Tonight on RAW: absolutely nothing is confirmed/advertised, as this marks the very first show of a new era of exclusive rosters for both RAW and SD, and it's a lot harder of a reset than your standard post-PPV show...

All new logos/graphics will be in place (RAW's is particularly ugly, and SD's looks disturbingly like Impact's) as well as a new announce/broadcast crew (I fear we have seen the last of Lilian Garcia), and while SD sounds like the brand that will try the more experimental stuff, that doesn't preclude Commish Steph or GM Foley from doing something wacky tonight to further enhance the sense that this is truly a new era...

SummerSlam is 4 weeks away, and the only confirmed match is Brock Lesnar vs. Randy Orton, but that's a cross-brand match, and Lesnar (the RAW half of the equation) is a bit of a lightning rod due to drug test failures in UFC... last night, WWE planted the seeds for a Jericho/Orton feud, but that has the same cross-brand issues, without the big fight cache of a Lesnar match, so unless Orton gets permission to visit RAW (or Jericho to visit SD), I'm not sure I see the point... plus, after all the ahrd work done to make this Brand Split seem real and unwavering, why just go an undo it so soon?

We can probably safely guess that Seth Rollins vs. Roman Reigns will be RAW's top brand-specific entry to the SummerSlam line-up... but that doesn't mean it's exactly cut-and-dry how it'll take shape.... we still don't know how/if WWE will create a split World Title, and a double turn is definitely on the table for these two, as well...

Even a safer bet: Charlotte defends the Women's Title against Sasha Banks at SummerSlam... the thing with Bayley has been confirmed as a one-shot, and Bayley remains property of NXT, so the fact that Sasha made Charlotte tap in a tag match to cement her #1 Contendership doesn't exactly undo the presence of Dana Brooke in Charlotte's corner.... to me, this is a GREAT opportunity for WWE to let the women do a major gimmick match on the WWE stage; NXT has seen ladder, cage, and ironman matches with the women, and Brooklyn would eat it up if WWE let Charlotte and Sasha do something special, designed to prevent Dana from being a factor in the match at SS... yes, you could save it for a rematch, but there's no guarantee of it going over half as well as it would in Brooklyn...

Beyond that, everything is wide open on RAW.... the New Day need new #1 Contenders, and it really can't be Enzo/Cass or Gallows/Anderson (as they have their own feud to settle); that leaves the Dudleys (again), the Shining Stars (maybe, but only if Carlito returns to zazz them up), or the Golden Truth... Rusev needs a new challenger for the US Title; Sami Zayn, red hot off his win last night, would be perfect, but he's far from the only choice.... RAW is the home for a new Cruiserweight title/division, but we have no idea what that means; do little guys just start fighting tonight (Sin Cara and Neville are already signed and ready to go), do we wait until the end of the CWC and build around the winner while signing other free agents from the tourney, or what?....

There is also a very real need to do something HUGE with Finn Balor.... with all due respect, and as a big fan of his, RAW drafted Balor #2, which seems like a major reach... so we need a debut to pay that off... to me, I think it's worth an appearance from Demon Balor (something he only does 4-6 times per year for major, watershed shows), but you only get one chance to make a first impression, and for anyone in the mainstream WWE audience that isn't familiar, the Demon makes a MUCH better impression than some pasty little guy who resembles Mr. Robot wearing simple tights and a leather jacket... for me, Jericho is the ideal initial foil....

WWE's own vague "preview" of tonight's show also mentions that Kevin Owens will be on a rampage after last week's various humiliations (drafted way too low, losing to Zayn), and that'll be too bad for whomever feels the brunt of his frustrations.... and then a similar blurb for the increasingly disgruntled Cesaro (salty about being drafted to RAW, salty about not wrestling last night), and what he might do to rectify things.... considering that WWE's "previews" only have 5 blurbs, to burn two of them on Owens and Cesaro makes me think they have plans to make those fairly major plot points tonight...

Thanks to getting 3 picks for every 2 that SD got, RAW also has a surplus of established guys who are kinda directionless right now, too.... that includes a few who might be ripe for reboots, like Bo Dallas, Curtis Axel, the newly-single Braun Strowman, or Sheamus (I swear, he's seemed on the brink of a face turn for a while), and a few vets who won't be main players but who can steady the mid-card, like Big Show, Mark Henry, and Jack Swagger... in other words, while WWE is actively signing some recent alumni to help pad the rosters, RAW needs free agents like it needs a hole in the head; maybe one or two key signings (besides the cruisers, of which there should be several), but the majority of free agent additions should be on SD...

That is all. End communication....

The flOOr is yours, OO Nation. Don't wait till after 11pm to post, either. Pre-show previewing and prognosticating is certainly welcome. So discuss, debate, and rate!

I'll take a stab at some fantasy bookery.

- Balor debuts and becomes the Raw Club leader.
- Rollins verbally disembowels ReBooooo.
- Sasha and Charlotte do stuff. Royberto remains angry.
- They announce a new cruiserweight title.
- Paul Heyman verbally disembowels Randy Orton.
- Somehow we lay the seeds for Rollins vs KO and ReBoo vs Zayn.
- Steph's cans continue to be marvelous.
- Braun Stroman happens to ... Cesaro?

[Edited on 7-25-2016 by DKBroiler]

The only thing for certain will be a 20 minute self-aggrandizing promo from Steph. Hopefully during it she finds the time to clear up the title situation.

I'm thinking they just do the standard tournament that'll have the finals at Summerslam... and they'll expect everyone to be surprised and not notice that the brackets are set up perfectly to end with Rollins vs. Reigns.

Maybe I'm high but I think we're about to get 2 months of ReBooo becoming ReJobber to the stars.



Nope ... definitely high. Carry on.

quote:

---

Originally posted by punkerhardcore
The only thing for certain will be a 20 minute self-aggrandizing promo from Steph.

---

Originally posted by Paddlefoot

quote:

---

I'd be willing to bet that she'll blame all of last night's defeat on Reigns and kick off another Authority-style punishment period for him the way they always seem to do. The matches themselves as he has to run through the gauntlet of Rollins/Stroman/Cesaro/Rusev/etc. in handicap or no-DQ stipulations will probably be the good part. The bad part will be that "jeezus, do we really have to watch this evil boss thing all over again that they've been doing on this show since 1998", combined with the realization that instead of being punished for his public fuck-up that we're going to be Reign-ed on just as much as before his suspension, if not more.

---

No more ringside announce table.

Universal Championship. Ahahahahahaha.

Big E was pretty funny - I think he mimicked everyone as they were announced including Sasha Banks.

So they're throwing Balor out in the opening match? Clearly he's getting buried, jerking the curtain like that.

Seriously, if they put him over, how long would it take to put on his demon paint? Or would they blow their wad on that the night of his debut?

quote:

---

Originally posted by gobbledygooker
Originally posted by Paddlefoot

quote:

---

I'd be willing to bet that she'll blame all of last night's defeat on Reigns and kick off another Authority-style punishment period for him the way they always seem to do. The matches themselves as he has to run through the gauntlet of Rollins/Stroman/Cesaro/Rusev/etc. in handicap or no-DQ stipulations will probably be the good part. The bad part will be that "jeezus, do we really have to watch this evil boss thing all over again that they've been doing on this show since 1998", combined with the realization that instead of being punished for his public fuck-up that we're going to be Reign-ed on just as much as before his suspension, if not more.

---

Have you really been that blungeoned over the head by the endless Reigns push? Maybe I'M the one that's high but I think, between the never-ending chorus of boos and the suspension, they are finally going to HAVE to turn him. I don't know if it will happen tonight but here are the two scenarios I am hoping play out, the more likely one first -

A) They build it up like the Authority (or whatever Steph is now) are going to pick back up with Rollins as their go-to hero but then she'll turn on him, either with Reigns in-hand right away or down the line.

B) They introduce a new Raw world title and act as if it will be awarded to Rollins before swerving it over to Reigns, thus kicking off their feud.

---

After watching that opening segment, the crowd really does have to have a next-level hatred for you to cheer for Stephanie when she's berating you.

I figure that Balor will get to bust out the Demon tonight...only to lose to Roman Reigns. Past that first four-way, I'm not all that excited about tonight to the point where I'm going to get a head start on bed.

I'm doubly worried about Smackdown, since they just established with the new "Universal Title" that Dean Ambrose's challenger pool will essentially be John Cena and Randy Orton, which means Cena/Ambrose is most likely what we're getting for Summerslam.

Seriously the guys in the production truck need to put away the rolled up $20's and nose candy and get their fingers away from the camera angle button. Pretty sure I had an epileptic seizure during the first match

I'll be a little disappointed if Balor goes full Demon for the main event. I think that's a thing he should only bust out for PPVs and the like.

I feel like I'm watching Monday Night RAM but with dyslexia.

Roman will have to deafen himself on purpose like the way Donny did on Preacher in order to deal with the booing. If he doesn't the mental trauma or the stomach ulcers will end up killing him.

quote:

---

Originally posted by DKBroiler
I feel like I'm watching Monday Night RAM but with dyslexia.

---

Watch Monday Night RAM on your brand new Magnetbox TV!

RAM IS MAR!!!

This has really made me want a Mars bar. CURSE YOU, MME! You and your RAM and your SwackDomn.

I'm going to pretend for the next hour and 40 minutes that Demon Balor is going to beat ReBooooooo.

Sure could use a backwoods hillbilly shitkicking mudstomp rape intervention right now.

Okay, so Stormfront instead.

Neville lost a lot of weight. Still muscular but not grotesque and puffy from the substances the way he was before the injury.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Paddlefoot
Neville lost a lot of weight. Still muscular but not grotesque and puffy from the substances the way he was before the injury.

---

Maybe he borrowed #broken Matt Hardy's old rubber suit.

I...I wouldn't mind seeing Backlund wrassle agayn. Guy's fuggin' nuts like Flair but without the deleterious effects of years of stylin' and profilin'

Man that was one hell of a promo Charlotte cut

quote:

---

Originally posted by DKBroiler
I'm going to pretend for the next hour and 40 minutes that Demon Balor is going to beat ReBooooooo.

---

And somewhere out there in Wrestlingfanville, a tv remote was angrily dildo'd up a weary Charlotte-hating hinderhole.

#dicksoutforbeckyscareer

ETA: Also, where the shit are Dom and Skids? Miss those dudes.

[Edited on 7-26-2016 by janerd75]

Cheat to win? Ayuh! Well played, kid.

Charlotte has no talent. She was only allowed to do that top-rope moonsault because Ric Flair's her dad.

[Edited on 7/26/2016 by Paddlefoot]

Man, that was a Lita dive if ever there was one. Ouch.

ETA: That's in reference to Sasha Banks landing on her face, for what it's worth. I wasn't expecting a moonsault dive to the outside mere seconds after I posted that.

[Edited on 7/26/2016 by G. Jonah Jameson]

Holy fuck that could have turned out very, very bad for Sasha just now.

HOLY SHIT!!!

Fuck that was a nasty scorpion landing by Sasha. If she weighed a pound more she would have, bah gawd, been broken in half.

FUCKING MOONSAULT OUTSIDE THE RING BY UNDESERVING CHARLOTTE!

Wait, what?

That was really done well.

Love the in ring interview with the new champ.

Fans did it right too

[Edited on 7-26-2016 by merc]

[Edited on 7-26-2016 by merc]

Huh ... Wasn't expecting that.

Outstanding match between Sasha and some untalented nepotized hackfraud!

ETA: She said women's wrestling? Annnnnnnnd she drops the title next week on RAM.

[Edited on 7-26-2016 by janerd75]

It's like the end of WrestleMania XX! Only not the end of the show, and there's just the one person, and hopefully Sasha doesn't end up killing anyone in the future.

But surssly, fun times! Now just don't have someone else win the title off of her in a week. Or start a lukewarm feud with Kane.

Place will double-explode if Finn beats that other guy.

So even if (when?) Roman wins...can we agree that this has been a really good RAW? 2 really good fatal 4 ways, and Sasha getting the belt? Plus New Day vs The Club getting set up? And Golden Truth as Pokemon trainers?

This has been a good Monday.

[Edited on 7-26-2016 by bigfatgoalie]

Any chance Finn is related to Ric, Snoop or Vince?

Cool! Brong Stewman vs. Background Character From Bob's Burgers.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Paddlefoot
Place will double-explode if Finn beats that other guy.

---

1970's Saturday 1:00 throwback match!!

Just need Vince to dub in who's fighting in my town this week

quote:

---

Originally posted by Il Palazzo
Cool! Brong Stewman vs. Background Character From Bob's Burgers.

---

Braun Stroman is my new favorite wrestler. He's a vortex of everything the IWC is supposed to hate.

Well, the one major difference, to the best of my knowledge, is that Blaaaaargh Steelbeam's legs aren't made of wood. Or insert a better joke about Khali's higher lack of mobility. Or don't. I've managed to forget much of his time beyond brain chops and AARGRRHAGGRHBARGLE promos.

Does anyone else keep getting a subliminal flash of the All-Seeing Eye every time they zoom through the "A" in "RAW" for the commercial/match bumpers? Because I feel like this right about now: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TAzR8zdM3OA

Yay! I'd totally been prepared to make some sort of Illuminati joke a few logos ago.

Poor Shining Stars. This is maybe the second match since their arrival that I actually remember, and they lose due to Pokemon Go.

Unless that was taped earlier, no demon tonight. Unless Kane interferes, but that wouldn't make no sense.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Il Palazzo
Poor Shining Stars. This is maybe the second match since their arrival that I actually remember, and they lose due to Pokemon Go.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by punkerhardcore
Universal Championship. Ahahahahahaha.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by punkerhardcore
Does anyone else keep getting a subliminal flash of the All-Seeing Eye every time they zoom through the "A" in "RAW" for the commercial/match bumpers?

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by DKBroiler
Braun Stroman is my new favorite wrestler. He's a vortex of everything the IWC is supposed to hate.

---

Did they actually announce Balor as 190 pounds? They couldn't even call him 235?

quote:

---

Originally posted by LoveMuscle
Did they actually announce Balor as 190 pounds? They couldn't even call him 235?

---

I thought Rick was exaggerating but holyshit, that is The Impact logo. The hell is up with their branding? Both shows have shitty logos and the new big belt is called the Universal Championship.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Il Palazzo
Cool! Brong Stewman vs. Background Character From Bob's Burgers.

---

Well, that just beat the shit of Owens debuting by beating up John Cena. Holyshit!

Fucking ReBOOOO wi.......WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA?!?!?!?!

quote:

---

Originally posted by First 9
Holyshit!

---

I never expected he would go over clean. Wow.

What a Raw debut for Finn Balor. Wow.

NOOB WAKE THE FUCK UP AND CATCH THE WEST COAST REPLAY!

I'm confused. They just gave us the Summerslam match we actually want to see, instead of just telling us what we want. I'm not used to this.

I done had a decent time tonight. Thanks, Raw! Even if you are a tool of the Freemasons/Illuminati/Stonecutters.

So Reigns had been built as the only guy who could keep up with Lesnar besides The Undertaker and just got handely beaten by Finn Balor. And considering what happened in Finn's NXT farewell match.

Does this mean Nakamura is God tier?

I never knew Adderal could be helpful even if you didn't take it.

So ... um ... about that slow burn on Balor's push. Um ... yeah ... or y'know, instantly main event SummerSlam.

New set where they used the announcers differently...and used the extra room at ringside to their advantage.

New announce team was pretty good.

Squash matches that worked.

Actual funny and topical humour.

Balor!!!

Sasha!!!

I like when wrestling is fun.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Il Palazzo
I done had a decent time tonight. Thanks, Raw! Even if you are a tool of the Freemasons/Illuminati/Stonecutters.

---

This was a good night for obvious reasons. I'd also use it as an argument that they don't need to bring in ex-talent as roster fodder. A more trim roster makes it more competitive and it negates their ability to fill up a show with too many promos or backstage nonsense. Yes, there's the injury possibilities where they'd need the extra bodies but cross that bridge when it happens. An alternative to that is to do trades between the two shows if an injury happens. That and take some of the names off the house show circuit when they get tired and need a break.

After Battleground and tonight I'm mildly optimistic that they they're on an upward arc. Things seem to be smoothing out and functioning more efficiently. This could end up as one of their better years when it's over and there's a lot of positive signs there now that haven't been apparent since before CM Punk left. Yup, mildly and cautiously optimistic.

Except for the way they're burying Charlotte Flair. What are they thinking, those ignorant fuckers?!?!?

PS: re-invent Reigns the way they did with a series of alternatives like they tried with Damien Sandow. Or have him do a chameleon gimmick on previous well-loved personalities. I suggest they start with making him wear a ball cap backwards, put a padlock and chain around his neck, and wear jorts to the ring, topped off with a full awwww-YEEEAAAAAH promo in the ring. What could possibly go wrong?

I'm really glad I didn't post at 8:30pm what I was thinking about posting at 8:30pm.... because I was so sure they had done Balor a disservice by not letting him be the Demon, in order to make a solid first impression (other than "tiny little pasty man who awkwardly futzes with his leather jacket"), because winning a 4-way over the other internet darlings before jobbing to Reigns wasn't really gonna cut it in terms of introducing him to the greater mainstream audience.

I had not considered the possibility that he would not job to Reigns.

First impression, accomplished.

Now, when Demon Balor debuts at SummerSlam, the WWE audience will lose its shit. Balor/Rollins and almost certainly Ambrose vs. one of Styles/Wyatt, it's enough to make you forget that WWE thinks Orton vs. Lesnar is anything.

In addition to cramming 6 months worth of crowd-pleasing into 3 hours, tonight's RAM also gets the award for Most Jarring Juxtaposition of 2016, for going directly from Sasha's glorious win to Strowman in the very next segment. One moment, it's a shining example of what a 21st Century wrestling show can and should look like; the very next moment it's a mind-bending reminder of how shitty wrestling shows were in the 1980s. D'oh.

Still: A+.

As somebody said, the roster is so damn good that with a little basic booking you're guaranteed a great show.

Do a proper pair up of Reigns, Zayn, Owens, Rusev, Jericho, and/or Cesaro to provide two more supporting singles matches. The women keep kicking ass and some real oppisition for New Day and RAW easily carries it's share of SummerSlam.

Honestly, just a damn incredible RAW all around. That Sasha/Charlotte match just owned me totally. That finish, with Charlotte yelling "You'll never beat me ever!" and then immediately getting nailed and tapping out was so great. The insane dives, the crowd being all the way into it. The Eddie Guerrero tribute. The women had the match of the night on a show packed with great matches.

Both fatal four-ways were good, with the first being damn, damn fine especially. The main event was really damn good. Oddly, I felt pretty confident Finn was going over - I don't know why, it just felt like it was that kind of night, trying to do the new era thing and all. Not sure what they do with Roman now, if they're going to keep him face. Rusev?

Speaking of Rusev, the first match was a good reminder that he is awfully damn good in his own right and should be busting fools for a while. Cesaro? Roman? DARREN YOUNG?!?

I don't mind Strowman in a squash - the interview with the jobber beforehand made it extra fun.

Nia Jax - yeah, not so much.

Neville looked both in great condition and super-crisp. The facial hair also makes him more badass LotR elf than Keebler elf. An obvious contender for first new Cruiserweight champion.

Honestly, it was a really great show. It kept my interest and I didn't really fast forward through anything on the actual show, cause even the somewhat boring bits (Nia, Braun, Goldust/Truth) were short. Good pacing.

Oh, and I'd be remiss without adding the announcing was a massive improvement because JBL is the worrrrrrrrrrrrrrst. Sadly, still have to deal with him on Smackdown. *grumble* But Corey did fine, fit in seamlessly and it was a good night.

[Begin rant]
As a west coast viewer, I hate coming into this thread and reading timeless, context-rich posts like ...

"Wow"
"That was unexpected"
"Ouch! That had to hurt"
Etc etc etc

Things that work in a live chat environment but have zero relevance to anyone who is not-in-the-moment.

Maybe a little context if that's not too hard and you weren't in some sort of competition to post that sentence first or the fastest?

[/end rant]


I am seeing Nia Jax for the first time ever. My name for her is "Big Bitch", but I feel like I/we have used that name on someone before.... Not Reigns. A female wrestler. Kong? Beth Phoenix? My imagination?



Edit: Roman with a man bun in the opening segment. Stop giving us reasons to dislike you. Just stop it.

[Edited on 7-26-2016 by williamssl]

So, what does Reign's future look like? I dug what he said at the end about respecting Balor, but that's certainly not a heel-y thing to do which is where I thought he should go. What new look could he use that's not the SHIELD chest protector? Unless he's got moobs, he probably needs to ditch the shirt to at least get the chicks and s on his side. Also still think he could use the Usos as a faction. And maybe Joe down the road.

Getting kinda bummed Vince held on to the Roman Ram Jam idea for so long because the dude certainly doesn't deserve the continuing ReBOOOOs hes getting.

ETA: Dearest Tex, Spoiler Alert, but this happened tonight:

If a pic is worth a thousand words, a gif is worth eleventy billion.

ETA2: My recommendation for Nia's new nickname.

ETA3: Oh Christ I'm assuming you read the RAM thread in its entirety and I didn't just fuck you face with too much info. Fuck.

[Edited on 7-26-2016 by janerd75]

Damn....once you see RAM.....you can't not see it. Nice work, creative people. Nowhere near Trump/Pence v1.0, but put the damn logo in front of people and get their reaction before running with it.

quote:

---

Originally posted by williamssl
I am seeing Nia Jax for the first time ever. My name for her is "Big Bitch", .....

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by janerd75
ETA: Dearest Tex, Spoiler Alert, but this happened tonight:

If a pic is worth a thousand words, a gif is worth eleventy billion.

ETA3: Oh Christ I'm assuming you read the RAM thread in its entirety and I didn't just fuck you face with too much info. Fuck.

---

Echoing what's already been said, pretty damn great RAW. Between the two fatal fourway matches, Charlotte/Sasha, and the main event, that was some quality stuff. And they pulled it off with only half of the WWE roster, so I'm feeling fairly confident about the brand split right now.

Regarding Reigns: I too am wondering what they do with the guy now. I thought that him against Rollins at SummerSlam for the Universal championship (typing that is going to take a little getting used to) would have been the perfect time and place to pull off a double-turn. But that's obviously out the window now, so I dunno. Eating the pinfall both last night and tonight shows he's still in the doghouse for the whole suspension thing, so I guess he's just given a midcard-level match for SummerSlam? Though there are plenty of options for fresh Roman Reigns feuds: Owens, Jericho, Cesaro, Rusev, etc.

Just a thought, but maybe they can make the ''Universal'' thing work within the framework of Heavyweights and Cruiserweights. Turn the US title into the Hoss's Title, the Cruiserweights do their thing, and the contenders of the Universal Championship are the top dogs who are past their division's Title.

I know that shit like ''The WWE Universe'' proves that WWE can makes us get used to any silly buzzword, but The Universal Championship sounds so corny without any real backstory to it.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Paddlefoot

Live-blogging CM Crunk's dad would have been awesome tonight for a comment from him on Nia alone. "Hey, who's that big bitch?", as he reaches into the cooler next to him for another beer. It'd be just like the Shit My Dad Says tv show except funny.

---

Universal Champion, eh? Might just be my funny-book addled brain at work here but the first thing that came to mind was this guy (pictured here last week in a bizarre cross-promotion put on by the SDCC and the RNC, apparently):



Wrong arm, Tryco! Wrong arm! But seriously, I could see Brown Steinman ditching WWE in a couple years to play this guy in Guardians of The Galaxy Vol 4.

quote:

---

Originally posted by punkerhardcore

quote:

---

Originally posted by Paddlefoot

Live-blogging CM Crunk's dad would have been awesome tonight for a comment from him on Nia alone. "Hey, who's that big bitch?", as he reaches into the cooler next to him for another beer. It'd be just like the Shit My Dad Says tv show except funny.

---

I actually live (relatively) close to Crunk, and after he told that story the other day, I was half tempted to ask him If I could come hang out and watch with them next time they get together.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by williamssl
[Begin rant]
As a west coast viewer, I hate coming into this thread and reading timeless, context-rich posts like ...

"Wow"
"That was unexpected"
"Ouch! That had to hurt"
Etc etc etc

---

Crunky, your pops wouldn't happen to be a lovable yet irascible old negro gentleman that feigns heart attacks under duress while eagerly wishing to rejoin his dearly beloved Elizabeth in the afterlife, would he? Also, how are junk sales these days, Cramont?



Moar Crunk and Son stories!

First off, great new direction for RAM which was sorely needed. For the first time in a long time I have genuine optimism going forward.

BUT. Surely the 'Universal' title is just going to be used as a storyline tool to show Steph's continued superiority complex before being given its proper name right? They must know it's the sort of thing that 5-year olds do - so you're the World champion, well I'm the champion of the Universe!

quote:

---

Originally posted by janerd75
Crunky, your pops wouldn't happen to be a lovable yet irascible old negro gentleman that feigns heart attacks under duress while eagerly wishing to rejoin his dearly beloved Elizabeth in the afterlife, would he? Also, how are junk sales these days, Cramont?



Moar Crunk and Son stories!

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Planet Starbucks
BUT. Surely the 'Universal' title is just going to be used as a storyline tool to show Steph's continued superiority complex before being given its proper name right? They must know it's the sort of thing that 5-year olds do - so you're the World champion, well I'm the champion of the Universe!

---

I just got around to catching Raw on Hulu. Damn fine show all around. The fatal four-way matches were good, but for me, Sasha/Charlotte was match of the night.

As a side note, I noticed that Cole mentioned Balor's accomplishments in professional wrestling, not sports-entertainment, during his entrance for the fatal 4-way. Kevin Dunn must have had a heart attack.

Easily the best RAW of the year. Amazing what this company can do when they actually give a shit!!

Finn Balor is a wrestling rock star! That was an incredible debut.

I was trying to find a silver lining for Roman Reigns tonight, but did not see one. He is fucked in more ways than one.

Would have like to see a longer chase by Sasha, but that was a good moment for women's wrestling.

I expect Smackdown Live to put on a really good effort as well tonight.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Frank Lloyd Wright
Easily the best RAW of the year.

---

I'm gonna need some time on the "Universal Title" term. I don't love it but I definitely don't hate it. It kinda has an old-school feel to me (wasn't the UWF the Universal Wrestling Federation back when?) And I was also going through my mind last night trying to think of alternative names for the Raw title (other than "Raw World Title") and wasn't having much luck since basically every possible name for a world title has been used by one promotion or another since wrestling was invented. World-wide Champion? National Champion? International Champion? I think Universal Champion isn't any worse than anything else they could've called it.

quote:

---

Originally posted by gobbledygooker
I'm gonna need some time on the "Universal Title" term. I don't love it but I definitely don't hate it. It kinda has an old-school feel to me (wasn't the UWF the Universal Wrestling Federation back when?)

---

**Spoiler Alert**

A preliminary picture of the Universal Title belt has been released.

quote:

---

Originally posted by janerd75
**Spoiler Alert**

A preliminary picture of the Universal Title belt has been released.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Columbo

quote:

---

Originally posted by janerd75
**Spoiler Alert**

A preliminary picture of the Universal Title belt has been released.

---

Are they getting sponsored by Dodge?

---

GUTS.

GLORY.

RAM.

quote:

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Originally posted by bopol

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Originally posted by gobbledygooker
I'm gonna need some time on the "Universal Title" term. I don't love it but I definitely don't hate it. It kinda has an old-school feel to me (wasn't the UWF the Universal Wrestling Federation back when?)

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I can't help but think of the Herb Abrams version of UWF (circa 1992ish), which included the great moment of Steve Williams kicking the snot out of Steve Ray (not Stevie Ray) on the behest of Herb for screwing him over in a coke deal. Herb died of an OD after destroying his office with a baseball bat.

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Originally posted by Paddlefoot

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Originally posted by bopol

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Originally posted by gobbledygooker
I'm gonna need some time on the "Universal Title" term. I don't love it but I definitely don't hate it. It kinda has an old-school feel to me (wasn't the UWF the Universal Wrestling Federation back when?)

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I can't help but think of the Herb Abrams version of UWF (circa 1992ish), which included the great moment of Steve Williams kicking the snot out of Steve Ray (not Stevie Ray) on the behest of Herb for screwing him over in a coke deal. Herb died of an OD after destroying his office with a baseball bat.

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Yow. Sounds like the place was a lot of laughs. Free Zoogz Rift!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_Wrestling_Federation_(Herb_Abrams)

Still less fucked up though than Stampede was when Dynamite Kid was running the place.

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I am not sure about the new title name but I think the problem I have with it is a resistance to change, not the name itself. I'll revisit in a few months...if it matters.

Outstanding Raw but I hope they didn't blow their load and set expectations too high.

One of the things I like is the return of the no name jobber. I don't remember there being a lot of them, it seemed like lately they would throw Heath/Ryder/Bo/Swagger/ETC at someone being pushed.

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Originally posted by futurelegend91
I just got around to catching Raw on Hulu. Damn fine show all around. The fatal four-way matches were good, but for me, Sasha/Charlotte was match of the night.

As a side note, I noticed that Cole mentioned Balor's accomplishments in professional wrestling, not sports-entertainment, during his entrance for the fatal 4-way. Kevin Dunn must have had a heart attack.

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It's been ten years almost since Joey Styles did his epic pipebomb promo about the sheer insulting idiocy of calling them "sports entertainers" instead of wrestlers and the announcers being told not to call the moves by the names the wrestlers have given them. In reality it's merely a case of Vince finally catching on to the idea and going, "yeah, Joey was probably correct about this, it's OK to call them wrestlers again".

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Originally posted by CCharger

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Originally posted by Paddlefoot

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Originally posted by bopol

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Originally posted by gobbledygooker
I'm gonna need some time on the "Universal Title" term. I don't love it but I definitely don't hate it. It kinda has an old-school feel to me (wasn't the UWF the Universal Wrestling Federation back when?)

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I can't help but think of the Herb Abrams version of UWF (circa 1992ish), which included the great moment of Steve Williams kicking the snot out of Steve Ray (not Stevie Ray) on the behest of Herb for screwing him over in a coke deal. Herb died of an OD after destroying his office with a baseball bat.

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Yow. Sounds like the place was a lot of laughs. Free Zoogz Rift!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_Wrestling_Federation_(Herb_Abrams)

Still less fucked up though than Stampede was when Dynamite Kid was running the place.

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This is not accurate. Herb Abrams paid Dr. Death to beat Steve Ray up in the ring because Ray was banging Herb's wife.

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One of the things I like is the return of the no name jobber. I don't remember there being a lot of them, it seemed like lately they would throw Heath/Ryder/Bo/Swagger/ETC at someone being pushed.

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