It was a very emotional edition of Raw with Roman Reigns relinquishing the Universal title following the news that he is battling leukemia. The show also featured a contract signing between Ronda Rousey and Nikki Bella, Seth Rollins & Dean Ambrose going for the Raw tag titles, the new title match at Crown Jewel, an appearance by DX and more on the “go home” show for Evolution.Don’t forget to submit photos of your wrestling inspired Halloween costumes at www.facebook.com/POSTwrestling for your chance to win our final copy of “Creating the Mania” by Jon Robinson, courtesy of ECW Press. The winner will be announced next week.We also discuss TODAY’S TOP STORIES with the latest involving John Cena at Crown Jewel, the status of Alexa Bliss, a discussion on the Roman Reigns announcement, and all the latest news of the day.
A terrible show. But on this one I’ll largely give them a pass. I can’t imagine how difficult it is for these wrestlers to know a guy like Roman, be completely caught off guard to find out what he is dealing with and then have to go about business as usual, so I get the stiff promos and the sluggish in ring work. These guys and girls are human beings, so I think overall that segment with Roman at the top cast a massive pall over the whole show.
The one thing I would have done is hold off on the Dean heel turn. I get that it was probably earmarked for this show, but after seeing the opening segment and the general quality of everything else on this show, you/ve got to call an audible and wait.
Absolute best to Roman who I have always said is a fine wrestler and from the Ride Alongs and other stuff seems like genuinely nice guy. He doesn’t deserve this, no one does. As far as diagnosis’s go its about as dire as they can get, but if anyone can beat it, I think Roman has better odds than most. He will never be a heel to the fans after this. I just hope he gets a chance to come back and experience being the most over babyface in the company.
I despise the whole “tag champs who hate each other” storyline but the way they did Dean’s turn has me very interested in the story going forward. I’ve been waiting for a Dean heel turn for years now as I think he’s way more effective as a heel and Seth is a great babyface to work against.
A great turn by Ambrose, a new feud starting between McIntyre and Strowman, Elias is a babyface, and Bobby Lashley hates everyone now… just in time for them to all band together to fight for brand supremacy next month!
I am not sure but I doubt they planned to break up the Shield the whole dissension in the shield was to swerve people for when the “Dogs of war” broke up. Shield Actually got Roman over kind of and Shield Merch was pretty big no reason to break them up so soon maybe pre mania to do a match at mania but the Roman semi retirement I Feel was an audible to actually break them up as you can’t really have a two man shield anyway. Best time to do it given the circumstances…
Can’t See Bobby Making the Team he is two low on the card Seth And Ambrose will probably be in a tag or single match at SS. Kurt, Triple H Cena possibly even HBK Drew Dolph will be in the 5 raw team mix. Elias if they need the body if can’t get a legend. Also I don’t See the problem with enemies teeming up to fight a common enemy (heels and faces) it happens in wars two political sides team up to face another country. In Major League sports always hear about a Locker room Scuffle but on the field they play as a team. heck even in Marvel they had a superhero Civil war but Thanos got them to team up again. Plus Many WWE storylines aren’t too intense bitter rivals its almost sportsmanship too see who is the better man the heel usually just stoops to a poor sport and cheats or has a hissy fits and attacks them unfairly or out of competition. The only thing wouldn’t make much sense is for AJ to team up with Joe for SD. as they had a blood feud.
I would have said you sow a little dissension between the two this week, then next week (this coming week) you can do the actual turn. Almost as like a lead in to Crown Royal.
I think it worked because the audience was in such a emotional state, so in the end I guess it doesn’t matter but I feel like you could have had Seth next week make a big deal about doing “everything for roman” and then that rubs Dean the wrong way until finally he just gets sick of it and turns right as they go off the air.
Ive seen some feedback from some wrestling media saying they felt turning Dean on Monday was in bad taste but to me it was perfect timing.
If I was booking I would have kept them as a team for awhile longer. They could have even had a big match against Degeneration X since both have a history feuding with Triple H.
But there would have been no time other than Monday that a turn by Dean wouldn’t have had the same reaction as the fans have had for Becky so I don’t have a problem with it and I’m looking forward to the feud. Their matches in 2014 were awesome.
I do wonder if maybe it would make sense to move Dean to Smackdown for a bit to delay the feud until Wrestlemania season and remove the awkwardness of Renee needing to address Deans actions every week.