Want more wrestling news, rumors, and results? Be sure to visit PWInsider.com and PWInsiderXtra.com.
You can send us questions for the PWInsider.com Q and A at pwinsider@gmail.com.
I was going to send my questions in immediately after Smackdown ended, but figured I should sleep on it. For everything good that RAW was, this show was not.
I don’t disagree. Smackdown started off badly and never recovered.
1. Randy/Cody segment - I just found this embarrassing to watch. They seem hell bent on trying to shove heel Randy down our throats; it felt SO Vince-like. Were there any positives in it for you as a viewer?
There were none. It was a terrible segment, forced on creative from the top of TKO. It made no sense at all, from any angle. Orton is a 14 time champ and needs advice from a guy who was an over the top, goofy announcer? Who he had no connection with? Cody gets killed by creative for the third Mania in a row? I could go on, and did on yesterday’s show. Suffice to say, it was a terrible, terrible segment.
2. Pat McAfee as the mystery caller - wow, that was a lunchbag letdown. Do you recall any on-camera history issues between he and Cody that could be used to prop this up? Cody making the NWO reference was almost like him saying " yeah, this sucks ".
Nope, none at all. Plus Pat saying product has sucked for decades, even though saw him have the time of his life calling matches, Yeeting while he stood on tables, etc. It was Russo level stupid and made no logical sense.
3. While not as bad, it's got the familiar stench of trying to insert Travis Scott into last years' main event. Despite Pat's mainstream recognition and name value, do you see this as a partial desperation move to sell more tickets? Because to me, this is about as out of nowhere as you can get.
I think Ari Emanuel thinks that. I get that Ari likes the ESPN tie-in that Pat brings and all, but if they were going to insert Pat into something, it didn’t have such as badly as this angle did. But, the boss makes the calls. And no, I don’t think it sells one ticket.
4. I had no idea who Lil Yachty was, and now I still wish that was so. Another painful segment with a celeb who wasn't needed. Why can't they let Sami & Trick just do their thing? Neither guy needs an assist. Sami is a pro's pro and Trick has more than enough ability, top guy presence and charisma.
I don’t know him either, but I am not in that target audience. Ari wants him there.
5. Could the SD tag team scene possibly be any more of a mess?
It could be, sure, but it’s all about comedy right now, that’s for sure.
You can send us questions for the PWInsider.com Q and A at pwinsider@gmail.com.
If you enjoy PWInsider.com you can check out the AD-FREE PWInsider Elite section, which features exclusive audio updates, news, our critically acclaimed podcasts, interviews and more by clicking here!
Bang On Casino
