SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
DAVID VS GOLIATH…
Recap: After a Martin Luther King tribute, the show opened with Paul Heyman and Brock Lesnar coming to the ring. Heyman spent the entire first portion of the promo building up Finn Balor, saying he deserved his opportunity after beating “second greatest of all time” John Cena. He said he believed in Finn Balor.
He then changed tone, saying that even miracles end, and that Finn Balor would be sacrificed to Brock Lesnar.
Vince McMahon then came to the ring. He commented on Heyman’s buildup of Finn, noting that he didn’t believe that Finn stood a chance because he didn’t believe in miracles. He told an alternate version of the David and Goliath story where David was delusional from mushrooms in challenging Goliath, who beat the hell out of him.
Braun Strowman then came to the ring. He told Brock that if he still had the title after Sunday, he’d tear him apart like one of Vince’s limos.
Finn Balor then hit the ring. He said that he knew Vince didn’t believe in him, and then retold the real David and Goliath story. He said he believes and the Balor Club believes. Braun said he didn’t think that Finn could win, but that he’s better win. Finn told him to stay out of his business.
Vince then set a David and Goliath match between Balor and Strowman, inviting Brock to sit ringside.
During the match, Braun threw Finn out of the ring, where Brock caught and suplexed him, Brock then hit the apron for a staredown, but Finn took advantage by pulling him off the apron and following up with a flip dive. Finn took care of both Braun and Brock for a while. Eventually, after a coup de grâce, Brock entered the ring and hit Finn with an F5 for a disqualification.
Evaluation: This segment took up most of the first hour, which was necessary due to the compressed timeline to build up FInn Balor. The segment was successful in hyping the David-Goliath angle while still building up Finn as a strong contender.
Forecast: While this segment made the title match look more interesting, I’d still be shocked if Finn won.
SETH DEFEATS DREW…
Recap: At the top of the second hour, Seth Rollins came to the ring for a promo. He quoted Martin Luther King and said he was inspired by him. He said that without a title, he focused on what he did have, rather than didn’t have. He recounted coming from a working class background, and said he might be working in a factory or driving a truck if it weren’t for the wrestling business. He said what kept him in the business was his heart.
Drew McIntyre then interrupted. He said that if you took Seth’s heart and drive and put it into a Terminator, you’d have Drew McIntyre. He said there was a zero percent chance that Seth could win the Rumble.
The two then had a match. At the end of a long, solid match, Seth rolled up Drew for the win.
Recap: Seth’s promo was a great, old-school face promo. Drew’s rebuttal was a classic heel promo as well. Both could’ve been given in Crockett in the 1980s, and still worked well with the crowd tonight.
Forecast: I expect these two to tangle in the Rumble and feud afterwards.
SASHA AND RONDA…
Recap: Before the main event began, Ronda Rousey was interviewed backstage. She said she’d been racking her brain for a reason to owe Sasha Banks an apology from last week, but determined she didn’t owe her anything. She said she used her time on Moment of Bliss to talk up Sasha. She vowed to win on Sunday, and then made her way to the ring for a tag match with Natalya against Sasha and Bayley.
Before the match began, Sasha got on the mic and said she didn’t need Ronda’s compliments on Moment of Bliss, as she was a four time champion who had earned her opportunities.
Sasha opened the match with a cheap shot on Ronda while Ronda was on the apron. Sasha eventually tapped out Natalya for the win.
Evaluation: Sasha seemed heelish tonight, intentionally pushing Ronda’s buttons and taking a cheap shot. If that’s what WWE was going for, it did work as Ronda seemed to get cheers.
Forecast: Ronda retains.
NOW CHECK OUT LAST WEEK’S COLUMN: TOP 3 DEVELOPMENTS – RAW 1/14: Braun Loses His Shot, Finn as Title Contender, Lashley Wins IC Title
“While this segment made the title match look more interesting, I’d still be shocked if Finn won.”
And if he doesn’t he will have proven Vince, Paul and Braun right for doubting and mocking his size and his chances. His credibility as a main eventer will be history.
Even if he put up a good fight, the comments would be like “awww… You put up a fight. That’s so cute. Good boy. Now go play with the mid-carders where you belong.”
And that’s why it’s so effing STUPID of WWE and VKM in particular to talk down to his workers, instead of building them up and making them look like a million bucks. If they presented him as a threat, Brock still could have gone over but Finn still could have looked good. Now, if Finn loses he is the “vanilla midget” that many on the internet label him as being, that has no business hanging with the big guys. Hell, even Vince McMahon agrees so it must be true.
Drew McIntyre is the next big thing. He has the “it” factor and looks like a more primitive and barbaric version of Triple H in his prime.
So of course WWE has already jobbed him out to Ziggler, Balor and now Rollins, rather than keeping him strong and having him just pulverizing mid-carders and older main eventers that are told to put him over as a future champ.
A roll-up victory does nothing for Rollins, but McIntyre can notch another clean pinfall defeat to his belt. WWE continues its STUPID booking ways, once again showing they have completely lost the ability to make new stars (as if Braun Strowman hadn’t been enough proof).
Remember the “change” we were going to get? Yeah, Apollo Crews is rolling his eyes too. Change apparently means actually having people do what they’re paid for (perform in the ring) as if it’s “special” or some kind of “push”, while still telling everybody not to take them seriously in the slightest.
Isn’t it ironic, if the only way guys can get some air time is by complaining about it, thus proving that by being a good team player and keeping your mouth shut you’ll just be treated like meaningless trash? Both the Revival as well as Zach Ryder have suddenly been getting air time after airing their grievances. There’s a lesson in there for Sanity.
Speaking of making “stars”. Have the WWE bosses soured on Elias already? Aside from strumming his guitar and mocking heels, his existence within WWE seems to have neither point nor purpose. Does he want to win titles? Who cares? Just milk that same, already stale act until the bitter end because creative is too busy all week writing fantastically “original” storylines for 20% of the RAW roster.
And Braun Strowman had the worst day of his life last week. Due to Baron Corbin. We know this, because Braun spent exactly 0 seconds this week on “giving Corbin these hands.” Instead, he is whining about Brock Lesnar despite knowing he’s not going to be fighting him. Hey Braun, how about first destroying Corbin, then winning the Rumble, and then worrying about the Universal champ? (i get it, they needed Balor to prove his credentials against a giant).
Well, if Brock goes over Balor, and the plan is for Braun to face Brock again, it’s good to know that “David”, who doesn’t stand a chance against Brock, was about to pin Braun clean before Brock interfered. That makes the threat Braun presents to Brock so much greater.
I wonder why the ratings are in the toilet. Must be because wrestlers aren’t stepping up and grabbing that brass ring.