Monday Torch Today (PM Update) – Raw is Reigns, Network launch, WWE/K.C. Royals, Ballers 2, Who is Timothy Thatcher?, BG #2 tonight, Lawler-Funk, Jerry Jarrett returning?, Dusty Finish

TORCH TODAY – Monday, November 2

AFTERNOON UPDATE

– Last week’s Raw drew the highest rating of the fall TV season. But, can WWE sustain it? It will be interesting to see, especially with WWE sending a clear message to the audience that Roman Reigns is the centerpiece babyface on the roster for the moment. Will that draw people in, turn people away, or make no difference? WWE gets a one-to-two month window to see how things look with Reigns, not John Cena, in the driver’s seat starting tonight.

Also, be sure to cast your vote in our Monday Twitter Poll – should Reigns or Dean Ambrose eventually turn heel?

– WWE Network officially launched in India on Monday. The streaming service is priced at $9.99 U.S. and available through the same WWENetwork.com location.

– “The Rock” Dwayne Johnson was set to begin production on Season 2 of “Ballers” on Monday. This will keep him busy for most of the final two months of 2015.

4am wake up for first day of production for #BALLERS Season 2, buuuuut first the Matrix Stairmaster… https://t.co/x7yG3fvg9l

— Dwayne Johnson (@TheRock) November 2, 2015

– WWE continued their marketing trend of creating a custom WWE Title belt for a major sports champion. This time, it’s the new MLB World champion Kansas City Royals, who won the World Series over the New York Mets on Sunday. Triple H tweeted out a picture of their custom title belt.

Congrats to the 2015 @MLB World Series Champions the Kansas City @Royals! #HeadedYourWay #DontGetChampagneOnTheTitle pic.twitter.com/MAdLZ7r4pw

— Triple H (@TripleH) November 2, 2015

– WWNLive announced a new “mini-doc” video feature. The first installment focuses on EVOLVE champion Timothy Thatcher to introduce his background and accomplishments.

MORNING UPDATE

– WWE NETWORK HIGHLIGHTS: The Raw pre-show is at 7:30 p.m. EST, then Episode #2 of “Breaking Ground” airs after Raw goes off the air around 11:06 p.m. EST.

– Jimmy Snuka is due back in Lehigh County (Pa.) Court on Monday for a formal arraignment in the case of the 1983 death of his girlfriend, Nancy Argentino. WFMZ talked to Nancy’s sister, Lorraine Salome, about the family’s emotions during the current legal proceedings.

– Newspaper columnist Mike Mooneyham examined the “Battle for the Ages” between Jerry Lawler and Terry Funk that took place in Tennessee last month in his Sunday column. Included in the Post & Courier article are quotes from announcer Lance Russell on working with long-time broadcast partner Dave Brown and Memphis historian Mark James.

– Like son, like father? Jerry Jarrett is planning to get back into wrestling promoting, according to Classic Memphis Wrestling. Jarrett is reportedly at the preliminary stages of starting a new promotion trying to bring back “old school wrestling.”

– One of the wildest endings of the college football season now has the “Dusty Finish” label attached to it. Naturally, the game occurred in Flair Country, where Duke lost to Miami on a wild kick-off return for a TD on Saturday … that was determined to be an illegal play on Sunday. Of course, in classic wrestling fashion, the on-field decision cannot be over-turned and Miami keeps the win.