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Notes In Observance – WWE Raw 3/13/17: Trim The Fat
Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.
By Nicholas Jason Lopez
“Notes In Observance” features random thoughts and analysis on television shows. Quick results can be found at the bottom of the post.
(Aired 3/13/17)
Trim The Fat
– The opening video showcased WWE Universal Champion Goldberg’s victory over Kevin Owens at Fastlane. They wasted no time to show Brock Lesnar’s interruption of his promo last week and subsequent face-to-face. All of this was to of course, hype their encounter for the Title at WrestleMania 33. As we remember, Lesnar stood tall at the end with an F5 while Paul Heyman provided the verbal bloodshed. Basically, the momentum shifted from Goldberg to Lesnar. Good time for this to happen with Mania in the wings.
Notes In Observance – WWE Raw 10/3/16: It’s Boss Time
Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.
By Nicholas Jason Lopez
“Notes In Observance” features random thoughts and analysis on recent television shows. Quick results can be found at the bottom of the post.
(Aired 10/3/16)
It’s Boss Time
– With Raw from the Staples Center this week, we started with the same ensemble that last week’s did – WWE United States Champion Roman Reigns, Rusev and Lana. They let Reigns come out to a lukewarm yet still mixed reaction. He spoke about family until he was interrupted by Lana, as we figured out she was here to challenge him for Rusev to the rematch. Reigns tried to be edgy as he said “Bulgarian balls” and more cowardice jokes. Lana told him to go to hell. Eventually, we assumed Rusev was so offended that he came out to do battle. We got some light physicality that seemed to end with Rusev on top, until he was upstaged with a Superman Punch on the ramp. We ended with the “blockbuster” announcement that Reigns accepted the rematch, but that he’d “take them to hell with him,” because it’d be inside… Hell In A Cell. Yup, the next Pay-Per-View now has a marquee match. Didn’t see that coming. At least they didn’t go 20+ minutes this time for no reason. We suppose the feud’s personal enough to warrant HIAC, but dammit, give Rusev some momentum. It has been too one-sided.
Notes In Observance – WWE SmackDown 5/12/16: Dire Straits
Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.
By Nicholas Jason Lopez
“Notes In Observance” features random thoughts and analysis on recent television shows. Quick results can be found at the bottom of the post.
(Aired 5/12/16)
Dire Straits
– The opening in-ring segment with Dean Ambrose and Chris Jericho was a fine advancement in their program thus far, with Ambrose addressing the “jacketastrophe” (cleverly coined by Mauro Ranallo) from Raw and how things were even with him and Jericho now, until the lights came out, back on and we found Ambrose laid out face down. It turned into a trademark heel Jericho beatdown, as he set Ambrose in a strait jacket while screaming at him to “get crazy.” The Codebreakers added a necessary vicious touch, as we could see the irony in that within feuding with Ambrose, Jericho himself has gone crazy. He always knows how to reinvent himself, as his latest character seems to be that of a crazed, self-obsessed rock star. His latest “Gift of Jericho” pose is hilarious, yet it works for heat because he makes it so.
Notes In Observance – WWE Raw 5/9/16: 15 Grand Unplugged
Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.
By Nicholas Jason Lopez
“Notes In Observance” features random thoughts and analysis on recent television shows. Quick results can be found at the bottom of the post.
(Aired 5/9/16)
15 Grand Unplugged
– The saga that’s “The Family” (WWE World Heavyweight Champion Roman Reigns/The Usos) and “The Club” (AJ Styles/Karl Anderson/Luke Gallows) continued in a new way this show, as we’d see a six-man elimination tag later on, as the opening video reminded us of the carnage that went down the week before. Basically, Styles’ boys had Reigns sitting prey for steel chair vengeance, but Styles thought twice and ended up going through the announce table. Tsk, tsk.
Notes In Observance – WWE SmackDown 5/5/16: Royal Warfare
Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.
By Nicholas Jason Lopez
“Notes In Observance” features random thoughts and analysis on recent television shows. Quick results can be found at the bottom of the post.
(Aired 5/5/16)
Royal Warfare
– The “Highlight Reel” segment with Chris Jericho, Sami Zayn, WWE Intercontinental Champion The Miz and Maryse was a good opener, in that it did several things within 10 minutes. Jericho got to brag about taking Dean Ambrose out with his potted plant, Mitch, on Raw, building some good heat and making us anticipate Ambrose’s return for the following Raw. Apparently getting hit in the back of the head with a potted plant can cause contusions, bulging disks and signs of whiplash, so be careful out there. Zayn fit nicely in this segment, talking well for himself when accused of being a “sore loser” and “thief” by Jericho. Jericho had good heel logic in pointing out that Kevin Owens beat Zayn fair and square and got attacked for it the next night, while Zayn said his reasoning was because of Owens’ actions after their Payback match when he threw him out of the ring after slapping him. All the talk of the IC Title brought out Miz, who was the proud Champion who was offended at having his property touched by Zayn. Also liked the line where Miz put over his 11-year experience in the business comparing it to Zayn’s “kiddie pool” experience. Zayn continued to poke fun (literally) by touching Miz’s belt. Jericho leaving his own talk show segment felt random, but fit his character. Also liked the hook if the Zayn-Miz match was going to happen after some brief physicality.
Notes In Observance – WWE Raw 5/2/16: Corporate Sibling Rivalry
Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.
By Nicholas Jason Lopez
“Notes In Observance” features random thoughts and analysis on recent television shows. Quick results can be found at the bottom of the post.
(Aired 5/2/16)
Corporate Sibling Rivalry
– Opening video time… Yup, Mr. Deep Voice Narrator was back, as he broke down Payback’s important occurrences – Vince McMahon deciding Shane/Stephanie McMahon would run Raw, both playing a role in the main event’s decisive winner. Of course, the focus was on typical mcMahon family drama during what’s repeatedly preached as a “new era.” What’s new about this again?
Notes In Observance – WWE Raw 4/25/16: Everything’s A Collusion
By Nicholas Jason Lopez
“Notes In Observance” features random thoughts and analysis on recent television shows. Quick results can be found at the bottom of the post.
(Aired 4/25/16)
Everything’s A Collusion
– WWE’s biggest intrigue remained the question if AJ Styles, the #1 contender for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, was in cahoots with New Japan newcomers Luke Gallows/Karl Anderson of the former Bullet Club, which Styles was once a part of. It’s a great way of meshing “smart” storylines within WWE’s realm of sports entertainment superficiality. Gallows/Anderson have attacked Reigns’ cousins, The Usos and then Reigns himself. Styles continued to deny any prior knowledge, while it seemed that Gallows/Anderson were taking advantage of how it all appeared. Storytelling at its best, because otherwise, Styles-Reigns would completely falter. Reigns just won the World Title at WrestleMania and is primed for a long run, while Styles, a relative WWE newcomer, needs some credibility. He’s a guy who can main event off his name alone, but not one to win a World Title just yet. This “Is He? Isn’t He?” storyline is the perfect mask to cover the initial faults of the current biggest program headed into Payback.
Notes In Observance – WWE SmackDown 4/14/16: Here’s Some Insight
Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.
By Nicholas Jason Lopez
“Notes In Observance” features random thoughts and analysis on recent television shows. Quick results can be found at the bottom of the post.
(Aired 4/14/16)
Here’s Some Insight
– WWE Intercontinental Champion The Miz and his wife Maryse continue to heel it up well, this time mixed with some lovey-dovey stuff as seen during their opening in-ring promo. That was likely for heat purposes, but their A-game is on when they’re the narcissistic “Hollywood” couple like we saw on that week’s Raw. Anyways, their makeout session was interrupted by Zack Ryder, who was still riding his “WrestleMania moment” wave. An excuse to have a match? Why not? This was a smart way to have Miz back out of it by revealing Ryder already had a match scheduled against Baron Corbin. How did Miz know Ryder’s opponent, yet Ryder didn’t? Does someone check their schedules? As you could imagine, Corbin-Ryder didn’t last too long before the End Of Days finished the former IC Champ off. The Dolph Ziggler run-in post-match made sense as far as continuing the Ziggler-Corbin feud and allowed “The Showoff” to get a moment to live up to the name and Corbin emerged unscathed by dodging the Superkick. They interacted, but not physically. Not a bad start.
Notes In Observance – WWE SmackDown 4/7/16: Eye-To-Eye
Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.
By Nicholas Jason Lopez
“Notes In Observance” features random thoughts and analysis on recent television shows. Quick results can be found at the bottom of the post.
(Aired 4/7/16)
Eye-To-Eye
– It’s no secret to see WWE dragging out WrestleMania’s spectacle throughout the week with dashing highlight videos, and that’s what the opening video did yet again. You’d think they focus on Raw After Mania, but we’ll just sip our tea.
Notes In Observance – WWE Raw 4/4/16: The Energy Of Change
By Nicholas Jason Lopez
“Notes In Observance” features random thoughts and analysis on recent television shows. Quick results can be found at the bottom of the post.
(Aired 4/4/16)
The Energy of Change
– Another year, another loud, vocal crowd of “international marks.” Such is the usual with the Raw after WrestleMania, which is now hyped up to the point of a spectacle of itself. As you could probably imagine, the opening video highlighted various happenings of WrestleMania 32 to the tune of Flo Rida’s “My House.”
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