Posted in: Mr. Tito
MR. TITO STRIKES BACK - Comparisons Between the Rock and Roman Reigns, RAW is HULU, more
By Mr. Tito
Jan 27, 2016 - 12:42:40 AM

Follow Mr. Tito on Twitter.com: @titowrestling

Welcome back to the EXCELLENCE IN COLUMN WRITING from yours truly, Mr. Tito, exclusively here at LordsofPain.net / WrestlingHeadlines.com. Lots of opinions are pouring in after the 2016 WWE Royal Rumble and WWE Monday Night RAW. The nice thing about watching RAW on Hulu is that you get 1 day between Pay Per Views and RAW to let things settle... That, and watching back-to-back 3 hour blocks of wrestling can wear you out.

The RAW ratings are in... RAW this week did just a shade under 4.1 million viewers. That's impressive considering how RAW has been stuck between 3 and 3.5 million viewers for the last 4 months. Sure, you can blame NFL football, but last week's pre-Royal Rumble RAW did just under 3.5 million viewers. Hard to blame the NFL when consistency is there...

What did this week's RAW have that last week didn't have?

(1) AJ Styles RAW debut and a high profile match against Chris Jericho.
(2) Triple H as the brand new WWE Champion.
(3) The Rock returning to the WWE after day long social media hype + extended segment without commercial interruption.
(4) Post-Royal Rumble.

What did last week have?
(1) Pre-Royal Rumble hype of WWE Title being on the line in 30 man Rumble match.
(2) Royal Reigns as WWE Champion

Hmmmm... Under 3.5 million viewers last week and above 4 million viewers this week.

Gee, what could be the difference?

Oh yeah, AJ Styles, Triple H, and the Rock were STARS who people tuned in to see... AJ Styles made his big WWE re-debut (he appeared on 2 shows during 2002). Florida fans for both the Rumble and RAW were cheering his name loudly, especially at the Royal Rumble when the focus should have been on Roman Reigns fighting for his life to retain the WWE Title. Triple H won his 14th WWE Title and the last world title that he won was about 7 years ago. HHH is a part-time executive and is trying to take on WWE managerial duties. However, he is needed as a wrestler. Florida fans CHEERED him tossing Roman Reigns at the Royal Rumble and actually had no problems with HHH winning the WWE Title. Consider that and the nuclear responses by fans in 2014 for Batista and 2015 for Roman Reigns. Then, we had the Rock, who besides is one of the ALL TIME biggest WWE superstars, is one of the top box office draws for movies.

DECK WAS STACKED for reasons other than Roman Reigns and wow, RAW ratings went up. Oh, what's that? Look at the 3rd hour of RAW you say? You mean the 3rd hour highlighted by Roman Reigns in a tag match and with the WWE Fast Lane announcement? Ohhhh, back under 4 million we go.

And for all of the youngsters in the Internet Wrestling Community (IWC) who insist that the Attitude Era (late 1990's to early 2000's WWE) was "overrated"... How do you like those apples? RAW has been stuck under 3.5 million viewers but suddenly pops above 4.0 million when the Rock appears and Triple H celebrates as the new WWE Champion. Those guys are STARS and carried the WWE to greatness during the late 1990's along with Steve Austin, Mick Foley, and the Undertaker. Quoting another key member of the Attitude Era, Sean "X-Pac" Waltman, "put that in your pipe and smoke it!"

The Roman Reigns experiment to rush him into the Main Event and become the next babyface top draw is FAILING. I repeat FAILING. Low RAW ratings since his push began during the Fall 2015, Houseshow attendance is falling (especially without John Cena), and Roman Reigns merchandise is NOT moving. Those are concrete facts that even the most dedicated WWE mark cannot defend.

Now, I have no ill-will against Roman Reigns. Never have. I'm just not buying the WWE's manufacturing of him and attempting to force him down our throats as the next WWE babyface to follow in the footsteps of John Cena. My issue with him is that he's NOT READY to become a Main Event superstar. He lacks in the in-ring ability (Christ, he was winded in that Rumble match despite the long break), lacks personality, and he cannot speak for himself well on the mic. Now, I'm not suggesting that he doesn't work hard... What I'm saying is that he lacks experience to become Top Guy of the WWE. He should be fighting his way through the midcard right now and earning the fans' trust... When he gets enough momentum with the fans as a midcarder, that's when you promote him to become a Main Eventer. You cannot rush this process and force it, nor can you assume that the WWE Title will instantly make someone over as a top draw.

As I've repeatedly said, the ALL TIME GREATS worked their way up through the midcard, drew as midcarders (possibly as midcard title holders), and then were promoted to become Main Eventers. Hulk Hogan worked his way up for years in WWWF and AWA before Vince Jr. signed him to the WWF. Macho Man Randy Savage worked his way up to the Intercontinental Title, drew as a heel midcard champion, and was promoted to WWE Champion. Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels fought their way through the Tag Team ranks, were great Intercontinental Champions, and then became WWE Champions. Steve Austin had a great midcard career in WCW and then ate more midcard years in the WWE. In fact, Austin was Intercontinental Champion months before he became WWE Champion. John Cena was a midcarder during 2002-2004 and drew as US Champion during 2004 before becoming WWE Champion in 2005.

Even the Rock took years to develop in the midcard before winning his first WWE Championship during Survivor Series 1998.

But the Rock and Roman Reigns are more similar than people think. On your WWE Network subscription, go watch Pay Per Views during late 1996 and early 1997. You'll find this young kid named "Rocky Maivia". After an attempted football career, the Rock joined the WWE developmental system during 1995. He was hired based on his look and his family connections. About 1 year later, the Rock debuted at Survivor Series 1996 and cleared house to win an elimination style match at that event. He soon won the Intercontinental Title and despite boos, the WWE kept pushing him HARD as a smiling babyface wrestler. "Die Rocky Die" signs began appearing and boos everywhere.

After an attempted football career, Roman Reigns joined the WWE developmental system during 2010. He was hired based on his look and family connections. Just over 2 years later, Roman Reigns debuted at Survivor Series 2012 as a member of the Shield at Vince McMahon's insistence (other NXT wrestlers were discussed to join Rollins/Ambrose instead). WWE booked him properly by keeping him with the Shield through the early Summer of 2014 but soon gave him WWE Title shot after WWE Title shot. Since the night after TLC 2015 during December, Reigns is now a 2-time WWE Champion in just over a month...

The difference between the Rock and Roman Reigns is that after the WWE tried to force the Rock as a babyface, the rebooked and rebranded him. The Rock soon joined the NATION OF DOMINATION heel group. There, with nothing to lose, he began developing "the Rock" persona. Even though he was proving to be an amazing talker, the Rock's in-ring work still needed polished. For the next year between 1997-1998, the Rock fought within the Intercontinental Title ranks. Then, he actually started drawing during 1998 and fans were actually cheering "ROCKY, ROCKY" during his matches. The fans were actually trying to convert him to a babyface! WWE, of course, kept him heel via becoming the Corporate Champion through Survivor Series 1998 but by late 1999, the WWE had to give in. The Rock became the company's top babyface and we're now THREE YEARS into the Rock's run as a singles in-ring wrestler.

Roman Reigns should have been placed in the midcard to scratch and claw his way up as a singles competitor following the Shield break-up during mid-2014. Instead, the WWE shoved him into the Money in the Bank match for the WWE Title and then gave him another WWE Title shot at the following Pay Per View. That's CRAZY. Then, after he recovers from injury during the last few months of 2014, WWE has him winning the 2015 Royal Rumble and he was originally booked to defeat Brock Lesnar at Wrestlemania 31. Another Mega-Push began before Survivor Series 2015 for the WWE Title and within 2 months, Roman Reigns has 2 WWE Title reigns. Seriously.

WWE needs to rethink Wrestlemania 32 if the ultimate result of that show's main event is seeing Roman Reigns defeat Triple H for the WWE Championship. WWE has a real risk of repeating Wrestlemanias 18 and 25 where fans were hitting the exits during the Championship matches involving Triple H (against Jericho in 2002, Orton in 2009). Those Dallas fans will CRAP all over this match if it's the main event. At best, the match could be OK if it has some gimmick added to it such as No-Disqualification or something else violent. Roman Reigns can take pretty dangerous bumps and tends to be dependent on them to help his matches. His best match remains the WWE Hell in a Cell 2015 against Bray Wyatt and that's because he took crazy bumps in that match. He needs a repeat performance at Wrestlemania 32 but does a 46 year old Triple H want to do that?

At the very least, the WWE actually has an out... WWE Fast Lane 2016 has a Triple Threat match for the #1 contendership between Roman Reigns vs. Dean Ambrose vs. Brock Lesnar. Lesnar or Ambrose could win that match instead. Do we want to see Triple H vs. Brock Lesnar #4? I don't know about that... HHH doesn't like leaving the ground and Lesnar likes to toss wrestlers around. Bad match-up. Ambrose vs. HHH could be decent although I'd argue that Ambrose needs some more midcard build-up before accepting top billing at Wrestlemania.

But Vince McMahon insists that Roman Reigns is the "next John Cena". In my opinion, Triple H's winning of the WWE Title was a grand compromise between Vince and Triple H regarding the Roman Reigns matter. Vince knows that Triple H is still hungry as a wrestler and that's his weakness... HHH still can't let go although he has performed decent work as a WWE executive. HHH's ego can't let go of the pro wrestler form and Vince enticed him with a 14th title reign. HHH couldn't resist especially if that let's his grown daughters (between the ages of 5 and 9) see their dad become World Champion. Hard to resist that... In return, Triple H must put over Roman Reigns at Wrestlemania 32. That's the grand deal and I'm sure there are other things in place such as recent New Japan acquisitions getting signed and more resources for NXT.

Roman Reigns, however, is failing as a Main Eventer RIGHT NOW. Maybe years from now, Roman is that big star that Vince McMahon projects. But not right now... He just doesn't have it. Ratings, attendance, and merchandise numbers just aren't there in Roman's favor.

Pull the plug, Vince... Or at the very least, admit that the wrestling business has passed you by and that you've lost the pulse of the fans.

==============================================

RAW IS HULU

Missed the Cut
- Alicia Fox/Brie Bella vs. Paige/Natalya
- The Miz vs. Kalisto

Just missed those 2 matches... WWE really packed in the 1.5 hours and did so by cutting replays and cutting entrances short. It was quite an editing job with the above 2 matches not being missed by yours truly. It's good editing like this that makes watching the 1.5 compressed Hulu RAW well worth it compared to having Cable to see USA Network's 3 hour marathon.

LONG 20 minute interview between Vince McMahon and Stephanie McMahon and their introduction of Triple H as the new WWE Champion. I could just complain about how long, boring, and repetitive as I have in previous columns... But the fact remains that these opening 20 minute long promos do some of the best ratings of the show. If we're going to be consistent here and acknowledge facts, I must come clean here.

Quick match between Kevin Owens and Dolph Ziggler with Owens winning. Happy for KO but damn, WWE doesn't care about Dolph Ziggler. If I were Ziggler, I'd get the hell out of the WWE as soon as possible and make a splash elsewhere. When even the WWE lets Kevin Owens easily beat you, it's time to get out. I say that not disrespecting Owens but due to WWE's odd booking of him since the Cena battles. Owens, though, is for real. Push him HARD as a heel and I can do much more with him than ANY member of the Wyatt Family and/or League of Nations.

Fun segment with Flo Rida and the Social Outcasts which led to a match with the Dudley Boyz. Bo Dallas... Excuse me, "Bo Rida" had a ridiculously funny rap. Say what you will, but it's funny moments like that which leads to a bigtime character change. I'm not saying that Bo Dallas is the next big thing, but John Cena dressed up as a goofy rapper during Smackdown's Halloween Party from 2002. It evolved into a big character change and more than 10 years later, John Cena is the biggest superstar in pro wrestling. You never know...

Chris Jericho vs. AJ Styles was excellent and it's mindblowing to see this match-up so soon on FREE television. What, we couldn't do this for the first time at WWE Fast Lane? I guess you do have to introduce AJ Styles to a whole new WWE audience who didn't get to see him on TNA or whatever. They worked well together although I worry about how Vince McMahon will assess AJ Styles's size. He looked a little shorter than Chris Jericho and Jericho is just at 6'0". Hopefully, the WWE can overlook that and appreciate his unique offensive ability. And AJ Style can sell, too... Look at him selling the pain of the match as he tried to shake Jericho's hand.

Good to see Sasha Banks getting pushed... Her match with Becky Lynch was good, although it seems like the bigger environment in the WWE ring feels much different for the ladies than what they have in NXT. Just a different environment that lets Women's wrestling thrive, I believe. Charlotte interrupted which tells me that we'll see a Triple Threat at Fast Lane between the 3 and then Sasha vs. Charlotte at Wrestlemania 32. I'm OK with that.

Kane vs. Bray Wyatt... Blah. The boat has been missed on Bray Wyatt, in my opinion. To me, he's very much an equal member of the Wyatt Family along with the other 3 and not the standout leader. In fact, I see Luke Harper being the best out of the 4 and the true standout performer. WWE has just gone overboard with Wyatt's theatrics and they just won't let him build up an impressive resume of victories. His promos and entrances are nice but he's just a punching bag for the babyfaces of the moment (except Ambrose and Bryan). To me, Wyatt would fight right into the League of Nations in terms of Upper Midcard wrestlers who are stuck in the mud and going no where. I'm sure that being on the receiving end of Suplex City will make matters worse.

Wow, I bet that USA Networks lost some serious advertising dollars on that extended Rock segment. Rock just destroyed the Miz despite the Rock actually helping Miz beat John Cena at Wrestlemania 27. Then, Rock discussed the Royal Rumble 2000 match with Big Show and he finally admitted that the Big Show actually won that match. Funny addition that the Rumble match winner that year would have won the Scorpion King role, according to the casting director. Big Show was pissed and destroyed his laptop... Then, the Rock saw Lana. Well, apparently in the WWE storylines, the Rock laid some pipe into Lana just after the Rock's last appearance. Hey, if you leak personal info to TMZ, we'll make your character take 12 inches of the Rock! Rock hits the ring, HUGE reception in Miami, and does his usual catchphrases. Entertaining, as usual... But then the New Day arrive. Fun banter between the 4 although poor Byron Saxton will forever be known as the "other black dude". Ouch. New Day doesn't want to fight the Rock but the Rock had a Plan B: Family. The Usos arrive and toss the New Day into the ring for a whooping! Great segment but merely because we were given lots of time uninterrupted by commercials. I'm fine with that...

But what does Rock's ONE appearance on RAW do for the WWE long-term? Especially if he doesn't return to being a wrestler? Absolutely nothing beyond this week.

Roman Reigns/Dean Ambrose vs. Rusev/Sheamus wasn't bad, but it just didn't feel like the Main Event. Then again, at least with my Hulu viewing experience, this immediately followed the Rock's segment. That's right... the 2 matches that were cut were between the Rock and the last match. And of course, the League of Nations proves itself to be the most worthless stable ever by losing... Have these guys mattered at all yet?

Afterward, Stephanie McMahon comes out and announces the #1 contender's match at WWE Fast Lane: Triple Threat - Roman Reigns vs. Dean Ambrose vs. Brock Lesnar. How stupid is that? I thought the whole point of the Royal Rumble match and the WWE Title being up for grabs was to screw Roman Reigns? Yet, the Authority/McMahons are giving him another shot at Fast Lane? WHAT, was one of the League of Nations members not available?!? Seriously... What kind idiot psychology are we attempting here?

SHOW THOUGHTS: Felt like a BIG RAW because of AJ Styles/Jericho, new WWE Champion in veteran Triple H, and the Rock appearing... But long-term, the current WWE roster is grasping for straws. WWE keeps relying on the Attitude Era and the "Class of 2002" Developmental Call-ups to carry this promotion. Those guys are in their 40's or late 30's. The youngsters have to step up or be booked properly. Roman Reigns is NOT the guy and I'm growing sick and tired of explaining it to many "yes-man" WWE fans. Get real and start doing valid things to protest this "down the throat" push of Reigns. I feel like I'm the only one who has the actual guts to say that Roman Reigns as a babyface Main Eventer is FAILING. Numbers prove it. Anyway, [ B+ ] for this week's show.

==============================================

THE LAST WORD

For those live in attendance in Orlando, FL or watching on the WWE Network for the 2016 WWE Royal Rumble, did you notice something different during the Rumble match than previous year's? For 2016, AJ Styles was very over in his re-debut with the WWE. Crowd was heavily chanting "AJ STYLES, AJ STYLES" and most fans were in awe that he was actually there. In my opinion, those chants were every bit as loud as the "Daniel Bryan/YES!" chants during the 2014 and 2015 Royal Rumble matches when fans were heavily invested in Daniel Bryan. Bryan wasn't even in the 2014 Rumble and when Rey Mysterio appeared as #30, fans went nuclear. Then, when Bryan was tossed early during the 2015 Rumble, fans crapped all over the rest of that match.

But in 2016, Kevin Owens tossed AJ Styles out and the fans didn't go nuclear. In fact, the Orlando fans were OK with it. Ditto for online reaction. They were OK with Owens tossing AJ Styles.

Now, as seen by constant boos against Roman Reigns and then an explosive cheer when Triple H eliminated Reigns, had Roman Reigns tossed AJ Styles, fans would have went nuclear.

What does this truly say? I don't think it's so much about Roman Reigns, as most fans don't like the guy and are tired of having him shoved down our throats... Oh now... It's that Kevin Owens is OVER as a wrestler.

Go watch Kevin Owens vs. Dean Ambrose from Royal Rumble 2016. That is "Match of the Year" quality right there and fans ate it up. In fact, both Ambrose and Owens receive good reactions for much of their matches. Yet, both guys haven't received favorable booking over the past year besides Kevin Owens's debut against Cena. Both guys are frowned upon by WWE Management, notably Vince McMahon and Kevin Dunn for their looks. Kevin Owens is deemed to be overweight and Ambrose just doesn't have that body builder look that McMahon often seeks. Yet, despite their losses and efforts fighting over the Intercontinental Title, they are still getting good reactions. Meaning? They don't see the massive amounts of booking crutches that Roman Reigns requires. Owens and Ambrose can both perform well in the ring, great talkers, and each have unique personalities to connect naturally with fans. Reigns is synthetic and lacks the natural abilities that both Owens/Ambrose have.

But what both Dean Ambrose and Kevin Ambrose have is EXPERIENCE. Dean Ambrose since 2004 and Kevin Ambrose since 2000. Both have scratched and clawed their way to make it to the WWE. Along the way, they were students of the game and figured out what worked in the pro wrestling business. Roman Reigns, on the other hand, was signed to a WWE developmental deal with ZERO experience. It's no doubt why Reigns is failing in his mega pushes and why Ambrose/Owens are getting over despite the lack of favorable booking.

And the Independent scene is full of Ambrose and Owens like wrestlers... Chalk full of them! What WWE has forgot is what makes the middle "W" of their name. World WRESTLING Entertainment. At the end of the day, WWE still hosts wrestling events with actual in-ring matches that imitate sporting events. Until they remove the ring, remove pinfall/submission finishes, and just let the wrestlers talk instead of displaying their athletic abilities, WWE still hosts WRESTLING SHOWS.

Hiring guys based on their looks, stature, or family connections is quite a risk... For every Rock/Kurt Angle/Brock Lesnar/Shelton Benjamin that the WWE hires without any independent experience, they have many chance signings that have failed. Those wrestlers mentioned above were athletic freaks of nature and in the case of Rock/Angle, guys who were all-time great talkers. But lighting doesn't always strike with those guys... Many individuals have passed through WWE developmental with little or no experience. Many have failed. Yet, the guys who get naturally over with the fans, like CM Punk and Daniel Bryan whom the WWE couldn't stand, were students of the game. Both Punk and Bryan also bled on the Indy circuit before joining the WWE. Now, we have AJ Styles... Gee, why is he so good right out of the gate? EXPERIENCE!

If guys like Dean Ambrose or Kevin Owens even received HALF of the push that Roman Reigns received, they could blossom into much bigger superstars. Again, watch that Royal Rumble 2016 "Last Man Standing" match and then see their reactions during the Rumble matches. They are OVER and could be ready for prime time.

Empires weren't built overnight... It takes time and experience, something that the "Roman" Empire lacks.

SO JUST CHILL... 'TIL THE NEXT EPISODE!

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