that’ll hopefully just lead to a heel turn in the coming weeks. Also, as a parent of two, I don’t really understand, “we have kids and you don’t!” as any type of insult. “LOL, you get a lie in whenever you want and don’t have to watch Blippi 24/7!”

Was it mentioned anywhere whether Raw was returning to three hours with the move to Netflix? I’m praying that’s just a Smackdown thing, with USA Network wanting to keep the same amount of ad time.

I also saw online that my boys Joe Tessitore and Wade Barrett are being replaced on Netflix with Michael Cole and Pat McAfee. Outrageous. I don’t even mind Pat, and there’s a certain charm to how much he and Cole get along, but Tessitore in particular has become the best commentator they’ve got. Fingers crossed they just move Big Joe and Wade to Smackdown. And Corey goes straight in the bin.

Edited December 31, 2024 by Supremo

[d-d-d-dAz]

6 minutes ago, Supremo said:

 If nothing else, at least that closing promo proved CM Punk has finally read the room. It was Punk who kept trying to keep it within the fiction of the show itself. Referencing Seth turning on The Shield, the kayfabe injuries from Bronson Reed, and Punk stealing his spot at War Games. Belter. All stuff you can follow and understand by watching the show itself.

They should get this blown up and printed onto posters, and every time they arrive at a new venue have it stuck up on every bit of available wall space so talent, bosses and writers alike can't help but see it.

[Dr. Alan Grant]

33 minutes ago, Supremo said:

Even if they randomly bunch him with the LWO, which seems to be the plan.

Oh god, really? I haven’t seen Raw for a few weeks so I’ve missed all the Pentagon teases. I was hoping he’d come in and immediately start mixing it up with Cody, Priest, Orton, Sami and the other top people. I never watched Lucha Underground, so haven’t seen the brutal Pentagon that people on here talk about. Seems a waste to stick him in a group. Evil, murdering Lucha man isn’t something I’ve ever seen in WWE.