The Official WWE / NXT Discussion Thread *May Contain Spoilers*

[Alan James]

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="milamber" data-cite="milamber" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="25169" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>I think there's a good chance either Bray or AJ take the title off Ambrose later this year, just not too soon I hope because the title has already been hot-shotted about this year. Of course that's if Vince can stop himself from creating some sort of stupid storyline that puts the WWE Championship back on Raw at SummerSlam.<p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> She actually did it last week on NXT for the first time (that I can remember) during her entrance against Nia Jax.</p></div></blockquote><p> </p><p> We can breathe a sigh of relief.</p><p> </p><p> Now we have the Universal championship.</p>

[ThatChizzle]

It was a bit odd, that they wasted 5 minutes bringing out all the Commissioners and GM's before the Main Event. They weren't involved in anyway, why bring them all out?

[K-Nection]

<p>I just want to point out that RAW is now ripping off of my defunct C-Verse diary with that intro</p><p> </p><p>

 

</p><div class="ipsEmbeddedVideo"><div><iframe width="200" height="113" src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/WBFlWm43BQg?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="" title="Honor Wrestling Federation Show Intro 2.0"></iframe></div></div>

[Alan James]

<p>^ Lawsuit. <img alt=":p" data-src="//content.invisioncic.com/g322608/emoticons/tongue.png.ceb643b2956793497cef30b0e944be28.png" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /></p><p> </p><p> </p><blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="ThatChizzle" data-cite="ThatChizzle" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="25169" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>It was a bit odd, that they wasted 5 minutes bringing out all the Commissioners and GM's before the Main Event. They weren't involved in anyway, why bring them all out?</div></blockquote><p> </p><p> No real reason, but you could say they were brought out there to make the match seem more significant. Like they had all those guys come out afterwards to make it seem as big a deal as possible. </p><p> </p><p> But it was really a waste of time.</p>

[Alan James]

woohoo Go Sasha.

[Russelrules44]

<p>Caught the ending of RAW after the power blacked out on me; Finn's going to face Rollins at SummerSlam? Good for him. He's deserved this moment in every step of the way, from his run in Japan, to signing with WWE, to becoming the face of NXT, the first NXT wrestler to be drafted onto a brand, and now this.</p><p> </p><p>

That is the textbook definition of being rocket-strapped into the moon. (And that's a good thing)</p>

[Alan James]

<p>Best for business. Good way to establish a new star on Raw. </p><p> </p><p>

I laughed at the local talent they had in for Braun to squash.</p>

[Warhawk8492]

Pretty good RAW. I enjoyed most of it, the new championship has kind of a dumb name. I would have rather brought back the World Heavyweight Championship. I did like Balor beating Roman. I marked out for that. I hope he has a great match with Seth Rollins at SummerSlam. Finn Balor has earned everything he has in WWE now, he worked hard on the indies and Japan for years, was the face of NXT and got drafted to RAW to become a top level face. Hopefully WWE has given up on Roman, he is getting nearly universally booed and now he failed a drug test for amphetamines. I am thinking Vince might feel disrespected by Reigns for the fact he used drugs while getting a mega push.

[Russelrules44]

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="Warhawk8492" data-cite="Warhawk8492" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="25169" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>Pretty good RAW. I enjoyed most of it, the new championship has kind of a dumb name. I would have rather brought back the World Heavyweight Championship. I did like Balor beating Roman. I marked out for that. I hope he has a great match with Seth Rollins at SummerSlam. Finn Balor has earned everything he has in WWE now, he worked hard on the indies and Japan for years, was the face of NXT and got drafted to RAW to become a top level face. Hopefully WWE has given up on Roman, he is getting nearly universally booed and now he failed a drug test for amphetamines. I am thinking Vince might feel disrespected by Reigns for the fact he used drugs while getting a mega push.</div></blockquote><p> </p><p> I don't think WWE are going to completely give up on Roman, but I also think that Roman isn't going to be given the treatment he used to get back in 2015-early 2016 either.</p><p> </p><p> I think at SummerSlam, Roman screws Finn out of the title and turns heel; setting up a rematch for Night of Champions.</p>

[Warhawk8492]

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="Russelrules44" data-cite="Russelrules44" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="25169" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>I don't think WWE are going to completely give up on Roman, but I also think that Roman isn't going to be given the treatment he used to get back in 2015-early 2016 either.<p> </p><p> I think at SummerSlam, Roman screws Finn out of the title and turns heel; setting up a rematch for Night of Champions.</p></div></blockquote><p> </p><p> That could work hypothetically. Reigns plays a terrible face so a heel turn could freshen up his character. Maybe make him similar to 2010 era heel Batista but with some kind of new twist, the egotistical crybaby is a good heel character because they can really make fans hate them.</p>

[Mootinie]

Balor beating Roman is the passing of the torch from one hand-picked<em> guy</em> straight to another.

[Warhawk8492]

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="Mootinie" data-cite="Mootinie" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="25169" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>Balor beating Roman is the passing of the torch from one hand-picked<em> guy</em> straight to another.</div></blockquote><p> </p><p> At least Balor is a good wrestler.</p>

[Big Roguey]

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="Warhawk8492" data-cite="Warhawk8492" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="25169" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>At least Balor is a good wrestler.</div></blockquote><p> </p><p> Terribly boring wrestler however. Best work (and the work that got him signed in the first place) was as a dickish heel who played on the Japanese fans' dislike of all things Americanised in wrestling. </p><p> </p><p> In WWE, he's been a lame duck happy smiling babyface with the occasional drop into hilariously grimdark Demon Balor which is exactly the same as Normal Balor but with goofy paint.</p>

[milamber]

<p>Raw was awesome. I was entertained the whole time. Even the jobber matches were OK. Sasha & Balor pushes had me marking out. I wish the "Universal Championship" was called the "Global Championship" but GFW already took it.</p><p> </p><p>

Smackdown is really going to have to bring it.</p>

[niall2015]

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="Russelrules44" data-cite="Russelrules44" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="25169" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>I think at SummerSlam, Roman screws Finn out of the title and turns heel; setting up a rematch for Night of Champions.</div></blockquote><p> </p><p> That would work if Bálor was facing anybody but Seth Rollins, then it would just be terrible storytelling to have Roman hand his biggest enemy the title.</p><p> </p><p> Raw and Battleground was great, I hope Sasha and Bayley are a duo for a while before Sasha turns on Bayley to set up a storyline with Bayley having a few chances, but always falling at the final hurdle, before overcoming Sasha at Mania. Sasha's title reign in NXT put womens wrestling on the map, it was good before with Paige, Emma, etc. but no one really cared. But the Fatal 4 Way, Sasha vs Becky, and the two Bayley matches pretty much revolutionised womens wrestling, I know I, just like a lot of people, started viewing the womens matches at Takeover as one of the most important matches, and sometimes even the most important match. I guarantee if WWE tried to give a Divas title match 20 minutes this time last year, it would have gotten boring chants and "hijacked" after about 6 minutes. WWE has an opportunity to make the womens division blow up and create stars now, with Sasha and Charlotte at the forefront, and women like Becky, Bliss, Nattie, Paige, Bayley, Asuka, etc. just waiting in the wings for their shot. Very bright future for the women in WWE</p>

[milamber]

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="MHero" data-cite="MHero" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="25169" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>Terribly boring wrestler however. Best work (and the work that got him signed in the first place) was as a dickish heel who played on the Japanese fans' dislike of all things Americanised in wrestling. <p> </p><p> In WWE, he's been a lame duck happy smiling babyface with the occasional drop into hilariously grimdark Demon Balor which is exactly the same as Normal Balor but with goofy paint.</p></div></blockquote><p> </p><p> Each to their own. He might be lacking in MOTY contenders but he's incredibly consistent. I can't remember him ever having a poor match. Anyone who follows the NXT house shows knows that he gets to show more personality there than on TV. He's also bought more intensity to his matches recently against Joe in the Steel Cage and against Nakamura and Reigns.</p><p> </p><p> But he's certain to turn heel as leader of The Club on Raw but not anytime soon.</p>

[Alan James]

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="milamber" data-cite="milamber" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="25169" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>Raw was awesome. I was entertained the whole time. Even the jobber matches were OK. Sasha & Balor pushes had me marking out. I wish the "Universal Championship" was called the "Global Championship" but GFW already took it.<p> </p><p> Smackdown is really going to have to bring it.</p></div></blockquote><p> </p><p> Benny Camer needs to make a return. <img alt=":p" data-src="//content.invisioncic.com/g322608/emoticons/tongue.png.ceb643b2956793497cef30b0e944be28.png" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /></p>

[Alan James]

Balor beating Roman is the passing of the torch from one hand-picked guy straight to another.

 

They are all hand picked.

[Crychon]

That would work if Bálor was facing anybody but Seth Rollins, then it would just be terrible storytelling to have Roman hand his biggest enemy the title.

 

I dunno, Roman has a pretty heelish beard now, anything could happen.

[LoganRodzen]

That could work hypothetically. Reigns plays a terrible face so a heel turn could freshen up his character. Maybe make him similar to 2010 era heel Batista but with some kind of new twist, the egotistical crybaby is a good heel character because they can really make fans hate them.

 

I think this is the best route to go. They could even go The Rocky Maivia way. It was obvious Reigns was supposed to be the top babyface and take Cena's throne. That's blundered and Reigns knows the fans don't buy it. They were supposed to love me, but they don't? I think his newly grown out beard gives him more of a heel look too. A heel Reigns I could actually get behind. WWE won't go that direction though. Rollins is their top heel on RAW, so they don't need Reigns to do it too.

 

The Balor / Rollins match should be a good one. The Owens/Zayn match from Battleground stole the show, tore the roof off the place, and was by far the best story-driven match (within the actual wrestling) WWE has done in quite some time, outside of 'Mania. If you don't buy the story that those guys have known each other since they were younger, just watch how they work together in the ring. I felt more moved watching them work together than I do watching a Jeff / Matt Hardy match and those guys are actual brothers.

[Alan James]

<p>A solid B+ for effort in trying to make him the next great babyface. I think we all want to see Roman turn. I liked how the camera stayed on him last night. It was just giving me a little hope before Roman gave his I respect that dude speech. Of course, you just never know. They could still be trying this time next year.</p><p> </p><p>

Batista 2010 was amazing. Just didn't have him around that long. I'd be happy with something like that. Roman has so much ammo to use now as a heel. Do it!</p>

[Dr_Avalanche]

<p>I think Balor is exciting in the ring, but that's just me. <img alt="" data-src="//content.invisioncic.com/g322608/emoticons/redface.png.900245280682ef18c5d82399a93c5827.png" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /></p><p> </p><p>

I suspect Balor will turn heel long before Roman does. I don't think it will be very long before they officially connect the dots between Balor Club and The Club.</p><p> </p><p>

If they had any plans to turn Roman heel, I think we already would have seen hints of it, and instead we're seeing the opposite. They are doubling down on him as this basically decent but competitive guy with a hint of a mean streak. Notice though how they have stopped him from actually addressing the crowd? I think they realised that it only made things worse.</p><p> </p><p>

What I'm most happy about is that we might finally get an end to Charlotte's promos about how she "is" the women's division. I'm not a big fan of Sasha's boss gimmick either (at least not for a babyface), but at least it will be a change. I wonder why it's so hard to portray competitive women as anything else than divas and bitches, sorry my language...</p>

[niall2015]

<p>Is it just me or was the little things WWE did differently last night make the show feel a whole lot better? The new camera angles made the show look cool, and even the post match interviews for the big matches was such a great little touch. To be honest, it was Sasha's best promo by miles since she debuted on the main roster. It seemed like Triple H might have had more of a say in last night's show, it had a real NXT feel to it. Even the squash matches were good, I have never once liked Strowman but he looked like a killer last night, his finisher is so sick. I liked how they aired video packages of Roman and Bálor to hype the main event to make it seem special.</p><p> </p><p>

I'm usually a harsh critic of WWE but I have to give them credit where it's due, they outdid themselves last night. That "New Era" Raw after Wrestlemania felt forced, but last night genuinely felt like a completely different show. The 3 hours flew by, I checked my phone at one point at like 2 hours had gone by and I hadnt even noticed. Excellent from WWE, probably the best Raw in years, Smackdown has a lot to live up to tonight!</p>

[CQI13]

<p>Eh, I just thought the constant frustrated/pouting stomp to the opposite corner looked goofy, especially when they each did it more than once.</p><p> </p><p>

Great match, don't misunderstand. But I felt Owens should have won. I don't watch the shows (Raw/SD) so I don't know what KO's reaction was. Did he just say "Well, got bigger fish to fry"? </p><p> </p><p>

Also, Rollins could be turned face at some point, especially with a Reigns heel turn. Something where Reigns just completely snaps (not unlike his time after Survivor Series, I think) but just goes off on Rollins to make him sympathetic.</p><p> </p><p>

Not like you can't have 2 main heels on a show, especially if you keep them away from each other a while.</p>

[Dr_Avalanche]

There was no acknowledgement at all from KO or Zayn about the rivalry. It might be over, more likely it has been put to rest for the time being until it has had time to stew for a while.