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

[d-d-d-dAz]

I hate to callback to my own post from earlier, but it's because he's a self interested wally who's decided he can't actually be arsed with wrestling now that Hollywood likes him again.

Fuck off, Dwayne. 

 

 

 

 

...and take Seth Rollins with you. No real reason, I just don't want anyone to think I've moved on from that irrational beef.

Edited January 7, 2025 by d-d-d-dAz

[Lion_of_the_Midlands]

1 minute ago, Slapnut said:

It certainly didn’t feel like a big deal based on any of the actual content.

Content and facts are never important to WWE. If they were Chad Gable would have been dead since the Wyatt Wanderers returned. 

[Supremo]

Really disappointing show.

It obviously won’t matter in the long run, but last night was a huge open goal and they completely skied it. All sizzle, no steak. A real throwback to those rubbish Anniversary shows where they’d pause everything to just go, “look at these old fuckers, remember them?” for three hours. Did anyone check if any poor bastards had paid top dollar to watch this on the big screen in the Manhattan Center?

Pat McAfee knew the score. You could hear it in his voice. Every time he said “great to see everyone,” he sounded more and more sarcastic and deadpan.

Extremely fitting that on the night they did a throwback to those lazy mid-2010 Anniversary shows, it was the first time in years they got a mid-2010, “Hijack Da Show,” reaction. Hilarious watching Hulk get shat on so spectacularly. Absolutely brutal of Los Angeles to give him that reaction just days after Andre the Giant has died.

If nothing else, I thought The Rock swinging his bollocks around would be a laugh, but even that ended up being as flat as possible. He obviously still did come in, re-write the show and take up everyone’s time. That’s why Penta got bumped to next week and Rhea and Liv was mysteriously switched to a normal match than a Last Woman Standing, but rather than doing it to create some bonkers Wrestlemania direction, Dwayne did it to essentially kill all of them. Dropped every thread. Cooled off everything that was simmering. Nonsensically turning babyface. Giving Cody a cuddle. Acknowledging Roman. Fucking hell, Rock. If you aren’t doing Mania, this could have just been an Instagram post saying, “Meltzer’s right.” The whole energy and rhythm of this show suffered massively for Rock to essentially do and say nothing.

We’re never doing to know what Rock handed Cody, are we? One for the lockbox.

On the plus side, the production was phenomenal, it looked like there were 200,000 people in there and Roman and Solo was a good bit of Bloodline Bullshit. That’s pretty much it as far as positives go though.

Funny seeing Seth Rollins in what was so obviously his Wrestlemania entrance outfit. Seth vs. Punk was equally disappointing, and yet exactly what I expected. Either Punk wasn’t willing to give it a Wrestlemanaia effort, there’s some real heat between them stopping them making magic, they have horrible anti-chemistry or this is just the ceiling for Seth. A real three star wonder. Thank fuck this wasn’t the Wrestlemania match. Clean as fuck loss for Rollins, too. Rough. Statement made. Back to the mid card you go. You had a good run. Maybe the real victories were the boots you licked along the way.

EDIT: I immediately take it all back. All is forgiven. Rock can take as much TV time as he wants. This is fucking incredible.

 

Edited January 7, 2025 by Supremo

[METAL ON METAL]

Not a great show. Largely felt like a ‘shareholder’s celebration’ episode with too much patting themselves on the back - but it was to be expected with this first Netflix show.

In-ring action was fine, if unspectacular, though I did really enjoy Punk/Rollins. The right man definitely won.

Agree with others that were surprised there wasn’t any kind of big angle to hook people into watching next week. You’d think they’d be trying everything to retain a lot of the new viewers of the product.

Very relieved and happy to see Hogan get booed. My wife asked me, was he getting booed for being a massive racist, a really shitty person or for being one of Trumps brain dead followers? I just replied “…yes”.

As I say, it was an off-week for me but with what is advertised for next week I feel like it’ll be a return to service and normality with a Sheamus banger, women’s IC title final and Penta’s debut - by the way, what an great choice now not having him immediately affiliated with LWO in a throwaway tag match and instead getting a guaranteed excellent debut with Chad Gable.

 

I did enjoy Bronson Reed saying online that he better be allowed to smoke a joint in his entrances too when he returns and everyone in the comments calling him Big Bronson Weed.

[d-d-d-dAz]

1 minute ago, METAL ON METAL said:

Not a great show. Largely felt like a ‘shareholder’s celebration’ episode with too much patting themselves on the back - but it was to be expected with this first Netflix show.

 

Excellent characterisation. That's exactly what it was. It wasn't just WWE patting itself on the back, it was a very specific group of people patting themselves on the back.

Edited January 7, 2025 by d-d-d-dAz

[garynysmon]

There a myriad of reasons why Hulk Hogan should be booed, and wheeling out a massive Trump supporter in a blue state was David Brent levels of self awareness.

But as someone who was barely around for Hulk’s main run but who basically WAS wrestling for the mainstream public for 20+ years, on the surface level there’s something a bit sad about watching someone that should be revered until the day he dies being booed out of the building like that.

I know I’m a teary old bastard by now who only enjoys wrestling through nostalgia these days. But yeah, its sad more than anything. The stupid orange bastard has wasted so many chances.

[Hannibal Scorch]

2 minutes ago, garynysmon said:

There a myriad of reasons why Hulk Hogan should be booed, and wheeling out a massive Trump supporter in a blue state was David Brent levels of self awareness.

But as someone who was barely around for Hulk’s main run but who basically WAS wrestling for the mainstream public for 20+ years, on the surface level there’s something a bit sad about watching someone that should be revered until the day he dies being booed out of the building like that.

I know I’m a teary old bastard by now who only enjoys wrestling through nostalgia these days. But yeah, its sad more than anything. The stupid orange bastard has wasted so many chances.

No, he shouldn’t be revered. He can rest in piss when he croaks the racist trump supporting toss pot.

And the first wrestler I’ve saw on TV was Hogan when we first got Sky in late 1990, and he was the first wrestler I loved.

Edited January 7, 2025 by Hannibal Scorch

[garynysmon]

1 minute ago, Hannibal Scorch said:

No, he shouldn’t be revered. He can rest in piss when he croaks the racist trump supporting toss pot.

Anyone who had anything near the career he’s had certainly should under normal circumstances, if they weren’t so stupid.

[air_raid]

38 minutes ago, Supremo said:

Absolutely brutal of Los Angeles to give him that reaction just days after Andre the Giant has died.

[The King of Old School]

Wasn't Rhea/Liv meant to be a "Last Woman standing" match?

What happened there?

[Supremo]

6 minutes ago, The King of Old School said:

Wasn't Rhea/Liv meant to be a "Last Woman standing" match?

What happened there?

Last Woman Standing matches take up a lot of time which could be better spent wanking off Netflix execs.

Speaking of wankers. Get on this. Hilarious

Nominated for an Emmy for slowly walking around the ring and chewing on nothing. Amazing. Paul Heyman, man. He’s going to be the first man to ever overdose on his own farts.

Edited January 7, 2025 by Supremo

[SuperBacon]

I just hope K Fogg enjoyed it.

[TheScarlettChad]

3 minutes ago, SuperBacon said:

I just hope K Fogg enjoyed it.

I hope so too. There was plenty to enjoy. My expectations were just unbelievable. I stayed up for the first segment and then went to bed annoyed.

[DavidB6937]

One thing I didn't really get - and sorry if it's been mentioned in amongst all the other shit - was Heyman. His performance just struck me as a bit odd.. or off. I don't know why but he didn't look happy or relieved or whatever else when he was out there. He almost looked disappointed.

Maybe he was after listening to Dwayne.

[RedTwoster]

4 minutes ago, DavidB6937 said:

One thing I didn't really get - and sorry if it's been mentioned in amongst all the other shit - was Heyman. His performance just struck me as a bit odd.. or off. I don't know why but he didn't look happy or relieved or whatever else when he was out there. He almost looked disappointed.

Maybe he was after listening to Dwayne.

I did notice his demeanour, but I assumed that was deliberate, given that he owes CM Punk ‘a favour’ - I do wonder if he knows what that is, and we’re about to find out.