Adam Spence and Dalton Belcher give thoughts, ratings, and analysis over WWE’s Monday Night Raw. Whether it’s a cool spot or something they couldn’t stand it, if they feel strongly about it, it’s here. As you’ll easily see, Dalton went a bit overboard with his analysis, while Adam was much more on point with his, The B.S. Show provides different approaches for different folks.
Adam: Overall rating: 7
Monday Night Raw took place in Baltimore, Maryland to a pretty lively crowd. The crowds excitement stayed throughout the show, despite Daniel Bryan being absent after the opening segment. Tonight’s show earned a 7 from me, good build to certain feuds such as The Shield vs Evolution and The Wyatts vs Cena were some of the higher points. I also enjoyed the two semifinal matches for the #1 contender for The Intercontinental Title, which pitted Sheamus vs Bad News Barrett and RVD vs Cesaro, and I have enjoyed this tournament style set up throughout. This show did however suffer from a little more than necessary filler and WWE Network advertisement than I’d like to see in a three hour show.
Match of the night: Cesaro vs RVD
Moment of the night: Official reuniting of Evolution, mainly for nostalgia.
"What was that?" moment: Hornswoggle and El Torrito feud?!?
Dalton: Show rating: 9/10. It really worked for me. Very little that happened tonight bothered me on the show. Highlights were the Bryan/Kane segment, Evolution/Shield, Cesaro vs RVD and Paige vs Aksana.
I feel confident in saying that the Extreme Rules PPV is looking like a better card on paper than WrestleMania. It doesn’t have the Brock Lesnar, Undertaker appeal, but it’s better done and put together.
Individual Segments Breakdown
Opening with Daniel Bryan, champ and most popular guy in wrestling is never a bad idea. The WWE has done a wonderful job in capitalizing on Daniel Bryan’s popularity and creating the ultimate bad guys in Stephanie McMahon and Triple H. Having Kane and Bryan open things up builds nicely to their match at Extreme Rules and got the show started on a high note. The Tombstone on the steps was definitely the highlight for me…and the Tombstone on the table. The ultimate underdog has another mountain to climb now. 8.5/10
While the match wasn’t nearly as good as Ziggler/Barrett last week (mostly because of a lack of time), Barrett beating Sheamus is actually quite the shock.
Bray Wyatt and his family cutting another brilliant and creepy promo. His family members standing behind him in the dark with lights highlighting their faces was effectively creepy. Wyatt is able to work the crowd so well that he can him them cheering for him at the beginning of the show and hate him later, it’s pretty awesome. “Every time we cross paths John, I take more of them with me… (then Bray led the crowd in singing) he’s got the whooooole world in his hands” 9/10.
The humor element of two very small wrestlers squaring off was quickly tarnished when McIntyre took the pin from El Torito. I’m all for cheap humor from crotch shots and stuff, it’s a tried and true practice, but not at the expense of a good wrestler.
Whenever I hear “Sierra, Hotel…” from the Shield’s music I get super excited. Dean Ambrose is gold on the microphone (with as much time as Bray he’d be the top guy in the WWE right now). Seth Rollins always being the ying to Ambrose’s yang is a great dynamic, I love it. With Roman Reigns, less is more, not because he’s a bad talker, but because he’s so cool he doesn’t need to talk. They never needed to build this match up, but they have and it’s got me even more excited for it. Shield vs Evolution (it’s not Shield/Wyatts, but it’s still awesome). The Shield really loves the term “creampuff”, Rollins and Reigns both used it. Evolution using the locker room and Triple H’s pull to protect them is brilliant heel work. 9/10
Ryback is a freak of nature, and he’s so funny on commentary in his own way. I’ve always enjoyed him. He’s gone from being cruel funny without ever putting his opponents over, to finally giving his opponents their due diligence. What is the best part of the Uso’s vs the Rhodes Brothers, is that we got the first step in the way of a Goldust vs Cody Rhodes feud that would surely be top-notch.
I said I wouldn’t breakdown every segment (to Adam, but he knows me, and probably knew that was a lie. I’ve had to comment on most everything I’ve seen so far).
Emma and Santino are goofy and they are winning me over. Layla is beautiful and I’m pretty sure if her dresses get any shorter WWE will lose its PG rating. Though I know she and Layla are much better wrestlers than being short comedy acts.
Cena is “losing his smile” a la Shawn Michaels. Bray Wyatt is bringing out some of the best in John Cena, I love this match up.
Cesaro’s new music is definitely odd, but it’s ok because he’s an absolute beast in ring AND has Paul Heyman with him, he’s in very capable hands. I’m ecstatic at the possibility of a Cesaro/Lesnar tag team (not sure that’ll ever happen though). WWE went to commercial in the middle of Paul Heyman’s promo, either someone REALLY messed up, because Adam and I texted each other at the same time (for real, same time…it was weird and cool) “They cut Heyman off!?”
The Swagger/Cesaro feud is something I’m very excited about. Cesaro’s strength is just amazing and his Cesaro Swing is cool to see, especially on a guy as big as Swagger.
I just gotta say I love Paige and think she’s absolutely lovely. Very talented wrestler. The Modified Scorpion Cross-lock (if I heard the announcers correctly), is a nasty looking submission, very cool.
Admittedly, I flipped over to the Oklahoma City Thunder vs Memphis Grizzlies game near the end of Monday Night Raw (during the Cena vs Wyatt Family match), so I can’t say too much about it, but from what I did see it was very entertaining. Bray’s spider walk is always creepy and awesome.
I did see the extremely creepy end of the show with Bray Wyatt singing and laughing while holding John Cena in his lap. Just insanely weird.
Extreme Rules Card (as of right now)
Xavier Woods and R-Truth vs Alexander Rusev
Paige vs Tamina Snuka [Divas Championship]
Bray Wyatt vs John Cena [Steel Cage match]
The Shield vs Evolution
Daniel Bryan vs Kane [WWE World Heavyweight Championship]
My predictions for the rest of the card…
The Uso’s vs Rybaxel [Tag Team Championship]
Cesaro vs Jack Swagger (Swagger cost Cesaro the Intercontinental Championship match and it’s going to lead to a great feud between the two).
Big E. Langston vs Bad News Barrett [Intercontinental Championship]
Adam: Overall rating: 7
Monday Night Raw took place in Baltimore, Maryland to a pretty lively crowd. The crowds excitement stayed throughout the show, despite Daniel Bryan being absent after the opening segment. Tonight’s show earned a 7 from me, good build to certain feuds such as The Shield vs Evolution and The Wyatts vs Cena were some of the higher points. I also enjoyed the two semifinal matches for the #1 contender for The Intercontinental Title, which pitted Sheamus vs Bad News Barrett and RVD vs Cesaro, and I have enjoyed this tournament style set up throughout. This show did however suffer from a little more than necessary filler and WWE Network advertisement than I’d like to see in a three hour show.
Match of the night: Cesaro vs RVD
Moment of the night: Official reuniting of Evolution, mainly for nostalgia.
"What was that?" moment: Hornswoggle and El Torrito feud?!?
Dalton: Show rating: 9/10. It really worked for me. Very little that happened tonight bothered me on the show. Highlights were the Bryan/Kane segment, Evolution/Shield, Cesaro vs RVD and Paige vs Aksana.
I feel confident in saying that the Extreme Rules PPV is looking like a better card on paper than WrestleMania. It doesn’t have the Brock Lesnar, Undertaker appeal, but it’s better done and put together.
Individual Segments Breakdown
Opening with Daniel Bryan, champ and most popular guy in wrestling is never a bad idea. The WWE has done a wonderful job in capitalizing on Daniel Bryan’s popularity and creating the ultimate bad guys in Stephanie McMahon and Triple H. Having Kane and Bryan open things up builds nicely to their match at Extreme Rules and got the show started on a high note. The Tombstone on the steps was definitely the highlight for me…and the Tombstone on the table. The ultimate underdog has another mountain to climb now. 8.5/10
While the match wasn’t nearly as good as Ziggler/Barrett last week (mostly because of a lack of time), Barrett beating Sheamus is actually quite the shock.
Bray Wyatt and his family cutting another brilliant and creepy promo. His family members standing behind him in the dark with lights highlighting their faces was effectively creepy. Wyatt is able to work the crowd so well that he can him them cheering for him at the beginning of the show and hate him later, it’s pretty awesome. “Every time we cross paths John, I take more of them with me… (then Bray led the crowd in singing) he’s got the whooooole world in his hands” 9/10.
The humor element of two very small wrestlers squaring off was quickly tarnished when McIntyre took the pin from El Torito. I’m all for cheap humor from crotch shots and stuff, it’s a tried and true practice, but not at the expense of a good wrestler.
Whenever I hear “Sierra, Hotel…” from the Shield’s music I get super excited. Dean Ambrose is gold on the microphone (with as much time as Bray he’d be the top guy in the WWE right now). Seth Rollins always being the ying to Ambrose’s yang is a great dynamic, I love it. With Roman Reigns, less is more, not because he’s a bad talker, but because he’s so cool he doesn’t need to talk. They never needed to build this match up, but they have and it’s got me even more excited for it. Shield vs Evolution (it’s not Shield/Wyatts, but it’s still awesome). The Shield really loves the term “creampuff”, Rollins and Reigns both used it. Evolution using the locker room and Triple H’s pull to protect them is brilliant heel work. 9/10
Ryback is a freak of nature, and he’s so funny on commentary in his own way. I’ve always enjoyed him. He’s gone from being cruel funny without ever putting his opponents over, to finally giving his opponents their due diligence. What is the best part of the Uso’s vs the Rhodes Brothers, is that we got the first step in the way of a Goldust vs Cody Rhodes feud that would surely be top-notch.
I said I wouldn’t breakdown every segment (to Adam, but he knows me, and probably knew that was a lie. I’ve had to comment on most everything I’ve seen so far).
Emma and Santino are goofy and they are winning me over. Layla is beautiful and I’m pretty sure if her dresses get any shorter WWE will lose its PG rating. Though I know she and Layla are much better wrestlers than being short comedy acts.
Cena is “losing his smile” a la Shawn Michaels. Bray Wyatt is bringing out some of the best in John Cena, I love this match up.
Cesaro’s new music is definitely odd, but it’s ok because he’s an absolute beast in ring AND has Paul Heyman with him, he’s in very capable hands. I’m ecstatic at the possibility of a Cesaro/Lesnar tag team (not sure that’ll ever happen though). WWE went to commercial in the middle of Paul Heyman’s promo, either someone REALLY messed up, because Adam and I texted each other at the same time (for real, same time…it was weird and cool) “They cut Heyman off!?”
The Swagger/Cesaro feud is something I’m very excited about. Cesaro’s strength is just amazing and his Cesaro Swing is cool to see, especially on a guy as big as Swagger.
I just gotta say I love Paige and think she’s absolutely lovely. Very talented wrestler. The Modified Scorpion Cross-lock (if I heard the announcers correctly), is a nasty looking submission, very cool.
Admittedly, I flipped over to the Oklahoma City Thunder vs Memphis Grizzlies game near the end of Monday Night Raw (during the Cena vs Wyatt Family match), so I can’t say too much about it, but from what I did see it was very entertaining. Bray’s spider walk is always creepy and awesome.
I did see the extremely creepy end of the show with Bray Wyatt singing and laughing while holding John Cena in his lap. Just insanely weird.
Extreme Rules Card (as of right now)
Xavier Woods and R-Truth vs Alexander Rusev
Paige vs Tamina Snuka [Divas Championship]
Bray Wyatt vs John Cena [Steel Cage match]
The Shield vs Evolution
Daniel Bryan vs Kane [WWE World Heavyweight Championship]
My predictions for the rest of the card…
The Uso’s vs Rybaxel [Tag Team Championship]
Cesaro vs Jack Swagger (Swagger cost Cesaro the Intercontinental Championship match and it’s going to lead to a great feud between the two).
Big E. Langston vs Bad News Barrett [Intercontinental Championship]