WWE: Raw and Smackdown Part 4 - The Paul Levesque Era

[TD Charlie]

RAW was already ahead of Smackdown quality wise, but Gunther/Priest getting hot so quickly gives this show another leg up.

Gunther is going to be such a good world champ. He is uniquely good obnoxious, cocky heel.

Love that they went to break with the brawl still very much under way, then came back from break and they were still on the attack. They gave this match a big fight feel without much leg work at all. It's likely that they viewed Priest as a transitional guy, and yes Gunther will make for a great champion, but I can't discount the work Priest has put in for the last couple years. I think he's more than deserving of his spot on the card right now, and has earned another few months as champion. I find him to be a far more entertaining champion than Cody.

I feel like Priest/Gunther needs to end in a f***ed finish with Finn causing a DQ.

... Feel like they'd invested too much in Priest trying to prove he's a fighting champion to have him retain every time by interference and then lose clean. He's not getting that belt back for awhile once he loses it. He probably needs a slightly longer run. Divert Gunther to Finn while Priest gets a few more defenses and then Gunther can go over Priest in the Fall.

Then again they're probably not letting Gunther walk into Berlin without that belt...

Which leads me to this post.

They could always do a screwy finish at Summerslam to keep the title on Priest, then run a rematch in Berlin where Gunther wins via referee stoppage or something. Really sell the power and the intensity of Gunther, but highlight the fact that Priest wasn't pinned and never tapped. I just don't know what sort of finish they could do at Summerslam. Sure, inserting Finn in there could work, but isn't Finn working hell with JD still? The whole Judgment Day dichotomy is a tough one to keep track of these days.

 

[TD Charlie]

Also feel like Drew vs. Punk needs to be Drew jumping Punk in his entrance and a brawl leading to a Drew beatdown of Punk with no match... But Rollins added as the ref probably prevents that from happening.

And the story of Seth being as mad at Drew as he is at Punk doesn't really fit considering he literally mouthed "You f***ing deserve it" to Drew at WM.

... It'd actually be kinda funny if Drew started beating the piss out of Punk during his entrance, Rollins corralled Drew. and then changed his mind and joined in. You don't gotta make them a team, just two guys who hate the same guy.

Not sure how they're gonna do this one either, as I feel it already should've happened, but Drew needs to lay a serious beating on Punk to keep this feud going. The Summerslam match will go off the rails pretty quickly though. I'm expecting Seth to stand tall over both of them in the end. They should put a little more tension between Drew and Seth over the next couple weeks. Perhaps Seth and Drew get increasingly annoyed with each other during the match, Drew attempts a Claymore on Seth who ducks it, it connects on Punk. Drew goes for the cover, and instead of counting the pin, Seth winds up and curb stomps Drew. Damn, I just got a shiver typing that out.

 

[FriendlyGhost92]

That’s after the show. Roman Reigns is not being sold on this show.

For f***'s sake Roman doesn't need to be sold on the show. If Cody/Solo main events and he returns during or after that match, everything else is taking a backseat.

 

[FriendlyGhost92]

Not sure how they're gonna do this one either, as I feel it already should've happened, but Drew needs to lay a serious beating on Punk to keep this feud going. The Summerslam match will go off the rails pretty quickly though. I'm expecting Seth to stand tall over both of them in the end. They should put a little more tension between Drew and Seth over the next couple weeks. Perhaps Seth and Drew get increasingly annoyed with each other during the match, Drew attempts a Claymore on Seth who ducks it, it connects on Punk. Drew goes for the cover, and instead of counting the pin, Seth winds up and curb stomps Drew. Damn, I just got a shiver typing that out.

I actually saw a post suggesting roughly the same, but roles reversed. Basically the SS97 finish. Punk and Seth bicker the entire match. Seth finally gets fed up and goes to deck Punk, but catches Drew. Seth has to reluctantly count the pin for Punk.

That'd even further fuel Drew's bitterness and heat up rivalries between pretty much all three.

 

[GKJ]

For f***'s sake Roman doesn't need to be sold on the show. If Cody/Solo main events and he returns during or after that match, everything else is taking a backseat.

That’s after the match though. They’re not billing that Roman Reigns is returning. We think he is, but that’s not what they’re promoting.

Money in the Bank had “Punk probably is gonna come out” in a title match, along with two ladder matches and the actual main event (which nearly everyone agreed should not have been) and the thing everyone talked about was John Cena.

 

[TD Charlie]

I actually saw a post suggesting roughly the same, but roles reversed. Basically the SS97 finish. Punk and Seth bicker the entire match. Seth finally gets fed up and goes to deck Punk, but catches Drew. Seth has to reluctantly count the pin for Punk.

That'd even further fuel Drew's bitterness and heat up rivalries between pretty much all three.

Yeah that works out well too. I suppose it's best to get some heat between Punk and Seth soon, since they're both working babyface. Their hatred is well documented and rooted in reality though, so that won't be hard to manufacture some animosity.

Regardless, that match has one purpose and one purpose only, to further the love triangle of those 3 guys. If they all hate each other just a little bit more leaving that show, they will have succeeded.

 

[FriendlyGhost92]

That’s after the match though. They’re not billing that Roman Reigns is returning. We think he is, but that’s not what they’re promoting.

Money in the Bank had “Punk probably is gonna come out” in a title match, along with two ladder matches and the actual main event (which nearly everyone agreed should not have been) and the thing everyone talked about was John Cena.

You're trying to argue that they have to have this match because it's advertised... Even though nobody knew it was actually gonna happen for sure until last night lol.

Again, they can easily get away with not having the match if the angle is good enough. Especially if they pay the crowd off with Roman returning to close the show.

f*** they made the Scots pay out the ass for tickets and then did a screwjob finish of the home town hero to end the show lol. They'll absolutely mess around to further a story.

 

[TD Charlie]

You're trying to argue that they have to have this match because it's advertised... Even though nobody knew it was actually gonna happen for sure until last night lol.

Again, they can easily get away with not having the match if the angle is good enough. Especially if they pay the crowd off with Roman returning to close the show.

f*** they made the Scots pay out the ass for tickets and then did a screwjob finish of the home town hero to end the show lol. They'll absolutely mess around to further a story.

Every show of any promotion

“card subject to change”

 

[FriendlyGhost92]

Yeah that works out well too. I suppose it's best to get some heat between Punk and Seth soon, since they're both working babyface. Their hatred is well documented and rooted in reality though, so that won't be hard to manufacture some animosity.

Regardless, that match has one purpose and one purpose only, to further the love triangle of those 3 guys. If they all hate each other just a little bit more leaving that show, they will have succeeded.

I really don't think the backstage beef between Seth and Punk is that big. They just both are smart enough to not kill the kayfabe and tell people "We really made up" before doing the work, like most dummies in the business these days. (This goes for any company)

Kinda like Rollins whole angle with Riddle. Pretty sure it was known that they made up before that, but they both still played it up like they hated each other.

 

[TD Charlie]

I really don't think the backstage beef between Seth and Punk is that big. They just both are smart enough to not kill the kayfabe and tell people "We really made up" before doing the work, like most dummies in the business these days. (This goes for any company)

Kinda like Rollins whole angle with Riddle. Pretty sure it was known that they made up before that, but they both still played it up like they hated each other.

Of course not. I'm sure it was always blown out of proportion even at it's peak. There was definitely a period of time where Seth had made a few remarks as Colby Lopez, regarding not Punk, but Phil.

At this point, I trust that the WWE would have done their due diligence with the whole thing and made sure everybody was on board and willing to do the work together. Any time these 3 guys are on screen together it's wildly entertaining, and they've done a phenomenal job of keeping everything believable. I'd love to see a behind the scenes of this program, some time in the future with the 3 of them all chumming it up backstage and celebrating the work they've done. I'm a sucker for that shit

 

[Jussi]

I can't wait to see how they are going to talk Sami and Jey into joining Roman and Jimmy

In kayfabe, the only way it could work is if Roman says that before his father passed away, he talked about legacies with him etc. and it made him realize the way he treated Jey, Jimmy and Sami is not how he wants to be remembered or whatever. Commence Apology Tour 2024!

 

[Khelandros]

Solo is beating Cody for the Title. That is the only way to progress the new bloodline angle.

If Cody beats him what is the point of Roman coming in? Solo is nothing after that. He holds nothing over Roman.

If Solo has the belt,

 

[TD Charlie]

Solo is beating Cody for the Title. That is the only way to progress the new bloodline angle.

If Cody beats him what is the point of Roman coming in? Solo is nothing after that. He holds nothing over Roman.

If Solo has the belt,

I love it. If only for the simple fact that Cody is bland and has been an awful champion.

 

[Emperoreddy]

You can give the people an actual Punk/Drew match and extend the feud at summerslam.

 

[FriendlyGhost92]

Solo is beating Cody for the Title. That is the only way to progress the new bloodline angle.

If Cody beats him what is the point of Roman coming in? Solo is nothing after that. He holds nothing over Roman.

If Solo has the belt,

They'd have to do a very screwy finish to put Solo over Cody. They haven't really done shit to present Solo as a legitimate threat.

To the degree that it's honestly weird that there was a report about them being concerned Jacob was going to outshine Solo, but Jacob has been presented deliberately to outshine Solo.

 

[yahhockey]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1815807993629294758

 

[GKJ]

You're trying to argue that they have to have this match because it's advertised... Even though nobody knew it was actually gonna happen for sure until last night lol.

Again, they can easily get away with not having the match if the angle is good enough. Especially if they pay the crowd off with Roman returning to close the show.

f*** they made the Scots pay out the ass for tickets and then did a screwjob finish of the home town hero to end the show lol. They'll absolutely mess around to further a story.

They could, but they're telling you it's the match. It would've been made earlier had Punk been cleared. Doing a shitty finish is much different than not doing one at all, it only happens like multiple times on every single north american show.

 

[Khelandros]

They'd have to do a very screwy finish to put Solo over Cody. They haven't really done shit to present Solo as a legitimate threat.

To the degree that it's honestly weird that there was a report about them being concerned Jacob was going to outshine Solo, but Jacob has been presented deliberately to outshine Solo.

Your screwy finish is in your response. Everything is built in for it to happen.

 

[Fro]

damn Drew!

 

[Jussi]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1815574884262568005

 

[BruinDust]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1815807993629294758

How many T-shirts has Drew McIntyre sold in his entire wrestling career? 15? 20 maybe? Plain black tank tops don't count.

 

[Sheppy]

I’m laughing so hard at the whole “medically cleared thing” and Zelina Vega comes out looking like a mummy all wrapped up and they’re like “ah, no sweat, you’re good to go!”

 

[Linkens Mastery]

Kinda crazy hearing Lyra screaming at Sonya to let go so she didn't drop her on her damn head during the gutwrench powerboat spot.

 

[yahhockey]

Drew is killing it this year

https://x.com/i/web/status/1816564941299778011

apparently he deleted it so it was on Drew McIntyre's official twitter account with the sentence

“It’s a real photo, cry us a river”

 

[TheBeastCoast]

Drew out here trying to get bitten.