Hi everyone, been a while...okay a long, long time. Well I'm in the mood and in a position to write regularly on my blog. So what I'm going to do first is to do a little 2003 look back at WWE Raw brand.
Raw to say the least finally started to get good in December with good storylines and matches. The Shawn Michaels/Triple-H World Heavyweight Title match sent Raw off on a good note match wise. The renewal of the Bischoff/Austin co-GM feud looks to be hot as basically one of Raw's biggest star is back for 2004.
However there is something tempering my excitement for Raw in 2004 and that's Triple-H. Until September he was the World Heavyweight Champion, then all during Goldberg's reign he was the challenger with Kane added at Armaggedon to show a little imagination for Triple-H winning the gold back. Basically everything that is wrong with Raw is Triple-H because he hogs the World Title division and does let others play. The Goldberg World Title reign is one point. Instead of having Goldberg face Chris Jericho or Kane alone, Triple-H was in one the action. Men who can hold the title if pushed, Rob Van Dam and Booker T along with Jericho and Kane don't get the shots or if they do they don't get the wins. What Triple-H doesn't realize is he can be one of the top players on Raw and not hold the World Title. The Undertaker when he hasn't been in a WWE Title match has been for years in the last to next match of the card. At WrestleManias XII, XIV, XV, & X-7 the last big match before the Main Event/WWE Title match has featured The Undertaker, and at X-7 Triple-H faced the Dead Man.
Another problem is Evolution, Triple-H's version of the Four Horsmen. Unfortunately for Triple-H it doesn't work. A friend of mine says that problem is that the original Four Horsemen were all equals only seperated by the level of title belt they had. Ric Flair was offset by manager JJ Dillion, but Flair in my view was "first among equals." Evolution doesn't revolve around four men with a manager it revolves around Triple-H. In Evolution, Triple-H is The Boss and everyone else including Flair is his lackey. Right now Evolution has all the gold except for the WWE Women's Title. Randy Orton with the IC Title, I don't have a problem with. Orton's a rising star, good in-ring ability, and good mic skills. He has the ability to be a great World Champion. However, Flair & Batista as WWE Tag Team Champions I don't get. Flair adding his name to the titles doesn't hurt them, but if Triple-H as champion along with him I wouldn't mind. Batista has yet to be more than a raging bull in a china shop, they need to develop him more like Orton.
The one thing that Raw has constantly done well over 2003 was the Women's Division. With the exception of the failed Gail Kim championship reign and the sudden stopping of Ivory's push at the same time in summer, the Women's Division has been filled with great athletics and good angles. Everyone woman who held the title, except Kim, had the reputation to hold it and no one asked, "Why does she have the title?" When the WWE realized the Kim experiment hadn't worked they quickly put the title on current champion Molly (Holly) and no one blinked an eye because Molly had heel heat and she had been given a steady stream of matches keep her in mind.
Looking to 2004: I think Triple-H & Shawn Michaels are going to be Raw's WrestleMania XX Main Event for the World Heavyweight Title. Chris Jericho will turn face and have a strong series against Christian. Unfortunately, it looks like Goldberg will be gone and Booker T's health might result in him not renewing his contract and retire. For the Women's Division to remain hot some personas will have to be shifted around. I think the big feud of the upcoming year will be Trish Stratus & Lita, right now both women are faces but the division could keep being hot if one of them turns heel. Right now in my mind it will be Trish, particularly because with Jericho turning face and Trish being pissed off at him it might turn her to the "dark side." Lita's still coming back from her neck injury and could come out of WrestleMania with the Women's Title with big face heat, that added on to Jericho's turn could make Trish jealous and set up a pretty entertaining year.
Well that's all from my end today. Tomorrow I'll be back with my NFL Playoff predictions.
Raw to say the least finally started to get good in December with good storylines and matches. The Shawn Michaels/Triple-H World Heavyweight Title match sent Raw off on a good note match wise. The renewal of the Bischoff/Austin co-GM feud looks to be hot as basically one of Raw's biggest star is back for 2004.
However there is something tempering my excitement for Raw in 2004 and that's Triple-H. Until September he was the World Heavyweight Champion, then all during Goldberg's reign he was the challenger with Kane added at Armaggedon to show a little imagination for Triple-H winning the gold back. Basically everything that is wrong with Raw is Triple-H because he hogs the World Title division and does let others play. The Goldberg World Title reign is one point. Instead of having Goldberg face Chris Jericho or Kane alone, Triple-H was in one the action. Men who can hold the title if pushed, Rob Van Dam and Booker T along with Jericho and Kane don't get the shots or if they do they don't get the wins. What Triple-H doesn't realize is he can be one of the top players on Raw and not hold the World Title. The Undertaker when he hasn't been in a WWE Title match has been for years in the last to next match of the card. At WrestleManias XII, XIV, XV, & X-7 the last big match before the Main Event/WWE Title match has featured The Undertaker, and at X-7 Triple-H faced the Dead Man.
Another problem is Evolution, Triple-H's version of the Four Horsmen. Unfortunately for Triple-H it doesn't work. A friend of mine says that problem is that the original Four Horsemen were all equals only seperated by the level of title belt they had. Ric Flair was offset by manager JJ Dillion, but Flair in my view was "first among equals." Evolution doesn't revolve around four men with a manager it revolves around Triple-H. In Evolution, Triple-H is The Boss and everyone else including Flair is his lackey. Right now Evolution has all the gold except for the WWE Women's Title. Randy Orton with the IC Title, I don't have a problem with. Orton's a rising star, good in-ring ability, and good mic skills. He has the ability to be a great World Champion. However, Flair & Batista as WWE Tag Team Champions I don't get. Flair adding his name to the titles doesn't hurt them, but if Triple-H as champion along with him I wouldn't mind. Batista has yet to be more than a raging bull in a china shop, they need to develop him more like Orton.
The one thing that Raw has constantly done well over 2003 was the Women's Division. With the exception of the failed Gail Kim championship reign and the sudden stopping of Ivory's push at the same time in summer, the Women's Division has been filled with great athletics and good angles. Everyone woman who held the title, except Kim, had the reputation to hold it and no one asked, "Why does she have the title?" When the WWE realized the Kim experiment hadn't worked they quickly put the title on current champion Molly (Holly) and no one blinked an eye because Molly had heel heat and she had been given a steady stream of matches keep her in mind.
Looking to 2004: I think Triple-H & Shawn Michaels are going to be Raw's WrestleMania XX Main Event for the World Heavyweight Title. Chris Jericho will turn face and have a strong series against Christian. Unfortunately, it looks like Goldberg will be gone and Booker T's health might result in him not renewing his contract and retire. For the Women's Division to remain hot some personas will have to be shifted around. I think the big feud of the upcoming year will be Trish Stratus & Lita, right now both women are faces but the division could keep being hot if one of them turns heel. Right now in my mind it will be Trish, particularly because with Jericho turning face and Trish being pissed off at him it might turn her to the "dark side." Lita's still coming back from her neck injury and could come out of WrestleMania with the Women's Title with big face heat, that added on to Jericho's turn could make Trish jealous and set up a pretty entertaining year.
Well that's all from my end today. Tomorrow I'll be back with my NFL Playoff predictions.
posted by Matt Ries at
3:04 PM
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