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

[Jaysin]

Hahahaha! WWE.com put this article up yesterday. Hysterical and ridiculous.

 

The 8 Coolest Things Batista Has Ever Worn

[dpoolez]

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="machinesxe" data-cite="machinesxe" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="25169" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>I think if you take Batista off of that you don't see a difference in the ratings. They are misleading. I don't watch WWE from May to mid-Jan, then the Monday before Rumble I do a check in so I have an idea of what is going on. Then I don't watch much but catch up from time to time before ordering WM and watch the Raw just before. I imagine there is large number of people who do the same. Batista is a joke and is getting a bloated credit for his return. Batista doesn't draw.</div></blockquote><p> </p><p> I dont believe that. We cant just say that Batista isnt a draw because we dont like him. Let's actually look at the numbers:</p><p> </p><p> The hour that Batista returned on 1/20/14 drew 5.25 Million viewers. In comparison, the first hour of Raw the week before drew about 4.4 Million Viewers.</p><p> </p><p> When you add to the fact that Batista's return was hyped and promoted to be exactly on the 20th, there's no doubt in my mind that the numbers prove that Batista is a draw. You can hate his entrace, you can say that he sucks and there may be truth to that but to say that hes not popular or a draw is wrong.</p><p> </p><p> Id like to see people direct me to a Raw hour during Punks reign of doom or Bryan's feud with Orton that drew that well. The only Raw in recent memory that I know drew as well as Batista's return was Rock's return for the Punk feud. That's not to say that people didn't tune in to see the go home show before the Rumble, but with Pro Wrestling's dwindling audience, I doubt 800,000 people tuned in the first hour to see anything about the Rumble more than they did to see Batista for the first time in 4 years.</p><p> </p><p> Sources: <a href="http://www.cagesideseats.com/wwe-raw/2014/1/22/5336070/batistas-return-a-big-hit-for-wwe-raw-ratings-on-jan-20-2014" rel="external nofollow">http://www.cagesideseats.com/wwe-raw/2014/1/22/5336070/batistas-return-a-big-hit-for-wwe-raw-ratings-on-jan-20-2014</a></p><p> </p><p> <a href="http://www.sescoops.com/viewership-data-mondays-wwe-raw-2/" rel="external nofollow">http://www.sescoops.com/viewership-data-mondays-wwe-raw-2/</a></p><p> </p><p> EDIT: According to this article, Batista's hour back on Raw even drew better than Rock's return against Punk: </p><p> </p><p> <a href="http://pwtorch.com/artman2/publish/WWE_News_3/article_67737.shtml" rel="external nofollow">http://pwtorch.com/artman2/publish/WWE_News_3/article_67737.shtml</a></p>

[bigtplaystew]

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="dpoolez" data-cite="dpoolez" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="25169" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>I dont believe that. We cant just say that Batista isnt a draw because we dont like him. Let's actually look at the numbers:<p> </p><p> The hour that Batista returned on 1/20/14 drew 5.25 Million viewers. In comparison, the first hour of Raw the week before drew about 4.4 Million Viewers.</p><p> </p><p> When you add to the fact that Batista's return was hyped and promoted to be exactly on the 20th, there's no doubt in my mind that the numbers prove that Batista is a draw. You can hate his entrace, you can say that he sucks and there may be truth to that but to say that hes not popular or a draw is wrong.</p><p> </p><p> Id like to see people direct me to a Raw hour during Punks reign of doom or Bryan's feud with Orton that drew that well. The only Raw in recent memory that I know drew as well as Batista's return was Rock's return for the Punk feud.</p><p> </p><p> Sources: <a href="http://www.cagesideseats.com/wwe-raw/2014/1/22/5336070/batistas-return-a-big-hit-for-wwe-raw-ratings-on-jan-20-2014" rel="external nofollow">http://www.cagesideseats.com/wwe-raw/2014/1/22/5336070/batistas-return-a-big-hit-for-wwe-raw-ratings-on-jan-20-2014</a></p><p> </p><p> <a href="http://www.sescoops.com/viewership-data-mondays-wwe-raw-2/" rel="external nofollow">http://www.sescoops.com/viewership-data-mondays-wwe-raw-2/</a></p></div></blockquote><p> </p><p> Ehh like I said there are other factors. Batista's return basically was unopposed whereas Daniel Bryan's run was up against Monday Night Football. Every single week of it. That's serious competition in your target demo, nothing to scoff at.</p><p> </p><p> Punk actually ran pretty consistent numbers if I recall when he was face champion but they turned him heel for most of the 434 days of his title run if i remember correctly.</p>

[Stennick]

<p>Poolez is right. Batista's rating was the highest in over a year. I find it confusing that Batista returns and it pops a big rating and the hour he appeared drew the HIGHEST rating and people can still say "nothing to see here"</p><p> </p><p>

but when someone brings up ANYTHING from Daniel Bryan's numbers. Not only did his television shows not rate, the ppv buys were down, t shirt sales were not even close to to other top guys and most importantly at all his house shows didn't draw. But these things aren't Daniel Bryan's fault. </p><p> </p><p>

Batista got ONE negative reaction on a night that everyone not named Daniel Bryan got negative reactions. He'll be fine and if they run straight up Orton vs. Batsita I'm telling you now the crowd will accept it just fine at Wrestlemania. The thing is people WANT people to not like Batista. Its this weird thing where people in general say things outloud that they want to happen. "The fans will reject Batista in the main event" everytime I read this I should just read "I want the fans to reject Batista in the main event" because thats what they mean. </p><p> </p><p>

Why is it too early to give Dave credit for ratings and other things but its not too early to claim that people will hate him and he'll be booed at Wrestlemania? The only real answer is that people DON'T want to give him credit for anything and people DO want him to get booed at Wrestlemania, thats the only difference. Which is fine but I don't know why we can't just say that. "I hate Batista and I hope he gets booed out of the building" thats just fine to say. But lets not pretend after Batista has been on three shows, one got a killer reaction good, one got a killer reaction bad and last weeks RAW's crowd was dead after the first segment so nobody got any reaction. Lets not pretend like we know the tempature of the crowd after three completely different reactions. </p><p> </p><p>

Question at what point do people look at Bryan and stop making excuses that he's not drawing? Wrestlemania? Nope, the network just opened up buys are down because of that. People didn't want to see him face two losers like Batista and Orton, he's competing against Cena vs. Rock in the main event the last two years nobody is topping those numbers. </p><p> </p><p>

After Wrestlemania? Then its back to blaming storylines or the fact that everyone tunes out after Wrestlemania. I feel like Daniel Bryan could drop a 1.0 RAW rating and people would still deny that he has anything to do with it. I like Daniel but I feel like the guy gets a thousand outs and excuses.</p>

[delv213]

<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>Except Batista's supposedly on a 2 year deal, which is longer than RVD and Jericho recently, and certainly not limited in appearances like Lesnar and Rock. I don't remember people kicking up a stink about those guys. Of course I'll concede that Batista getting thrust into the title scene right away was unnecessary in light of his extended contract. They should have made him earn his place at the top. It's not ideal booking but I feel sorry for the guy for all the abuse he's getting. WWE overestimated Batista's popularity and he's paying for it. If Orton went over Batista at WM30 would that help or do people really dislike Batista so much they don't want him to main event again?<p> </p><p> </p></div></blockquote><p> </p><p> I think Batista's popularity is exactly where they expected it to be. Someone already said that his segments have been huge rating draws for WWE so far even if he'd getting booed. It's not like he has go away heat, people want to see what he does and if the WWE was smart they'd pull a heel turn really soon. A Bryan versus Batista feud definitely would be a good money maker going into Extreme Rules 2014 in Bryan's home state of Seattle.</p><p> </p><p> Let's face it though, Daniel Bryan is the most over person in the WWE in a long time. People are completely indifferent to 80-90% of the roster excluding 3-4 people who generate a reaction each night and those guys are John Cena, Daniel Bryan, CM Punk and throw in Batista now since he's starting to generate heat, something Randy Orton has struggled to do for awhile.</p>

[RayW]

<p>I kind of see it as being a Daniel Bryan fan is the in thing right now, and live crowd's are very easily swept away with chants. Even if you didn't like Daniel Bryan you would probably still chant 'Yes! Yes! Yes!' with everyone else if you were at Raw.</p><p> </p><p>

Now where I think this whole Batista / Daniel Bryan thing is becoming totally beserk is the insane hate for Batista. In a way, I get it. The guy left saying he hated the product, and he slated pretty much everything about the company. Then he's suddenly back and is in the main event of WrestleMania with a title shot. I can see why there is some resentment there, but didn't Lesnar do the same?</p><p> </p><p>

Brock Lesnar left the WWE because he wanted to compete in the NFL, that didn't work out, and he could have made a wrestling return, instead he opted to enter MMA. He done well for himself, and got sick. His illness means he can't compete in a full out and out MMA match, so what is left for him? A return to a scripted environment where his opponent can take it easy on him. The WWE. Why don't people hate him? He is literally in the WWE because he has nothing else available to him. He can't act so he can't do movies, he has nothing to offer on a microphone so he can't do TV work for UFC, and if anyone tell's me that Lesnar wants to be in the WWE, well, I can't believe that. He looks like he is just going through the motions every time he is on my screen. Yet the fans eat him up.</p><p> </p><p>

I like Daniel Bryan. I like CM Punk. But the insanity of wanting them both in the main event of every event is absured. The fans are actually making me not want to see Bryan at the moment because there is no way they can be pleased. If he wins the title they still won't be happy because eventually he'll drop it to someone who '<em>isn't worthy</em>' in their eyes, like Randy Orton or John Cena.</p><p> </p><p>

At the end of the day the WWE Championship, like every championship in professional wrestling, is just a prop. Holding the title doesn't mean you're the top guy - it just means your luggage is heavier than usual.</p><p> </p><p>

Daniel Bryan is still on TV every week, he's working with either top guys (Cena, Orton, Triple H) or with guys that are red hot at the moment (Shield, Wyatts). What more do you fans want? Do you want him to open, close and work the middle of every show? Maybe the WWE should clone him so we can have a Daniel Bryan vs Daniel Bryan match at WrestleMania?</p><p> </p><p>

It is becoming an obsession, and obsessions are not healthy (unless your obsession is salad, I guess that is healthy).</p>

[delv213]

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="RayW" data-cite="RayW" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="25169" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>I kind of see it as being a Daniel Bryan fan is the in thing right now, and live crowd's are very easily swept away with chants. Even if you didn't like Daniel Bryan you would probably still chant 'Yes! Yes! Yes!' with everyone else if you were at Raw.<p> </p><p> Now where I think this whole Batista / Daniel Bryan thing is becoming totally beserk is the insane hate for Batista. In a way, I get it. The guy left saying he hated the product, and he slated pretty much everything about the company. Then he's suddenly back and is in the main event of WrestleMania with a title shot. I can see why there is some resentment there, but didn't Lesnar do the same?</p><p> </p><p> Brock Lesnar left the WWE because he wanted to compete in the NFL, that didn't work out, and he could have made a wrestling return, instead he opted to enter MMA. He done well for himself, and got sick. His illness means he can't compete in a full out and out MMA match, so what is left for him? A return to a scripted environment where his opponent can take it easy on him. The WWE. Why don't people hate him? He is literally in the WWE because he has nothing else available to him. He can't act so he can't do movies, he has nothing to offer on a microphone so he can't do TV work for UFC, and if anyone tell's me that Lesnar wants to be in the WWE, well, I can't believe that. He looks like he is just going through the motions every time he is on my screen. Yet the fans eat him up.</p><p> </p><p> I like Daniel Bryan. I like CM Punk. But the insanity of wanting them both in the main event of every event is absured. The fans are actually making me not want to see Bryan at the moment because there is no way they can be pleased. If he wins the title they still won't be happy because eventually he'll drop it to someone who '<em>isn't worthy</em>' in their eyes, like Randy Orton or John Cena.</p><p> </p><p> At the end of the day the WWE Championship, like every championship in professional wrestling, is just a prop. Holding the title doesn't mean you're the top guy - it just means your luggage is heavier than usual.</p><p> </p><p> Daniel Bryan is still on TV every week, he's working with either top guys (Cena, Orton, Triple H) or with guys that are red hot at the moment (Shield, Wyatts). What more do you fans want? Do you want him to open, close and work the middle of every show? Maybe the WWE should clone him so we can have a Daniel Bryan vs Daniel Bryan match at WrestleMania?</p><p> </p><p> It is becoming an obsession, and obsessions are not healthy (unless your obsession is salad, I guess that is healthy).</p></div></blockquote><p> </p><p> From my understanding, there is a lot of childish marks on the internet these days who just hate people like the plague. You guys know it's a work right lol? People despising Punk and despising Batista for little known reason. Enjoy the product, laugh at people losing their mind over something not real. </p><p> </p><p> </p><div class="ipsEmbeddedVideo"><div><iframe width="200" height="113" src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/dvXRoe3vui0?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="" title="Big Boy Upset Over WWE Royal Rumble 2014!"></iframe></div></div><p> </p><p> ^This is how I expected most IWC fans to lose their shit.</p>

[RayW]

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="delv213" data-cite="delv213" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="25169" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>From my understanding, there is a lot of childish marks on the internet these days who just hate people like the plague. You guys know it's a work right lol? People despising Punk and despising Batista for little known reason. Enjoy the product, laugh at people losing their mind over something not real. <p> </p><p> </p><div class="ipsEmbeddedVideo"><div><iframe width="200" height="113" src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/dvXRoe3vui0?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="" title="Big Boy Upset Over WWE Royal Rumble 2014!"></iframe></div></div><p> </p><p> ^This is how I expected most IWC fans to lose their shit.</p></div></blockquote><p> Exactly. I just enjoy the product for what it is, sometimes its lacking, sometimes its good. I'm quite happy to take a month out and not watch (I'll keep up to date with results via wwe.com), but at the end of the day it's no different to the drama shows we have on TV. For example, I watch Big Bang Theory. I love Sheldon and can't stand Leonard. Do I get all upset and angry every time he is on my screen, though? No. It's just a TV show. Raw is just a TV show.</p>

[Stennick]

I agree with you on Leonard and I raise you Penny. Seriously those two are my least favorite characters on the show. Everyone else clicks so well and those two in my opinion could go bye bye.

[RayW]

I agree with you on Leonard and I raise you Penny. Seriously those two are my least favorite characters on the show. Everyone else clicks so well and those two in my opinion could go bye bye.

Until creative sorts it out, Rhaj will be held down forever.

[Stennick]

In fact the more over he gets the more he'll get punished for it. They'll have him run an angle where him and Stewart are lovers just to punish him for getting over.

[bigtplaystew]

See I think Daniel Bryan gets a huge crowd reaction because he's awesome. I've seen him over in tiny high school gyms where no one knew who he was and he still got over by the end of his match. Guy's just one of the best at what he does. Ever.

 

I've seen guys come and go at various levels of the game. Sure you have Hogan, Austin, Flair, Cena, Rock.. those dudes are on another plane. They drew for years. When it comes to pure babyface crowd reaction DB is one of the greats. Whether that translates to financial success is debatable.

[RayW]

See I think Daniel Bryan gets huge crowd reaction because he's awesome. I've seen him over in tiny high school gyms where no one knew who he was and he still got over by the end of his match. Guy's just one of the best at what he does. Ever.

 

I've seen a lot of guys come and go at various levels of the game. Sure you have Hogan, Austin, Flair, Cena Rock.. those dudes are on another plane. They drew by themselves for years.

 

When it comes to pure babyface crowd reaction DB is one of the greats. Whether that translates to financial success is debatable.

I don't disagree with you, I believe he is hugely over. My issue is with his rabid fan base. It's a little too ferocious. You can't boo an entire show/event until he comes out, because that ruins the show for everyone. So he isn't in this years WrestleMania main event? Steve Austin didn't main event WrestleMania when he was first getting over either.

 

I think some fans, especially those that call themselves "smart marks" invest a little too much in certain workers, and then take great offense when they don't get what they want. Yeah, it's obvious that Bryan is massivly over right now - but right now it's about Batista. I'd rather it was about Bryan, I've followed him for close to a decade, and I love what he does, but it's about Batista.

 

Bryan opened Raw. He worked the main event of Raw with Shemus and John Cena (main eventers) and The Shield (so hot right now that you could fry eggs on their faces). He's in the Elimination Chamber.

 

The last month he has been in a major storyline with the Wyatt Family, also so hot right now. Before that he was main eventing PPV's with Randy Orton and John Cena over the Championship.

 

My point is, he is doing everything that a main eventer would do. He is a main eventer. There is nothing higher than main eventer in terms of card level. Main eventers don't work every main event, they also open shows and work with people lower down the card to help elevate them. This is what he is doing.

 

This is why I don't understand what the fans want the WWE to do. Putting the title on him really is just a nice gesture. It's a prop, it's something for him to carry, but it really isn't as important as it once was, and it hasn't been for a very long time. I think his fans need to realise that they are getting what they want - Bryan is a major player in the WWE, but there are a handful of others wrestlers that he has to share the spotlight with.

[bigtplaystew]

Also, may I present this argument?

 

Typically with each year's Royal Rumble the Raw before has nice numbers, higher than normal. The post-rumble Raw usually sees a slight increase over that. This year was a bit different. The ratings actually fell which is atypical.

 

http://www.cagesideseats.com/wwe-raw/2014/1/28/5355434/wwe-raw-ratings-for-jan-27-2014-royal-rumble-fallout-show

 

DB was in the highest rated segment of the show btw. Higher than Batista's :-)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Last year's post-rumble raw also did slightly better overall numbers according to this site. http://www.gerweck.net/tv-ratings/2014-ratings/

 

Now of course 2013's version was a much better Rumble match and The Rock was around but with a heel winner and everything... I don't know man. The "BATISTA IS AN ABSOLUTE DRAW" argument is based on ONE single ratings book. So since we're living and dying by ratings numbers here, maybe for nostalgia purposes people DID tune in to see Batista ONE WHOLE TIME and then presumably lost interest, which would support that he's not the big time main event draw heading into wrestlemania season some of you might think he is.

 

Also I'll reiterate that Daniel Bryan's run at the main event was up against Monday Night Football heading into the end of the season when games had playoff implications, but of course that point got completely ignored :-)

[bigtplaystew]

Now I'm not trying to say that Batista isn't a major player and shouldn't factor into the main event. I AM saying perhaps that one ratings book was a bit misleading since it indicated that he's head-and-shoulders above the entire current roster. Nor is it all about Daniel Bryan as I think Cena's a far more proven main event draw than both of them.

[Arrows]

Now I'm not trying to say that Batista isn't a major player and shouldn't factor into the main event. I AM saying perhaps that one ratings book was a bit misleading since it indicated that he's head-and-shoulders above the entire current roster. Nor is it all about Daniel Bryan as I think Cena's a far more proven main event draw than both of them.

 

Let's not pretend like the ending to the previous RAW had absolutely nothing to do with the ratings for the first hour, either. I mean it was only one of the most crowd exciting moments in recent memory.

[bigtplaystew]

Let's not pretend like the ending to the previous RAW had absolutely nothing to do with the ratings for the first hour, either. I mean it was only one of the most crowd exciting moments in recent memory.

 

The Cena/Orton brawl? Really? I mean I liked it and all but one of the most exciting moments in recent memory? Sure you're not thinking of the 1/13 Raw with DB on top of the cage?

[Arrows]

The Cena/Orton brawl? Really? I mean I liked it and all but one of the most exciting moments in recent memory? Sure you're not thinking of the 1/13 Raw with DB on top of the cage?

 

That would be the previous RAW. Previous to 1/20.

 

Thus, why people would be watching for the follow up.

[Rickymex]

Jim Ross comments about the Punk situation

 

The news of the day surrounds the talented CM Punk unexpectedly walking away from WWE.

 

Was it really unexpected? Likely not. Punk has not been a happy camper within WWE for quite some time. That point has been made abundantly clear on many occasions. He's tired, he's beat up, and he's not enjoying himself at work.

 

Before everyone analyzes this matter to death, let's break it down into a few basic points some of which I can speak on from experience as the former head of talent relations for WWE.

 

Matters such as this generally concern one or both of the Two C's....cash and/or creative.

 

Punk is mentally and physically burned out and he's not having enough professional fulfillment to work through his issues. He needs a break.

 

All talents are wired differently which is why they all cannot be managed the same or even treated the same in many instances.

 

Recognizing when a talent is getting frayed around the edges is management's job. Once the problem is identified it is incumbent upon everyone involved in the equation to work together to solve the problem through compromise and respect but most of all communication.

 

If the talent or the company is unwilling to compromise, then, most likely the problem won't be solved and, therefore, if a problem can't be solved there's only one other option to put in play and that is to eliminate the problem.

 

Punk is a very cerebral talent who has earned his stripes the hard way and has more than paid his dues. He's earned super star status via having numerous, main event classic bouts in WWE rings on huge stages. Coming to WWE was the greatest thing Punk could have done for himself professionally. He's become globally famous and has made a handsome amount of money thanks to the WWE machine.

 

The opportunities that WWE have provided Punk and then Punk maximizing those minutes and opportunities is what the synergy between a talent and a company should resemble.

 

I do not think that Punk has wrestled his last match in WWE. I do feel that it's best for all involved for Punk to take much needed time off even if it means that he misses a WrestleMania.

 

Some of the biggest 'hurt' that I've ever encountered professionally was not being a part of a handful of WrestleMania events. However, over time, I got over those moments even though at the time I was not in a "get over it" frame of mind. Some day Punk 'might' regret missing WM30, if he indeed does miss it, but today...not so much.

 

Time heals many things. Punk needs to go home and chill. Get healthy both mentally and physically and continue to communicate with WWE.

 

Punk has much to offer WWE and visa versa. Punk never has a stinker of a match and has built a magnificent brand while in WWE. On the other hand, WWE has utilized Punk in a variety of ways and each time, no matter the creative, Punk seemed to thrive.

 

It's been a great partnership in many ways. However, no one is saying that all great partnerships are always hearts and flowers. They rarely are.

 

I can name many great talents that I've personally worked with in WCW and WWE that were not always the easiest to work with but at the end of the day the business relationship, more often than not, became a win-win situation if both side maintained some level of honest communication.

 

One thing is for sure, when one door apparently closes, even if it's short term, another door opens for another talent to walk through and make a difference.

 

No, I don't think this is an elaborate, TV storyline but instead it's all about a highly motivated, talented wrestler who, at times, feeds off the chip on his shoulder, which is not a bad thing, who has hit the wall and isn't enjoying what once was his primary professional focus....dare say his life.

 

CM Punk has been good for WWE. WWE has been good for CM Punk. I'm hopeful that they will resolve their issues and be good together once again in the future. Hopefully, the lines of communications, to whatever degree that can be maintained will remain open. If so, then this matter has a much better chance of being rectified.

[bigtplaystew]

That would be the previous RAW. Previous to 1/20.

 

Thus, why people would be watching for the follow up.

 

OK i getcha. So you are saying that part of the explanation for the spike in Batista's debut was Daniel Bryan being awesome on top of the cage the week before? Now I agree with you :-)

[MrSelfDestruct]

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="bigtplaystew" data-cite="bigtplaystew" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="25169" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>OK i getcha. So you are saying that part of the explanation for the spike in Batista's debut was Daniel Bryan being awesome on top of the cage the week before? Now I agree with you :-)</div></blockquote><p> </p><p> Bryan's moment in the cage against Wyatt is honestly my favorite moment ever in the Universe era. Loudest pops since the attitude era</p>

[Arrows]

<p>I honestly believe you can not judge a segment based on ratings.</p><p> </p><p>

We can not predict what is going to happen when, to tune in at the right time. It's like all the people who say "Only watch ...'s segments and matches! That'll show em!"</p>

[delv213]

<p>The anti-Batista hate is hilarious. Promoted segments are the be all and end all of WWE when measuring someone's drawing ability. If you promote The Rock vs John Cena all night and nobody views that segment, guess what? They're not draws then.</p><p> </p><p>

If you want an alternate route of measuring the interest in Batista's return on Raw I'll use YouTube views. </p><p> </p><p>

Batista attacks Alberto Del Rio: Raw, Jan. 20, 2014 1,081,174 views 1 week ago</p><p> </p><p>

Rey Mysterio vs. Alberto Del Rio: Raw, Jan. 20, 2014 98,994 views 1 week ago</p><p> </p><p>

Daniel Bryan reveals his true motives for joining the Wyatt family: Raw, Jan. 20, 2014 216,952 views 1 week ago</p><p> </p><p>

Batista returns and declares he's after Randy Orton's WWE World Heavyweight Title: Raw, Jan. 20, 201 506,409 views 1 week ago</p><p> </p><p>

Xavier Woods vs. Fandango: Raw, Jan. 20, 2014 59,360 views 1 week ago</p><p> </p><p>

John Cena and Randy Orton brawl outside the ring: Raw, Jan., 20, 2014 424,119 views 1 week ago</p><p> </p><p>

Big Show and Brock Lesnar come face-to-face: Raw, Jan. 20, 2014 688,487 views 1 week ago</p><p> </p><p>

The two biggest draws they have right now, Lesnar and Batista drew the most views over a week. Followed by the Cena segment. Notice the draws have views on their videos and the jobbers like Xavier Woods don't?</p>

[MrSelfDestruct]

the only reason that is, is because hes been gone and they don't see him much. I mean he is just returning, of course he will be a draw. But give it 2 months until Mania, I don't think Batista segments will have that same draw because they are sick of seeing him.

[Tha Black Phenom]

Yeah these comparisons don't stand for me, Batista is a household name who's returned after four years... comparing ratings/views with someone who while over, wasn't in the title picture kind of doesn't hold its legs. Punk's videos probably had the same amount of views when he was feuding with Ryback.