So it’s still live, it’s “new” but I can still go to bed at 9:30 and not feel like I missed anything
Probably a “talk show” format, depending on who could make it into Stamford, although there may be a call-in element as well; the problem with that would be, they would have to keep reminding the western feed viewers that the call-in ended just before the broadcast began. (Also, who knows how many people would call in just to complain about the Royal Rumble ending. Screening can’t keep all of the dedicated fans out.)
I am expecting a three-hour version of last night’s “post-Rumble show”.
Welp, worst Raw ever.
I went to bed super early since I was tired and new RAW was just kinda whatevs.
From what I read it was a lot of interviews…so kayfabe all around!
I can’t blame them too much though, it sucks when your show is cancelled. They got lucky they were so close to home though. Speaking of which, here’s what I want to know: Cole/JBL/Booker T/Brock/Haymen/Dean/etc. etc. plus the camera guy and director were all at the building live…but there was a travel ban. Where did they all sleep? At HQ? Is there a friggin hotel attached to it? That’s like 10 or 11 people (at least!) I can’t image they all slept on a couch in an office. No way BROCK would agree to that.
/lana: Vnimaniye, vnimaniye… you Americans are so pathetic. You cancel RAW because of a little snow. In Russia, snow is rain to us. Global warming actually make Mrs. Putin’s legs come apart. Now glorious leader Vladimir is happy man.
I caught the last 20 or so minutes, enough to see DB be a good little drone and put Roman over in his interview. Then they had Roman adopt the John Cena Compromise and humbly state that the fans can boo him if they want. They paid to get in after all.
If anybody’s going to get Reigns over, it’s going to be Paul Heyman. He excused Michael Cole and gave as a history lesson about the Anoa’i family, including RR’s father Sika and uncle Afa of the Wild Samoans, cousins Fatu, Samu, Yokozuna, Rikishi, The Rock, The Usos, et cetera. He made Roman look a lot more grounded, having been born and bred in the business, so he’s not a flash in the pan. It was all an elaborate prologue explaining the amount of disappointment Roman’s going to bring to his family when he loses to Brrrrock, but Heyman’s brilliant speechifying made Roman look good even though it was a heel promo. Heyman may be a pain in the McMahons’ asses, but he’s rescued them from disaster more times than they’re willing to admit.
If Reigns turns heel and takes on babyface Brock with Heyman on his side, it could definitely salvage the match from the trainwreck it has the potential to be - and who knows, it might just teach WWE to stop booking people who aren’t over to win the Rumble as babyfaces and expect the crowd to fall in line with who they’ve been told to like.
The only other news I heard from last night (didn’t actually watch the show) was that Cena/Rusev is now going to be a non-title match at “Fast Lane”, the new filler PPV that WWE is doing in February because the Elimination Chamber is too expensive to transport and too big for most modern arenas. I don’t know why they’re pulling the trigger on that match so soon unless they’ve got bigger plans for Cena at WrestleMania, but I don’t really know who’d make a good rival for him at that show.
Also, Daniel Bryan is going to be fighting Kane on Smackdown. Again. I can book that match in my sleep at this point.
The good news is that it is supposed to be a casket match, so that should, SHOULD, end the feud and we can all get on to setting up D-Bry for Lobster Head at WM. sigh
Which one is Lobster Head? Sheamus?
You know, the guy with too many limes. 
Yeah - the news going around this morning is that Vince wants to do Bryan vs. Sheamus at WrestleMania. Again, for some reason.
Sheamus is upper mid-card at best, and nobody really misses him like they did DB. Where is the heat in having a guy come back from injury to take on another guy coming back from injury? Who’s supposed to be the heel? “You recovered first, so I hate ya, fella.”
I was really really hoping Bryan would meet Seth at WM. Barring that, I’d settle for a Seth & Dean rematch, but Bryan needs more closure with the Auths than a crapsket match. Why not have two homeless guys fight over a refrigerator box? That’s the same thing. Get me Trump on the phone. Tell him I want to book his wig vs this script after I wipe my ass with it.
I agree that Seth needs something to do, and Ambrose fits the bill again. It won’t be as good as “everytime you try and cash in I’ll be there” but they bring out the best in one anotcher and they can have a classic match at mania if the motivation is there.
I actually don’t totally hate DB and Kane since Kane will be proxy to the Authority as they are feuding with Sting at the moment
We need to find a way for the match for the belt to be Rollins, Reigns, and Ambrose. It would be super hard to book since the heel would the minority and Reigns has no reason to hate Ambrose, but this would be a way to get everyone over since Reigns could jsut ride the Ambrose/Rollins chemestry. No idea how/why he would win either but whaddyagonnado.
As I now think of it, should DBs next rivalry be with RKO? I mean, he has to do something and God help us all if its cena
Rollins successfully cashes in on Lesnar sometime in the next two months. At the Fast Lane PPV, they do a “Fast Lane match” of some sort where the winner gets the right to challenge anyone on the roster to a match at WrestleMania. Ambrose wins and challenges Rollins, and since Reigns already has a guaranteed title match, Triple H has no choice but to make it a triple threat.
Are you listening to me, Vince?
I dunno, maybe Vince should just release DB, Ziggler, Orton, the entire New Day and a few others so he can concentrate all his energy on his stars from the 90’s, his Monday Night Wars nostalgia wave, and his hand picked green champ.
Are you crazy? You’ll give him ideas!
Please tell me you haven’t suggested this on Tout yet.
Upon checking Google Maps, there is an America’s Best Value Inn located directly behind Titan Towers (which, surprisingly enough, is a relatively tiny building in a residential neighborhood just off the main drag). It may not have necessarily been to BRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAWK LEZZZZZZZZZZNAR’S liking, but any port in a storm, right?
Or turn Ambrose. Reigns kinda did kick him to the curb after the breakup, after all. And I’d wager on Dean being a heel long term.
Because they’re going to do it RIGHT, DAMMIT! I’M VINCE MCMAHON! GRRR!!! AARRGGGGHH!!!
Ginger over the Goat in 7 seconds this time! Because REASONS!
"Now what else we got to make Sheamus look strong? We got any other Irish guys coming up the pike? Phil Bailer, you say? Perfect! Get rid of that body-paint, I can’t have DC suing me so recently after that whole ‘Incredible Hulk’ fracas! Dress him up like an overgrown leprechaun and give him a drunk gimmick we’ll book him and and Sheamus in a Barroom Brawl at Extreme Rules!
"Now, this snowstorm business. The E Network is still on my ass after we put Bayley in that lesbo gimmick, so we gotta do something family-friendly to make up for it. I’ve got it! Paige is pale, right? We’ll do an angle where she gets lost in the snow on her way to Smackdown and Nattie can’t find her because she blends right in with the background! It’ll be funny because people with different skin colors are funny - right, Killings? Of course they are! Anyway, we keep her off the air for a few weeks and tease that she died of hypothermia and her frozen corpse is lying in a ditch somewhere, and then at Fast Lane she comes back as a Broadway-singer ice princess like the girl in that Disney movie! The kids’ll love it!
"You’re right, Hunter, you’re right. We gotta deal with this Roman Reigns thing. We told the crowd they’re supposed to like him, right? We sent Dwayne out and everything! Obviously they don’t understand how strong he is. They still like that goat freak? Alright, here’s what we do - after Sheamus beats him in seven seconds, he grabs the mic and issues an open challenge, and Roman comes out and beats him in SIX, then celebrates by motorboating the Bella with the tits and giving the other one the shocker at the same time! There’s no WAY they can boo a finish like that!
“People want Bubba Ray WHO to make a comeback? Never heard of him! Now get on the phone with those Make-a-Wish jerkoffs and get me a photo op of Ryback hugging some sick kid! I need my Q rating up by at least 5 points if Linda has a Chinaman’s chance of winning the 2018 election!”
Reports I read said that the interviews were done earlier in the day to allow talent to get away. Only the Cole/Booker/JBL segments were actually live. (not sure about Ambrose)
Mind you, for any talent that came up through the indy ranks, sleeping on a couch in Titan Towers is probably still better than a lot of their early careers.