Well, RAW was interesting tonight. If tonight could be described as a phrase, it would be “set up everything.”
Nearly each segment, each match, had a purpose. Except for Ryback. He has no purpose.
Kicking the show off, Triple H is in the ring and boasts about what he did to Roman Reigns. He notably left out the part where Byron Saxton handed Reigns the blood bag during the beatdown. Probably explains why Triple H hurled Saxton clear across ringside at the end of the show. Dean Ambrose arrives to challenge The COO to match, and to defend the WWE Championship. The Game says he will decide at the end of the show, following the main event of Dean Ambrose vs. Alberto del Rio.
Is it just me, or has the League of Nations been saddled with the new gimmick of being the goons for the Authority? Also, they suck.
The first match of the night, is also the show stealer, Becky Lynch vs. Sasha Banks. Not long, but damn good. Ends with the double-pinfall finish, teasing a triple-threat for WrestleMania.
Bray Wyatt and family cut a creepy promo.
Dolph Ziggler and the Miz go for all of two minutes as “angry Miz” pins Ziggler following a “hard” Irish-whip into the turnbuckle. Not making this up.
Recap of Shane McMahon. Stephanie McMahon comes to the ring to formally accept her Vincent J. McMahon Legacy blah blah blah which turns into Steph whining and crying about her own legacy. Meh.
Next up, Sheamus and Rusev defeat the Lucha Dragons, with Rusev getting the pinfall victory. That was probably the most surprising part, considering he is more useless than Wade Barrett. Sorry buddy. Decent match, with no noticeable botches from Sin Cara. It’s just odd to me to see the League of Nations in more than one segment, and winning for that matter.
I don’t know how to describe the next segment, I thought it was about Natalya being selected for a special episode of a celebrity series on E!, but then it turned into a Subway promotion. Anyone notice how Renee Young looks just like Natalya?
Ryback marches down to the ring, defeated Adam Rose, and then marches back. I do not disapprove of this tactic. Can all of Ryback’s matches be as fast and uneventful?
The New Day arrives, and suddenly I no longer have the urge to change the channel. They cut a hysterical promo. They always do. However, they are then defeated by Chris Jericho and AJ Styles. Great match. Fantastic match. Y2AJ challenge for the WWE Tag Team Championships next week on RAW. So either this is where Jericho goes full-heel mode or we get new champs. Last I checked, The League wanted a title shot, The Dudleys wanted a title shot, and possibly The Usos or the Beverly Brothers wanted one too.
Here is where it gets confusing. Vince McMahon comes out, and brings out “his” instrument of destruction, the Undertaker. So, do we like him or not this year? Taker comes out, grabs Vince by the neck, and tells him “Shane’s blood will be on YOUR hands…” This really begs the question what role the Deadman has in all of this. A loss to Shane? Since the magic is over, there is the chance of another loss…
But that’s it. Undertaker’s entrance was longer than his time in the ring and on the mic. Vince then is going to write Shane out of his will, disown him, blah blah blah.
Bubba Ray Dudley defeats Jey Uso. D-Von throws a table at Jimmy Uso. Weird.
Big Show defeats Kevin Owens by count-out following a top rope crotch-drop. I’m lost.
Lana shows up to mock Brie Bella. When did she come back???
Naomi defeats Brie Bella.
There was a segment with R-Truth and Goldust, but this gimmick has jumped the shark.
I have no idea what in the hell is going on anymore. They formally announce the Freebirds as the next stable to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. Sadly, no one in the live crowd knows who they are.
Dean Ambrose and Alberto del Rio have a pretty solid match until Triple H arrives to screw it all up. It ends in DQ after the COO tells the League to ambush Ambrose. Triple H then taunts Ambrose, who then sucker-punches The Game, prompting HHH to lose his cool, and give Ambrose the championship match, “Thanks” says the loony one, causing Trips to blow a gasket and deliver a similar yet toned down beating to Ambrose, while hurling Saxton across the ringside area.
I do not know what to make of RAW tonight. Some parts were good, but overall downright confusing. I am starting to worry about WrestleMania.
