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Matt's Monday Night RAW Recap - 1/26/2015

This is strictly for completion purposes...

Let's start.


--

We get clips from the Royal Rumble which oddly becomes an intense montage of several weather channels reporting #BLIZZARD2015 like it's the fucking apocalypse. The mood is driven home with rock guitar riffs and slow-mo shots of snow shooting down at cars and trees. Vince is probably already trying to find out how he can book the Blizzard in a Triple Threat Match.

And it's a SNOW DAY(!!!) LIVE(!!!) from WWE Headquarters in Stamford, Connecticut!!!

Michael Cole, Booker T, and JBL are your hosts for whatever the hell this is supposed to be tonight.

TONIGHT:
  • Fuck you. We're gonna see the Royal Rumble match in its entirety. Also, you'll get to see the big title match in its entirety as well. So, this is a night of passive aggressive bliss.
  • Brock Lesnar and Paul Heyman are here for an interview.
Cole gives us a shot of WWE Headquarters and takes us to the roof where JBL gives us a weather report: it's really, really freezing goddamn balls cold.

And, with that, we cut to the World Title Match. You've seen it already and I'm not recapping it. It was great. Let's move on.

Cole plugs the Rumble Replay tonight.

TONIGHT:
  • Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins are interviewing. 
THIS THURSDAY ON SMACKDOWN: Daniel Bryan vs. Kane (again) in a Casket Match. The Undertaker totally won't make an appearance.

COLE INTERVIEWS SETH ROLLINS
Michael Cole has an interview with Seth Rollins. Rollins says that his performance speaks to the fact that he deserved to be in the match. Cole shits on him further and reminds Rollins that nothing he did seemed to stop Lesnar. Cole doubles down and says that he couldn't even beat Cena with his Corkscrew Splash (which Rollins calls "The Phoenix Splash", thank you very much) and Rollins says that he thought that was it, too. Rollins says that he might have underestimated Lesnar but that goes both ways. He still has the MITB contract and that's Plan B. Cole tells Rollins that Lesnar is next up. Rollins says he ain't leaving.

COLE INTERVIEWS BROCK LESNAR & PAUL HEYMAN
After a break, Lesnar shows up. He wants his chair. Rollins gets up, then knocks the chair down. That'll show 'em. Lesnar just laughs him off, sits down and says that somebody seems upset. Cole asks about his health. Lesnar says he'll get through his injuries like he always has. Heyman says that Lesnar will always be around to take care of business as long as he's paid what he's worth. It doesn't matter if that business is Sting or the Undertaker. Cole reminds Lesnar that he was the guy who ended The Undertaker's "Streak". Cole gives us clips of this to "remind everyone". Cole asks Lesnar how he overcame The Undertaker. Lesnar says that's what he does: overcomes. Just like John Ce--um, no, wait...Heyman asks Cole why he's surprised by what Lesnar was able to do. Cole says he meant no disrespect. Cole says that Lesnar has to face Roman Reigns now. Lesnar says he's ready. He's on a roll, baby. Heyman says that Reigns can't beat Lesnar. Cole says Reigns will be here later. Lesnar: "Good...I have to meet this guy..."

And we are back LIVE at the WWE Snowday Slumber Party of Doom where the Men's Wearhouse sits around, talking about boys.

Cole would like to show us the ENTIRE RUMBLE MATCH...Tivo...do your stuff...and I'm caught up on my DVR. Sitting through the last of this thing, I'm impressed: WWE kept the original audio and didn't dub in cheering. I also like how Triple H appeared at the end like a Monday Morning QB.

TONIGHT: Sad Daniel Bryan will be interviewed.

NEXT: Roman Reigns in an interview.

We're back at WWE BlizzardPalooza Electric Boogaloo.

INTERVIEW WITH ROMAN REIGNS
Reigns isn't good enough to get Michael Cole or intense lighting. Instead, he gets a deep blue and Byron Saxton. He says he had to start at the deep end. Reigns says you can boo or cheer him since that worked SO well for Batista. Reigns says he was grateful to be helped by family last night. He looks forward to meeting Lesnar.

NEXT: John Cena's opponent at Not Elimination Chamber For Some Reason will be revealed.

LAST NIGHT: Cena and Rusev got into a shoving match following the Rumble,

AT FASTLANE: Cena faces Rusev. Yaaaay.

LAST MONDAY: THEVIGILANTESTING pointed at Seth Rollins, draining all his energy like an Ultra Combo in Killer Instinct.

AT FASTLANE: Triple H wants to talk to Sting. What's the matter with the phone?

Back at the WWE SnowCenter, we learn about the Celeb Inductee into the 2015 WWE Hall of Fame:

Arnold Schwarzenegger. This gives us a montage, leading up WWE Superstars imitating him. Capped off by Ryback's instant classic: I'll be back...RY-back.

Dean Ambrose has braved the Blizzard. And he's at WWE HQ.

NEXT: Daniel Bryan interviewed.

When we come back, Dean Ambrose is trying to raise the thermostat. WWE must be out of their financial hole. Ambrose rants about how he made it through the snow and sleet to get here. He did it to make a point: it's like the Road to WrestleMania.

INTERVIEW WITH DANIEL BRYAN
Renee Young has the honors. He says that he let down the fans when he was stripped of the title. He says that he worked hard to return. Young gets to the meat of this: Bryan was eliminated early and Bryan says he didn't take advantage of the situation like he should have. He says that the Casket Match on Smackdown favors Kane but that he'll be ready.

NEXT: Roman Reigns meets Brock Lesnar on SMACKDOWN!!! According to Renee, that is. It's on RAW. And it's next.

BROCK AND REIGNS MEET
Heyman congratulates Reigns before we begin the interview. He says he wants to ask the questions. He says he's known Reigns' family long before Reigns was born. He recounts all the amazing things his family has accomplished. He says that The Rock faced reality when he faced Lesnar and lost the title. That was it. Rock never faced Lesnar again. He says that Reigns gets to fight Lesnar now. He wonders how Reigns will handle disappointing his family when he loses to Lesnar. Heyman says he will never beat Lesnar at all. Reigns says he'll give his answer to Brock Lesnar. Reigns tells Lesnar he knows who and what he is and he knows what he signed up for. He says that Lesnar has no idea what he's signed up for. He's gonna take his title at WrestleMania. If he can't, he's gonna take a piece of Lesnar with him. Lesnar bolts up and gets into Reigns' face. He puts his hand out. Reigns shakes it. Lesnar says that, unlike Heyman, he doesn't respect Reigns. Reigns: "But you will."

Cole, Booker and JBL are impressed. We get a shot of the blizzard as we go off the air.

OVERALL: Was what it was. It didn't help that viewers had to sit through the entire Royal Rumble...WITH COMMERCIALS...but, I did like the Reigns/Lesnar confrontation, which did a pretty good job selling a match that none of us are impressed with.

Er, that's it.

Comments

  1. The Brock/Roman confrontation http://youtu.be/DKsej4TqcEQ

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  2. What's done is done. Some people want to completely give up on WWE programming and that's their right to do so. I think there's enough talented people and enough history of providing enjoyable entertainment that it's worth seeing if they can do better than they've done.

    So, this show is the first step in trying to make what they have...work. Heyman is awesome. Lesnar is awesome. They just now need to find a way to make us believe that it's worth seeing Reigns try to be as awesome as he can be. I think this segment helped. Talk of family, talk of respect...with just a hint of "you might not have earned it yet, but you're getting this chance...so what are you going to do with it?" Could work...

    Might not. So, let me suggest a Plan B. If the fan reactions to Reigns remain negative...then I think you need to switch the Authority's attention to this match (and let Cena fight Rusev without it involving The Authority...and Bryan find a feud partner that doesn't involve him getting put down by the Authority.)

    Vince (to really drive the point home) and Triple H & Steph come out and say "We have to listen to our fans...and our fans definitely do not want Roman Reigns. So, we're going to re-think things here. Perhaps what's best for business is to not let someone the fans hate so much fight for the World Championship belt at the biggest show of the year."

    The fans might think that Vince is on their side...but then Triple H & Steph say that it's clear that not only is Roman Reigns not ready for this...the fans don't want him." They haven't made a decision yet...but they're thinking about changing things up...

    (Yes! chants are ignored)

    "Obviously, it must be someone who looked strong in the Royal Rumble...like..."

    And Stephanie says "Kane" while Triple H says "Big Show". Vince says "What about Rusev?"

    This should make it very clear that the fans aren't going to get what they want.

    Perhaps Roman Reigns has to prove himself against Kane...The Big Show...Rusev...before they let him compete for the title at WrestleMania. If Reigns doesn't prove himself worthy...both to them but also to the fans...then perhaps changes will be made.

    Later, Rollins is mad. Why isn't HE being considered to replace Reigns? Steph & Triple H assure him that the goal is to put someone in the championship match that will weaken Lesnar so that Rollins can cash in his briefcase.

    And this keeps the Big Show vs Kane dynamic from the Rumble in play...as each of them wants to be the one to get the title shot...and that gives Rollins an opening to both look strong against tough competition but also not have to carry all the weight of those matches.

    By making Reigns the better of the Authority-forced options, the fans either get on board or really fight against their best interests.

    (Rusev should have to choose between being Vince's avatar in the main title scene and being distracted by Cena's desire to fight... Is it better to have the big belt or to destroy America's hero?)

    It could work.

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  3. If only they could execute the entire Road To Wrestlemania from the comfy confines of Stamford HQ.

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  4. Wrestlemania 31
    Brock vs Roman
    The BROMANce Begins...

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  5. Heyman made that. WWE was smart enough to let him.

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  6. Absolutely. Heyman might have pulled this thing from the fire.

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  7. I actually hope this show does well in the ratings so WWE can do more stuff like this in the future.

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  8. I didn't see it, but I heard Raw was actually good. They should do shit more like this.

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  9. I like how the manager of the heel champion has to get the babyface over because the babyface can't get himself over.

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  10. Those 7 minutes just flew by!

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  11. This was kinda reminiscent of PrimeTime Wrestling. It was pretty sweet.

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  12. Heyman built the beginning WM main event match. He is such an amazing Promoter.

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  13. Weird that they're doing Rusev/Cena at Fast Lane. Any guesses why?

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  14. That is the insanity of it all. But Paul is a Heel, Roman is a Face.

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  15. Brock is to expensive, who else can Cena wrestle?

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  16. Maybe WWE are panic booking after the Royal Rumble disaster?

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  17. Big Show & Kane don't want a Career vs. Career match?

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  18. I wish they busted out Vince McMahon behind a desk interviewing folks for this.

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  19. Watching this made me miss Heenan and Gorilla.

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  20. 1. Cena-Rusev at Fast Lane makes me think Rusev is going to win, which means someone else will be the one to hand him his first loss at WM31. Daniel Bryan? Dolph Ziggler? Dean Ambrose? One of those three.
    2. It's not like the snowstorm was planned so surely they were scrambling, but it seems odd that with all of the archived footage WWE could've used, they decided to basically give away Royal Rumble for free the day after the show. Which means now the 9.99 crowd is feeling as dumb as the 59.99 crowd.
    3. I wouldn't rule out WWE changing Reigns-Lesnar before WM31, but I'm not mad at them for pushing forward with it right now. Don't overreact to the Philly crowd; give it a few shows and see how the rest of the country greets Reigns.

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  21. I'd be fine with Reigns v Lesnar if there was any doubt about who was winning.

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  22. After thinking it over further, I know I'm calling Cena/Rusev at Fast Lane to be a non-finish to set up WM, but if we've learned anything from this company in the last couple of years, it's that it's just as likely that Cena will win clean as a sheet and they'll still continue the feud anyway for reasons known only to them.

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  23. I'm curious. After watching the triple threat match for free. Why would I think Lesnar can lose to RR? Heyman can hype it up, I will love the hype. How can Brock lose?

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  24. Robbie E is the smartest man in wrestling! (He said it himself!)

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  25. This was the first time Lesnar wrestled on RAW in over a decade!

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  26. How did Yokozuna lose at WM10?

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  27. By being too fat

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  28. HHH would have to make it a No DQ match, so Reigns could use Brock's only weakness: the steel steps.

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  29. So does Raw get reinvigorated if they take an hour to dedicate to interview segments like this? They can always have a dark match or the Superstars tapings for the live crowd in the meantime.

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  30. I'd like to see Triple H interviewed for an hour each week

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  31. Intrigued they're going for 'you can boo me or cheer me, I don't care' with Reigns already. A lot of the Rumble reaction seemed to be about the booking.

    I'm (kayfabe) wondering if Bryan will use his loss as motivation to alter moveset and approach as he's been hinting in interviews.

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  32. Can you blame people for forgetting that Roman Reigns used to be cool? and people naturally and willingly used to chant his name over the other two well loved shield members? I saw a slither of that again, maybe Reigns needs to be protected on the mic (as in don't give him a live mic just yet) of course one shouldnt have to protect someone on his way to the WM main event, but the best way forward for WWE isn't the change the main event, it's to make him cool again.

    Thank god for Paul Heyman, because that was very very cool.

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  33. I'll cheer when Lesnar suplexes him on his head

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  34. OK, that actually gives me some hope that they can pull it off. Brilliant work from Heyman but Reigns held up his end. Promo wise, it's clear that less is more in his case and if they can keep it like in this clip it could neutralize the backlash.

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  35. Sloppy superman punch. You're forgetting that Roman Reigns is amazeballs.

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  36. They have to move forward with Reigns/Lesnar - they have booked themselves into it.

    The obvious solution if things aren't working out (although they should try the basic formula first) is to ease Reigns towards heeldom - Brock is a tweener now anyway - and then implement the full turn (with Heyman) at Mania. You've then got money matches with both Bryan and Cena after that.

    Obviously then they need something else to Main Event - and they've got Bryan right there.

    Run HHH/Rollins vs Bryan/Sting as the Main - have Bryan put his career on the line against HHH's power. Sting get's his big moment but you can have Bryan do the majority of the work and then get the full endorsement from The Stinger at the end. Plus Rollins and Bryan (two guys who deserve it) get the Main Event spot.

    The only person missing out here is Orton but I feel if the WWE want to get the company back on side they need to get Mania Programs for Bryan, Ambrose and Ziggler that the crowd can invest in. Put Orton in the Battle Royal.

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  37. So at Mania Brock is the ONLY big name in a match of any prominence? Fine you have the H/Sting thing going on as a special attraction but as it stands:

    Cena is basically dropping down to U.S level to wrestle a guy who hasn't beaten anyone to make us think he could hang with JC.

    Undertaker is MIA and the streak is dead anyway.

    Bryan is completely out of contention for the belt and is feuding with Kane.

    Ambrose is not doing anything.

    Wyatt is not doing anything.

    Ziggler, Ryback, Rowan, Big Show, Harper all doing nothing.

    That's every name that has been featured at or near the top of the card in the last year and I'd argue most are honestly not really going to be the tipping point of people spending any money on Mania especially with such last minute planning.

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  38. Fuck! The thought if a flag match on the biggest stage of the year in 2015 :( the build for those is alalways fun when you don't come from either country involved.

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  39. Did anyone watch the Rumble on Raw? Did they do anything to the crowd noise at all?

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  40. HowmuchdoesthisguyweighJanuary 27, 2015 at 4:25 AM

    I honestly didn't notice crowd noise. Some did... CM Punk and bullshit chants in tact

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  41. "I don't respect you"
    "But you will" <---best thing Reigns has said in months.

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  42. Hey man - me and Art Vandelay were discussing you yesterday - hope after managing to avoid all the spoilers, you weren't too gutted at the car crash you got to watch!

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  43. All the "doing nothing" names will either be shoved into an 8-man tag match, or will be in the 2nd Andre Battle Royal.

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  44. Agreed. The adage of "Keep it simple, stupid" has never applied more than to Roman at this point.

    Go back to basics. Make him what got him over in the first place, prior to the booking team fucking it up - asskicking man of few words is far better suited to him than Diet Rock like they seemed to be attempting.

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  45. Aw, bless you guys. I missed everyone going nuts. I actually wasted an hour (of my companies time) earlier going all the way through the Live Thread watching everyone meltdown. Not gonna do that anymore, I’m gonna make sure I watch big shows live. Don’t know what to think going forward, the title match was amazing and everything I love about wrestling, but the Rumble was everything I hate about WWE. I have tickets for Raw in April already for me and my brother that I got him for Christmas, if it wasn’t for those I’d probably completely bail on the product for quite a while, like Petrie is.

    But that Rumble was probably the worst thing I’ve seen in wrestling. Everyone’s anger at what a fuck you to the fans it was is so justified.

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  46. Same reason why Daniel Bryan would be a bigger threat to Lesnar than Reigns. Don't forget that if Mr Fuji had not interfered, Bret would have won at WM IX.

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  47. It's way too early, but the Killer Instinct joke got a big laugh from me.

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  48. The problem is that even if they get it right for WM, I think they'll screw it up after because they'll send him back out there to get 20 minute promos, which he can't do.

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  49. But yeah, I was walking around all day Monday all excited and blissfully unaware that WWE had hit rock bottom and everyone online was going ballistic.

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  50. Howling like the Metamucil just kicked in is not a great idea for Reigns, but his promos are getting better from the Looney Reigns stuff.

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  51. Running that tag match as the main event wouldn't be a bad idea, but one of their booking problems is that they have already put the Authority's power on the line once and then brought them back like a month later.

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  52. Nah, Smackdown! was cancelled too!

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  53. Hahah, I decided to watch it to cheer myself up before focusing on my Open University assignment that was due in that day. If I'd finished up with the Triple Threat (and saved the Rumble for afterwards) I might have even managed to keep a good mood for it!

    But, yeah, the active trolling of the fans is getting ridiculous now. Even leaving aside the Daniel Bryan stuff, having Big Show and Kane clearing out pretty much every fan favourite left after he'd gone is the trolliest thing that ever trolled.

    Also - just a minor nitpick, perhaps - but Kane was two eliminations from the record. Why not let him make those two eliminations on his own? Maybe Show punches them and then Kane clotheslines them over? Having him share the eliminations with Big Show waters down the accomplishment (and it's a big, noteworthy accomplishment for a long-serving veteran) imo.

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  54. Yeah, I expect Cena to win by overcoming the odds and some type of stipulation match at WrestleMania where Cena overcomes even greater odds.

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  55. True that. He needs a manager. Badly.

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  56. I think that Kane thing gives credence to the Metsfan stuff that's come out about everything being rebooked on the fly mid-match, with the Kane/Show team and early Bryan exit being booked while those guys were already in the ring.

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  57. I've not seen that - but it wouldn't surprise me in the slightest, tbh.

    I also suspect Bray fucked-up badly with his open challenge promo. I reckon that was set up for Bryan to come out, and he did it one entrant too early and got Ryder instead. You see the ref at ringside try to offer him the mic again after Ryder's eliminated and Bray (wisely rolling with the mistake) waving it away.

    Plus, it was a pretty clear botch that Titus didn't get eliminated in 1 second (which, again, is such a stupid waste).

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  58. That is the big issue yes - caused again by awful booking but they'd somehow have to get it so it sticks indefinitely this time.

    I think you get the fans back on side with Bryan in the Main Event plus the potential of title feud with heel Reigns to follow.

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  59. Yeah that's possible. It was definitely set up for someone big to come out there. Really, just what a mess from the very start (Truth's rapping for what seemed like 5 minutes to a dead crowd) to the bitter, bitter end.

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  60. You know who I feel most sorry for?

    Golddust and Cody. They had to try and carry things together immediately after Bryan's elimination and, by god they deserve better than that.

    They should have been in earlier, had an early spot where the team breaks up and begins to set themselves on the path to Gold and Cody's long awaited brother v brother match (whether for GD retiring or not). Instead, they had to try and rescue a crowd that had decided they'd had enough. Poor bastards.

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  61. Question. When has the big monster babyface really worked? Didn't work with Nash...Brock was a heel..Taker was a heel...I can't think of a big monster baby face working on their first major push. What I'm getting at is they should have went with Reigns as bad ass heel (you know what got him over in the first place) to win the title.

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  62. Also the fact they aired the Rumble match..with sound intact tell us that Vince is digging his heels in and is in even more denial?

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  63. I felt the same. As Goldust was running out, mere seconds after Bryan was dumped, I felt really sorry for him.

    Good spot on the Bray microphone botch too. That didn't occur to me.

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  64. The Ghost of Matt_INDEED!!!January 27, 2015 at 6:14 AM

    It's pretty clear from what I've read (and didn't watch) that from Roman's "I don't care if you boo or cheer me" -- they're going with the John Cena approach.

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  65. Didn't that talentless goof JUST do an interview last week where he said that "haters are just jealous and hate their lives" or some shit? Fuck that guy. I hope his heart hurts.

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  66. Ditto (I seem to be saying that a lot to you recently). After avoiding spoilers all day, I watched the show Monday evening UK time and LOVED the title match. The Rumble, however, felt like 57 minutes of someone punching me in the kidneys.

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  67. The Ghost of Matt_INDEED!!!January 27, 2015 at 6:16 AM

    Like you said, Vince is digging his heels in.

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  68. I was thinking about this.....I think it might be worse this time around. Not because people hate Reigns more than Batista but because everyone is just even more pissed and less forgiving that we are going through the same damn thing for the second year in a row.

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  69. Ah yes...the guy who ended up leading to this situation last year...Still you have to admit it is rare and not as safe a road to go down as the monster heel.

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  70. The Ghost of Matt_INDEED!!!January 27, 2015 at 6:18 AM

    It wears ya out, true. That's why I'm only reading about it now, instead of watching it.

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  71. Bryan's interview was so odd. When he's talking about how he and Brock would be the ultimate David vs. Goliath story ... I mean, WWE is revealing that they KNOW Bryan-Brock would've been huge, and they're still not doing it.

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  72. My gut tells me they are going to stick to the plan until they have seen how a couple Raw/Smackdown crowds react. If Thursday's crowd is as viscous as Philly was plans are likely to start changing.

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  73. Ooh, piped in Roman chants could save this mess.

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  74. Would Ultimate Warrior count as a monster babyface?

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  75. The Ghost of Matt_INDEED!!!January 27, 2015 at 6:23 AM

    I think any hope for that is pretty fruitless.

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  76. yes I guess..He was not the size I was thinking of but would fit the category based on his wrestling style.

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  77. Big Goldie's a professional, he won't let it phase him, but I still thought it was a bit shit. It might be his last ever RR, after all (depending on whether the retirement around WM time rumours are true or not).

    The Bray thing just felt really obvious - when there's an open challenge by a dominant heel, you do not answer that with Zack f'n Ryder! ;)

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  78. True....though he was a unique situation where he was the monster and the under dog based on the nWo

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  79. I think Goldberg still counts. I wasn't trying to imply the piped in chants meant he wasn't over. Those chants were ludicrious.

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  80. For what Bryan being added to Mania or for the crowds to be as angry as Sunday or both?

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  81. The Ghost of Matt_INDEED!!!January 27, 2015 at 6:26 AM

    Only if he can set up tag team matches at the same time, playa.

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  82. The Ghost of Matt_INDEED!!!January 27, 2015 at 6:27 AM

    For Bryan v. Brock.

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  83. The Ghost of Matt_INDEED!!!January 27, 2015 at 6:29 AM

    That was a mistake.


    He was supposed to say, "But you will, Wascally Wabbit."

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  84. Smackdown eminated from Hartford this week, and Raw is from Colorado next week. Can't really say for sure but I would guess the former would be smarkier, and the latter would be more inclined to cheer Reigns.

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  85. I'm not saying Reigns won't be in the match but the crowds either have to cool off or they have to make some changes. Based on the internet and philly I could see a non stop shitting on and or Bryan chant during the main event of Mania...they can't risk that.



    Is it possible Vince will stick his fingers in his ears and say nah nah nah i can't hear you....sure.. but considering they changed things last year AND this year was even worse and with the network cancels even more costly. Until reigns is standing on the ropes holding up the belt being showered with confetti and boos...I'm going to assume Bryan gets in the match.

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  86. The Ghost of Matt_INDEED!!!January 27, 2015 at 6:33 AM

    It will be an interesting social experiment, no doubt.

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  87. There'll be mild cheers for Reigns I reckon, just like at most other shows the past few months, but now the booing is out in the open I think he's gonna start getting shit on more frequently.

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  88. I also think Smark or not...The fans love Bryan and everyone from age 5 to 500 who has seen the Rumble Match now sees..this is the guy keeping my guy out of Mania.

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  89. I thought maybe they were trying to be funny, but in hindsight seems much more like a botch. In keeping with the rest of the Rumble which was very few hits and lots of misses.

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  90. Hey count me in as someone who thought almost all of the interview segments were great last night, and as someone who thought it was a good move for Reigns in his promo approach. However, that's not what I'm worried about. The solution to Reigns' storytime promos had a number of easy fixes (stop doing them, one liners / much less talking, manager mouthpiece).

    What I continue to harp on is the wrestling. Reigns has not had a good singles match to this point, and as someone mentioned to me last night, he hasn't even had many ppv singles matches PERIOD. Now he's going to be in the biggest singles match one can have. So it's little experience + big pressure.

    Plus, Lesnar has been great with Cena (who is a freak of nature), or smaller, more athletic opponents. His matches with bigger guys like Show, HHH and Taker have been mediocre at best. That, to me, is the biggest cause for concern if Lesnar and Reigns indeed goes ahead as a one on one match.

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  91. Bryan vs Brock. Next month, if ever. Certainly not at Wrestlemania...

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  92. They really aren't putting enough thought into the fact that, crowd heat or not. Reigns/Lesnar is just not going to be all that good a match, certainly not even close to being to the level of Sunday's title match. Batista/Orton would have been a decent match with those two veterans even if the crowd had sat in silence.

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  93. And, at least for me, what they've built up is a HUGE desire to see Rollins vs Lesnar one-on-one. Which WOULD be a great match.

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  94. Heyman responding with "of course you know, this means war" would actually be kind of awesome.

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  95. They've already confirmed that Brock isn't wrestling again until Mania.

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  96. Any bump master who could be an actual underdog, like Rollins or Bryan, would be great. Rather than us all just pretending that some huge muscle freak like Cena and Reigns are underdogs just because it's the storyline.

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  97. If they totally bail on Roman they could have brock hurt him pre mainia and have Rock step up to defend his family

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  98. I disagree. Batista/Orton would have been the greatest WM match in history, but that damn millennial Daniel Bryan had to take it down 18 notches.

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  99. The Ghost of Matt_INDEED!!!January 27, 2015 at 7:05 AM

    Ah, got'cha.


    Doing it next month instead of Wrestlemania would Fast LAME, AMIRITE?

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  100. Good point, Tom!

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  101. Oh man, Rock's sheepish face when he was raising his feeble cousin's hand to a round of boos. What a sight. :(

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  102. "Fuckin' Vince told me this guy was over..."

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  103. wait a second......Rock/Reigns Heel turn....Rock as Reigns mouth piece.. and they say F the fans.

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  104. it would be a big match for them, at the moment they don't seem to have one

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  105. At this point it would probably kill Rock for the fans...he still isn't Bryan..

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  106. You don't pay Rock a billion dollars and use him as Reigns' mouthpiece where they could easily use Ambrose as Reigns' mouthpiece.

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  107. ...fine bring reality in to it...kill joy. I was just thinking Hollywood heel Rock could work.

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  108. So they are thinking Bryan/Ziggler...which on paper sounds great but in reality will likely get 6 minutes as to not steal the show.

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  109. I guarantee the match would get less time than the Sting/HHH entrances will.

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  110. YankeesHoganTripleHFanJanuary 27, 2015 at 7:28 AM

    I like Raw tonight. I didn't order the rumble so getting to see the title match was cool, and the interviews all came off really well. I thought they made the best of a tough situation, (on a few hours notice no less, and nothing else it was something different for one night.

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  111. Also is it me or is HHH falling into his 2002 rut of exposing his opponents weakness? At Fast Lanes he and Sting are going to talk....The one thing you don't want to do with Sting. Keeping Sting from talking has proven to print money in the past and HHH is going to have a probably 15-20 minute mic segment with him?

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  112. YankeesHoganTripleHFanJanuary 27, 2015 at 7:29 AM

    Surfer Sting wasn't a bad talker.

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  113. YankeesHoganTripleHFanJanuary 27, 2015 at 7:31 AM

    If The Undertaker is the special ref the entrances will take up the first 3 hours of the show, (BTW that's not a complaint on my part exactly...I do love me some cool entrances.)

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  114. He isn't the worst but his promo style is outdated and it just kills the mystique that they have been milking with silent bat pointing sting

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  115. Takers physically ability has slowly caught up to his long drawn out entrance...that's just as fast as he can go now.

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  116. the funny thing is that last year's mania trained the fanbase that "if you just shit on what they're doing extra hard, they might eventually hear you," So Vince digging in his heels just means people will crap on Roman even harder. SO that will be funny.

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  117. It was cool seeing all of my local Connecticut weather people in that opening. I want JR selling this blizzard (the snow is still falling as I type) "Bah gawd King, this winter wonderland has turned into a nightmare of epic proportions!!!

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  118. Im confused about Reigns family tree. I read that another relative is on this years American idol. Is every samoan in wrestling related in some way? Like is Haku the rocks 2nd uncle or something? Im oddly fascinated by it. If I didnt watch wrestling I would have never even knew samoa was a place outside of the girl scout cookie.

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  119. I said it in the thread last night but how much better would those interviews have been with Ross instead of Cole. There is still an uncomfortable in front of the camera to Cole

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  120. The Ghost of Matt_INDEED!!!January 27, 2015 at 7:51 AM

    Haku is tongan.

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  121. Yes they are all related and all Samoans want to pick Bob Barker off the ground.

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  122. Or you could go the schivani root. "This is the greatest snow in in the history of our sport!"

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  123. its like english royalty back in the day, they all are inbred lol.

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  124. I have a strange feeling they are going to rehash the Heyman turns on Brock storyline from late 2002. Heyman will join up with Reigns and Brock will go back to UFC this time though. Ugh! Sometimes this company....

    I hope Reigns isn't in the Mania main event, and if he is, I hope he doesn't beat Brock. But the WWE is in full "troll our fans mode" now.

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  125. Why can't they do more of these sit down interviews more often? I mean not a whole show of it but hell Smackdown is taped anyway. This is the kind of stuff they should've been doing with Lesnar all this past fall. Part of the reason there's such apathy with the crowd is the fact that we never get to see them outside of a few scripted lines backstage usually.

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  126. The Anoai family is huge, and includes almost every Samoan you've heard of in wrestling: Umaga, Rikishi, the Usos, Yokozuna, the Wild Samoans, the Headshrinkers, Rosey, etc. High Chief Peter Maivia was a sort of adopted brother of the patriarch of the Anoai family.

    Haku is Tongan (Camacho is his son). The Snukas are Fijian.

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  127. dude the samoans run this town be careful

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  128. Is tonga and fiji anywhere near Samoa? Theyre all little islands near each other arent they? If you hadnt noticed im clearly out of my wheelhouse here.

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  129. Doing some googling amd the samoans and tongans hate each other. They even has wars. I wonder if its super awkward when Tamnina is around.

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  130. They're all in the same general group of islands, and have a lot of shared history.

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  131. Nobody is on JC's level... he has beaten Sheamus, Show, Henry, Ambrose, Dolph, Swagger, and all the other face jobbers... who else can he beat to make you think he is on a level that no other full timer is on

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  132. Snuka? I hardly know her!

    Bayless, put up a daily thread right now. It's past 3 o'clock.

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  133. Maybe that's historically true, but it hasn't been the case in my experience that they don't get along, at least not based on ethnicity.

    A lot of times those cultural enmities go away when people leave their ancestral homelands. The Anoai family are mostly born in America, as I believe the Snuka kids were.

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  134. The Ghost of Matt_INDEED!!!January 27, 2015 at 8:21 AM

    They really should try doing more "outside the arena" things to get these guys over. They used to do that, but now everything is so homogenized. It's paint by numbers segments. I didn't watch last night, but it at least sounded different.

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  135. The only people on the roster they actually give real personalities to are the Divas, and they wrestle for five minutes max.

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  136. Sorry, but I don't understand the love for that sit down interview. Heyman was great, as always, and Brock performed within acceptable silent heel parameters, but Reigns's lines were just God awful. I kept expecting him to tell Brock "I love you. I can't quit you." when they were face-to-face. It's bordering on Canadian Bulldog's version of Bautista.

    But, unless the contract status is kayfabe, Lesner has to drop the belt to either Reigns, MitB cash-in, or to someone else prior to WM. WWE has booked itself into a corner. Sad part is a pissed-off, face Brock would probably energize some business. He could come back, tear into a heel Reigns, Big Show, Kane, etc. and follow a Hogan-like formula. My guess is that will sell well enough to keep Network buys afloat.

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  137. The Ghost of Matt_INDEED!!!January 27, 2015 at 8:23 AM

    How do they give them real personalities? From Total Divas? That doesn't count because most people watching Raw don't watch that show, and then they don't even stick with their same characters from the show anyway.

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  138. Yeah, I meant Divas. Still, I've only seen like two episodes and I know more about Eva Marie's character than I know about Dolph's, and that's messed up.

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  139. The Ghost of Matt_INDEED!!!January 27, 2015 at 8:26 AM

    I wonder if Heidenreich felt awkward around Scotty Goldman?


    .....?

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  140. The Ghost of Matt_INDEED!!!January 27, 2015 at 8:28 AM

    Yeah, considering they have, what, 6 hours a week to give Dolph a personality, and all we know is he likes to tweet, he flops all over the ring, and likes to wear fuchsia?


    Jebus.

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  141. Was reigns promo as bad as I picture?

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  142. The Ghost of Matt_INDEED!!!January 27, 2015 at 8:31 AM

    I hope when Bayless went for his morning poop that he fell in, and that's why it's 10:30am EST and I still don't have a BOD update!

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  143. Also, Goldberg. But I get your point. I think ultimately in most of these situations it comes down to how they are booked as well. Goldberg and Big Dave weren't cutting long winded "poo-poo" pro,os or missing two months of ring time durring their initial pushes either.

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  144. You know, I was thinking about this this morning. And it's part of why I still think it's going to happen, because Vince traditionally knows where the money is...


    Reigns would be a badass heel if they flipped him at Mania and gave him a mouthpiece. First off, he's not going to get cheered even if he does flip, because he doesn't have a ton of credibility with the fans. It's not like he's a great worker or great promo guy where certain fans can appreciate him despite his heel leanings. He's an average worker with promise and a bad promo. Second, imagine a face Bryan vs. heel Reigns post Mania feud. That would be amazing. The crowd would be so pro Bryan and so anti Reigns and it would be the correct reaction for once, and even if you run it 2-3 times and Reigns keeps getting him, it's just a huge huge draw, and it's the type of thing where Bryan will make Reigns look so much better than he is, and Reigns will get great experience, and everyone will be better served for it.


    I've made up my mind, this has to happen this way now. Flip him. I'm not quite sure whether you should give him Heyman or not as his mouthpiece. Heyman's the absolute best, but Heyman has so much respect it might muddle the reaction a little, set Bryan loose on him and run 2-3 great main events in a row. Like I said, Bryan doesn't even have to go over and I'd be satisfied with this outcome on the whole.

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  145. To me he'll always be the Monster Meng!

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  146. Because....crash tv...ratings...and such

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  147. Perhaps the Insane Icon will show up at FastLane! The joke will be on HHH.

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  148. And this is 100% what they did with The Rock AND IT WORKED. And a year or two as a legit top shelf heel, and people will be begging for them to flip Reigns into the super babyface

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  149. The Ghost of Matt_INDEED!!!January 27, 2015 at 8:39 AM

    The Monster Meng is tongan.

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  150. Nitro tried that back in the day. The "I want wrestling in the unopposed hour" crowd crapped all over it.

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  151. This is assuming Reigns has even 1/5th of the microphone ability and charisma of The Rock, which doesn't hold out (at least yet).



    As of right now I can't imagine Reigns opening RAW with a 20 minute promo.

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  152. I don't know..he tends to talk pretty slow

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  153. That's why you're giving him a mouthpiece to start. If he never gets better, you just Lesnar him.

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  154. Too bad WWE has killed the manager concept outside of Heyman, Zeb, and Lana. There's no mouthpiece to stick him with at this point unless Heyman plans on being there every week (which I doubt he's interested in doing at this point).

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  155. It *was* crap though. They were crapping on crap.

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  156. So...Cena/Rusev...Are they going to flip last year and have Rusev win at Fast Lane and then Cena win at Mania in hopes that Rusev winning first will lessen the blow? Cena win at Fast Lane and Rusev win (yea I know) at Mania?

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  157. Everyone will groan, but give him Stephanie. He's the handpicked successor. "This is what the face of the WWE is supposed to look like!"


    You could probably even use it to plant the seeds of a Rollins face turn because that was supposed to be him.

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  158. It could work. But fuck if I personally could bear to watch.

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  159. Dark Horse Candidate for the role: JBL. Not only can he draw heat, but added bonus of getting him out of the booth.

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  160. And I knew if I posted this here instead of waiting for the BOD morning it would get posted right after!

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  161. I will be a groaner. WWE needs less of "The Authority", not more.

    We don't need the "Evil Boss"authority figure for another 15 years.

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  162. Goldberg, Hulk Hogan, Ultimate Warrior, Stone Cold (circa 1997 - stunning everyone on the roster, including Jim Ross). I think it fails when guys are too "smiley" or snarky. Big Show's world title run in 2000 is an example of that - we don't want a sympathetic big man - just go out and kick some ass. Brock, if a face turn happens, will need to channel the Crusher to make it work.

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