{"id":175461,"date":"2024-03-19T13:55:43","date_gmt":"2024-03-19T18:55:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/?p=175461"},"modified":"2024-03-19T13:55:43","modified_gmt":"2024-03-19T18:55:43","slug":"over-unders-wwe-raw-3-18-seth-isnt-likable-otiss-stomach-cody-relaxes-a-bit-jey-usoss-star-power-nia-jax-main-eventing-heyman-steals-the-show-more","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/2024\/03\/19\/over-unders-wwe-raw-3-18-seth-isnt-likable-otiss-stomach-cody-relaxes-a-bit-jey-usoss-star-power-nia-jax-main-eventing-heyman-steals-the-show-more\/","title":{"rendered":"OVER &#038; UNDERS &#8211; WWE RAW (3\/18): Seth isn&#8217;t likable, Otis&#8217;s stomach, Cody relaxes a bit, Jey Usos&#8217;s star power, Nia Jax main eventing, Heyman steals the show, more"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"pwtor-6948173\" class=\"pwtor-before-content pwtor-entity-placement\"><hr \/><b>SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)... <\/b>\r\n\r\n<iframe src=\"https:\/\/widget.spreaker.com\/player?show_id=3076978&theme=light&playlist=false&playlist-continuous=false&autoplay=false&live-autoplay=false&chapters-image=true&episode_image_position=right&hide-logo=false&hide-likes=false&hide-comments=false&hide-sharing=false&hide-download=true\" width=\"100%\" height=\"140px\" frameborder=\"0\"><\/iframe>\r\n<hr \/><\/div><p>It\u2019s time for another Monday Night Raw, so let\u2019s see how far the WWE can stretch the Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins dynamic. Will it stretch all the way to WrestleMania, or snap in the process? Will Cody have a musical rebuttal to Rock\u2019s Friday night karaoke? Will Jey Uso pull a shoulder muscle with simple gestures? Will Nia Jax accidentally hurt Becky Lynch (again), and force her to promote her book from a hospital bed? Anything could happen! Well, anything except an interesting segment featuring J.D. McDonagh, but other than that the world is our violent oyster. So what\u2019s going to happen? We didn\u2019t know back THEN, we certainly don\u2019t know NOW, but we definitely won\u2019t have to wait FOREVER to find out\u2026so let\u2019s dig in TOGETHER. I couldn\u2019t help myself.<\/p>\n<p><b>UNDER-APPRECIATED &#8211; CODY RELAXES A BIT<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Seeing Cody Rhodes by his super expensive bus doesn\u2019t really bother me anymore. I credit this to two things. Firstly, we get to see Pharoah. Who doesn\u2019t love dogs? You could have a serial killer walking a dog and I\u2019d probably forgive him. Secondly, it\u2019s a small detail, but seeing Cody without a suit jacket is both super cool, and laid back. He\u2019s still dapper as a Brit with a scone, but he feels more like one of us.<\/p>\n<p><b>OVERRATED &#8211; NO DRESS CODE<\/b><\/p>\n<p>In polar opposite land, we see The Creed Brothers split-screened with D.I.Y. to promote the ladder match qualifier. This isn\u2019t E! News, but we need to go Joan Rivers on these guys for a moment. Johnny Gargano looks like he\u2019s pledging for a biker club. Tomasso Ciampa looks like a guy who goes to youth basketball games by himself. Julius Creed looks like he\u2019s cosplaying Travis Kelce, and Brutus Creed looks like he borrowed nice clothes from his dad\u2019s closet and he\u2019s on his way to a middle school dance. All that said, and fashion violations ignored, I like seeing people arrive at the arena before matches. It makes them seem like normal people, even if they do wear unique outfits that detract from their characters at times. Good luck on your date Brutus, and don\u2019t spill any punch on Papa Creed\u2019s shirt!<\/p>\n<p><b>UNDER-APPRECIATED &#8211; JEY USO\u2019S STAR POWER<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Other than perhaps Cody Rhodes and his \u201cwow\u201d, there isn\u2019t anyone else that comes close to Jey Uso\u2019s audience participation in the WWE. I really hope they pull the trigger on something that solidifies \u201cMain Event\u201d Jey Uso as precisely that, after WrestleMania. He is lightning in a bottle, and they need to do something with it before the storm passes. On a side note, I think I could do without Pat \u201cSelf-serving\u201d McAfee yeeting all over the magic of his entrance. Please keep your arms and yeets inside the announce table at all times, for your safety, and the safety of those around you. Yeet.<\/p>\n<p><b>OVERRATED &#8211; JIMMY USO\u2019S FANCY TEETH<\/b><\/p><div id=\"pwtor-1123598972\" class=\"pwtor-content pwtor-entity-placement\"><div align=\"center\" data-freestar-ad=\"__336x280 __336x280\" id=\"pwtorchcom_test_300x250\">\r\n  <script data-cfasync=\"false\" type=\"text\/javascript\">\r\n    freestar.config.enabled_slots.push({ placementName: \"pwtorchcom_test_300x250\", slotId: \"pwtorchcom_test_300x250\" });\r\n  <\/script>\r\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p>Another week, another bout graphic flubbed by poor picture choices. In the graphic designer\u2019s defense, he or she did at least get Jey Uso right. He looks vicious, angry and ready for a fight. Jimmy \u201cCrazy Eyes\u201d Uso on the other hand, looks like Roman Reigns bought him some white veneers, and he\u2019s showing them off to his brother. Nice touch pointing out that this is only the third time brothers have fought at WrestleMania. I\u2019m surprised they mentioned Owen Hart, Matt Hardy and Jeff Hardy though, considering they are elsewhere. I guess with Vince McMahon out of the picture, things truly have taken an open-minded turn.<\/p>\n<p><b>UNDER-APPRECIATED &#8211; PIRATE JIMMY<\/b><\/p>\n<p>If you go back and look at Jimmy Uso and Solo Sikoa emerging from the crowd, Jimmy has one eye shut like he got stung by a bee and is having an allergic reaction. What is this, Jimmy? Are we cosplaying a pirate? Are you trying to hide the crazy eyes by only using one? Did Solo Sikoa serenade you with a solo so good, you popped a blood vessel in your eye? The world may never know. I don\u2019t think this is intentionally hilarious, but I\u2019m enjoying old Cyclops Uso tonight. Side note, didn\u2019t Jimmy originally tell Jey he blew his title shot because he didn\u2019t want Jey becoming like Roman Reigns? Now he\u2019s just doing the bidding of Roman and turning into Roman-light himself. This makes no sense, but hey, neither does Solo (the younger Uso brother) having the last name Sikoa. Maybe he has a different dad. Massive shout out for the \u201cCall Rikishi\u201d sign in the audience, who may or may not have paternal ties to Solo.<\/p>\n<p><b>OVERRATED &#8211; JIMMY EXAGGERATES<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Did Jimmy Uso really just call Jey Uso \u201cthe biggest superstar on the Raw roster\u201d? Now, I can\u2019t ding them too much, as I\u2019d argue he\u2019s a solid number two (behind Senior Nightmare), but Jimmy, really? I get that you look at everything with crazy eyes like you forgot how to blink, but rub some of the yeet out of your eyes, and be at least a little truthful. Ain\u2019t nothing wrong with a solid number 2 (unless you\u2019re on a plane, or in a <i>Fast and Furious<\/i> movie). I must say though, it is refreshing to have this not be generically hate-fueled. I love seeing Jey vulnerable, emotional and conflicted. He\u2019s so good at it. I think it\u2019s a large part of why he broke out as a star. He was so incredibly good at getting people to sympathize with his Bloodline abuser that people rallied behind him.<\/p>\n<p><b>UNDER-APPRECIATED &#8211; JIMMY MAKES A GOOD POINT<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Okay, it was a great layer to the Uso story to have Jimmy Uso point out how mad it made him that Jimmy Uso became a tag team champion with Cody Rhodes. Now that\u2019s some real meat to sink your fancy new teeth into. I guess crazy eyes DOES have something to say\u2026besides rejecting \u201cYeet\u201d. I do wish they\u2019d stop with this big brother, little brother referencing. The dude is like seconds older. I\u2019m about half an inch taller than my neighbor who always beats me at basketball, but I don\u2019t run around calling him \u201cShorty Pants\u201d. That would be absurd\u2026kind of like bragging about being older just because your mother\u2019s body randomly decided you were exiting first. Maybe she wanted you out first. Maybe it was rejection, Uce!<\/p>\n<p><b>OVERRATED &#8211; APPARENTLY GRAMMAR TO JIMMY USO<\/b><\/p><div id=\"pwtor-3767060278\" class=\"pwtor-content-1 pwtor-entity-placement\"><!-- Tag ID: pwtorchcom_test_300x600 -->\r\n<div align=\"center\" data-freestar-ad=\"__336x280 __300x600\" id=\"pwtorchcom_test_300x600\">\r\n  <script data-cfasync=\"false\" type=\"text\/javascript\">\r\n    freestar.config.enabled_slots.push({ placementName: \"pwtorchcom_test_300x600\", slotId: \"pwtorchcom_test_300x600\" });\r\n  <\/script>\r\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p>Jimmy Uso just said, and I quote \u201cListen loud and clear.\u201d Unless Jimmy has some 6th sense to be able to adjust the volume at which one can hear, this seems completely impossible. Jimmy, if you have discovered such an ability, I would appreciate you teaching it to me for when my 9-year old starts talking about trains. That said, I don\u2019t think you have, and this is mostly likely a result of eye infection spreading to your brain from not blinking. Or, you were too busy practicing facial expressions to pay attention in English class. Stay in school, kids. Side note, am I the only one that thinks it looks like a hamster is trying to escape from his esophagus every time he talks? The guy\u2019s head wobbles like a man with ants in his pants. It\u2019s like words get stuck in his sternum, and he has to writhe and wiggle them out. Jimmy, some things, like improper grammar, should be left un-wiggled.<\/p>\n<p><b>UNDER-APPRECIATED &#8211; LETTING WOUNDS HEEL<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Solo Sikoa, you wouldn\u2019t have to have your thumb bandaged all the time if you would just stop using it as a weapon. It\u2019s not exactly the strongest thing in the body, sir. And neither are vocal chords, despite your first name. I really hope he has a match with Pete \u201cFinger Breaker\u201d Dunne one of these days.<\/p>\n<p><b>OVERRATED &#8211; NIA JAX UP THE MAIN EVENT<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Oh joy, Nia Jax is in the main tonight. I look forward to some bad acting, and a lukewarm Becky Lynch response. I will give the promos team credit though, for cutting a hype promo for Nia versus Becky with no talking in it whatsoever. Smart, considering Nia on the mic is like taking a sub driven by an Xbox controller to see the Titanic. Too soon? So is having the queen of injuries back in WWE. But I digress. Can someone explain to me why, when we see Becky entering the arena from outside, she has no luggage? Did Seth Rollins really steal everything out of her closet? Stealing is wrong, Seth. Shame on you.<\/p>\n<p><b>UNDER-APPRECIATED &#8211; UNINTENTIONAL SYNERGY<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Did anyone else happen to notice the Jimmy Uso emoji on Johnny Gargano\u2019s jacket, during their entrance? It\u2019s a smiley face with one eye squinting and one eye open. I think it\u2019s adorable that Johnny Wrestling is a fan of The Bloodline. They really are just like us! It\u2019s refreshing to not simply have a face team versus a heel team in this Creed Brothers versus D.I.Y. Match, which would become more and more predictable as the slots filled out for the ladder match. I dig it.<\/p>\n<p><b>UNDER-APPRECIATED &#8211; HEYMAN STEALS THE SHOW<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Only Paul Heyman can take something as simple as a backstage apology (to Adam Pearce), and turn it into an Aaron Sorkin-level conversation. He truly deserves his Hall of Fame induction. Paul is such a unique, once in a lifetime mind for this business. I mourn the day he retires.<\/p>\n<p><b>OVERRATED &#8211; THE WWE SHOWS ITS TELL<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Well, The Creed Brothers have an augmented reality graphic, and D.I.Y. does not. That\u2019s like noticing a facial twitch when someone is bluffing at poker. WWE just showed its cards that The Creed Brothers are going over. I\u2019m not mad at it. Did you see Julius Creed\u2019s vertical leap in his entrance? That man jumps high enough to make Wiz Khalifa say \u201cthat\u2019s too high\u201d.<\/p>\n<p><b>UNDER-APPRECIATED &#8211; TRUE TAG TEAM WRESTLING<\/b><\/p>\n<p>This match between The Creed Brothers and D.I.Y. started off a bit slow and clunky for my taste, but like a fine snowball rolling down a hill, it got cooler and bigger and faster-paced. Once the two teams started whipping out creative double-team moves, the match really lit up. It was like watching a bunch of Swiss Army knives brawling in the ring, inventive application after inventive application. I think the gold medal has to go to Brutus Creed though. I\u2019ve never been impressed with this manchild, but tonight he won me over. Also, I feel bad for this ref and the fact that he was rejected in the initial casting for <i>Jersey Shore. <\/i>Keep up the G.T.L. while reffing D.I.Y., Mr. overly-muscular, and overbaked official. Snooki made it from the shore to WrestleMania, perhaps you can make it from \u2018Mania to the shore. Captain Look At Me aside, Julius\u2019 knee to feet standing suplex was absolutely insane. Kip ups are cool and all, but that is much cooler.<\/p>\n<p><b>UNDER-APPRECIATED &#8211; INTOXICATING CAMERA WORK<\/b><\/p>\n<p>There is nothing I love more than coming out of a commercial break, into an epic steady cam shot, slowly walking toward and around the ring, with a sea of rabid fans going nuts. They did this shot yet again during the D.I.Y. versus Creeds match, and I don\u2019t think I\u2019m ever going to get sick of this stylish shot. It just makes WWE feel so epic in scale that it\u2019s almost intoxicating. I\u2019m drunk in awe of this cinematography lately. Here\u2019s to hoping that NXT is a good hangover cure. Side note, I also absolutely loved the over-the-shoulder shot of Johnny Gargano begging for and getting a hot tag from Tomasso Ciampa. It made me feel like I was right in the action, or at least wearing an overpriced Apple Vision Pro. Real or digital, it was awesome. The \u201cOh yay it\u2019s my turn\u201d look on Johnny Gargano\u2019s face was about as priceless as Kurt Angle in a tiny cowboy hat.<\/p>\n<p><b>OVERRATED &#8211; BUCK THE TREND, ALREADY<\/b><\/p>\n<p>If I had one complaint against the Creeds versus D.I.Y. match, it would be the overly synchronized, Young Bucks-esq tag team moves. It\u2019s fun, but super pass\u00e9 and makes me feel like this isn\u2019t real. After all, nothing syncs up in real life, why should it in wrestling? It\u2019s supposed to at least give off the illusion that it\u2019s real, kind of like watching <i>Jersey Shore. <\/i>Don\u2019t worry ref, your time will come.<\/p>\n<p><b>UNDER-APPRECIATED &#8211; D.I.Y. DEFIES EXPECTATIONS<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Well, I am thrilled to announce that I was wrong about D.I.Y. losing to The Creed Brothers, and happily so. Tomasso Ciampa and Johnny Gargano are so beyond overdue for their moment in the sun, and I\u2019m stocked up with enough sunblock and sunglasses to be there for it. No need to pat yourselves in the back, I\u2019ll do it for you.<\/p>\n<p><b>OVERRATED \/ J.D. MCDONAGH\u2019S VEST<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Rhea Ripley telling Andrade that Judgment Day is a very exclusive club was completely undermined by J.D. McDonagh and his purple vest reiterating how exclusive it is. McDonagh, need I remind you that your bobble head was booted out of the faction by R-Truth. And yet you hang on, like a leech, someone who can take the bumps the rest of the team can\u2019t. I am extremely happy to see TJD start to turn on J.D. McWannaBe. Please God, let it be so. I would much rather have Andrade in the faction than J.D. McDonna (yes I spelled that wrong on purpose). It\u2019s not that I hate McDonagh, I just can\u2019t get over the fact that they\u2019re bogging down this killer faction with a guy that looks like a Funko Pop figure of Hugh Grant as an Oompa Loompa.<\/p>\n<p><b>UNDER-APPRECIATED &#8211; BRAY WYATT<\/b><\/p>\n<p>That promo for the Bo Dallas-led documentary about his brother, Bray Wyatt, looks heart-wrenchingly engrossing. What a beautiful mind for this industry that was taken from us in his prime. As someone who met Bray a handful of times at events here and there, I can attest that there truly has never been a more caring, thoughtful, and ever-present superstar with his fans. I can\u2019t wait to watch this, and I\u2019m still holding out hope for a Bray Wyatt, WWE Hall of Fame induction this year. Side note, that was a beautiful shot of the audience doing the fireflies (cell phone lights) for old times. I still want to buy a rocking chair because of his amazing character work, btw. Missed opportunity by WWE shop to not put out some relaxation-fueled merch.<\/p>\n<p><b>OVERRATED &#8211; LACK OF CONTINUITY<\/b><\/p>\n<p>This may just be the TV producer in me, which has dominated my life for the better part of 20 years, but I saw Cody Rhodes enter the arena WITHOUT a jacket. I even commented on how cool and like the common folk he looked. But now, miraculously he has a jacket? In a word\u2026wow. Did he have a tailor backstage that sewed this bad boy together over the course of a singular hour? Did he have a dry cleaning delivery made to Raw? Or did he, too, steal from someone, like Seth Rollins, and call it his own apparel. On yet another side note, yes I know I have a lot, there\u2019s my side note about side notes, the sea of yellow \u201cWe want Cody\u201d signs, that inexplicably have the exact same font and formatting, feels forced. Unless someone in the audience handed those out, this feels like WWE trying a little too hard. Cody is over\u2026way over. He\u2019s Taylor Swift over. You don\u2019t need to force his positive reinforcement. I already know a Dairy Queen Blizzard is delicious. I don\u2019t need you screaming it in my face as you hand it to me\u2026unless it\u2019s free.<\/p>\n<p><b>UNDER-APPRECIATED &#8211; CODY BURNS THE ROCK<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Nice dig by Cody Rhodes playing up that The Rock wasn\u2019t there. That\u2019s a clever way to take his floundering popularity and turn it against him. I also really like Cody playing into wrestling terminology we all know (and love). It\u2019s a nice niche for him to swim in, that wouldn\u2019t be possible if Vince McMahon were still around. Fortunately, Paul \u201cTriple H\u201d Levesque is our Aladdin now, and we\u2019re flying into a whole new world. It was a glorious tip of the hat to smart marks such as yours truly, who know the lingo, listen to the podcasts and devour op-ed columns, such as the one\u2026right here\u2026on PWTorch (as he gives a Mick Foley thumbs up).<\/p>\n<p><b>UNDER-APPRECIATED &#8211; CODY RHODES, PYRO MANIAC\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<p>I didn\u2019t know rocks were flammable until tonight, because Cody Rhodes just taught a master class on how to set ablaze even the most unburnable. From diatribes about his badass mother, to saying Rock has been crying this whole time, one (very) below the belt comment, this promo is incendiary. I also enjoyed the subtle nod to my buddy, (former WWE writer) Brian Gewirtz. Another inside baseball line from Cody that totally works. When Cody is in his element he\u2019s like throwing a Molotov cocktail into a winery, everything burns and it\u2019s glorious to watch it all burn. Wow, that makes me sound like a pyro maniac. Oh well, burn it down and ignore it, like the only catchphrase Seth Rollins has that he completely avoids. Special mention to Paul Heyman for playing his cowardly character picture perfectly. His performance enhanced the entire segment, which was already top shelf. Paul is like the cherry on a delicious Sundae, he doesn\u2019t need to be there, but my God, does he ever upgrade the presentation. Even the way he timidly and surprisingly shook Cody\u2019s hand when they agreed for both competitors (Cody and Roman Reigns) to show up alone on Smackdown.<\/p>\n<p><b>OVERRATED \/ NIA JAX\u2019S MOLDY PROMO<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Nia Jax is so bad on the mic that I literally cringe every time we\u2019re about to enter a talking segment with her. This latest promo was no exception. She started by saying she just realized that Becky Lynch has never beaten her. You know what I just realized? You\u2019ve never cut a good promo, and for some reason, they just keep letting you speak. Doing the same thing again and again and expecting a different result is the definition of insanity. Has WWE lost it? No, of course not. WWE is on fire right now (hehe, fire), but someone behind the scenes needs to get their head screwed on tighter. Nia needs a mouthpiece if they\u2019re going to continue pushing her. She is a Titanic to her own character every time she opens her mouth, and breaks our ears (worse than she wants to break Becky\u2019s face) with whatever hot garbage she wants to say in a trashy way. Nia Jax is like some hard to get rid of mold. If you don\u2019t fix the issue fast, everything spreads and gets harder to fix later. Spray the mold, WWE. Spray the mold.<\/p>\n<p><b>OVERRATED &#8211; PAT MCAFEE GOES FULL QUIBI<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Pat McAfee just brought back the ridiculously low-rent play-by-play graphic. I hate this. I think it waters down and cheapens a top-shelf product. Not only did he bring it back, he brought it back to recap himself doing the Yeet Wave. Pat, why? I get that you wanted to make a joke about almost blowing out your knee, but couldn\u2019t you have just said that on commentary in passing? That wasn\u2019t worth depriving us of the sea of boos Dominik Mystery gets during his entrance. That was self-serving, time-wasting, and in the words of the Tribal Chief, Roman Reigns\u2026stupid. Some things in life are worth exploring\u2026others become worse than Quibi. Pat, tonight you jumped the shark AND went full Quibi. There\u2019s no coming back from Quibi, Mr. McAfee. There is no coming back.<\/p>\n<p><b>UNDER-APPRECIATED &#8211; PAT MCAFEE\u2019S MODERATE REDEMPTION<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Pat McAfee calling Ricochet a\u201dhuman joystick\u201d cracked me up because it\u2019s totally true. Joysticks don\u2019t talk, they just instigate action. Well played McAfee. I\u2019m not releasing you from bad announcer jail yet, but you\u2019re certainly in the good behavior category. Special shoutout to the fan sign for Dominik Mysterio that says \u201cEddie is your real father\u201d. Well-played, anonymous fan, well played indeed. Also, it\u2019s true. Now that I think about it though, why didn\u2019t the sign say \u201cEddie is your real Papi\u201d? Missed opportunity, anonymous fan. I also enjoyed McAfee and Michael Cole\u2019s back and forth about how Dom would probably get booed at his own wedding\u2026by his own group. This is a fun wink to fans since Dominik just did get married to his high school sweetheart, and Damian Priest guided the crowd in booing him, hilariously I might add. I really like this new open window policy of mentioning things, even subtly, that exist outside of the WWE bubble. It makes the product more fun, and rewards us for being well-read, smart marks.<\/p>\n<p><b>OVERRATED &#8211; MCAFEE OVER-RICOCHET\u2019S RICOCHET, DURING A RICOCHET MATCH<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Pat McAfee is saying Ricochet\u2019s name too many times during this match. It\u2019s absurdly distracting. He\u2019s literally starting and ending sentences with \u201cRicochet.\u201d Pat, is it really true that only Ricochet can do the things that Ricochet can do? I\u2019m sure Ricochet appreciates the Ricochet love as he Ricochets around the ring during the Ricochet match. There are such things as pronouns, Mr. McAfee, and believe it or not, they\u2019re free to use!<\/p>\n<p><b>OVERRATED &#8211; MOO MOO BOOTS<\/b><\/p>\n<p>I truly enjoy the heel version of Dominik Mysterio. He\u2019s managed to tap into the most annoying version of himself and it resonates in a (proper) negative way with the fans, who by the way, were referred to as \u201cthe Raw audience\u201d by Paul Heyman earlier. That would have never flown in the Vince McMahon era. That was both jarring and refreshing. Back to Dom. I enjoy him, but why oh why is he wearing what looks like cow print boots? I didn\u2019t even know moo moo boots were a thing. Does this go with the apron he\u2019s wearing? Is he cooking burgers? Now I\u2019m confused and hungry. On a side note, I like to think Dominik\u2019s cheat day meal consists of Dino Nuggies and chocolate milk\u2026with a color-changing twisty straw. His meal may or may not also come with a toy, which I bet he complains about to the manager if they omit it.<\/p>\n<p><b>UNDER-APPRECIATED &#8211; MCDONAGH TAKES A GREAT BUMP<\/b><\/p>\n<p>J.D. McDonagh, despite his Purple People Eater Biker Club vest, took an amazing looking bump on the ring apron, thanks to Ricochet. He sold that like Tesla stock in Saudi Arabia. Well-done, sir. Let\u2019s have you take more bumps like that, and more, and then some more. I\u2019m not saying I want you to get hurt. I\u2019m just saying I think you finally found a way to be useful on Raw, playing the role of rag doll. Hey, crash test dummies were all the rage in the \u201890s. They even had action figures that dismembered themselves upon impact. We don\u2019t need to go that far, but embrace the pain, and when you grow up, you too may get over. Probably not, but it\u2019s good to have dreams! Side note, does anyone else think J.D. McDonagh has trouble getting into R-rated movies if he forgets his McLovin-adorned fake I.D.?<\/p>\n<p><b>OVERRATED &#8211; READY, WILLING BUT NOT ABLE<\/b><\/p>\n<p>I\u2019m all for pumping up (or down) Sami Zayn\u2019s insurmountable odds of beating Gunther. It has shades of Shawn Michaels trying to talk Triple H out of trying to beat The Undertaker at WrestleMania 28. The dynamic works, and seeding plausible doubt will make the win much sweeter. That said, I don\u2019t think they teach acting at Alpha Academy. This was painful to watch Chad Gable attempt to hit scripted lines. He may have been READY. He may have been WILLING. But he certainly wasn\u2019t (G)ABLE.<\/p>\n<p><b>UNDER-APPRECIATED &#8211; WRESTLING LASIK<\/b><\/p>\n<p>I absolutely loved seeing the camera follow Sami Zayn through the entrance, backstage and right up to Miz, R-Truth and D.I.Y., which then seamlessly transitioned in their segment. That was bold, brilliant and incredibly effective. Did the camera operator just finish watching <i>Goodfellas<\/i> with the amazing tracking shot into the restaurant? Whatever is inspiring some of the best cinematography in wrestling history, please keep it up. Man, that was cool. I feel like I just saw a praying mantis for the first time. It rarely happens, but when it does, it\u2019s hard to look away and impossible to forget. Just when I think it can\u2019t possibly get better, they continue the single shot, this time following The Awesome Truth back through the entrance and to the ring. Where has this bold shooting been all my life?! I feel like I just got wrestling LASIK and I\u2019m seeing it as it should be seen for the first time. Special mention to another subtly effective joke about R-Truth being blissfully unaware of who is fighting Indus Sher.<\/p>\n<p><b>OVERRATED &#8211; NOT SO AWESOME BOTCH<\/b><\/p>\n<p>The Miz totally botched his spot of being thrown out of the ring, and converting the momentum into a kick to Jinder Mahal. It was so slow and delicate, it looked like he was lifting his feet gingerly to Jinder\u2019s face, as if to say \u201ckiss my toes\u201d. Go back and watch it again. It\u2019s like watching a toddler or an elderly man fall in slow motion. You\u2019re welcome. That was awkward and really stained a decent match. Miz doesn\u2019t usually miss like this. Let\u2019s blame Jinder. Jinder, please don\u2019t hinder Miz. I also didn\u2019t realize Truth got hit and accidentally won the match by falling onto an opponent for the pin. I was so distracted by the botch, that I completely missed it the first time around. I agree with Michael Cole that seeing this recapped was actually an effective use of The Pat-istrater (is that really what we\u2019re going with?).<\/p>\n<p><b>UNDER-APPRECIATED &#8211; PALATABLE GABLE<\/b><\/p>\n<p>If you go back and rewatch the second Sami Zayn and Chad Gable interaction, when Chad goes to walk away, he nearly walks straight into a pallet. He hilarious shifts to the side and continues forward as if it never happened. This pretty much sums up Chad Gable\u2019s start and stop momentum in WWE. He\u2019s great, but always seems to run into things that stop him in his tracks.<\/p>\n<p><b>OVERRATED &#8211; VENTRILOQUISTS IN THE AUDIENCE?<\/b><\/p>\n<p>I enjoyed seeing Drew McIntyre\u2019s reaction to Seth \u201cI Almost Dressed Normal Tonight\u201d Rollins, interrupting him. At one point, WWE hilariously cut to close up of a cluster of fans, presumably to catch them singing Seth\u2019s song. Unfortunately for WWE, every single person had their lips pursed, not saying a word. Unless every single one of them are ventriloquists, WWE completely misfired on choosing who to cut to. It\u2019s forgivable and understandable though, considering the upside of them taking bold shots, more than ever before. It\u2019s a sacrifice I\u2019m willing to make for them, for us, for the WWE Universe (or The Raw Audience, as Paul Heyman calls it).<\/p>\n<p><b>UNDER-APPRECIATED &#8211; KID\u2019S CHOICE AWARDS-CHIC<\/b><\/p>\n<p>This is by far the coolest, most normal looking Seth Rollins has presented himself in a very long time. This is a cool Kid\u2019s Choice Awards-chic style that kind of works for him. It\u2019s loud without being flamboyant, and outrageous without being annoying. Seth, let\u2019s strive for the same with our personality too, yes? If you do, I promise to sing your song, with actual moving lips, unlike the ventriloquists they cut to during your entrance. Please. Thank you. You\u2019re welcome. I don\u2019t think Seth was anticipating the crowd taking his \u201cI\u2019m a spotlight junkie\u201d joke, turning it and chanting it against him. He seems to think the crowd is supporting him with this, but I think it\u2019s an audible rejection. He really needs to get out of this identity crisis, and figure out who he is as a grounded main eventer. He doesn\u2019t need this gimmick of being visually extreme.<\/p>\n<p><b>UNDER-APPRECIATED &#8211; DREW\u2019S PIPE BOMBS<\/b><\/p>\n<p>I don\u2019t think I\u2019ve ever seen Drew McIntyre more effective and engaging than he has been the last several weeks. From turning the \u201cWhat?\u201d against C.M. Punk, to pointing out Seth Rollins is a parody of himself, I\u2019m literally hanging onto every word he says. He\u2019s like the hot fudge at the bottom of a sundae, you want to soak in every last bit of it. Yes, I know I\u2019m making too many ice cream references, but I\u2019m still mad C.M. Punk never got his ice cream bars.<\/p>\n<p><b>OVERRATED &#8211; SETH ISN\u2019T LIKABLE<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Seth Rollins is really struggling to find a foothold in being likable. Bragging about loving the spotlight isn\u2019t a likable trait, Seth. You had a few good jabs against Drew McIntyre, poking fun at him winning in an empty arena, but it wasn\u2019t enough to endear fans to you. The novelty of a song will wear off. Remember Fandango? How about Bobby Roode? The song singing gives you a platform, but you have to shift away from it, and not put all your eggs in that basket. I worry about Seth\u2019s status as a main eventer once his novelty gimmick cools off. I guess he can always sell the wardrobe to traveling carnival clowns. Seth is like a lemon in a diet soda. His flavor can enhance everything under the right conditions, but alone, he\u2019s just a bitter taste nobody wants.<\/p>\n<p><b>UNDER-APPRECIATED &#8211; OTIS\u2019S STOMACH<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Talk about a gut punch. I personally love this whole schtick of Otis \u201cstomaching\u201d people, as Pat McAfee so-lovingly adorned it. It\u2019s made especially entertaining when he does his little \u201coh yeah\u201d dance. Side note, that\u2019s the same dance I imagine Macho Man doing when he used to eat Slim Jim\u2019s in private.<\/p>\n<p><b>OVERRATED &#8211; ACTUAL SUICIDAL DIVES<\/b><\/p>\n<p>I don\u2019t think anyone should be doing a suicide dive unless their body mass is large enough to be an unstoppable force. Akira Tozowa hit Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods like a toddler running into a brick wall. Go back and watch it. He flies, hits New Day, and his body drops vertically and abruptly so. I don\u2019t think New Day even took a step back from the force. What was he thinking? I think Akira Tozowa is like a WWE2K24 create-a-wrestler gone wrong. In other news, Xavier turning something as simple as stepping through the ropes, into a tornado DDT was a thing of beauty. This guy is so smart, it\u2019s almost like he has a P.H.D. or something (at the risk of muddying my joke, he actually does). I also think WWE was smart enough to put The New Day in the ladder match. As entertaining as Otis is, Tozowa would detract from the match entirely.<\/p>\n<p><b>UNDER-APPRECIATED &#8211; NIA VERSUS THE TABLE<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Watching Nia Jax, not once, not twice, but three times, fail to do something as simple as set up a table was absolutely hilarious. You can tell she was annoyed and let it get to her. She shouldn\u2019t have abandoned setting it up though. Even though she\u2019s a heel, it\u2019s a bad look. It makes her look dangerous and careless, in a bad way. But I\u2019ll be damned if it isn\u2019t entertaining to watch her try to set the table. Kudos to the crowd for a first ever \u201cFix the table\u201d chant.<\/p>\n<p><b>UNDER-APPRECIATED &#8211; MANHANDLE SLAM THROUGH THE TABLE<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Becky Lynch putting Nia Jax through the table with a Manhandle Slam looked fantastic (if not a little dangerously off-center). Not done yet, Bex putting Nia through the announce table with a leg drop off the ladder was even better. Becky needed this extreme rub of dangerous spots to boost her popularity. She has been quite stale lately, and this match was very clunky, but Becky took enough spectacular risks in this match to earn some goodwill back with fans. That said, Rhea Ripley coming out right after, while it makes sense, waters down Becky\u2019s boost. Rhea is insanely over this year.<\/p>\n<p>I\u2019ll be back Friday for another edition of the talk-a-thon. See you then!<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><strong>RECOMMENDED NEXT:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/2024\/03\/18\/wwe-raw-results-3-18-kellers-report-on-becky-vs-nia-jax-in-last-woman-standing-match-gunther-and-sami-sign-contracts-wwe-tag-title-qualifying-matches\/\">WWE RAW RESULTS (3\/18): Keller\u2019s report on Becky vs. Nia Jax in Last Woman Standing match, Gunther and Sami sign contracts, WWE Tag Title Qualifying matches<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>OR CHECK THIS OUT AT PROWRESTLING.NET:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/prowrestling.net\/site\/2024\/03\/19\/powells-wwe-raw-hit-list-becky-lynch-vs-nia-jax-in-a-last-woman-standing-match-cody-rhodes-promo-gunther-and-sami-zayn-contract-signing-wmxl-tag-team-title-ladder-match-qualifiers\/\">Powell\u2019s WWE Raw Hit List: Becky Lynch vs. Nia Jax in a Last Woman Standing match, Cody Rhodes promo, Gunther and Sami Zayn contract signing, WMXL tag team title ladder match qualifiers<\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"pwtor-end-article-groups pwtor-entity-placement\" id=\"pwtor-2667723981\"><div id=\"pwtor-1484004119\"><div align=\"center\" data-freestar-ad=\"__336x280\" id=\"pwtorchcom_medrec_3\">\r\n  <script data-cfasync=\"false\" type=\"text\/javascript\">\r\n    freestar.config.enabled_slots.push({ placementName: \"pwtorchcom_medrec_3\", slotId: \"pwtorchcom_medrec_3\" });\r\n  <\/script>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\nTHANK YOU FOR VISITING<\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<div class=\"mh-excerpt\"><p>It\u2019s time for another Monday Night Raw, so let\u2019s see how far the WWE can stretch the Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins dynamic. Will it stretch all the way to WrestleMania, or snap in the <a class=\"mh-excerpt-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/2024\/03\/19\/over-unders-wwe-raw-3-18-seth-isnt-likable-otiss-stomach-cody-relaxes-a-bit-jey-usoss-star-power-nia-jax-main-eventing-heyman-steals-the-show-more\/\" title=\"OVER &#038; UNDERS &#8211; WWE RAW (3\/18): Seth isn&#8217;t likable, Otis&#8217;s stomach, Cody relaxes a bit, Jey Usos&#8217;s star power, Nia Jax main eventing, Heyman steals the show, more\">[&#8230;]<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":175462,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"episode_type":"","audio_file":"","podmotor_file_id":"","podmotor_episode_id":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","filesize_raw":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","itunes_episode_number":"","itunes_title":"","itunes_season_number":"","itunes_episode_type":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[52,28,27],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-175461","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-opnionandanalysis","category-specialists_hitsandmisses","category-specialists"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/post\/2024\/03\/Screenshot-2024-03-19-at-1.54.41\u202fPM.png","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/175461","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=175461"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/175461\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":175463,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/175461\/revisions\/175463"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/175462"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=175461"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=175461"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=175461"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}