FEEDBACK: WWE Raw 10/22/18

Leave your thoughts and comments here for tonight’s edition of WWE Raw. Given the circumstances of tonight’s show, we thought it’d be better to replace our usual scale rating with a question:

What is your interest level for Evolution on Sunday?

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0 voters

Paul from New Jersey

It’s a shame to hear about Romans diagnosis. I’m certainly not his demographic in terms of being a fan, but you never want to see something like this happen to anyone. You would have to be a bastard coated bastard with bastard filling to boo him on this night.

I want to care about Bobby Lashley. I have tried week after week. I heard his heel work in TNA was very good, but with what the WWE is doing with him, it’s just not translating for me.

Tyler from Orlando,

I was really shocked watching that 1st segment, I didn’t know Roman suffered from this. Honestly I thought it could be a work until the segment completely ended, and when it did end, I started to think if they did the Dean turn tonight, it would have twice as much heat due to the Roman situation. I thought they would save this match for Wrestlemania but I doubt it goes that far. No other show really feels big enough for that match.

Chris in Irvine

I wasn’t going to watch Raw tonight but I had to tune in once I saw the Roman story on Twitter.

I’m in the men 18-49 demo, and I’m not supposed to like Roman, but I really have grown to like him. Sad to see him give up the title. I would really hate to see Brock win the belt; I’m hoping Braun wins and Drew immediately goes after it and Dolph enters into more of a heater role.

I was confused by them finally pulling the trigger on the Dean heel turn especially tonight. I hope Renee continues to slyly reference her relationship with him all the way through his heel period. Did you catch the guy at the very end yelling, “he has every right to turn!!!”?

1 Like

Wow, one of the most emotional openings on RAW ever. This was different than a retirement opening this is literally a man fighting for his life. Bill’s father died of leukemia 30years ago so this really hit home with us. Roman was crying, Seth was crying, Alex was crying. Kind of made the rest of the show pretty emotional but the heel turn by Dean at the end was definitely unexpected. We didn’t think they would do that with Roman leaving. Do you think it was planned for tonight even before they knew about Roman? If it was Why not wait one more week after what happened at the beginning of the show?

Also, forgot to ask last week, what do you think about the rumors about the Trish and Lita vs Alexa and Mickie match always being panned as a tag match? We heard the only reason they announced Trish vs Alexa in the first place was to sell more tickets before announcing it’s actually a tag match.

Dave from Sydney

Really bizarre go home show for the Evolution event, hopefully Smackdown has something in store to get us hyped for the event because at the moment it is feeling pretty flat.
Things like Elias turning could have been saved for next week and given some of the women on the roster longer spot light.
There is some rumours circulating that bliss could be injuryed from the house show on the weekend, have you heard anything at all? It was odd she wasn’t there for the beat down for Trish and Lita

1 Like

Brandon frm Nueva Jersey

My Dearest Los Boriquas

It’s been a fortnite since we last spoke and I just wanna say I’ve been missed. Alas I digress it was a very depressing RAW with the Reigns diagnosis and at some points of watching I didn’t feel like watching cause wrestling became real life. These guys bleed like we do and it sucks that he got a legit fight on his hands. I felt great anger and shame when I heard some fans were booing him while he was addressing his situation and it made me equally ill. Alas the show goes on and from my family we are rooting for a full recovery and wishing Joe Anoi the best.

Meanderings of a madman

-the pulling the trigger on the dean turn I guess had to be done with the reigns deal. I loved it nobody saw it coming

-They are really still going to Crown Royal huh equally shameful

-a tear trickled down my eye watching a young Nate Milton scream “Why Dean Why”

-Alicia Fox looked like “Attack of the 50ft women in that horrible beat down segment for evolution.

I’m out of here peace I love it when Wai reads my email with his dry whit and diction.

1 Like

Chris from Central Queensland, Australia.

Always sad to see a Champion relinquish their Championship due to an Injury, but seeing Roman have to retire due to an illness was just heart-breaking. Also WWE.com uploaded a clip of Roman being comforted by people backstage.

I’m actually looking forward to Evolution, even knowing that it’s part make good to the women for the all-men show in (country redacted). I’m looking forward to seeing how both the Mae Young Classic & NXT Championship are received by a mostly main roster audience. Also interested in seeing if any NXT UK Women can make the card. (Yes I know the spoilers for both the Mae Young Classic & NXT UK, but appreciate than some people would not like to know the results.)

Ahmed from London, England

Hey guys, this show was ridiculously week as it has been for a few weeks now. Before I go on I want to genuinely wish Roman Reigns and his family the best moving forward he has given his all for this industry and for us fans and I really hope he can overcome this. Secondly I find It incredibly frustrating when us UK fans are up till 4am to watch a consistently diabolical and uneventful RAW. Other than the emotional opening promo and the heel turn at the end I see no point in tuning in to watch live. I really enjoy the chemistry Ronda and the Bella twins have although I feel like smiling Ronda is becoming more and more annoying by the second, she is so much better when in a serious mood. Also, I think we genuinely underestimate how great the Bella’s are as heels on the mic, they were great once again. I thought the heel turn in the end made no sense as they won the titles it just made Ambrose look even more insane for turning. I understand they maybe saw an opportunity to take advantage of the all the emotion surrounding Roman but we’ve already seen Seth and Dead numerous times and I am not exactly optimistic to see it again. All in a all it was a decent show but if these average shows continue I fear I will start watching RAW on replays when I wake up especially not one of its biggest attractions is out for a very long time. Finally wanted to thank you guys on you continuous effort to bring us these podcasts, as its my favourite podcast around and keep fighting Roman!

Mike Parker from Toronto

It’s a shame that Roman’s best promo, and the most over he’s ever been with a crowd, is on this night. I wish him a full recovery, not to see him make a triumphant return, but first and for most, to be there for his family.

Jalen from Pickering,

Terrible news obviously, all the best wishes for Roman/Joe.

I was wondering if they were gonna change course with the Dean heel turn because of the circumstances tonight. But props to WWE, they made the best out of a terrible situation and genuinely shocked me. With this huge void to fill, I’m very interested to see how they book Ambrose, Rollins, Strowman, and McIntyre between now and Mania. .

This Evolution show looks incredibly poor for something that should feel a lot bigger. The only matches that interest me are the MYC Final, and the Last Woman Standing match. I’m shocked and disappointed at how poor the tag match feud has been, especially considering the talent and history between them.

Jeremy in Texas

I was stunned when I heard Roman was diagnosed with leukemia. Stunned even more to learn he had it when he was younger. I’m surprised WWE never told this story with him. Maybe he didn’t want it told. But if he’s able to come back, how can you ever boo Roman Reigns again?

1 Like

Jay from Colorado

There’s nothing I can say that hasn’t already been said. So I’ll make it short and sweet, bizzare edition of Raw for sure. Quote of the night, guy at the very end arguing with his friend over whether it was right for Dean to turn “He’s got every right to turn man!”

Jake from Chicago

It will be interesting to hear what Renee’s commentary will be like the next few months now that Ambrose turned heel. Is she going to have that somewhat tweener attitude slightly defending Ambrose’s actions? What do you guys think?

Mj

Just watched the open and I am pretty shook. We rag on Roman week after week but the reality is he, like Cena before him, had an impossible job to do and did it to the fullest. He’s been so under appreciated yet the company has thrived and he’s been the center piece. I wouldn’t wish an early retirement or illness on any performer. Sucks when it happens, and that it’s for something like Leukemia and not an in ring injury makes it hit harder than others.

Rollins crying as he came out to greet Roman will stick with me a long time. easy to forget that these are their lives and they aren’t just characters on a show.

That said, why do I feel like he’ll be back for Mania :thinking:

This is great. L

1 Like

Nick from Vermont.
I thought it was going to be another cut/paste opening segment from Roman until his first few sentences, my mind quickly thought it was a work, thinking Roman might of refused to go to crown jewel and this was WWE sick way of writing him off the show(sadly it wouldn’t surprise me at this point) , but the news set in as reality. I was shocked with the dean heel turn, it was more of a surprise because they just won the titles and Rollins was legit in tears earlier when the sheild was hugging as brothers after the news.

I felt this raw was the last chance WWE had to back out of crown Jewel, sadly this raw proved they are dedicated to it happening no matter what. I’m also not stoked they booked the vacant title on the crown jewel show, they are just showing us even more that they wanna showcase the event, I would of saved the title match for Servior series.

Power to Roman.
Emotional raw all around.

I cant believe they did that finish with dean. Really left me sour…didnt need to be tonight.

I thought the tag title switch was a great moment, felt like maybe the way to move drew into the crown jewel mix with braun and lesnar…also it would be a great go home moment after the emotinial night but no they had to stay on five minutes too long.

Mark from Vaughan

I commend Roman for going out there and being able to talk about his condition and show strength in the face of a big fight. I’m sure he’s inspiring others to do the same in similar positions and wish him the best. All you ever hear from people that interact with him is he’s pure class and a credit to the business.

Question: Do you remember any wrestlers in recent memory that had to walk away due to a medical condition at the top of the industry? I don’t mean the athletic or occupational related injuries.

Heartbreaking stuff. My whole family watched the start. Tears from each of us. As much as my family makes fun of me for watching wrestling I was surprised to their reaction to Roman. Gross ending. Look. If you really want a pop just turn Ambrose at the beginning of the show when rollins got emotional. That would have been just as gross if not more. Look at the crowd. That was SOFA KING STUPID.