RAW Review: June 6th

Hello! That's right, it's another RAW Review. After last week's fairly "meh" Episode, I has reasonably high hopes for this week. We had the fall-out from the Cena/AJ stuff, MITB Match build, Roman and Rollins- and a few more things that had the potential to really deliver. But for now, let's just say my expectation was misplaced. I will preface this Review by saying I was ridiculously tired last night, staying up for Copa America games has not been my brightest idea. So, although I don't think I am, when I talk about a lack of energy/engagement during the second half of the show that may be to blame. Anyway, let's jump into the Review.

Jericho, Ambrose, Cesaro, Zayn, Owens & Del Rio Opening Segment
Without a doubt in my mind RAW went off a cliff, at a point I shall discuss later last night. However, for me this was one of the best Opening Segments we've had in a while. It's probably just my sense of humour, but I just love it when Wrestling's a bit self-aware and just wacky. The stuff that built up to Jericho saying "I'm from Winnipeg, you idiot" to Jericho being even more like a child than usual, all the way up to Teddy Long coming out and purposely "booking" every match other than a Tag Team Match and making fun of when he fucked that announcement up on Smackdown a few years back. In short, this segment without a doubt "wasn't for everyone" but I'm one of the people who appreciated it for what it was and just absolutely loved it.

Also, if anyone from Appleton can confirm Jericho won a MITB there- it'd be much appreciated.

Cesaro v Chris Jericho
The thing that we did get off the back of the Opening Segment was three matches that were basically guaranteed to be good. Say what you want about any of the 6 guys, but all of them can work a really good match. As a result, it's not even worth saying "this was a good match" for any of them- because to me it's a given. Cesaro and Jericho, as Jericho does with basically everyone just seem to "click" for me. The only thing actually noteworthy is the fact Cesaro actually won with a Sharpshooter. It may have been given a boost because it was a Canadian it was being done on. Because Jericho's from Winnipeg, you idiot.

Seth Rollins & Roman Reigns Video Packages
There's no point dividing the Reviews for these two segments, because they were basically the same. Both guys, in a sit-down interview format basically narrating their careers and saying they'll be WWE Champion after Money in the Bank.

The Video Packages were well produced, but my problem with it was just the simple fact that I could see through the reasoning behind it. I said last week that the WWE were doing a good job of booking Rollins as a Heel, by literally having Rollins do nothing that can be cheered. Whatever Rollins says or does to Roman he's going to get cheered. It's the same as the build for Mania, Roman isn't getting the desired reaction from the crowd- so they just write him off for 3 (?) Weeks.

I like Roman, and I don't say nearly as much bad stuff about him as most people I see on Twitter, Reddit etc. but he's becoming a detriment to the show now. If your "guy" is having to be written off, or almost completely kept off a show for fear of the reaction he'll get- surely even the most stupid of people can see there's a problem. Vince McMahon is not stupid, despite what some people may say. I think he's just got this weird mindset of thinking Roman will work out and I've seen it with some Football owners in England, the more people protest- the more stubborn Vince gets and the more he digs in.

Roman is not getting the John Cena reaction. It's almost identical, in-terms of who is reacting and how they react. But the thing with Cena is, especially now- that the "Cena Sucks" stuff has turned into the new Angle "You Suck" stuff. The crowd know Cena doesn't in fact suck, but it's basically become part of Cena's Character and is part of the attraction of John Cena because he's fully embraced them. Roman on the other hand has Commentators explaining how the Post-Mania Crowd is just "wacky" and is basically fighting the crowd.

Rusev v Jack Swagger
This was match was weird, for the simple fact that they actually protected Jack Swagger. Jack Swagger. I don't know if they're adding Swagger into the US Title mix to have Rusev kill two people at Money in the Bank. I wouldn't be against it, but it's just weird to see who's in the hunt for the US Title at the moment. We've got bonafide jobbers in the US Title hunt, while the IC Title isn't even on TV at present-  the Brand Split is just over a Month away. Friendly reminder.

John Cena & AJ Styles Promo Segment
This was great. This was by far and a way the best segment last night. It was by far and a way the best TV segment we've had in many previous nights. I just absolutely loved this segment, and I would assume the general consensus from the unwashed masses is the same. The best bit is, both of them know exactly who they're "appealing" to. I talked about this with Miz a few weeks back, both guys are so comfortable within the skin of their characters- that it just adds an element of believability to everything they do. Then adding into AJ talking about Cena "burying" people and all of that stuff, it's been done before- and it'll be done again but it's still a good line for a cheap smark pop. In short, this segment was just great. If you haven't watched it, watch it. If you have watched it, watch it again.

Also, quick shout-out to Sky for deciding that just as this segment got good was the time to do an Update for my Sky Box. Thanks for that Sky, I'm so happy I pay you way too much when I basically only watch about 5 Channels.

Enzo & Big Cass v The Vaudevillains
Firstly, I've seen some people complaining/making an issue of the whole "concussion" angle. There is literally no difference from it to a million other injury angles. On this show, we had Cesaro with his (STILL!!!) taped up shoulder and in under two weeks we're hopefully going to have Roman try and absolutely destroy Seth's knee. There is no difference. The fact is, Enzo's concussion was a freak accident and the chances of it happening again under identical circumstances are slim. So why not use it? Especially with The Vaudevillains needing their heat back after losing to New Day, this was a perfect way to do it. Vaudevillains looked like despicable Heels and Cass looked like a monster. Job done.

Stephanie McMahon & Teddy Long Backstage Segment
My thing with this segment was, it did exactly what it was meant to do. They had Teddy there, so they might as well have had more fun with it. Stephanie did the Heel thing of passing off someone else's idea as her own. Again, this segment did its intended job.

Alberto Del Rio v Sami Zayn
I'm not putting much into Zayn losing. When I saw these three matches made, and it might be because I've got it on my mind with it being this time of year. I saw these matches as a "Pre-Season Friendly". The results didn't really matter, because what they're building up to is entirely different and it's more to do with feeling people out and their styles etc. I'm putting way too much thought into it with that, but that's how I'm excusing Del Rio beating Sami in this match.

Dean Ambrose v Kevin Owens
This was the weakest of the three Money in the Bank matches, for the simple fact that the energy in the arena had completely evaporated by this point it was almost stupid. That's the one problem I have with this RAW actually. In the 1st Hour (and 5 Minutes) we had literally every big star that was going to make an appearance appear. We had all of the MITB Guys, Cena, Styles & The Club and New Day. They all used up all of their first pops in basically the 1st Hour. That was stupid.

The stuff with the Ladder and Ambrose slowly climbing the Ladder after, combined with the rumour of Bray's return was done on purpose. I'm absolutely convinced of that fact. However, the fact they didn't and Bray's return is imminent gives me a reason to bring up this idea for Bray I had that won't happen, some people would think it's stupid, but I'm doing it anyway. Especially after I saw that WWE are hiring Writers, it's my time to shine.

My idea, and I actually thought of this a few years ago. I'm hoping Bray returns as a Babyface, but you never know.

A Babyface is climbing a Ladder and is about to win, Bray's screen effect hits and the lights go out. The Family push whomever the Babyface about to win is off the Ladder with them being under the Ring the whole time. Bray makes his Entrance with the Lantern, gets in the ring, climbs the Ladder, opens the Briefcase, takes the Contract out and lights it on fire. He then walks out with all of the MITB guys strategically being laid out on the outside (after a big dive spot) so Bray walks out, with a pile of prone bodies laid out- with someone's literal chance of being a WWE Champion burning away in his hand.

I just thought that'd be cool, and especially with the Brand Split and the likely World Heavyweight Championship coming back- combined with a Bray return coinciding with Money in the Bank means if it was going to happen it would be this year. It won't, but I thought I'd bring it up. We get a cool visual, a built-in feud for Bray on return against an Upper-Midcard guy and MITB isn't used as a gimmick this year- to give it some breathing time before we likely go back to two from next year onwards.

Darren Young Vignette
I don't know where these vignettes are going, I don't really care. I did make the point that all Darren needs is two televised matches to have had a better re-debut than Epico & Primo last night. So that's something.

Natalya, Becky Lynch, Dana Brooke & Charlotte Segment
I'm officially sick of Natalya. I like her, and I'm sure she's a lovely person- but she's officially reached grating on-screen character territory in my book. I'm just sick of her, she's been in this feud with Charlotte for basically 3 Months now- and nothing has happened. I thought when they did the attack on Nattie and Becky we'd be getting an injury angle with Nattie to write her off and have Sasha fill her role in this feud- but I don't think we were that lucky.

Sasha needs to win the Title at Summerslam, we've only got Money in the Bank & Battleground before that. Money in the Bank can be a Tag Match, Battleground a Becky/Sasha #1 Contender Match and they either have Sasha win or do a Double DQ for a Triple Threat. Either way, Sasha needs to be in the Title picture for Summerslam. So get Nattie out of the feud ASAP.

R-Truth v Tyler Breeze
Ugh.

The Club v New Day
This match had the potential to be something really good. But on seemingly the theme of this RAW, you'd look at it and go "It's alright". But that's the extent of the praise you can give it.

Xavier looked absolutely amazing Pre-Match, and I'm happy that he's taken on more of a Wrestling role over the last Month or so. The Xavier being taken out stuff was a good way of giving them an "Out" when it comes to The Club winning, and it was a perfectly acceptable, fun 3-on-2 Handicap Match with 5 very capable workers. I just wanted something extra, and I may have looked back on this match more favourably if the Crowd had a pulse for it- but as it is I'm not.

As I said right at the start of this Review, it may be me projecting my own exhaustion onto the product. But, to me this RAW completely went off a cliff at around the halfway point. As I've said above, it had a lot to do with literally every top star appearing in the first Hour. But even then, after the Cena/Styles segment it was like the show just went "well, we're not topping this so we may as well not try". Don't confuse me saying that with saying it was a "bad" RAW. Because it wasn't. It had bad segments, as every RAW does- but on the whole it was pretty average with a couple of really good segments. But, I just want more.

Thanks for reading as always, hopefully you have a good week. We've got Takeover on Wednesday, which will hopefully- actually we know it'll be better than RAW, Money in the Bank, Payback, Battleground and Wrestlemania. So hopefully you're back here on Thursday for the first Takeover Review Post-Mania. Then we're back here again this time next wee for the Go-Home Show to Money in the Bank. Thanks again for reading, and let's all try and book a Holiday to Appleton this year.