AEW was only officially announced 98 years ago on January 1st, 2019, and already it’s
only half a million or so viewers off Monday Night Raw’s weekly viewership.
But before WWE started scheduling NXT directly head-to-head in a totally unrelated strategy,
and then proceeded to counter-program every major AEW TV episode with an NXT TV Takeover
just by chance, WWE was doing everything they could to stop AEW happening before the promotion
was even launched.
AEW Executive Vice Presidents and current Tag Champions The Young Bucks left their New
Japan deals in January 2018 to focus on All In that same August - where WWE tried to poach
them and stop AEW before it started.
Appearing on The Good Brothers’ Talk n’ Shop Podcast, The Bucks have confirmed the
WWE approach, and revealed exactly how much they were offered, with Matt Jackson saying:
“I knew the kind of money the Good Brothers were getting.
Everyone else was getting like $150,000 to start.
He was already offering us $500,000 each guaranteed.
I’m going like, ‘What?!’.
At that moment, we knew our street value.
That was just the first offer.”
This was years before the inflated multi year contracts WWE started signing talent to through
2019 and 2020 to stop wrestlers going to AEW.
Because by then, $500,000 a year would be what you offer someone you have no intention
of using.
It’s definitely best they didn’t go, as not only would AEW’s future be in doubt,
but also because the Bucks would’ve likely been broken up six months in to feud with
each other, and then paired up with random singles stars when WWE realised they don’t
have enough tag teams.
But, for once, Vince McMahon’s deeply embedded hate of tag team wrestling has turned out
to be a good thing…
FROM OUTTA NOWHERE.
After it was claimed Randy Orton suffered a “horrible” shoulder injury in his match
against Riddle last week, Fightful Select is now reporting it was more of a “deep
bruise in the area”, and that “there didn't seem to be major damage” that would result
in any significant time away.
Which is good, as Orton appears to be starting a new odd couple tag team with Riddle called
RKBro.
Finally, something on Raw that I actually like!
It all could’ve been very different, though, as Fightful Select have also revealed the
original post-WrestleMania plans for Raw: Sheamus and Riddle were meant to continue
feuding over the United States title, while Orton was set to wrestle Braun Strowman in
a “first time ever” match that was being promoted up until the airing of last week’s
Raw.
But Orton was described to be “in favour” of working with Riddle after their short-term
programme, so plans were shifted to accommodate that.
Which sounds a lot like Randy just said, ‘look, I’ve just done 7 months of the Fiend stuff
which never actually had a planned end.
Let me do what I want to do for a chance.’
A consequence of this is T-Bar, Mace, Drew McIntyre and Strowman being thrown into a
feud together which “there weren't immediate plans for” - which explains why we’ve
had pretty much the same match between them for the last two weeks.
There’s plenty more wrestling news over on WrestleTalk.com - like a former WWE star
saying they’ve likely had their last match and what Sting has privately told Darby Allin
about working together, along with our rundown of who should challenge for every main roster
title following WrestleMania.
You can check out any of those in the links below, and make WrestleTalk.com your homepage
for all your wrestling news.
But for now it’s time for the weekly test of how much I really love wrestling: me contractually
having to review Monday Night Raw... in about 5 minutes.
Mace and T-Bar came out without their masks, but still with their stupid names in Raw’s
opening tag match, aganist Braun Strowman and Drew McIntyre.
Because Vince doesn’t know what to do, so he’s now just booking by height order.
Strowman and Drew fell out backstage because Braun was annoyed that Drew was being bullheaded
- coming from a man who headbutted Adam Pearce in November just for saying ‘last but not
least’ - so Braun made it a handicap match, which he won via DQ when Mace and T-Bar just
kept beating him up.
Meaning this ‘feud’ has now had three DQs in just two weeks.
But don’t worry, I’m sure it’ll all payoff to an actual finish now with the match
restarted with Drew as a proper tag - no, it’s a countout victory for Mace and T-Bar
(the sweetest of wins!) when McIntyre accidentally clotheslined a steam powered Braun on the
outside.
Strowman then hit a Powerslam on Drew and continued to shout at him for being bullheaded
- which has never been a part of Drew’s character.
But basing everything on character - the fundamental source of all storytelling - isn’t what
WWE do these days.
They just Whack-A-Mole square Moles into round holes until they fit, regardless of what’s
recently happened (like Braun’s feud with Shane), or what their personalities are like
(Drew likes to fight, he’s not stubborn).
It erodes the very basis of being able to invest in weekly progression, because nothing
means anything.
And while T-Bar and Mace might have a win on paper, this is in no way to push them.
They’re more square moles, needed as filler around the Braun vs Drew vs Bobby story.
Drew demanded a match against Braun tonight from definitely not Raw GM Adam Pearce, which
he granted, and then added the stipulation that if Strowman won, he’ll get added to
the title match at WrestleMania…’s Backlash.
After the obligatory five minutes of ‘isn’t Bad Bunny great?’, MizTV did an unplugged
acoustic version of Hey Hey Ho Ho with Elias and Jaxson Ryker - which Damien Priest interrupted
with his own obligatory ‘isn’t Bad Bunny great?’
line, and then him and New Day threw tomatoes at the heels.
You say tomato, I say, ‘I’m too old for this shit.’
Although the tomatoes hitting John in the Morrisons and Miz in the face were good shots.
The final few minutes to the following six man tag was actually crazy good, and Woods
rolled up Ryker to win.
Oh no, we haven’t had Charlotte Flair on TV for a week.
Quick, do something lame to get Charlotte Flair back on TV.
WWE official Sonya Deville literally let Flair back in the building, and then told her to
apologise to referee Eddie Orengo - the referees have names… like, real people? - and then
ended Flair’s suspension.
Then Flair, because she’s a heel, for the referee to apologise to her.
Definitely not Raw General Manager Adam Pearce was annoyed by Sonya’s sudden decision backstage.
I can’t wait for that warring authority figures storyline to go absolutely nowhere,
just like the Shane vs Pearce stuff.
Humberto Carillo got the better of Sheamus this week.
This is just being done because WWE changed Riddle vs Sheamus to Riddle and Orton.
Don’t expect this to result in anything for Carillo.
But thankfully, after all everything else on Raw for the last six weeks - which has
been either boring or actively terrible - we finally have something we can get excited
for…
Just like how I hoped last week, RKBro is becoming a thing - an odd couple tag team
of grumpy serious Randy Orton, and idiotic stoner man Matt Riddle, recapturing the Broserweights
gold from NXT They took on Cedric Alexander and Shelton
Benjamin, who were just used as an enhancement act, which involved an amazing RKO from outta
nowhere on Cedric’s top rope dive, and Orton tagging in Riddle at the end to get the win
off the Floating Bro.
Randy and Riddle’s interactions backstage, they combination of their in-ring styles and
personalities - this could be one of the breakout acts of 2021.
Prepare yourself for WWE to break them up next month.
From the best to the worst, WWE’s women’s tag division is still the most consistently
abysmal thing in wrestling.
After a terribly staged backstage segment where Dana Brooke and Mandy Rose presumably
just had to stand several feet away for a few minutes while Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler
cut a promo - which now includes not just one Nia simp, but two, with Angel Garza joining
Reginald, we got a six woman tag of Asuka, Naomi and Lana vs Jax, Baszler and Rhea Ripley.
Because Rhea is an out and out heel now, I guess.
Who actually cares?
The women’s champion doesn’t actually have a character beyond… piercings.
Brooke and Rose threw a bucket of water at Baszler, which
caused Nia to slip over, and then Jax eventually pinned Lana with a leg drop.
Definitely not Raw General Manager Sonya Deville then booked her old nemesis Mandy in a match
against Charlotte Flair - because Flair hungry, Flair need to beat other blonde woman - which
she did.
Perhaps Alexa Bliss will get involved with all of this soon, as she cut a Playground
promo with Lily teasing it’s time to play with the rest of WWE.
I love how WWE have completely taken away the main thing I love about this act: Bray
Wyatt.
And then main event saw Drew take on Strowman in some decent action, but who really cares.
The finish made no sense.
Bobby tried to cost Braun the match - because MVP understandably didn’t want Lashly in
another triple threat situation where he could lose the title without being pinned (just
like his US title at Elimination Chamber) - but then T-Bar and Mace ran into attack
Drew, in another example of wrestlers just doing things because WWE needs them to for
contrived reasons only they are aware of and will quickly forget about.
Surely T-Bar and Mace should’ve just laid waste to everyone there if they’re not working
with the Hurt Business?
Meaning Drew, who never gets beaten, has been pinned twice in the last few weeks, and Braun
is in the title match at WrestleMania…’s Backlash.
What did you think of Raw?
Let me know in the comments, and vote in our Poll on a Pole match on the Community tab
- where 66% of you went for ‘Raw makes me hate wrestling.
And I agree.
Apart from RKBro, there is nothing to like on this show.
And a lot to hate.
And it’s three hours long.
And where are the tag team champions AJ Styles and Omos?
I’ve lived through many bad periods of Raw.
The post-2016 Brand Split Raws.
The Celebrity Guest Host Raws.
And I think this most recent run from March to April is amongst the worst string of episodes
WWE have ever done.
What do you think?
This week’s Raw - only for RKBro - is 2 out of 5.
Do you like board games?
Then you’ll love No Rolls Barred - our board game channel with Adam, Laurie, Luke, me and
everyone’s favourite guy Sully, who will be making his QuizzleMania debut tomorrow
on partsFUNknown.
We’re just 2,000 subscribers away from 50,000 on No Rolls Barred - where once we reach that,
we’re going to do a ten hour livestream of board game club!
Watch the 15 Most Insanely Expensive Board Games by clicking the video on the right!
And subscribe to No Rolls Barred too.
And is Samoa Joe returning to IMPACT Wrestling?
Click the WrestleTalk News below that to find out what’s going on.
Check out WrestleTalk.com, I’ve been Mr Davis, Jam that Jam.