This was your go home show leading into this Sunday’s Night of Champions?
This is how you are going to convince people to pay $9.99 a month for the network. It used to be upwards of $59.99 per monthly PPV, the price is an 80% drop for a lot more value.
It also seems that the creative forces in charge have started putting in 80% less effort.
Were there good thing about the show? Yes. However, they were outweighed by the bland effort.
The Matches
Jericho versus Kane in a decent match that saw Jericho turn the tables on Kane after Kane removed a turnbuckle cover and get a roll up pin.
Jack Swagger finally got his hands on Bo Dallas, making him tap out. An okay match, but a good ending as far as I am concerned. Let’s see Bo taping out more often. Why wasn’t this match held over for the Night of Champions, it had a good enough build?
AJ Lee and Brie Bella versus Nikki Bella and Paige. Just a standard pre-championship tag match they always do. Paige got the pin on Brie, who isn’t involved in the match on Sunday. Nikki attacks Brie post-match. Paige and AJ have a skip off, with Paige getting upset.
This added nothing to either feud, and doesn’t help promote the Paige vs AJ vs Nikki Title Match.
Bray Wyatt cut a short promo (pre-taped) leading into his match with the Big Show. Bray looked good in this match, impressing with a few moves that took Big Show to task, but in the end the Big Show proved too much, laying waste to Harper and Rowan while Bray looked on from his old man chair.
A six-man tag pitting Sheamus and the Usos against Cesaro and the Dusts. All of which will be in two title matches this Sunday. Again, this was typical booking to set up a PPV match. This was the match of the night to this point, good exciting, well timed with six guys who can go.
Jay Uso won the match with a pin on Stardust.
Waste of a Divas match between Naomi and Cameron, which Naomi won by submission.
Dolph Ziggler and R-Ziggler versus The Miz and Mizdow. Okay, this was a fairly good match and entertaining, but what did it add to the Ziggler/Miz feud? It really didn’t do anything to promote Night of Champions or their IC Title Match.
All this really did was promote the ‘Stunt Double’ gimmick. JBL, Cole and the King didn’t help any, all three claiming the guys can’t be told apart.
Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins both cut small backstage promos, Reigns earlier in the night, Rollins right before their match. Yes, Reigns versus Rollins on Monday Night Raw, before their marque match at Night of Champions.
Yes, the match was good. Yes, Reigns won. Having this match NOW before the special event was stupid. Why is there a need to tune in to see this match now? The Night of Champions match would have been their first televised match. I’m sure people liked it; it just didn’t make any sense.
The Promos
We opened the show with Paul Heyman mocking Cena, bringing out Cena to confront Heyman. Cena reminded Heyman that he is here to fight, if Brock doesn’t show, he’ll fight Heyman. Heyman claims Brock plane is delayed, but that doesn’t help his cause. Cena drags him to the back and has Khali stand guard to keep Heyman from leaving the locker room.
At one Point, Heyman tried to leave the locker room to get better cell reception, only to have Khali step on his phone, and then mock him for not having reception.
Half time! Cena drags Heyman to the ring. No Brock Lesnar. Time for Cena to . . . not fight Heyman? Cena backs off, not wanting to dirty his hands. Heyman begins with pushing the buttons, eventually bringing Cena’s mom into the equation.
Cena snaps and shoves Heyman.
Brock’s music hits. Brock dances around ringside, finally deciding to get into the ring. Belly to Back Suplex sends Cena to the floor. But it’s not over! A fired up Cena attacks Brock relentlessly until security rushes out to pull Cena off, as Brock slithers off to the back.
YES. This is how you build up and promote matches. Now this matchup has my interested. I didn’t care about the Summerslam match, and it turns out neither did the WWE. This should be a much different and better match.
Mark Henry Rallies America . . . I think.
We closed the show with Mark Henry and Rusev. Henry cuts a promo about how he loves his country and will represent it again this Sunday against Rusev. Lana and Rusev interrupt, with their own comments and bashing of the US and Henry.
A physical confrontation between Rusev and Henry doesn’t go good for Henry, at first. It ends with Henry laying out Rusev and proudly waving Old Gory!
Nicely done segment and a good way to promote their Night of Champions match.
FINAL THOUGHTS: Outside of Cena versus Lesnar and Henry versus Rusev, this Go Home edition of Raw didn’t do anything to really promote Night of Champions. Do we even know the final card? From what I understand there are two more matches announced on Smackdown.
Three tag team matches were held, with all involved (except for Brie) having matches at Night of Champion. And all of them are title matches! Tag matches are how you promote them?
This didn’t help the WWE any. I don’t see how anyone would be tempted to get the WWE network, based on this broadcast. You can do better WWE. You have to.
RATING: 5
Match of the Night: Six man tag: Sheamus and the Usos versus Cesaro and the Dusts.
Wrestler of the Night: I don’t have one this time.
Impact of the Night: Cena and Brock’s segment. This is what needed to be done.
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