RAW Review: 21st September

Hello! Well, RAW was weird last night. I don't think there's another way to describe it, but I'll put my stake in the ground right at the start- I really liked it. It was just wacky for nearly the whole 3 Hours, but it's Wrestling- primarily it's supposed to be fun and last night was the most fun I've had with a RAW in AT LEAST 4 Months. Had the crowd have been better this would have gone down as one of the better RAW's of the year, but without a doubt it's still in contention. Let's just get into all of the madness.

The Wyatts Promo/Brawl with Reigns, Ambrose & Orton
We got someone new in the Opening Segment, and that in and of itself was amazing. Bray didn't really get going in his Promo, but I'm pretty sure that was the idea. I'll admit it, this felt like a segment that they'd scheduled for later on in the show and then Sting got hurt so they had to shuffle everything- but I don't care because it was refreshing to not get a 20 Minute Opening Promo. It was weird for Reigns and Bray to basically start having a match without actually having a match, but I'm assuming the idea for this is they keep getting in someone as the "3rd Man" until we get a big pay-off of someone (possibly Bryan) down the road. OR AMBROSE WILL FUCKING TURN.

Seth Rollins & Corporate Kane Promo
Again, I'm putting my stake in the ground early. Kane is the best guy on earth. People were going on about Joe Park/Abyss, but that's not the first time we've had a split personality gimmick in Wrestling and it definitely won't be the last if they do with Balor what I want them to do. I just loved this segment, Kane plays the "straight man" comedy role to perfection, in that respect he's criminally underrated and this segment was just great. It was 100% wacky, but I loved it.

Team Flippy Shit v Cosmic Wasteland
I'm hoping that this is the end of this feud now, we've had the clean win and now we can all move on. Put it this way, if they carry this feud on after we've had the Babyfaces go over clean- actually it's WWE they're bound to keep it going. As with the Pre-Show match it was a lot of fun, there weren't as many believable false finishes- but they made up for that with a lot of Flippy Shit and one just hilarious Sin Cara botch.

Rollins, Triple H & Stephanie Promo
I don't know about anyone else, but the way Triple H & Steph reacted to Rollins and telling him to focus on the Cena match etc. said to me that they're using Kane to fuck with Rollins. It'd make sense, they literally just give the Mask back to Kane and tell him to go nuts. That might be me seeing what I want to see with regard to a Triple H/Rollins match down the road though, so I could well be wrong.

Ryback v Bo Dallas
This match went so long in comparison to most Bo matches that I was convinced Bo was going to win with shenanigans. He didn't, but it's weird to see them actually giving Bo offence on someone like Ryback. The match was fine, it was Bo Dallas against Ryback- Owens on commentary was good but (and I never thought I'd say this) JBL OUTSHONE HIM. JBL had possibly the best line he's ever had on commentary, Cole said something along the lines of "Did you know the Secret's sold (I think it was) 18 Million Copies"- to which JBL said "That means there's still 8 Billion people in the world smart enough not to buy it". When JBL is giving us great lines on commentary you know RAW's taking place in some weird alternate universe.

"Charlotte Celebration"
Holy Fuck. Paige's Promo was just amazing. But let's do this in order, I said it yesterday and I'll say it again today- put Ric Flair with Charlotte full time. His Promo before he introduced Charlotte got EVERYONE invested in Charlotte if they weren't already, and especially with Promos Charlotte really does need all the help she can get. Then PCB came out, and as soon as I saw Paige's mannerisms on the ramp I thought she was turning- and then we got, just... wow.

The thing with Paige's Promo, it was similar in a lot of ways to the AJ one- but it didn't have Nikki & Brie doing their best to disrupt it and generally being awful. With that in mind it'd be a disservice to actually say Paige's Promo was "better", but both were great. They always say Promos are at their best when there's some truth to them, well that was what this was. I loved it, it was one of those "air your grievances" type Promos where NOBODY could have scripted that- it just wouldn't have had the same effect. I was getting ready to call this the best "Divas" segment literally ever, but then Nikki Bella came out.

We got about three shows worth of TV during this segment. We had the Charlotte/Flair celebration, Paige's turn and then Nikki coming out and doing stuff. I'm not even sure what Nikki's point was, Nikki being Nikki of course had to completely no-sell the fact Charlotte beat her to end her "record breaking" Title run. I don't even know what Nikki said for the most part, I'd completely zoned out by the time she was at the foot of the ramp. SO, WELL DONE NIKKI. Two "Pipebomb" type Promos having their segments ruined by The Bellas. It wasn't single-handedly ruined by the Bellas though, the crowd were just bizarre with the Divas. They ended up cheering Paige after she'd buried everyone for her turn, and the Bellas were some of the most over Babyfaces on the show.

Basically, go and watch the Paige Promo- 100% do it. Then just skip everything after the point Paige leaves.

Charlotte v Brie Bella
This was match was, well Charlotte against Brie.  It was fine, as with the Nikki match the night before it was as dumbed down as possible- but I don't mind that. Especially when someone like Brie's involved, literally the only thing she had to do was to not forget which leg was the "weakened" one. I've still got an issue with the fact the story the last two nights has been working Charlotte's leg and then she's won with the Figure 8 at the first time of asking both times, but I'll take what I can get.

Sheamus v Mark Henry
I realise Texas is a big state, but the complete lack of reaction Mark Henry got coming out was DEPRESSING. If I were Mark I'd just hand in my notice and retire unless he's got money issues which I doubt. I actually liked this match, Henry played the "big man" role and Sheamus played the pissed-off cowardly Heel to perfection- and it ended with Sheamus going over clean. Good.

Corporate Kane, Stephanie & Triple H Promo
Did I mention Kane's the best guy ever? There's some moments when I'm just amazed how much self-control people have to not just burst out laughing. When Stephanie put her hand out for the mask and Kane gave her a High-Five and subsequent Thumbs Up I died laughing, and the fact Triple H in particular didn't (because he was on the brink) didn't is just amazing to me. I loved this segment even more than the first one, Goofy Corporate Kane suddenly turning into Menacing Kane in the space of about two seconds in this segment was just amazing. Also I want one of "Worlds Best Director of Operations" mugs, and I don't even drink Coffee.

Paige & NATALYA (!) Backstage Promo
This was the point where I just concluded this RAW was the wackiest RAW possibly ever. With what happened in this segment and a bit later on, I think the idea is to put Paige & Nattie together- which I'm not necessarily against. I hope if they're doing another three then it'll be Emma as the 3rd, but at the same time I'm fed up with these teams of three- and we've just got rid of one so the last thing I want is another one. Or is this Divas Revolution like one of those mythical beasts where if you cut one of it's heads off it just instantly re-grows and it's stronger.

New Day & Rusev v The Dudleys & Dolph Ziggler
There was way too much good stuff here, you can seriously make a full highlight reel from this match. The actual match was just a side-show to be honest, I said it in my Night of Champions Review that I don't mind all of the shenanigans on RAW- but I want more from the New Day's matches on PPV. New Day were just extra amazing last night though.

Everything from Xavier being in near-tears as a result of the Wood that had to be pulled out from him. Quick aside when Xavier came out he had the Broken Table Wood in a little black bag, I was PRAYING they'd pull out a Mini-Table that they do in those Mattel Battle Pack things and say that it was a Baby Table who's now an Orphan. But everything from New Day mimicking Rusev's entrance stuff to the "Broken Wood" to Xavier playing Rusev's theme on the Trombone to Submissive Summer helping Woods with his Trombone (not a euphemism) this was just great. This match cemented this RAW was simultaneously one of the best and wackiest RAW's in absolutely forever.

Naomi v Natalya
This match was weird, I realise Nattie has been on House Shows- so perhaps it was Naomi but they just didn't quite click. This wasn't much, Naomi won with the "She calls that the Rear View" after a distraction. I'm hoping this is simply a means to an end with regard to facilitating a Nattie Heel Turn as opposed to that being it.

Triple H, Stephanie & Rollins Backstage Promo
This segment backed up my theory that Triple H & Stephanie are using Kane to fuck with Rollins. It wasn't anything more, and as I said I might be seeing what I want to see- but hopefully it's leading to something.

Big Show v Cesaro
I didn't mind this as much as pretty much everybody else did. Do I agree with putting Big Show over Cesaro? No. With that said they did it in the best possible way to protect him, the thing that did Cesaro in was doing a feat of superhuman strength. It was hardly a burial. The fact is though that they had to put Big Show over somebody in preparation for Brock, I don't have an issue with that and the Promo he cut after was in all honesty great. It might just be because I was in a really good mood with RAW last night, but I honestly didn't mind this at all.

Wyatt Family Promo
Whoever's scripting Strowman is honestly on acid, that's the only explanation I can think of. He delivered simultaneously the best and worst line of the year. "I caught a Snake once, I skinned it and drank it's blood".

John Cena v Seth Rollins- US Title
Again, it might be because I was in a good mood as a result of this RAW- but I really didn't mind Cena going over Clean. They gave us a competitive match, but Rollins had taken about 10 finishers at Night of Champions- of course he was going to succumb to a relatively fresh Cena. How they'll explain Cena not getting a WWE Title shot now- well they won't, but I don't mind that for obvious reasons. I'm hoping this is the end of the chapter of the no doubt long Cena/Rollins saga and they both go their separate ways because both guys are best served facing other people now.

The Kane stuff after was all good, in it's infancy I seriously think Split-Personality Kane COULD be one of the better character developments of the year.

Sometimes when I do a Review I go back over the show and realise a show I thought I liked was horrific, specifically some Impact's. That said I really did love last night's show, it was mental but it was the right kind of mental. I'm really hoping last night does a good rating in relation to what is expected with Monday Night Football and Gotham to encourage them to give us more shows like they gave us last night.

Thanks for reading as always, if they give us this type of RAW week-in week-out these Reviews will be a very happy place to visit. But, it's WWE- so I'm fully expecting a Randy Orton v Sheamus 180 Minute Iron-Man match for next week. I knew being a Kaneonite would finally catch on again. Thanks again for reading, and remember; ALL YOU HAVE TO DO, IS KANE-LIEVE!