Since it's the go home show for Mania, I'm watching Raw for the first time since after the Royal Rumble. I missed the opening segment, which sounded like it got over big with the live audience. Pretty much everything I've seen though has just served to remind me why I only watch the big shows and NXT. Just a mix of mostly not over talent, beyond horrible commentary, and boring programs. There is top notch talent here, but it often gets lost in a sea of banality. Crowd is definitely hot for Sami and Owens

This is the go home?? Oh fuck it is too. Wow.

They keep calling HHH/Roman the main event. Guess they are going last over Shane/Taker

I thought the six-man was fantastic and the crowd sort of crapped on it, which was depressing. If I learned anything tonight, it's that Roman Reigns and Eva Marie as a heel supercouple is money.

That was much better than last year's RAW before Wrestlemania. Although I remember after RAW people having no faith in a good WM and it was much better. So hopefully the opposite doesn't occur this year

Stephanie and Hunter cut the same promo in two separate segments. Both concluded with Reigns interrupting and a brawl starting. Yeah this company isn't creatively bankrupt or anything. Post mania needs some change but yeah..,

They keep calling HHH/Roman the main event. Guess they are going last over Shane/Taker

They probably are but you do know they believe in multiple main events for Wrestlemania right? They only simply chose to highlight the kinda flagging program tonight to heat it up a bit more.

Not that it really matters since they also featured a Brock Lesnar piece and he sure ain't in any main events but on ESPN they made a point to post a video of Shane leaping on Taker. No acknowledgment for the "main event" whatsoever.

It's a triple main event card

 

I'm guessing Lesnar and Ambrose to at the halfway mark so they have enough time and can cut other matches shorter if need be......and give the crowd a break when they do the music performance and HOF stuff etc etc

 

I'm kind of expecting a Seth run-in on the title match, and he turns on HHH and gives Roman the title.......cementing Reigns as the heel without him turning to the darkside and joining up with The Authority. If so.....that has to go on last

 

If not......well.....I prefer the title match to close the show......but in WWE logic the Shane/Taker HIAC is way more important than the strap. And if they have a bunch of surprises and tricks up their sleeve with run ins and stuff maybe it should go on last. People are expecting a crazy smoke and mirrors spectacle and I'm guessing we see Austin, Foley, HBK......probably Linda too

 

I just can't see them closing with the title match because they like "happy endings" and the crowd will go home much happier with a Stunner and a beer bash than with Roman Reigns as WWE champion. Is that counterproductive? Maybe......but this is WWE, this is what they do, and the fans will love that shit and go back to Mania the next year to see something like it again

They should just have everyone who's a name and alive and able bodied to rush the cage to take a side and devolve in a clusterfuck of epic proportions that you just don't know what the fuck just happened to end the show. Clear it up on Raw the next night. People might be unhappy but they could get away with creating total confusion that people want to see what comes next.

When Meltzer tells us that they (being the WWE) actually thought Eva Marie would get a really good reaction last night; I am going that person is jerking his chain because nobody can be that completely stupid. I still think the going opinion is that nobody wants her in the match and they go out of their way to remove from the match. The theory that this is how they get Bayley to debut is a good one but not sure I would go that far

That sounds like utter bullshit, since they booked the whole segment based on her being unwanted by everyone, from her being an oblivious idiot to all of the other girls turning their noses up at her. Surely Dave can't be that gullible.

Yeah have to think Dave is missing the intention here.

I wouldn't underestimate Vince's descent into stupidity and being totally out of touch. It is possible HE thought she would get good reactions because she is hot but not necessarily realizing the guys below him booked the segment with different intentions.

"Great reaction" = desired reaction?

Well are you saying they desired for her to be cheered by booking her that way? Or that they tried to provoke the crowd in turning on her? Because if they are confused why she didn't get great reactions it can't have been the latter since that goal would have been accomplished. You have to realize it probably comes down to Vince insisting she be part of the segment with grandiose ideas of her getting mega over by her looks and the people below him understood exactly how she was perceived in general and kept that going with the booking so not to totally sink a divas's angle doing the wrong things and getting even worse reactions. Maybe there is a political hit on Eva as well by people not named Vince. The guy isn't going to be sitting there painstakingly putting finishing touches on the #2 divas angle when he had his own with Shane and Taker and his attempt to get Roman Reigns and Triple H going here to worry about.

Eva Marie for the longest has been booked in a non-subtle 'wink-wink-nudge-nudge' sort of way to get heat. Look at her second NXT. Her appearance on Raw was no different. The faces are getting their asses kicked and who comes out to save them and tries to look like a big deal and a game changer in the process? Eva Marie. Instant meta-heat as the crowd goes from completely not caring about anything going on in the ring (as the majority of those women are not over at all) to all of a sudden complaining about 'WWE not getting it', "How much Eva sucks", etc. WWE is just looking for a reaction. Any reaction at this point from its superstars and if the company can get it with real heat (Owens), meta heat (Eva), or a mixture between the two (Reigns), then WWE will take that over the crowd sitting on its hands like it does during Ascension matches.

 

The crowd will be luke-warm for Paige, pop for Brie's Bryan stuff, pop for Natalie's sharpshooter, not give a shit about anyone else, and then of course boo Eva Marie to 'send a message to the company'.

 

As for a go-home show, this did not work for me at all. It was so contrived and nothing felt nature at all. I know WWE likes to do the 'everyone-spill-into-the-ring' spot for battle royals and The Royal Rumble, but it really needs to go. The 'roster holding two guys back' trope also needs to be eliminated. I know WWE has to sell Mania, but I am of the belief that not everyone needs to be on the go-home show and not everyone needs to touch all the time. The go-home show would have been just fine with none of the pre show matches getting any real shine and saving the novelty.