Didn’t watch Raw - they couldn’t fool me this time. Still wanted to post meanderings based off RAR and a few YouTube clips.
-It doesn’t matter how good the Dominik angle looked. There is no salvaging this story. Seth wants to talk long-term storytelling? Let’s see how this angle started. This angle started because Rey congratulated Seth on his wife’s pregnancy. This isn’t Jericho throwing Shawn through the JeriTron. Further, who could pay attention to this beatdown and suspend their disbelief? Nobody in the locker room who grew up watching Rey Mysterio could do a run-in to help his son? I did see this on YouTube - and again, it was a good beatdown, but it went on too long. Adam Pearce couldn’t even run down? At least explain the reasoning. I think Wai brought up a huge point on the show - I’m sure this was an “initiation” for Dominik. I’ve worked in locker room environments and it’s still sadly a real thing. At least have commentary explain that the lockerroom is wary of Dominik getting a job so quickly in WWE because of his father, and they all have agreed he’s on his own. Give me any reason to show you’re trying or give any sort of fuck about logic.
-Apollo Crews couldn’t even beat Shelton Benjamin? Now WWE is trying to protect a guy who has had one singles win on RAW since 2006? Can WWE please pick their lane and stay in it? Who is going to be presented as a star? This is not hard. Winning makes talent get over. Example A: Becky Lynch. Yes, she always had a certain charisma and fan connection - so she’s a bit more well-equipped than Apollo. But you know why people exploded for her heel turn? She was a winner they got behind. Before her Summerslam match, she won match after match after match on television. Fans were finally believing in someone they always liked, but didn’t think would get a title run. And then when she just barely lost to someone else in the match who had incredible privilege, she snapped. Star was born overnight. It’s not that hard. Make likable people win matches and chase for championships.
-Here’s an unpopular opinion - Natalya stinks. She’s always been a terrible promo, has no acting chops, and is not an all-time great women’s wrestler that she’s often referred to as. She was the best in the supermodel era for a long time. She’s a fine worker, but you can count the truly memorable matches in her career on one hand. And now she’s in another new gimmick with someone who has been completely lost since her first run with Rusev. Why does every heel female duo need to be the next iteration of the Mean Girls? WWE’s female performers are boxed into being best friends, mean girls impersonators, or in jealousy angles. It’s so off-putting.
-Poor Bayley.
-So much for my excitement on how badass the Viking Raiders looked in Raw Underground last week. Back to comedy. I was stupid for thinking there may be some depth. But nope, you just magically turn into someone different when you enter Shane’s dark room. And when you walk out you’re back to normal.
-I feel so bad for the members of Retribution when they are finally unmasked. If this were any other company, I’d think this is intentional. I’d think the real group sent these losers out to “cause mayhem,” but be completely unrelated to the real members. And when the real members debut, they do a real Nexus-style angle and destroy all the Aces and 5’8s guys in the process. But, this is WWE. You’re going to try and sell me on the fact Dijack and Ciampa are dudes in these masks? Unless this is intentional or a jobber group, this is an immediate death blow to anyone in this faction. The babyfaces immediately have fodder about how lame they all are. WWE was not a great product by any means in 2010, but they can’t even replicate angles from ten years ago with any semblance of grace. Have we really fallen that far to where 2010 looks like some golden age? Well, I guess we can always check the ratings…
-Lastly, Flair was the other segment I watched and he was brilliant. I think it’s shitty how they use his near-death experience against him in promos, but at least this time they didn’t bring up his dead son (directly, I guess). I didn’t grow up on Flair, but man can he still go on the mic. He was believable and really has adjusted his character to where he is currently in this stage of his life. I think the Orton beatdown was a bit too predictable, but it was fine. I don’t think there’s going to be a Summerslam swerve with the two of them, but who knows. I think it’s a bad idea to take the title off Drew. Speaking of Drew, where was he? You’d think a guy so diligent and serious would be in guerilla watching this segment up close. Instead, he came running down way too late. So he’s either not paying attention closely enough, he’s hanging in catering, or his concern for Ric isn’t genuine. Not a great look. Too little, too late.
Maybe I’m off on some of this. I don’t know. My biggest takeaway again though is just feeling so sorry for whoever ends up in the worst WWE faction ever.