1/30/16 Raw Review

Note: naturally, of course, as soon as I decide to start getting back on the WWE blogging grind, my Internet goes out for a week. So, sorry about the delay, but here's my (hopefully) weekly update on Monday Night Raw!

Highlights: 

Triple H- Say what you want about WWE deciding to put the belt on a part-timer who's now more involved in the corporate, behind the scenes aspects of WWE than the in-ring wrestling product, but at the end of the day, there's a reason why HHH is a 13-time champ. We all know he can go in the ring, and last Monday night, he proved to us that he's still got it on the mic as well. He's got a way with words that few others do, and his work on Monday proved that, when given the opportunity, the man can deliver one heckuva promo. 

Becky Lynch/Sasha Banks/Charlotte angle- Finally, it seems like we're getting the Divas Revolution fans have been hoping and praying for ever since these three NXT studs debuted last summer. While Paige, arguably one of the biggest catalysts for this revolution (see: Low Points) is nowhere to be seen, these three talented Divas are seemingly finally getting a chance to showcase their talents on a big stage. With Creative finally giving fans a reason to be interested in the Divas division, these ladies are taking the ball and running with it. Just imagine this: a triple-threat match at Fastlane where Charlotte retains in some wonky way. The next night, Becky and Sasha unite in a temporary truce in order to demand a rematch. While Charlotte seems reluctant at first, Stephanie McMahon then comes out and books a three-way Iron Man match for Wrestlemania. Finally, the next night on Raw, no matter who the champ is, Bayley finally comes out and makes her debut. Bam. Talk about exciting. 

The Miz is...Awesome- I have to admit, as weird as it may seem, the Miz is one of the most underrated performers in all of WWE. They once again used the "returning superstar" angle to perfection by using him to swerve the audience, and he did a fantastic job selling himself as this cocky, delusional "movie star". Add to that his impressive performance in the match vs Kalisto, and it was a very solid night for Mike Mizanin. Side note: Miz does a great job of selling his aggression in the ring, some of those punches looked pretty painful to take. He doesn't get much credit for it, but Miz consistently plays his character fantastically, and, as far as I'm concerned, generally puts on pretty solid matches in the ring (not to mention his outstanding work as an ambassador for the company). 

New Day ROCKs- Yet again, the most entertaining Superstars in WWE delivered a fantastic performance, showing that they can hang with even some of the most legendary performers this business has ever seen (although, you may want to check the Low Points category for more on that...). Going toe to toe with the Rock on the mic, the trio of Xavier Woods, Kofi Kingston, and Big E continued their amazing streak of stellar performances under this gimmick, delivering quality line after quality line after quality line ("I got that snipped"...I lost it). Considering how bland their act was at first, these three have done an absolutely fantastic job of grabbing that brass ring and running with it. All three of these guys have impressed so much, with all three guys really coming out of their shells, embracing the gimmick, and doing a fantastic job with it. The fact that they were given a segment with the Rock speaks volumes of what the backstage brass has come to think of them, and deservedly so, they were fantastic again Monday night. 

Other brief notes: Did you hear the pop from the crowd when the Bray Wyatt vs. Kane match first flashed on screen? That was impressive. Also, the Goldust/Truth segment...I'm not sure if that was funny or just plain weird. It's too bad that they've been relegated to what are essentially comedy roles, because both of those guys are supremely talented in and out of the ring. Finally, the AJ Styles match was also very solid, Jericho did a great job of putting him over as a legit star. And the postmatch exchange was rather interesting as well...

Low Points

Rock's segment- Now, there are likely going to be a lot of fans out there who disagree with me. However, in my opinion, the Rock's segment last Monday night dragged on way too long, was a bit cringy at some points, and treated two of WWE's possible top future stars like jobbers. While the encounter with Miz may have been admittedly pretty funny (the "park the Rock's car" line was high quality), the majority of that segment was simply unnecessary and unentertaining. Firstly, the segment with Big Show was not funny, and it simply portrayed Rocky as a jerk. Next, while the segment with Lana and Rusev may have been funny at some points, I simply wanted to cringe at some points. A supposedly strong woman, one whom the WWE is reportedly very high on, was reduced to the role of an easy, dependant, object. She simply grinned and played along as the Rock insulted her and her womanhood, as well as her fiance. From a storyline perspective, this simply doesn't make sense (as well as how Rusev simply let Rocky walk away after that. A year ago, he was an unstoppable crushing machine. Now, he's simply a glorified jobber for Reigns as part of the League of Nations. It's a dang shame). Finally, despite the crowd's response, I was not a fan of his promo in the ring either. The quick detour to the fans at ringside was a bit odd, and slightly cringy, and even his confrontation with the New Day seemed to lack his usual gusto. Overall, while Rock certainly is a major star, and his return is big news, his return simply wasn't played out to perfection. 

Total Divas—Total Flop- Don't get me wrong, in the minds of WWE's executives, the show is most likely a pretty big hit. Frankly, they have good reason to think that. By having a show on E!, not only does WWE expand its potential audience, but also increases revenue, as well as overall awareness of the company and its Superstars/Divas. However, the "flop" part comes into play when WWE tries to mix in Total Divas storylines into its regular weekly programming. Simply put, this goes against everything that the Divas Revolution is supposed to stand for. Paige is once again floating in Creative purgatory, with no visible direction, and Natalya, one of the most talented Divas in the company, is once again given no storyline, no discernible gimmick, and no reason for fans to care about her. While the likes of Becky Lynch, Charlotte, and Sasha Banks are finally being given the opportunity to show off their talents on the big stage, which is a step in the right direction, many others are simply being shoved to the side. If WWE truly wants fans to start caring about its Divas, it has to do a lot more. 

Royal Rumble Fantasy Booking

As the Royal Rumble rolls around yet again, we know that the Road to Wrestlemania is truly beginning to heat up. However, as with every long road trip, there are sure to be a few bumps and scratches along the way. Therefore, in order to hopefully help avoid such potential pitfalls, here is my list of fantasy booking for this Sunday's Royal Rumble PPV.


8. A couple of NXT appearances
In the vein of Rusev a couple of years ago, an appearance from a variety of NXT stars could do wonders to help introduce them to the mainstream WWE faithful. Whether it's an established star like Samoa Joe or a young up-and comer (in the eyes of the mainstream WWE Universe) like Finn Balor or Sami Zayn, having one of the many stars from down at Full Sail make an appearance in Orlando will do wonders to spice up the match, as well as legitimize the competitor and give them a much-needed rub.
7. Becky Lynch takes Charlotte all the way
Frankly, when the so-called Divas Revolution first came to life last July, fans were expecting great things. Rightly so, quite frankly. Charlotte, Sasha Banks, and Becky Lynch had been tearing the house down week in and week out at NXT for quite some time, and fans had good reason to think that they'd do the same in WWE. However, after months of inconsistent booking, bad storylines, and a conspicuous lack opportunities to showcase their talents, it's become clear that WWE still has no idea how to properly treat many of its talented women. However, this storyline has been an exception. After having come about organically, with a proper buildup and weeks of anticipation, Charlotte and her wheelin-dealin' father have become the perfect foils for the plucky underdog Becky Lynch, who's been absolutely on fire as of late. For the first time in months, WWE has given fans a legitimate reason to be excited about the Divas division, and it's absolutely essential that they give these two talented Divas a decent amount of time at the Rumble. While I don't necessarily think it's the right time to give Becky the title just yet, having her come oh-so-close, perhaps losing once again due to interference from the Dirtiest Player in the Game, will do wonders for her rapidly rising stock. If WWE plays their cards right here, they could have a potential massive babyface star for years to come, something that, frankly, six months ago, I never thought I'd be saying about Becky Lynch. Kudos to her for proving me wrong.
6. Kevin Owens and Dean Ambrose are given a chance to tear the house down
Simply put, Kevin Owens is one of the best professional wrestlers I've ever seen. He may not have that stereotypical bodybuilder look, but he's absolutely fantastic in the ring and his prowess on the mic is almost second to none. When you combine that with Dean Ambrose's fantastic energy and connection with the WWE Universe, along with the electric atmosphere of a Last Man Standing Match, you have a recipe for greatness right there in front of you. Similarly to the Becky vs Charlotte match, WWE just needs to make sure to give these two fantastic competitors some time to work their magic, because it most certainly will be just that: magic.
5.  Strong performances from the likes of Owens, Rusev, and Kalisto
As much as veterans like Triple H, Brock Lesnar, and Chris Jericho are awesome, at some point, WWE has to start thinking about the future. Simply put, these three guys, along with a few others that I'm sure I've missed, are the future. As previously stated, Owens is one of the most talented professional wrestlers I've ever seen, certainly capable of being a top heel in the company for years to come. Similarly, Rusev is also a crazy mixture of strength and agility, doing things in the ring that a man his size simply shouldn't be able to do. Combine that with the fact that he's got a solid gimmick, as well as pretty decent mic skills, and you've got another solid top heel for years to come, with or without Lana. Finally, when it comes to Kalisto, many people have been throwing around the phrase "the next Rey Mysterio". However, quite frankly, he may very well be the first Kalisto. Blessed with amazing, amazing in-ring skills, as well as a marketable look (mask sales are a very important factor to take into account here, as well as his popularity with the sizable Latin American faithful) and very solid mic skills, Kalisto's already managed to get himself very over with the WWE Universe. While I don't agree with the WWE's decision to ping-pong the US title around on recent episodes of Raw and Smackdown, the company clearly has big plans for the masked luchador, and the Royal Rumble is one of the company's premier spots for making stars. In order to fully utilize this element of the Rumble to its maximum potential, WWE needs to make sure all three of these guys put on a strong showing, possibly even making it to the final four or five. Having one of these guys take the traditional ironman spot, lasting close to an hour and putting in a supremely impressive performance, will do wonders.
4. AJ Styles makes his WWE return
While I've heard some arguments that Styles' impending WWE return (he wrestled a couple of matches for the WWF in 2002) would be best served after a few weeks of vignettes to hype him up, frankly, I think there's no better venue for him to return than the Royal Rumble. He's one of the relatively few legitimate stars left in the world who hasn't had a major run with the WWE yet, and his return would absolutely be a major selling point on the Road to Wrestlemania. There are a variety of ways to eliminate him in which he doesn't look weak, including many ways that could help set up a major rivalry, something that the company desperately needs with the likes of John Cena, Randy Orton, Cesaro, and Seth Rollins all currently sidelined.
3. Cody Rhodes finally returns
While this may seem a bit out of the blue. imagine this: Stardust comes out relatively early in the Rumble, perhaps the first 10 or 15 entrants, and gets eliminated rather quickly, the company treating him like the jobber he's become. Probably eliminated by Titus, in fact, because it's definitely great television to have these two talented superstars face off over and over for, really, no good reason. However, as the match progresses and the field gets thinner, perhaps around the mid 20s or so, the countdown clock strikes 0 and Cody Rhodes' music hits. The Orlando crowd perks up in a mixture of confusion and anticipation, which suddenly turns to elation and pure excitement as a face paint-less and de-robed Cody Rhodes makes his way to the ring, a determined look on his face, while the crowd goes nuts. Cody Rhodes has consistently been one of the most entertaining parts of the company for years, no matter how dumb the gimmick he's saddled with, and he deserves his run in the spotlight. While this may not be very likely to happen, imagine how cool it would be if the turning point for this revelation occurred at the Royal Rumble.
2. Roman Reigns is eliminated early
While this may sound like the typical anti-Reigns propaganda, hear me out. Despite the fact that the Authority's clearly unbiased drawing (a segment which, by the way, was slightly painful to watch)gave Roman Reigns the number one spot in the Rumble, he's still undoubtedly got to be one of the favorites to leave Orlando as WWE World Heavyweight Champion. WWE has a major chance to jump on this opportunity by eliminating Reigns early. Possibly by having a young up-and-comer, perhaps an NXT call-up, or a returning AJ Styles eliminate him, WWE has an opportunity to not only give someone a major rub right off the bat by eliminating the champion, but also increase the excitement surrounding the match twofold. The Rumble is already exciting enough, imagine the buzz that'll be going around the Orlando crowd if we go through half of the match or more knowing for sure that there'll be a new champion by the end of the night.
1. Wyatt Family dominance/Bray Wyatt wins
Speaking of new champions, I believe there's no one more well-suited to leave the Amway Center Sunday night as champ than Bray Wyatt. Of course, in the minds of many WWE fans, as well as professional bookies around the world, there's no way this could happen. Frankly, I'm not too confident that it will either. However, ending the night with someone other than Reigns, Lesnar, or Triple H as champion would certainly be best for business. It would leave fans buzzing going into the Raw the next night, as well as Fastlane and Wrestlemania itself, and the opportunities for Wyatt would be nearly endless. He and his family have proved to be some of the most talented performers in the company over the past couple of years, and given their inconsistent booking, it's high time the members of the Wyatt Family, particularly Bray, are given the opportunity to prove themselves as legitimate top stars. There's no better way to do this than by giving Bray an opportunity to run with the industry's top prize. Plus, imagine the feuds and promos this could set up! Wyatt vs Heyman on the mic, anyone? Now that's best for business.