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

[Supremo]

[sivy]

With the hate Nikki vs Becky got at the ppv for the botches. None is talking about the end to the warriors vs judgement Day tag match. Askua and Roxanne at the end.

[TheBurningRed]

12 hours ago, Supremo said:

Maybe Kross and Hager can exchange ideas. That would be something for us all to enjoy. 

[tiger_rick]

3 hours ago, TheBurningRed said:

Maybe Kross and Hager can exchange ideas. That would be something for us all to enjoy. 

There's a Control Your Narrative main event if you ever heard one.

[Supremo]

The reaction to CM Punk’s line, “you’re gonna regret putting your hands on me,” was easily the highlight of Raw because it was the only time on the whole show where the crowd gave a huge, earnest, sincere reaction to a development in the fiction.

Beyond that, Raw felt very similar to Forbidden Door in that it was the worst type of performative crowd just making noise to wank themselves off. Like being trapped inside a YouTube reaction video.

I can’t tell if I’m just becoming a grumpy old man, but it’s becoming more and more noticeable, especially on these European shows. Pro-wrestling is already the silliest, campest, fakest thing ever. The last thing it needs on top of it is the crowd itself playing their own fake role. What’s that Jim Cornette quote from Beyond the Mat? The wrestlers are telling the crowd the story, the crowd aren’t telling the wrestlers the story? These last few weeks, I feel like the crowd are becoming part of the show, everyone is trying to tell the TV audience the story (“we are awesome!”) and it’s becoming this grating, meta, exhausting experience of bullshit. We might as well be back in The Thunderdome with the piped in chants.

With AJ Lee’s return seemingly confirmed, does anyone have high hopes? I remember her being massively overrated even at her peak. My main memories of her are bad, cringe-inducing attempts at doing her own, “Pipebomb,” and those weird, nonce-baiting, overgrown child mannerisms.

Plus, has anyone ever done Real Life Couple stuff on TV and it’s actually worked? Edge and Beth Phoenix were insufferable. Seth and Becky are dreadful. Even the mixed tag stuff with Danielson and Brie Bella didn’t really work, and Danielson’s the greatest of all time.

Bonus shout out to CM Punk’s line to Becky earlier in the promo,”tell your husband this will thing between me and him will NEVER be over.” Sure as fuck feels that way, mate.

Edited September 3, 2025 by Supremo

[The Dart]

What exactly, other than making noise, did the crowd do that annoyed people?   It seemed perfectly fine to me.   They weren't doing Mexican waves.   They weren't chanting for random wrestlers unrelated to the match.   They weren't chanting for wrestlers from other promotions.   They weren't throwing beach balls around.

[DavidB6937]

42 minutes ago, The Dart said:

What exactly, other than making noise, did the crowd do that annoyed people?   It seemed perfectly fine to me.   They weren't doing Mexican waves.   They weren't chanting for random wrestlers unrelated to the match.   They weren't chanting for wrestlers from other promotions.   They weren't throwing beach balls around.

I find the enthusiasm from the French crowds pretty awesome really. Compare that to the UK crowds full of arseholes constantly trying to one up each other with "funny" chants or whatever and it's night and day for me.

Well, unless some of it passes me by because they're French, but generally I feel like the French vibe is having fun and being into the show rather than not having any interest in the product and spouting random shite.

[WyattSheepMask]

That chant after every two count can still fuck off though

[Kfogg1991]

I personally think the crowd being so loud and responsive was one of the very few positives from this week. It's really made me more excited for UFC this weekend so win there.

I am extremely excited to see AJ lee back after so long away and pretty much out the limelight completely bar being in heels she's enjoyed life out of the business and public eye I'm seriously intrigued how she is in the ring during a proper match aswell.

Getting the brief mention that Roman is out indefinitely because of the post match attack is another situation that weakens him and how he used to feel and seem, I understand he's going with Cody to film street fighter but he couldn't stick around for three more weeks and be part of the shocking new PLE they need to stack and try to compete with aew then go film after.

It's less than three weeks and there's nothing big feeling to put on it bar Cena Vs the sexual predator which I presume will start on smackdown this week but nothing else bar that.

We're obviously getting Seth/Becky Vs punk/AJ lee but that won't sell anything we've had punk Vs Seth 10000 times now it's beyond stale 

[TheScarlettChad]

18 minutes ago, Kfogg1991 said:

I personally think the crowd being so loud and responsive was one of the very few positives from this week. It's really made me more excited for UFC this weekend so win there.

I am extremely excited to see AJ lee back after so long away and pretty much out the limelight completely bar being in heels she's enjoyed life out of the business and public eye I'm seriously intrigued how she is in the ring during a proper match aswell.

Getting the brief mention that Roman is out indefinitely because of the post match attack is another situation that weakens him and how he used to feel and seem, I understand he's going with Cody to film street fighter but he couldn't stick around for three more weeks and be part of the shocking new PLE they need to stack and try to compete with aew then go film after.

It's less than three weeks and there's nothing big feeling to put on it bar Cena Vs the sexual predator which I presume will start on smackdown this week but nothing else bar that.

We're obviously getting Seth/Becky Vs punk/AJ lee but that won't sell anything we've had punk Vs Seth 10000 times now it's beyond stale 

If Roman is needed for filming, then he has to go. They don't care about their PPV, Roman will be back when filming has concluded 

[DavidB6937]

Yeah why are we making it sound like Roman just does whatever he wants whenever he wants? He's not actually the Tribal Chief..

[FLips]

9 hours ago, Supremo said:

Plus, has anyone ever done Real Life Couple stuff on TV and it’s actually worked? Edge and Beth Phoenix were insufferable. Seth and Becky are dreadful. Even the mixed tag stuff with Danielson and Brie Bella didn’t really work, and Danielson’s the greatest of all time.

Matt Hardy and Lita worked back in the Hardy Boyz days. Lita and Edge also worked during the Rated R stuff.

Yes there’s a horrible Kane Rape storyline sandwiched between those, but they weren’t a real couple so it doesn’t count. 

[TheScarlettChad]

1 hour ago, FLips said:

Matt Hardy and Lita worked back in the Hardy Boyz days. Lita and Edge also worked during the Rated R stuff.

Yes there’s a horrible Kane Rape storyline sandwiched between those, but they weren’t a real couple so it doesn’t count. 

Nor were Edge and Lita. They never were together. Even during the affair. It was all emotional cheating allegedly. 

[MVP RULZ]

Miz and Maryse?

They've not done loads of stuff together on screen but when they have they've generally been OK and the skit when they dressed as Cena and Nikki I thought was actually well done.

And dare I say HHH and Stephanie whilst sometimes being insufferable during the Authority stuff there chemistry together has always at least been decent in comparison to other couples and maybe it's looking back with nostalgic glasses as late 99/early 2000s was when i really started consuming everything WWE all day and night the McMahon/Helmsley era stuff was great to my 12 year old mind anyway

Plus they have the WrestleMania match were they tagged vs Kurt and Ronda which was an absolute blast.

[Merzbow]

Triple H and Chyna?

Goldust and Marlena for the most part was actual magic, one of the best pairings that doesn't get enough love.