Next Monday's RAW

[Lord of The Curry 0]

I'm in the discussing mood tonight so let's hit it.

 

With the rating of RAW last night coming in at an ass-sucking 3.0 (yes, I know it was because of baseball) and the extremely lackluster reaction to the PPV tonight, the WWE needs to get back into shape and quick, especially since Surivor Series is around the corner and it's known for delivering at least one big match. The PPV, however, gives them some interesting routes in terms of where they want to go in terms of plots and storyline buildup for Surivor Series.

 

The Current Players

 

HHH- Da Champ. Still holdin' it down. Will most likely feud with Orton going into SS.

 

Orton- Beat Flair clean as a whistle. So did Rico. Feud with HHH iminent.

 

HBK- Out for I don't know how long with some kind of injury. Will he even be on the show?

 

Benoit- The One Man Army himself is probably going to get involved in some kind of feud with Edge, even though he's been in a feud with Evolution since after the Royal Rumble.

 

Flair- I'll give credit where I belives it's due and I thought Flair looked better then he had in a while on RAW in the tag match. Still not much but he looks like he was trying a bit harder with this Orton thing, though I'm not sure as to how much it will work in Orton's favour. Face status with Evolution is questionable.

 

Edge- Heel turn complete. Induction into Evolution still possible. Currently involved w/ Benoit as a tag champ and hopefully not a "Tag Team who hates each other" angle.

 

BATISTA- Dave is still pimp tight and silky smooth as the Metrosexual Monster (credit: Malibu) of Evolution. I don't expect to see him leave anytime soon. Dave rules.

 

Jericho: Now title-less, Chris is wandering dangerously into the "nothing to do"

zone which means a heel turn is a possibility.

 

Benjamin- The IC champ. Good for Benjy. They'll probably botch the reign but it'd be nice if it works for him.

 

Some potential storylines that could come out of the future for this.............

 

- I'm not sure how it should be worked into the storylines but I could definetly see the following happen: Edge and Benoit each get to choose a partner for the vacant/suspended tag titles and we somehow manage to get Edge and Christian vs Jericho and Benoit. Not as impossible as one would think.

 

- Flair getting kicked out of Evolution at this point makes sense but I don't know if they'll pull the trigger on it this week. If they're going to induct Edge into Evolution him taking Flair out could work fine but then there's the matter of the tag titles w/ Benoit.

 

- A heel turn for somebody besides Edge. I wouldn't put it past WWE to turn Benoit Monday night because they probably don't have anything planned out for him to do.

 

Lay your thoughts down, yo.

 

DISCUSS.

[CBright7831 0]

- A heel turn for somebody besides Edge. I wouldn't put it past WWE to turn Benoit Monday night because they probably don't have anything planned out for him to do.

Fixed.

 

Anyway, my thoughts will be up later.

 

I'm sure everyone cares.

[The Niggardly King 0]

They should let the opening segment be Benjamin talking about his new gold. HHH comes out cuts the standard promo about him being better than Benjamin, took Michaels out for good, etc. Benjamin then talks about HHH never being able to defeat him, so have Bischoff being bald come out, and angry, saying they're wasting valuable time. Leads to a both titles on the line match between Benji/HHH for the Main Event.

 

After this well have opening tag of the new team Palumbo/Richards vs The Comic Heros. Palumbo and Richards go over, and Richards cuts a heel post match promo saying that you're looking at the next Tag Champions.

 

Orton backstage segment with Christain. This will lead into a feud with the two.

 

Something involving Rhyno and Snitsky. This will lead into a major ongoing feud between the two. Snitsky is mad that Rhyno took the last parking space, and Snitsky had to drive around for an hour finding one.

 

A bunch of filler crap. More filler crap.

 

Jericho puts over Benjamin before his Main Event match. There is respect between the two now. Jericho has Benji's back.

 

Main Event - It gets a solid twenty minutes, and leads to a finish simllar to the Bulldog/Michaels match where Benjamin has HHH for the German Suplex pin, but the ref counts Benjamin's shoulders down, while Earl Hebner knocked out around the fourteen minute mark is awake now, and counted HHH's shoulders.

 

All of this should lead to nothing afterwards.

[Lord of The Curry 0]

I'm not feelin' it.

 

This thread was made in the interest of serious discussion.

[Guest LooneyTune]

Sounds like a serious post considering some crap we've gotten over the years, but I don't see Palumbo/Richards getting any kind of a push anytime soon.

 

I'll have to read about or watch the show to try and pull something together, but Snitsky...the #2 heel? I am shocked...

[geniusMoment 0]

They are lucky there will be no world series game on Monday evening. If the Red Sox make it to the series, I cannot imagine many people would have been watching Raw.

[JoeDirt 0]

I kind of like the idea of Jericho/Benoit vs. Edge/Christian...those guys worked well together in the past, and it would definitely lead to some great promos and matches. And we'll see how long HBK is out, but he definitely has a feud ready to go with Edge when he gets back, too.

 

I'm really digging the bitter heel Edge right now. People tonight were comparing him to Bret Hart circa 1997, and that's a good thing for him right now, I think. Heels are the best when it feels like they truly believe in their cause, and Edge's promos have made sense and created a much better character for him. He says that he should get a title shot because Benoit and HBK have had plenty of chances before...which is true. He's already bitter at the fans for booing him in Toronto at Summerslam, and now when HBK gets the title shot instead of him he ditches Benoit in the tag match to be a dick and costs HBK the title to be a dick. Good stuff, I really hope they keep going with this character for a while, because he's doing well with it.

 

Snitsky is clearly getting a monster heel push. So what's next for him? I really have no idea. I kind of shudder at the thought of a Benjamin/Snitsky feud for the IC title...

 

Oh, earlier I also wrote that I wouldn't be surprised if HHH turns on Flair on Monday, and feuds with him for a bit to give him something to do while he keeps the title until his Wrestlemania showdown with Orton.

 

And then we have Batista! Who should he feud with? Questions, questions...

[Fro 0]

Here's what I'm guessing as far as feuds go (it's likely they'll throw some of these guys together in a Survivor Series Elimination Match):

 

HHH v.s. Jericho

Orton v.s. Batista

Benoit v.s. Edge

Benjamin v.s. Christian

Rhyno v.s. Snitsky

 

OR

 

HHH v.s. Flair

Orton v.s. Batista

Benoit/Jericho v.s. Edge/Christian

Benjamin v.s. Snitsky

[Nevermortal 0]

I'm praying for Gene "The Black Jesus" Snitsky to take down the entire Raw roster in one fell swoop. He should start with the newly face Ric Flair.

 

"It wasn't my fault that Ric Flair died in the ring! He's old and frail!"

[SuperJerk 0]

I'm still guessing they'll save HHH/Orton 2 for Mania.

 

Even assuming HBK's out for a while, they can easily keep the two away from each other by having everyone (Jericho, Orton, Benoit, Benjamin, Regal vs. HHH, Flair, Batista, Edge, and Christian) in a big 10-man elimination match at Survivor Series.

 

Trips could then fued with Jericho leading up to the Rumble, while Orton is occupied with Edge or Christian. Benjamin vs. Christian or Batista also sounds good, as do Benoit vs. Edge or Edge vs. Benjamin.

[Just call me Dan 0]

I'd be willing to bet the EC will return to Survivor Series this year.

 

It'd be nice to see a Smackdown EC, but I'm not sure if that's a RAW exclusive, since it was "Bischoff's idea".

[Guest Loss]

I'm expecting another HHH/Benoit feud, since they refuse to put Jericho in even the Challenger Of The Month role for whatever reason, and HHH still needs his win back. Part of me also thinks they teased a Flair babyface turn as a backup plan if Orton still isn't over by January. Or, they could be looking to pair him with Flair and give Orton the rub. Or, they could be finding a way to kick Flair out to make room for two new members of Evolution. Could be a variety of things.

[MillenniumMan831 0]

Edge turning heel is obviously great.

 

Edge joining Evolution would suck. His whole gripe is that he's never had a World Title shot . . . and joining Evolution would guarantee he'd never get one . . . until he's kicked out and turns face again.

[justcoz 0]

I'd like to see Shelton Benjamin in Evolution actually.

[Black Lushus 0]

that'd be an interesting twist...so it seems after last night, Raw is open to all kinds of good plot twists and fueds...which of course means it will be all fucked up somehow...

[Guest Coffey]

I'm in the discussing mood tonight so let's hit it.

Well, good luck getting that here, in the WWE folder. Just a lot of one sentence and/or sarcastic [negative] replies.

 

I won't say anything about the ratings because they've never mattered to me. Even when The Monday Night Wars were going on, I didn't care what the ratings were or whom (between WWF and WCW) "won" the week. I just watched whichever segment was more entertaining at the time.

 

As far as the current "used" roster is concerned, well, it's pretty lackluster to say the least.

 

Chris Jericho, as most of us seemed to have thought, was lost while lurking around in the Intercontinental division. That being said, at least he was the champion of the midcard division. Now that he has lost the IC belt, what is he supposed to do? It he going to continue his feud with Batista or Christian? He seems to lack direction. Just another reason why WWE using rankings would be a good thing.

 

Shelton won the IC belt. That's all good, but it seems like it should've happened right after he beat Triple H for the first time. WWE may have waited too long. I guess we'll see. Personally, he really doesn't do "it" for me. I'd be a liar if I didn't admit that I marked out when he beat H³ the first time, but after that the ship sailed. WWE went to the well one too many times. Now I just feel apathy for the man. I guess he can get into my good graces again now that he's the IC champ. He'll get thrown into a title feud, which can only help.

 

Speaking of "The Game" I don't really have a problem with him. Hunter still entertains me, which I've pointed out multiple times in the past. He comes off as a main eventer. A title contender. It's not because of his win/loss record either. It's because of the way he presents himself. Not how he buries others, but he just looks like a champion. He dresses professionally, he can cut promo's, etc. Hell, even his ring attire where he now puts bandages around his knees under his kneepads enchances his image. Not to mention he has a good finisher and I think he plays a great heel. A lot of people would argue that he's used too much. I would agree to an extent, however you can't just stop using him because of the position that he's in. Someone would have to knock him down. You can't just up and depush him out of the blue. It's now like WWE would do that to him anyway.

 

It's a shame that Christian will never get that next push. He's so damn entertaining right now. "The Christian Coalition" is gold. Even better than the "peeps." He just oozes charisma. I'm actually a fan of his ring work too, which I know a lot of other people aren't because of the reliance of headlocks. He has a good finisher too.

 

Bastista? Bright future. From the past we've seen that he's pretty comfortable on the microphone. That's a good sign. He's getting better in the ring every week too. I really like how WWE has established that he has more than one move. He has his powerbomb (Bizzle Bomb) obviously, but his clothesline is made to look devastating too. Makes for better two counts because either one could win a match. Metrosexual Monster? I'm stealing it!

 

I don't know how I feel about Shawn Michaels. It's like, in the past, he really didn't entertain me all that much (outside of a couple matches, and maybe a few DX skits). However, since coming back, he always gives me entertaining matches. I don't want him as champion, and admittedly, I get upset when he wins big matches (like his match with Jericho at Wrestlemania). Still, I wouldn't mind him in a Rock type role. Big matches, but never winning. He could REALLY put someone over. Isn't it about time for another HBK heel turn? You know it'll happen again eventually.

 

WWE has to stop with Snitsky. He's like the laughing stock of the internet. People talk about him in a sarcastic way. Obviously it's getting ridiculous. He just beat Kane. What the hell? He's not even decent let alone good.

 

I'm not sure how it should be worked into the storylines but I could definitely see the following happen: Edge and Benoit each get to choose a partner for the vacant/suspended tag titles and we somehow manage to get Edge and Christian vs Jericho and Benoit. Not as impossible as one would think.

 

I would definitely be happy to see Edge & Christian back together, however I can't say that I feel the same way about Jericho and Benoit. I can't see Jericho and Benoit going back to tag teams again. They just shouldn't. They could both be main eventers. E&C I can see, however. Especially if they were made out to be kindof like how The Dudley Boyz were in ECW. I.E. they're unbeatable together, so thus, they can compete with ANYONE. Remember when Taz had a singles match against Buh-Buh Ray Dudley in ECW? Buh-Buh still came off as a threat to Taz just because The Dudleyz together were so dominant.

 

Besides, I can't get behind Edge's solo career. I still see big things for Chris Jericho, however. That's why I'm a little reluctant to see him return to tag wrestling. The last thing Raw needs is more tag main events.

 

If Edge & Christian do get back together, they need a tag team name and a tag team finisher this time around. Just another thing that has been lost over the years in WWE. You know how Edge used to do the Electric Chair Drop? Well, Christian does the Unprettier still...so they could just do, like, a double Unprettier. Christan goes about his move the same way, but Edge picks up their legs and then falls with Christian, but sit-out like he did for the Chair Drop. Just a simple double team move...but it'd work.

 

Flair getting kicked out of Evolution at this point makes sense but I don't know if they'll pull the trigger on it this week. If they're going to induct Edge into Evolution him taking Flair out could work fine but then there's the matter of the tag titles w/ Benoit.

 

Hmm. I don't know about Flair getting kicked out of Evolution, but perhaps retiring from the ring? Him and Orton could have another match and Flair could put his wrestling career on the line...then lose. I say have E&C both join Evolution. Then Evolution would have a REAL tag team. Flair could remain a manager, in a Bobby Heenan type role. He'd escort ALL of Evolution to the ring, not just Hunter.

 

Triple H, Batista, Edge & Christian are Evolution. Triple H, obviously, goes after the World Title. Batista goes for IC gold, and E&C would get the tag straps. I don't really know who would oppose them, but I'm sure it would change every so often anyway.

 

At least then you'd have ONE faction so that you can have a "classic" match at Survivor Series. They could face Shawn Michaels, Shelton Benjamin, Chris Benoit & Chris Jericho. If you wanted a five on five, throw in Ric Flair and Randy Orton. That'd be a pretty big main event match. Hell, make it a War Games or something even.

 

As far as the rest of the card is concerned, you could have a tag team title match, a women's title match and an undercard match meant to build someone up.

 

A heel turn for somebody besides Edge. I wouldn't put it past WWE to turn Benoit Monday night because they probably don't have anything planned out for him to do.

 

Well, I suggested Shawn Michaels earlier. I don't know about Benoit though. At least not for awhile because he just won the tag titles. So, I'd much prefer to see your idea of Jericho/Benoit play out and then have them split Rockers style. I'd watch a Benoit/Jericho feud again...especially if it were at the top of the card this time.

 

I'd like if WWE put all the tag teams on one show and abolished the other tag titles. Then Smackdown could focus on the cruiserweights more. I mean, there's not a women's divison on both shows. There's really not a lot of tag teams on Smackdown either, but if The Dudleys came back, E&C reformed and we also got, like, The Bashams, at least we could have some fresh matches.

 

If I had to pick two people for WWE to start using RIGHT NOW, they'd be The Hurricane and Tajiri. Both have proven they can get over. Tajiri was over when he was Regal's servant, and The Hurricane is still pretty over. They could help to start make a new IC division. Especially if you pushed the current crop higher. Like Jericho and Batista.

 

Raw just needs to spice things up. A new set, new commentators, something. Ya know? Even if it's just bringing in a third man on commentary. I have to admit, on Monday, when Vince did guest commentary, it was pretty entertaining. It would've been better is Lawler didn't keep questioning him, but still, it was decent. It was something fresh. WWE could really use someone like Don "Cyrus" Callis.

 

I'd like to see some more "little things" return too. Like how the wrestlers started using the tag ropes again. I'm a big fan of "tale of the tape" and think it should be used for EVERY match, not just every other title match. I'd also like to see the return of the referee checking each wrestlers boots and shit for foreign objects before starting the match. Also: have each man introduced in their corner and then have them walk to the middle of the ring for the stare-down before the bell rings. Just the little things. They make all the difference in the world. They make matches seem more important...and maybe it would motivate WWE to not just throw two random wrestlers together and say "you got four minutes."

 

I'd like to see Val Venis do something too. I've came up with a few things in the past, but, for the most part, they fell on deaf ears. I had an idea where Venis became "Perfect." Mr. Perfect could've been his manager after Venis went on a losing streak. Then it could've showed vignettes of Perfect training him...and we'd know how his progress was coming by the little things...like Venis throwing the towel behind his back and then catching it like Mr. Perfect used to do. Val could've even started using a couple of Mr. Perfect's spots in his matches. He used to do the Fisherman Suplex every now and then anyway, but he could've added a couple more, like the sit-down floatover neckbreaker thing that Perfect used to always do and a dropkick.

 

Then Mr. Perfect died. So, that idea was out the window.

 

So, I came up with another one. Val Venis would need a name change, even if he just started going by Sean Morley. He could be the "master of the cage match." Not as good as the original idea that I had with Perfect, but it could work. Make Morley a heel that will win at any costs and is only hungry for gold. Have him talk about how he's tired of all the entertainment and came to WWE, initially, because he felt they had the best competitors in the world. Have him challenge anyone...and win or lose the rematch would HAVE to be in a cage. Not just any cage though. Morley wants the big blue cage from back in the day. No door either. You win by climbing out. That's the only way. Have The Artist Formerly Known as Val Venis win some big time matches in the blue cage and suddenly the persona would follow him. Like Jeff Hardy and Ladders. Besides, it'd be cool to see the Money Shot off the top of the cage.

 

There you go Curry, that should spark at least a little conversation.

[AlwaysPissedOff 0]

I'm really digging the bitter heel Edge right now. People tonight were comparing him to Bret Hart circa 1997, and that's a good thing for him right now, I think.

I was just thinking the same thing and I think would really bring the awesome if he broke out Hart's "YOU TURNED YOUR BACKS ON ME!" line next RAW just to really drive the point home.

[Just call me Dan 0]

Yeah but what's with the fool exclaiming he's never had a title shot when he had 2 or 3 in 2002? It's baffling when the writers phase out history but a guy can't even remember his own title shots when his sole purpose is to be crowned champ?

[Guest Loss]

Edge never had a title shot in 2002. His match with Jericho when he was champ was non-title, and he never challenged HHH, Hulk Hogan, the Undertaker, the Rock or Brock Lesnar.

[Just call me Dan 0]

He challenged the Big Show the SD after SS in 2002, and he also challenged Lesnar in the UK.

[AlwaysPissedOff 0]

Wasn't the Lesnar match in the UK because Kurt was injured and they had to rearrange the card at the last minute?

[JoeDirt 0]

Yeah but what's with the fool exclaiming he's never had a title shot when he had 2 or 3 in 2002? It's baffling when the writers phase out history but a guy can't even remember his own title shots when his sole purpose is to be crowned champ?

He said he never had a world heavyweight title shot. He's had a shot at the WWE title, but not a shot at the heavyweight title since moving to RAW.

[Lord of The Curry 0]

The reason why I figure that we'll see some new Evolution members in the future is mainly because of HHH himsefl and his attempt to recreate Flair's legacy. They're down to three members, one of which's status is questionable. Most people are talking EC for SS but I still say that WarGames is a possibility. HHH has most likely thought the same thing and probably wouldn't want heels from other programs (Snitsky, Christian) to get involved in "his" feud. He would want the heel side to be his boys, to be Evolution.

 

I agree w/ what was said about Edge's title shot, it wouldn't make sense for him to join Evolution if he wants a match. Then again, logic doesn't nescessarily need to fit into this storyline and they could just have Edge say "I couldn't beat him so I joined him" or something to that effect.

[benoit4hor 0]

I wouldn't mind seeing a heel Edge, Christian, & Tomko faction feud with Evolution.

That would be interesting.

 

Christian vs Flair, Promos would be great Iam sure.

Tomko vs Batista, Its gonna happen sooner or later.

Edge vs HHH, Who's the bigger smart ass prick.

 

 

Not sure what to do with the faces though.

Shelton vs Jericho fued

Benoit vs Snitski fued

Regal turn on Eugene?

[Papacita 0]

I'd like to see a Benoit, Jericho, Flair, Orton vs Evolution/E&C match for Survivor Series. They could have HHH bring Edge into his camp by promising him a title shot if he can help him get Benoit and Co. out of the way. They could get Jericho in the mix by giving him either a non-title or DQ win over HHH on a Raw leading into the show, and just bring Christian along for the ride due to his history with Jericho. After that, they should at least have some kinda title program between HHH and Jericho, considering Jericho's been getting the strongest reactions on the show for months.

[Hunter's Torn Quad 0]

...and he also challenged Lesnar in the UK.

Until the recent tv tapings, with rare exceptions, this not being one of them, nothing in the UK 'happens' in WWE storylines.

[Guest GreatOne]

They are lucky there will be no world series game on Monday evening. If the Red Sox make it to the series, I cannot imagine many people would have been watching Raw.

Well there was back in 96 (Atl/NYY) actually which caused Bischoff to rant and rave over ATLANTA DESTROYING NEW YORK about ten times during Nitro

 

Which actually ended up like the whole Mon night wars in general: WCW (Atl) has the lead for a while, then WWE (NYY) slowly takes over and applies the death blow.

[Papacita 0]

Didn't Brock actually defend the title against Edge on a Smackdown in late-02? I remember them fighting and thinking it was weird because everyone thought they were protecting Edge for Mania or something at the time.

[Guest GreatOne]

I thought it was Edge against Big Show SD after Survivor Series that ended w Lesnar run-in or so...............

[Lord of The Curry 0]

Regal turning heel and replacing Flair in Evolution just came into my mind and I likes what I thinks.

 

Benoit/Orton/Flair/Jericho/Benjamin vs HHH/Batista/Regal/Edge/Christian.

 

Works for me.