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

[air_raid]

7 hours ago, FUM said:

That’s to you though. They are acknowledged by WWE and most importantly, themselves, as having main evented WrestleMania.

That’s a kettle of fish though, isn’t it? WWE can acknowledge Ric Flair only held the World title 16 times, that Chris Jericho won the ICT 10 times, that Bundys match at Mania I only lasted 9 seconds, that they had 93,000 in the building for Mania 3, that Hunters vanity title introduced in 2002 has a lineage back to 1905, that Reigns would have passed Hogans record if he’d held the title a little longer and that Michelle McCool had a Hall Of Fame worthy career. Doesn’t mean we, as intelligent observers, have to. That’s a slippery slope that ends in admitting IRS has main evented WrestleMania because they slapped the “double main event” tag onto Mania IX.

I dunno. You’re not going to convince me the last match before half time of a card spanning two nights gets to be called the “main event” equal to that which ends the whole event, and often serves as the “end chapter” and start of the next one, or THE main event wasn’t Reigns vs Cody two years ago or unification the year before that.

Apropos to discussion in this thread, I don’t think Punk’s ego would mean his need to be “the main event” would be sated by closing night 1 either, if the last match of Mania 41 is Cody vs Cena for the WWE title.

[The Dart]

Bianca Belair v Sasha Banks certainly wouldn’t have gone on last if Mania 37 was a one night event.

Edited March 12, 2025 by The Dart

[Lorne Malvo]

CM Punk is getting the main event next year. It's going to be night four of a 'buy one get one free' extravaganza, haven't you heard?

[RedTwoster]

45 minutes ago, air_raid said:

I dunno. You’re not going to convince me the last match before half time of a card spanning two nights gets to be called the “main event” equal to that which ends the whole event, and often serves as the “end chapter” and start of the next one, or THE main event wasn’t Reigns vs Cody two years ago or unification the year before that.

I don’t see it as any different than I would a multi-night festival, myself. Last year Dua Lipa, Coldplay and Sza all headlined Glastonbury, it was just on different nights. Sza closed the show, and you could argue there’s more prestige in doing that, but ultimately it doesn’t matter.

Similarly, Sasha Banks vs Bianca Belair, Owens/Austin etc headlined night one of Wrestlemania. They were still an active choice as the best option to close the first set of matches - and it’s not like the shitty matched all go on first, there’s a decent balance on each card. Again, you could argue that the final match on night two has more prestige and you’d probably be right, but both nights have a main event, and I find it hard to view it differently.

I don’t think I’ll convince you with that argument, but I think it’s a case of there being ‘a main event’, then ‘the main event’. It’s still main eventing, though.

[d-d-d-dAz]

WWE have been trying for years to pull the card where any match they deem 'important' is a main event,  regardless of where it sits on the card. It's absolute shite.

[air_raid]

9 hours ago, Lorne Malvo said:

CM Punk is getting the main event next year. It's going to be night four of a 'buy one get one free' extravaganza, haven't you heard?

I would love it if Hunter succeeded with Wrestle Vision where Vince failed.

9 hours ago, RedTwoster said:

I don’t see it as any different than I would a multi-night festival, myself. Last year Dua Lipa, Coldplay and Sza all headlined Glastonbury, it was just on different nights. Sza closed the show, and you could argue there’s more prestige in doing that, but ultimately it doesn’t matter.

I think the difference there is that with festival “headliners” there’s virtually no difference to the perception of the artists for the relative placement on either night nor within their night as part of an ensemble (which is their exception rather than rule) as they’re off being “the main event” to their customers the rest of the year anyway. Nobody’s thinking about what the big story is for the months that follow. Plus, goers which only buy one ticket do so based on the artists they want to see on that given night, and those turning up live matter most, whereas WrestleMania is consumed by exponentially more people digitally around the world who are going to watch it all, start to finish in the end, so it’s what goes on last-last that leaves the impression. Or finishes the story… if you will.

I guess for me, if you ask me “What was the main event of WrestleMania 37” - why, it was Reigns vs Edge vs Bryan, obviously. “bUt somEThing 3lse cLo5ed n1gHt 1!” Did it? Good for something else. The biggest thing going in the company went on last. If I bought a ticket to a show and my main was the women’s or tag titles when Reigns or Cody were working somewhere else the night after, I’d know my town had been stamped “B show.” But WrestleMania isn’t two shows, it’s one show split over two nights. “Double main event” never washed for one nighters either, unless Brutus Beefcake main evented in Caesars car park under Bret vs Yoko. The acid test for me is given tickets go on sale without any card or roster (another stark difference to festivals) - if you knew you could only get tickets for one night, which would you go for? Night 2, obviously. The biggest stars will wrestle in the biggest match, on last. Because it’s the main event. Night 1 is a consolation purchase.

Ill concede there is a flaw in that logic however when I’m forced to ask if the same buyers would look back sad that they missed the real main event, but while it rings true for 3/5, there will no doubt be huge numbers that for whom Stone Cold or The Rock were their ultimate favourite so they really lucked out landing night 1. I’ll further admit, watching Cody/Rollins vs Rock/Reigns last year, I allowed myself to think “OK WWE, you’ve finally cracked it ; THIS is the main event, and tomorrow nights title match is too.” Then I watched the chaos and emotion of Reigns vs Rhodes and changed my mind, that was THE main event and night 1s tag was just more setup. But even conceding that point, I wouldn’t do the same with 39 because “Steve Austin vs Kevin Owens” wasn’t closing the show, on the card. It was “Owens hosts his version of Pipers Pit (Kev’s Krib?) with guest Steve Austin and we all hope in spite of ourselves a match happens.” So, if both half time or “double” main events AND impromptu main events count… good news, that means Hogan main evented 10 times in the first 9 Manias*. Sounds like something the Hulk would write in his book!

But the game is about opinions, Clive. Anyone can say Jimmy Uso main evented Mania 39 if they want, I can’t tell them otherwise.

* I’m aware that the last match of Mania IV was actually Randy Savage vs Ted DiBiase but Hogan vs Andre was the main event of the first tape, so it counts.

Edited March 13, 2025 by air_raid
I am a Real American.

[Devon Malcolm]

This felt like a Vince McMahon Raw in places, and that's not a good thing, is it.

I don't know why you'd make Grayson Waller so competitive with your Royal Rumble winner, so that wasn't the best start. Jey is so sluggish in the ring and he looks like he's aged 8 years in the last few weeks. Waller's good though, there's something to work with there.

The Punk / Rollins promo video was magnificent stuff, followed by the Logan Paul / AJ Styles bit that wasn't. I've no idea who Andrew Schulz is but he cut a great promo here. They should turn him heel and make him Gunther's manager.

The New Day and ReyLee (work with me here) turned into a cracking match towards the end even though I don't know why it was a tornado match. The stuff with the luchador and Chad Gable starring Cathy Kelley was very funny though. Me and @Supremo are gonna be insufferable if they continue with this story for long.

The Cody promo was excellent again but what an opportunity missed to not have Cena in New York City of all places. The duelling chant was one of the angriest I've ever heard at a wrestling show, I genuinely thought a fight would break out at some point. Even Cody seemed knocked off guard by it.

Raquel Rodriguez vs Bayley was alright. They didn't gel that well but I'm glad Raquel won, her and Lyra will be a quality match.

Hey. Have I ever mentioned that Iyo Sky is fucking rubbish? In fairness to her, getting piefaced by two women doesn't exactly elevate your world champion, and having her slap both of them unconvincingly in the face doesn't help them. This segment could and should have been really good, especially when Rhea started her promo. But this was some McMahon shit right here, not helped at all by Iyo's surreal, shit mannerisms and just all-round discomfort. Shoehorning her into a Bianca Belair / Rhea Ripley match is stupid.

I hate steel cage matches. I've never liked the traditional ones. The way they have to contrive not escaping through the door, especially. They seemed aware of it in this match and tried to play with it a lot, but it hamstrung an otherwise really intense fight that got too finisher spammy towards the end. The ending was really well done, the build-up will be great and the match will rule but I make no apologies for saying it wouldn't happen after that doofus Rollins mentioned it on Twitter, that should have scuppered it right there.

I might Bleacher Report Smacksown. I'm starting to get wrestled out. I managed three matches of AEW Revolution, all of which went on so long that I'm now drawing my pension and there's too much wrestling.

[d-d-d-dAz]

15 minutes ago, Devon Malcolm said:

I make no apologies for saying it wouldn't happen after that doofus Rollins mentioned it on Twitter, that should have scuppered it right there.

[Onyx2]

1 hour ago, Devon Malcolm said:

I'm starting to get wrestled out. I managed three matches of AEW Revolution, all of which went on so long that I'm now drawing my pension and there's too much wrestling.

I feel you there. I'm really enjoying the accessibility of WWE on Netflix and popping Raw / SD on in the background while I work but the saturation is getting there. I started Revolution and just hit capacity.

[Carbomb]

3 hours ago, Devon Malcolm said:

I've no idea who Andrew Schulz is but he cut a great promo here.

He's a right-wing "libertarian" comedian. One of those who makes out that the only problem with comedy these days is cancel culture and people getting offended. Recently caused some anger over here when he had the lads from the popular Shits & Gigs podcast on his own podcast as guests and made "jokes" about black women, which got the S&G guys (who are black) a load of shit for laughing along and not challenging him - and, when they apologised to their audience, predictably got shit from Schulz, which led to a back-and-forth.

[Mr_Danger]

Basically anytime you see a comedian on a Netflix Raw you’re looking at one of Rogans mates.  Unless Amy Schumer is on there for some reason.

[Vamp]

Finally got around to watching this. I've been enjoying the Netflix RAWs but god the cage match between Rollins and Punk was shite. 

You can either do a hate filled brawl or you can do video game wrestling. If there is a way of transitioning from one to another they didn't do it. 

[Supremo]

New CLUES just dropped.

[d-d-d-dAz]

Triple H having to drop his phone in all that spare 'Real American Beer' they stopped promoting, just to avoid the giddy whatsapps from CM Punk showing the picture of Punk and Austin together when Phil was 14.

[Supremo]

Stone Cold telling Hunter he’s coming in for the Fan Fest, meaning he’ll be available for the main event run-in they foolishly gave to The Undertaker last year. But there’s only one thing on Hunter’s mind. Inserting Austin into the Cody vs. Cena match as an actual participant. Another Triple Threat! A Royal Flush!