The Lunatic Fringe: WWE Raw 10/13/14

• Can't go wrong starting things off with Ambrose to kick off Raw.  It's like dessert for breakfast! Extra bacon on anything! Free beer!  Just can't go wrong.  
• I like the idea of Cena vs. Ambrose at Hell in a Cell for the right to face Rollins, but does it have to be a contract on a pole match?  Such a lame stipulation.  Those matches never seem to stack up to the expectations. 
• Do you think WWE had John Cena get permission from The Chive to use the whole 'Keep Calm and Never Give Up' slogan on his shirt? Maybe not original, but it's better than the whole U Can't C Me crap that got stale about 11 years ago. 

• Oh good, they still get to do the shameless $9.99 plug for the WWE Network.  I was hoping for another week of that. 
• Wait, is this match going to be the main event, to start things off?  What the hell is the end of the show going to be?  Orton vs. Kane for the 84th time?
• Hoping for a good match here, with Ambrose snapping and grabbing a steel chair and just destroying everyone with it.  Ref included. Talk about unstable!  He could blame it on his jeans looking a bit too skinny tonight.  Jeans that are too skinny could even make Ghandi snap. 
• Anyone else think the Uso's somewhat new thing of sliding quick to turn around is a big waste of time?  Just stop and turn around.  Show offs. 
• Remember back in the day when good ol' JR had trouble telling the Hardy Boyz and Edge and Christian apart in tag matches?  I feel like he'd have no chance with telling the Uso's apart.  

It really wasn't that hard JR. C'mon.

• Loving the crowd reaction for Stardust.  He's like a modern day Santino, only with actual wrestling skill. Hope to God that Stardust scores the pinfall over Cena tonight.  The roof might cave in if that happens.
• Who has the better powerslam: Orton or Goldust?  Real toss up in my opinion.  
• This match got very interesting very quickly.  Always interesting when John Cena adds a 6th move of doom to the usual 5 moves of doom with a dive from the top rope.  Huge spot from Ambrose following up Cena's dive.  Awesome match.  That was pretty entertaining, but how can they follow this up?
• Okay I might have spoke too soon.  This episode of Raw could get very interesting if this match actually happens tonight.  This is awesome.  

• Emma is still around?  I seriously forgot she existed after poor Santino had to retire.  
• The beatdown AJ just gave Layla after the match was so much more entertaining than the actual match that just took place.  Also, great Shining Wizard by AJ to get the pinfall.  That's a legit move that always looks good when it connects.  

great form, questionable mask.

• You guys think Randy Orton will turn face soon?  Kind of in no man's land these days.  That being said, this match between him and Dolph Ziggler could be a lot of fun.  
• What is going on with Bray Wyatt these days?  Rowan and Harper are set free like Doby the house elf, but where does this leave Bray Wyatt?  He's been too quiet.  How can WWE creative not have good ideas for him.  He should be in the main event picture or the upper-mid card all year long.  This doesn't make sense at all.  

Oooh! 

• Cesaro on commentary could be fun.  Good start by rolling with the punches when Ziggler threw his tshirt at him but hit JBL instead.  I hope the Cesaro and Ziggler feud for the IC title lasts a while.  May not be the best for mic work, but those two can both wrestle like nobody's business.  They have the potential to work a highly entertaining match together.  
• Depending on the outcome of this match, could Ziggler become a target of the Authority along with the likes of Ambrose and Cena?  Think about it: crowd loves him, he jokes around a lot, talented worker.  He could be an added pest.  Authority adopts Cesaro as their bodyguard type and Ziggler could become a target.  
• Jerry Lawler hitting Cesaro with the tough questions like "can you out dropkick Ziggler?" Geez.  I'm all for nostalgia but get Lawler off air.  He clearly is a shell of his former self from the Attitude Era days when he had legitimately funny jokes.  

can't believe we'll never have a match between these two again.

• Crowd is surprisingly pro-Orton right now.  Even more than just the chicks who like his bod. Interesting having Rollins come out right now.  Could Rollins and Orton have a feud in the future?  Actually, if WWE really wanted to make the IC title relevant again, a fatal four way match between Rollins Ziggler Orton and Cesaro could be a lot of fun.  
• Aren't superplexes fun?  And god damn, Ziggler does a great job of selling moves.  Theres a fine line between overselling to a point of it looking ridiculous (ex: the Rock after a Stone Cold Stunner) and looking like you're actually in pain.  Ziggler might be the best at that.  
• Boy, somewhere Shawn Michaels just smiled watching that Superkick by Ziggler.  Great match so far by these two.  Still interested in what role Rollins plays here.

such a classic. 

• WOW.  What an RKO.  Holy hell.  Great match with an even greater ending.  That was impressive and pretty unexpected.  Raw has been off to a great start so far.  
• I may be on to something here with the whole Ziggler being on the Authority's shitlist thing.  This may be happening way sooner than I thought.  Also, this is still the greatest unexpected RKO of all time: 

Amazeballs. 

• Ok so I must say, having another solid opportunity of a match between Swagger and Rollins following Orton/Ziggler is great.  Feels like the Attitude Era.  Solid match after solid match. Keep it coming.  This is the formula you need.  Not random 10 minute segments plugging Total Divas again.  
• I wonder how effectively things would've worked had Ambrose been the one to turn his back on the Shield and Rollins become the hero.  I think they made the right call having the unstable Ambrose be the 'antihero' who people love, but it is interesting if Rollins and his high flying move set could win over the audience.  
• Decent match so far.  WWE really teasing some animosity between Orton and Rollins. Wonder if the briefcase could become involved.  
• Enziguris always make me a bit uneasy.  That is one move that always makes me cringe each time it happens, mostly because it always sounds so loud.  
• "You wore a crown to the ring your entire career and you're talking about gloating!?"-JBL to King.  Well played, sir.  Well played.  

That's right.

• Loved the reversal of the Curb Stomp into the ankle lock.  Not a bad match.  Still not sure where we are at in this Rollins/Orton thing.  It would be weird for Orton to also get involved in the chase after Rollins along with Cena and Ambrose, but maybe he could play a role somehow.  
• So instead of putting the fear of handicap matches, suspensions, fines or possible termination, the Big Show gets hit with sensitivity training?  This really does prove that the Attitude Era is dead.  
• No chance Big Show wins this match on Raw.  They'll save Rusev's first loss for a PPV, I'd imagine.  
• Can't quite tell if there is something wrong with Lana calling out Columbus, then the Atlanta Braves, and the crowd reacting by doing the Braves tomahawk chop thing.  
• Things are going too well for the Big Show early on in this match.  Something's gotta give. Maybe Rusev gets himself DQ'd.
• Big night for dropkicks!  That was pretty impressive how high Rusev got for such a big guy. This guy is a freak.  

How has AJ Styles not been in WWE yet?

• Has Big Show ever connected on an aerial move from the turnbuckle?  I think he's like 0-30 lifetime.  For a second there I thought Mark Henry was going to turn full heel and attack the Big Show but he might've somehow managed to do that by helping him out with the DQ.  
• Damien Sandow is the most exciting part of this match between Sheamus and Miz.  God this might be boring.  I honestly like watching Sandow punch the air more than the Miz punching an actual person. 
• Wow.  That was a countout victory that was somewhat clever.  I can't believe that just happened.  
• Remember earlier when I said how great it was to have a bunch of awesome matches all night? This Total Divas plus NeNe Wiki-leaks could be real ruin the entire thing.  The lack of crowd reaction for this match just tells you everything you need to know.  This is awful.  This match could last 30 seconds and I'd tell you it went on for way too long. 
• Now that thats over, it's showtime.  Let's go Ambrose.  Another awesome vignette from Bray Wyatt.  Let's hope he gets a monster push this time around.  Things will get weird.

I love the internet.

• The possibilities of Ambrose/Rollins in the cell is mouthwatering for wrestling fans.  Let it happen.  Please.  Have it be the climax to the feud.  Put the Money in the Bank briefcase on the line.  Make it happen.  
• I love it!  Bring biting back! How is the crowd not into this match?  I guess deadly combo of Real Housewives and Total Divas really ruined their night.  Kinda can't blame them, but this match actually has meaning! 
• God dammit.  I hoped that this wouldn't be some bullshit ending, but I'll take Ambrose/Rollins at Hell in a Cell. Surprise surprise: a something-on-a-pole match didn't live up to expectations.