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

[LaGoosh]

1 hour ago, Daaaaaad! said:

I also think back to the interview he did where he said WrestleMania 30 was Daniel Bryan’s time, just like WrestleMania 29 should’ve been his time. Isn’t this year supposed to be Jey Uso‘s time?

I don't think he really cares anymore. Company Man Punk has now fully embraced the Grattitude era, takes hand outs with tears in his eyes, gives Papa H a hug then goes home and counts the millions of dollars in his bank account.

Edited April 2, 2025 by LaGoosh

[RedTwoster]

3 hours ago, Daaaaaad! said:

Honestly, this is what I expected to happen when he started to ‘thank’ the Tribal Chief. “I don’t want your hand outs”. Ironically it continues to prove what kept getting quoted back at him from that Triple H promo all that time ago - he’s happy with change, if it’s change that benefits CM Punk. I also think back to the interview he did where he said WrestleMania 30 was Daniel Bryan’s time, just like WrestleMania 29 should’ve been his time. Isn’t this year supposed to be Jey Uso‘s time?

I’m actually wondering if they’re planning to have Jey lose. Gunther’s title reign has been a damp squib so far, which wasn’t the case for his IC title reign. Beating the Royal Rumble winner at Wrestlemania would go some way towards changing that, and potentially help add a bit more credibility to the title itself.

If you’re going to have Jey lose, you probably don’t want to have that close the show.

[d-d-d-dAz]

2 hours ago, LaGoosh said:

I don't think he really cares anymore. Company Man Punk has now fully embraced the Grattitude era, takes hand outs with tears in his eyes, gives Papa H a hug then goes home and counts the millions of dollars in his bank account.

Good for him.

I'd argue it's the opposite of gratitude though. The gratitude era was used to tag those people who were just happy to be there, and would accept whatever shit the company would throw at them.

Punk, in the least charitable take, is being selfish and worrying about #1. Good for him. I'm sure he justifies it by saying when he's around he works house shows and stuff the Brock/Rock brigade never did, but the reality is he's an old hand, sort of part timer who's come in and taken a Wrestlemania main event.

No hiding from that, but I'd argue his initial position was probably naive and more wrong than where he is now. I hate the big sweaty egg, but of course when The Rock's in town he headlines... he's The Rock.

If Punk has created a smaller scale version of that for himself, if its now 'he headlines... he's CM Punk' then good for him.

Is he a hypocrite for dumb shit he's said in the past? Absolutely. But most people are. That's his dunces hat to wear.

Stepping aside for Jey or Charlotte, though?... it's not whats best for business.

Edited April 2, 2025 by d-d-d-dAz

[LaGoosh]

Hey I get it, I'd sell out for millions of dollars in an instant. For CM Punk the person - I absolutely get it.

However as a fan of CM Punk the character/performer what I've seen from this WWE run has made me a bit sad. He's no longer the exciting, dynamic and unpredictable character he once was. What made him stand out feels like it's gone. He feels like just another smoothed over, hollowed out WWE product now. There's no fire or genuine believable passion there. Seeing a character that used to feel so real, independent and alive blending so seamlessly into this new lifeless and overproduced WWE landscape...the magic is gone.

Edited April 2, 2025 by LaGoosh

[d-d-d-dAz]

4 minutes ago, LaGoosh said:

Hey I get it, I'd sell out for millions of dollars in an instant. For CM Punk the person - I absolutely get it.

However as a fan of CM Punk the character/performer what I've seen from this WWE run has made me a bit sad. He's no longer the exciting, dynamic and unpredictable character he once was. What made him stand out feels like it's gone. He feels like just another smoothed over, hollowed out WWE product now. There's no fire or genuine believable passion there. Seeing a character that used to feel so real, independent and alive blending so seamlessly into this new lifeless and overproduced WWE landscape...the magic is gone.

See, I disagree with this.

His feud against Drew was still their feud of the year, and there is still a frisson when he appears. His performance on Friday was superb. In terms of the investment from WWE in bringing him back, its definitely paid off and he's in that handful of performers they have who are genuinely brilliant storytellers and big stars.

What I don't buy is this narrative now that he's 'done it his way'.

No he hasn't. He created his name his way, he created something that the system probably would have never allowed to flourish if he was a straight WWE creation. But in building his name that way, the same system excluded him from the very upper echelons of the business. So, at some point, he decided to take all that he'd built (big name, dedicated fan based, social profile) and actually squeeze it through the WWE funnel in return for the big Mania main event and star treatment he always wanted.

Did he sell out? Possibly. Probably. I think it's more accurate to say he cashed his chips. He held out later than most who do things their own way, but eventually he came to the table with WWE and decided to trade his audience and brand for a juicy pay cheque, wrestlemania main event and star treatment. That's not the same as saying he doesn't deserve it, but its definitely what he's doing.

I also wonder whether generally he's just less personally 'punk' these days than he thought he was in the past. The bouffant hair, the vests, the alleged use of alleged TRT, the Air Jordans, the smart watches.. it all feels very different to how he presented himself even a few years ago.

[SuperBacon]

10 minutes ago, LaGoosh said:

Hey I get it, I'd sell out for millions of dollars in an instant. For CM Punk the person - I absolutely get it.

However as a fan of CM Punk the character/performer what I've seen from this WWE run has made me a bit sad. He's no longer the exciting, dynamic and unpredictable character he once was. What made him stand out feels like it's gone. He feels like just another smoothed over, hollowed out WWE product now. There's no fire or genuine believable passion there. Seeing a character that used to feel so real, independent and alive blending so seamlessly into this new lifeless and overproduced WWE landscape...the magic is gone.

Fair enough you think that, but in my opinion he's been absolutely superb. 

I dunno about not having any fire or genuine believable passion. Maybe his motivations are different these days, but he still comes across as giving a shit to me. 

Did you prefer how he was presented in AEW?

[LaGoosh]

Just now, SuperBacon said:

Fair enough you think that, but in my opinion he's been absolutely superb. 

I dunno about not having any fire or genuine believable passion. Maybe his motivations are different these days, but he still comes across as giving a shit to me. 

Did you prefer how he was presented in AEW?

I loved his feud with MJF and the 2 week feud with Eddie Kingston. Apart from that it was either solid but unexciting or toxic and depressing. The MJF feud was Punk at his absolute best though.

[Lion_of_the_Midlands]

7 minutes ago, LaGoosh said:

Seeing a character that used to feel so real, independent and alive blending so seamlessly into this new lifeless and overproduced WWE landscape...the magic is gone.

For everyone though. Everyone  bends the knee to the WWE way now. The WWE system isn't designed for anyone to be real, independent and alive now. They have reached the point that Vince wanted all along. They can put on any old shite and the seats are still full and the t-shirts still sell. The actual matches don't matter because the fans are either there for the experience or to try and become a viral meme. Even the shooty inside cobblers isn't as shooty and inside as it used to be, though it mostly is still cobblers. Corporate Mediocre Punk has seen how the game is played, no pun intended and he has decided to try and be good at it. Fair play to him and everyone making more money for doing less. The real test will be the Saudi money though. Can he swallow that Saudi cock? 

[d-d-d-dAz]

24 minutes ago, SuperBacon said:

Fair enough you think that, but in my opinion he's been absolutely superb. 

I dunno about not having any fire or genuine believable passion. Maybe his motivations are different these days, but he still comes across as giving a shit to me. 

Did you prefer how he was presented in AEW?

He makes me care, both about what he's doing and what he might do in the future.

WWE (wrestling generally, maybe) has too few people who can do that in 2025.

If that means he has to wear foundation, use hairspray and hug the Grand Wizard, so be it.

Edited April 2, 2025 by d-d-d-dAz

[Devon Malcolm]

CM Punk in WWE 2 has been superb almost all the way. His matches have been good to brilliant, his promos similar, he's got a few different storylines cooking, it's going about as well as anyone could realistically ask for. As for him being a 'company man' now, how was that any different from who he was in his first run? The Summer of Punk was a smokescreen. He wanted his own bus, which he got. Good for him. And I think in a McMahon-less company that has a far more positive atmosphere around it, even if the recent product has been a bit crap, I'm fine with him being a poster boy for what they're doing, especially if it involves getting behind and mentoring the younger talent. He wanted to work in a stable, professionally run company and that's where he is. 

As for Raw, it was better. The only worry I had about the opening segment was when Cody mentioned The Rock but fortunately the useless twat didn't turn up so we might still be safe. For now. But I liked the fire and the delivery, it was the best work so far in this feud. A really good strong start.

And then New Catch Republic came out and I wished I had a cold again and was just reading Bleacher Report. Charlie Brooker seemed absolutely off his tits. Looing forward to Black Mirror though!

I thought the Jey / Jimmy / Gunther stuff was easily the best stuff in this whole feud so far. Gunther needed to look an absolutely nasty bastard at some point and now he does. Jey falling through the ropes at one point isn't a good sign though. Have all his limbs been possessed Evil Dead style? Jesus.

There was a pretty good tag match as well and I enjoyed Penta calling Bron Breakker a "stupid man". Best thing he's done in WWE yet.

The AJ Styles and Logan Paul segment was dreadful and is still going on now.

As for the main event, I mean, it wasn't as bad as recent weeks but that's not praise, is it. Bianca's outfit and Rhea's wobbler at the end aside, it still had Iyo Sky farting around being totally crap at everything and just getting in the fucking way. And the crowd were chanting her name. That's why London is shit. They've absolutely fucked Rhea with all this, but Bianca will be alright as she'll be a quality heel by the looks of it.

I really hate Daddy Cool now as well. Cockney twats.

[Vamp]

I think Punk's just stopped living the gimmick to be honest. 

[mim731]

Slightly random, but I've been trying to figure out why Penta's theme sounds so familiar. Just realised it sounds like a dodgy WCW ripoff  of a real song - namely, Roots Bloody Roots by Sepultura. 

I would welcome more knock off themes tbh. 

[d-d-d-dAz]

Working out the one thing that's keeping a story alive and deciding to stretch it beyond all credulity and run it into the ground?

Are we sure Vince isn't back?

A fucking favour, indeed.

Though, that not being at all how favours work at least continues the storyline theme that Rollins is thick as mince.

[air_raid]

Opening segment was always going to be naff so I skipped it.

WICT match was frustrating - Cole confusing a gutwrench powerbomb for Nightwing? Stealing a living. And why would Valkyria transition a tornado DDT into a Fisherman suplex but instead of holding on for the natural pin combination, release only to follow up with a lateral press? Baffling. Finish was a bit ropey, counters to the Roseplant always are. What’s-his-name chirping “instant classic” was pathetic.

Middle of the show was much of a muchness.

The trading of favours becoming currency in WWE is amazing. At least Rollins made some valid points which will make Heymans turn make sense, although I can’t believe the quest for Paul Heymans soul is now the focal point of the first serious collision of Punk and Reigns. Truly, Seth and Paul are truly the “Ric Flair asking whose corner Mr Perfect will be in” that this particular Savage vs Warrior really didn’t need.

[Supremo]

Iyo vs. Rhea vs. Bianca is the worst written storyline in recent memory. Such a convoluted mess, with everyone looking like an idiot. And then just when you think it can’t get any worse, they simply give up trying to make any sense of it, script all the characters to announce they can’t be arsed anymore, so just announce the match. Watching in real time a multi-billion dollar TV show write itself into a corner and then just shrug and give up. I haven’t seen someone quit so spectacularly since Charlotte Flair tried to cut a promo on Friday.

Literally the only reason Rhea is in the match is because Adam Pearce is sick of her moaning. Lesson learnt for next year. Don’t even bother entering The Royal Rumble or Elimination Chamber. Just start annoying the piss out of your GM.

It’s enough to make you wonder how pissed off the performers must be. Bianca getting booed out of the building. Rhea looking like a dickhead. Iyo simultaneously the World Champion and a complete joke. Would certainly explain why Iyo stiffed the living fuck out of everyone with this Dropkick. Wouldn’t be surprised if this ended with Rhea getting a concussion. Maybe fate has decided it won’t be a Triple Threat after all! Brutal!

”Have it!”

Genuinely sad watching Jey Uso realise he’s created the new, “What?” chant with, “Yeet!” and he’ll never be able to cut a heart felt promo again. Trying to deliver a genuinely dramatic piece and he’s got thousands of dickheads completely undermining it.

”You murdered my brother.”

”YEET!”

”He’s lying in a hospital bed.”

”YEET!”

”Might never recover.”

“YEET!”

♫ ”Hello darkness my old friend, I’ve come to talk to you again…” ♫

I gave up during Dirty Dom vs. Penta. Might go back to it, but I’m in no rush. It’s a weird feeling to want the Wrestlemania Season to be over, in the hope they can start fresh and get back on track.

As it is, we’re all crawling towards a terribly booked show, filled with compromises and endlessly unnecessary multi-man matches. Sooner it’s over, the better.

It’s almost as if Hunter’s focus is elsewhere.

“Mention the tank! Don’t forget the tank! DX had a tank! Remind them about the tank again!”

Edited April 8, 2025 by Supremo