Last night on Raw, the WWF did everything they could to ditch the failed WCW/ECW Alliance Invasion storyline.
Much like WCW did when they relaunched on April 10, 2000 with Eric Bischoff and Vince Russo in control, the WWF seemed to “reset†a bunch of their angles and storylines and will be using Raw as the start of a storyline arc that will presumably end at Wrestlemania.
Unlike the April 10th Nitro, Raw was not a blow-away show. For the most part it was largely forgettable, with a bulk of the segments featuring Vince McMahon is masturbatory interview segments destroying the last remnants of WCW, a company he actually owns (owned?).
What Raw did feature was one classic segment, the closing interview with Vince McMahon, Kurt Angle, Ric Flair and Steve Austin, which should get WWF and former WCW fans talking alike. Flair, in one interview, showed why he is the man- he had the crowd electrified and had everyone watching at home on the edge of their seats.
In one Raw, the WWF did something that they haven’t done since the Two-Man Power Trip exploded in May. They clearly defined who is a face and who is a heel, and set about to promote feuds and angles that will end in matches at the next PPV. The show was based around redefining Vince McMahon, who had been a face, as the evil Mr. McMahon, spinning Kurt Angle’s Survivor Series face turn in a negative light, and easing Steve Austin back into a role as a fan favorite. Of course, much of what they did contradicted the events of Survivor Series and the months before, but if it ends up with a more defined, better booked product for the next few months, the details can be overlooked.
It’s easy to start over and create buzz using a big star to reignite your product. But it’s much harder to keep that momentum going, something that Russo and Bischoff never did. The WWF creative team has a huge task in front of them: keep the fans that have stuck with the floundering product, attract new fans and also captivate returning fans who may have heard about Flair’s return. That third group is where immediate dividends cane be reaped, with increased ratings and PPV buyrates.
For the WWF to retain the Ric Flair-curious fans, they will need to concentrate on booking sensible, compelling TV that has payoffs people will pay for on PPV. The Rock created a huge buzz when he returned from Hollywood, but poor booking and uninteresting storylines killed his box office appeal.
The WWF will needs to book Ric Flair and his followers in such a way as to preserve his legacy and make them look BETTER than Vince McMahon. Ric Flair is the fan favorite owner, and has to get a one-up on evil owner Vince McMahon time and again, as long as they are both on the same show. Eventually it seems as if the WWF intends to split the promotion into two parts- a McMahon-led WWF, and a Flair-captained “WCW†or whatever they end up calling it. Before then, Flair’s role needs to be strong and powerful, as he will represent whatever second brand the WWF decides to launch.
The groundwork has been laid to start the WWF on a successful path once again. Returning stars like HHH and Chris Benoit will help bolster the roster, and incoming WCW guys like Kevin Nash, Scott Hall and Scott Steiner can only help the sagging Raw and Smackdown ratings.
The WWF has given itself a second chance, another lease on life. Vince McMahon put up a “Grand Reopening†sign on Titan Towers, and is inviting everyone back to see what is different. For the sake of the wrestling industry, things actually better be different.
