RAW Feels It's Time for Payback....

How’s It Going, Enthusiasts?

Did you have a good weekend?  Mine was restful. Expected it to be a tad more eventful but it looks like those twists and turns are coming this week. Thankfully, all my wrassling action happens on Mondays and Fridays 😉 As for the Wrestling World, there are few things going on. We can have a decent chat so, let’s get into it. 

First item of business is that it appears CM Punk is “staying in character” and he took the end of last week’s Collision to rag on Hangman Page. This was more or less a work so no need to get huffy that Punk is back to his old ways. If anything, it kinda reinforces my feelings that all the previous kerfuffle came from taking a work too seriously, in my opinion. 

Word is that Page was told to steer clear of the night’s venue which to me, I hope, is just talk to play up the work because if they’re really handling Punk like this, no progress will be made. Punk may move merch but humility is what’s needed in a situation like this. He needs to show that he can make fun of himself. Management shouldn’t be walking on eggshells. Let’s just hope all this was part of the plan.

Elsewhere, Asuka apparently has taken some issue with the Japanese promotion, Stardom. This too I hope is more a work than real grievance because otherwise it comes off a bit unhinged. 

Yet, there are rumors wafting through that speak of WWE re-signing Kairi Sane and if so, all the talk could be to heighten that return. I hope there is some method to the madness. She can’t just be out there delusional. Not sure it reads.

Well, that pretty much brings us to tonight’s RAW. Focus will now shift to Payback, which is set for September 2nd. Cody Rhodes will take on the enigma that is Finn Bálor. Bálor has been struggling of late and it stems back to authenticity. 

He’s been losing the crowd due to sounding stilted on the mic. He has to see that if he doesn’t believe what he’s saying, why would we? The Mob may be fickle but the Mob knows when it hears a "lie". He has to believe it or he’ll never have us. This is why I’ve been harping on his overall presentation. You have to “go there” if you’re going to use a gimmick like his. Why are we intimidated/afraid? He’s a fine performer but he’s also 45lbs. How does he back someone up who's twice his size? These questions must be answered if we’re ever going to buy him as a Champion outside of the Intercontinental or US Title. He has to embrace the Dæmon.

While we see if that ever comes to pass, we can also expect to see Trish Stratus and Becky Lynch settle a few things. Stratus is more or less on home turf with the show in Canada, so we’ll see if that works in her favor. It’s no guarantee in the WWE Universe. 

And at some point, Shinsuke Nakamura will explain why he turned on Seth Rollins. I wouldn’t think it’s all that complicated. Nakamura has been holding back, lurking in the shadows and is practically an afterthought, yet the Mob sings his song just the same. Why shouldn’t he get the praise and accolades as well? Something tells me he wants that Heavyweight Championship and seeing how Rollins isn’t that much bigger, why not? I’m down. I’ll catch up with the action along with the rest of the West Coast at 8pm PDT. Feel free to join the unofficial watch party if you’re able. Always open to other fans such as myself.

See You in a Bit,

-Nicole Alexis (^_~)