RAW Steers Us Towards FastLane...

 How’s It Going, Enthusiasts?

A happy Yom Kippur to those who celebrate it. I was wondering why traffic was so light this morning 😉 Hard to complain. So, there’s a few things we can certainly chat about. I’ll touch on them briefly.

The first bit is old news now but the UFC/WWE merger releases appear to have come to a close for now and the last minute not-so-shocker was the release of Matt Riddle. Now, I didn’t dislike him enough to jump for joy about this but I am glad that it came to pass. As people started to question those released, I could see it becoming harder and harder to explain the likes of Riddle being spared. 

It makes sense in a number of ways. One of the blessings that comes from this merger is increased oversight on both ends. Hopefully it tightens up what’s sloppy about the WWE and they can do the same for the UFC. I suppose we shall see. We’ll also see if these vacancies are filled by the likes of Jade Cargill and perhaps a CM Punk return. 

While on the topic of releases, Rick Boogs is voicing his chagrin over the changing guard at WWE. He feels it led to his termination and I can see that. I couldn’t really see Boogs going far in the WWE. It being such a popularity contest and him being inherently goofy, I can see him having a hard time getting a foothold. Not that it couldn’t be done but this crowd tends to prefer a bit of edge to the performers. We like them tough and intimidating. Boogs’ physique is impressive and he was strong but at the same time, could you see him seriously holding a title? I’m not saying it’s fair, it's just how this goes. It’s always been 15th Grade, just adult High School.

What’s funny about his departure is that Boogs alluding to a tell-all in the near future likens him to the ravings of Ryback. If any of you follow the wrestling trades, you’ve probably heard some cracks about Ryback missing calls from “Stamford, CT” and his overall semi-deluded take on his life in general. The validity of his statements is hard to verify but it gives us some insight as to why the “Big Guy” hasn’t been signed to a promotion for some time. It’s all right if Ryback is in on the joke and keeps it all lighthearted but you have to admit, the lifestyle can detach some from reality at times.

I’m sure Boogs is a great guy but I don’t know if he ever would have succeeded at WWE. He seems more like an Impact or ROH kinda guy. I feel for him for having to rethink his life’s trajectory but let’s be honest, it was probably going to happen at some point anyway. I hope there’s otherwise no hard feelings. C’est la vie.

In other news, if you’re wondering why we haven’t seen much of Sheamus, apparently it’s due to an on-going shoulder injury WWE is giving him some time to recover from. Naturally, we wish him a complete recovery. We’ll be all the happier when he returns. 

And so, that brings us to tonight’s RAW. We’ll get a taste of NXT this time around as Dominik Mysterio is set to defend the NXT North American Championship against the new age luchador, Dragon Lee. Cody Rhodes is set to open and Drew McIntyre will grin and bear being a guest on "MizTV". Shinsuke Nakamura will switch his focus to the burly Bronson Reed and we can safely presume that Seth Rollins will be nearby. The Ladies will probably get a say or 2 too. 

I’ll be watching on the West Coast during the 8 o’clock hour. If you miss it or are in the same boat, feel free to join the unofficial watch party. I have fun. See if you find yourself entertained.

See You in a Bit,

-Nicole Alexis (^_~)