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

[Snitsky's back acne]

Damn the men's Rumble is looking stacked and I genuinely have no idea who will win it.

I'm also reckoning we might get a few Returns in the women's - Alexa Bliss, Carmella, Charlotte... Again, can't call it. 

Good times. Looking forward to it, even if I have spoilt it by watching old Rumbles that were all action and in more recent years they have all been 'lots of people lying around while two people get their shit in and/or stare at each other' fests. 

[theringmaster]

That whole Rhea/Nia segment was the absolute pits, proper Vince booking, proper 'Diva era' nonsense. Rhea is coming off winning the belt, she is your number 1 female star and she follows up her title win with a house show like segment. Women's revolution anyone?

HHH's hard on for Nia is something I will never understand.

[ReturnOfTheMack]

I really enjoyed Pentas promo, but I thought the match was the worst Penta singles match I had seen. But the crowd were into it, so even if it was it doesn't matter.

[Lion_of_the_Midlands]

2 hours ago, theringmaster said:

HHH's hard on for Nia is something I will never understand

She's related to the Rock, no further questions required surely. 

[Dr. Alan Grant]

3 hours ago, Snitsky's back acne said:

I'm also reckoning we might get a few Returns in the women's - Alexa Bliss, Carmella, Charlotte.

I know we’ve all been conditioned to expect anyone who’s returning from injury etc to make a surprise return in the Rumble, but I’d love it if they gave someone the HHH Beautiful Day treatment. Vignettes of them training, preparing their comeback and getting the monster pop when they return, even when people are expecting it. I always thought Big E would be a perfect person to do this for. When was the last time someone had promo videos for a return, and not just a “oh my! Could it be?!” Michael Cole Rumble entrance.

[The Dart]

11 minutes ago, Dr. Alan Grant said:

I know we’ve all been conditioned to expect anyone who’s returning from injury etc to make a surprise return in the Rumble, but I’d love it if they gave someone the HHH Beautiful Day treatment. Vignettes of them training, preparing their comeback and getting the monster pop when they return, even when people are expecting it. I always thought Big E would be a perfect person to do this for. When was the last time someone had promo videos for a return, and not just a “oh my! Could it be?!” Michael Cole Rumble entrance.

Cody Rhodes in 2023 ?

[HarmonicGenerator]

Watching the Penta match, as a match it wasn’t much different from anything you’d have seen from him on Dynamite, but my god they treated him like a star. He felt like a bigger deal after one night in WWE than AEW managed in five years.

That's not to say AEW can’t do it too - just look at Swerve, who’s risen to a level in AEW that he was never able to get anywhere near in WWE. But in terms of maximising what they can get out of Penta… yeah, WWE are the big leagues.

[Captain SlackBladder]

8 hours ago, Duke said:

I have an image that I can't get out of my mind of Cody Rhodes, sitting on a throne, wearing the ula fala, with Roman Reigns dead at his feet and Tonglatelle and Jacob Fatu kneeling before him, staring with those dead eyes out into the crowd.

With all this hot man's shit, this conjured up a different image to what I imagined was intended. 

[d-d-d-dAz]

42 minutes ago, Captain SlackBladder said:

With all this hot man's shit, this conjured up a different image to what I imagined was intended. 

Swearing? Lowering the tone a bit.

It's hot poisonous man's poo, thank you very much.

[Devon Malcolm]

So anyway.

Nice to hear an actual really lively and good crowd in for Raw, they were excellent throughout. Just play San Jose every week, make it the new Manhattan Centre. Even bring back the guy in the yellow 'Bob Backlund World Champion' t-shirt.

Punk did some good stuff on the mic, did the Hogan ear, and then channelled the thoughts of everyone watching when asking "Why couldn't it be Rhea Ripley?!" when Rollins' music played. But. Rollins didn't prance round like an arsehole and he was serious and it stayed that way when McIntyre came out.

Right, now. Penta. It was obviously the smartest way they could do this debut. A large Hispanic community, a hot crowd and up against a reliable hand like Chad Gable. It was brilliantly set up and he got a great response and will feel more comfortable when they go into East Bumfuck, Texas and so on. And I really enjoyed this match. First thing I noticed is he wasn't as flippy as I expected, and he got better as the match went on. Loved the leg selling and I didn't even mind the destroyer, mainly because Gable sold it better than I've ever seen anyone do it. The ending was a bit odd but it was a really good start and I'm interested what he does next. The kids crying at ringside, wonderful. How can you not be warmed by that response. Incredible.

As for the "big leagues" comment and discussion, WWE have been doing this for at least a quarter of a century. Why would they change now?

Anyway, we're being spoiled because Sheamus vs Ludwig Kaiser! I like the thing they're doing on Raw now of having people who aren't working the show shown being sat at ringside during relevant matches and spots, as they did with Bron Breakker here. I also enjoyed the sheer amount of Cathy Kelley and Jackie Redmond on this, for aesthetic reasons and also because they're both really good and it feels more like a sports show when they pop up to do interviews. This was a cracking match though, as expected, but I think Kaiser needs to get a good win under his belt. Wonder if he might go to Smackdown and get in the US title picture.

I liked Rollins' backstage spat with Sami Zayn. This was Rollins' best night in ages and.... Seth is right! Sami Uso is an enabler! Booooooooo! They're hinting at something here but I don't know what. By having Rollins and McIntyre seeing things the same way and Sami underachieving, it's another expansion to the Bloodline and Bloodline adjacent story. This is all so well written, as ever.

For some reason they let JD McDonough near a microphone, and they also did the same with Bayley. She's a mixed time on the mic, isn't she. When she turned babyface on Damage Control - brilliant. Everything she did tonight - utter shite. I didn't mind Nia Jax so much but please don't do this to Rhea Ripley already, hasn't she suffered enough.

The Lyra Valkyria vs Dakota Kai match felt short but it was great. They're both really good but please give them a story now, especially Lyra now she's IC champion. Don't just give her matches to have.

Kofi Kingston's dog jumper and English lit professor facial hair may have been my favourite moment of the night. He's getting it. Can't wait to see what the Boo Day (say it with me!) do next week.

The Karrion Kross / Miz / Sami segment was good stuff. I don't know where they go with Kross and this but it's clearly better than anything he's done before so keep going with it. The Miz / Sami match was good for what it was.

Gunther looking down his nose at Jey Uso was some good shit even if he can be a bit ropey on the mic. I'd like to see him with a manager. Heyman would be a perfect match for him but he's obviously busy. Jey's matches are usually quite bad so maybe Gunther can get something out of him.

Then it was time for Main Event Damian Priest vs Fxxx, whatever the fuck that still means. Decent brawl with the usual spots but they need to move on now. Balor nearly crippled himself on that table stomp spot and I just hope he goes away now. WHEN IS HIS CONTRACT UP.

Excellent Raw, occasionally felt slightly stretched but this was a proper show.

Edited January 15, 2025 by Devon Malcolm

[mim731]

55 minutes ago, Devon Malcolm said:

 

Then it was time for Main Event Damian Priest vs Fxxx, whatever the fuck that still means. Decent brawl with the usual spots but they need to move on now. Balor nearly crippled himself on that table stomp spot and I just hope he goes away now. WHEN IS HIS CONTRACT UP.

It's not the answer you want to hear, but 2029 apparently. Signed a new 5 year deal in the summer. 

[Devon Malcolm]

7 minutes ago, mim731 said:

It's not the answer you want to hear, but 2029 apparently. Signed a new 5 year deal in the summer. 

Jesus. That's a lot of slingblades.

[air_raid]

17 hours ago, theringmaster said:

HHH's hard on for Nia is something I will never understand.

History of attraction to women that can beat him up?

[LaGoosh]

I can understand the benefit to having a monster you can heat up every now and again quite easily for an up and coming babyface to beat.

[air_raid]

4 minutes ago, LaGoosh said:

I can understand the benefit to having a monster you can heat up every now and again quite easily for an up and coming babyface to beat.

It's weird that they've gone back to the well in regards to Ripley however, who not only already beat her, but beat her in a high profile PLE main event. A proper one too, not a "Mania night 1" main event.