RAW's 'Plunge' Opening - Give Me Your Thoughts So I May Use Them As Sustenance!

[Uncle Sam]

Raw (or RAW, however you like to put it) opened this week with Edge and Evan Bourne in mid-brawl. Instead of actually showing us what happened - after all, it was "off-air" - we had the context provided to us to by Cole and King.

Sam liked this. At the very least, it was different to "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to City X and, motherfucker, look at all the pyro we got up in this bitch!" As a device to hide Evan Bourne's weak mic skills and perhaps even save time, it certainly worked.

Now give me your thoughts, views, two cents, outlooks and opinions so that I may convert them into nutrients.

 

[Барбоса]

Perhaps it was a way of hiding Bourne's weakness on the mic but if that is true then they found an inventive and refreshing way of doing it. This highlighted the unpredictability of a live broadcast and that not necessarily everything relevant to the storyline takes place in front of the cameras.

I applaud it

 

[Ferbian]

While it certainly helped Evan Bourne and proved somewhat of a shocker to start off with, I have to admit I am a little bit disappointed not getting to see all of it, but in the end I guess I can live with it.

It was a good move on WWE's part as a way of starting off the show in a new way, that I do agree on, but I still think I would rather have watched it actually starting off from the start, yes we don't need the "welcome to blah blah blah" but I wouldn't mind if they started off with camera's on Edge who was already in the ring, ready to start the promo.

 

[Mustang Sally]

I enjoyed it. It created a cliffhanger-type atmosphere that kept you guessing, wondering what led up to it and leaving a large part of the effect to the viewer's imagination.

Plus, I liked that Evan Bourne was a part of this. You figure that a major player like Edge is always going to get something like this thrown his way, but I was happy to see a lower-card wrestler getting a piece of the action.

Many of you may complain about everything WWE comes up with, but they're the leaders in the field for a reason.

 

[Tattooed Jesus]

I enjoyed it very much. I think it was a good way to get Evan Bourne on TV and they seem to be wanting to actually give him some what of a push in the main event scene. I personally think this is a back up plan of sorts, that is Orton can't wrestle in the Fatal 4 Way match, that they already have another popular face with history with the other 3 participants positioned to step right in.

With the seeming push of Bourne, R-Truth getting the big clean win, the Uso's and Harts, it seemed like a very fresh and new feeling episode of RAW, very enjoyable all around.

 

[The People's Peep]

I wouldn't say that I liked it, but I wouldn't say I hated it. It was just different. It was cool because it got me interested right away. I was glued to the TV trying to figure out what happened. It also shows how anything can happen at any time in the WWE. However, I didnt like it because the whole first part wasnt seen. Sure, the announcers filled us in, but its not the same as actually watching it. Unless they are telling us what was said verbatim, something is going to be lost in translation.

If they did use it to keep the viewers from seeing Bourne on the mic, I consider it another negative. If you are going to put this guy in the main event for the night, you should have him get over as much as possible. I mean, Bourne is over, but not quite over enough for the ME. Cena's rub helped him, but the mic work could've only helped.

 

[1_2_3 Kid]

I enjoyed it very much. I think it was a good way to get Evan Bourne on TV and they seem to be wanting to actually give him some what of a push in the main event scene. I personally think this is a back up plan of sorts, that is Orton can't wrestle in the Fatal 4 Way match, that they already have another popular face with history with the other 3 participants positioned to step right in.

With the seeming push of Bourne, R-Truth getting the big clean win, the Uso's and Harts, it seemed like a very fresh and new feeling episode of RAW, very enjoyable all around.

Have to agree 100%, it was a great opener as I think boure is awesome in the ring and deserves a push after being such a jobber. I knew edge would ultimatley have the last say, but I found myself actually caring about evan bourne. They need to have him spotlighted on Raw more often.
On top of that, everything else that happened last night, it was a great night to be a WWE fan. I look foward to big things from the street savvy Uso's and the whole Raw roster for that matter. WwE creative... lowe and behold... job well done!

 

[LokiCobain]

Many of you may complain about everything WWE comes up with, but they're the leaders in the field for a reason.

...so therefore every idea they have is the best? They're the leaders in the field for a lot of reasons, but mostly it all started with money. I think all wrestling fans could count more bad ideas WWE has done over the years than good ideas. But good pointless argument...

As great as it was to give air time to Evan Bourne, it didn't do anything to make him look good. It just put him on-air so that Edge could beat him up. He got in one reversal, then missed the SSP. At least he's getting air time though, I guess.

My first reaction was "well this is dumb". The announcers didn't really fill anything in. I believe they explained it as Edge was insulting the roster or something like that and Evan Bourne came out to do something about it? Is this a 3 second storyline between Edge and Bourne? Yup. Then he gets thrown into the main event to replace Randy Orton, after looking dumb. Granted he won the match, and WWE.com is hyping this up, he's going to have to talk eventually right? WWE seems to be pushing the wrong guy. He'll end up like Amazing Red, a guy everyone will cheer for, and will never do a promo. Which is fine, I enjoy Amazing Red, but not in the main event picture. This particular plunge opening seemed to only matter for this one episode of Raw, and if it leads to some Evan Bourne title match/win, this is unbelievably stupid. And rather than just being one bad idea, it's a bad couple of months.

This doesn't discredit the 'Plunge' Opening, only a bad one. For me, this was a bad one. One that could've actually done something is have the Hart Dynasty/Uso storyline pushed forward more. Start off the broadcast showing the Hart Dynasty getting jumped. Then have them later in the episode do exactly what they did, go to Bret Hart, ask who those guys were, Bret tells them, and sets up a meeting in the ring. Nothing changes, only the plunge opening has some sort of implication, not to the episode, but to a storyline as a whole.

 

[JBK2008]

That was a nice change of pace and it's something we should see every now and then for sure. Bourne's mic skills ( or there of) haven't been showcased really and this was a great way to put him into the show and he put up a nice fight with Edge for a short time, which makes me hope he actually gets pushed down the line. Edge was great and then Orton coming out all quiet and then hitting the RKO! Great way to open a show other than the same old crap all the time. I liked it a lot!

 

[Tougie]

I was surprised by the opening but it wasent any better then the standard opening. If it was a way around Bourne's mic skills then why put him in the main event situation then why have him there in the first place. If this was a way to push him, then why skip the mic skills?

Either way it makes no sense to me. Clearly they have no faith in Bourne by not allowing him on the mic. He's just another lower-mid card filler until they make the big bucks with Cena. I mean instead of getting real wrestling fans hyped up thinking "Wow Bourne might get a push!" Its just a weekly thing to push the Orton injury storyline.

I was looking at the roster and i guarentee had Morrison not had the ankle injury it would have been him. He's over a lot more and has mic skills, so a big missed chance there. Hell even Mark Henry could have filled the spot at least people would know that this was a one week thing.

You could have done the opening with any three, the guy come out either prior to going live or a few minutes after saying "Edge you run you run your mouth too much." So to me it was really no different, just the same old boring WWE.

 

[The Doctor]

WWE has been anything but boring lately. I don't get why people still have that in their heads. RAW and NXT have been exciting and interesting lately and Smackdown has been pretty good too.

Anyway, I really liked the opening. It really made me do a double take when I saw Edge in the middle of a brawl with Evan Bourne. I thought I had missed something. Once I got past the initial confusion I thought it was a great way to subvert the boring old "Heel comes out to cit a promo, random midcard face confronts hjim" formula seen all the time, while giving us the feeling that Anything Can Happen.

For those complaining about not seeing the whole promo...come on. We've seen Edge cut a heel promo how many times? And he still got to talk afterwards, so it's all right. Evan isn't great on the mic (though I do find him to be oddly endearing) so this was a way for WWE to hide weaknesses and play to strengths.

I don't want to see this opening all the time, but it was a great way to open that they should use once in a while to mix things up.

 

[IrishCanadian25]

I, too, enjoyed it.

When it happened, I was in my home office listening to it from the living room, while my wife was in the living room watching it. I usually figure I have a couple minutes for the show to get going, but when I heard action going on AT 9:00 pm, my first instinct was "oh shit, was tonight a 3-hour show and I forgot!?" But my wife filled me in, and I thrust myself into the show immediately.

Also, the fact that they brought the show full circle later with Bourne in the M.E. in the tag match gave me a sense of closure, which I appreciate.

 

[King Blitzkonic]

First let's back up. Evan Bourne really isn't that bad on mic. Inexperienced, but not bad. Mind you he did sound a little rigid when he challenged Sheamus back in January, but give the guy credit for getting over against the champion at the time. Give Evan more mic time and he'll be just fine.

Now then, opening the way Raw did last night: I like it, but it should only be done on occasion. Doing it every week makes it just as boring as the "Welcome and pyro" number.
Classy move on booking's part letting Evan get the win. Too bad the US title is as high as Air Bourne'll be allowed to go because I just can't see him replacing Orton if Randy can't go.

 

[Mr. Wrestling 27]

I just moved to a new place and had new cable service started up, I didn't get to watch this live and I hit rewind on that remote several times thinking I had missed something or my DVR had messed up and skipped some of it...I was flat out upset and then realized what was going on...Bravo WWE, you fooled me. After realizing there was nothing wrong I thoroughly enjoyed it, I hope they don't "do this to death" but it was a nice change of pace...

 

[olando76]

TNA opened their show like this about four years ago when Joe faced Christopher Daniels. Daniels was cut already and was about to get the mafia kick against the guard rail. Besides me favoring TNA I guess the open was OK but, I still go with my previous statement. WWE's new tag line should be "working harder to suck less". One more thing before I get hammered on this post. I was thinking about Hulk and how no matter what city he was in he got cheered while on the other hand Cenanough gets cheered in some cities and booed out the building in others, like whenever he is in Chicago.

 

[ThAwRe$tLiNgGaWd]

It was very confusing at the beginning, because I too was expecting the usual opening pomp and circumstance. But once I shook the cobwebs out of my head and figured out what was going on, it wasn't a bad way to open the show at all. People say maybe was to hide Bourne's mic skills but I don't believe that was fully the case, he may not be experienced per say, but I don't think he is terrible. Hopefully, this is something that will finally give him the kick in the ass he needs to get him up the card more. Unfortunately for him as crowded as it is, so this may have been the proverbial flash in the pan as far as it goes for him... hopefully we can see him make a good run at U.S Title.

As far as the "plunge" opening goes, I agree that it was something completely different but let's keep it to a once in a great while thing, so it doesn't lose that opening effect. Just like they dropped the ball with the Uso's debut last week, Lawler and Cole need to remove the sticks from their asses and give more meaningful commentary as to what is going on.

 

[xxxxxsuka]

I recall that RAW opened like this two summers ago in the midst of the Jericho/ Michaels feud. It was a great way to start to show bc those two had been at It for a while, which is IMO the best storyline and series of matches that the WWE has had in a long time. The two were bashing eachother in and out of the ring, up the ramp and I think backstag. I personally have never seen RAW or NITRO open like that so it was new and refreshing (and I have been a fan of wrestling for 15 years.) Last night's attempt was really good and it provided an entertaining main event to Edge's twist.

 

[ckoneagain]

I enjoyed the opening, it was instantly engaging and had us al wondering what the hell had happened to cause that and i liked that. On another note, how pathetic did Cena make Bourne look when he lifted him up to his shoulder at the end of their match...how is he supposed to be taken seriously when a main eventer treats him like a child who's just learnt to ride without stabalisers? sorry that was off topic a bit, anyway! Yeah the intro segement to RAW was much better this week, i'd like to see more of that. Also it gives you another reason to go watch RAW live as you'll get to see what's really going on.

 

[Greenlight13]

It broke the mold and it has gotten people talking about it enough that this topic exists... surely that's a good thing? WWE have a happy formula that they rarely deviate from (because it works), but every so often they seem to enjoy throwing us random curve-balls, and this is an example of it. If it happened regularly (I remember WCW doing it several times, and TNA have done it a handful) then I'd think differently, but once in a blue moon is a nice surprise for me.

Wrestling used to be all about surprises. Vince is the magician, we're the skeptic audience who think we know how it's all done and everything that's going to happen, but every so often he can make us go "ooo, that was different."

 

[Rhonda Rousey's Sports Bra]

I absolutly hated it. I didn't get to see the fireworks or hear my Nickelback when I'm supposed to.... yea just kidding.

I think it was a great way to start Raw just like everyone else. It was a fresh way to start and added the element of anything can happen anywhere on the show, even before the show. I was as suprised as anyone with the main event and the outcome, but I can't lie and say I didn't love it. Last nights Raw had a... Forgive me for this, but it had an Attidude Era Raw feel to it, with all the off camera stuff and backstage stuff that didn't look way too scripted. Great stuff hope they keep it up. WWE is rollin' right now.

 

[Ruthless-RKO]

It was a good opener, surprising shocker having it be evan bourne aswell..but it was good...it gets us as the audience thinking what could be going on...i remember the wwe used to do this like 10 years ago...remember in 2000 with jericho and triple h...

WCW used to do the same aswell..it was certaintly agood way to start the show..

 

[malford0923]

I don't know if this has anything to do with it, but I thought I'd share. I was watching the show that was on previously to it and at about 8:52 it cut to Raw, and they showed the pyros and the Welcome to MNR in Dallas Texas and whatnot. I was confused as to if the show was actually starting then or not. Did anyone else see this?

 

[THTRobtaylor]

last time I saw this was one of the WWE PPV's in England... not the start of the show but Taker was wrestling basically without gear, as his luggage had been lost... He started the match brawling with either Kane or Trips through the entrance... was a jarring but real exciting way of skirting his entrance... I was damn impressed they pulled it off and last nigth was just as good...

 

[mral82]

I don't know if this has anything to do with it, but I thought I'd share. I was watching the show that was on previously to it and at about 8:52 it cut to Raw, and they showed the pyros and the Welcome to MNR in Dallas Texas and whatnot. I was confused as to if the show was actually starting then or not. Did anyone else see this?

I just rechecked my dvr and there was no pyro. They always do the live breakaway up to 15 mins prior to Raw. I thought it was a great show from the opening seg to the McMahon-Hart when Vince was gettin cheered and always refering to himself as Vince not Mr. like Lawler. To the The Superfly's daughter and the PhatMans sons gettin mic time to Daniel Bryan beatin The Miz and throwin him into Cole that was hilarious as was the Hit On Zack Ryder where he got BURNNNNNNNNED by Alicia Fox. This is how RAW should be go back to the past. So see when Vince hired Bret back Shawn was right only good things will happen just look at it now, I say it's better than a year ago where all we saw was Trips vs Orton. Just give the WWE time it'll be back to its awesome ways. I can't wait for next week for the viewer's choice. Shelton will return to the 'E' when his schoolin is done.

 

[CLB 03]

I'm suprised they didn't put the video of before raw went on the air on wwe.com as a "exclusive" video. it would generate a lot of traffic to the site