John Pollock andWai Ting discuss the Retribution edition of WWE Raw along with a shark attack, a report on several COVID-19 cases in NXT, two CMLL performers test positive, and SmackDown’s number drops.
Monday’s episode of Raw featured the news that Retribution has signed with WWE and they have names, along with their first match on the program against The Hurt Business. Plus, Drew McIntyre takes on Keith Lee yet again, the Raw Underground showdown between Braun Strowman and Dabba-Kato, a three-way number one contender’s match to set up the challengers for the Raw tag titles this Sunday, the return of Randy Orton, Zelina Vega vs. Mickie James, the Mysterio Family Drama, AND A SHARK ATTACK!!!!!!
Wei brings up an interesting question. Mentioning the fact that invasion angles have been around for decades, but this Retribution angle has been the worst, and they should be able to look at the past for a successful template.
My question is, has WWE ever managed to pull off a successful invasion angle?
They botch of the WCW invasion was an epic failure.
The Nexus invasion was done within two months.
The last NXT invasion from fall 2019, dropped after Survivor Series.
WWE’s nWo was a disaster.
Their attempt at an ECW invasion never worked out.
…and now this.
You’re forgetting when DX invaded Nitro and won the Monday Night War with zero help from Steve Austin, The Rock or The Undertaker. Perfect booking and definitely not an exaggeration.
Seriously I think last night was some of the worst stuff in wrestling history. None of it makes any sense, it buries five talents and was probably all made up on Monday at 430.
I hated the Dark Order introduction and the first few months but this crap made that look like nWo 96
The issue is that you actually need a strong faction for a good invasion.
A WCW invasion doesn’t really work well conceptually any more than brand vs brand survivor series does.
Nexus was essentially Wade and his goon squad of faceless minions.
Seriously if they wanted an invasion angle the have one ready made with UE coming up and jumping the champion, then taking the belt playing dirty cheating heels.
I think there were several moments when a WCW invasion would have worked. The formation of the Alliance (WCW & ECW) definitely started hot, but then by the end of that episode of Raw, when Stephanie was introduced as the leader of ECW, it was dead.
Had they waited a year, they could have gone all out with a proper WCW re-launch / invasion, and actually done a proper brand split based around that.
A WCW invasion should have lead to a proper relaunch. Not fodder for a a six month blow-off.
The issue you mention about needing a strong faction all comes down to their own inability to book anybody who’s portraying anti-WWE characters as strong.
There is no reason, aside from their own insecurity, why they couldn’t have made Nexus huge. Wade Barrett was ready to be a star. Daniel Bryan. Ryback. And sure, there was filler… But you just need to book them as a threat, and they’d work.
The Shield never seemed like an invasion, but their booking was a strong heel group. But they were initially portrayed as hired guns. Hardly an invading force.
I’ll give them credit, WWE has created many memorable moments that started off hot. Nexus attacking Cena. Retribution destroying a ring. ECW at Manhattan Centre ganging up on Lawler. But it’s always a failure to capitalize on that.
I was working on a project last night, so I missed all of Raw. A friend sent me at 7:45 PM Pacific a text reading “This is the worst Monday Night Raw in the 1300+ episode run of this show and it’s not even close”
My response was after realizing there was still another segment of the show to go was “Wow, and it’s not even over”
My issue with a WCW invasion is that it breaks character for most many guys where they care more about brand than any personal feuds. If you want a brand invasion NWO is the format start as a small heel group then build.
Actually the best invasion WWE may have ever done was NXT invading Smackdown to save the post Saudi show. But then they botched a bit after that because 3 brands don’t really work for an invasion
Mace is a convenience store here in the UK but it’s more intimidating than Mace of the group that like to call themselves Retribution OFGTLTCTR for short
Personally Retribution reminds me of Bane and company from The Dark Night Rises. Maybe it was the original intention, but I just don’t get a “protesters” vibe.
