On Monday’s episode of Raw, top heel Randy Orton somehow turned even more heel by punting
his up-to-then manager Ric Flair in the head.
It sure was dastardly, but it was no turning the lights on and off, am I right Retribution.
Those scamps.
Thankfully Ric has recovered enough to respond to Randy on Twitter, but the head injury has
made him capitalise every word: “I Wanted Last Night To Go Differently.
What I Would Have Said Is I Don’t Know What Would’ve Happened If My Son Was In This
Business.
But I Do Know What Charlotte Has Done, And Like You Randy, She Is Much Better Than I
Ever Was, Just Like You Have Surpassed Your Father.
That’s it.”
It’s like a Buzzfeed title.
Randy’s punt on Flair is thought to have been a way to write Ric’s character off
TV for the foreseeable future.
WrestlingNews.co have reported this was originally meant to take place last month after Extreme
Rules, following the Raw main event match between Orton and the Big Show, but Flair
had to self-isolate at home when his wife Wendy Barlow tested positive for COVID-19,
so the angle was delayed until this week.
In a shocking new development, however - pro wrestling might be a work, brother.
WrestlingNews.co is also reporting “there is still talk within the company about having
Orton walk out of SummerSlam with the title.”
This would be so McIntyre could then win it back at either the Royal Rumble or WrestleMania
37 in front of fans - a pop he missed out on at WrestleMania 36’s closed set show.
So how do you book Randy to win in two weeks without weakening McIntyre?
Bryan Alvarez might have the answer.
Speculating on Wrestling Observer Live - speculating, remember, meaning this isn’t a report or
rumour or a fact, it’s just his idea based on what’s happened - Alvarez said “the
only way that Randy wins [at SummerSlam] is with help” based on how strongly Drew has
been booked as champion, and that the best way to do this “is a swerve…
Ric Flair is going to come out at SummerSlam and he is going to help Randy Orton win the
14th World Title and they will have been in cahoots.”
Tell that to Ric Flair’s just kicked-in head on Raw, though.
Well Bryan’s thought of that too… pointing out you never actually saw the point of impact.
Alvarez noted Monday’s episode was a taped show, meaning they could’ve easily shown
the actual punt by using camera trickery and sound effects - just like how they did when
Orton punted the also not medically cleared Christian in their Unsanctioned Match back
in June.
But instead, Randy waited for the lights to black out because of Retribution interference,
meaning we never saw the actual move.
This could’ve been Flair pretending he’d been punted, so Ric can return at SummerSlam,
sucker Drew into thinking he’s on his side, but then turn on him to help Orton win.
Again, it’s all speculation at this point, but SummerSlam’s tagline is ‘You’ll
Never See It Coming’ - implying some kind of major swerve - and Alvarez’s fantasy
booking is logical.
Which means WWE probably won’t do it.
What do you think will happen at SummerSlam?
Let me know in the comments down below, because I’ll be replying to people FROM OUTTA RANDY
ORTON’S BOOT!
But while Orton and Drew’s storyline is developing strongly, Vince McMahon has reportedly
dropped another top feud on Raw…
Although Monday’s Seth vs Dominic contract signing segment was really very good, it did
have a rather large logic hole: why didn’t Kevin Owens - who’s been involved in the
storyline - save Dominic from being turned into lucha ham?
According to a new report from Dave Meltzer, it’s because the plans for KO on Raw have
been dropped, and he’s currently without a proper direction.
Owens was reportedly set to reprise his WrestleMania feud with Rollins over the summer, but WWE
dropped that when Rey agreed to stay sometime last week - where they decided to carry on
with the Mysterio vs Monday Night Messiah programme.
“AEW made an offer that equaled the WWE's per-match offer, but the WWE offer was higher
because it was for more dates.”
Rey’s new contract is said to be for longer than his initial 18 month term, but not as
long as the five-year deals WWE is trying to get everyone else to sign.
Dominic is said to be “a big part of that deal” - which explains why they’ve gone
for him vs Seth at SummerSlam over Owens.
But that’s not the only huge thing dropped from Raw…
… as the sexy dancers were also missing from this week’s Underground segments.
DON’T LOOK AT THE SEXY DANCERS.
In a promotional clip tweeted out by WWE over the weekend, they pushed the sexy dancers
on Underground - prompting WWE Hall of Famer and one-time 24/7 champion Madusa to reply:
“SO?
We are bringing back half naked women in the same breath of promoting the evolution and
equality of women?
Yes this is entertainment yes this is a skit yes this is acting yes these are wrestlers
why resort to women sexually dancing opening a show?
Why not Men in speedos?”
Dancing men in speedos in that setting would actually be hilarious.
But sometimes true equality is letting people exploit themselves, as Liv Morgan argued:
“Hey .. #RawUndwrground... can we bring back the dancers next week ?”
“We have come so so far in the evolution..
And with no signs of slowing down I don't think it is in any danger.
Showing beautiful women proudly dancing (believe it or not, huge money making profession 🤑)doesn't
hurt anything.
Empower all women” And the just returned to Raw Mickie James
agreed: “IKR!
Can we also shake what our mommas gave us... only took them 9 months to make it... asking
for a friend... who loves a good dance party.
That is all!
#RawUnderground” Do you want to see Raw Underground’s sexy
dancers come back?
Let me know in the comments.
Personally, I didn’t find it that exploitative.
I just find it awkward and cringey with Shane McMahon hopping around in front of them and
Kevin Dunn crash zooming.
Let’s check in on WWE’s ratings for a numbers based answer on whether viewers want
to see scantily clad women seductively dance next to a fight pit...
They don’t care.
The Raw rating was pretty much the same as last week, only adding 7,000 more viewers
to average 1.72 million.
The ever-crucial 18-49 demo, however, was down 8% to the third lowest number in the
history of the show.
Maybe Rock ‘The Dwayne’ Johnson could help them out on Fox…
The Rock has been named the highest paid actor of 2020 by Forbes - which is pretty impressive
when HARDLY ANY FILMS HAVE COME OUT THIS YEAR.
We’ll always have Sonic.
So to treat himself, Dwayne bought a football league.
But not just any football league.
Vince McMahon’s twice-failing sports brand XFL.
McMahon’s second attempt was even shorter than it’s first, only lasting a few months
before being shut down by the pandemic.
But even before then, ABC, ESPN and Fox were said to be concerned about the league’s
declining ratings.
They don’t seem to care that much, however, when a name as big as Rock’s is attached
to it, as Front Sports Office is reporting Fox is once again interested in airing XFL
games - “but it won’t be the same kind of deal the Vince McMahon-backed XFL got.”
But with SmackDown also airing on Fox, the network could pull off one of the most devastating
moves in all of corporate strategy: BRAND SYNERGY AND CROSS-PROMOTION!
After Monday’s quick fire wrestling news round up went well - here’s the Shooting
Gallery!
You can suggest a better name in the comments, I literally just came up with that.
FTR told Fightful Select that several WWE stars pitched losing to them to get them over
to Vince McMahon, but he always turned down the ideas because he didn’t see the then-Revival
as top guys.
Apparently those who wanted to help them includes Bray Wyatt, The New Day, all three of the
Usos, Randy Orton, and even Roman Reigns.
Impact Wrestling announced a 2-night TV event starting next week called Emergence, with
the second night being headlined by a 30-min Iron Man Match between Jordynne Grace and
Deonna Purazzo.
Nah, mate, you wanna put that on YouTube instead.
Also on IMPACT, last night’s episode saw the former Curt Hawkins nake his in-ring debut
as Brian Myers, losing to Eddie Edwards for the world title.
Chris Jericho donated $5,000 to the GoFundMe for Kamala, to help his family cover his funeral
costs.
Rng of Honor announced they will be taping TV this month in Maryland, with Bryan Alverez
noting on Wrestling Observer Live they will be unlike anything wrestling fans have ever
seen.
And we just saw the biggest company in the world promote a match where an eye was gouged
out.
And finally, Priscilla Kelly announced on Twitter that she and former partner Darby
Allin have filed for divorce, after splitting two years ago.
Kelly wrote, “We are on great terms, and wish only the best for each other.
There are no hard feelings, as we both understand this is what is best.”
I know we say ‘Support WrestleTalk’ at the start of practically every video we upload,
but I need that from you all now more than ever.
Serious talk.
QuizzleMania 2000 is today, which will see the very reputation of WrestleTalk on the
line.
Wrestling With Wregret’s Brian Zane and Queen of the Ring, Going in Raw’s Steve
and Larson and…
Fightful’s Sean Ross Sapp and Denise Salcedo will be taking on WrestleTalk - represented
by myself and Luke Owen.
Me and Luke have been with WrestleTalk from the start.
We’re the OGs.
And we’ve proud of the family friendly brand we’ve created.
We don’t just cuss for no reason.
And now that Sapp over at Fightful has taken our pure, hopeful catchphrase Jam that Jam
and warped it, twisted it into F*** that F***.
The FTF movement ends tonight, because the Mantaur one is trampling all over it.
Can you hear that, Sean?
I’ve got goosebumps on my arms, but you can’t see it under these hairy forearms.
I’m Robin Williams telling you to run, because there’s a stampede coming.
Set your reminder for QuizzleMania 2000 by clicking the video on the right!
And have WWE already botched Retribution?
Watch mine and Luke’s review of Raw on the WrestleTalk Podcast.
I’ve been Oli Davis asking you all, sincerely, to support me and Luke against FTF tonight.
That was wrestling, and Jam that Jam.