4 Ups & 1 Down From Last Night's WWE 205 Live (Jan 3)
3. Commentary Gains
The commentary team is growing in confidence, much like the show they’re covering.
Maura Ranallo and Corey Graves were on form, demonstrating effortlessly that they are the best in the world. The former might stretch the odd metaphor to an eye-rolling degree - his Star Wars references in the main event were somewhat lame - but otherwise, he was his usual knowledgeable and enthusiastic self.
It’s the latter who might yet become one of the all-time greats. The standard is almost inconceivably high - Bobby Heenan’s comedic stylings in particular were as hilarious as anything found in the entertainment mainstream in the late eighties and early nineties - but, slowly, he is making his own name. Graves understands that random specificity is crucial to comedy. His “Tony Nese hasn’t had a potato chip in nine years” crack was so much funnier than it would have been, had he said ten.
Aries isn’t at their level, but he’s making a firm fan of your writer, balancing his arrogance with subtle, crucial praise by selling Tajiri’s green mist as more dangerous than his running “thumb to the eye” joke.