RAW 11/23

[Storm Trooper]

So was that new music for Nikki Cross or did she have it recently? I haven't noticed it before.

[Storm Trooper]

oh nice they're airing the tribute video for Taker.

I tell you I want to work for WWE just so that I can get them to make a video package for me.

[Storm Trooper]

Ok Fiend cost Orton the match.

So it looks like Fiend/Randy are feuding. Praise Jesus Orton isn't gonna be with Drew.

[klunderbunker]

Ok Fiend cost Orton the match.

So it looks like Fiend/Randy are feuding. Praise Jesus Orton isn't gonna be with Drew.

Amen. It's over and there is no point to dragging it out.

[klunderbunker]

Monday Night Raw
Date: November 23, 2020
Location: Amway Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Tom Phillips, Byron Saxton, Samoa Joe

We’re finally done with Survivor Series and that means it’s time to head towards Tables, Ladders And Chairs in about four weeks (and also in the new Thunder Dome at Tropicana Field). Tonight is probably going to be about fallout, though I’m not sure what that is going to entail from last night. Let’s get to it.

Click on the link below for the full review.

They Took Aim

[Jack-Hammer]

If you'd taken out the stuff with Lana, then last night's Raw may very well have been the best episode of the year. At any rate, it probably was one of the best shows of the year. Granted, that might not be saying all that much since the bar is pretty low as quality on Raw is a total roll of the dice each week, but it was a good show by any reasonable standards.

The stuff with the men's Survivor Series team continues to come off as childish. Fighting over stuff like who the captain is or Strowman treating Adam Pearce saying "and last but not least" to him as though Pearce whipped out his pecker and slapped Strowman's mama across both cheeks was lunacy. This sorta thing has Vince written all over it when you think about it as he's known to just completely blow his stack over things nobody else would be upset about. For instance, this is the man who berated Strowman backstage once upon a time in front of everyone for saying "title shot" during a promo instead of "title match." Things that don't matter to anyone else matter to Vince, yet he expects people to be on board with this illogical bullshit.

The tag title match was pretty good, I especially liked that they were given a lot of time. What I wasn't wild about is that this is another match that's part of Vince's favorite formula in which the challengers earned the title shot in the first place by beating the champions in a non-title match. Of course, that could have been soothed quite a bit had HB won the titles but that's not usually part of Vince's favorite formula. After all, it's not as though wins and losses matter a whit to him anyhow.

Riddle vs. Sheamus was a lot of fun and was another long match that featured a lot of physicality. This was a match that I kept getting more and more into the longer it went, partially because I didn't really know who'd come out on top. This was Riddle's best overall performance on the "main roster" in terms of displaying his resilience and I also liked how neither man his his finisher here. Sheamus actually showing some technical skill on the mat was pretty refreshing as well. Riddle winning was the right call as I have a feeling we'll get McIntyre vs. Sheamus before too long anyway, the backstage segments between the two have to be leading to a program.

Some may not like it, some may be over it, but I still enjoy the Firefly Funhouse segments. Alexa Bliss has enough quirkiness and inner geek to pull off her new character and carry her weight with Bray Wyatt.

The stuff with Lana, I just couldn't care less about. Is Vince trying to make her sympathetic by making her come off as pathetic or something? Are we supposed to feel sorry for her because Nia and Shayna are bullying her? One problem it's hard to sympathize with Lana because her character just isn't likeable; all she does is waltz around in her skimpy outfits acting like she's the ultra hot chick, knows she's the ultra hot chick and everybody else better recognize. Nia Jax is beyond lousy but at least her booking has been consistent and it's mad her a threat. Shayna Baszler is a legitimate badass with real ability that I'd rather see get pushed ahead of Lana any ol' day of the week. As for Asuka, I just feel bad she's pulled in the middle of this as Lana ought to be carrying her gear to and from the car rather than competing against her for a title. I suppose this is all leading up to some sort of match at TLC between Lana and Nia, probably a tables match, in which Lana somehow gets her revenge and everyone is supposed to start taking her as some sort of serious threat.

Keith Lee vs. Bobby Lashley was a good solid hoss fight. They didn't go all out here and I wouldn't mind seeing that happen in the future. Lee winning by DQ is fine as Lashley didn't need a pinfall loss here and neither did Lee. I don't see Lee winning next week and, if he does, I don't see him winning the WWE Championship but I wouldn't mind seeing Lee and Lashley for the US title a little bit down the line. After all, it feels like it's been forever since there was a strong babyface as United States Champion.

Nikki Cross vs. Alexa Bliss was mostly just there. It would've been okay all in all if they didn't make Nikki come off as so dang stupid. I have a fair number of pet peeves in pro wrestling but one of my biggest is portraying a babyface as some gullible, naive fool who needs to be looked after by his/her mother and that's what they made Nikki look like.

Styles vs. Orton was a good outing and one I'm glad to see Styles win. Personally, I'm over Orton being in the WWE Championship picture. I have no interest in seeing him as champion, let him feud with Bray Wyatt for a while, pick his feud with Edge back up in another few months and leave the title out of it.

The tag title match was pretty good, I like that it was given a lot of time