Tonights RAW was on Monday January 18th 2016, and featured foreshadowing leading up to the Royal Rumble. The Royal Rumble is Sunday January 24th 2016. Let’s take a look back at Monday’s action.
Roman Reigns opened up the show, in the beginning segment. He promoed an analysis of Sunday’s event as he found out he was the first entrant, as chosen by Stephanie and Mr. McMahon. Roman also addressed Brock Lesnar, from the F-5 from the previous week. Chris Jericho also came out and segued his points of view, and additionally spoke of the Highlight Reel to take place later tonight. Jericho’s guests would be none other than Reigns, along with Brock Lesnar accompanied by Paul Heyman.
An interruption by Sheamus and the League of Nations provided the obvious rebuttal and an easy set up (since Reigns and Jericho were in the ring) for the first contest. Tonight’s first bout was Rusev versus Roman Reigns, featuring Jericho as guest referee.
In other action, there were two divas matches tonight, and also revealed that Charlotte will face Becky Lynch at the Royal Rumble. Natalya defeated Brie Bella and also Tamina went against Lynch in respective singles competition. Paige also returned to RAW after recovering from a concussion and the safety protocol that also indicated her absence.
Big E defeated Jimmy Uso, along with an eight man tag team match. Mark Henry, Neville, Titus O Neil and their partner R-Truth defeated the team of Stardust, The Ascension’s Konnor and Viktor and Tyler Breeze. The Dudley Boyz and Ryback defeated all four members of the Wyatt’s, represented by Bray, Luke Harper, Erick Rowan and Braun Strowman. Big Show also defeated Social Outcast member Health Slater, and also knockout punched an interfering Curtis Axel, post-match for his troubles. The feature bout although non-main event was Sheamus and Alberto Del Rio versus Dean Ambrose and Kalisto in a tag team bout.
The Royal Rumble now features Charlotte versus Becky Lynch. Kalisto will wrestle Alberto Del Rio for the US title, and Kevin Owens will be wrestling Dean Ambrose. The New Day will also be featured in their tag team title bout; and then we get to the WWE Championship title match, the Rumble itself.
The last segment concluded with the chaos and debacle of what will occur in the Royal Rumble. The teasing of “who’s going to win the title, and go to Wrestlemania” was projected. The dialogue was featured by Chris Jericho and Paul Heyman. The physical and wordless altercations were by Brock Lesnar and Reigns, which may feature a re-match of Wrestlemania 31 as its main event. The “dark horse” surprise was Bray Wyatt who Sister Abigail both Lesnar and Reigns as the show went to dead air close.
Realistically, this show was predictably the event that previews, and leads up to a pay per view. Creatively, all the story lines and matches are congruent to set up the pay per view, and nothing major, or special to lead to ratings- save for Lesnar as an “attraction”. The most debated and asked questions is more or less about the Rumble and not as must see TV, or RAW itself. There was no hook and drag, much less a hook, a caveat to entice people to watch the show. The show built up like a “tribute” or a Xerox to the pay per view. Nothing was standing out, or prominent as a primetime, live, TV-only form of excitement and to keep viewers watching. Again, it is not a personal issue, or a issue against the talent, and what they do to entertain us. However, the problem with this show, and the lack of “hooks” is what is being written and given to a degree. What’s left for television? How is television must-see? Instead of keeping, saving everything for the pay per view; why not have something extraordinary happen on RAW, and develop (even after the Rumble) so we can feel “emotionally invested” which is what’s lacking on this show- and “hook us” to watch the next week(s).
The questions are: will Reigns overcome the odds- with the obvious wait and see at the pay per view. Second question is Will Reigns be champ, and if not him, then who; with Lesnar as the favorite? And lastly, and most of all; is AJ Styles and the Bullet Club (who has only rumored to sign, but nothing concretely confirmed) coming to WWE, and if so, is it at the Rumble? The point is this: Fans are more hyped and emotionally invested in a potential free agent signing, a non-WWE star, and sadly NOT into what WWE is doing on their own merits, as a “homegrown” show.
Perhaps the internet and the spoilers were a bad timing, and has hurt the Creative process. Imagine IF, nobody knew, and nobody reported Styles coming in, or even a hint at the possibility. Then, he shows up, unannounced- and now the element of surprise is in use. Then, have him appear on RAW. Instead, and perhaps wrongly, word had gotten out already and stunted the possible plans. Maybe perhaps, have a “blackout” where something happens, and nobody saw it; or saw a masked superstar- then in a in ring segment (Monday night, after the Rumble); then have the big reveal = ratings pop.
But, the one most important point and question bears repeating. Despite the teasing and the conjectures, and false/hype reports- IS Styles coming to WWE? Can WWE properly use Styles and debut him on RAW, and into the title picture? Styles and the attention he is getting (in a negative way for Creative) is over-shadowing RAW as a show, and its established superstars, no matter how beloved or popular. Styles, one man, one name, one possibility is the key cog, the attention of “what could be” a big splash. Hopefully, he will be the best signing outside of Sting and Samoa Joe regarding free agent talent.
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