Raw lately

[Big Papa Satan]

Boy, they're really going after the vapid reality tv viewers, aren't they.

I don't know who or what a Nee nee is.

[Doug]

Don't worry... I live here and even I don't know who she is, except she's on Real Housewives of Atlanta (a show I refuse to watch, no matter what city they slap it in)

[hvsupastar]

Weird PR move. I guess they think people who watch total divas are reality fans and wrestling fans at the same time... Weird

[jbell96]

This just shows how out of touch they are with their viewers. Nobody gives a crap about any of the girls from Total Divas. Only divas that people give a crap about, Paige & AJ, have nothing to do with that garbage.

Stephen Amell, star of the hit TV show Arrow, based on the DC Comic "Green Arrow, lobbied on Twitter to host Raw, but nothing ever happened. A good percentage of wrestling fans are also big fans of comics, so why not give them something they'd actually be interested in?

[Eddie Goodson]

Rusev/Big Show=Excellent

[who knows]

Except for the fact that was obviously not a real soldier?

[hvsupastar]

Except for the fact that was obviously not a real soldier?

ooohhhhh wrestling isn't real life?

[Eddie Goodson]

Of course he isn't. Jack Bauer isn't a real government agent either. Still enjoy watching him.

[who knows]

ooohhhhh wrestling isn't real life?

Yep nothing I can say back to that... just take that one on the chin

[Big Papa Satan]

Kane tripping at the end of tonight's show was an amusing moment.

[jbcarol]

WWE divulged its third quarter earnings last week and the results weren't very good, especially when it came to the WWE Network and its low number of subscribers.

The poor results must have lit a fire under the entire company because Monday's episode of Monday Night Raw was the best it has produced in weeks, maybe even months...

[Big Papa Satan]

especially when it came to the WWE Network and its low number of subscribers.

It'll stay that way for the foreseeable future.  I don't see the big satellite companies - Directv, Dish - picking them up any time soon.

[Big Papa Satan]

Kane tripping at the end of tonight's show was an amusing moment.

https://pbs.twimg.com/tweet_video/B1oG2BUIcAA1QBw.mp4

[jbell96]

It'll stay that way for the foreseeable future.  I don't see the big satellite companies - Directv, Dish - picking them up any time soon.

Until there is a major overhaul on the creative end, the number of subscribers will stay where it is now.

I'm close to just subscribing for the months of big PPV's & catching up on ones I missed while not subscribed.

[vandybuff]

Of course he isn't. Jack Bauer isn't a real government agent either. Still enjoy watching him.

but of course Jack is related to Eddie Bauer .... everyone know that

[spiritof92]

I hate to say it but the biggest problem with the product is a portion of the fanbase that have come along over the last 10-15 years.  Most of them (which I talk with every day on a big wrestling board) look at pro wrestling as a competitive sport.  Their focus is on the ring and think 20-30 minute matches are more important than characters and gimmicks.  If a wrestler can't work a 30 minute match, release them in their opinion.  If a guy is muscular or big they automatically hate them. 

Their perfect idea of a wrestler is plain looking, bad to average on the mic, and runs around the ring at 100 MPH for 30 minutes.  They think mat work is kicking your opponent in the shin 50 times.  That somersaults, moonsaults, and diving out of the ring is technical skill (rather than acrobatic).  They rage at the thought of a headlock, wristlock, bearhug, armbar... as they see it as being lazy.   If you only employ 5 or 6 moves but they are all high spots you are a god to them.  If you only employ 5 or 6 moves and they are power moves they consider you slow and clumsy.

Anyone that has been around long enough knows these long matches absolutely kill ratings.  Need to go back to the 10 minute time limits (sans the main event) and put more focus on promos, backstage, brawls/matches with promo lead-ins, ect...   Pro wrestling when done right is about larger than life characters doing things that the rest of decent society can only dream about doing.  That's how we escape for 2-3 hours.  Not by watching the guy that works at Subway trade kicks and slaps with the guy that works at Radio Shack.

[jbell96]

I hate to say it but the biggest problem with the product is a portion of the fanbase that have come along over the last 10-15 years.  Most of them (which I talk with every day on a big wrestling board) look at pro wrestling as a competitive sport.  Their focus is on the ring and think 20-30 minute matches are more important than characters and gimmicks.  If a wrestler can't work a 30 minute match, release them in their opinion.  If a guy is muscular or big they automatically hate them. 

Their perfect idea of a wrestler is plain looking, bad to average on the mic, and runs around the ring at 100 MPH for 30 minutes.  They think mat work is kicking your opponent in the shin 50 times.  That somersaults, moonsaults, and diving out of the ring is technical skill (rather than acrobatic).  They rage at the thought of a headlock, wristlock, bearhug, armbar... as they see it as being lazy.   If you only employ 5 or 6 moves but they are all high spots you are a god to them.  If you only employ 5 or 6 moves and they are power moves they consider you slow and clumsy.

Anyone that has been around long enough knows these long matches absolutely kill ratings.  Need to go back to the 10 minute time limits (sans the main event) and put more focus on promos, backstage, brawls/matches with promo lead-ins, ect...   Pro wrestling when done right is about larger than life characters doing things that the rest of decent society can only dream about doing.  That's how we escape for 2-3 hours.  Not by watching the guy that works at Subway trade kicks and slaps with the guy that works at Radio Shack.

Yeah, a small percentage of wrestling fans is the problem. (eye roll) The problem is Vince is completely out of touch with what fans want. Not everyone wants a 30 minute 100 MPH match, the majority of fans I know want good solid matches & logical story lines. There just isn't enough of that right now and it's turning off a lot of people I know. Having menopausal women, a loud mouth reality TV star, and an animal made popular by a 2 year old meme, on television just shows how out of touch he is with what fans want. Until Vince hands the reigns to HHH, things won't get much better.

[The_Iceman]

I hate to say it but the biggest problem with the product is a portion of the fanbase that have come along over the last 10-15 years.  Most of them (which I talk with every day on a big wrestling board) look at pro wrestling as a competitive sport.  Their focus is on the ring and think 20-30 minute matches are more important than characters and gimmicks.  If a wrestler can't work a 30 minute match, release them in their opinion.  If a guy is muscular or big they automatically hate them. 

Their perfect idea of a wrestler is plain looking, bad to average on the mic, and runs around the ring at 100 MPH for 30 minutes.  They think mat work is kicking your opponent in the shin 50 times.  That somersaults, moonsaults, and diving out of the ring is technical skill (rather than acrobatic).  They rage at the thought of a headlock, wristlock, bearhug, armbar... as they see it as being lazy.   If you only employ 5 or 6 moves but they are all high spots you are a god to them.  If you only employ 5 or 6 moves and they are power moves they consider you slow and clumsy.

Anyone that has been around long enough knows these long matches absolutely kill ratings.  Need to go back to the 10 minute time limits (sans the main event) and put more focus on promos, backstage, brawls/matches with promo lead-ins, ect...   Pro wrestling when done right is about larger than life characters doing things that the rest of decent society can only dream about doing.  That's how we escape for 2-3 hours.  Not by watching the guy that works at Subway trade kicks and slaps with the guy that works at Radio Shack.

Excellent post. To me, wrestling was about the stories, the big entrances with cool music and lights/pyro, and fun characters. You used to have guys with nicknames and costumes that were actually cool, not stupid. Now, every wrestler looks the same with their first and last name and dressed in black.

[Eddie Goodson]

I watch wrestling for the same reason I did forty years ago. Wrestling.

[pigture perfect]

Until HHH and Stepanie stops being the face and voice of the franchise it's going to continue to fail. The good guys need to win occasionally.

[Richard_white]

Wrestling and their characters is what wrestling was all about. I can watch a 30-40 minute match if it's entertaining. I still watch Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels iron man match.

What is wrong with the WWE?  For me it's character development.

[The_Iceman]

Once the WWE gets healthy, they really need to turn Cena heel. He has the potential to be an excellent heel character.

The problem is, he will probably become a fan favorite as a heel, because people hate his current character so much.

[RD]

Yeah, a small percentage of wrestling fans is the problem. (eye roll) The problem is Vince is completely out of touch with what fans want. Not everyone wants a 30 minute 100 MPH match, the majority of fans I know want good solid matches & logical story lines. There just isn't enough of that right now and it's turning off a lot of people I know. Having menopausal women, a loud mouth reality TV star, and an animal made popular by a 2 year old meme, on television just shows how out of touch he is with what fans want. Until Vince hands the reigns to HHH, things won't get much better.

This X's 100.

[spiritof92]

Yeah, a small percentage of wrestling fans is the problem. (eye roll) The problem is Vince is completely out of touch with what fans want. Not everyone wants a 30 minute 100 MPH match, the majority of fans I know want good solid matches & logical story lines. There just isn't enough of that right now and it's turning off a lot of people I know. Having menopausal women, a loud mouth reality TV star, and an animal made popular by a 2 year old meme, on television just shows how out of touch he is with what fans want. Until Vince hands the reigns to HHH, things won't get much better.

I'm going by what people from all over the country are saying on various message boards.  Not what a few people I know IRL have been saying.  When pro wrestling was at it's peak matches were pretty much an afterthought and it was mostly about the characters.  The ratings don't lie.  When people like Eddie and Benoit started headlining is when fans left in droves and the ratings and PPV buy rates never recovered.

[Eddie Goodson]

Wrestling messageboards are pretty much dominated by 20 something men. Frankly, 20 something men these days eouldn't ge happy if you hung them with a new rope.

The key reasons for the decline in wrestling are #1 the explosion of tv channels and the access to live sports every night of the week, #2 the end of wrestlers who developed their craft in the territories and nit on the big stage, & #3 the lack of genuine competition to drive the need to produce the very best product. Taking the WWE public necessitated the shift from the attitude stuff and frankly, had they not done it, their ratings would be as bad or worse than TNAs. Kids are driving the WWE and it is mainly because wrestling is no longer considered a sport. It is called entertainment. That is the WWEs fault.

[RD]

There is no decline if you are watching NXT. NXT is so much better than anything Raw is putting on right now.

[Richard_white]

There is no decline if you are watching NXT. NXT is so much better than anything Raw is putting on right now.

Yep

[nattyhypethe3rd]

There is no decline if you are watching NXT. NXT is so much better than anything Raw is putting on right now.

This X 100.  Sami Zayn, Adrien Neville, Breeze, Kidd, Balor, Itami, and upcoming Steen now Owens is awesome wrestling.  Plus their women's wrestling is way better than what's on the main roster excluding Paige, Lee, and Fox.

[Richard_white]

The only problem I had with Raw Monday night was the ending. Might as well brought back boring celebrities promoting their movie.  Or better yet bring back people's power.

Other than Cena, its the main problem with WWE.  Repeated crap like this.

[hvsupastar]

The only problem I had with Raw Monday night was the ending. Might as well brought back boring celebrities promoting their movie.  Or better yet bring back people's power.

Other than Cena, its the main problem with WWE.  Repeated crap like this.

Don't hold your breath. I read where the celebrity guest host thing is a possibility again

[who knows]

And not have Sting there...pretty pathetic. ..

[Richard_white]

Wyatt and Dean are money.

I really love this fued.

[jbell96]

One complaint for last night was having Flair's daughter lose her first match on Raw to Natalya. Made ZERO sense considering she's defending the NXT Women's title on Thursday night.

[Dr. Starcs]

Love how she said she's her own woman and proceeded to do just about every Ric flair move/action her dad did, save for the Irish whip. Weak.

[The_Iceman]

One complaint for last night was having Flair's daughter lose her first match on Raw to Natalya. Made ZERO sense considering she's defending the NXT Women's title on Thursday night.

WTH was up with that? I mean, she has the potential to be one of the biggest Diva stars in the business. She could bring her Dad along as a manager and maybe even team up with Ziggler down the line to make the ultimate team.

Why would you ruin her that early?

[who knows]

WTH was up with that? I mean, she has the potential to be one of the biggest Diva stars in the business. She could bring her Dad along as a manager and maybe even team up with Ziggler down the line to make the ultimate team.

Why would you ruin her that early?

WWE..

[jbell96]

Love how she said she's her own woman and proceeded to do just about every Ric flair move/action her dad did, save for the Irish whip. Weak.

She is so bad at it too. I saw her do the bounce hard off the ropes and "Woooo" in her opponent's face on NXT last week and it was so awkward.

[RD]

If you are not watching and loving what NXT offers....you are a sad man.

[Eddie Goodson]

I have watched NXT the last couple weeks just to see what you guys think is so superior and I have yet to see it. I see it for what it is, a bunch of greenhorns learning their way. It's good for what it is but it us not superior to Raw.

You guys do need to know that the creative writting fir NXT is the same creative that was writing Raw 5 months ago. The WWE shuffled creative a few months back and the creative you guys hated so much running Raw went to NXT. 

[RD]

I have watched NXT the last couple weeks just to see what you guys think is so superior and I have yet to see it. I see it for what it is, a bunch of greenhorns learning their way. It's good for what it is but it us not superior to Raw.

You guys do need to know that the creative writting fir NXT is the same creative that was writing Raw 5 months ago. The WWE shuffled creative a few months back and the creative you guys hated so much running Raw went to NXT. 

Vince calls all shots on RAW. Triple H calls shots on NXT. Eddie, nothing compares to NXT right now. Neville and Zayn are tearing the roof off tonight. There is more wrestling in the NXT championship and Women's NXT championship than there has been on RAW all year.

Wrestling. Not sports entertainment as Vince loves to call it.

[RD]

Match of the Year was NXT Championship Tonight.

[Richard_white]

The main difference with WWE and NXT is that WWE is like a broken record.

Yes WWE is a  better quality product, but the WWE is just so damn boring with the same crap. It's not their quality of wrestling is the problem..it's the entertainment that is dragging the product as a whole.

NXT is a breath of fresh air. 

And can we get Vince to stop writing the same ending of raw for next week.  It's repeating except who stands over the other at the end of the show.

[jbell96]

I have watched NXT the last couple weeks just to see what you guys think is so superior and I have yet to see it. I see it for what it is, a bunch of greenhorns learning their way. It's good for what it is but it us not superior to Raw.

You guys do need to know that the creative writting fir NXT is the same creative that was writing Raw 5 months ago. The WWE shuffled creative a few months back and the creative you guys hated so much running Raw went to NXT. 

So much inaccurate information in this post I'm not even going to bother poking holes in it.

[Eddie Goodson]

No there's not. They shuffled creative.

[Richard_white]

One thing going on that I like WWE for is that as for now John Cena isn't going to win the title anytime soon.  Those poor poor bed wetter fans.

[Hogwop]

The main difference with WWE and NXT is that WWE is like a broken record.

Yes WWE is a  better quality product, but the WWE is just so damn boring with the same crap. It's not their quality of wrestling is the problem..it's the entertainment that is dragging the product as a whole.

NXT is a breath of fresh air. 

And can we get Vince to stop writing the same ending of raw for next week.  It's repeating except who stands over the other at the end of the show.

I don't know if you could say it's a better quality product but maybe better production? I don't know. I haven't really been watching the last few months because RAW is just so boring to me anymore.

Some of the matches are good, really good even, but I think the 3 hour show is hurting the product. It's tiresome seeing the same guys night in and night out, just in a little different configurations. Is that extra hour really necessary if all they're going to give us is a 30 minute "contract signing" segment? or another rambling HHH promo? Go back to 2 hour RAWs, please.

[Richard_white]

I don't know if you could say it's a better quality product but maybe better production? I don't know. I haven't really been watching the last few months because RAW is just so boring to me anymore.

Some of the matches are good, really good even, but I think the 3 hour show is hurting the product. It's tiresome seeing the same guys night in and night out, just in a little different configurations. Is that extra hour really necessary if all they're going to give us is a 30 minute "contract signing" segment? or another rambling HHH promo? Go back to 2 hour RAWs, please.

I agree about WWE going to three hours.  I hated WCW going to three hours.  But it wasn't as bad as WWE doing three hours looking back at it.

WWE character development hurts them the most when it comes to a longer show.  Reason why we see the same matches and practically the same ending of the show....one week Eric Rowan will be on top of Big Show.  The next week Show is over Rowan. 

I would like to see Ambrose winning the Rumble this year even though they like Reigns but Ambrose brings much more right now than Reigns.  Reigns needs to polish up his mic skills and his in ring work.  Which isn't bad though.

[Hogwop]

I'm with you on Ambrose, he's ready now imo. I don't think that Reigns is too far off, esp if he could get a good mouthpiece to do the talking for him, though it would be better to bring him along slowly to get him used to talking more. But you can't really argue with the pop he gets. Personally I think all 3 of the Shield guys should be getting huge pushes, as they all 3 bring something to the table.

[Dr. Starcs]

So why do they basically show the same matches every raw?  I've seen Cena/rollins and Ambrose/Wyatt several times lately.

Seems to me, they'd want to build anticipation for these matches and would pair up different guys leading up to the Ppv.

[Ragnar Hogbrok]

So why do they basically show the same matches every raw?  I've seen Cena/rollins and Ambrose/Wyatt several times lately.

Seems to me, they'd want to build anticipation for these matches and would pair up different guys leading up to the Ppv.

I've tried to get back into watching Raw over the last three weeks or so after several years of apathy.  I could have saved myself time by just watching the one and using my memory each Monday night.  It's like the roster consists of about eight dudes who have to wrestle/dialogue each other every...single...Raw.