Raw Spolier - My huge gripe!!!

So it was decided that at Fast Lane it will be Brock v Reigns v Ambrose for a shot at HHH

Not only is it so very predictable that Reigns will pin Ambrose while the Wyatts attack Lesnar but my huge gripe.......

WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED TO THE REIGNS REMATCH!

The rematch clause has been around for years - are we supposed to just pretend it didn't exist??

think its like the authority are in charge now so they make the rules, they arnt gonna let reigns just have a rematch, they need to make him go through obstacles

They ignore the rematch clause all the time, it's nothing new. Randy Orton didn't get one when he lost. It's not really a rule, as much as a set of guidelines.

Do everything they can to strip Reigns off the title then hand him an opportunity to get it back? WWE logic.

I wonder if they will go with a straight up 1 on 1 again this year, last two years running its ending up as a triple threat (when Rollins cashed in) and once again this year the possibility is that the main event could be booed out of the building if it's Reigns v HHH.

Its just bad writing. They literally just screwed Reigns out of the title and they're giving him a chance to be No1 contenders match?

Also, it was 'impress the Authority' night, so they give the title match to two guys who werent in 'Impress the Authority' matches and a guy who wasnt even on the show? Brilliant.

Glad to see they're back to their best already after an excellent Rumble PPV with shoddy writing and inconsistent characters. Shout out to Maggle Cole showing a complete lack of indignation towards the Wyatts for cheating Lesnar out of the title and putting it down to 'Well, its not against the rules.' Its Poopie like this that puts ratings in the tank.

They had a very easy way to write that match together as well.

Authority could just say; Reigns you should get a title shot because you have a rematch clause, but that wouldn't be fair because you didn't even last the whole Rumble. So you'll have to face the other champion that was never pinned for the title; Brock Lesnar. Oh yeah and your good friend Dean Ambrose, he nearly won the Rumble, he'll be in the match too.

There you've got a good reason for those three to have a match, it stacks the odds against Reigns in a way that the Authority might do and it makes sense.

What they decided to do didn't make any sense at all.

Even if it was down to impressing the authority, the Jericho v Styles match was brilliant!

Brock Lesnar is the biggest draw in Wrestling and they're going to waste him on Bray Wyatt at the biggest attended WrestleMania of all time, just think about that.

I have no problem with that.

Is it just me that is totally fed up with suplex after suplex?

It's so bloody predictable!

I'm sorry but even if it's predictable he is literally the biggest draw and it is an absolute waste and to be honest derisory that he is being wasted in a match of so little importance. I'm sure they had other plans but injuries etc have ruined them but there must be something better for him than a feud with a guy who has lost every meaningful feud he has been in.

I was really hoping they would pull the trigger on a Bryan return and they would go down that route but it's clearly not happening...Brock vs Rock would be the perfect mainstream match but Dwayne's filming schedule likely put paid to that.

For the biggest Mania in history the lineup thus far is very very underwhelming and the main event is a repeat both in build up and in likely outcome as it was 3 years ago when it was done organically with Daniel Bryan. This time it has been forced upon the 'www universe' and there reaction to it tells you what they think of it.

There's some potentially very good wrestling matches to be had but whether they go on the main card and even get the necessary time allotment is another thing entirely.

To make matters worse, rumours are that Triple H is pushing for it to be Lesnar vs Strowman, rather than Lesnar vs Wyatt.

I think this Wrestlemania card is looking very underwhelming so far.

Intercontinental Championship
Ladder match
Kevin Owens vs Dean Ambrose (c) vs Sami Zayn vs AJ Styles

Tag Team Championships
New Day (c) vs Usos

Undertaker vs Kane?!?!

Brock Lesnar vs Braun Strowman or Bray Wyatt

WWE World Heavyweight Championship
Triple H vs Roman Reigns

We'll see The Rock in some form, probably supporting Reigns or the Usos, but insurance says he can't wrestle. Might even have Ronda Rousey supporting Reigns, to add to the numerous attempts to make him popular.

I don't think Daniel Bryan is going to be wrestling, or have a significant role at all. If he is going to, a match with Undertaker would seem his most logical spot. Otherwise I genuinely worry that Undertaker is going to be facing Kane or even the Big Show. I'm not sure who else will get the match.

Steve Austin hasn't been involved for a while bar his podcast so I'm not sure if he's going to be involved at all. Imagine at the very least they'll want him in some kind of segment.

Chris Jericho is pretty much redundant at this stage, every time he returns he becomes less and less relevant. I couldn't care less where he is on the card.

It'll be interesting to see if they'll have John Cena make an appearance, you'd think if he was capable they will at least try and have him cut a promo of some sort.

Agreed Crimey; very underwhelming indeed! If they go with Lesnar vs Strowman then that will genuinely stop me watching it full stop. Would be one of the biggest travestys to happen in quite some time and an absolute waste of a match with literally the most legitimate superstar they may have ever had on the roster.

Like i said there is potential there but will they make the necessary bookings to ensure it is fulfilled. I would hate to see AJ etc all in the same match just because I feel it doesn't give them all the chance to showcase what they can truly do (unless said match gets say 45 mins +) I also don't want to see Bryan on the card if his match is Taker because I don't think it will work as a match truth be told.

I had thought they could use this year as the perfect opportunity to turn Cena heel; more so now he is injured and unexpected to be seen. Could have him return and help authority keep title...but that wouldn't work as people would cheer Reigns losing out.. Had it been Ambrose that could work.

I just don't see how they can make us care about any of the main events (Brock vs Wyatt member...HHH vs Reigns...Kane vs Undertaker maybe) and when that's the case then you have a real issue regardless of how good the lower card is.

Would they possibly have HHH retain the title only to be attacked by Rollins after...would get Rollins straight over as a face (which I feel is where he needs to go on his return)

I don't think Rollins is going to be fit in time, not unless he's had a miraculous recovery.

Does he need to be fit to cost someone the title or make a statement of intent? Long as he is off crutches it could be done...

Just thinking of how they are going to save a main event which very few want to be honest. There is the option of making it a triple threat match...but doing that for the 3rd year in a row...they might as well come out and just say to the word...we have got it all wrong yet again!

I cant help but feel sorry for WWE in some degree. Loads of injuries to big names at the same time was a killer, especially when they havent built anyone up in years. Then when they finally DO build someone up and make them stand out its 'Eww we dont like him Super Cena 2.0 lol Poopie booking we hate Reigns'

If it were any other PPV Reigns vs HHH could work to get Reigns over and HHH would be a clearly defined heel, but Mania is the 2nd smarkiest crowd of the year so Reigns is likely to be booed regardless of what happens. HHH vs Reigns could have worked just as well without the title. Put the title on Wyatt or Lesnar to put a bit of intrigue into that feud and get Wyatt over for once.

Theres certainly poor writing but I have a feeling that if it was anyone but Reigns (IE; an Indy guy) then people would be frothing at the loins to see them go over HHH and the Authority for the title.

The first RAW after the Royal Rumble saw a significant bump in viewership this week. The show did 4,098,000 overall viewers

1st Hour - 4.1m
2nd Hour - 4.1m
3rd Hour - 3.9m

I mean, if Bray Wyatt cant get over this time, how many more chances does he need?

I'm still hoping beyond hope that Kevin Owens or more realistically AJ Styles could face Lesnar.

The feud between Roman Reigns and HHH meant it was apart from the Undertaket's match, they last one that actually needed the Title, putting the belt on AJ or Owens and having Lesnar hunt them down going into WrestleMania would have made either of those fueds logical too, I just don't see what Bray or even worse Strowman could bring to this particular table, we'd get nice creepy promos from Bray but when its said and done I'd expect a glorified job here.

I still expect Cena and his extreme powers of recovery to be ready for WrestleMania, I think the speed of his op suggests to me he was told he'd make it back in time, given their injury list I'd expect the ultimate WWE man to have worked through it till after Mania otherwise.

I was hoping beyond hope that Bryan would be backast night, heard people suggest they'd hold him off till after Mania, I just don't get why they'd even consider that given they have a dearth of genuine top level talent their fans actually want to cheer for.

Cena is back in the gym already.

Doesn't surprise me, they rushed his operation for a reason IMO - they must have believed he'd have a genuine chance of making it.

Was it just me that found the Rocks segment a bit of a let down and cringe worthy

Every Rock segment is a let down and cringe worthy.

I can see Taker v Cena at Mania happening.

I thought the rock's segment was class and actually reminded me of his old school stuff.

I've often been critical of The Rock's appearances since his first return v Cena but I found the other night one of his better performances as he came across a lot more natural and at ease especially in the backstage segment.

The Rock was entertaining and the segment with the new day worked well. Childish but funny.

Im sure there will be a few surprises towards mania with the booking. No doubt wwe are fully aware that HHH reigns won't work just the 2 of them. Personally I've no interest in it.
I'd have given the rumble win to lesnar. As has been said, he's the biggest star and is a must watch for me. About the only star they have that is even if it's just suplexes.

I enjoyed the Rock too. Thought he did the job.

DrDeath wrote:Even if it was down to impressing the authority, the Jericho v Styles match was brilliant!

I thought it was lousy.

It just doesnt feel right seeing Styles in the WWE - he didnt look like a star to me and was dwarfed by the set. I think they need to get the camera zoomed on him to give him the appearance of being bigger. And I am sure in the interview segment with Renee, they tilted the camera to make Y2J appear much, much taller.

And he looked tiny compared to Jericho when in the ring who isnt the biggest guy on the roster.

Adam D wrote:

DrDeath wrote:Even if it was down to impressing the authority, the Jericho v Styles match was brilliant!

I thought it was lousy.

It just doesnt feel right seeing Styles in the WWE - he didnt look like a star to me and was dwarfed by the set. I think they need to get the camera zoomed on him to give him the appearance of being bigger. And I am sure in the interview segment with Renee, they tilted the camera to make Y2J appear much, much taller.

And he looked tiny compared to Jericho when in the ring who isnt the biggest guy on the roster.

Yeah they did try to make him look smaller in that interview segment.

At the end of the day though, I think they're paying him too much to not treat him like a star. He's completely skipped NXT so they obviously have plans for him, he got a really good showing in the Rumble and has been treated like a big deal.

Not sure if Crimey was saying they did or didnt!

Anyway, another observation is that Chris Jericho seems to be turning in to a Gordon Ramsey lookalike.

Chris Jericho is in terrible shape.

Adam D wrote:Not sure if Crimey was saying they did or didnt!

Anyway, another observation is that Chris Jericho seems to be turning in to a Gordon Ramsey lookalike.

In his ref's outfit a few weeks ago he was basically Charles Robinson... but fatter.