Agree with above comment. 3 hours is just too damn long. I know there are fiscal reasons why getting rid of the third hour is not going to happen, but, man, it just makes me think how much more possible another "hot" era would be if they cut RAW down right now. The last time I felt like WWE was legitimately "cool" again was 2006 - oddly enough, the last time they spent a summer building up the birth of a new brand/actually caring about the brand split, influxing both shows with fresh (if not young or even good) newcomers, and momentarily putting the brakes on their Chosen One (in that case, Cena) to push the guy that the internet wanted in the main event (Rob Van Dam...again, I'm not defending 2006 IWC sentiment, I'm just drawing some comparisons).

 

The best segment of the show was the last one - which is the right idea. You shouldn't waste a segment that good in Hour Two when nothing else you have to offer is remotely as "must watch."

 

I do think RAW is lacking a bit of star power. Cena's absence is going to take some getting used to now that he's healthy and, considering Lesnar ain't gonna be around much and Orton is a Blue Brand guy and your World Champion, Dean Ambrose, is on Tuesdays too...who is RAW's biggest "name"? I like the sounds of Reigns/Rusev, but its a step down for Reigns when they kind of need him in a more prominent spot now more than ever. Here's hoping Balor, Zayn, and Cesaro are booked strong in the next few months because RAW lacks a big name babyface currently.

 

Did anyone else want Jericho's "back-up" to end up being Big Show as much as me? I've been a proponent of Show back in the tag division for awhile now and JeriShow/Enzo & Cass is a program I'd enjoy far, far more than seeing Enzo or Cass thrust into singles competition well before they need to be.

 

With Charlotte and Sasha Banks opening the show, was this the first time that a "divas feud" kicked off RAW? If so, it wasn't a bad segment and I'd welcome more of them (especially if it means less purposeless Steph and Foley intros)...but I wouldn't call it a walk-on homerun either. Enzo and Jericho's involvement was a welcome addition, even if it didn't make much sense.

 

Some Mark Henry return, eh?

 

All in all, if you aren't DVRing these episodes or watching an abbreviated version, you have way too much time on your hands.

Hell of a promo from Ambrose and even Ziggler wasn't bad.

Ambrose clearly playing the heel here. And I agree that was pretty great

That was probably the best promo exchange either man has had in a pretty long while. Ziggler seemed legitimately fired up, and Ambrose was good.

 

I forever feel like Bray Wyatt is 2 really good weeks away from being a top act.

I was actually more impressed by Ziggler's mic work in the opening segment.

I hope Ambrose is becoming a heel long term and not just for Ziggler. He is always been great as a crazy jerk. Plus it seems like he is talking more and more Dusty as a heel which is a plus

 

Must be the grace period because Cole & JBL would have spent hours on that "Apollo Creed" mistake

I kinda like that Eva Marie segment, my problem with it is that this isn't a 3 hour show, and it might mean a two week delay for getting Alexa Bliss in the ring, and that'd be a bummer to me when Carmella gets to debut.

The Eva Marie would have been a much better if she wasn't smiling during the whole thing. But if it means she won't wrestle then I would prefer to see something like that for months. Plus it is incredible heel heat

AJ Styles heeling on little kids right now is outstanding.

 

...And John Cena defending his character is the best version of John Cena. Great segment.

So Smackdown was on the TV in the cafeteria at work and the Cena segement was on. A woman walking through stopped, looked at the TV, and said "John Cena! I know him because he's on the Today show a lot". So I guess that bit of cross branding is working for WWE.

As bad as it's been with Ziggler, they know the NY crowd will still get behind him in the underdog role. That match could be fun and prob will. Hopefully he sticks it up their ass and goes heel after.

I honestly thought that might have been Dolphs best night with the company since the Survivor Series win a couple years ago. I buy him as an underdog, and as someone who is basically trying to get himself back in the mindset of being a true threat again.

 

... Still very little interest in the match though.

Complaining about Raw being three hours at this point is pointless. It's not going away until their TV contract is over.

 

They actually have me a bit excited for Orton/Brock. I can't believe it.

AJ Styles heeling on little kids right now is outstanding.

 

...And John Cena defending his character is the best version of John Cena. Great segment.

I see the Cena line, "The only reason you are here is to be a great wrestler" as a shoot challenge to AJ. Now that JC's becoming more part time, AJ has the opportunity to raise his star power even more. Loving this feud.

I normally don't like either guy but that Ziggler/Ambrose segment was one of the best talking segments the company has done in some time.

Really happy that they are trying different things. The backstage desk interviews (on Smackdown) is different than the in ring interviews Raw is doing.

 

I'm really surprised on how they are doing this. SD has been really fun and Dean is less comedy, which means he is AWESOME.