Last night’s Raw was held in Portland, Oregon and featured a crowd packed with hipsters, a few memorable contests, and the nWo reunion that had been teased on social media all week leading into the event.
The show was the “go-home” edition of Raw and was the final build for Sunday’s SummerSlam pay-per-view. As always, a few questions were answered, but many still remain. Here are five questions that need to be answered following Monday’s Raw.
5. Is Corporate Kane Back Permanently?
Kane was back in his suit and tie this week on Raw, having once again handed in his mask on last week’s episode. The Demon made a match between Roman Reigns and RybAxel before departing for the locker room.
My question is simple: Does Kane have anything left in the tank with his corporate character? It seems the company doesn’t know what to do with him, as he has shifted back and forth between demon and corporate Kane over the past few months. If Kane is going to become a permanent fixture in the Authority storyline, hopefully something worthwhile comes of it, because it otherwise simply results in a convoluted storyline.
4. Where Have the Usos Been?
The Usos were absent from Raw this past week (other than the announcers issuing an open challenge on their behalf for tonight’s Main Event), and with SummerSlam only a few days away, they are also noticeably absent from the pay-per-view card. There are rumors of a fatal four-way tag team contest being put together for the pre-show, but nothing has been confirmed thus far.
With the Usos having defeated basically every tag team on the roster and holding the titles for most of the year, I think it is time for the brothers to drop the titles. Nothing against the Usos, but they have fought everyone on the roster and their run is quickly becoming stale. It appeared the titles were going to be put on the Wyatt Family a few weeks back, but the Usos prevailed. Hopefully a title change can shake up an otherwise stagnant tag team division.
There is talk that Triple H may be added as a special guest referee for the Stephanie McMahon vs. Brie Bella match at SummerSlam.
Additionally, there continues to be discussion about turning Nikki Bella heel at some point during the McMahon-Bella feud. The actual decision as to when she will turn hasn’t been decided yet, but it’s pretty much considered inevitable that it will happen at some point during this program.
The latest word going around this weekend is that the rumored Stephanie McMahon vs. Brie Bella match may be saved for the Night Of Champions pay-per-view in September, as opposed to the SummerSlam show in August. More should be known based on how they follow-up on the angle at RAW tonight.
As far as the Dean Ambrose vs. Seth Rollins and AJ Lee vs. Paige matches at SummerSlam, it is believed that both will be a gimmick match of some sort.
Finally, there is talk of the WWE Tag-Team Championship match at SummerSlam being a fatal four-way with The Usos defending against Luke Harper and Erick Rowan, as well as two other tag-teams.
Brie Bella posted the following tweet on her official Twitter account on Sunday, teasing a follow-up to last week’s angle on RAW between herself and Stephanie McMahon.
Interesting. Got a call from @WWE HQ. Apparently, @StephMcMahon wants me at #RAW. Can only imagine what this is about. I'll be there- READY!
During the police press conference with Daniel Bryan and Brie Bella this week, the former WWE World Heavyweight Champion revealed that he was informed by his doctor on Thursday that he will likely need a second surgery to repair his injured neck.
Bryan spoke about how he has half of the strength in his right arm compared to his left. He didn’t confirm whether or not he was going to get the surgery, however did say that he was encouraged to do so.
If he does undergo the second surgery, there is no definite report on how long that will keep him out of action.
WWE Superstar Daniel Bryan interrupted a burglary at his home on Thursday night, chased down one of the thieves and subdued him until police arrived.
According to Phoenix police,, the incident occurred when Bryan and his wife Brie were returning home to their home in Phoenix, Arizona. Upon pulling into their driveway, they saw their front door open and realized they were being robbed. Two men ran out of the house and Bryan was able to catch one of them, 22-year-old Cesar Sosa. They got into a struggle and Bryan was able to wrestle him down and keep him tied up until police arrived. The second suspect was not located.
Sosa was booked into Maricopa County Jail and charged with burglary.
Bryan and his wife Brie spoke about the incident during a press conference, with Bryan saying he jumped into action because he was worried about their dog, Josie, who was in the house. He also got emotional when he revealed that the burglars attempted to steal a bracelet his father gave to him.
– A number of WWE performers are said to be pretty burnt out and tired following a lot of the recent international tours, particularly the Japanese loop that they recently finished up. This has led to some lackluster performances from some of the guys who are worn out.
– There is already talk of turning Nikki Bella heel against her sister, aligning her with Stephanie McMahon at some point down the road in her feud against Brie Bella.
– It was announced on Monday’s post-Battleground edition of RAW that on this week’s edition of WWE Main Event, which airs live on the WWE Network on Tuesday night, the United States Champion Sheamus will take on Rusev.
– The following is a video of the Stephanie McMahon and Brie Bella segment from Monday’s RAW, which is expected to have been the beginning of the build to their one-on-one match at this year’s SummerSlam pay-per-view.
– Brie Bella was reportedly filming footage for the next season of WWE Total Divas at the Mari Vanna restaurant in Los Angeles, California earlier this weekend.
– The latest edition of “WWE Top 10” features the gtop ten most memorable debuts in WWE history. You can check that video out below.
Last night’s Raw was the final episode before this Sunday’s Battleground pay-per-view. The Battleground card was finalized with the inclusion of Jack Swagger vs. Rusev and AJ Lee vs. Paige for the Divas Championship.
Overall, the go-home episode of Raw was fairly entertaining and featured a number of notable segments. However, although many questions were answered, a few still remain. Here are five questions that need to be answered following this week’s edition of Raw.
5. Can Swagger stay over as a face?
The most over superstar this week on Raw was definitely Jack Swagger. The crowd really ate up the USA-Russia détente segment, with thunderous “USA!” chants ringing throughout the arena.
It appears that Swagger’s face turn is proving to be a success, but can he maintain the momentum after ending his program with Rusev? It is a natural rivalry between Rusev and Swagger, so it will be interesting to see where he goes after his match at Battleground. One thing is certain, though: both superstars are getting over during this program, which makes me hope that it is prolonged for a bit longer following Battleground.
4. Is Heyman planning to ditch Cesaro?
Cesaro competed against Big E last night on Raw. Notably absent during the match was Cesaro’s advocate, Paul Heyman. Brock Lesnar is scheduled to return to television within the next few weeks and will definitely be competing at SummerSlam, leading some to believe that the Heyman-Cesaro partnership will soon be dissolved.
This could go a number of ways. The best-case scenario would be for Heyman to continue to represent both superstars, sparking jealousy between the two before starting a feud. This seems rather unlikely though, considering Lesnar will almost certainly challenge for the title at SummerSlam. My hope is that the two are not separated without a legitimate backstory being provided, similar to the Ryback-Axel-Heyman breakup last fall, as it would amount to a pointless alliance for Cesaro.
As noted previously, the top four matches planned for this year’s WWE SummerSlam pay-per-view include Brock Lesnar vs. John Cena for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, Roman Reigns vs. Randy Orton, Bray Wyatt vs. Chris Jericho and Stephanie McMahon vs. Brie Bella.
Another match that was originally under consideration for the show is a “Buried Alive” match between Daniel Bryan and Kane. That match is considered unlikely at this point, as it depends on Bryan’s condition, which doesn’t seem to be approving at a rate that would allow him to perform in time for SummerSlam.
It’s been noted in the past as well that WWE will be stacking the deck for Night Of Champions, the pay-per-view following SummerSlam, as that is when they will be needing something big to lure subscribers to the WWE Network, as their six-month subscriptions will be expiring at around that time.
This past Sunday’s edition of WWE Total Divas, which featured the wedding between Daniel Bryan and Brie Bella, earned the series 1.55 million viewers, tying the season high that was set on March 30th.
Sunday’s number is even more impressive given the fact that when Total Divas has been up against WWE pay-per-views in the past, their viewership generally takes a big hit. Additionally, there was also the NHL playoffs, which included the Chicago Blackhawks, with WWE being in Chicago for Payback.
The general belief is that had the show not been up against a WWE PPV show, it would have likely been the most viewed episode of Total Divas in history.
– Brie Bella posted the following on Instagram after quitting WWE and slapping Stephanie McMahon in the face:
“Tonight at #WWEPayback I made the hardest decision, but there’s no way I could of watched my husband @WWEDanielBryan hand over those titles to that brat @stephaniemcmahon …..it hurt to say the words I quit, but felt great to feel my hand across Steph’s face. #payback is a b!tch! #briemode”
WWE Diva Brie Bella recently spoke with Scott Fishman of The Miami Herald to promote the season finale of WWE Total Divas, which airs this Sunday night on E! Here are some highlights:
Being on Total Divas: “I look at all of us girls, and we all bring something different to the table. I think women can relate to us because I think it’s very common women have to balance career and relationship. At the same time, you never know what the world is interested in at that moment. There was the thinking of, ‘I think it will do well because we have something great here.’ At the same time, are people interested in women fighting in the ring and fighting for relationships outside?”
Daniel Bryan Appearing On The Show: “When I brought it up to Bryan [about doing the show], he was just like, ‘Brie, I don’t think we’re entertaining to watch. I don’t think this is a good idea for you and I.’ I was kind of like, ‘I think you’re right. We are kind of boring.’ It’s because we are very private, so it was hard for us to open up with all the cameras. He is such a good sport. He is just so good to me. With anything I want to do, he is 100 percent for it, even if he thinks I’m crazy. It was very hard for he and I at first, but now we have fun with it. We are so comfortable that sometimes we forget that the cameras are there. Bryan and I came to look at this as people can see he and I are very into the environment. That’s our passion outside of work.”
Rosa Mendes Joining The Cast Next Season: “She has kind of been in this business for a really long time but has never really gone to the top. It will be neat to see her story and her struggles.”
Wanting Babies: “I’m 30, and I’ll be 31 in November. You do get that baby fever where everyone around me is having children. I think in two years Bryan and I would love to have kids. Now it could be sooner, or it could be later. I’m not ready just yet, so for me it’s later. You never know. I just can’t wait to be a mother and to see Bryan as a father because I know he will be amazing at that. It will be crazy.”
Her “Girl Crush” on Stephanie McMahon: “I have to say I have like a girl crush on her. She is just an amazing woman. She is so talented and with the way she is with all the charities to represent WWE. Then she can put that all aside, when she gets to that ring. It’s just insane to me. I just really admire her, and it has been a lot of fun to work with her and learn from her. I’ve really enjoyed it. The storyline is insane, and you never know what it holds. I’m excited for Payback because I think it will have a really great twist.”
– Daniel Bryan and Brie Bella recently launched an official Facebook page to keep up with their travels. You can check it out at Facebook.com/BryanBrianna.
– Both of The Funkadactyls — Cameron and Naomi, will be releasing their singles on iTunes later this month. WWE decided to put up a new poll to ask fans which single they will buy first, Naomi’s “Dance All Night” or Cameron’s “Bye Bye.” At last check, with around 2,000 votes cast, Naomi was leading with 75 percent of the vote.
The Shareholders Foundation recently issued the following:
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE:WWE) Investor Investigation Concerning Potential Violations Of Securities Laws
Company Name(s): World Wrestling Entertainment Affected Securities: NYSE: WWE
April 29, 2014 (Shareholders Foundation) – An investigation on behalf of investors of World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE:WWE) shares over potential securities laws violations by World Wrestling Entertainment and certain of its directors and officers in connection certain financial statements was announced.
The investigation by a law firm focuses on possible claims on behalf of purchasers of the securities of World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE:WWE) concerning whether a series of statements by World Wrestling Entertainment regarding its business, its prospects and its operations were materially false and misleading at the time they were made.
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. reported that its annual Total Revenue rose from $484.01 million in 2012 to $507.97 million in 2013 while its respective Net Income fell from $31.43 million to $2.76 million. Shares of World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE:WWE) grew from $7.72 per share in late 2012 to as high as $31.39 per share on March 20, 2014.
On April 7, 2014, World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. announced that it has changed the location of its Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be held on April 25, 2014. Shares of World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE:WWE) declined from over $31 in March 2014 to as low as $19.65 per share on April 11, 2014.
On April 28, 2014, NYSE:WWE closed at $19.51 per share.
– The following is the official synopsis for next week’s edition of WWE Total Divas:
“Flirting With Fandango: Summer Rae’s relationship with Fandango moves to the next level; Brie can’t enjoy being a bride; Trinity goes behind Jon’s back and betrays him.”
– The following is this week’s edition of “After Total Divas”
– Brie Bella has been given the weekend off by WWE to be with Daniel Bryan and spend time with he and his family during their time of mourning. As previously reported, Daniel Bryan’s father recently passed away.
– As of right now, it’s believed that the WWE Tag-Team Championship match between The Usos and the team of Ryback and Curtis Axel is going to be the featured match on the WWE Extreme Rules pre-show.
It was announced by Stephanie McMahon on Monday night’s edition of WWE RAW that Daniel Bryan would be defending his newly won WWE World Heavyweight Championship against Kane at the upcoming WWE Extreme Rules pay-per-view.
The match was announced by Stephanie as a “wedding gift” to Bryan, who just recently married his longtime girlfriend, Brie Bella.
After the announcement, Kane, who is once again wearing his mask, attacked Bryan, hitting him with three Tombstones. One of the Tombstone piledrivers was on the ringside steps, while the other was on top of the RAW announce table.
WWE Extreme Rules takes place live on May 4th at the IZOD Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
WWE announced today that Daniel Bryan’s father has passed away. The company posted the following official statement:
“WWE World Heavyweight Champion Daniel Bryan’s (Bryan Danielson’s) father has unexpectedly passed away. Bryan was made aware of his father’s passing after returning from his honeymoon with Brie Bella. Despite the news, Bryan has insisted on performing for the WWE Universe tonight (April 21) and will be on Raw. WWE extends our deepest condolences to Bryan and his family.”
WWE RAW returns live tonight from the Baltimore Arena in Baltimore, Maryland. The show is scheduled to feature the return of WWE World Heavyweight Champion Daniel Bryan, along with his new bride Brie Bella.
Bryan and the return of “masked Kane” are expected to begin their feud heading into the WWE Extreme Rules pay-per-view on May 4th.
Also on tonight’s show is the semifinals of the WWE Intercontinental Championship contender tournament. The second round matches on tonight’s show will feature Cesaro vs. Rob Van Dam and Sheamus vs. Bad News Barrett.
On their official website, WWE is focusing on the following five points for tonight’s show:
What havoc will Kane unleash on the returning Daniel Bryan?
Will The Shield confront the reunited Evolution group?
Who will advance in the WWE Intercontinental Championship contender tournament?
Will Tamina Snuka continue to dominate and what challenges face WWE Divas Champion Paige?
Will Bray Wyatt be able to gain a psychological advantage over John Cena?
Make sure to join us here at SEScoops.com tonight for live WWE RAW results coverage.