#1~ Before you get too comfortable, did you know there’s a new Wallpaper of the Week featuring Chris Jericho and Bray Wyatt? You should download it quick!
#2~ I never thought the silent but deadly Roman Reigns would open an addition of Raw with a promo, definitely not this early in his singles’ run. But damn if he didn’t pull it off. Our friend over on the WWE Creative Humor Twitter wrote about the segment that was just supposed to be funny but oddly enough it’s also a bit true. He wrote,
That's right, @WWERomanReigns can say "bitch" on a PG show. Now you know he's a main eventer #RAWTonight
— WWE Creative Humor (@WWECreative_ish) July 8, 2014
It’s sad but true; in this PG-era of the WWE, the guidelines only allow for a certain amount of leeway when it comes to promos and controversial words. Last week, John Cena got the nod and tonight, they gave the crowd-friendly line to Roman Reigns for an easy pop. It’s not much but it’s something for a guy who hasn’t been in the main event for very long.
#3~ It’s a shame that Dean Ambrose versus Randy Orton will only be remembered for the botched spot. In a normal situation, I would have expected Orton to throw a fit except it absolutely was Orton’s spot. I can almost guarantee that Ambrose was supposed to jump off the top rope and into a Orton dropkick. Except Orton took his sweet ass time getting up and turning around. Either way it’ll end up being Ambrose’s fault somehow. Who would have ever thought that Ambrose would be the bit player coming out of The Shield’s breakup?
#4~ One of my favorite memories of 90s WWF was the running storyline of Jerry Lawler & his absolute hatred of the Hart family. From Helen & Stu to Bret & sometimes Owen, “The King” couldn’t despise the Harts more than anyone on earth leading to all sorts of matches including the infamous Kiss My Foot match which eventually led to the debut of Lawler’s personal dentist, Dr. Issac Yankem (aka Glenn Jacobs – aka Kane). It would have been awesome to see King tease at least SOME hatred for the Harts, at least for me.
#5~ This Fandango/Layla/Summer Rae thing is still going? First I thought it was over after that “match” at the pay-per-view. Then I thought it was done when Dolph Ziggler and Summer basically had “PG sex” in the ring last week. But now not only is there a Fandango/Ziggler feud but Summer Rae is STILL trying to seduce Fandango away from Layla? I’d be OK with a Ziggler/Fandango feud (especially if the IC title was involved) but the choice between Layla and Summer is just ridiculous. Layla is stacked and is a former Miami Heat dancer. Summer pretended to be a dancer for Fandango when his first dancer didn’t want to leave college for a career in wrestling. I think you get where my allegiance lies.
#6~ I appreciate the fact that The Miz is trying something new with his character. I appreciate the new transition into his theme music and the Top Gun glasses. But so far that’s all I’ve seen. The music is the same. The promos are the same. The jacket and ring gear is the same. And most importantly, his ring work is the same. If you’re going to try to revamp your career, you NEED to add more than glasses & the beginning of The Rock’s old entrance video to your own. That’s like adding pin-striping to a ’94 Chevy Malibu & asking 30k for it. The Miz has a long way to go to ask fair market value for his presence.
#7~ Chris Jericho and Bray Wyatt is going to be good. Really good. But please let them build, let them tell a story. Give them more TV time than just a promo spot after a throwaway match. Let them write their own material and be held accountable of whether or not if they’re successful. It worked with Jericho & Shawn Michaels in their modern-day classic rivalry in 2008. Take a chance again and watch the magic happen.
#8~ Kofi Kingston starts winning when he starts talking about a heel turn – OK fine. But he starts beating Cesaro, a guy who just wrestling for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, cleanly and weakly? The way Cesaro was moving up the card, I could clearly see him facing Brock Lesnar in a battle of the “Paul Heyman Guys” in the near future. Now I’m just hoping he doesn’t fall off the map completely and regain ANY momentum he had going into and out of WrestleMania 30.
#9~ Seth Rollins and John Cena had pretty good chemistry in the ring, even though they didn’t have it in the earlier backstage segment. The idea that Rollins has to remind the audience every week that he can cash in at anytime is absurd. The Money In The Bank contract has been around for almost 10 years, the “WWE Universe” knows how it works and Rollins will cash in when it’s most advantageous for him. Stop shoving it down our throats and tell the story you want to tell. Of course if that story is how much Roman Reigns and John Cena like each other, I’d rather they not.
