WWE RAW & SMACKDOWN REACTION
Wednesday May 2, 2018
Check out my great, good, bad, and pathetic from WWE TV this week.
GREAT
With one move they gave us a glimpse into hopefully what we can expect in the near future from a Finn Balor heel turn. He and Rollins always have great matches but I'm over this smiling babyface crap, and I know Balor is an excellent heel, as he was huge in NJPW as leader of the Bullet Club. This gave us a taste of that and it was great. Its time.
The show took place in Montreal and the crowd treated Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn like the biggest stars in the business. I swear these two are one of the best tandems the company has and I love when the crowd heat adds to the atmosphere of the show. We need more crowds like this that make the wrestlers seem like legit big time stars.
GOOD
If it had not been for the finish, which saw Sasha lose yet again, this would've been great. I know I sound like a broken record, but use your eyes!!! Sasha Banks is the best in ring woman on the roster and once again she gave another opponent their best match. She just knows what the hell she's doing and she makes her stuff look good and sells for opponents like nobody else. This lady is so poorly booked that it actually hurts me to watch how she's treated.
Since the Miz left them, Axel and Bo have been looking for a new home and this week they were hilarious with the T shirts. This was great. Hopefully they pair up with someone that will elevate them like Miz did.
BAD
I just don't understand why Kevin Owens had to be the one to take the fall in a six man tag, in his hometown of Montreal, where he was clearly the biggest star on the entire show. Why!?!? I get it that Braun should win, and I agree he should, but why couldn't he pin Jinder Mahal? The crowd would have reacted so much more to Braun destroying a heel like Jinder, compared to a fan favorite and hometown favorite taking the pin. Smh. But that's Vince.
Bobby Roode has been booked terribly since coming to Raw and looks like a joke against The Drifter. This "injury" angle, was so weak. Then the camera angle showed that nothing even connected with him, and it was even worse.
I really don't like this storyline where they are making Ronda be Natty happy buddy saving her from heels every week. It's so weak and below her. Also, I don't think Ronda needs to be on TV every week with these glorified jobbers. Also, Nia smiling and chasing down Alexa does nothing for me. I hate the top of the women's card on RAW.
PATHETIC
You knew they just couldn't help themselves. The Titus tripping moment from the Saudi show was hilarious when it happened and it was funny watching GIFs on social media. But you knew Vince was going drive it into the ground to the point we would never want to see it again. They succeeded. That whole fake trip sequence with Titus distracting Corbin was pathetic, and I just wish at this point that we never have to see this again. But we will.
WHY!!!! Please end this Roman chase for the title. Nobody gives a shit!!!! END IT NOW!!!! Roman is completely dead at this point, and this just further makes him look like a bitch.
GREAT
The build of the Nakamura title win over AJ Styles has been great and we know its coming. I love heel Nakamura, and the low blow has been so effectively used. I also loved Joe's promo saying that he's coming for the winner of Sunday's title match.
Ahhhh yes!!! Bring back LANA!!!!! Aiden English is cool and he played a big part in getting Rusev Day over with this recent new gimmick. To be as big as he should be, Rusev needs Lana back by his side. And hopefully its coming soon!!!!!!!!
GOOD
I liked the tag match with Orton and Jeff Hardy beating Miz and Benjamin, but what I liked most was the continued build of the IC title division. Orton and Jeff Hardy have had history in the past, but for some reason it seems fresh to me and should be an extended program. I think it will be good.
I liked that they booked the ladies in the main event event, and while I'm not a fan of the in ring work of some of the performers, I have to give a shine to Charlotte, who pulled out some big time exciting moves, including a sensational moonsault.
I must say that Paige has been very as the Smackdown GM. She's a great talker, and she has been a breath of fresh air, as a fair woman in power, who treats the roster fairly.
BAD
Once again, The IIconics backstage promo was horrible and it died a miserable death. Not good at all, and you can tell they tried to put them backstage this week because they were horrible in front of the live crowd last week. And they were worst!! And their work wasn't impressive in the main event. It's all about looks with these two.
There were three matches on this show and a whole lot of talking. Three matches on a 2 hour show is crazy!! I know the guys were tired from the Saudi trip, but jeez.
PATHETIC
Big Cass sucks and I have no idea why, with all the talent they have on the roster, they chose to feud Daniel Bryan with this goof. They pulled out the midget gimmick for heat, so that's a clear sign the feud is dead in the water. Cass sucks and I have no desire to see him and Bryan feud. None.
Final Thoughts: Interesting week coming off the Saudi Arabia show, and the guys being very tired from all the travel. But these were the go home shows for Backlash this Sunday, which in many ways has been a show weakened by the booking focusing on too many things. I think the reset button gets hit after Sunday and things will get better.