How much money did it make compared to a scenario where it was announced in advance that Cena would make his return?

 

Sure, it was acclaimed for being a surprise, but it did not generate a single new ppv buy. Therefore, it was dumb.

 

EDIT: You can do it from time to time, but proclaiming the WWE is doing something "Fucking dumb" as you put it, because they announced Bryan would make his return to the ring after a year long almost career ending injury is insane.

 

So, nothing should be a surprise anymore because they might lose money?

 

Yet, wrestling has done fine for the past hundred years by having surprises.

 

It's one of the best parts of watching, especially in the internet age, where true surprises are harder to come by.

 

There is merit to what you're saying, don't get me wrong, but does that mean we should never have surprise returns again because it might affect the bottom line?

 

This kind of thinking is exactly why the WWE has become such a bland, sterile, corporate, and completely unwatchable product. They're leaving money on the table now by being that way.

 

EDIT: Just saw your edit. Yeah, I probably went overboard in my wording. But the lack of surprises, the lack of fun, has just really weighed the product down. Everything is pre-planned, pre-packaged, homogenized, bland.

 

How much money did it make compared to a scenario where it was announced in advance that Cena would make his return?

 

Sure, it was acclaimed for being a surprise, but it did not generate a single new ppv buy. Therefore, it was dumb.

 

EDIT: You can do it from time to time, but proclaiming the WWE is doing something "Fucking dumb" as you put it, because they announced Bryan would make his return to the ring after a year long almost career ending injury is insane.

 

So, nothing should be a surprise anymore because they might lose money?

 

Yet, wrestling has done fine for the past hundred years by having surprises.

 

It's one of the best parts of watching, especially in the internet age, where true surprises are harder to come by.

 

There is merit to what you're saying, don't get me wrong, but does that mean we should never have surprise returns again because it might affect the bottom line?

 

This kind of thinking is exactly why the WWE has become such a bland, sterile, corporate, and completely unwatchable product. They're leaving money on the table now by being that way.

 

EDIT: Just saw your edit. Yeah, I probably went overboard in my wording. But the lack of surprises, the lack of fun, has just really weighed the product down. Everything is pre-planned, pre-packaged, homogenized, bland.

 

Glad you saw my edit.

 

There is room for surprises, but Daniel Bryan's return in this situation is not it. You hype the shit out of this one, because it is a big deal.

How bout having Brock injure Bryan the RAW before the Rumble or something to get him out of the match and to build up their Mania match.

My first thought when he specifically announced that he'd be in the Rumble was that they had to do it if they wanted him in the match, because a surprise Bryan return would absolutely kill Reigns when he wins the match, and if Bryan already announced four weeks earlier that he'd be in it, it won't be as bad.

How bout having Brock injure Bryan the RAW before the Rumble or something to get him out of the match and to build up their Mania match.

 

That would work, makes sense to. They could even go the he's still in the Rumble, but badly injured, and look at all the heart he's showing route, before he's finally eliminated.

Is it at all possible that Bryan really isn't ready to come back, and they did that angle just to garner heel heat on The Authority when they pull him out of the match, thus making Roman Reigns a super babyface when he steps up to fight them?

In any other territory ever, in any other era, Bryan would be about to announce his retirement and then Rusev or Rollins would come out and beat him senseless before he could and then he'd have to pull it together and manage to come back to get revenge anyway.

Thought that was a pretty awesome RAW, best in a long time. Felt like they let someone else write it than whoever has been in charge lately.

 

This show had Edge & Christian, Brock, Barrett, the first Rusev/Ziggler match, the first Rollins/Reigns match! (amazed they did this on tv), a tag title change, the Ascension debut, and the return of the Authority.

 

Half the roster wasn't there because they were double booked with a house show or some shit, some how. So they filled air time with promos & what not to make up for guys like Ambrose not being there.

 

Also they've done Reigns Vs. Rollins before. On RAW on free TV even. It was during the build-up to Ambrose Vs. Rollins. Reigns beat Rollins clean in the middle with the Spear. Sept. 15th.

I for one thing announcing Bryan for the Rumble was the way to go. He's a guy that can get subscribers to the network. Plus at the Rumble I think they'll be other surprises. I wouldn't be shocked if we get a Sting, Undertaker or hold off Orton as a surprise. Too many on the same would dilute the surprises.

How bout having Brock injure Bryan the RAW before the Rumble or something to get him out of the match and to build up their Mania match.

 

How bout no?

So have they postponed Reigns's coronation for the time being? I can't believe they're dumb enough to have Bryan in the Rumble if they're planning on having Reigns win it.

I for one thing announcing Bryan for the Rumble was the way to go. He's a guy that can get subscribers to the network. Plus at the Rumble I think they'll be other surprises. I wouldn't be shocked if we get a Sting, Undertaker or hold off Orton as a surprise. Too many on the same would dilute the surprises.

 

I think the "surprises" are going to be El Torito, The Bunny & Sheamus. I expect to see Orton but maybe not as an official entrant but going after Seth Rollins or something.

I wasn't saying in the Rumble itself. I mean showing up on the show.

 

HHH is probably needed for Wrestlemania season, as much as it pains me to say it. A better way to bring him back might have been as a surprise Royal Rumble participant as a wrestler, since he is still employed just no longer as 'the authority'.

 

Here's creative: Trips comes back as a wrestler in order to make a play to regain control. RR comes, Trips looks like he's going to score a dirty win for the WM spot and start to truly solidify his power base again...Here comes Sting to eliminate him. Boom match set for WM.

 

That can write itself. Instead we get to REDO late 2013-most of 2014 again for 2015. It's honestly sad to see how desperate they are for threatening heels they had to bring Trips and Steph back just a little over a month since SS. They've done everything possible with the exception of Rusev to ensure that everyone just not get over.

 

 

Exactly.... I mean you can have Steph say she maintained her manager's license and that they will prove to Vince that they can lead by assembling a stable of wrestlers that will take over the WWE from the inside out.

In an angle that will surely lead nowhere they are doing a deal where Edge and Christian are "suing" WWE for what happened Monday Night.

 

 

Also AJ will be returning soon. I bet we get AJ/Steph at mania now. Steph has to be salivating about cutting promos on Punk through her

In an angle that will surely lead nowhere they are doing a deal where Edge and Christian are "suing" WWE for what happened Monday Night.

 

*Groan* Where was this announced? I can't find it on WWE.com.

Announced on Main Event

I've seen quite a few people say the Authority was brought back so they can finally blow them off at Mania. I just don't see that

The Authority is as much a fixture as the ring.

I kind of think that by this point, we've had enough turnover in the writing staff that there are people on staff who have no idea how to put together a show without them. They've just known no other world.

I kind of think that by this point, we've had enough turnover in the writing staff that there are people on staff who have no idea how to put together a show without them. They've just known no other world.

 

You know Matt that is an excellent point. In anything that people train you to do you know how to get from A to Z by the way you're trained. Your brain is wired to do it that way. A lot of times it takes someone new to shake it up and get you outside your comfort zone to get from A to Z differently. You know it works one way, and you keep going back to that way.

 

I kind of think that by this point, we've had enough turnover in the writing staff that there are people on staff who have no idea how to put together a show without them. They've just known no other world.

 

You know Matt that is an excellent point. In anything that people train you to do you know how to get from A to Z by the way you're trained. Your brain is wired to do it that way. A lot of times it takes someone new to shake it up and get you outside your comfort zone to get from A to Z differently. You know it works one way, and you keep going back to that way.

 

It's a real shame, because that is my biggest complaint about the WWE since 2001. I hate that aspect and it makes everything else worse.

 

That and the secret camera, which they don't do as much at least.

I will point out that for what it's worth, when Vince McMahon was supposed to be removed from television as the result of Austin vs Undertaker having the exact same stipulation at Fully Loaded 1999, he was back in approximately the same amount of time. And it's not like they needed to hotshot at that point to pop a rating. It's symptomatic of Vince having a short memory and level of patience when it comes to his own storylines, but it's nothing new at all.

From a storytelling point of view, I do wish they had gone out of their way to make the post-Survivor Series RAWs as loaded and exciting as possible. Fresh matchups everywhere and lots of babyface triumphs. It would give The Authority's return more bite.

There were a lot of eyes on that Raw too.