So Braun Strowman and The Big Show broke the ring on WWE Monday Night RAW. Was this enough to save a lackluster week in wrestling? Is Braun a legit main event attraction now? Let’s break it down…
Monday Night YAWn
I’ll just start off by saying that I was so bored by this show. I’m not going to drag all of you down with me into every detail but let’s start with the biggest story, “BRAUUUUN,” as his theme song screams. Braun Strowman has been given every opportunity to succeed and he’s running with it.
After completely demolishing Reigns last week, Strowman picked back up where he left off by opening the show, being told to leave by GM Kurt Angle and then REFUSING to leave and destroying all the midcard talent backstage. This was reminiscent of the bad-assery (did I just make up a term?) of Stone Cold Steve Austin. Telling authority “no” has always resonated with fans and Strowman’s defiance was the most interest thing on the entire show. After throwing Kalisto in a dumpster (welcome to RAW Kalisto!), Big Show stepped in by knowing Strowman down and telling him to pick on someone his own size.
All of this culminates in a match between the two which ends with a Superplex off of the top rope and the ring falling to the ground. The crowd went nuts, the referee took an epic fall from the ring as it went down, Strowman looked strong, but this was way too predictable. To the casual fan and all my friends that said, “Did Braun Strowman really break the ring?!” this was a win for the WWE. To the regular watcher, however, this was SO obvious. First, the ring was stripped away of all LED panels on the apron and turnbuckle. Secondly, they did all their spots on the same turnbuckle all match because the others were clearly gimmicked to break. If you watch back the replay, you’ll see the referee inching towards the ropes so he can fall out of the ring as well. So while this was cool, this is the third time Big Show has broken the ring. While this was the coolest version of the “ring break” spot I’ve seen, with the stairs flying and the referee falling, this wasn’t as awesome to me as it was to the masses.
As for the rest of the show, Finn Balor who may still be concussed fought in a pointless match against Curt Hawkins making it his third week in a row with no feud. What a waste of him while they wait for Bray Wyatt to finish his feud with Randy Orton. I’m stoked that Alexa Bliss will be challenging Bayley for the Women’s Championship, Miz and Ambrose are entertaining, but I wish they were feuding with RAW mainstays instead of each other. Lastly, mad props to Jeff Hardy and Cesaro for a cool match where Jeff was smart enough to slow down his quick pace in order to better sell Cesaro’s beating. This may be the match I’m most excited for (besides the House of Horrors match of course).
Smackdown Sucked
WTF were they doing on Smackdown this week?! Part of me feels they are just picking different people to be contenders just for the hell of it. Let’s talk some of the “highlights” this week
Charlotte is your #1 contender for Naomi’s title and this was a no-brainer. Charlotte is the best female competitor and I can’t wait to see her take on Naomi. The other big highlight was Kevin Owens. Owens is such a great heel having a squash match against Gary Gandy, who looked about as in shape as I do, then interfering in the main event with AJ Styles and cutting a promo about how terrible America is. Now going by the Face of America, I can’t wait to see what more will happen between Styles and Owens.
Now to the bad of Smackdown. Having Primo and Epico beat American Alphas better mean something. It’s no secret that while the in-ring work is great, the Alphas have no character development at all. I’m hoping that losing to a team with as little a reaction as Primo and Epico who are coming off their travel salesmen gimmick, will translate into characters the fans can get behind.
How about the fact that the new number one contender is Jinder Mahal? This guy has been irrelevant his entire career and again, gets as much reaction as I do when I walk into a room. Lately, his Rob Gronkowski mini-feud has helped get his character some shine, but to go from the guy who fights in matches before cameras roll, to the main event of a PPV against Randy Orton is mind-boggling. Besides this match being potentially the most boring title match of all time, it all but puts the nail in the coffin of Wyatt winning the championship back. Given that Jinder is to fight the winner of Orton vs. Wyatt, it ensures the championship will STAY on Smackdown. If Bray just got moved to RAW, he is clearly not coming back no matter how they try and make it seem like the House of Horrors match is Bray’s baby and he can’t lose.
Between spoiling the Bray/Orton match by announcing a Smackdown contender ALREADY, having no feud for Finn Balor and no RAW Champion Brock Lesnar on TV again, this week in wrestling was a bore regardless of Braun’s epic run and dominance on RAW.
What are your thoughts? Am I crazy to not be hyped about this week? Sound off in our comment section!
