WWE’s Major Problem With RAW 25
Imagine Curt Hawkins, losing streak frustrations boiling over, issue a rage-fuelled open challenge. The blistering, euphoric cheese of ‘Real American’ blasts out the speakers, and the Hulkster hopefully doesn’t throw his hip out landing the big boot. That is greedy - Hogan is a surprise guest, if he appears at all - but this is what a show like RAW 25 promises: pure, affectionate fan service framed with a full-on feel-good factor.
Imagine WWE comprehensively bettering every last one of those suggestions. Having Mae Young reintroduce her grown-up hand-son at RAW 1000 was as inspired as it was hilarious - proof positive that the beleaguered, much-criticised writing staff does possess the stuff, on occasion.
The problem is that no single, regular episode of RAW in the modern era has so much as approached this level of anticipation. Jim Ross has foundered at the desk in recent years, drawing the ire of New Japan fans, and talent, but iron promises to sharpen iron when he resumes his easy chemistry with Jerry Lawler. The two voices of the Attitude Era will only, as the show recedes, remind fans of just how good they used to have it when the robotic Michael Cole resumes automaton exposition mode.
The timing of the show offsets the stark contrast, provided WWE restores the Royal Rumble to its glorious best with a contemporary winner, and not Roman Reigns, but still: so many of those confirmed and rumoured returnees dwarf the 365 ‘Gratitude Era’ crew in terms of star power that we’ll be given even less reason to care about them. Especially since, as the WrestleMania 34 picture emerges, Triple H, John Cena, Shane McMahon and the Undertaker look set to occupy the foreground of the poster.
Optimistically, there is precedent to do something progressive on the show, in that 2012’s RAW 1000 struck the perfect balance. Between Mae Young’s hand-son, Heath Slater’s Legendary burial, and the reconciled Brothers of Destruction destruction, WWE delivered nostalgia both kitsch and powerful - but the lasting impression was made by one CM Punk, whose heel turn set in motion the next six months of pay-per-view main events.
RAW 25, however, is stacked to a ludicrous extent. Virtually every name talent of renown, alive and on good terms with the company, is headed in the direction of New York City. Scope for something as landscape-changing as Punk’s attitude adjustment narrows by the day, seemingly, as WWE announces more and more - and more and more - names. CONT'D...