Fastlane Tonight - in Cleveland!

[MattyFos.]

Cesaro is a stud. I hope he brings that trophy with him to the ring from now on ala Owen and his Slammys.

Curious what they're going to do with Cesaro now.

 

[MoFlo]

Here's exactly how I feel, maybe he can explain it better than I can.

From Jason Powell's WrestleMania Hit List over at prowrestling.net:

Undertaker vs. Brock Lesnar: Clearly, Mickey Rooney was the source of Undertaker's power. Anyway, I am not a fan of Lesnar ending The Streak. I don't know if this is the end for Taker, but if it is, then why not bill this as The Last Ride going in and reap the financial rewards of Taker's final WrestleMania match? Certainly, the crowd would have been a lot more receptive and rallied behind Taker if they knew this it. Instead, the crowd was flat from the start. They assumed Taker was going over due to history and because the buildup for the match did nothing to make them see Lesnar as a threat. They were also too familiar with the formula of Taker's WrestleMania matches and just weren't excited about watching a slower and less exciting version of it this time around. It felt like the fans were just starting to get up for the expected finishing sequence when the unthinkable happened and Lesnar ended The Streak.

This is the same Brock Lesnar who works a part-time schedule for WWE, and if recent history is any indication will only work three or four matches over the next year before his deal expires. Maybe he sticks around after that, maybe he does not. Either way The Streak was ended by a part-time player. And God bless Lesnar for getting that part-time schedule. I enjoy the hell out of Lesnar's act when he's booked well and this will breathe some new life into him. It also sets up the ultimate David vs. Goliath showdown in Lesnar challenging new champion Daniel Bryan for the title, but then what? If the match takes place soon and Bryan wins, then the momentum that Lesnar gained from ending The Streak is over.

I assume this was Undertaker's decision and while I respect what he has done for WWE over the years, it doesn't change the fact that I disagree with it. I would not have ended The Streak, but if he felt like it needed to end, then why not give it to a full-time wrestler with a bright future who could get more out of it and help the company at the same time? I don't even want to hear that it would have damaged every young wrestler they put in the role to beat Taker because the right young wrestler with the right storytelling and the right post-match endorsement from Taker would have become a star.

If Taker didn't feel that the right young wrestler was on the roster, then so be it. I still go back to why bother to end it if that's the case. Yes, it was a shocking moment that everyone is talking about today, but let's not confuse shocking the fans for good business. In the short term, yes, Lesnar has more momentum and fans are buzzing over the end of The Streak, but I do not have faith that this is going to pay the long term dividends that the end of The Streak should. I hope that everything that transpires going forward somehow makes me see this differently. I'm sure Paul Heyman will cut one hell of a promo and that Lesnar is going to have mega heat tonight. That's great for tonight and that's great for an eventual Daniel Bryan match, but I fail to see how this is a good long term business move.

http://prowrestling.net/article.php?Powell-s-WrestleMania-30-Hit-List-The-Streak-Ends-Daniel-Bryan-wins-the-WWE-World-Heavyweight-Championship-John-Cena-vs.-Bray-Wyatt-Hulk-Hogan-Steve-Austin-and-The-Rock-appear-together-36514

 

[DJTJ]

I just want to put a wet towel over the next big star needed to end the streak thing.

He doesn't exist.

There is no step up and be the cornerstone guy now that Bryan has.

Roman Reigns is a fantastic worker, but is god awful with a live mic. Seth Rollins is fantastic worker, but will never, ever be over alone. Dean Ambrose could have easily killed the streak, because he's fantastic on the mic in a live setting (all three are good taped) but he's got an antiquated gimmick when the Shield is gone because he's basically Foley/Regal combo and he'll always get cheered by smarks. Bray Wyatt is super over and honestly has become an antihero rather than a heel, but he can't sit there and hold a twenty minute back and forth segment. Heck, I'd argue that Bryan really can't either and I LOVE him to death.

Lesnar, though? He might be, behind Bryan, the best wrestler WWE has. He's the most physical, he's the most out of this world athletic. And guess what? He can't spit a promo for shit, but Paul Heyman is the best talker in the whole company. And that's who he's paired with for a reason.

I'm not happy the streak is over, but Lesnar was the only guy who could do it that is currently in their system.

 

[Anglefan]

I think that guy does exist and all of The Shield guys are future superstars. But they don't need to beat Undertaker to be a superstar. No superstar needs to beat any one guy to be a superstar. When you over analyze it, you miss the point. They probably didn't know it was his last match until recently (after the feud was booked) and they probably didn't know they were ending the streak before the past week. With those two realities, almost none of the criticisms of it are valid. When you also throw in that it is Undertaker who wanted it this way, there's nothing to disagree with.

 

[MattyFos.]

Best Raw in memory. Start to bottom it was great.
Cesaro and Heyman
Bad News Barrett
Rusev
AJ having competition
Shield
Bryan
Lesnar and Heyman's promo. OMG!
Bray Wyatt is a bonafide fucking stud

It's a shame we didn't get to see Taker. But I'll be patient as long as the WWE continues putting out A+ quality stuff.

I'm sure I'm missing something. But RVD can go fuck himself. He's so outdated nowadays. Go rot away in TNA.

 

[MoFlo]

Best Raw in memory. Start to bottom it was great.
Cesaro and Heyman
Bad News Barrett
Rusev
AJ having competition
Shield
Bryan
Lesnar and Heyman's promo. OMG!
Bray Wyatt is a bonafide fucking stud

It's a shame we didn't get to see Taker. But I'll be patient as long as the WWE continues putting out A+ quality stuff.

I'm sure I'm missing something. But RVD can go fuck himself. He's so outdated nowadays. Go rot away in TNA.

Disagree about RVD, but agree with the rest.

Can the youth movement finally be in full effect?

1.) Cesaro winning the Battle Royal
2.) Shield dominating NAO & Kane
3.) Daniel Bryan
4.) Bray Wyatt (And the whole family) over the past few weeks
5.) Paige, Rusev, Bo Dallas, Adam Rose sightings tonight

And I think I'm even missing some.

Heyman's promo is the best heel manager promo I've heard.. probably ever. Holy shit, it was great. They really captivated the crowd big time & kept them away from the "bullshit" chants for long. Side note: Are Heyman & Zeb bringing managers back to relevance again in WWE? Usually WWE isn't the biggest fan of them..

There really wasn't a point in time when the crowd wasn't into it & they didn't have my attention. Fantastic show & fantastic way to end the show.

 

[bigfoot5415]

Saw a bikini pic of page, and her ass is beautiful.

 

[MattyFos.]

My biggest issue with RVD is the stupid somersaults before weak moves. To be fair. I never liked his character. I never watched ECW but was aware of him. To me he is nothing more than a spot monkey who is 10 years past his prime. But then again I was never a fan of Rey Mysterio either. Loved him in Cruiserweight WCW. But couldn't get behind him as a main eventer. Love the guy and his passion, love of the kids and the inspiration he is for thousands of wrestling fans. Just not a fan of his WWE in ring character/booking.

WWE just changed it's direction over the last 24 hours. Pushing up and comers to the moon. The most confusing part of the night. Crowd cheering RVD over Sandow but booing Rey against BNB. Kind of a mixed reception. I'm guessing if that was a primarily American crowd Rey would have gotten more cheers. Though I did like how he looked around the arena as he climbed the ropes to boo birds.

 

[Juice is Loose]

Lana aka CJ Perry used to be one of the FSU cowgirls. And she shows her goods on some show called Banshee.

 

[MattyFos.]

I feel bad for Big E. He was being booed because he was teamed up with "Team Superbland Face" against The Maestro Wyatt.

 

[MoFlo]

I feel bad for Big E. He was being booed because he was teamed up with "Team Superbland Face" against The Maestro Wyatt.

Big E would have been boo'd regardless of who he was fighting, unless it was against a heel the crowd didn't care about at all, it was just the nature of the post-WrestleMania Raw crowd.

He did get the only ovation from his team with his triple backbreaker.

 

[MoFlo]

“WOW! Best #MondayNightRaw EEVVEERRR!! Now that’s how you introduce and put over new talent. The new era has begun!!! @wwe”

-Chris Jericho

(Can't embed the tweet)

Did you ever think you'd see this?

 

[The Voice]

I feel bad for Big E. He was being booed because he was teamed up with "Team Superbland Face" against The Maestro Wyatt.

Big E is awful, he's basically the same as Ryback.

I just want to put a wet towel over the next big star needed to end the streak thing.

He doesn't exist.

There is no step up and be the cornerstone guy now that Bryan has.

Roman Reigns is a fantastic worker, but is god awful with a live mic. Seth Rollins is fantastic worker, but will never, ever be over alone. Dean Ambrose could have easily killed the streak, because he's fantastic on the mic in a live setting (all three are good taped) but he's got an antiquated gimmick when the Shield is gone because he's basically Foley/Regal combo and he'll always get cheered by smarks. Bray Wyatt is super over and honestly has become an antihero rather than a heel, but he can't sit there and hold a twenty minute back and forth segment. Heck, I'd argue that Bryan really can't either and I LOVE him to death.

Lesnar, though? He might be, behind Bryan, the best wrestler WWE has. He's the most physical, he's the most out of this world athletic. And guess what? He can't spit a promo for shit, but Paul Heyman is the best talker in the whole company. And that's who he's paired with for a reason.

I'm not happy the streak is over, but Lesnar was the only guy who could do it that is currently in their system.

And WWE is wondering why Punk got pissed off and walked out?

There's plenty of guys with WWE that should be getting pushed harder then they are.

 

[Anglefan]

Yeah, I have a lot of sympathy for the number two guy in the company walking out because he wasn't being pushed hard enough.

 

[DJTJ]

And WWE is wondering why Punk got pissed off and walked out?

There's plenty of guys with WWE that should be getting pushed harder then they are.

There's a difference between a top tier push, and a hard push. There isn't a guy on the roster who is able to get a top tier push for five to ten years. You're talking about building a Cena or an Orton. There aren't a lot of those guys out there, and Reigns isn't ready yet because he's the only Shield guy I can ever really see being in that class. Ambrose is an upper mid, Rollins is just a floater.

Wyatt, though? I love him. I love the character. But he's closer to being Husky Harris than he is to being the top heel, considering the fact he can't draw heel heat.