PWTorch.com - RAW FIVE: A look-back to what was underplayed on the final Raw before WrestleMania and how it played out, plus big underplay involving Rock

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RAW FIVE: A look-back to what was underplayed on the final Raw before WrestleMania and how it played out, plus big underplay involving Rock

Mar 30, 2015 - 3:39:16 PM

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The final Raw before WrestleMania 31 drew a lot of attention for what was under-played leading into the PPV. Last week, we presented the Top 5 (or more) under-played items and questioned how things would play out at WrestleMania. We'll review that below.

But, one item that was way under-played during Mania Season and could lead to future big matches was The Rock's involvement at the beginning of the WM31 build-up.

Go back to the Royal Rumble when Rock cleared The Authority henchmen Big Show and Kane during the Rumble match, paving the way for Roman Reigns to win the Rumble match and advance to the main event of WrestleMania.

However, out of spite for Rock's involvement, The Authority "tricked" Reigns into giving up his Mania spot and forced him to win a "play-in" match against Daniel Bryan at Fast Lane.

Fast-forward to WrestleMania when Rock made a surprise appearance, not to be in Reigns's corner for the main event title match involving Brock Lesnar, but to confront ... The Authority, Triple H and Stephanie. The segment ended with Rock "embarrassing" Hunter and Stephanie with help from UFC star Ronda Rousey.

An hour later, Reigns's WWE World Title shot against Brock Lesnar was interrupted when Seth Rollins (presumably on orders of The Authority) ran down to the ring to cash in his MITB briefcase. Rollins, not Reigns, left WrestleMania as champion.

Was it revenge on Rock associating with Reigns at the Rumble and then "embarrassing" The Authority at WrestleMania? We'll see how the storyline plays out going forward. But, it points to the back-story for a potential Rock-Hunter, Stephanie-Rousey, or mixed tag scenario down the road, as well as putting Reigns on a stronger Title Chase.

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A Review of the Top 5 Underplayed Raw Items

(1) Roman Reigns. No communication with his fans on what it would mean to win the WWE Title at WrestleMania. No communication to non-fans who don't buy him as a WrestleMania main-eventer. No completion of a journey to the WM31 main event spot.

Was it to set up a double turn? Stand-alone heel turn? Seth Rollins MITB cash-in? Is Reigns going to flat-out lose, so WWE under-played Reigns's title chase? Whatever the case, Reigns was not presented as one-half of the WrestleMania main event this Sunday.

The Answer: Seth Rollins cashed in MITB to become new WWE World champion. No double turn, although the crowd sure treated Lesnar like the babyface champion and Reigns as the heel challenger.

(2) Seth Rollins's MITB briefcase. After weeks and weeks of Randy Orton and Rollins being one of the center-pieces of Raw, WWE got their business out of the way very quickly, focusing on Orton trying to get his hands on Seth to drop him with an RKO. In the process, Seth possessing the MITB briefcase was way under-played.

Was it to set up a surprise MITB cash-in at WrestleMania? Or, not distract from the Reigns-Lesnar title match "hype" (if you could call it that) later in the show? Whatever the case, Seth's briefcase took a back-seat on the final Raw before Mania.

The Answer: Seth Rollins cashed in MITB to become new WWE World champion.

(3) The Rock's SNL appearance. On the day that WWE and NBC Universal announced a big co-branding agreement, WWE did not mention "The Rock" Dwayne Johnson hosting Saturday Night Live on NBC the night before WrestleMania.

Was it to save a surprise appearance for WrestleMania? Avoid promoting a TV show the same night as WWE's Hall of Fame ceremony on WWE Network? Simply lost in the shuffle of so much to discuss on the final Raw before Mania? Whatever the case, this was beyond under-played; it was not even mentioned.

The Answer: Yes, a surprise appearance for WrestleMania.

(4) John Cena's patriotism. No promo from Cena on the final Raw before Mania, just a big ol' beat down from Rusev stacking the deck heading into his U.S. Title match.

Did WWE believe Cena said enough last week and in a sit-down interview with Michael Cole, which was clipped on Raw? Or, is Cena simply going to lose to Rusev at WrestleMania, so WWE did not want Cena delivering a big pre-victory speech to raise expectations for his fans? Or, for one of the few times in Cena's career, is Cena's WrestleMania match about his opponent, not Cena? Whatever the case, Cena's patriotism and title chase was under-played leading into the WM31 ten years removed from the Cena Era beginning at WM21 in the same building where Raw took place.

The Answer: Even-Steven booking with Rusev looking like a dominant, monstrous force on the final Raw before Mania before Cena won the U.S. Title at WrestleMania.

(5a) Sheamus. There were no vignettes on Raw building up Sheamus's eventual return. Was it to save Sheamus as a surprise return in the Andre Battle Royal? Get involved in another match, like the IC Title ladder match? Save him as a surprise return for the Raw after WrestleMania? Whatever the case, Sheamus was beyond under-played; he was not even mentioned.

The Answer: International oddsmakers predicted Sheamus would win the Andre Battle Royal, but WWE is holding off on Sheamus's return to TV until after WrestleMania.

(5b) Bryan was in the default main event of the final Raw before WrestleMania, but two months ago, Bryan would have been considered well above Dolph Ziggler on the pecking order. Now, Ziggler has two singles victories over Bryan, who was in the main event of WrestleMania last year.

Outside of the obvious booking decision to push Bryan out of the title picture this year, was Bryan under-played because WWE is trying to get out of the Yes! Movement business? Did WWE under-play Bryan to set up the old "never saw it coming!" IC Title victory at WrestleMania? Was it to push Bryan out of the WrestleMania Audience's consciousness so they're not chanting for Bryan throughout WrestleMania? Whatever the case, last year's Mania Title Winner was presented as an after-thought this year.

The Answer: More Even-Steven booking with Ziggler winning on TV before Bryan won the IC Title ladder match. Similar to Randy Orton having a claim to a WWE Title shot against Seth Rollins, Ziggler has a claim to an IC Title shot against Bryan.