RAW Chicago Live Report

[Strife3]

I wanna correct something. as it was posed http://www.wrestlezone.com/news/788...live-promos-did-it-look-to-be-a-sell-out-more

He was not accurate, It was not a sell out crowd, I also was in attendance by the announce table in section 103 Row EE.

The reaction to Cena's promo was met with more then 50% boo's by fans. Cena started in Chicago but he is gonna get booed out of the arena tommorow night just by how the crowd reacted tonight.

As for Braun Strowman we thanked him, the match he interupted does not belong on a wwe show. The crowd cheered the big man on till his match with Rollins started.

I am gonna be at Smackdown tommorow as well.

As for another post about the CM Punk chants they happened all night but yes Stephanie McMahon shut it down. I personally laughed because it was nothing but truth, I am a CM Punk fan but truth is truth.

All and All it was a great show, Raw just needs to learn how to not use filler and make some matches better.

 

[realoldskoolfan]

Raw at this point is basically a "how many different ways can we feature Owens Jericho Reigns and Rollins" in the main event crap fest. Way to not elevate or progress any other character on the show guys. Strowman seems to be the exception to this for some reason. He's horrible

 

[Kamala316]

Good points made so far by all who posted. I had a "discussion" on WZ as to how Raw is all talk/commercials now, and not enough wrestling. Some said that Smackdown is even worse, but at least there's actual wrestling to watch. So last night, the actual wrestling on Raw (from bell to bell) totaled 37 minutes and 12 seconds. The show went for 3 hours 7 minutes on USA. That means that 80.1% of the televised show consisted of talk/commercials, and 19.9% was actual wrestling. I've been a wrestling fan for 30+ years, and the product WWE is putting out now has become unwatchable. For those who paid to go see this show, I feel bad for you; you probably felt the same way I felt when I went to NYC for the MSG special on the Network. Just like a poster said, all the (un)creative team cares about now is the start to the Road to WrestleMania, which means 2 things: #1 - Push Roman Reigns, and #2 - give HHH as much on-air time as possible for his "slow burn" storyline with the hot babyface of the season (Rollins), hence the reason why Rollins had to come out and start planting more seeds for the feud by talking trash to Steph (who has to get her air time in, of course). But WWE continues to make money, and nothing will change as long as they do. But to the original poster's comment, the crowd should have, and did crap all over the show, it was horrible.

 

[Strife3]

Now seeing both shows I have to say that the A brand is indeed Smackdown Live

I watched Raw and thought that the show wasn't bad, that was till I went to Smackdown tonight.


Raw Vs Smackdown Tag Team title Matches

Raw was a B+ at best where Smackdown was an A+

Woman's Divison match

Raw F
Smackdown A+

WWE Title Matches

Universal WWE Title Match

C+ and this match was easy to call. I knew Jericho and Rollions were comming down and when they did.

WWE Championship Match A+

This triple threat outdid KO Vs RR in every aspect if you ask me. a Great match with no outside help. This match was 30 minutes of pure artwork and pleasure to watch.

The best part of Raw was The segment with Enzo and Cass vs Russif and Jinder. Closely seconded by Braun Strowman cleaning house and the fact the arena was thanking him should say that it was overall a crappy show.

 

[Kamala316]

Simply put: Monday Night Raw is all about Stephanie's ego (and soon to be HHH's, as well, as soon as the Road to WrestleMania begins), making sure she gets her air time, and she gets put on her pedestal as an "authority figure" so Daddy's Little Princess can continue to market her 'brand' outside of WWE (because she will always have a 'job'...more like a paycheck... in WWE). Raw is absolutely horrible.
With respect to Smackdown, you may not like the performers they put out on a weekly basis, but at least there's WRESTLING on the show! And to the op's point, I watched both shows this week, and agree that Smackdown was beyond better. AJ and Ziggler both were great in making Corbin look like a legit threat to the title. Raw is a 3+ hour show, and had 37 minutes and 12 seconds of televised wrestling this week (yes, I actually counted). Smackdown, a 2 hour show, had much more.
"Thank you, Chicago. We look forward to seeing you again in the very near future. And don't forget to visit our merchandise stands located anywhere to try and exit the building. Because all we care about is taking your money."

 

[mral82]

Ya need to change your Towns as they were in Rosemont, Illinois not Chicago as The Allstate Arena aka The Rosemont Horizon has never been in Chicago so get your towns straight.
Plus I think it was a Tie between them Both as you had moments that were identical to each other. So I say it's 50/50 still but as far as GM's Steph Owned the Town this time.

 

[Navi]

Good points made so far by all who posted. I had a "discussion" on WZ as to how Raw is all talk/commercials now, and not enough wrestling. Some said that Smackdown is even worse, but at least there's actual wrestling to watch. So last night, the actual wrestling on Raw (from bell to bell) totaled 37 minutes and 12 seconds. The show went for 3 hours 7 minutes on USA. That means that 80.1% of the televised show consisted of talk/commercials, and 19.9% was actual wrestling. I've been a wrestling fan for 30+ years, and the product WWE is putting out now has become unwatchable. For those who paid to go see this show, I feel bad for you; you probably felt the same way I felt when I went to NYC for the MSG special on the Network. Just like a poster said, all the (un)creative team cares about now is the start to the Road to WrestleMania, which means 2 things: #1 - Push Roman Reigns, and #2 - give HHH as much on-air time as possible for his "slow burn" storyline with the hot babyface of the season (Rollins), hence the reason why Rollins had to come out and start planting more seeds for the feud by talking trash to Steph (who has to get her air time in, of course). But WWE continues to make money, and nothing will change as long as they do. But to the original poster's comment, the crowd should have, and did crap all over the show, it was horrible.

I can understand the fact that they have to do promo's to set up matches and such, but it's too much. When I go to a show I pay to see action in the ring, not on the titantron, that's why I didn't go to RAW the night after SS here in Toronto last month. It's just not worth the money.

Smackdown Live seems to understand this, and while there were only 3 matches last night, they were all quality matches. Why RAW can't get it is beyond me I mean this is the same company that puts out both shows.

But yes as long as they are pulling in the crowds nothing will change.

 

[Brock_Bottom]

Ya need to change your Towns as they were in Rosemont, Illinois not Chicago as The Allstate Arena aka The Rosemont Horizon has never been in Chicago so get your towns straight.
Plus I think it was a Tie between them Both as you had moments that were identical to each other. So I say it's 50/50 still but as far as GM's Steph Owned the Town this time.

You do realize even WWE billed the event as from Chicago.... multiple times.. throughout both shows... So maybe get off someones ass who list them as Chicago shows, when even the company who ran the shows did.

 

[LBGetBack]

Simply put: Monday Night Raw is all about Stephanie's ego (and soon to be HHH's, as well, as soon as the Road to WrestleMania begins), making sure she gets her air time, and she gets put on her pedestal as an "authority figure" so Daddy's Little Princess can continue to market her 'brand' outside of WWE (because she will always have a 'job'...more like a paycheck... in WWE). Raw is absolutely horrible.
With respect to Smackdown, you may not like the performers they put out on a weekly basis, but at least there's WRESTLING on the show! And to the op's point, I watched both shows this week, and agree that Smackdown was beyond better. AJ and Ziggler both were great in making Corbin look like a legit threat to the title. Raw is a 3+ hour show, and had 37 minutes and 12 seconds of televised wrestling this week (yes, I actually counted). Smackdown, a 2 hour show, had much more.
"Thank you, Chicago. We look forward to seeing you again in the very near future. And don't forget to visit our merchandise stands located anywhere to try and exit the building. Because all we care about is taking your money."

Eh, Stephanie's on screen segments are not the problem in my opinion. When Raw was at its most popular around 2000....Stephanie had all kinds of on screen segments.

She's one of the best talkers in the company, so her having segments where she talks is not the problem. The problem is there is no creativity in the matches or angles that they book. It always just feels like they are biding their time and dragging their feet to make things "last" until the next PPV.

 

[Messiah]

RAW is 3 hours, that's the main problem. It's hard for them to book a solid 3 hour show.. There's way too much filler.