SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
The following report originally published 10 years ago this week here at PWTorch.com…
KELLER’S WWE RAW REPORT
MARCH 23, 2015
LOS ANGELES, CALIF. AT STAPLES CENTER
LIVE ON USA NETWORK
[HOUR ONE]
-They started with the Raw opening theme. Then they went live to Staples Center. Michael Cole touted the crowd of 17,540. JBL hyped Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns in the ring later. Cole hyped that Snoop Dogg and Bill Simmons (from ESPN, Grantland, ABC) would be on the show live.
-The Sting ring entrance took place, as WWE hyped throughout the afternoon would kick off the live show. Sting walked out and looked around the crowd. If the fans were cheering, WWE mics didn’t pick it up. When Lilian Garcia announced Sting, there were some cheers. Cole noted it was 14 years ago that WWE bought WCW “and ended the legendary run of that legendary promotion.” He said Sting was the face of WCW. Cole said they never thought they’d see that happen.
They went to JBL, Booker T, and Cole at ringside. Booker said Sting has been waiting on this for 14 years. Cole hyped #StingOnRaw.
Sting put the mic up to his mouth. A “Sting! Sting!” chant started and ended quickly. Sting said, “So this is what it feels like to kick off Monday Night Raw.” He let out his famous yell. He said he’s been known as the WCW soldier, and over the last 14 years he’s watched Triple H climb the ladder with WWE though manipulation, backstabbing, undermining, whatever he had to do to get to where he is to get to the very top. “I guess he thinks he’s unstoppable, like there may not be any kind of consequence.” He said he is the last soldier in a long-forgotten war. He said he isn’t there to fight for WCW. He said that would be ridiculous. Good line. He said he is there to take Triple H down, and that’s it. Stephanie McMahon interrupted (just like Mark Henry did to Roman Reigns on Smackdown last week).
Stephanie entered the ring and said Sting now knows what it feels like to make it to the big time. She said he sharing the ring with Stephanie McMahon. “Soak it all in,” she said. Sting said she’s a spoiled little brat whose had so much handed to her and thinks she’s earned it. He smiled and said it’s nice to meet her. She said he’s lashing out at her because he’s intimidated. She said he is used to being a big fish in a small pond, but in WWE he’s like a minnow swimming in a big ocean. She said her father eviscerated his career when WWE beat WCW in the Monday Night War. She said she admired his loyalty. “You never thought of leaving WCW. We never even got a phone call during that time. Dogs are kind of loyal, too. Sure, you can paint a dog up and they can do a lot of little tricks, but at the end of the day dogs are kind of stupid. I’d compare you to a dog, but I don’t want to insult dogs.” She said he will lose any ounce of respect fans have for him when her husband pins him in the middle of the ring. “You’re nothing but a face-painted freak,” she said.
Sting let out another yell and smiled. Then he winked at her. Steph tried to slap him. He caught her arm. She looked like he was violating her. Triple H’s music played and she suddenly got cocky-faced. Sting let go. Steph met Hunter at ringside.
When Hunter began to slowly enter the ring, Sting twirled his baseball bat a few times. Hunter grabbed his sledgehammer. Steph talked to Hunter. Sting dropped the bat and invited Hunter into the ring, then he played to the crowd.
(WK Reax: From the beginning, Sting’s strength has been playing to an enthusiastic crowd with great body language. He connects in a way that Roman Reigns should be studying. WWE was smart not to have Sting just talk for eight minutes. Well plotted and executed. Steph and Hunter were great, too.)
-They went to the announcers who asked fans to pick Randy Orton’s opponent’s tonight – Big Show, Kane, or Seth Rollins & J&J Security. Voting was taking place on the WWE App).
-They showed a crazy tan A.J. Lee chatting with Paige backstage. JBL said Nikki Bella offered a title match to either A.J. and Paige, and let them decide.
(WK Reax: That’s a great heel move – to plant tension between two future opponents as they have to hash out who gets the title shot.)
-Dean Ambrose’s ring entrance took place. Cole said he teams with “the delightfully unstable R-Truth.” [c]
(1) DEAN AMBROSE & R-TRUTH vs. LUKE HARPER & STARDUST
Wade Barrett joined the announcers at ringside. After Cole said Barrett had a 1-in-7 chance of retaining his IC Title, JBL and Booker debated who was the favorite among the challengers. The answer is easy: There is no favorite. They each have precisely a 1-in-7 chance. [c]
Back to the ring, Ambrose fought his way out of the corner, but Stardust cut off his comeback and scored a two count. Ambrose gave Harper a tornado DDT to cut off heel momentum. He hot-tagged Truth just as Stardust – who was running back and forth on the ring apron – tagged in too. Truth, of course, took control because that’s the rule after simultaneous hot-tags. Ambrose dove onto Harper at ringside and then Truth finished Stardust mid-ring. Booker called it a car crash. As Ambrose and Truth celebrated in the ring, Barrett high-tailed it to the stage, looking nervously behind him the whole way. Dean actually did some dance moves with Truth. The announcers cackled with joy. It’s all about fun.
WINNERS: Truth & Ambrose at 8:23.
ARTICLE CONTINUED BELOW…
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-Cole hyped the voting on the free WWE App for the Raw main event.
-Renee Young interviewed Special Olympics World Games President & CEO Patrick McClanahan on the stage with more than a dozen Special Olympian athletes. She hyped that the Special Olympics would take place in Los Angeles this July.
-Cole threw to a highlight package focused on “last week’s candid interview with Roman Reigns” that Byron Saxton conducted where he promised a level of intensity no one has seen before. Cole then plugged the Lesnar-Reigns in-ring confrontation. JBL said you can pay $69.95 on PPV, but he doesn’t know why you’d do that when you can get the exact same show for $9.99. Cole then talked about the Tweet war with Bill Simmons and JBL in recent days.
-The ring entrance for Miz and Mizdow came next. Mizdow got a nice pop. Cole threw to a clip of Kevin Hart and Will Ferrell being interviewed by Miz and Mizdow about their new movie, “Get Hard.” Cole seemed a little bashful as he said the name of the movie. Ferrell asked about his assistant. Miz said about three months, but he hasn’t been doing a very good job. Hart and Ferrell agreed he has a Hollywood look. Miz laughed, as if it was absurd what they were saying. Miz asked Mizdow to get him a water right now. Ferrell got up to get him water instead. Cole hyped that Bill Simmons joins them next. [c]
(2) ZACH RYDER & TITUS O’NEAL & RYBACK & DARREN YOUNG & ERICK ROWAN vs. MIZ & MIZDOW & ADAM ROSE & THE ASCENSION.
Bill Simmons sat next to JBL at ringside. JBL said he was taken out of context disparaging him last week. Simmons said he’s still a little emotional about John Cena taking such a beating last week. He referenced his even year old son, who is WWE fan, in this context too. Simmons said Ryback is among the three wrestlers you don’t want to meet in a dark alley. I’d put the Briscoes no. 1 and no. 2. Not sure Ryback is in my top ten, especially after his speech about believing in “The Secret.” Ryback finished Miz with a Meat Hook for the win.
WINNERS: Team Ryback at 5:48.
-After the match the announcers asked Simmons to endorse WWE Network and explain what he likes about it. He said he loves he gets all the PPVs for the price. Simmons offered to take JBL’s place on the announce team anytime. Cole then threw to a video package on Sting appearing side-by-side with Orton last week on Raw and then highlights of the show-opening segment this week. [c]
[HOUR TWO]
-Orton made his ring entrance. Booker T stood up and took on Jerry Lawler’s former role of announcing results of the poll. The crowd cheers gave it away as he ran down the options. J&J & Seth won with 77 percent of the vote, with 11 and 12 percent to the other two choices (Kane and Big Show). Cole said Orton has to love it and is chomping at the bit.
(WK Reax: I’m pretty sure Orton didn’t actually plan matches with Big Show and Kane, too, “just in case.”)
(3) RANDY ORTON vs. SETH ROLLINS & JAMIE NOBLE & JOEY MERCURY
Orton worked over Noble early, then tossed him to ringside. Orton yanked Rollins into the ring by his hair, but Mercury saved Seth. Seth blindside kicked Orton, then dropped to ringside. Noble took over with Ron Garvin like stomps on Orton. Orton came back with a snap powerslam on Mercury a minute later. When Noble went for the save, Orton grabbed him and gave them both double DDTs. Booker said, “This might be a first!”
(WK Reax: Poor Booker can’t catch a break. Orton did that very move on Smackdown last week to two security guards. Oops.)
Orton pound the mat to set up his RKO. Seth ran in and went for a Curb Stomp. Orton moved. Seth bailed out. Orton then gave Noble an RKO for the win. “What a message sent,” said Cole emphatically.
WINNER: Orton at 3:21.
-Cole hyped the John Cena vs. Rusev match. A video package aired including comments from Cena on the WWE.com interview with Cole last week. He said fans respect him because he says what he believes in and wears his heart on his sleeve. He said there is documented proof of his unwavering support for the men and women who fight for our freedoms. He said he is going to WrestleMania to put an end to Rusev as U.S. Champion so that belt is taken around the world and worn by someone Americans can be proud of. He said he wants to be an ambassador who travels to the U.K., Japan, and “even Russia.” He said he wants to show them that “America is the elite because we bust our ass to be the elite.”
(WK Reax: That quote pretty much sums up one of the top reasons people outside of the U.S. often perceive Americans as arrogant. He did add, “Not that anyone doesn’t work as hard.”)
After talking about himself for two minutes, he said WrestleMania isn’t about him, it’s about shutting up Rusev and putting the U.S. Title belt back where it belongs.
-Cole hyped Rusev vs. Jack Swagger would take place on Raw tonight.
(WK Reax: Finally!)
-Backstage A.J. and Paige were mic’d as they discussed who would get the title shot. A.J. told Paige that the Bellas are trying to divide them. Paige said that’s true, but she has been dealing with the Bellas for months while they’ve been away. She said, passive aggressively, that if she wants the match, she’ll give it to her. Paige joked that if A.J. turned down a title match, it’d make her crazy. A.J. asked, “What did you say?” Paige hugged her and said they’re friends. She walked away, having solved nothing. [c]
(4) PAIGE (w/A.J. Lee) vs. NIKKI BELLA (w/Brie Bella) – Divas Title match
Cole said if Paige won, she’d tie A.J. Lee and Eve Torres for the most Divas Title reigns in history. Bubba Ray Dudley is getting nervous. Paige leaped off the ring apron and clotheslined Nikki at ringside. She threw her back into the ring, but Nikki made a comeback and scored a two count. They cut to a break. [c]
They double clotheslined each other mid-ring after the break, and both were slow to get up. Brie yelled at Nikki, “Come on, get up!” Paige was up first and clothesline Nikki three times and then dropkicked her and scored a near two count. “What a match,” said Booker. Nikki countered a Rampaige with a small package for a near fall. Nikki showed signs of frustration after several more near falls, but no three count. Paige surprised Nikki with a Rampaige for a near fall. Paige was shocked at the kickout. A.J. encouraged Paige to go after her again. Paige went after Nikki, but they both tumbled through the ropes to ringside. A.J. came out and grabbed Brie to stop her from getting involved. In a Bobby Heenan “who’s side is he on?” moment, Booker said, “Are you sure” Paige then tapped A.J. on the shoulder, but A.J. elbowed her. Cole said she thought it was Nikki. Nikki then gave Paige a flying elbow to the face. She threw her into the ring. JBL said he thinks maybe A.J. did it on purpose. Booker, inexplicably, agreed with JBL, saying, “You gotta wonder.” Nikki then finished Paige with the Rack Attack.
WINNER: Nikki Bella at 10:40 to retain her title.
-After the match, JBL said Paige called A.J. crazy earlier, and A.J. was lashing out. The Bellas left, satisfied their plan played out perfectly. A.J. entered the ring and Paige tackled her and mounted her and punched away. A.J. turned her over and punched her. The ref pulled them apart and held back A.J. The announcers debated the A.J.-Paige dynamic. Cole was alone in thinking it was a misunderstanding and nothing more. They shifted to highlights of the Daniel Bryan vs. Dolph Ziggler conclusion to the gauntlet match on Smackdown last week. Cole then plugged App voting for the special referee for the match between Bryan and Ziggler later. The choices were the rest of the IC ladder match competitors. Cole plugged that Snoop Dogg was up next. [c]
-Cole hyped WWE Network WrestleMania programming scheduled Thursday through Sunday.
-Snoop Dogg danced to the ring to some random song by some unknown artist. JBL said, “Only Snoop Dogg could make that outfit look cool.” Snoop entered the ring and talked about WrestleMania. He said he’s been to a couple of them. He was interrupted by Curtis Axel. He said,
“Don’t change the channel.” JBL said, “I was thinking about it.” Axel pushed #AxelMania, not #SnoopMania. He said it’s not a West Coast thing or East Coast thing, it’s a worldwide thing. He said AxelMania is running wild in Los Angeles. Snoop told Axel, “So you’re the clown who’s been popping off on Twitter.” He said he is ready for him. He said Axel is missing the most important Mania of them all. Out came Hulk Hogan to “Real American.” Snoop smiled broadly and raised his arms and danced to Hogan’s entrance.
Hogan turned to Axel and said, “Let me tell ya’ something, brother.” He said when he pressed Andre the Giant over his head in front of 94,000 people, he knew Hulkamania would live forever.
(WK Reax: That 94,000 will grow to 120,000 by the time WrestleMania 32 happens, so Hogan can keep the record. And he’ll have pressed Andre over his head five times by then, too.)
Hogan turned to Snoop and asked, “Big Snoop, you’d know better than anybody. What’s this brother smoking over here?” Booker, Cole, and JBL laughed. At least the joke is legal in a few states now. Axel ripped off his t-shirt and asked, “Whatcha gonna do?” Hogan blocked his punch and knocked him down. Snoop then tossed Axel over the top rope.
(WK Reax: That was less believable than when Jay Leno did the same move in WCW.)
Snoop tore off his shirt and revealed a Hulkamania t-shirt. Cole boasted about the six inch pythons. He said he’s finally found someone with smaller arms than him. Booker cupped his ear at ringside and posed with a big smile. Hogan raised Snoop’s arm in the ring. Cole then threw to a video package on last week’s Lesnar sit-down interview. [c]
(5) CESARO & TYSON KIDD & NATALYA vs. EL MATADOR & LOS MATADORES
The Usos and Naomi joined the announcers at ringside. It came down to Natalya vs. Torito. Natalya ducked a top rope dive and then nailed him with a spinning clothesline. Seconds later, Torito won with a sunset flip out of a power bomb attempt by Natalya for the shocking end. They cut to Naomi laughing at ringside. Kidd chewed out Natalya, of course.
WINNERS: El Matadors & Torito in 4:00.
-Backstage Kane told Barrett he’s proud of him for having possession of the IC Title belt for 48 hours. He said he has to take the belt from him now. Barrett said that’s not going to happen. Kane said he’s been tasked to take his belt and hang it above the ring tonight in anticipation of WrestleMania’s match. Well, that makes no sense. Kane said he has been authorized to strip him of the title if he didn’t comply. Barrett said it’s a travesty and handed it over. Kane said he shouldn’t be upset. He just has to beat six other Superstars to get it back.
-Cole plugged Rusev vs. Swagger was up next. [c]
-Cole plugged Reigns & Cena & Henry & Bryan vs. Seth & Bray Wyatt & Show & Kane on Smackdown. That’s pretty random.
[HOUR THREE]
(6) RUSEV vs. JACK SWAGGER
The crowd chanted “We Want Lana!” in the early part of the match. As Rusev settled into a cobra clutch on the mat on Swagger, Cole hyped the top matches scheduled for WrestleMania. JBL pushed again the price differential between WWE Network and PPV. Swagger made a comeback. Booker said Rusev just keeps getting back up and no one can stop him. Rusev went for a super kick, but Swagger caught it and went for a Patriot Lock. Rusev blocked it. Swagger powered Rusev over into a slam for a one count. Rusev eventually clobbered Swagger in the face and then applied the Accolade for the win.
WINNER: Rusev.
-Rusev held onto the Accolade. Cole pointed out that Lana is the one who usually calls him off. Booker said it might be the most dangerous Rusev yet. Instead, Cena’s music played and he ran out for the save. Cena knocked Rusev to ringside, but Rusev made a comeback and knocked Cena into the ringside barrier. Then he shoved him into the ringpost back-first. JBL said it was a trap and you could see Rusev looking toward the ramp for Cena. Rusev then tossed Cena over the announce table and onto an announce chair. Rusev waved the flag, but then returned to go after Cena some more. Rusev took out his anger on the announcers’ monitors, throwing them to the floor. Then he lifted and slammed Cena face-first onto the announce table. Then he applied the Accolade on the announce table. He got that crazed look on his face before about 300 referees convinced him to let go. He mercifully did, and then celebrated with his flag mid-ring. [c]
-A plug aired for the WWE Network special featuring Triple H and Arnold Schwarzenegger patting each other on the back and stroking each other’s egos for who knows how long, with Michael Cole hosting.
(WK Reax: It’s quite the coincidence that Triple H inducted Arnold into WWE Hall of Fame the same year Arnold inducting Triple H into his International Sports Hall of Fame!)
-Bray Wyatt made his ring entrance. He asked why Undertaker is hiding. He asked if he’s afraid and embarrassed to show world who he truly is. He said reality can be a very, very difficult pill to swallow. He said that doesn’t mean each and every one of the fans are guilty. He said somewhere deep down they hate the person they have become. Bray said he is many things, but not a liar. He is a sword of truth, he said. He said he speaks the truth everyone tries to hide themselves from. He said if they want the truth, he’ll give it to them. He said Undertaker is just like them – a liar. He said Undertaker tries to hide the fact that he wants his soul to be set free. He said luckily the angel with the burnt wings has been sent to take him back to the other side. He said there is that mystical order that people have become addicted to, as lights began to flicker in the Staples Center. He said the spirits no longer operate at Taker’s command, but rather to him. He said everything belongs to him now. He said the demons march to his command.
He said there will be no redemption for Taker, and no shield for him to be carried out on. He said the only thing sealed will be his fate, sealed by Sister Abigail’s kiss. He said against everything he stands for, he take his place among the Gods as the new face of fear. He stared into the hard camera demonically. He said at WrestleMania he’ll get the mercy he has been so desperately begging for. He said after WrestleMania, he can finally rest in peace. Pyro blasted and lights flicker.
-Cole hyped the WWE App voting for the special referee for the Bryan vs. Ziggler match.
(WK Reax: That was a major promo, and Cole pretty much acted like he was distracted and missed it the way he transitioned into the superfluous plug for the referee voting. Geesh. That was a time for some serious selling by Cole, or a cold cut to a commercial break.) [c]
-Cole showed Michelle Beadle, Rick Rubin, and Kid Ink at ringside for Raw. Rubin, a music producer, was also the (sort of) secret owner of Smoky Mountain Wrestling booked by Jim Cornette in the early ‘90s.
-Cole then turned to the news that Kevin Nash a/k/a Diesel was the last Hall of Fame entrant. They showed the Rolling Stone website headline that “broke the story” earlier in the day. It was pro wrestling’s worst kept “secret” in recent weeks. A video aired on Nash’s career in WWE and WCW.
-Backstage they showed Natalya and Kidd thinking they were talking to each other, but in reality Kidd was saying sweet things about the return of Burger King’s chicken fries, not her. Natalya was offended at first, but then took a bite and understood. She asked for a moment to savor them. Cole cackled at the hilarity.
-Daniel Bryan’s ring entrance too place. Then Ziggler’s. Booker then announced the poll results for special referee: Ambrose 57%, R-Truth 19%, Barrett 13%, Stardust 7%, Harper 4%. Ambrose made his ring entrance. Bryan leaned on the ropes in the corner like AWA jobbers did on the TV shows I grew up watching in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s. [c]
(7) DANIEL BRYAN vs. DOLPH ZIGGLER
Ziggler slapped Bryan after a break in the corner. Bryan responded with aggression. The sportsmanlike match turned into a more intense fight. Ambrose liked it. Bryan kicked Ziggler near Rick Rubin. JBL warned Rubin a flying farm animal was headed his way. Instead, Ziggler sidestepped him and then Ziggler charged at Bryan and they both tumble into the time keeper’s area. [c]
Back live, Ziggler had Bryan in a sleeper. Bryan escaped and rolled up Ziggler. Ziggler powered out. Bryan gave Ziggler a back suplex into a bridge for a near fall. Ziggler countered a top rope move by Bryan by slamming his head into the mat. When Ambrose fast-counted a Ziggler backslide on Bryan, Bryan fast-kicked-out. Bryan countered with a kick and a cover for a two count. Bryan threw a barrage of kicks in the corner, then a running dropkick. When he charged again, Ziggler caught him with a superkick and a Zig Zag for the clean win.
WINNER: Ziggler at 10:52.
(WK Reax: Yes, it was the main event of the final Raw before WrestleMania, but this felt like the end of the Yes Movement. The athleticism was there, but the magic was gone with Bryan. The crowd senses that chapter has ended and he’s on a different lowere mid-card level now.)
-Afterward, Ambrose gave a celebrating Ziggler a Dirty Deeds. Cole said he was marking his territory. He yanked a ladder out from under the ring and slid it into the ring. Out came R-Truth, Stardust, Harper, and Barrett. They brawled as Stardust very slowly climbed the ladder. Barrett knocked him down. Ziggler gave Barrett a super kick. Stardust gave Ziggler his finisher. Ambrose and Stardust quickly climbed opposed sides of the ladder. Harper knocked the ladder over. “Bodies everywhere!” shouted Cole.
-They went to Cole, Booker, and JBL at ringside. Cole said OSN will distribute WWE Network to “over 26 countries” this week in the Middle East. JBL said it’s $65 to buy a PPV or just $9.99 to get the Network.
-Backstage Paul Heyman knocked on Brock Lesnar’s locker room door. He said, “Hey champ, it’s time.”
-WWE aired a commercial pushing their new motto: “WWE, for the hero in all of us.”
(WK Reax: We’ve come a long way since “NWA: We Wrestle” and “Smoky Mountain Wrestling: Wrestling The Way It Used To Be and Wrestling the Way You Like It” and “ECW: Not For Everyone.” I remember Tod Gordon pitching that motto to me during a phone call back in the day, and telling me Paul Heyman was not sold on it, but he really felt it applied.) [c]
[OVERRUN]
(WK Reax: I’m surprised they didn’t replay the Triple H-Sting segment from earlier in the night given how different the actual viewership is between the first and third hour – similar total, but a lot of different people. Plus, no final Cena promo, either. I get Undertaker not talking as part of the selling point is seeing Taker for the first time since losing to Lesnar. It could have worked either way.)
-Brock Lesnar’s ring entrance took place. They went to a cool upper deck wide shot of the entire Staples Center crowd and entrance stage and scoreboard flashing with lights. Lesnar walked onto the stage wearing the WWE Title belt around his waist. Heyman strutted out behind Lesnar.
Heyman introduced himself and his champion. Heyman implored fans to order WWE Network because they’ll get their money’s worth. He vowed that Lesnar will lay a beating down on the Samoan Badass like nobody has ever done. He said if they want to see a fight, with Lesnar laying a beating down on another human being and impose his will and mangle another human being, they’re gonna get their money’s worth.
Heyman said either Lesnar is every single thing he says he is or he isn’t. He said Reigns is either everything they hype him up to be, or he isn’t. “That’s it, period, exclamation point.” He said someone will be proven right because one man will be the winner and one man will be the loser. He said one man will be successful, the other a failure. He said Lesnar makes failures of every man who steps in front of him. He said he was right about what Lesnar would do to Undertaker last year and he was right about what he would do to Cena. He said Cena is not ending WrestleMania this year, Lesnar is. (I guess that ends my speculation Cena-Rusev had an outside chance, unless Heyman spoke out of turn there.)
Heyman said Lesnar is an intensely passionate competitor. He said he loves being WWE Champion almost as much as he loves kicking the ass of any man who tries to take the title from him. He said he takes that title personally. He said he if he wants to take that belt, he might just as well kick down the door to his house, take his wife, remove food from his children’s plates, watch his TV, drive his car, claim ownership to his house, and rename his sons ‘Reigns’ if he wants to take that title from Brock Lesnar. He said that’s what it takes. He said Lesnar is that kind of man who will kick down his door and take food off his children’s plates and rename then ‘Lesnar.’
Heyman said Reigns says “I can and I will,” but Lesnar says he can’t and he won’t. He winked at the camera as he said it. Reigns’s music played and he walked out through the crowd to less than an eruption of cheers and instead scattered boos and indifference. That was not a pop for an emerging breakout star.
Reigns entered the ring. When the music stopped, the boos outweighed the cheered for sure. Lesnar stared down Reigns. A small “Let’s Go Lesnar” chant broke out. Lesnar held up his WWE Title belt. Reigns looked up and grabbed it out of his hands. Reigns then held it up. Lesnar grabbed it and they had a tug-o-war. Raw ended with their both grasping it and staring at each other.
(WK Reax: This was Reigns’s last chance to sell himself to the fans. It wouldn’t have been that hard to make his case, I don’t think. That really says something about their confidence in Reigns that they didn’t let him talk at the end of the show. The show-closing tug-o-war was so bad, it almost feels like a last second audible. I think they were worried he’d get booed out of the building if he talked for any length of time.)
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