OAO Raw Thread - July 9, 2007

[Human Fly 0]

After Cena beats Lashley at GAB (you know it is going to happen) they should book a Cena v. Hardy program at Summerslam with a ladder match. In terms of merchandise and crowd reaction Hardy is the clear # 2 face of Raw right now. Might as well strike while the iron is hot and before HHH comes back.

[Jingus 0]

I love how Kennedy fights to the end...always trying to punch out, escape, rake the eyes...whatever. He might go down, but he actually resists.

Yep, that's one of the things that made me like the guy the very first time I saw him wrestle. He's been doing that since his very first match. You don't see too much of that sort of thing these days other than in Japan. Over the years they've done a lot of that sort of thing.

 

I've never understood why we don't see more of it in the United States.

Laziness and lack of thinking. Young rookie wrestlers have spent their lives watching matches where a wrestler who gets picked up for a move typically just passively accepts his fate. Maybe shakes his head and says "no!" before he gets slammed, if he's a real ring general. So most of them never even think about how they'd be fighting like hell to escape, if this situation were real.

 

 

 

Someone explain to me: how did Super Crazy NOT win the stupid countdown thing last week? He had the shortest match, by far.

[2GOLD 0]

I love how Kennedy fights to the end...always trying to punch out, escape, rake the eyes...whatever. He might go down, but he actually resists.

Yep, that's one of the things that made me like the guy the very first time I saw him wrestle. He's been doing that since his very first match. You don't see too much of that sort of thing these days other than in Japan. Over the years they've done a lot of that sort of thing.

 

I've never understood why we don't see more of it in the United States.

Laziness and lack of thinking. Young rookie wrestlers have spent their lives watching matches where a wrestler who gets picked up for a move typically just passively accepts his fate. Maybe shakes his head and says "no!" before he gets slammed, if he's a real ring general. So most of them never even think about how they'd be fighting like hell to escape, if this situation were real.

 

 

 

Someone explain to me: how did Super Crazy NOT win the stupid countdown thing last week? He had the shortest match, by far.

 

It was only available to the four #1 contender nominations.

[cabbageboy 0]

Jingus, honestly it's because he's just a jobber and whether he won or not meant nothing. Speaking of that match Kennedy is just getting buried. He has had 3 matches on Raw and in those matches he got owned by Edge to lose the MITB, then jobbed in 30 seconds to Super Crazy (which was kind of a silly joke match, but still), and tonight Lashley beat him like a bitch. Have any of these additions to Raw meant a damn thing, besides Lashley? Booker and Kennedy are jobbers right now and have little credibility as main event heels. And if Lashley just jobs out to Cena I don't know where he can go after that, unless it's just to feud with Booker for the umpteenth time.

 

I was hoping Ron Simmons would just hold the "DAMN" for the rest of the show after seeing Haas/Benjamin in the back. Then near the end they cut back to them and then he finally says it.

 

This was a mostly forgettable Raw tonight but there were a couple of things I found interesting. I'm glad they finally put Beth Phoenix back on Raw, I've been ranting on this for months. Now bring up Katie Lea from OVW to be a face in the women's division and they might have something.

 

Also, man Cody Rhodes was over tonight. The guy has been on TV all of 2 weeks and has said nothing and the crowd was chanting his name. I actually wouldn't mind Cody's debut being in this Orton storyline, where Orton beats up his dad and gives him a concussion and Cody swears revenge. The GAB match will likely suck, but it could jump start a decent angle.

[Yuna_Firerose 0]

Alright, so who kissed who in the final match? I'm shamelessly curious.

[Matt Young 0]

Alright, so who kissed who in the final match? I'm shamelessly curious.

 

No one. Earlier on, Shelton Benjamin had promised to kiss Charlie Haas if Shelton did not beat his opponent, Paul London. Shelton lost, but no kiss took place.

[King Cucaracha 0]

Also, Booker vs. Lashley? Have they ever faced each other one on one before?

 

Judgment Day '06, King of the Ring finals.

 

And every week for about a month on Smackdown, both before and after.

 

I'm sorry. Sarcasm is the lowest form of wit, but it had to be 'asked'. Plus JR didn't seem to remember their 50 one on one matches the other week either.

[Wrestlefreak 0]

Orton/Dusty at GAB is gonna be crap. I hate when they put these old guys in matches. Just remember how bad Slaughter and Snuka were at Vengeance.

 

 

[Black Lushus 0]

Alright, so who kissed who in the final match? I'm shamelessly curious.

 

Ha! When there's male homosexual love, Yuna is all over it! That train's never late!

[2GOLD 0]

 

JR saying "the action is hard and heavy" to describe the main event was just the cap on one incredibly gay night of wrestling. I guess without Cena there to make gay jokes, we get different ways to get the homosexual tension across. Thanks writers!

 

Also, I'm not seeing where Booker has been a jobber or even buried since coming to RAW. He won the match over Val (it was Val right?) last week and except for the complete squash that was last night's main event, he has looked pretty good. His gimmick is still hilariously solid and his in ring work is still on par with most of the RAW roster. I can't see him ever getting the title on RAW but I can see him being a main event contender.

[Black Lushus 0]

We'll just see what happens when ol' Trips returns...

 

"Damn, that guy's back on my show? Didn't I bury his black ass once?"

[2GOLD 0]

We'll just see what happens when ol' Trips returns...

 

"Damn, that guy's back on my show? Didn't I bury his black ass once?"

 

Oh don't worry, HHH will put those two boys in their place. How many times does he have to teach them that white wrestlers are better and more deserving of a title belt?

[haVoc 0]

So I can look forward to Triple H burying Lashley? I'd really enjoy that.

[Yuna_Firerose 0]

Alright, so who kissed who in the final match? I'm shamelessly curious.

 

Ha! When there's male homosexual love, Yuna is all over it! That train's never late!

Oh shutup you It was close to 4am - or was it 3? whatever - and I was just tired enough to ask. Basically, if the RAW was worth downloading.

 

...And, wait, I'm a train?

[Black Lushus 0]

...And, wait, I'm a train?

it's an expression, my dear...I am not implying that you are train-like!

[Jingus 0]

Orton/Dusty at GAB is gonna be crap. I hate when they put these old guys in matches. Just remember how bad Slaughter and Snuka were at Vengeance.

I've seen Dusty wrestle several times over the past few years. As long as it's kept simple, he'll have no problems. He's not a completely broken-down crip like Snuka, and his opponent is a HELL of a lot more talented than Deuce or Domino (remember the classics he had with a similarly out-of-shape retiree in one Mick Foley?). Plus, it's a hardcore bullrope thingie, all he has to do is fire off a few Bionic elbows, get hit in the head with the cowbell and bleed a lot, and then get RKOd for the finish.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Agreed. Dusty can still brawl when he needs to. He was never a high-impact performer so his advanced age isn't as much of a detriment as it was to a guy like Snuka. As long as they keep this under ten minutes it's completely watchable.

[UseTheSledgehammerUh 0]

Dusty Rhodes admits that he is in no shape to wrestle.

 

And then he accepts.

 

So basically he tells the fans the match will suck, then expects them to purchase it.

[Dobbs 3K 0]

But it's a TEXAS BULLROPE MATCH! De American Dream's specialty! Dusty is gonna bring the plundah and take it to the pay windah!

 

Yeah, it's gonna suck. His son seems like he could have some charisma, though. The crowd seemed into his slap and staredown with Orton.

[Lt. Al Giardello 0]

Benjamin/London was an awesome match. Atleast they are doing something with Benjamin now.

[Jingus 0]

Yeah... like having him lose matches. And be gay. On his birthday.

[The Amazing Rando 0]

Yeah... like having him lose matches. And be gay. On his birthday.

 

 

Given the storyline of the match, you knew he would lose. At least it turned out to be just some goofy joke on Hass' behalf. I guess that birthdays are the same as hometowns...you can't escape jobbing. But they did not make him gay. It was not like he was prancing around saying "YES! I HOPE I LOSE!" THAT would be gay. As it stood he was not exactly very happy that he was put in that position or that he lost.

[Black Lushus 0]

Shelton "Jack Tripper" Benjamin.

[Chazz 0]

Benjamin/London was an awesome match. Atleast they are doing something with Benjamin now.

 

I bet it's totally forgotten and never brought up again by next week.

[Breakpack 0]

Benjamin/London was an awesome match. Atleast they are doing something with Benjamin now.

 

I bet it's totally forgotten and never brought up again by next week.

 

Shelton who?

[veseo 0]

I'm glad they finally put Beth Phoenix back on Raw, I've been ranting on this for months. Now bring up Katie Lea from OVW to be a face in the women's division and they might have something.

 

Also, man Cody Rhodes was over tonight. The guy has been on TV all of 2 weeks and has said nothing and the crowd was chanting his name. I actually wouldn't mind Cody's debut being in this Orton storyline, where Orton beats up his dad and gives him a concussion and Cody swears revenge. The GAB match will likely suck, but it could jump start a decent angle.

 

Actually, watching Lea for a short time now, I can't see her doing THAT memorable job on being face. I'd prefer Beth as a face and Lea as an arrogant bitch (which is her gimmick now), but if the heel is needed to be Melina's puppet, then yes, Lea isn't the most appropriate choice.

 

As for Cody, he definitely has that it factor that drives fans crazy. He, by far, is the most over face in OVW, which is surprising given his physics. I don't like the guy's promos, I haven't seem him wrestle much (1-2 matches), but he sure gets the pops.

[Hunter's Torn Quad 0]

Raw rating was a

 

3.3 or 3.4, full breakdown not available.

 

Any guesses on what segments, if any, dragged things down?

[fazzle 0]

All Hispanic fans stopped watching after seeing Super Crazy get screwed last week.

[haVoc 0]

Raw rating was a

 

3.3 or 3.4, full breakdown not available.

 

Any guesses on what segments, if any, dragged things down?

 

I'm gonna guess the backlash is starting to kick in. With WWE all over the news maybe parents aren't letting their younger kids watch the programs.

 

[The Niggardly King 0]

First hour got a 3.0, second hour got the usual 3.7. It might have had something to do with Cena not being on the show.

 

Dusty and Orton basically had the promo of the year. The match is going to rule for what it is, and Cody has a great natural babyface fire to him, so if they turn him heel... fuck, just don't turn him heel right out of the gates.