Raw's 02/21/11 Announcement

[Article 1]

WWE is pissing me off if they are doing this whole thing for Taker...So sick of him.

 

[Jatycre]

Have to agree with you Cole. If this is all for Taker then it's totally unnecessary. Taker taking time off has become a regular thing. We've all grown to accept it, and we all know he's coming back for 'Mania.

 

[hunterXhunter21]

While I was wishing for Sting too I almost now have my money on Taker. I wasn't able to watch all of Raw but did Harris make a return tonight? If not then on 2/21 Nexus and The Corre are in the ring Monday about to go at it. The lights go out and we hear Takers bells. Light comes back on and Taker clears house. This then let's us have CM Punk vs Randy, Taker vs Barret and Corre vs Nexus in a 3 on 3 match. Since no one comes back right away afterr being punted by Randy.

 

[derkman7]

One thing I think everyone is forgetting is that this weeks RAW, and the RAW's for the remainder of February, are occurring during the Nielsen sweeps. The WWE is just trying to bolster ratings to improve the price of commercial time during RAW. Just look at all of the returns that have already occurred in February: Vince McMahon and Booker T. I wouldn't be surprised to see some debuts and returns on next weeks RAW (especially in regards to the Diva's title match and the WrestleMania guest host announcement), let alone the 2-21-2011 RAW.

The above, combined with the vignettes, leads me to believe that the WWE is just trying to maximize awareness of the Undertaker's return in order to maximize the ratings. Recent Undertaker returns have been simple one week notices, "The Undertaker returns to Smackdown next week," but the WWE is just pulling out all of the stops to get people talking and increase ratings.

It will not be Sting (although I would love for it to be Sting).

 

[Jay85]

This is disappointing. Taker's returns are a little ridiculous anymore, and it would be better if there was no build u and he just popped up. It's just getting old already. I think next week will remove all doubt of who it is with the last promo before the actual return. I will still hold on to the hope for Sting just because of how big it would be, but I doubt it. Hopefully that host for WM will be the Rock so something exciting will happen.

 

[The Eighties]

Looking like it's going to be Taker and if it is the last reason for me to buy Mania is gone. I suppose it still could be both of them as a double surprise but I fully expect something to happen on the PPV that puts Barrett on Raw the next for Taker's return.

 

[Macabre]

After watching the trailers im starting to think its Taker and Sting. If you watch the first, its almost like Sting is walking into Takers yard or territory and his movements are very humanlike. In the new one, it shows a ghostly figure leaving the house or territory without walking. He seems to fade in and out of the picture and you dont see that in the first one. Maybe the two arent for the same person.

This is an interesting theory. I hadn't thought about that. (Although I doubt the WWE did, either.)

Even if it turns out not be Sting, hopefully he and Vince will see or hear about all the incredible hype and excitement last week's video caused. Maybe then they'll decide to get together and work something out.

 

[EasyE]

I told you guys it was Taker, and I told you why it wasn't for Sting. I can't believe some of you are still making a case for Sting. On a side note, all the analysis of the videos remind me of trying to figure out secrets from LOST. It's like trying to figure out the scenes with Jacob's cabin. I wonder if that was their inspiration? Side note #2- All you people who thought it wasn't Taker are really gonna be pissed next week when they announce the WrestleMania guest host is Bieber

 

[gamegreen33]

Im still convinced its not Undertaker, if you take a look at the foot stance, and the movements he is walking in its deff not the way Taker OR Sting walk.

I know very little about this sort of thing relative to most of this community, but I think you may be reading a bit too much into it. I highly, highly doubt that the WWE would put THAT much effort into references for Sting/some other wrestler. In my opinion, citing the walking style of Taker is reaching just a bit. Let's compile all of the evidence we have and make an attempt to empirically analyze these messages (keeping in mind that we ARE talking about wrestling, of course ):

Evidence for both:

-The song. Not only (as I've read) is this the song used for Shawn and Taker's final match at Mania last year, it directly references being "killed" at Bragging Rights last October; he gets Buried Alive and then the song they choose for the promo is about a grave not being able to keep one down? Now, as I alluded to in my previous post, this may just be, for lack of a better word, a diversion; WWE does, to a certain extent, talk down to its viewers, but I doubt they would be THIS overt. I'll be loose here and just say the fact that it was used for Shawn/Taker at WM 26 may have been a coincidence, because I doubt WWE thinks that most of their audience remembers that, or would care enough to look it up. Though I said it was a diversion, I also believe that if they FAIL to deliver Taker, the universe will be quite displeased, so I don't doubt Taker'll appear there, if briefly (briefly on-screen/in a direct way, I have a feeling he'll have someone acting underneath him and him sitting in hell or some shit and watching his flat-screen).

-The Raven/the raven. This one was a bit interesting. Sting's facepaint/gimmick is apparently loosely based on the plumage/attitude of the bird. However, the raven is not the central character of the promo; it's a man, being accosted by a raven. This, in my opinion, lends a bit of credence to my theory. The man (the Undertaker) is being bothered by a raven (Sting) when he returns (presumably a return) to his home (again, a presumption)(the WWE). Perhaps, though, this is a less overt allusion; Poe's The Raven is centered around a scholar reading books about dark magic. The scholar is in this case then... harassed for eternity by a raven. Sting/Taker.

Evidence for the Return of the Undertaker:
(These'll be a bit less in-depth, since these are probably the more likely of outcomes and therefore require less jumps in logic.)

-The song. WWE is just trying to stop us from getting our hopes up for Sting since they probably think ratings would drop if Sting doesn't return.

-The jacket. Does it need to be explained? This is Taker's trademark jacket (or one quite similar).

-The tone of the promo. Very Taker.

-A WM return would do very little for ratings, in my opinion; in fact, I think it might decrease WM PPV buys-people hoping for Taker's return would be less likely to buy it, especially if huge Taker marks decide they just want to see Taker fucking destroy somebody and aren't really interested in Mania. A return would make the casual fans excited, sure... but only on the RAW after WM, because most of them probably won't buy it, even with a Taker return teased after EC2011. Undertaker at Wrestlemania will, however, increase buys substantially.

-The preposterous 21-2= 19 and 1-1=0. OK, it's absurd and there's no frigging way they did that intentionally. But I really like it.

I would examine the ways that it's hinted at Sting, but I honestly don't know a lot about the dude. I don't watch TNA and unfortunately haven't seen a whole hell of a lot of WCW.

Regards, and thanks for reading.

 

[Millerb16]

This is my first post so I may not be doing something right.

I'm pretty sure that it is Taker now, if this promo is for someone else this wouldn't be the first time WWE is trying to throw us off. Remember the last time Jericho made his return and they were showing his coded messages. So much time was spent cracking the code and we were completely sure it was Jericho until the aired the code savior.self.8.2.11. then everyone was sure it was HBK.

Point is the Johnny Cash song could just be the throw us off and make us a believe it is Taker.

 

[postapocalyptichalo]

This is my first post so I may not be doing something right.

I'm pretty sure that it is Taker now, if this promo is for someone else this wouldn't be the first time WWE is trying to throw us off. Remember the last time Jericho made his return and they were showing his coded messages. So much time was spent cracking the code and we were completely sure it was Jericho until the aired the code savior.self.8.2.11. then everyone was sure it was HBK.

Point is the Johnny Cash song could just be the throw us off and make us a believe it is Taker.

Don't know how ANYONE could've thought that was HBK in the savior self video.

But yeah, that is a possibility.
We may know for sure once they air the final vignette, but, nothing is ever for sure until its revealed.

 

[American Steamboat]

An interesting bit--wrestlezone has reported that TNA removed Sting's profile from their website. I would think that if they were negotiating a new deal, or if he had already signed for there was even a possibility that he was going to sign that they would keep his profile up. They kept Nash and Booker's up until the day before they returned at the Rumble. Tonight's video definetly screamed Undertaker, but I'm going to hold on to the shred of hope that both will appear on 2/21/11.

 

[Diesel]

I dont think I need to explain anything. All you have to do is just check the video link I have provided below. No, it is not Sting! It is the Undertaker! The video is a promotion of 2.21.2011 Raw Episode having these details: Randy Orton & John Cena Vs CM Punk & The Miz with Special Ref Michael Cole + The Return of The DEADMAN!!

Here is the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9BuuVPAs0xc

I tried to send this to the WZ News editors but I failed Can anyone help me??

 

[jholcomb22]

The people posting the promos for raw that night are morons. WWE is trying to make this a mystery return or debut. Just because they say that Taker is returning doesn't mean he is the mystery figure.

It would make sense that the MYSTERY figure from the video would be somebody not being advertised.

"ain't no grave gonna hold me down" maybe it's the long awaited debut of Johnny Cash.

 

[postapocalyptichalo]

The people posting the promos for raw that night are morons. WWE is trying to make this a mystery return or debut. Just because they say that Taker is returning doesn't mean he is the mystery figure.

It would make sense that the MYSTERY figure from the video would be somebody not being advertised.

"ain't no grave gonna hold me down" maybe it's the long awaited debut of Johnny Cash.

They're just presenting evidence.
To determine who it could be.
Nothing wrong with posting it.
And yeah, you got a point, but those people aren't idiots for posting evidence.

As you say, it would make sense that the mystery person would be somebody not advertised, but no one knows for sure who it is.
That's why we look at the information we are given.

 

[AngryCenaFan]

it's hilarious how anyone here could think it was Sting.
Sting will never work for Vince McMahon, nor should he, he doesn't need the WWE, The ship sailed a long time ago, WWE has nobody worthwhile for him to work with that fans have been dying to see

 

[jholcomb22]

Perhaps it was a bit harsh, postapocalypto, it's just a little annoying seeing so many people think they are posting "breaking news," instead of reading the pages before they post and seeing that 25 others have already broken the same news

 

[ashe draven]

the addition of the cash song is an attempt at a serve. and it served its purpose well, as the orig promo. now, its "oh, its obviously taker" as creative wants u 2 think. next wks it'll scream sting. my guess is it'll be both on 2-21. if it isnt wwe has severely dropped the ball, cuz a simple taker return w/ this ton of hype is grossly unneeded, even 4 sweeps. and on another note, as a previous poster said, if the WM host is beiber, ill riot.

 

[Fuzz]

I think many people don't understand that WWE's goal is to make this promo as misleading as possible. The Johnny Cash song points out the Undertaker, the trenchcoat and the lettering of the date at the end point out Sting (They seem to like making the S's really blatant for some reason, especially with this latest promo we saw tonight)

Putting in the Johnny Cash song, obviously gives the promo away and the WWE never gives mysterious promo's like this away and therefore there is something else to this promo that they are trying to conceal more than they are trying to conceal the Undertaker. This promo has too much in common with Sting's wCw promo's. If this wasn't Sting, he or somebody extremely close to him would of came out and said no by now.

This Promo evidently advertises both Sting & The Undertaker but it's designed to throw people off. I can see it's succeeding

 

[TheLoneLegend]

ok so the song playing in the background was Johnny Cash and he was signing about "no grave can hold me"......... i mean hello... what more do we need unless there really talking up Stings "crow" gimmick and the fact that all the characters of the movie were killed then came back to life, all from graves, even watery ones, then this is the undertaker... but my money now lies on Taker.

WE HAVE A WINNER FOLKS!!!! Seriously, if you even just pulled this out of your ass, you are hitting it right on the nose.

If you don't think Vince has people who read internet sites for him, then you are either naive or a moron. I have a family friend who works for the WWE and I can tell you they have people that read the dirt sheets all the time for them.

The Johnny Cash song in tonight's promo is doing exactly what it is meant to do. It is throwing you off of who these vintages are really about. The clip from the song SCREAMS Undertaker, which is exactly what Vince and his Creative Team wants you to think.

 

[Big Nick Dudley]

it's hilarious how anyone here could think it was Sting.
Sting will never work for Vince McMahon, nor should he, he doesn't need the WWE, The ship sailed a long time ago, WWE has nobody worthwhile for him to work with that fans have been dying to see

This is beyond stupid..I'm not even sure how to bash this properly, so I won't.

This made me think Sting is less and less of a possibility now. This song in no way, shape or form refers to anything Sting has done. And trust me, the lyrics have to make sense with the coming storyline. This isn't TNA.

It's always possible WWE is trying to throw us off the trail, but this song makes it hard to buy into the Sting possibility. I want nothing more than to see Sting in WWE, but this really hurt the case.

 

[postapocalyptichalo]

This is beyond stupid..I'm not even sure how to bash this properly, so I won't.

This made me think Sting is less and less of a possibility now. This song in no way, shape or form refers to anything Sting has done. And trust me, the lyrics have to make sense with the coming storyline. This isn't TNA.

It's always possible WWE is trying to throw us off the trail, but this song makes it hard to buy into the Sting possibility. I want nothing more than to see Sting in WWE, but this really hurt the case.

I agree completely.
I'd love for it to be Sting just as much as the next guy, but we need to look at evidence.

The guy you quoted doesn't seem to be taking some of the other information we have available into consideration.

 

[Rahkeyshe]

There's always the possibility that all of these teasers are not for the same person. This one had a very Undertaker-y feel to it, including the music. Just like last weeks had a very Sting-y feel to it (after all, every single one of us instantly thought "holy shit is this for Sting". We all don't do that ever. Ever. EVER. It absolutely HAD to have a Sting feel to it - not just a "looking back at it it could be Sting maybe" feel).

The two are also from different perspectives - walking towards a cabin and walking away from from. I think it's entirely possible that these are teasers for different people on the same day.

 

[Trivia247]

They are making an effort too have it veer towards the Undertaker with that strange ballad about there is no grave that he lays..

 

[andymcg]

Does anybody remeber the Jericho "Break The Code" Promos ? I seem to recall the first weeks promo screamed it was a Jericho return, then the second week it had codes such as "Showstopper" etc in them (HBK was out at the same time if u recall, im pretty sure Orton punted him?), only for the next week to go back to Jericho.

Anyway it seems to be along the same lines, last week everyone thought STING !!!! now obviously WWE wants to try change peoples minds, therefor perhaps aiming it more at Taker ?

Just a suggestion ....