RAW, January 22nd 2018 (25th Birthday Celebration) - Then, Now, Forever...

[Spidey Revivey]

I thought it was called building suspense? Lost art I know.

You're confusing what I said about Taker for the entirety of this show. Easy mistake, since I said that during his segment.

 

[shafe_41]

What a rushed shitpile of a show.

 

[Skairipa Matrix]

Somehow they still managed to be off the air by 11:15. Tonight was a big let down though for how hyped up it was.

 

[Hard Hit Prince]

What a rushed shitpile of a show.

Thank you! Aside from the opener and the title match, everything else was so shit.

 

[Bernkastel]

If Braun Strowman takes the fall at the Rumble it will be the biggest letdown of 2018.

 

[Dan Severn's Moustache]

I see they wanted to represent the levels of excitement Max Moon and Damien Dimento brought to Monday Night Raw.

 

[Sean Valjean]

That...was not the fun nostalgia ride that I was hoping for. The only thing missing was a clusterfuck cage match that ends in a DQ.

Oh well, at least Paige wrestled again.

 

[Galvatron]

This show is why I only really bother with the pay per views in a nutshell.

 

[Dan Severn's Moustache]

Really nothing surprising at all, save for the IC title change.

 

[Dan Severn's Moustache]

This show is why I only really bother with the pay per views in a nutshell.

Yep. Hope the Rumble delivers.

 

[shafe_41]

If Braun Strowman takes the fall at the Rumble it will be the biggest letdown of 2018.

This is where I'd say... even WWE isn't that stupid. But after this show tonight... yowza.

 

[Spidey Revivey]

Olivia for Women's Rumble.

 

[Jeff Deliverer of Mail]

They had a long time to write that show too. Once Stone Cold stunned Vince the show went straight downhill.

 

[BaconBits]

If Braun Strowman takes the fall at the Rumble it will be the biggest letdown of 2018.

I think it’s pretty obvious that Kane is taking the fall. Lets Lesnar/Reigns happen, and protects Braun so he can feud with Reigns for the title post Mania. The whole problem is that it’s all so obvious.

 

[Black Anaconda Vise]

I never thought I would ever say it:

The 20 minute opening McMahon segment was the best thing on the show

 

[George Steele's Barber]

As a kid, I always thought X-Pac was the coolest guy ever.

So are you admitting to being older than 18 finally?

 

[klunderbunker]

Review is up.

Tug of War

 

[klunderbunker]

We're less than 6 days away from the Rumble and only 13 men have been announced. There could be some big surprises.

 

[BestSportsEntertainer]

So are you admitting to being older than 18 finally?

No I watched old wrestling tapes.

 

[Lee]

We're less than 6 days away from the Rumble and only 13 men have been announced. There could be some big surprises.

We're taking over! #bWo

 

[klunderbunker]

We're taking over! #bWo

If they show up in Philly.....aye aye aye.

 

[Mighty NorCal]

What to even say about what this was.


Ton of legends? Lets have them pay poker while Alicia Fox sits with Sasha Banks in a reverse chin lock for five minutes.

Video packages of the greatest moments and memories that were 65% modern era stuff (when RAW has been unequivocally soulless)

Did an ATROCIOUS job of splitting up the shows, and the Manhattan Center crowd was understandably super pissed

The squashing of the Revival (after they have had more months on the IR than victories) was so predictable and mindless I thought there was no way they go that route.....oh, but they did.

Was.....that? The blowoff match to the Wyatt - Matt Hardy angle ? Did Matt Hardy just lose clean in his second match with the new gimmick?

Why the fuck is the Miz the IC champ again ?

Super innovative finish to the show. A pull apart between the guys in the title match sunday. Wow man, never seen that before. Swinging for the fences.

 

[Mighty NorCal]

Also, apparently Lita was just simply not invited. Which is fucking insane.



Good thing we got WWE legends the Bellas out there though !!

 

[The Life Of Pablo Ren]

Yeah I'm not really sure what to say about this.

This is the biggest TV audience they're gonna have all year and they did nothing to potentially keep some of those extra viewers invested on the road to Mania. Completely baffled at that.

Undertaker's promo was super confusing. JR and King tried to play it as Taker making a threat/warning but it didn't sound like that at all. It seems like Taker wasn't given a script or anything to follow and he forgot to make the one point that he was supposed to make.

Poor Manhattan Center crowd, especially those who bought their tickets on secondary markets. I couldn't imagine paying $800 for that... I couldn't imagine paying $50 for THAT.

And that whole main event segment felt so deflated. It was obviously cut short considering the thing started when we were already in overrun territory but man it was something that they were hyping up all night and it just felt so underwhelming. I wonder what they would've done with proper time... but due to the set up of the segment the only thing I can think of is... a longer brawl. Unless the original plan called for something much different but I doubt that. It made Kane look like an absolute chump. Obviously he's only there to take the pinfall but he got wiped out by Strowman and then F5'd by Lesnar, he didn't get any offense of his own it at all.

It wasn't a terrible show, it was just disappointing. Most of the people were horribly utilized. There were very small, tiny moments that had me entertained but all of the heavily pushed/advertised segments and angles all just feel tremendously flat.

At least my boy Elias looked like a star.

 

[Da Prophet]

Also, apparently Lita was just simply not invited. Which is fucking insane.

Good thing we got WWE legends the Bellas out there though !!

Look at the line of women. It's mostly hot blondes. Vince likes hot blondes.

Just look at the women holding the belts right now and the woman who is going to win the Royal Rumble. Coincidence? I think not!