Roman Reigns returns. The Man Comes Around. And Ric Flair's 70th Birthday Celebration gets crashed by a "Guardian."
Raw Thoughts (2/25/19; Written Live)
- On October 22, 2018, Roman Reigns broke the news that his leukemia had returned. And thus, he would have to step away from the ring in order to fight it again.
And now, he is back, and the crowd gives him a great ovation. Roman goes around the ring and shakes hands with anyone offering a handshake back. You can tell this means the world to him. One of the greatest moments in Raw... WWE history is seeing this folks. You can't help but feel happy for him as he comes back around the ring and soaks in the roar from the crowd. Roman soaks in the moment of even stepping through the ropes. The music turns off, and the fans are going nuts for him.
He starts off by saying "Thank You." He missed everyone. He puts over the fans and the job. Roman correct himself by saying "This is our yard." He talks about the outreach of support that everyone gave him. He thanks everyone. He talks about having the opportunity to perform every night and raise awareness and support those in need like he was. After a few minutes, Roman gives us the update: He's in remission! Standing ovation from the crowd. "The Big Dog is Back!" He thanks the fans again.
(A great start to this 3 hour show. Hearing Roman's announcement of the remission is such great news. Here's hoping for Roman's continued health and well-being. This is going to be a segment long remembered in WWE history and is one of the all-time great Raw moments ever.)
Here comes Seth Rollins to hug Roman Reigns on the top of the ramp.
- We return to see Ricochet posing in the ring. He and Aleister Black are teaming up now to take on The Revival. The Revival jump the faces to start the match. Ricochet and Aleister Black dive out on The Revival to set up ANOTHER commercial break. We return to see Ricochet being worked on by Dash Wilder. Aleister Black gets the tag and starts cleaning house. Asai Moonsault by Black to Wilder. Dawson gets the tag and almost gets a roll-up on Black. The Steiner finisher is avoided thanks to Ricochet. Black Mass finishes Dawson.
(For a second week on the roster, Aleister Black and Ricochet seem to be getting over with the live crowd. The Black Mass got a good reaction once it hit. And as for The Revival, 2 weeks as champions. And they have 2 straight losses.)
- Baron Corbin cuts a promo where he's confronted about the harsh words he used about Roman Reigns' leukemia diagnosis. Baron Corbin says that for Roman's sakes, he better hope their paths never cross.
- Shawn Michaels and Johnny Gargano are seen backstage on a Red Carpet for Ric Flair's 70th Birthday Celebration.
- Elias goes to perform, but Lacey Evans comes out to walk the aisle. And she walks back up the aisle. Elias goes to perform again, and here comes Dean Ambrose. Ambrose is feeling good with all the positivity going on. He calls out Drew McIntyre. This time, he wants a No DQ match. Elias starts playing his guitar. He doesn't like being interrupted. He puts over Atlanta as being a great place to have a Super Bowl. Winning it? That's another story. Dean asks Elias if he can play some music like Thunderstruck or Dirty Deeds. Elias goes to hit Dean with the guitar, but Dean gets Dirty Deeds (The DDT) on Elias.
Elias is on the mat, and here comes The Riott Squad.
While waiting for the next match to kick off, we see Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat on the Red Carpet for Ric Flair's 70th Birthday.
- The next match is Ronda Rousey and Natalya vs. The Riott Squad. Sarah Logan starts the match by brutalizing Natalya. Ruby Riott gets the tag and starts on Natalya. But Natalya backs her into the corner and tags in Rousey. Rousey gets hit with an STO and gets double-teamed in the corner after a tag by Riott to Logan. Moments later, Rousey gets the tag to Natalya. Liv Morgan trips up Natalya, and the distraction helps Sarah Logan hit a kick on Natalya to take us to break.
We return to see Sarah Logan and Ruby Riott beat down on Natalya. Logan seems to have a Reverse Texas Cloverleaf on Natalya. Natalya escapes and tags in Rousey. Judo Throws for Logan along with shots in the corner. Ruby Riott barely saves the match for her team as Rousey takes Logan down. Piper's Pit in the ring by Rousey. BECKY LYNCH IS HERE! She decks Natalya and SMACKS HER WITH THE CRUTCH!!!! Rousey and Lynch are going at it with the crutch. Security and agents are pulling them apart! Rousey is going after the agents in the ring for getting in her way!!!!!! (Awesome!) The police come in and drag Lynch away to go to jail. Rousey is still fighting tooth and nail to get to Lynch. The police put the cuffs on Lynch and drag her away.
(That was a crazy ending to the match. It beats the hell out of The Riott Squad losing again. Also, there goes the idea of Becky Lynch crashing Ric Flair's 70th Birthday. This is the type of stuff that needs to be done though to build to WrestleMania and whatever shape that Raw Women's Championship takes. Rousey fighting the agents and security too was a nice touch as it doesn't make Rousey look like she's pulling any punches.)
- After the break, Rousey marches back to the ring and gets a mic. SHE CALLS OUT VINCE MCMAHON!!!! Instead, she gets Stephanie McMahon. And Stephanie is not happy to be coming out. Ronda wants Becky reinstated. Stephanie tells Rousey that Becky's been arrested. Ronda wants the charges dropped, but Stephanie says Ronda is taking on Charlotte. Becky is too much of a loose cannon and an unprofessional. Becky did this to Becky. Rousey tells Stephanie that this match is too big. Reinstate Becky. She refuses to do it. It's a "Hard No." Rousey tells Stephanie to do it now! Stephanie pulls out the "boss" card. No one is bigger than the WWE. Rousey tells off Stephanie. The title means nothing if she can't defend it against the best. The title means nothing. She lays it down at Stephanie's feet and walks away. Wow.
(And there's the other shoe to drop on this storyline. Rousey just forfeited the championship if she's not going to get Becky Lynch at WrestleMania. I think it's obvious where we go from here: Triple Threat at WrestleMania in the main event. If Charlotte must be in that match, I guess that's better than getting Brock and Seth in the main event.)
- Stone Cold cuts a promo on his iPhone for the Ric Flair 70th Birthday Celebration.
- Jinder Mahal and The Singh Brothers are in the ring. Jinder cuts a heel promo on Ric Flair's birthday. Flair has accomplished nothing, according to Mahal. And he wasn't even invited to the party. Mahal challenged any superstar invited to Flair's celebration to a match.
Kurt Angle comes out. Loud reaction from the Atlanta crowd. After all, this is where Kurt Angle won an Olympic Gold Medal... "WITH A BROKEN FREAKING NECK!" Mahal gets a boot on Angle for a 2 thanks to a distraction by The Singhs. Mahal continues to beat up on Angle. Angle starts fighting back. German Suplex gets Mahal down for a moment. Rolling Germans now to Mahal. The Singhs get knocked off the apron. Ankle Lock by Angle. Mahal taps out. The Singhs get German Suplexes for their troubles after the match.
(Harmless match where Angle beat up a lower-card talent and his minions. Nothing more. Nothing less. Angle is in the tail end of his career, and he really can't be expected to do much more than this on a regular basis.)
- Alexa Bliss comes out next for.... A Moment of Bliss. Her guest is Finn Balor.
(She came out for the segment as soon as Angle finished the German Suplexes to The Singhs. They seem to be doing more of these segment teases on the show with talent coming out at the end of one segment to set up the next. I wonder if a Love Preacher has anything to do with this formatting.)
She tells Ronda to not let the Red Carpet hit her on the way out. She then says she's more than willing to take Ronda's place in the Raw Women's Championship match. She introduces Intercontinental Champion Finn Balor. She flirts with Finn about his abs. Lio Rush comes out and calls A Moment of Bliss "a sham." Lio tells Finn Balor that he's going to pry that Intercontinental Championship off of him. Finn asks if that means that Lio wants a shot at the title to prove that he's better than Lashley? Balor plays psychology with Lio Rush and offers the title. Alexa Bliss asks if Lio is man enough. Lio wants to go to the back and get prepared. Alexa informs him that his match is now. (SINCE WHEN DOES SHE MAKE THAT DECISION?! Ugh... Bad writing.)
Lio wanted a full entrance, but Finn Balor cuts him off and gets his full entrance in instead.
(As far as Moment of Bliss segments go, this wasn't completely terrible. But that part about Bliss determining that the match happens at that moment was groan-worthy.)
- Before the match starts, we get to see more Red Carpet coverage with Titus O'Neil and.... to quote Tony Schiavone.... IT'S STIIIIIIIIIING!
- Lio Rush challenges Finn Balor for the Intercontinental Championship. Lio Rush gives Finn a run for his money with a lot of fast offense, including a moonsault off the apron onto the floor and a few Suicide Dives. Back in the ring, Lio Rush goes for a Shooting Star Press, but he lands on the knees of Finn Balor. Balor clutches at the knee. Moments later, Rush goes after the knee of Balor with some elbows and leg locks. An Enziguri by Balor gets a break. Rush almost gets a 3 on a roll-up and again after a kick to the head. Rush climbs up the corner. He misses a moonsault and gets inverted with a clothesline by Balor. Balor gets caught on the corner by Rush. Rush and Balor reverse holds off the corner, with Rush ALMOST getting the win. Rush kicks at the knee of Balor. 1916 by Balor. Coup de Grace by Balor. 1-2-3.
(A good TV match here with Rush looking very good even in defeat. But there's a part of me that agrees with what Jim Cornette said on his podcast: Lio Rush is basically a hypeman to most of the audience. You are telling the audience that your Intercontinental Champion barely beat a hypeman for another wrestler. There is a certain truth to that logic, whether you agree with it or not. The match itself was good, but I don't know what it really does for Finn Balor.)
- Tucker of Heavy Machinery is surrounded by The Ascension. They make fun of Otis. Otis walks in, and Tucker recalls what The Ascension said. The Ascension gets sent into a bunch of equipment.
(The Ascension were probably hoping that Otis would knock them back to Orlando.)
- A recap of the Roman Reigns announcement from earlier tonight and the media coverage.
- Lio Rush and Bobby Lashley are in Gorilla. Bobby is livid over Lio Rush's failure to get the championship shot for him. Bobby asks if he can trust Lio. Rush says Lashley can trust him.
- Our next match is Braun Strowman vs. Bobby Lashley. Lashley jumps Strowman from behind. Lashley continues to beat down on Strowman, even though the bell hasn't sounded yet. Lashley tries to suplex Strowman to no avail. Strowman knocks Lashley down with a boot. Corner Splash by Strowman. Strowman clubs Lashley, sending him to the floor. Strowman Shoulder Tackles both Rush and Lashley on the floor. There was no match tonight. This was just a fight, I guess.
- Seth Rollins is interviewed backstage. The night is about Roman, not him.
- A limo pulls up. Ric Flair and the former Fifi (his wife) come out of it.
- A recap of the arrest of Becky Lynch and the forfeiture of the Raw Women's Championship by Ronda Rousey is played.
- The next match is the No Disqualification Match between Dean Ambrose and Drew McIntyre. Dean jumps Drew in the aisle to start the fight before the bell even rings. It does once they get in the ring. Dean pulls off his belts (no typo), but McIntyre gets them instead to whip Dean's body with. Spinebuster by Drew gets a 2. More belt shots. Drew gets sent to the floor, but he catches Dean's Suicide Dive and throws him around on the floor. Commercial break.
We return to see Dean jump off the ring post onto Drew on the floor. Drew runs into the steel steps shoulder first. They are back in the ring as Dean continues to attack Drew. Dean whips the hell out of McIntyre with the belt. Glasgow Kiss by McIntyre. Drew goes to hit Dean on the floor with steel steps, but Dean trips him up sending McIntyre face first into those stairs. Dean goes to hit Dirty Deeds on the steps, but Elias smacks him with a steel chair. He rolls Dean into the ring so Drew can hit the Claymore Kick. 1-2-3.
After the match, Baron Corbin and Bobby Lashley come out. Elias gets invited to the party. 4-1 attack. Lashley spears Ambrose down. SETH ROLLINS comes out with a chair. ROMAN REIGNS COMES OUT TOO! Seth and Roman come down and go at it with the group. Superman Punches and Steel Chairs shots for everyone. Stomp to Elias. Roman gets hyped up. SPEAR TO DREW! WOW! (That crowd was going nuts for Roman's first moves in months.) Dean gets up in the ring while Seth and Roman look back from the stage.
(Good match for what it was. For a guy possibly on his way out, Dean Ambrose seems to be working better than he has in months. The post-match stuff was great again with Roman and Seth helping their former Shield brother, despite the fact that he's been somewhat a jerk to them in the last 4-5 months.)
- The next match is Bayley vs. Nia Jax. Nia dominates Bayley going into the commercial break. Nothing really changes in the moments after the break either. Nia just runs over Bayley when she tries to get some offense going. Bayley finally gets some offense going against Nia Jax and sends her to the floor. She continues to attack Nia when she comes back in the ring, but Nia puts Bayley in the dreaded Tree of Woe! Nia rams her body into Bayley's upside down body. Nia is distracted by Sasha, allowing Bayley to hit a running knee to the head on the apron. Tamina goes into the steel steps. Bayley hits an elbow drop off the top onto Nia!!!! 1-2-3!
(That was a throwaway match. I really couldn't get into it because I thought Bayley was going to get crushed again. But thankfully, Bayley got a rare win over Nia Jax on the main roster. Still, it wasn't the most enthralling match I've ever seen.)
- The final segment is, of course, The 70th Birthday Celebration for Ric Flair. (Hats off to WWE's production team. They had this ring decked out with some great decoration for Flair's celebration.) The roster is on the stage. Triple H puts over what's happened tonight. Stephanie and Triple H introduce the guests: Shawn Michaels, Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat, Kurt Angle, and Sting to a LOUD ovation. (Sting continues to look like Jack Nicholson without makeup.) They introduce a video of Ric Flair's career highlights. (By the way, can we thank God or Lady Luck, whichever you choose to believe in, that Ric Flair survived that health scare a few years ago to get to tonight? So happy to still have Ric Flair with us.) Stephanie unveils a special WWE World Heavyweight Championship in honor of Ric Flair.
Triple H introduces Ric Flair. They continue to clap for Flair, but no one comes out. Someone is backstage with a camera. It's Batista!!!!!!!! He slams a door on Ric Flair's locker room. You hear some smacks, and he pulls Ric Flair out of the room. "Hey Hunter. Do I have your attention now?!" Triple H runs to the back. Flair is laying on the floor surrounded by officials. Triple H yells for the doctor.
(So, Batista, the Hollywood star who everyone loves for being Drax The Destroyer, is the heel in this story? Not The Corporate Executive? Only in WWE. It looks like Triple H vs. Batista will happen at WrestleMania, and I suspect Batista's WWE career will get dusted like his MCU character.)
Overall, I have to give this show a big thumbs up. The pace of the show was excellent, even if I didn't agree with the booking decisions on the shows. Raw managed to keep the show engaging by being relentless in its pace from segment to segment which helped maintain some momentum. But all the storyline stuff on this show, as good or great as it was, pales in comparison to the Roman Reigns announcement at the beginning of the show. Simply put, Roman Reigns' real-life victory trumped anything else that this show provided.
Until next time, take care of yourselves. Spread some awesomeness.
Comments
Post a Comment