Last nights Raw was very solid from start to finish. The WWE did not botch up the follow up to a pretty good PPV and that was refreshing. As I wrote yesterday the WWE has a large amount of fresh angles and the immediate future looks bright as they as they continue to handle things in a manner that is pleasing to the crowd.
Brad Maddox made his official debut as the new GM of Raw and I found him refreshing, but at the same time a little canned. In order to be successful the WWE will need to let him be his character and not make him so robotic. The Maddox who is overconfident, naive, and deaf to criticism is the one that will be successful. The one that is just going through the motions will not. Let's hope the WWE realizes this before they take him out of the role. He did make one really good decision last night allowing Cena to choose his opponent at Summerslam.
That was a refreshing twist on what usually is a very boring process. I think we all new Daniel Bryan was getting the shot very early on, but there was also the possibility that the WWE might step out a little bit and take a risk. They could have brought somebody back we haven't seen for a while, maybe they could have had him challenge the Undertaker. Bryan was the safe choice and based on the crowd reaction, a good choice. (I have this belief that a Cena/Taker match at WM30 could be a major attraction if built right. Why wouldn't Cena win that match and stop the streak. Like it or not he is the guy.)
Still this angle needs some sprucing up. I think the HHH and Stephanie foreshadowed that Vince will not be happy with this decision. It's a great chance for Vince to come out and ridicule Maddox and Bryan. That would add some heat, but also I like the idea of Vince taking control of the Shield. It gives the group yet another bump up and gives Vince the muscle he needs to be taken seriously. I can just see a Cena, Orton, Bryan three way with the Shield in the next couple of weeks. It would further everything, the tension between the McMahons, Orton/Cena MITB, Bryan/Cena title considerations, and Orton/Bryan rivalry. It's a also a good chance to flip Orton heel.
Consider this for a second. Bryan wins at Summerslam because of the Shield, but Orton (as a heel under Vince's advisement) cashes in setting up there feud through the fall. Cena and HHH take on the Shield in the fall. Those are all really appealing angles that I think the WWE could do well with. Just don't expect Cena to stay out of the title picture for too long. Last nights call out of the WWE roster showed there are a lot of great talents, but few Championship quality guys that people will pay to see.
Dolph Ziggler and Alberto Del Rio had a great rematch with tons of intensity. I think this match might have capped the feud for the time being. For a guy with HEEL in his twitter name Ziggler is finally really getting over as a face who keeps getting robbed in big matches. Although the screw job last night was predictable the execution was well done. AJ Lee continues to be a relevant character. There was just enough crazy there, but not too much and Big E Langston has fallen into his role very nicely. He's shown to me that he's more than just a big man. He can handle the storytelling just as well. I think he has a bright future and I look forward to the Summerslam match that I'm sure is coming.
I was a little bit surprised that CM Punk chose to go the route he did with Heyman. I was glad he called out Lesnar from the start and didn't act like anyone would be surprised that he was there, but the rest of his promo was a little to straight forward for a guy that usually brings more of a realistic twist to things. Heyman was totally on his A game. He continues to be the best character the WWE has on the roster. He actually had me believing that Punk had let down Heyman's children.
What really surprised me was Lesnar. He came out with a more focus look about him and it made him seem dangerous. His interplay with Punk was great and Lesnar never broke character or laughed like he has in the past. He was on a mission and he made you feel like there is no way Punk can compete with him. That's the key to great heat. Make the heel seem unbeatable, but the plight of the face seem straightforward and heroic. Punk has to win because he was wronged, but Lesnar was so dominate how could he lose? That's how you get buyrates.
He's the real risk the WWE runs here. Lesnar is a big investment. They have put him in four intriguing matches over the past year and a half and he has lost 2 and won 2. A loss to Punk would really start to take some of the luster off Lesnar. Punk can take a loss, so that seems like the easy out, but where do you go from here. It's something I need to think on more. I just don't know how it all plays out yet.
All that happened and a lot more, but the Wyatts again stole the show in my eyes. I love the entrance. It's convincing and twisted. The audience seems to have really taken to the group. There was a really natural and excited pop when Bray Wyatt invited R Truth back into the ring. Like this is what we have all been waiting for, Bray to go into action. If that wasn't enough the very last comment made was about Kane and vultures was interesting. Then it hit me. I think the Wyatt's are here to get the Undertaker. What a savvy move by the WWE if that is the case. The heat would be huge. That would explain why they took out Kane and the possibilities going forward are endless.
Although I think Cena/Taker at WM30 is the best match there is the possibility of Bray/Taker. There are some twists to be considered along the way. Is it best to have Bray get a win before Mania or do you raise the uncertainty factor by having them meet for the first time at WM30. The WWE could make an angle where Bray is after the streak to expose the Undertaker as a fraud hero. You could run with that form now until April. Tell me you wouldn't tune in.
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