Apologies for the lack of a Fastlane recap, but there was a combination of me wanting to focus 100% on enjoying the PPV and a lack of time. Without any further ado, however, here's my recap of the next night's Monday Night Raw. With just over a month(!) left until the Grandest Stage of Them All, what else would we learn about potential matches for this year's Wrestlemania?
1. Frankly, I was pretty satisfied with Fastlane last night. Although there was a high level of predictability for almost all matches on the card, most of the matches were quality.
2. I'm actually pretty excited about the presentation of this award, well done WWE. They've been hyping it like crazy.
3. Ooh, parking lot brawl, I like it. Adds to the terrifying-ness of Lesnar.
4. Prediction: tonight, Lesnar will appear all over the show, attacking whoever he feels like whenever he feels like.
5. Oh wait, if he has a segment later, that probably won't happen...darn. Still, it'd be cool to see that.
6. Random question. Are we getting an Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal this year? If so, they should probably start building that up soon.
7. Ahh, it's being given to Stephanie. Okay.
8. Hopefully this leads to a good storyline, otherwise I'll be thoroughly disappointed. Don't get me wrong, Stephanie is a fantastic performer, but...no.
9. Hahahaha "these people are all so supportive", great subtle dig. Also, I like the "few prepared remarks". It's the little things that make a performer either good or great.
10. SHANE O'MAC!!!!
11. This is actually so cool, just recently, I was watching some of Shane O'Mac's greatest highlights! Dude was crazy, gotta respect some of those stunts he pulled.
12. Dang, he's over as heck. This is awesome.
13. I didn't see any rumors about this either, this is awesome.
14. Hahahaha, Vince's faces during the "Holy S___" chants...priceless.
15. The crowd just keeps going. They're right though, this IS awesome.
16. Wow, a rejected handshake AND a rejected high five. Shane means business.
17. Using the "best for business" line got a big pop. Good move.
18. Whoa, he just said "doofus". Is that PG?
19. Ohhhh yeah, this just heated up. Did someone say "brand split"??
20. Whoa, what did Vince just say..? That did not look very PG...
21. THE UNDERTAKER
22. Shane is facing the Undertaker for control of Monday Night Raw!!
23. He looks remarkably unconcerned for having to face the Deadman inside the Cell.
24. Well. That's gonna be hard to follow up.
25. AWWWW DETROIT
26. That pop was great. It truly is amazing how far the New Day has come. Frankly, I still find them thoroughly entertaining.
27. They're just all on fire. Every single thing that comes out of their mouths is pure gold right now.
28. Did we just get a "we want booty" chant? I really hope that becomes a thing.
29. That belly-to-belly reminded me: Lesnar hit Ambrose with one of those at Fastlane that looked absolutely brutal. He landed straight on his head outside of the ring.
30. I gotta admit, Big E's splash looks brutal. I would NOT wanna take one of those.
31. "Not today!!" Xavier's trash-talking game is phenomenal.
32. Okay, that was a pretty dang sick sequence outside of the ring. First, Big E missing that spear on the apron looked painful (although it looks even more painful when he hits it). Second, NEVILLE DID A FREAKING 450 SPLASH OFF THE APRON! Why are people not more impressed with this?? And then Kalisto did the same thing off of Neville's back!! What a sequence!
33. Okay, looking back on it, that was actually amazing. If anything, that might have been too much action in too short of a time, because every single move there was phenomenal. God dang.
34. Slightly awkward ending, but both teams looked strong, I'm happy with it.
35. If we're getting an Ambrose vs. Lesnar match at Wrestlemania, I have to say, I'm pretty excited.
36. However, what does this mean for Wyatt?
37. PS: I have more thoughts on this^, an article is currently in the works.
38. Isn't it amazing that one of the most popular phrases in the business today (Suplex City) started off just because of something Lesnar mumbled during a match?
39. For real, Paul E is easily the greatest talker I've ever seen, and possibly the greatest of all time. When he's firing on all cylinders, he's just untouchable.
40. I'm assuming this is Ambrose..? Awww yeah, this is gonna be good.
41. He's still in the neck brace! Like I said, it's the little things that count.
42. I was expecting that to get an astronomical pop, but still, that's big. I'm excited.
43. Okay, the Usos are obviously very talented, but yeah, I'm bored of them. Something needs to change.
44. Poor Ascension, they were so good at NXT. Watch some of their old stuff, they were crazy over down at Full Sail.
45. Why isn't Bubba wearing any clothers?
46. Get it, because he's wearing camo?? Just kidding, I'll see myself out.
47. That was a bit repetitive, but it got better once Devon started talking.
48. I gotta admit, the Usos deliver some good-looking kicks.
49. I wonder how many people in the crowd are cheering for both Styles and Jericho? (when they did the dual "A-J STY-LES/Y-2-J" chants).
50. If Jericho doesn't turn on Styles tonight, or if this doesn't lead to a different match for either guy, then this is kinda a waste of time.
51. No matter what you might think about the Social Outcasts' prospects in the WWE, there's no denying that they're funny. I love them all, especially Bo.
52. Imagine how incredible this must be for Styles. He's in the ring against the likes of the "Red Dragon" Heath Slater and Curtis Axel. Talk about prestige.
53. Styles' flying clothesline/punch/whatevers always look—well, phenomenal.
54. Hmm, think I'm liking Roman's man bun.
55. Poor Sheamus, he has been forgotten. It's too bad that a lot of people seemingly don't like him, because I'm a fan.
56. Hahahaha "a yellow cake with chocolate frosting. It's kinda like us!"
57. See, the thing is, if they just eventually end up being jobbers, like I know they will, these segments will have just been a giant waste of time.
58. This is about to be a very telling segment. Wyatt is too talented to not be on the 'Mania card in some way, and with the Grandest Stage of Them All slowly creeping up on us, he needs a feud stat.
59. Again, got some things to say about the Wyatts, but that should be in an upcoming article.
60. He's pretty underappreciated, but Big Show is a legend. His longevity, particularly while being—you know, a giant—is incredible.
61. I love how all the wrestlers mess with Byron. Kudos to him for taking it.
62. Then again, I suppose he doesn't have much of a choice.
63. Ouch, JBL and Cole are spittin' some fire on poor Saxton...
64. As I've said before, the Goldberg chants are just annoying and pointless.
65. Harper is such a fantastic wrestler, very underrated talent.
66. Ryback heel turn??
67. That's certainly a way to get people to care about him! I'm intrigued.
68. Is this Sasha/Naomi or Tamina rivalry starting to get old for anyone else? The storyline is decent enough for me, but the constant matches are overdoing it.
69. It's gonna be interesting to see what happens to Becky when Bayley is finally brought up to the main roster (night after 'Mania, anyone?). Becky's plucky underdog persona right now is very similar to how I'd imagine Bayley will be portrayed.
70. Charlotte seemingly goes back and forth between being good on the mic and awful on the mic.
71. Never mind, maybe she's just bad. Her in-ring psychology is good though.
72. Aww, does this mean no Triple Threat at Wrestlemania? That'd be disappointing.
73. THE GODFATHER! And APA is inducting him!!!
74. Good, Triple H is making an advertised appearance. Don't wanna let the most important title in the company be forgotten about.
75. Gotta say, I am thoroughly uninterested in this as a main event.
76. Are the rumors about Barrett leaving true? If so, that's too bad. He's a very talented performer.
77. Triple H comes out, and they start wailing on each other!!
78. And he smacks Reigns with the bell!
79. Wow, the crowd is actually cheering for HHH...that isn't good for WWE's supposed next Golden Boy.
80. Slightly premature "this is awesome" chant if you ask me.
81. Never mind, this is getting good. A bloodied Roman Reigns getting Pedigreed on the steps was a cool sight.
82. I'm surprised there was no Undertaker appearance. Decent show overall though.
Wednesday, February 24, 2016
Monday, February 15, 2016
Monday Night Raw 2/15/16 Recap: Summing it Up in 84 (kinda) Lines
1. Apologies, I totally forgot tonight was Monday! It's currently 8:40 PM, so I only missed 40 minute's worth. I'll rewatch the first 40 minutes after the show is over and paste them in here.
1.01. Alright, trying to get some watching in during commercial breaks, it's currently 9:33. Let's see how tonight's show started.
1.02. "Welcome to the Ambrose Asylum!" love it! Sounds so epic.
1.03. This crowd is going nuts for Ambrose, and I love it.
1.04. Oh my, calling out Brock again. I'm loving it.
1.05. Stephanie is such an easy character to hate. She and Triple H are phenomenal performers.
1.06. Fatal Five-Way?? For the Intercontinental Championship??? RIGHT NOW??? Awww yeah..
1.07. Listen to that pop for KO. I love it!
1.08. Calling it now: when Stardust FINALLY turns back to Cody Rhodes, he's gonna get a gigantic pop.
1.09. Ok, I love Tyler Breeze, and he's definitely a super-talented performer, but I don't see why he's in this match storyline-wise. All he's done recently is lose.
1.10. Dang Dolph, talk about a dropkick!
1.11. Ambrose has such a high-energy style, I love it.
1.12. Rare moment of poor camera work there, it was pretty obvious that Breeze's leg totally missed Stardust.
1.13. I wonder what it feels like to wrestle in Breeze's boots. That sure is a lot of tassels.
1.14 A HUGE facebuster on Ambrose, wow!
1.15. Cody's Disaster Kick is one of my favorite moves. He always hits it so cleanly.
1.16. KO is so agile for a guy his size. Almost hit a quadruple cannonball!
1.17. Beauty Shot from Breeze!! But then all three other members of the match break up the pin.
1.18. I love Ambrose's bouncing-off-the-rope clothesline.
1.19. Not KO's best powerbomb but OWENS WINS THE TITLE! TITLE CHANGE ON RAW!
1.20. Wow, I was not expecting that.
1.21. However, I think it's a good move by WWE. Ambrose doesn't need a title to be majorly over, and now viewers have more of a reason to believe that Ambrose could actually leave Sunday as the number one contender.
1.22. Ambrose has just been absolutely on point as of late. His backstage interview with Renee is superb.
1.23. Also, I wonder what it's like for them to do those interviews? (I believe they're dating in real life)
1.24. Kevin Owens is fantastic.
1.25. Good to see Ziggler with an actual storyline.
1.26. Only Kevin Owens can make "Nah" sound so brilliant.
1.27. Aaaaaand with that we're back! Apologies again for the weird format, but we're back to the rest of the show.
2. Ahh, New Day on a talk show with Edge and Christian. That's a quality way to start off my broadcast for the night.
3. Whoaaaa there Xavier, don't rag on the recorder. That was my jam back in elementary school.
4. Straight up, these guys being allowed to truly show off their personalities may very well be the best thing to happen in WWE over the past 365 days.
5. Woohoo Mark Henry vs Big E! This is a battle of two straight-up beasts, I love it!
6. Looking back on his run in 2011 though, it is a shame how far Mark Henry has fallen. He can be an extremely effective performer when booked correctly.
7. Ooh, that was a rough finish...
8. Could Big E just not lift him up? Or was Henry too injured to comply?
9. Regardless, hopefully Henry isn't injured. At this stage in his career, that could be bad.
10. I'm sorry, but listening to Brie talk is painful. Just painful. I don't even know why, just the way she talks is so robotic. Kind of like the woman who just interrupted her (although Charlotte's been better as of late).
11. Thank you, Charlotte. Effective booking to paint her as a despicable heel, especially against a fan favorite like Bryan, and I don't have to listen to Brie talk anymore.
12. Not sure if this is building effective beef between the two or just making my ears bleed. I'm starting to lean towards the second.
13. Ooooh goat-faced vegan babies, now there's an insult.
14. Ok, that improved this segment considerably. Still, not an overall fan of Brie, and I'm still a bit iffy on Charlotte.
15. Very interested to see what they do with Strowman at Wrestlemania and beyond. He's got a great look, but could certainly stand to improve in the ring. Harper, on the other hand, is a fantastc all-around performer.
16. Much more excited for Jericho now than I was a few weeks ago, glad to see him. Very unique performer.
17. Dang, what does Y2J have against shirts?
18. I've said it before and I'll say it again, the Miz is one of the most underappreciated stars on the roster.
19. Loving this aggression for Miz. Great way to build heat.
20. Good for Jericho, hate it when guys like Styles and KO are called rookies, when in reality they've often been wrestling longer than guys like Cena.
21. Jericho doing an excellent job of putting both guys over, quality stuff.
22. Whenever someone says anything about teeth getting knocked down someone's throat, for some reason, all I can think of is Sheamus. I don't know why.
23. "Fella, I'm gonna knock your teeth down ya troat"
24. Important to say throat without the "h" there^
25. Regardless, good match. Love me a good Pele kick.
26. Oh shoot, is Miz gonna get him??
27. Ooooh, good move from WWE having Miz hit that. I actually thought he'd win for a second there.
28. Chris has got a mic...this is gonna be good.
29. Well, that was interesting...good way to gets fans pumped up for Smackdown though.
30. Dudleys are up next! This is gonna be good.
31. Glad to see a mention of Mandela. This has nothing to do with wrestling, but IMO, one of humanity's
32. Daniel Bryan's retirement was undoubtedly a great moment, and it deserved to close out the show, but I wonder how the Dudleys' turn would have gone if it had gotten the chance to close it out. Is that what was originally planned?
33. Bubba's one heckuva talker. Devon too.
34. Oh my brother, oh TESTIFYYYYY
35. Summer Rae sighting!
36. Hahahaha JBL: "Only five? I got more than that."
37. Summer's one of the most underrated Divas in the division, great look, plays her gimmick well, and a pretty decent wrestler too. I'm a fan.
38. WOOO GO SUMMER!
39. I wonder if this is gonna lead to any sort of storyline/push for Summer, or if Paige just did something to set off management again.
40. Paul Heyman looks like he means business...
41. Heyman is just so g.d. good at talking. He could make a lecture on fiscal policy sound entertaining. What a legend.
42. Lesnar on ESPN? Now that's what I'm talking about. One of the few guys in WWE who I'd legitimately be scared to interview.
43. YES THE DUDLEYS ATTACK REIGNS FROM BEHIND!
44. I swear, if Reigns gets the upper hand here...
45. I'm sure this is gonna make a great tag match later tonight, but to be honest, I'd rather the Dudleys have just beaten Reigns down here. It would've gone a long way in establishing their credibility as a top heel team.
46. AMBROSE JUST TRIED TO HIT REIGNS WITH DIRTY DEEDS!!
47. Awwwww now we're heating up!
48. The Vincent J. McMahon award? Very interesting...I don't feel like they'd create an award like this only to give it to VKM, or Triple H...
49. I'm actually intrigued now. I suppose we'll see next week.
50. Zack Ryder sighting!! Woo woo woo!
51. Four-person victory lap...this may be one of the greatest things I've ever seen.
52. Liking the Leicester City reference JBL!
53. Heath Slater just picked up a win over a jobber...how the tables turn.
54. Hahahaha "Of course we're not...it's not 1997!"
55. How long are these segments going to go on?
56. Kevin Owens promo? Awesome.
57. Luckily for Sin Cara, it doesn't look like he's being forgotten as a result of Kalisto's recent push.
58. Talk about a team of high-flyers...Kalisto, Neville, and Sin Cara are all phenomenal athletes.
59. What do you guys think about the League of Nations? As far as I'm concerned, they've lost a good amount of momentum as of late.
60. JBL's slam dunk comment was on point! That was a very cool spot.
61. It's kinda too bad that Rusev wrestles with boots now, that was definitely a cool unique aspect of his character before.
62. Dang, that DDT looked painful. Luckily Sheamus has the mohawk for extra cushioning.
63. So this Sin Cara is the former Hunico, correct?
64. Ok, I'll admit, I'm not the biggest fan of Del Rio's new finisher, but that looked cool. And painful.
65. Usually though, it just looks awkward. His opponents have to exert extra effort to stay in that position, it's just not logical.
66. Plus, he already has a submission that's been made to look very legit, the Cross Arm-Breaker. and he's got a vicious kick, the one that won him two championships.
67. Booker T was, is, and always will be one of my favorite performers. FIVE-TIME
68. Ohhh yes, two out of three falls? I like the sound of this...
69. Liking that flurry of kicks. The crowd seemed pretty into it too.
70. "Neon nightmare"
71. Becky picks up the win! But right after, Tamina attacks her from behind.
72. And here comes the Boss! Interesting how Tamina is still allowed to hit a Samoan drop, even after Banks comes out to make the save.
73. Interesting to see Reigns and Ambrose vs the Dudleys on Smackdown, I thought it'd be tonight. Nevertheless, excited to see it.
74. Solid promo from Wyatt, as always.
75. I recently read an article about it, and I have to say, Big Show has a legacy unlike any other in the WWE. He's been a top-level performer in the company for almost two decades, he's fought in almost every single type of match, for almost every championship...undoubtedly a future Hall of Famer.
76. Yes, he's turned a lot, but that's because he's able to play both roles so well.
77. Anyways, news flash: these guys are big.
78. I wonder how many times in his life Strowman's ever been suplexed. I daresay not many.
79. Wyatts interfere in the match, predictably, and Ryback comes out to make the save!
80. Just noticed Bray's new shoes. I don't know why, but they look very different than his old ones.
81. Kane appears from under the ring!
82. I love that spot, it never gets old for me^
83. Interesting move to have Big Show, Kane, and Ryback close out the show. It's like 1999 again (plus Ryback).
84. Oh, was that just to plug Show's appearance on the Stone Cold podcast? Lame.
1.01. Alright, trying to get some watching in during commercial breaks, it's currently 9:33. Let's see how tonight's show started.
1.02. "Welcome to the Ambrose Asylum!" love it! Sounds so epic.
1.03. This crowd is going nuts for Ambrose, and I love it.
1.04. Oh my, calling out Brock again. I'm loving it.
1.05. Stephanie is such an easy character to hate. She and Triple H are phenomenal performers.
1.06. Fatal Five-Way?? For the Intercontinental Championship??? RIGHT NOW??? Awww yeah..
1.07. Listen to that pop for KO. I love it!
1.08. Calling it now: when Stardust FINALLY turns back to Cody Rhodes, he's gonna get a gigantic pop.
1.09. Ok, I love Tyler Breeze, and he's definitely a super-talented performer, but I don't see why he's in this match storyline-wise. All he's done recently is lose.
1.10. Dang Dolph, talk about a dropkick!
1.11. Ambrose has such a high-energy style, I love it.
1.12. Rare moment of poor camera work there, it was pretty obvious that Breeze's leg totally missed Stardust.
1.13. I wonder what it feels like to wrestle in Breeze's boots. That sure is a lot of tassels.
1.14 A HUGE facebuster on Ambrose, wow!
1.15. Cody's Disaster Kick is one of my favorite moves. He always hits it so cleanly.
1.16. KO is so agile for a guy his size. Almost hit a quadruple cannonball!
1.17. Beauty Shot from Breeze!! But then all three other members of the match break up the pin.
1.18. I love Ambrose's bouncing-off-the-rope clothesline.
1.19. Not KO's best powerbomb but OWENS WINS THE TITLE! TITLE CHANGE ON RAW!
1.20. Wow, I was not expecting that.
1.21. However, I think it's a good move by WWE. Ambrose doesn't need a title to be majorly over, and now viewers have more of a reason to believe that Ambrose could actually leave Sunday as the number one contender.
1.22. Ambrose has just been absolutely on point as of late. His backstage interview with Renee is superb.
1.23. Also, I wonder what it's like for them to do those interviews? (I believe they're dating in real life)
1.24. Kevin Owens is fantastic.
1.25. Good to see Ziggler with an actual storyline.
1.26. Only Kevin Owens can make "Nah" sound so brilliant.
1.27. Aaaaaand with that we're back! Apologies again for the weird format, but we're back to the rest of the show.
2. Ahh, New Day on a talk show with Edge and Christian. That's a quality way to start off my broadcast for the night.
3. Whoaaaa there Xavier, don't rag on the recorder. That was my jam back in elementary school.
4. Straight up, these guys being allowed to truly show off their personalities may very well be the best thing to happen in WWE over the past 365 days.
5. Woohoo Mark Henry vs Big E! This is a battle of two straight-up beasts, I love it!
6. Looking back on his run in 2011 though, it is a shame how far Mark Henry has fallen. He can be an extremely effective performer when booked correctly.
7. Ooh, that was a rough finish...
8. Could Big E just not lift him up? Or was Henry too injured to comply?
9. Regardless, hopefully Henry isn't injured. At this stage in his career, that could be bad.
10. I'm sorry, but listening to Brie talk is painful. Just painful. I don't even know why, just the way she talks is so robotic. Kind of like the woman who just interrupted her (although Charlotte's been better as of late).
11. Thank you, Charlotte. Effective booking to paint her as a despicable heel, especially against a fan favorite like Bryan, and I don't have to listen to Brie talk anymore.
12. Not sure if this is building effective beef between the two or just making my ears bleed. I'm starting to lean towards the second.
13. Ooooh goat-faced vegan babies, now there's an insult.
14. Ok, that improved this segment considerably. Still, not an overall fan of Brie, and I'm still a bit iffy on Charlotte.
15. Very interested to see what they do with Strowman at Wrestlemania and beyond. He's got a great look, but could certainly stand to improve in the ring. Harper, on the other hand, is a fantastc all-around performer.
16. Much more excited for Jericho now than I was a few weeks ago, glad to see him. Very unique performer.
17. Dang, what does Y2J have against shirts?
18. I've said it before and I'll say it again, the Miz is one of the most underappreciated stars on the roster.
19. Loving this aggression for Miz. Great way to build heat.
20. Good for Jericho, hate it when guys like Styles and KO are called rookies, when in reality they've often been wrestling longer than guys like Cena.
21. Jericho doing an excellent job of putting both guys over, quality stuff.
22. Whenever someone says anything about teeth getting knocked down someone's throat, for some reason, all I can think of is Sheamus. I don't know why.
23. "Fella, I'm gonna knock your teeth down ya troat"
24. Important to say throat without the "h" there^
25. Regardless, good match. Love me a good Pele kick.
26. Oh shoot, is Miz gonna get him??
27. Ooooh, good move from WWE having Miz hit that. I actually thought he'd win for a second there.
28. Chris has got a mic...this is gonna be good.
29. Well, that was interesting...good way to gets fans pumped up for Smackdown though.
30. Dudleys are up next! This is gonna be good.
31. Glad to see a mention of Mandela. This has nothing to do with wrestling, but IMO, one of humanity's
32. Daniel Bryan's retirement was undoubtedly a great moment, and it deserved to close out the show, but I wonder how the Dudleys' turn would have gone if it had gotten the chance to close it out. Is that what was originally planned?
33. Bubba's one heckuva talker. Devon too.
34. Oh my brother, oh TESTIFYYYYY
35. Summer Rae sighting!
36. Hahahaha JBL: "Only five? I got more than that."
37. Summer's one of the most underrated Divas in the division, great look, plays her gimmick well, and a pretty decent wrestler too. I'm a fan.
38. WOOO GO SUMMER!
39. I wonder if this is gonna lead to any sort of storyline/push for Summer, or if Paige just did something to set off management again.
40. Paul Heyman looks like he means business...
41. Heyman is just so g.d. good at talking. He could make a lecture on fiscal policy sound entertaining. What a legend.
42. Lesnar on ESPN? Now that's what I'm talking about. One of the few guys in WWE who I'd legitimately be scared to interview.
43. YES THE DUDLEYS ATTACK REIGNS FROM BEHIND!
44. I swear, if Reigns gets the upper hand here...
45. I'm sure this is gonna make a great tag match later tonight, but to be honest, I'd rather the Dudleys have just beaten Reigns down here. It would've gone a long way in establishing their credibility as a top heel team.
46. AMBROSE JUST TRIED TO HIT REIGNS WITH DIRTY DEEDS!!
47. Awwwww now we're heating up!
48. The Vincent J. McMahon award? Very interesting...I don't feel like they'd create an award like this only to give it to VKM, or Triple H...
49. I'm actually intrigued now. I suppose we'll see next week.
50. Zack Ryder sighting!! Woo woo woo!
51. Four-person victory lap...this may be one of the greatest things I've ever seen.
52. Liking the Leicester City reference JBL!
53. Heath Slater just picked up a win over a jobber...how the tables turn.
54. Hahahaha "Of course we're not...it's not 1997!"
55. How long are these segments going to go on?
56. Kevin Owens promo? Awesome.
57. Luckily for Sin Cara, it doesn't look like he's being forgotten as a result of Kalisto's recent push.
58. Talk about a team of high-flyers...Kalisto, Neville, and Sin Cara are all phenomenal athletes.
59. What do you guys think about the League of Nations? As far as I'm concerned, they've lost a good amount of momentum as of late.
60. JBL's slam dunk comment was on point! That was a very cool spot.
61. It's kinda too bad that Rusev wrestles with boots now, that was definitely a cool unique aspect of his character before.
62. Dang, that DDT looked painful. Luckily Sheamus has the mohawk for extra cushioning.
63. So this Sin Cara is the former Hunico, correct?
64. Ok, I'll admit, I'm not the biggest fan of Del Rio's new finisher, but that looked cool. And painful.
65. Usually though, it just looks awkward. His opponents have to exert extra effort to stay in that position, it's just not logical.
66. Plus, he already has a submission that's been made to look very legit, the Cross Arm-Breaker. and he's got a vicious kick, the one that won him two championships.
67. Booker T was, is, and always will be one of my favorite performers. FIVE-TIME
68. Ohhh yes, two out of three falls? I like the sound of this...
69. Liking that flurry of kicks. The crowd seemed pretty into it too.
70. "Neon nightmare"
71. Becky picks up the win! But right after, Tamina attacks her from behind.
72. And here comes the Boss! Interesting how Tamina is still allowed to hit a Samoan drop, even after Banks comes out to make the save.
73. Interesting to see Reigns and Ambrose vs the Dudleys on Smackdown, I thought it'd be tonight. Nevertheless, excited to see it.
74. Solid promo from Wyatt, as always.
75. I recently read an article about it, and I have to say, Big Show has a legacy unlike any other in the WWE. He's been a top-level performer in the company for almost two decades, he's fought in almost every single type of match, for almost every championship...undoubtedly a future Hall of Famer.
76. Yes, he's turned a lot, but that's because he's able to play both roles so well.
77. Anyways, news flash: these guys are big.
78. I wonder how many times in his life Strowman's ever been suplexed. I daresay not many.
79. Wyatts interfere in the match, predictably, and Ryback comes out to make the save!
80. Just noticed Bray's new shoes. I don't know why, but they look very different than his old ones.
81. Kane appears from under the ring!
82. I love that spot, it never gets old for me^
83. Interesting move to have Big Show, Kane, and Ryback close out the show. It's like 1999 again (plus Ryback).
84. Oh, was that just to plug Show's appearance on the Stone Cold podcast? Lame.
Wednesday, February 10, 2016
Daniel Bryan's Greatest Moments
Without a doubt, Daniel Bryan has changed the course of the WWE forever. In the big, bad, cutthroat world that is professional wrestling, filled with larger-than-life Superstars everywhere you look, this 5'8'' lumberjack from Aberdeen, Washington captivated the hearts and minds of fans all across the world with his incredible everyman story. Whether it was winning Wrestling Observer Newsletter's Best Technical Wrestler award a record NINE times in a row—keep in mind, no one else has ever won more than four—tearing it up in Ring of Honor, making his mark as part of the infamous Nexus invasion back in 2010, or spearheading the movement that would eventually lead to one of the most incredible moments in WWE history, Daniel Bryan has achieved far more than anyone would have ever expected.
Winning over fans young and old alike with his heart, his passion for the business, his determination, and his unquenchable thirst for success, Bryan's rise to the top was quite possibly the most entertaining and remarkable element to come out of WWE television in the past decade. Not only did it mark, in the minds of many fans, the first time that the Universe truly forced the company to listen to them by virtue of overwhelming support, but it also paved the way for other smaller, indie guys to make the jump to WWE and be successful. It may have been difficult to see at the time, but in hindsight, he and CM Punk have changed the course of WWE forever, and given hundreds, maybe even thousands of guys and girls to showcase their talents on the biggest stage of them all. During his incredible retirement speech on Monday Night Raw—which was one of the most surreal moments I've ever experienced as a fan—he said many times that he was grateful. Grateful to the sport, to the fans, and to so many other things. Well Daniel, we are most certainly grateful for you.
So, in order to help honor the legacy of the most popular wrestler the company has had since Stone Cold himself, here are nine of the goat-faced legend's greatest moments. We salute you, Daniel Bryan.
Honorable Mention:
Cashes in Money in the Bank to win World Heavyweight Championship at TLC 2011
9. Nexus invasion (starts at around 11:40 in the video above)
While it may have ended up getting him fired initially (though only for two months), without the Nexus invasion, there is a chance that the Daniel Bryan we've come to know today might never had existed. Yes, he'd been tearing it up on the independent scene for some time by that point, but were it not for this big-time storyline, the casual WWE fan may have never gotten a reason to care about the former American Dragon. In fact, getting fired may have been the best thing that could've happened for Bryan, as it allowed him to return just a couple of months later on a big stage, and WWE fans were given a reason to care about him. The rest, as they say, is history.
8. "Goat Face" is born
Unfortunately, I couldn't find the exact moment when this insult was first used to describe the bearded Superstar, so I put in a clip of when Bryan had to undergo an anger evaluation and his Rorschach drawings were shaped like goats. However, I simply had to put this moment in here. Whenever it did occur, as my memory's a little fuzzy on it right now, the nickname "goat face" became a part of Bryan's identity. Yet another term used by his critics, they could now claim that he was not only too small, but also didn't have the proper look of a top WWE Superstar, resembling a farm animal more than a clean-cut corporate champion. However, similarly to another item on this list (*cough cough Sheamus cough cough*), this setback only made WWE fans more determined to cheer for Bryan. His unkempt beard and long hair became an allegory for his rise to the top, and they eventually became a crucial part of his image: that is to say, more like your every day average guy than a jacked, perfectly sculpted "Face of the WWE".
7. Loses to Sheamus in 18 seconds
Frankly, without this moment, the Daniel Bryan legend may never have been born. It was on this night, April 1, 2012, that the Yes Movement truly began. Before that night, Bryan was a mildly over superstar with a heckuva lot of talent. However, after this moment, he became a sensation. Outraged with the WWE's decision to have him lose to Sheamus in simply 18 seconds on the Grandest Stage of Them All, fans took the obsession with Bryan to new heights, chanting, "Yes!" every chance they got, and popping like crazy for the Aberdeen native. This failure, as it was perceived in many fans' minds, just served to make his eventual victory even sweeter, and it was undoubtedly the catalyst for his transformation into a true main event star.
6. Raw after Wrestlemania 30
JBL summed it up best when he said, "I've never seen anything like this in my life!". Post-Mania crowds are always insane, but this crowd was hotter for Bryan than other other superstar in the company that night. They literally would not let him speak for a solid 30 seconds because they were too busy chanting his name. However, I think the most defining moment of this segment was when the crowd sang out in unison, "You deserve it." If you didn't already have goosebumps during this segment, this most certainly set you straight. As far as I'm concerned, that is one of the greatest chants that a performer can EVER hear from anyone. Hearing it from a raucous New Orleans crowd less than 24 hours after the biggest victory of his life was surely one of the most surreal moments Daniel Bryan has ever experienced. I know it certainly was for me as a fan.
5. Wins WWE Championship from Cena (couldn't find a video of the match itself, so here's a video of Cena picking Bryan for the match)
This moment would almost certainly be higher were it not for its short-lived nature. Yes, when Daniel Bryan beat WWE's resident golden boy clean in the middle of the ring, it was a phenomenal moment. Confetti and tears of joy alike streamed down, and the celebration was set to begin. However, just a few minutes after the bell rang to end the match, it rang yet again to symbolize the end of another. This one, unfortunately, would mark the very premature end of Bryan's first WWE Championship reign. However, as disappointing as it may have been in the moment, this was likely the right call. Not only did it make Bryan even hungrier, but more importantly, it left fans absolutely desperate to finally see their chosen one given a legitimate reign on top, helping make that magical night in New Orleans an even more emotional affair.
4. Seattle crowd hijacks Raw
On December 12, 2013, a raucous Seattle crowd "hijacked" Raw. During what was called the "Championship Ascension Ceremony", then-WWE champ Randy Orton and then-World Heavyweight champ John Cena relinquished their titles in preparation for the upcoming unification match at TLC. In order to give the ceremony a more prestigious feel, WWE filled the ring with a large array of former world champs, from CM Punk to the Big Show to ol'Goat Face himself, Daniel Bryan. What was essentially a hometown crowd for Bryan (or at least the closest he'll get to one in a major city) absolutely took over the segment, completely ignoring Stephanie and drowning her out with boisterous cheers of, "DAN-IEL BRY-AN". While this particular segment may not have been written up with the intention of promoting the bearded masterclass, it certainly did so, providing an absolutely unforgettable moment that served as a representation of just how much power the Universe truly wielded.
3. Occupy Raw
To echo the sentiment directly above, this segment was a fantastic representation of just how powerful the WWE Universe can be. However, here, we got a more physical representation of how this is true. In one of the most ingenious and creative decisions in recent memory, Daniel Bryan filled and surrounded the ring with eager member of the Yes Movement to demand a match with Triple H at Wrestlemania, something that fans all around the world had been clamoring for in real life too. In retrospect, given the immense backlash that would've occurred had the match at Wrestlemania just been Batista and Randy Orton, WWE probably didn't have much choice, but still, this was an incredible segment in selling just how much the company didn't want Bryan to have the match, thus making the WWE Universe even more elated when it finally came to fruition.
2. Breaks away from the Wyatt Family
Simply put, this was the loudest I've ever heard a crowd react for a single competitor. It was absolutely spine-tingling (Side note: credit to Wyatt for getting himself this much heat, that's impressive). While it may not have had as much impact storyline-wise as some of the other items on this list, the sway that Daniel Bryan proved he had over the audience was unlike anything I've ever seen before in my life. The slow start and then gradual speeding up of the Yes chant, which every single person in the arena participated in perfectly, was something special. For me, this is one of the most underrated segments in the history of Monday Night Raw. Every single person in that arena had their two hands up in sync with Bryan, and it was a moment the likes of which I doubt we'll ever see again. It takes something truly special to beat this out for the number one spot...
1. YEStlemania, wins title at Wrestlemania 30
...And "something special" is exactly what this moment is. Finally, after years and years of blood, sweat, tears, and passion, Daniel Bryan reached the promised land on April 6, 2014 in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, forcing Batista to submit in a Triple Threat Match to win the WWE World Heavyweight Championship (Side note: Cole's call right after Batista tapped is absolutely phenomenal. "A miracle on Bourbon Street!"). Aptly coined "YEStlemania"" by Jerry Lawler, it was a fitting reward for a man who many have long considered to be one of the greatest wrestlers in the world. After months and months of disappointment and anticipation, from his prematurely-ended reign at the hands of Randy Orton to the Royal Rumble debacle, finally, the bearded Superman did it. No caveats, no immediate heartbreak, just pure elation. 15 years after first joining Dean Malenko's wrestling school straight out of high school, after years of perfecting his craft and biding his time, by sheer force of will—both by him and by the fans—Daniel Bryan made it to the summit of the industry. It simply does not get bigger than winning the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at Wrestlemania, and finally, after so much heartbreak, Bryan did it. When Batista's hand first hit the mat to signal his submission, the absolute explosion that went around the Superdome was simply a joy to behold. That night, it wasn't just a victory for the hard-working, goat-faced lumberjack from Aberdeen, Washington. It was a victory for every single member of the WWE Universe who's ever been told they aren't good enough, that they're destined for mediocrity as simply a B+ player. That night, no matter what the case was in reality, we were all behind Bryan and this idea that nobody in the back wanted to see him succeed. He was fighting for dear life against the unstoppable machine, and in the end, he won, producing one of the most unforgettable moments in the history of this business, and in turn creating a legacy that will live on forever.
Thank you, Daniel Bryan. For everything.
Winning over fans young and old alike with his heart, his passion for the business, his determination, and his unquenchable thirst for success, Bryan's rise to the top was quite possibly the most entertaining and remarkable element to come out of WWE television in the past decade. Not only did it mark, in the minds of many fans, the first time that the Universe truly forced the company to listen to them by virtue of overwhelming support, but it also paved the way for other smaller, indie guys to make the jump to WWE and be successful. It may have been difficult to see at the time, but in hindsight, he and CM Punk have changed the course of WWE forever, and given hundreds, maybe even thousands of guys and girls to showcase their talents on the biggest stage of them all. During his incredible retirement speech on Monday Night Raw—which was one of the most surreal moments I've ever experienced as a fan—he said many times that he was grateful. Grateful to the sport, to the fans, and to so many other things. Well Daniel, we are most certainly grateful for you.
So, in order to help honor the legacy of the most popular wrestler the company has had since Stone Cold himself, here are nine of the goat-faced legend's greatest moments. We salute you, Daniel Bryan.
Honorable Mention:
While it may have ended up getting him fired initially (though only for two months), without the Nexus invasion, there is a chance that the Daniel Bryan we've come to know today might never had existed. Yes, he'd been tearing it up on the independent scene for some time by that point, but were it not for this big-time storyline, the casual WWE fan may have never gotten a reason to care about the former American Dragon. In fact, getting fired may have been the best thing that could've happened for Bryan, as it allowed him to return just a couple of months later on a big stage, and WWE fans were given a reason to care about him. The rest, as they say, is history.
Unfortunately, I couldn't find the exact moment when this insult was first used to describe the bearded Superstar, so I put in a clip of when Bryan had to undergo an anger evaluation and his Rorschach drawings were shaped like goats. However, I simply had to put this moment in here. Whenever it did occur, as my memory's a little fuzzy on it right now, the nickname "goat face" became a part of Bryan's identity. Yet another term used by his critics, they could now claim that he was not only too small, but also didn't have the proper look of a top WWE Superstar, resembling a farm animal more than a clean-cut corporate champion. However, similarly to another item on this list (*cough cough Sheamus cough cough*), this setback only made WWE fans more determined to cheer for Bryan. His unkempt beard and long hair became an allegory for his rise to the top, and they eventually became a crucial part of his image: that is to say, more like your every day average guy than a jacked, perfectly sculpted "Face of the WWE".
Frankly, without this moment, the Daniel Bryan legend may never have been born. It was on this night, April 1, 2012, that the Yes Movement truly began. Before that night, Bryan was a mildly over superstar with a heckuva lot of talent. However, after this moment, he became a sensation. Outraged with the WWE's decision to have him lose to Sheamus in simply 18 seconds on the Grandest Stage of Them All, fans took the obsession with Bryan to new heights, chanting, "Yes!" every chance they got, and popping like crazy for the Aberdeen native. This failure, as it was perceived in many fans' minds, just served to make his eventual victory even sweeter, and it was undoubtedly the catalyst for his transformation into a true main event star.
JBL summed it up best when he said, "I've never seen anything like this in my life!". Post-Mania crowds are always insane, but this crowd was hotter for Bryan than other other superstar in the company that night. They literally would not let him speak for a solid 30 seconds because they were too busy chanting his name. However, I think the most defining moment of this segment was when the crowd sang out in unison, "You deserve it." If you didn't already have goosebumps during this segment, this most certainly set you straight. As far as I'm concerned, that is one of the greatest chants that a performer can EVER hear from anyone. Hearing it from a raucous New Orleans crowd less than 24 hours after the biggest victory of his life was surely one of the most surreal moments Daniel Bryan has ever experienced. I know it certainly was for me as a fan.
This moment would almost certainly be higher were it not for its short-lived nature. Yes, when Daniel Bryan beat WWE's resident golden boy clean in the middle of the ring, it was a phenomenal moment. Confetti and tears of joy alike streamed down, and the celebration was set to begin. However, just a few minutes after the bell rang to end the match, it rang yet again to symbolize the end of another. This one, unfortunately, would mark the very premature end of Bryan's first WWE Championship reign. However, as disappointing as it may have been in the moment, this was likely the right call. Not only did it make Bryan even hungrier, but more importantly, it left fans absolutely desperate to finally see their chosen one given a legitimate reign on top, helping make that magical night in New Orleans an even more emotional affair.
On December 12, 2013, a raucous Seattle crowd "hijacked" Raw. During what was called the "Championship Ascension Ceremony", then-WWE champ Randy Orton and then-World Heavyweight champ John Cena relinquished their titles in preparation for the upcoming unification match at TLC. In order to give the ceremony a more prestigious feel, WWE filled the ring with a large array of former world champs, from CM Punk to the Big Show to ol'Goat Face himself, Daniel Bryan. What was essentially a hometown crowd for Bryan (or at least the closest he'll get to one in a major city) absolutely took over the segment, completely ignoring Stephanie and drowning her out with boisterous cheers of, "DAN-IEL BRY-AN". While this particular segment may not have been written up with the intention of promoting the bearded masterclass, it certainly did so, providing an absolutely unforgettable moment that served as a representation of just how much power the Universe truly wielded.
To echo the sentiment directly above, this segment was a fantastic representation of just how powerful the WWE Universe can be. However, here, we got a more physical representation of how this is true. In one of the most ingenious and creative decisions in recent memory, Daniel Bryan filled and surrounded the ring with eager member of the Yes Movement to demand a match with Triple H at Wrestlemania, something that fans all around the world had been clamoring for in real life too. In retrospect, given the immense backlash that would've occurred had the match at Wrestlemania just been Batista and Randy Orton, WWE probably didn't have much choice, but still, this was an incredible segment in selling just how much the company didn't want Bryan to have the match, thus making the WWE Universe even more elated when it finally came to fruition.
Simply put, this was the loudest I've ever heard a crowd react for a single competitor. It was absolutely spine-tingling (Side note: credit to Wyatt for getting himself this much heat, that's impressive). While it may not have had as much impact storyline-wise as some of the other items on this list, the sway that Daniel Bryan proved he had over the audience was unlike anything I've ever seen before in my life. The slow start and then gradual speeding up of the Yes chant, which every single person in the arena participated in perfectly, was something special. For me, this is one of the most underrated segments in the history of Monday Night Raw. Every single person in that arena had their two hands up in sync with Bryan, and it was a moment the likes of which I doubt we'll ever see again. It takes something truly special to beat this out for the number one spot...
...And "something special" is exactly what this moment is. Finally, after years and years of blood, sweat, tears, and passion, Daniel Bryan reached the promised land on April 6, 2014 in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, forcing Batista to submit in a Triple Threat Match to win the WWE World Heavyweight Championship (Side note: Cole's call right after Batista tapped is absolutely phenomenal. "A miracle on Bourbon Street!"). Aptly coined "YEStlemania"" by Jerry Lawler, it was a fitting reward for a man who many have long considered to be one of the greatest wrestlers in the world. After months and months of disappointment and anticipation, from his prematurely-ended reign at the hands of Randy Orton to the Royal Rumble debacle, finally, the bearded Superman did it. No caveats, no immediate heartbreak, just pure elation. 15 years after first joining Dean Malenko's wrestling school straight out of high school, after years of perfecting his craft and biding his time, by sheer force of will—both by him and by the fans—Daniel Bryan made it to the summit of the industry. It simply does not get bigger than winning the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at Wrestlemania, and finally, after so much heartbreak, Bryan did it. When Batista's hand first hit the mat to signal his submission, the absolute explosion that went around the Superdome was simply a joy to behold. That night, it wasn't just a victory for the hard-working, goat-faced lumberjack from Aberdeen, Washington. It was a victory for every single member of the WWE Universe who's ever been told they aren't good enough, that they're destined for mediocrity as simply a B+ player. That night, no matter what the case was in reality, we were all behind Bryan and this idea that nobody in the back wanted to see him succeed. He was fighting for dear life against the unstoppable machine, and in the end, he won, producing one of the most unforgettable moments in the history of this business, and in turn creating a legacy that will live on forever.
Thank you, Daniel Bryan. For everything.
Monday, February 8, 2016
Monday Night Raw 2/8/16 Recap: Summing it up in 99 Lines
1. Oh my, I didn't realize that Raw was in Seattle tonight...the Daniel Bryan chants may never stop.
2. Interesting move not having Daniel Bryan kick off the show. Still hoping for a Mark Henry-like fake retirement, however unlikely it may be.
3. The pop that Brock Lesnar gets every single time he comes out is nothing short of amazing.
4. Oooh, Steph interrupts Paul Heyman's "ladies and gentlemen" shtick. I like it.
5. Again, I love how Dean shows no fear at all. Fits his character perfectly.
6. Also, Brock straight up smacking Reigns with that table was a cool spot.
7. I love watching Paul Heyman try to restrain Brock. Just look at his face.
8. I like how Trips doesn't have to say anything, and him coming out is still effective.
9. Dang, that's a heck of a pop for Kevin Owens. Deservedly so, he's absolutely amazing. Does all the little things perfectly, as well as the big things.
10. Speaking of which, KO had an excellent tribute on Twitter, one of my favorites. Probably second to only Sami Zayn's.
11. What did he yell to the crowd/Cole? I missed it.
12. Well, whatever it was, I'm sure it was gold.
13. What a freaking superkick. Excellently sold by Dolph, as always.
14. See 13^, but applied to that DDT
15. Wow, Ziggler won! And by cheating too.
16. IT'S A NEW DAY, YES IT IS
17. It seems like people don't often think of him as one, but the Miz is really getting to be a veteran.
18. "The entire WWE Universe can't stand the New Day"
19. Ryback has such an interesting dynamic within the WWE Universe. Personally, I like him. The crowd gets hotter for his "Feed Me More" chant than almost any other one I can think of. However, sometimes, he still gets booed like crazy.
20. Well, that video package kinda felt like a waste of time.
21. Alicia Fox is vastly underrated. Great athlete, and very entertaining as well.
22. Remember her crazy gimmick? That was excellent, wish it had continued a little longer.
23. I'm liking heel Charlotte a lot better now, she seems a lot more natural.
24. What does Chris have against wearing shirts under his jackets?
25. Not gonna lie, this (switching talk shows) is creative. I like it.
26. Wow, that was impressively fast. Shoutout to the ring crew
27. The slap that knocked out Miz's tooth can't have felt good...
28. "You look really stupid, Miz" quality line.
29. Wow, Miz calls out Sheamus for the chants.
30. "Does everyone think this is funny?" Well, what do you expect them to say?
31. But dang, the Miz is fantastic on the mic. He plays his character to perfection.
32. Out comes the Phenomenal One!
33. Well, this is an interesting turn...Styles and Jericho working together.
34. Well, that was short-lived.
35. Side note: I really like AJ's gloves. There's just something about that color.
36. Awww yeah, Wyatt time!
37. The fireflies are such a cool added element to Bray's entrance. It's an awesome visual.
38. That image of Strowman standing next to Big Show really shows you just how huge Strowman is. All 3 of these guys (really, all 4 guys) are gigantic human beings.
39. Ryback's ditched the singlet, interesting.
40. Okay, these Goldberg chants weren't funny or entertaining when they started like 3 years ago. The guys works hard, give him a break.
41. I've always wondered why nobody uses the Spinebuster as a finisher. To me, it looks much more convincing than many other big finishers (@the.pedigree).
42. I wonder what the thought process behind Rowan's getup was.
43. "Hey, we have a big bald guy with an orange beard. What should he be wearing?" "Eh, let's give him a green onesie. That'll look intimidating."
44. Bray just delivered a better promo without a mic than most people can with one.
45. Anybody else remember Harold?? And, of course, Dr. Shelby.
46. This might be the only situation in which I'm sad that Renee had to show up.
47. These guys are too hilarious.
48. Dean Ambrose is on a roll. I'm liking this intense side of him.
49. Yessss Social Outcasts!!
50. I love the back and forth these guys have.
51. "The Radical Mongoose".
52. Hahahaha I love Bo. He's amazing.
53. Straight up, Titus is a freaky good athlete. With a decent gimmick, other than just barking like a gator, he could make it big.
54. Heel turn.....? Or just frustration.
55. Regardless, I loved John's calls there. "THE MONGOOSE! THE MONGOOSE! THE MONGOOSE!"
56. He's literally asking Brock to come out. I love it.
57. Ooooh, the soft jokes...dang.
58. This is a masterful performance from Dean.
59. Dean attacks first!! Oh my goodness
60. Prediction: Roman comes out at some point.
61. This is fantastic. After getting F-5ed, Ambrose actually sits up and beckons Lesnar back into the ring.
62. Again, masterful. Dean is getting crazy over.
63. Sin Cara's back! I wonder what's in store for him, given that Kalisto is now extremely over and the US champion.
64. Why does Lana not come out with Rusev anymore? It just doesn't make sense.
65. I love when Cole and Byron bring up Rey retiring JBL.
66. Random, but I just thought of this: I'd honestly prefer a triple threat for the Divas title (Charlotte vs. Becky vs. Sasha) at Fastlane with Charlotte retaining flukily, and then a rematch at Wrestlemania with some sort of gimmick. Perhaps an Iron Woman match? @Bayley_and_Sasha
67. Del Rio hits some of the best kicks (particularly enziguris) that I've ever seen.
68. Also, I miss his cross arm-breaker. They did a good job of building that up as a credible submission maneuver, and now it's barely used anymore.
69. Poor Goldust, he's had to put up with so much in his career.
70. Occupy Raw was a fantastic segment, excellently done. Love seeing it again.
71. I really hope they show a)the segment when D-Bry left the Wyatt Family and b)when he won the championship in New Orleans. Two defining moments, with two of the loudest pops I've heard in my entire life.
72. "Because I'm the Beyoncé of the group?" Quality line right there.
73. See, this is the sort of stuff we were looking for with regards to the Divas Revolution. Actual TV time and storyline development can do wonders.
74. Good lord what a punch! Something went flying out of Sasha's mouth!!
75. And that suplex didn't exactly look fun either...
76. So the New Day recruited Mark Henry. Pretty ambivalent about that.
77. AWWWW SEATTLE!!!
78. Starting off strong, I like it.
79. #SaveTheTables
80. Unrelated: just imagine how hyped people will be if D-Bry's retirement actually does turn out to be a swerve.
81. It's been so long since a swerve of this magnitude. The last one I can remember is Rollins turning on the Shield.
82. Double WAZZUP!!
83. I just love when the crowd says "Get the tables!!" along with Bubba. It always gets the crowd pumped up.
84. What was the point of this match...?
85. Oh, that's what it was.
86. Ok, that makes more sense. Jimmy goes through a table! Jey goes through a table with a huge powebomb!!
87. I have to admit, I feel a little bad for the Dudleys. I would've loved to see them as champs, but the New Day is just untouchable right now. It's very unlucky timing.
88. Bubba can be an excellent heel, and he's already showing that. I'm intrigued to see where this goes.
89. Shoot, is someone cutting onions? This is way too real.
90. The hair is gone...dang.
91. Before he starts, I just need to say: Daniel Bryan has left an indelible mark on the company in so many ways. From the "Yes!" chant, which could very well become one of the most popular chants in the company's history, to his breaking the barrier for the atypical, smaller, indie superstar to succeed in the WWE, he's done so many fantastic things, and given us so many great moments. His popularity surge was organic, and it was quite possibly the best thing to come out of the company in the past 10 years. He'll go down in history, and it's a shame he only ever got one legitimate championship run. Still, that one run was one of the most special moments I've ever seen.
92. The first thing he mentions is a freaking charity. Ooh boy, this is not gonna be easy.
93. Daniel Bryan legitimately loves this business, quite possibly more than anyone else I've ever seen before.
94. We just got a "that's what she said" chant. What a moment.
95. That line about the gas station parking lots is something special. Really puts it into perspective.
96. As if I wasn't already crying, he's gotta go and mention Connor. Dang.
97. The thing about his dad...this is just amazing.
98. We're grateful for you, Bryan. We really well and truly are.
99. #ThankYouDanielBryan. Truly a pioneer.
Friday, February 5, 2016
The 68 Things We Learned From Raw 2/1/16
In the vein of one of my favorite writers, "The Doctor" Chris Mueller, I'll be starting a weekly recap of Raw in the form of a list of play-by-play, observations, interjections, and whatever just feels right about the show. Hopefully you'll all enjoy it, and as always, feel free to share this with your friends if you do! Without any further ado, here we go:
1. Talk about a high-energy way to start off the night...Brock's music hitting always gets the crowd pumped up.
2. Ooh, Brock's sporting a newly-colored Suplex City t-shirt. Bold move.
3. Very rarely can one find something to criticize in a Paul Heyman promo, but here's one: Why is it, "Thou shall not intentionally provoke the Beast?" Why not just, "Thou shall not anger the beast?" Rolls off the tongue much more easily.
4. Ambrose interrupting
Heyman while Lesnar’s in the ring…I love it. Really sells his insane side.
5. I gotta admit, the
WWE’s done really well with all three former Shield members. Rollins was
already an excellent champion and has shown he can be majorly over as a heel,
Reigns has made some great strides to become champ as well, and Ambrose remains
one of the most over acts in the company.
6. Oh my…he walks
straight up to Lesnar, face-to-face. Scripted or not, that takes guts. Lesnar
is freaking scary.
7. Dang. That was a
stellar performance from Ambrose.
8. I gotta say,
sometimes I wonder if Ziggler’s ever going to truly escape the midcard. The
guy’s obviously an excellent performer, but there are also just so many other
extremely talented superstars in the biz. That being said, I’d love to see him
finally get a well-deserved legitimate reign at some point.
9. It’s crazy how far
Rusev has fallen. One year ago, the guy was being booked excellently, as an
unstoppable monster with a hugely over valet. Now, however, as far as I’m
concerned, he’s basically a glorified jobber.
10. Gotta say, that was
a pretty solid match. The hurricanrana at the end may not have been pretty, but
the rest was pretty good.
11. NEW, DAY ROCKS
12. I’m sorry, but
sometimes, listening to Brie talk into a mic just hurts.
13. I used to feel that
way about Charlotte too, but it seems like her recent heel turn has definitely
helped in that department.
14. Did Lilian say
“Grammy award-winning”? Whoops.
15. Oh yup, she did.
Thanks for the replay, monkeys.
16. #WheresBo?
17. Even if the crowd
didn’t seem to pop too hard for them, I’m liking the Social Outcasts. Four very
talented and very entertaining superstars.
18. I’ve said this
before, but Miz is undoubtedly one of the most underrated superstars in the
WWE. He plays his role to perfection, and he’s one of the best ambassadors the
company has.
19. Not sure I’m a fan
of AJ’s entrance music. Seems a bit too low-energy at the beginning. Could see
it growing on me, though.
20. That was a heck of a
promo, even if the crowd didn’t seem to be getting into it. Regardless, AJ’s
still crazy over, which is fantastic.
21. Liking the soccer
references from JBL! Keep ‘em coming.
22. A lot of people have
been complaining about Ric Flair’s involvement with Charlotte recently, but
frankly, I don’t see a problem with it.
23. A Brie win? Dang,
certainly wasn’t expecting that. I don’t mind, though, that was a decent match.
24. The Wyatt Family has
a very interesting role in the WWE. They’re consistently being called upon to
deliver fantastic matches and feuds, and they certainly do so, but at some
point, they’re gonna have to get that big, defining win. As cool as it would be
to see Bray go up against Brock, I don’t know how he could get that kind of win
against the Beast.
25. Well, I would’ve
preferred that not be a squash match, but whatever. At least they got the upper
hand after the match.
26. Titus definitely is
a class act. Like Miz, he’s a great asset for the company.
27. Tyler Breeze
sighting! Too bad he’s going to lose.
28. Definitely wasn’t as
one-sided as I thought, but still come on WWE. Breeze is a talented guy, he
deserves better than jobber status.
29. It makes me sad to
think back to how much of a star Breeze was treated like in NXT. Now, he’s just
a joke.
29. I do like how Titus
is selling the injury after the match though. It’s the little things like that
that can make a big difference.
30. Oh my, Kevin Owens
is just too good. Ripping the sign down was amazing.
31. As we all know pretty
well by now, Ziggler’s selling is amazing. Watching him bounce off that
turnbuckle…dang.
32. And that superkick^!
Oh my…
33. These guys are both
so talented, this is a great match.
34. Ziggler won?? Wow,
was not expecting that.
35. Still an excellent
performance from both competitors, so I’m happy with that.
36. Once again,
excellent work from the WWE video team with the Mark Henry video. He’s an
excellent performer, legitimately one of the strongest men in the world, and
clearly a great human being as well.
37. Side note: that
suplex with Big Show where they broke the ring is still one of my all-time
favorite moments. So sick.
38. Ooh, this is getting
interesting. Is Sasha about to split from Naomi and Tamina?
39. PS: Naomi’s boots
are awesome, I like the changing colors.
40. Well, that was
interesting. We’ll have to wait and see if this goes anywhere. If not, that was
kinda a waste of time.
41. Becky’s definitely
come into her own since her debut last summer, and I’m loving it.
42. These ladies are
putting on a clinic, and I’m loving it.
43. Well, I guess
there’s our answer to number 40.
44. This is definitely
an interesting turn of events. Foreshadowing Sasha and Becky working together
is a smart move.
45. Also, I always love
a good NXT chant. Very cool moment.
46. Legends with JBL is
definitely an awesome show, 10/10 would recommend.
47. Not quite sure how I feel about
Y2J anymore. Some of his promos felt a little forced and awkward at first, and
I still think he lasted a little too long in the Rumble, but he has done a good
job since then of putting Styles over. I’m interested to see what happens here.
48. Oh my…poor Goldust and Truth.
49. They’re both extremely talented, as they’ve shown in the past, and they can be involved in high-level matches and feuds without feeling out of place. This just feels demeaning. 50. However, who knows? Maybe this will turn out to be the next Daniel Bryan and Kane.
51. Also, it was kinda gross when Goldust’s foot slipped into the toilet bowl. Just wanted to point that out.
52. “Booty-ham”. These guys are too amazing.
53. For real, the way they’re going, I can’t see any reason to take the titles off the New Day for a long time. Frankly, I’d be fine with them breaking the record for longest Tag Title reign.
54. Which, by the way, is 331 days, set by Brian Kendrick and Paul London.
55. The New Day is already at 160+ days, so that’s certainly very attainable.
56. Paul Heyman on commentary? Awwww yeah.
57. These guys are just on fire right now.
58. Hahahaha, love how they picked a kid wearing a Bullet Club t-shirt. I feel like that must’ve been planned, otherwise Vince is probably going nuts backstage right now.
59. The kid’s reaction once Kofi said, “We’ll still fight you,” was pure gold.
60. Prediction: Lesnar’s coming out at some point during this match.
61. I love this Kofi. He’s always been good in the ring, but now, he’s more entertaining than I can ever remember before.
62. It’s worth mentioning that Big E is a freaking beast. His pectorals might be larger than a normal man’s fists.
63. Whether it’s his opponent who’s being squashed or Big E himself if he misses, that splash on the apron always looks painful.
64. I love the Unicorn Stampede. It’s little things like that that can set you apart from the rest of the pack.
65. Yup, Lesnar’s out. Called it.
66. Good move to have the New Day attack first, gives them even more heat and credibility as heels.
67. And of course, the expected F5 to Ambrose. Interesting that he doesn’t go after Reigns, but it does make sense.
68. Overall, solid show. At some points, the crowd seemed into it, but at others, it was a little dead. Still, most of the action was good, and we had some quality storyline development as well.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)