Seven years ago back in June, WWE removed Paul Heyman as Raw’s Executive Director
after not even one year in charge.
The company publicly explained this was to ‘streamline the creative process’, and
definitely not to provide a sacrificial lamb for the upcoming investors call about falling
ratings.
But according to a new report, it seems like they’ve accomplished neither.
Despite initial optimism about the Thunderdome era amongst the creative team, Gary Cassidy
of Sportskeeda is reporting Raw has been massively struggling backstage.
WWE didn’t announce any matches for last night’s episode until 70 minutes before
the show was about to start because Vince McMahon hadn’t even looked at the script
until he boarded his jet to the Amway Center.
Which is the old rich guy version of finishing your homework on the bus.
While SmackDown has a single creative force driving it right now under Bruce Prichard,
the two names spearheading Raw are apparently “not up to the task of getting the show
done in time” or “getting input from talent” in a timely manner - with one of Cassidy’s
sources saying: “RAW has really fallen apart without [Paul] Heyman driving the creative”.
Heyman, of course, is also now on SmackDown as Roman Reigns’ heel advocate.
Perhaps it’s all just elaborate long term booking for Survivor Series and Brand Warfare!
They’ve just got to quell the roster warfare first.
WWE reportedly told talent last week they had 30 days to stop using 3rd party platforms
like Twitch and Cameo or risk being fined, suspended, or even fired.
The roster was apparently confused by what exactly the ‘3rd party’ restrictions meant,
though.
So WWE clarified their new rules to talent before last night’s Raw, and seemingly relaxed
some of the bans to appease a disgruntled locker room.
Dave Meltzer reported talent would be able to keep their Twitch and YouTube accounts,
but they have to do so using their real names, not their WWE names, and they must inform
WWE of their accounts.
This contradicts a letter WWE sent out last week, where the company claimed they also
owned talent’s real names.
The ‘clarification’ was again described as “super vague”.
After three years of saying it’s going to happen, WWE finally uploaded content from
their partnered indie promotions EVOLVE, PROGRESS, wXw and ICW to the Network in July.
Probably one of the worst times to do so, in the wake of June’s SpeakingOut allegations
that accused numerous wrestlers who had prominently featured for those promotions.
The Wrestling Observer Newsletter is reporting WWE has altered some of this new content because
of the allegations - like the wXw Toronto 2019 show, by removing the opening Fatal 4-Way
match between Daniel Makabe, Cima, Brent Banks and Julian Pace and an angle involving David
Starr and NXT UK Champion WALTER.
Pace had previously been released from his wXw deal following allegations against him,
while allegations against David Starr led to several promotions severing ties with him
and stripping him of his titles.
Now it’s time for a review of last night’s episode of WWE Raw in about 5 minutes!
Michael Cole’s voice opened the show FROM OUTTA Tom Phillips being on holiday.
Because, apparently, they’re not the same person.
Although I’ve never seen them in the same roo-.
Cole’s commentary was actually really good.
Randy Orton said he should just be handed the WWE Championship after he took out Drew
McIntyre two weeks ago, when he was interrupted by a local medical facility vehicle sirens
being driven into the Thunderdome - because ambulances are like Ubers, I guess? - for
Drew to burst out and hit Randy with a Claymore.
Adam Pearce, who now kayfabe runs WWE it seems, asked Drew to leave so he couldn’t do anything
else to Orton - prompting the night long thread of McIntyre walking around permanently on
his phone, like he’s channeling 2017 General Manager era Kurt Angle, promising he’ll
be going soon.
And then Claymored Orton for the DQ in yet another Keith Lee match, and then again backstage.
Keith being a loss prop to the Orton/McIntyre feud aside, I love how this feud is being
built around finisher counts.
None were hit at SummerSlam, and now they’re three a piece in surprise attacks.
Despite being built up for months next, WWE managed to make Cedric Alexander’s long-teased
heel turn a bit of a wet fart.
The constant bait-and-switch story was further muddied by the Hurt Business attacking Cedric
before their six man tag - which paid off with Cedric joining them when he beat up his
tag partners Ricochet and Apollo Crews.
Confirming the heel turn, Cedric explained his actions in a VIP Lounge segment later
on, where he said he’s sick of sacrificing himself for Apollo and Ricochet’s opportunities,
and now he wants that money.
The Viking Raiders, Ricochet and Apollo came out for a brawl and Holla, holla, we’ve
got ourselves an 8 man tag players.
This was a fun match, with some surprisingly heartbreaking interactions between freshly
broken up tag partners Cedric and Ricochet.
Hopefully they get a singles feud now, because those matches would be phenomenal.
Unfortunately the match seemingly had to be cut short when Ivar immediately threw up the
X signal after his dive outside.
An audible appeared to be called, so Cedric beat Ricochet with a Mikonuchu Driver - not
his finisher - which Ricochet actually kicked out of.
A botch, sure, but understandable because of the injury.
Meanwhile, in purgatory, Angel Garza and Andrade are still splitting up, and they’re also
still having matches with the Street Profits.
Andrdae’s loss was hopefully the end of their never ending story, as the SmackDown
tag team champions Cesaro and Shinsuke Nakamura came out to challenge the Profits as part
of the quarterly cross-brand invitational.
What are the rules?
R-Truth ran away from Akira Tozawa in a restaurant.
To cement last week’s split, former IIconics partners Peyton Royce took on Billie Kay in
a match that rather impressively had no heat even from artificially piped in crowd noise.
Royce won, and the two hugged afterwards.
Raw Women’s title opponents Asuka and Mickie James teamed against Natalya and Lana, brought
to you by Bang Energy.
Asuka blind tagged herself in to win with the Asuka Lock, to sow some slight seeds of
dissension with Mickie.
As much as I love Keith Lee vs Randy Orton, they’ve had the same match three times in
two weeks now.
Keith blocking the RKO just by being massive was great, but Drew cost him the match, and
he just Thanos’d away like he doesn’t care.
Keith needs to keep beating people to continue his momentum.
Shane McMahon then opened the Thunderground door for Kevin Owens, and then the big guy
opened the door for Shane - potentially revealing a bit of Raw Underground magical lore gone
unnoticed until now, you can only enter Shane McMahon’s sweaty scuffle club if someone
else lets you in.
Like they’re all vampires.
I’m trying to create my own fun here, because Raw Underground is crap.
Kevin Owens took on Aleister Black in easily the biggest Thunderground match so far…
so Raw cut to a commercial as soon as it started, then to a backstage segment with Orton and
Pearce, then to Shanya Baszler losing to the Riott Squad in a handicap match.
Then back to KO vs Black.
Then to Nia Jax just about to lose to Liv and Ruby.
Then to a Retribution promo, then, half an hour after they started, yet only having about
a minute of screentime, Owens and Black being called off because Daba’Kato beat them both
up.
Raw Underground is just terrible.
As is the booking of the handicap matches in between here - with backwards psychology
for the newly reunited Riott Squad babyfaces getting the two-on-one advantage, really diminishing
the only proper team on Raw to challenge for the women’s tag belts, and making Baszler
not cool.
And the handling of Meh-tribution.
Making the lights cut out just before Jax was pinned, Retribution cut a very overscripted
promo with crappy WWE dialogue.
“This Thunderdome is a facade, behind this mountain of screens is the same foundation,
the same WWE as before, the same behemoth who discarded and disowned us, leaving us
to survive in an unfair world.”
So it’s a play on the released people back in April?
This is their first proper explanation of who they are and their motives, and it came
across incredibly generic and santized.
Which is exactly what you don’t want for a faction that’s meant to be a force of
chaos.
Thankfully, the main event was absolutely terrific.
Because part of Rey Mysterio’s contract re-negotiations appears to be ‘also sign
my entire family’, all your favourite Mysterios were ringside for Dominik’s street fight
against Buddy.
Dominik impressed yet again, with a great crossbody off the Thunderdome stands, and
an amazing sunset flip powerbomb outside through a table.
And in a cathartic lovely family bonding finish, all the Mysterios tied Buddy up in the ropes,
and all took turns whacking him with kendo sticks - as Rey screamed at Seth down the
camera.
With each member of the Mysterio family getting their revenge.
Over and over again.
For quite a while.
Ok, I think you can stop now!
They’ve, um… they’ve got some things to sort out.
So that was this week’s Raw in about 5 minutes.
Let me know what you thought of the show, because I’ll be replying to people FROM
OUTTA THE MYSTERIOS STILL HITTING BUDDY WITH KENDO STICKS…
MAN, THEY ARE ALL STILL GOING FOR IT.
Don’t let the main event and some fun McIntyre vs Orton stuff fool you.
This was a crap show.
Just like Retribution said, this might be the updated Thunderdome era, but it’s the
same old WWE - as in, all the same storylines and feuds that passed their expiration dates
long ago.
This week’s Raw is poor.
Now Luke Warm Luke Owen is gone from WrestleTalk, the OliThority has regained control of the
WrestleTalk Clips YouTube channel that he temporarily named WrestleLuke.
Well in my infinite wisdom because I know what you want - I have rebranded it to something
better…
WrestleTalk Underground!
Until Mr Chopper said Wrestle2 was probably a better name.
The OliThority commands you to subscribe to Wrestle2 now for new WrestleTalk shows, Louis
Dangoor’s Interview series and bite-size clips of the Podcast!
Start by watching our All Out live reactions by clicking the video on the right!
And Rusev has shot hard on WWE.
Click the video beneath that to find out why.
I’ve been Mr Davis, your jam that Jampion.
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