0 voters
As I’ve been reading forum members expectations for Clash at the Castle I have been surprised by the different predictions for Roman vs Drew.
Some seem sure Drew will win.
Some seem sure that Roman retains.
As well as disappointment or joy about both possible outcomes. So this seemed perfect for a poll!
Who wins at Clash at the Castle? Roman or Drew? Make your pick and post your thoughts.
Living in the UK this is being promoted EVERYWHERE. It’s impossible to avoid, it was just the main news story on BBC Radio 1’s flagship news show.
For that reason I can’t see anything other than a Drew win. No way do they send the fans in the arena or the UK audience watching on TV unhappy.
The only other scenario I can see is Roman winning and being confronted by Tyson Fury, who is an absolute megastar in the UK.
I’ll say Drew, but I wouldn’t put money on it. What kind of odds can I get on Austin Theory?
I think this is a true test of the new regime. If you had written that with Vince McMahon in charge the longtime philosophy would absolutely to beat Drew to create “heat” but in reality just upsetting the paying audience.
But under Paul I hope they have a different philosophy and do go with a Drew win. Even if its got lots of interference from Paul, Usos, KO and Sami what they need to end the show with is Drew holding up two titles with fireworks going off and the stadium going nuts. I think they do want that “moment” so I picked Drew winning.
Who wins, Drew or Roman? The engorged nether regions of anyone that loves long-haired handsome bois, with meaty thighs.
If Drew wins it undoes all the good WWE has done. Cannot have a career Mid-Carder as champion. Elevate somebody into the role. He’s never been that guy.
Plus him getting it followed by a drop in ratings due to MNF will be all the evidence needed to hammer home that point. Keep it on Roman til KO or somebody can get to that level through organic builds. Or til a Cody is back.
This is definitely the most extreme take I’ve seen and I totally disagree. Roman is a made-man at this point. He will be the focal point of the show with-or-without the title and has beaten every viable contender.
He NEEDS a face to serve as a foil and Drew can definitely be that guy. He has shown that he can have the fans behind him as he got super-over after his Royal Rumble win in 2020. The pandemic really screwed over his big moment of defeating Brock Lesnar at Wrestlemania.
He has the “indy cred” of leaving WWE and succeeding and coming back better (just like Cody). He might even be a better opponent for Cody to feud with for the championship at WM39.
It has to be Drew. Huge hometown hero in front of a massive crowd. They won’t drop the ball here
If it’s Drew. Don’t say I didn’t warn. Should just call him Thunderdome McIntired
Only ever on THE level when using gimick such as eliminating Brock (shock) or Hometown Hero
Called it. Kinda.
I see your overall point, but you lost me here… how is it a gimmick for a guy you’re pushing to get one over on an established guy? That’s how midcarders have become main eventers for over a century.
Everyone points to this moment as Drew being over. Brock was eliminating guy after guy. Drew came in and eliminated Brock in shocking fashion. Was the pop for Drew or the shock of it?
Were people organically behind Drew going into that Rumble as he walked to the ring or was it the shock that evoked reaction?
Brock calling an audible in Brooklyn was the next moment everyone points to. And then the Pandemic.
I think Brock enhanced Drew’s tremendously and the memory of Drew being over was largely short lived and due to shocking booking and use of Brock. Not because Drew was so built up and fans were clamoring.
You sound like this is a bad thing, but this is wrestling in a nutshell. Heel builds up heat, babyface overcomes the heel and stops what they are doing to cause the heat, as a result the babyface receives a huge pop and is elevated. This is just good booking, which is a huge factor in getting someone over.
Drew has definitely gone down a peg in the past year due to booking, but they have done a pretty good job building him back up over the past month. If he’s not your cup of tea, cool. At the end of the day though, guy is over. Anytime he has been pushed (in his second stint in the fed), he’s connected with the fans. Only times he hasn’t is when he was booked in bad storylines (ie. Jinder, Corbin etc.)
Its wrestling, to each their own as its all subjective, but if we’re talking to the masses, he’s over.
I feel so bad the fans who’s faith and belief is just taken for granted. Does the WWE not believe in making fans happy. I think a good few who went last night won’t go next time they come back to the UK
Guys/Girls I completely agree.
I just finished watching the pay-per-view and I must say I was not impressed with the ending.
I think they should’ve had Drew win. Even if you want Roman to reclaim that title using this exact same finish at Survivor series or a royal rumble at least let him get a win here even if it is a distraction finish or something. You could have one of the Usos inadvertently hit Roman or Sami in advertently hit him and let Drew win but let him get a victory and then let Roman and get it back if that’s not your long-term plan.
Tyson fury looks like he has brain damage or something. I’m not sure what he’s doing out there at the ending but that was downright stupid and killed Drew for me. Here’s a guy who loses probably the biggest title match of the last five years and singing dumbass songs after.
I just watched the Post match shenanigans. Vinces dirty hands were all over this ending or worse still HHH is just the same.
I guess they’re so desperate to have Roman as in the elite list of people who held the title for 1000 days but ultimately its the universal title and not the world championship belt.
The fans looked so deflated, I can’t believe they took this route, who cares about this weeks Raw? If something had happened like you say you’d wanna see Romans response, and Drews celebrations. This really hurts your brand, I don’t understand what can be a bigger pay off in the WWE right now.
It’s almost like March2020-July2021 and they don’t use sound plugs for his reaction since the Thundedome. Sure he gets reactions but is He the reason anyone tunes in ever? From the minute Roman came back, we know based on numbers Roman IS that guy. I think the biggest difference in the debate on Drew isn’t whether he’s over or not, it’s whether they should hitch the entire company to him as the Undisputed Champion to take down Roman and end this 2 year run. Whoever that talent is, unless it’s a BS cash-in and used as a hard story line pivot (which would have hurt Drew to be the pivot guy even more) has to be seen on Roman’s level or on the fast track to that level.
Now you can cite whatever excuse you want for his run during the Thunderdome and Covid-Era of TV and PPVs, but he was not compelling at a time talent had to be compelling on their own to keep viewers. That’s supported by that stretch’s business KPIs, sorry to bring numbers into it and not opinions.
Had last night taken place anywhere but in the UK it would be 50/50 crowd since people do like Roman. They leaned in very nicely and I’ll give all the credit to the bookers who stuck with the story and of Drew chasing Roman as it did come off very awesome in Wales). But…
Prior to the elimination of Brock, does anyone recall what the story pushing Drew to the mountain top even was? I sure don’t. I wouldn’t call it good booking, I’ call it a great spot in a Gimmick Match (Royal Rumble) to pop fans and get them hot on something. That is different than building a genuine babyface over the course of mid-long-term story telling where by the time the moment happens everyone can’t wait to see it. Heck, nobody saw the Rumble spot even coming. So Great Booking or a Great Spot to generate reaction in a match made to generate reactions regardless? Booking should carry weight beyond the short-term objective. In both the examples everyone refers to pre-Pandemic, it was single moments that crowds reacted due to the other person and shock, not actual booking. Remember Brock even calling real time audibles to keep Drew hot in Brooklyn and help him get that desired reaction.
I mean this just proves what I’m saying: they bring back other talents (notably Brock and Roman and Edge) and go on the road for touring again in front of fans, and just like that Drew feels mostly like a mid-carder again lost in the shuffle with other mid-card talent. No match of his away from the title feels heated because he is not heated outside of being used for reaction. Until this, in which case they ran back the exact same video packages as the first time (so it seemed) and the entire babyface heat was built on him being in his home country. In 2 months, let’s see if Drew is important in a feud with somebody other than Brock or Roman.
Illustratively here is my opinion by example: If Cena feuds with Corbin, it feel like a semi-main. a win over Cena would mean something an Cena forever feels important. That is being made. Roman is on that level now, whether we like how he got there or not). IF Drew feuds with Corbin we’re asking why is this even on the card. That’s the difference I’m talking about. Drew isn’t a Champion level guy for them. He’s a nice to have big man who can work bigger stars believably maybe more than say a Balor or Theory at the moment, but he’s not even compelling enough to carry his own feuds as important matches on a card. Of course unless he is in his home country or being used for shock-reactions.
Is it possible to screw yourself over with a good build? McIntyre was very successfully positioned as the guy who is going to dethrone Roman, which is exactly what you’re supposed to do for the challenger leading up to a PPV main event. Then Drew and Roman had a hard-hitting, WWE main event style match, which is also exactly what they were supposed to do. They should have either not booked the match (would have been a hasty and criticized booking change, but the match was not officially set when HHH took over) or called an audible and had Drew go over. I’m of the opinion that if Roman is still going to be your guy, you don’t end a two-year reign for a hometown pop. But again, that’s a reason why the match shouldn’t have happened at all, not a justification for Drew getting beat.
As for the singing, I would have had no problem with them doing that after the broadcast went off the air. That kind of stuff happens all the time at house shows and in post-show segments. Including it on the actual PPV broadcast was a mistake.
Didn’t watch the show but that finish sounds brutal and extremely Vince-like.
Booking finishes is still such a huge issue in WWE. For a big show like that you have to give some sort of definitive finish. These fuck finishes do nothing for anyone.
One of the first things I learned in business was not conflate my personal opinion with the opinion of the customer. I get it, you don’t like Drew and that’s fine, but I think that’s exactly what you are doing.
You want to argue that Drew is not as big of a star as Roman, Edge, Cena etc. no argument from me, of course I agree. That being said, the only way to get him there is to give him the ball and let him do his thing and just book him well. Going back to my original argument, when he’s been booked well, he gets over.