Matthew Roberts takes a look at the latest WWE Home Video release, which showcases the 30th Anniversary episode of Raw. This is RAW XXX. RAW is 30.
There is no denying that the 3-hour RAW can be a hard watch at times; by the same token, there has been much improvement in the last year or so. As ever for the 30th Anniversary show, there was a multitude of legends promised…even if it is a case of the law of diminishing returns as some of them are trotted out every time the WWE has an anniversary to celebrate or a “retro” night to try and boost ratings.
Hulk Hogan and Jimmy Hart (briefly) start things off before one of your traditional WWE Montages kicks in. You can say a lot of things about the WWE but they remain the masters of productions like these.
The “Trial of Sami Zayn” kicks things off and it’s the usual gripping stuff in that on-going storyline. It segues into The Uso’s defending the Raw tag team belts against the Judgment Day duo of Doimink and Damien. It goes nearly 15 minutes and a great way to start off the wrestling portion of the show. It was a very good TV match.
After some of the, yes usual, APA casino/gambling backstage stuff (which carries on throughout the night), LA Knight hits the ring to call out a legend. The Undertaker answers (The American Bad Ass version) and Bray Wyatt gets involved too. The only real point of interest it what exactly does Taker mutter to Bray at the conclusion of the segment.
Becky Lynch and Bayley should be clashing in a cage match next but that doesn’t happen due to some Damage Ctrl shenanigans. And/or the opening segment with Roman Reigns and the Bloodline over-running. We then get the usual DX reunion (those that are available anyway), this time with some added Kurt Angle. Imperium interrupt and instead of a clash with DX we swerve to them taking on the Street Profits and Seth Rollins with Angle as the guest referee. The match itself was fine TV fodder.
Ric Flair introduces his daughter Charlotte and Charlotte manages to be totally un-babyface like before Bianca Belair interrupts and manages to be un-babyface like. I know I’m in a minority here, and I do appreciate Belair’s natural athleticism, but she (like Charlie) does do an awful lot of smug boasting for a babyface. Sonya Deville is next to show up and this leads to Belair Vs Deville. It’s not very good, but then (and I say this quietly), when are Belair matches when she’s not in there with a proper ring general?
After a video look at Cody Rhodes’ impending return, John Cena being shown as the new cover star for the next WWE video game and Kevin Owens stunning the Miz just because he can we get a US Title match between Bobby Lashley and Austin Theory. It’s a no DQ match so it’s no surprise when Brock Lesnar gets involved. He F5’s both but as the one on Theory leaves him laying on top of Lashley the champ retains after the three count.
As a whole the show starts well and the first hour is unarguably the best. Still the other two roll by and as a one off “anniversary” RAW IS 30 – show it was more than fine.