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

[tiger_rick]

3 minutes ago, RIDDUM_N_STYLE said:

What is their obsession with having talent on Raw wrestling multiple times on the same show?

[BomberPat]

They'd be mad not to seek "mainstream appeal". Is there any medium other than wrestling and "alternative" music were widening your fanbase is somehow seen as a bad thing?

I completely fail to see how Eva Marie carries any kind of "mainstream" cachet, though. It seems more likely that it's indicative of Big Johnny being back in talent relations that they bring back the fitness model type, though like so much of how they booked Eva Marie in NXT first time around, that could be some kind of meta-work anyway. It's pretty damning to bring someone in who doesn't really add anything to the product while citing "cost cutting" as a reason for just having let a ton of talent go, though.

[Arch Stanton]

I don't care one iota what their reasons for doing so are, I'm just delighted that they have rehired Eva Marie. Sadly I don't have any faith in them using her effectively on Raw but I would love it if they could recapture just some of what they had with her in NXT. Her character there was legitimately one of the most entertaining and effective heels they have had across any of their shows in the past decade.

[Michael_3165]

59 minutes ago, SuperBacon said:

These days?

That's been the aim since Vince took over the company. Its nothing new.

The would be crazy not to want mainstream audiences surely? It's about making money and getting as many eyeballs as possible. 

[BomberPat]

32 minutes ago, Arch Stanton said:

I don't care one iota what their reasons for doing so are, I'm just delighted that they have rehired Eva Marie. Sadly I don't have any faith in them using her effectively on Raw but I would love it if they could recapture just some of what they had with her in NXT. Her character there was legitimately one of the most entertaining and effective heels they have had across any of their shows in the past decade.

That episode of NXT where she challenged Bayley for the Women's Title was one of my favourite episodes of wrestling TV ever; just playing all of the NXT audience's assumptions about main roster WWE to the hilt. I really thought it could be the beginning of a nice little programme pitting NXT against "WWE Corporate", but honestly it's probably for the best that it was a one and done.

[MVP RULZ]

1 hour ago, RIDDUM_N_STYLE said:

What is their obsession with having talent on Raw wrestling multiple times on the same show? It’s happened 3 times in the last 4-5 weeks with Drew (who wrestled twice on 2 occasions), Braun (who wrestled 3 times 2 weeks ago) and last night with Rhea and Asuka who faced each other in both a singles match and a 6 woman tag

Its a nit picking point but Rhea wasnt in the 6 Woman tag match 

Maybe has something to do with Covid issues and restrictions limiting numbers on site in the new building they've moved to since Wrestlemania.

It would line up with the timeframe of it becoming a frequent occurrence.

[DCW]

Anyone different is surely a good thing. They have plenty of proper women's wrestlers have been there years and have zero character/personality whatsoever.

At least Eva if used correctly (I know) might garner a bit of heat, and not go away/change the channel heat like Natalya, Nia, Tamina etc.

[Chili]

Well this if anything clears the way for an Aksana return. 

[Supremo]

In 2021, when the only people still watching are the masochistic hardcore, and when the only fan feedback they can get is online, surely those moaning about Eva Marie’s return is sort of proving their point? She’s going to waltz in as their new top female heel. If they push it further and try and recapture that NXT magic I don’t blame them at all.

Look at Charlotte, who appears to be the top heel currently. She still (wrongly) gets too much LEGIT RESPECT from the hardcore fans for anyone to truly dislike her. It’s a shame that this is where things currently stand, but there’s no point pretending otherwise. If anything, the shitter Eva Marie is in the ring the better. They’re probably hoping she’s gotten worse.

[PowerButchi]

Eva Marie is tidy. Which is probably more of a reason to watch raw than what anything else on it offers at the moment.

[Sheffbag]

was Raw that bad this week people cant even be bothered to diss it anymore?

[DavidB6937]

Just now, Sheffbag said:

was Raw that bad this week people cant even be bothered to diss it anymore?

It's difficult to diss when you don't watch it. Not that it stops people usually.

To be honest I go by Twitter highlights and there didn't seem to be much going on.

[Matthew]

I used to make a point to watch all of the main points on YouTube every Tuesday. But it was becoming very repetitive and monotonous, so I can’t even be bothered doing that this moment in time.

I was considering going to ‘Mania next year but I really can’t justify spending that much when I have such little interest these days.

[theringmaster]

RAW is just filler atm until live crowds can return, PPV's feel like they are the new RAW now, nothing significant happens between them.

 

Smackdown at least tries to make it worth watching every week (tries).

 

Over the years RAW has had some bad periods but \I can't ever recall a period as dire as this but to be fair i put it down to the Thunderdome as much as anything else

[tiger_rick]

I "watched" it through social media trends as usual and my only takeaway is that "open challenge" is Raw's equivalent to NXT's "ladder match". I can't believe they don't have a single person in that writing room who doesn't pipe up with "Not an open challenge again, you lazy bastard, do you not have an original idea?"