RAW Deal: The fallout from No Mercy 2017

ONTARIO, CA, USA — When Enzo Amore was first reassigned to the cruiserweight division, everyone balked: how is this glorified hype man going to keep up with literally some of the best wrestlers and athletes in the WWE?

Some may have been foreseeing—and fearing—that his relative star power alone would take him far in that small pond. Those concerns were validated when he won (or stole, if you prefer a more literal reading) the number one contendership to the title from talented Cedric Alexander. As the weeks flew by, he started acting more and more entitled, delusional, and unscrupulous, and we all started wondering exactly why he’s getting a shot when we know he’s being set up to be dismantled by champion Neville.

Then I realized that this cruiserweight title run may actually be turning out to be true, because why else is he getting this much time? Only that he won’t win it as some conquering, persevering underdog; he’ll steal it like he stole the shot, and by then we’ll all be sick and tired of this charade. And when that was exactly what happened at No Mercy and the episodes of RAW and 205 Live that followed it, not only did it prove my theory correct, but it did tell me that when they really wanted to, the WWE could actually put their efforts into making the right decisions.

They recognized all the factors why Amore would never be the champion he was supposed to be as a good guy—he wasn’t as good a wrestler or even a person as he should have been, everyone hated him despite spewing his catchphrases along with him, so why turn him into a villain while we’re at it? You leverage his star power and hateability into buzz and views for the cruiserweight division and 205 Live. Amore says he made the show (more) relevant, and it’s hard to find a case against that.

What makes this decision stand out even more is that it’s in stark contrast with the way the rest of the show, specifically at the top of the card, is booked. On RAW, at least, you have Vince McMahon not budging at all from his stances on Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar.

Rumors are saying that the one-off victory by Reigns against his opponent John Cena—a so-called passing of the torch, but in a storyline that’s ideally supposed to span more than one match and a whole spectrum of emotional highs and lows—was to make him look stronger for the upcoming main event with Brock Lesnar months from now at the next WrestleMania. The truth is that single, uneventful win did nothing to change his standing with the Universe; because it was Status Quo Roman Reigns, there’s really not much to write home about. If only he cemented his heel turn during, or even after his match with Cena.

The same goes as well for Brock Lesnar, who’s well worn out his welcome especially given the rise of young ones more compelling than he is at the moment. Many honestly believed that it was Braun Strowman’s time with the Universal Championship, not just because he’s earned it, but also because it really was time for a change. With Lesnar, you won’t see the title until he feels like coming back (or when McMahon thinks it’s necessary for him to come back).

Now we’re stuck with the same old system, and they expect us to be hyped for an event that’s still around 6 months away, even if it’s the granddaddy of them all? Here’s the thing: long-term booking and storytelling is all well and good, but if you can’t adjust your short-term plans to catch up with what’s happening now, then that vision isn’t genius, it’s stubbornness. It’s even worse when it’s selective—guys they think aren’t as valuable enough to have their directions changed are actually benefitting from audibles. But the whole product is hurting, because fans believe they’re not being heard.

RAW has been doing a little better for itself, but as long as this top scene is completely dictated by what McMahon believes is “best for business,” it’s still going to be a drag. SmackDown does better with adjusting to what the crowd wants, even if it’s still forcing Jinder Mahal and a certain way of wrestling (and a lack of real, in-the-trenches guidance in that regard) down everyone’s throats. NXT—and to a certain extent, 205 Live and the cruiserweight division—is the best at adjustment right now, and it’s no coincidence that those last three shows have the most loyal audiences. If you can’t adjust, you’ll die in battle.

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Do you listen to podcasts? Would you want to listen to a local podcast about pro wrestling? If the answers to those questions – especially that last one – are yes, then you should check out the cleverly-named Smark Gilas-Pilipinas Podcast, featuring PWR General Manager Stan Sy, wrestling writer and Wrestling God Romeo Moran, and all-around multimedia person and former voice of PWR Raf Camus! This week, the boys break down everything that happens this week, including and following No Mercy! Listen to it here! (http://thesgppodcast.buzzsprout.com/25341/570853-ep-185-no-mercy-for-you-and-me)

– Rappler.com