SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
RAW TALK REPORT
JUNE 14, 2021
AIRED ON PEACOCK (VIA WWE NETWORK)
REVIEW BY NICK MORGAN, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Hosts: Kevin Patrick and R-Truth
This week’s guests: Charlotte Flair, Alexa Bliss, and Drew McIntyre
– After a very mediocre edition of Raw we tune in to see what else WWE will do on Raw Talk to help promote the upcoming Hell in a Cell. We start off as usual with Kevin Patrick introducing the show and as the camera focuses on the desk. R-Truth is still the co-host.
(Morgan’s Analysis: I will keep saying it until they find somebody else besides R-Truth to co-host this show. Raw Talk will be nothing more than a once in a while watchable show and mostly something that tries one’s patience.)
– After some quick back and forth with R-Truth about the 24/7 title, Patrick ran down the Raw matches on the Hell in a Cell PPV and highlighted the Drew McIntyre vs. Bobby Lashley match by quickly recapping the six-man tag match where McIntyre pinned Lashley. With Patrick picking Lashley for the win, R-Truth picked McIntyre to win the title on Sunday.
– Patrick sent us off to break for a Hell in a Cell promo featuring both Bianca Belair vs. Bayley and Roman Reigns vs. Rey Mysterio.
– Back from break, Charlotte had joined our hosts and immediately went into a spiel and said that she is not mad at Rhea Ripley, but is just grooming her. On a positive note, Charlotte was wearing the great cat-suit she had on the show and was actually talking like a normal (though angry) person. Charlotte had on her heel persona and was effective, but in a funny moment she said, “I am Women’s Westling.” Yes, no “R” in wrestling. The camera left Charlotte and focused on Patrick because I have to believe that Charlotte was cracking up and trying to compose herself after that gaff. It was funny.
– Patrick asked some more inane questions which Charlotte used to get “passionate,” especially when Patrick asked her whether she could keep her cool. To end the segment Charlotte mic-dropped by saying, “do you think I need the title to be Charlotte Flair!”
(Morgan’s Analysis: I thought this was well done by Charlotte and clearly she is much more comfortable as a heel, though she does still seem a bit over-scripted and over-produced at times. I have to believe that Charlotte can cut an unscripted promo and I wish they would let her try.)
– After Charlotte left, Patrick and Truth kept talking with Patrick continuing to push the angle that Charlotte can not control her emotions and that this will be her downfall. Patrick sent us off to break teasing that Alexa Bliss would be next and we got the Vaccine PSA and a promo for Smackdown on Friday night, alluding to a confrontation between Rey and Roman.
– And we are back with Alexa Bliss, in full creepy smiling, nice girl mode. Alexa said that Reginald might have to join Lilly in “time-out” and that she doesn’t like him anymore. Alexa asked told Truth that Lilly liked him, and that Lilly wanted him to join them on the Playground. Truth got all creeped out and in trying to back away from the invite referred to Alexa as a whack job. Alexa laughed (best fake laugh on WWE…take notes Bayley and Bianca) then got serious and said, “I am not a whack job”, then got friendly again. Alexa threatened that what happened to Shayna Baszler last week is nothing compared to what is going to happen at Hell in a Cell and left the set.
– Patrick and Truth went back and forth on what Truth said to Alexa and bickered back and forth as the lights flickered, and Truth kicked out at nothing (Lilly perhaps).
(Morgan’s Analysis: This was just silly, that they would sell this so strongly. Another break with the promo for going on the road again, yet another promo for Hell in a Cell, and an NXT promo.)
– And we are back with Drew McIntyre. Drew, in full babyface mode, said that he had been saying it all along, if he hits the Claymore one time like he did tonight, then he will win and be champion. We were going so well until Patrick felt compelled to bring up William Wallace and that Lashley said he was going to put Drew’s head on a spike.
(Morgan’s Analysis: Why are they leaning into this? Bobby Lashley may beat Drew (in my opinion, he probably will), but he is not going to behead Drew and put his head on a spike. WWE (and a lot of other wrestling promotions) have to stop using these kind threats. No one is going to kill, maim, decapitate, or paralyze anybody inside a wrestling ring.)
– Drew noted that if he doesn’t win, he can’t fight Lashley again for the title again, and that if that happens nobody will be able to beat Lashley. He (Drew) has beaten everyone (Brock, Randy Orton, A.J. Styles, etc.), so if he can’t beat Lashley no one can. With that, Patrick and Truth started arguing about their predictions for the match and the show just ended mid-R-Truth talking. I don’t know if this is an indictment of WWE being sloppy with their editing or Peacock for being a really bad platform because that’s all I got, no final words or nothing.
FINAL THOUGHTS: Luckily this was a quick show at a little over 24 minutes because both R-Truth and Kevin Patrick were at their worst. They just don’t do this format well. As for the guests this week, all three seemed a bit rushed to get in their points since Patrick and Truth took up a good deal of time yakking back and forth. That said, Charlotte definitely seems to be getting comfortable in this heel persona or being the “Queen,” but apparently losing a lot. Alexa was very creepy, though very predictable. On a personal note, I love Alexa’s performance, I just think that it has way overstayed its welcome and needs to wrap up before they get in front of live audiences. As for Drew, he is fine, but he continues to have a whiny quality that I have noticed over the last month or two. I really am at a loss as to where he will go should he lose to Lashley. Personally, I think Lashley needs to win, and Drew needs to take a vacation — maybe back to Scotland, so he can stock up on some more Scottish history lessons to regale us with. A passable show this week, but still a somewhat tough watch due to the hosts.
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