That Damn Double C’s Dallas Stars beat my Sabres and ended their winning streak tonight. But that’s hockey talk. You’re here for wrestling. You guys want to know what happened on Monday Night RAW. Did CM Punk show up? The hell if I know. I’m still waiting to get RAW to review for you. I watched most of the show, and I actually didn’t want to leave when I had to because there was a good segment going on. So, let’s see what I can do from memory before I actually get a copy of the show. I watch until I have to leave. Then I forget what happened and have to relay it to you as I watch it again. So yes, I suffer through most of this show TWICE for you. You’re welcome. Now go run along to the SmackDown review and tell G how great he is.(more…)
Varying degrees of success have been reported by friends of mine attempting to access the WWE Network. BWF Radio PPV panelist Gary Barnidge of the Cleveland Browns reports that he couldn’t sign up at all. Our own JT had difficulty registering as well and can’t seem to access any of the content. The same holds true for our buddy Cassidy from Cheap-Heat as well as my cousin Steve. My good friend Scott chimed in to report that he was having no issues whatsoever accessing the WWE Network via his PS4, though the same can’t be said for me with my Xbox 360. Hell, as I type this, I’m having difficulty trying to access a video on the service via my tablet. So, a rough launch for the WWE Network. I did, however, catch the RAW pre-show with Alex Riley, Booker T, and Ric Flair, so at least the live streaming works. But we’re not here to talk about the issues with the WWE Network, we’re here to talk about Monday Night RAW!
I did this a little differently tonight. I actually decided to drive to work, so I managed to catch the first couple hours of the show. But there are things I want to go over, so I’m going to watch some of it again as I review. So, let’s go!
I don’t wanna do this, I wanna watch the WWE Network. I know it works with Internet Explorer on PCs! Oh well.
It’s the last stop on the road to the last ever Pay Per View us folks in the US will ever have to spend $54.95 on. The WWE Network premieres next Monday, but let’s see what the WWE have in store for us before we get there, shall we? Let’s roll!
I watch 30 minutes. I leave. Then I have to sit through this show a week later. Maybe next week I won’t have to watch it by nefarious means once I get to work. Time will tell.
If you haven’t heard by now, the main event for tonight’s Monday Night RAW was announced last week. I refuse to watch it. Which means I’m not reviewing it either. In fact, there will be no mention of this match in this review. The participants may be referred to if they do something outside of the match, but that’s it. If you give a shit about said main event, it’s probably on WWE.com and you can go watch it there. It’s not even the fact that I don’t care too much for the two guys actually wrestling in the match (though that’s part of it), it’s moreso the fact that this is the match that we were supposed to PAY for in both December and January. It’s been done. I’m done with it. Fuck it. Let’s go.
I watch this show, and I often find myself questioning why, now moreso than ever. What really is best for business? Not listening to the fans? I hope half the viewers changed the channel during the main event. Read on.
Well. We can pretty much assume that CM Punk will not be on RAW this week. Will his absence leave a noticeable mark on the show? I guess there’s only one way to find out. Go watch it, you lazy bastards. What? It’s my job to write about this show and tell you these things so you don’t have to watch it yourselves? Alright fine. Let’s go.
I watch this show so you don’t have to suffer through it. That’s because I think you’re awesome. Unless you’re Richard Sherman. How much shit are you talking with an injured leg? Guess you’re limping to DisneyWorld, huh bitch?
To make an attempt to be less lazy I will be live updating this post with any and all thoughts of the Royal Rumble and pre-show.
My picks:
Rhodes vs. New Age Outlaws: Rhodes
Bray Wyatt vs. Daniel Bryan: Daniel Bryan
Brock Lesnar vs. Big Show: Brock Lesnar
Randy Orton vs. John Cena: Randy Orton
Royal Rumble Match: Batista, I really want Punk or D Bryan to win though
Pre-Show thoughts:
They’re rushing this match already and they’ve only done intros. New Age Outlaws still have it. WWE commercials during a pre-show so I don’t get to watch the whole tag match annoys me. I love watching Cody, he just gets better and better and always adds new moves to his arsenal. I love watching four superstars tell a great story, even if they only had about ten minutes to do so. I’m so happy I’m wrong with my prediction and the New Age Outlaws won. One of my favorite tag teams and they deserve this screen time. B-
Bray Wyatt vs. Daniel Bryan
I hope Bryan wins, gets beat down but makes a surprise entrance and wins the rumble, just my thoughts. 10 minutes in and we finally get a lock up. So the heel doesn’t need help to win? Thank god the referee can’t count to 10. Wyatt is a great foil for Bryan. The commentary team seems to have no idea what to say in this match? Apparently, Vince isn’t in their ears. Tornado DDT from the apron was sloppy but very awesome. Inside outside closeline heard round the world. That was a well fought match and helped both competitors. Nobody truly lost in this match. Some great spots and great story telling. B+
Paul Heyman is a great wrestling mind and an amazing mouthpiece. Just him alone, could push the Lesnar/Big Show to Wrestlemania if he wanted to.
Big Show vs. Brock Lesnar
I guess a steel chair is a good way to start this? It’s nice to see an actual match is gonna take place with all the hype they’ve created. Wow, this was not worth it all all. This was the worst match these two have ever had with each other! D+
Why is the aftermath longer than the match?
When I watch wrestling I always think “I wonder where I should do my taxes”?
A cool Shield interview and now it’s time for the…..longest……..interview……..ever…….with R….a…..n….d…..y……….O…..r…..t…..o…..n
John Cena vs. Randy Orton
After 5 minutes, Randy Orton, the champion, comes out first. Who cares about tradition? Now lets wait 90 seconds for the Cena pop. I feel like I’ve seen this match a hundred times before..oh wait, duh. And this commentary is terrible. Is this their version of a sit in because of JR being fired? “This is awe-full chants”, people keep cheering at pinfalls just because they hope the match is over. So I had to watch a 30 minute crap match just to start a feud with the Wyatts. I’m just happy the #rematch is over. C
Lets recap the Tag Team Championship win by the New Age Outlaws. Awesome match, awesome team.
Royal Rumble Match:
Rollins and Punk starting out was a good choice to start things. Sandow was eliminated first. I’m okay with it because I can tell WWE sees a bright future with him. Well, the Bulgarian Fruit…er, I mean Bruit was a surprise. Time for Kofi spot time and I’m not disappointed. Surprised with Kofi’s second spot and then even more with Kevin Nash’s entrance. I love seeing Nash in Royal Rumbles. The months of rumors are true, Sheamus is back. At this moment after Miz comes out I ask where CM Punk went. I had to be told that he caught a triple powerbomb during Sheamus’s entrance; poor camera work WWE. JBL completely pulling a Jerry Lawler from ’97. Funny moments but I still wish Jake Roberts had a number. The fans showing how much Daniel Bryan is over by booing the remaining entrants, agreed. Roman Reigns now holds the record for most eliminations in a Royal Rumble and I’m completely okay. Strong outing for him. Batista won as we all new it. C+
Funny enough, my computer died at the end of the last sentence but all in all this was an okay PPV. A sub par Rumble but an okay PPV. C-
Usually, I watch 30 minutes of the show and have to leave for work. This evening, however, I was home for the first 2:15 of RAW. I wasn’t paying much attention though – I was too busy beating Jorge at a game called Cards Against Humanity. So, I’ll do this review the same way I normally do, just out of necessity for content. I just won’t be as surprised as I watch, because half the shit I already saw earlier. Which is usually true of WWE shows lately. Anyways, I digress. Let’s go!
I watch RAW. I beat Jorge at depraved card games. Then I come to work and review the show.
Oh the weather outside is frightful – so it’s a good day to stay inside for a podcast. With wind chill temperatures hovering around -30 Fahrenheit, Joe invited the BWF crew to join him on Skype, and Mark accepted, followed a little later by JT. The crew talk about Old School RAW, and it leads to discussions about Daniel Bryan, slow builds, and more. The talk turns to the returning Batista (“basketballs don’t hold grudges,”) and then to WWE 2K14 DLC, the last set of which is available today. Virgil’s career highlights are discussed, and comparisons are made between the heyday of Bruno Sammartino and today. Stay in, stay warm, grab a hot beverage and tune in!
So, you guys know the deal – I usually watch 30 minutes of RAW, leave for work, and review the rest of this show in real time as I watch it. Well, due to inclement weather here in Buffalo, I find myself sitting at home right now, having watched all but 30 minutes of RAW. I went out to catch my bus to work, but although the local bus company insists that their buses were all running on time today, mine never showed up. At the time I left, it was 11 degrees Fahrenheit with a wind chill of -20. As I type this, it’s 1 with a wind chill of -32. So, if you can’t tell, IT’S FUCKING COLD OUTSIDE! So, I called my boss, told him I couldn’t make it in, then came home and watched the rest of Old School RAW. Afterward, I did some DDP Yoga, so I’m here now to actually review the whole show. Let’s go!
I watch 30 minutes of RAW, freeze my ass off waiting for a bus that never shows up, and then come home and watch the rest of RAW. That’s how this particular RAW review works. It’s only getting colder!
So. G’s clone decided he wanted to take over my RAW review on Monday, huh? Well then, two can play at that game. G’s locked up in his own apartment basement (Team Alpha rescued JT, and caught G while he was trying to stop us), and I’m here to tell you all about… SmackDown? This show is still on the air? Oh well. Fuck it. It’s hopping time!
I watch, write, suffer, and succumb to this show, yet I have to put my first animated GIF below the fold so the dudes at Wonderpod don’t yell at me. This is not your typical SmackDown review. I have no intent of taking this show seriously, since it was taped almost a week ago, a day before RAW even aired – and RAW was live, so I don’t expect a lot of storyline advancement out of this show. So fuck it, let’s go! And fuck you, RAW review!
