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

[BomberPat]

39 minutes ago, tiger_rick said:

In his defence, Ron has always had a great promo voice. I can't get over how absolutely spawny this company is though. They release a guy. There's a backlash, so they bring him back immediately and get everyone talking. Then they pretend it was all a work and a good enough portion of people fall for it to start defending them online. Then they do the Russo special and the crowd absolutely eats it up. They've now got a fairly hot feeling 53 year old bloke over with their audience, who was a jobber about 2 weeks ago, I believe. I'm sure they'll kill it soon but it's bafflingly fortunate and you've got old Tripper sat there taking credit for it as "all part of the show". Jammy fucker.

I was talking to my other half when Truth got released, because one of her mates said they thought it was a work, and it obviously wasn't. But I think a certain subset of wrestling fans have a really deep-seated need to show that they get wrestling, that they're definitely not a mark getting worked, so whenever anything happens for real, they just claim it's a work. That way, even if they're wrong 90% of the time, that's still better than "getting worked" and proving yourself to be just a gullible mark rather than an educated fan who's in on it all. This sort of thing obviously muddies the waters, where it was real, but they've made a work out of it, and I'm sure people will now insist it was all planned from the beginning.

The bit that gets me is Triple H seemingly being too insecure to admit that his company makes mistakes, and going with "it was planned all along", after pissing off half the locker room by releasing Truth, rather than "we listened to our audience, and are giving them what they want", which feels like the far better response to me.

Part of me honestly wonders if Triple H having taken the brunt of the "CM Punk" chants when he quit, and then being in the middle of the Daniel Bryan "Yes Movement" story, makes him anxious about ever opening that can of worms again - once you let the audience think they can dictate booking decisions by chanting, where does it stop? 

Edited June 10, 2025 by BomberPat

[DavidB6937]

I watched it just because I enjoyed the stuff at the weekend so was feeling pretty positive overall. I mean we know that doesn't last but I had a free morning.

Thought both the tournament matches were enjoyable.

There's an "unknown" in the other mens tournament match and if it's not Mr Iguana then they can fuck off.

Did wonder why Nikki Bella was back but makes sense with Evolution. Nice to see they've actually remembered to build to it. Taking the TK route of last minute PLE booking. I guess it doesn't really matter as it's sold on the concept but still. Wonder if we'll get Nikki and Liv or the Bellas getting a tag title shot.

Not much more to say about Cena/Punk or R Truth that hasn't been covered.

Absolutely shocked to see Jey lose so cleanly. Half expected a Seth cash in or something questionable but nope. Just a straight up loss. Fair that they tried to tell a story of him being overworked or whatever. I like small details like that, like when they used to do the one night KOTRs.

I guess we're on to Bill Goldberg next.

[Devon Malcolm]

I can't be bothered to dig it out but sometime last year I posted something in the CM Punk thread saying that I was expecting to be disappointed, because it is wrestling after all.

Unless there's some kind of late swerve here, I knew this day would come. I hoped it wouldn't. What I think is very telling from a number of posts in this thread since last night is that quite a few hoped that it would. In a different way, I was expecting to be disappointed and here we are.

Not one comment about the communities he would be turning his back on if he takes these dates. Telling.

[SuperBacon]

I don't know if I'm disappointed (as I'm old and jaded) but yeah this must be so galling for those communities who he has publicly (and vociferously) backed. 

How someone else makes their living is absolutely none of my business, but yeah that decision is something.

[I Bent My Wookie]

I assume Zayn to win King Of The Ring to get him vs Gunther only for Seth to cash in and deny Sami again?

Just enough edging that fans will go mild when he finally wins it at Mania next year. 

[WyattSheepMask]

I don’t know if anyone else isn’t disappointed, I reckon it’s more just a case that we all kind of expected it to happen.

[Devon Malcolm]

19 minutes ago, WyattSheepMask said:

I don’t know if anyone else isn’t disappointed, I reckon it’s more just a case that we all kind of expected it to happen.

So what? If your first instinct, when you first saw / heard about this, was to make a zinger or to pat yourself on the back that you were right all along or both of these things then you're not the advocate or the ally that you may or may not have thought you were.

Sorry if anyone thinks I'm coming across as self-righteous here but I don't give a shit. The reaction to this has been sadly predictable. Not just on here, in fairness, but in all the usual places. We should be thinking and talking about all those trans wrestling fans or those who are carers, loved ones or relatives of trans wrestling fans. Seeing one of the biggest names in the business throw himself wholeheartedly behind them and actually talk eloquently and believably on the subject, making their voices heard in a business that has consistently been one of the most problematic when it comes to LGBTQ+ rights. It was HUGE. It even mattered to my son and he doesn't give the slightest shit about wrestling.

And now this. We all risk looking silly if this is going to be swerved but the fact is that there are many people who are not going to be relieved or happy in the unlikely event that happens. That is one of the many reasons we need to continue talking about what real allyship and advocacy is.

Meanwhile, Becky Lynch was wearing a Ms. Rachel t-shirt on Raw. Nothing.

[SuperBacon]

29 minutes ago, WyattSheepMask said:

I don’t know if anyone else isn’t disappointed, I reckon it’s more just a case that we all kind of expected it to happen.

Sure, but you've got some right fucking weirdos who have been buzzing for this to happen so they can "Haha told you so" everyone. 

 

[Chili]

I've only read about this because like fuck am I subjecting myself to it but as much as I rag for a laugh on Punk being a hair trigger away from slapping someone over something daft, I did like that he'd be open in your face about what he believed in on his politics and issues on rights as others seemed hesitant. But by doing this, not only is extremely disappointing, it means any other progressive, positive ally stance is under scrutiny or for sale as well. The apology should be as loud as the disrespect as Philip once opined about something absolutely minor. But you won't get that from him if this actually goes ahead.

Obviously didn't know about that @Devon Malcolm thing about Becky Lynch. Good for her. It would be great if more big stars that CAN were like RVD, who told them repeatedly to fuck off about doing those Troops shows instead of say Cena, who only took a few Saudi shows off because it was going to harm his film career and not because a journalist got murdered.

Edited June 10, 2025 by Chili

[FUM]

18 minutes ago, Devon Malcolm said:

If your first instinct, when you first saw / heard about this, was to make a zinger or to pat yourself on the back that you were right all along or both of these things then you're not the advocate or the ally that you may or may not have thought you were.

I don’t think anyone claimed to be the super advocate or ally of anything though.

I’m a live and let live person, what people want to do is up to them and everyone deserves equal treatment as far as I’m concerned but I’m not going to dictate my life and QC every single thing that happens around it to see whether it’s okay for me to laugh or joke about someone being hypocritical. And that may be hypocritical in itself but we are hypocrites to some extent by even supporting wrestling.

Your entire post is an assumption that everybody on this forum views life through the same lens of dedicating themselves to activism. You can believe something is the right thing to do whilst not actively going out to campaign for it.

Edited June 10, 2025 by FUM

[Devon Malcolm]

2 minutes ago, FUM said:

Your entire post is an assumption that everybody on this forum views life through the same lens of dedicating themselves to activism.

No it isn't. I specifically pointed my post at those who claim themselves to be as such. I thought I made that clear. I also made it clear this wasn't just about UKFF.

[Supremo]

The amount of people arguing that the R-Truth thing was a work from the start, when it so obviously, obviously wasn’t, has been fascinating. You always get a few of them, but this has felt like loads more than normal.

It’s like there’s been a fresh wave of either new WWE fans, or tribal fans that have built their personality around WWE booming. Now that WWE are settling back into their usual rhythm of ballsing everything up, it’s as if these people are clinging on to the idea it was a work as some type of minor, “win.” See! Everything hasn’t become a dumpster fire! They know exactly what they’re doing!

Sure thing, lads. If there’s one thing we know about WWE, it’s that they always want to switch character names so the wrestlers can start using their real names on TV. WWE are famous for taking people who’ve been typecast as comedy losers for decades and finding new, clever ways to push them much stronger. Triple H is notorious for never relying on tropes and always thinking outside the box for new, interesting ways to move black talent up the card.

Hunter and his loyalists need to take note. This is how you do a work. Truly blur the lines of reality. I completely fell for this. Can one hundred percent imagine AJ telling everyone to only listen to Flat Earth podcasts using wired headphones. Those AirPods will fry ya brain!

 

[theringmaster]

47 minutes ago, Devon Malcolm said:

 

Meanwhile, Becky Lynch was wearing a Ms. Rachel t-shirt on Raw. Nothing.

Am i missing something, is this problematic? My kids love Ms Rachel, this mega popped me.

[Devon Malcolm]

1 minute ago, theringmaster said:

Am i missing something, is this problematic? 

In the context of the rest of my post I can see why someone might think that, but no. She's recently been very vocal about her support for kids in Palestine.

[LaGoosh]

You know what, never mind.

Edited June 10, 2025 by LaGoosh
Probably wouldn't help anything.