It’s another big RAW In A Nutshell, and after Friday’s SmackDown challenge…will Cody Rhodes answer The Rock?
This one is worth a recap, in case you missed a few weeks.
In Australia at the Elimination Chamber PLE, Cody Rhodes challenged The Rock to a one on one match.
Just under a week later, on SmackDown, The Rock answered, but he did not accept.
Rather, the TKO board member countered: a Saturday tag match that would determine the Reigns-Rhodes Sunday stipulation.
Read More: 10 Worst WrestleMania Matches Ever, including Michael Cole Vs. Jerry Lawler
Odds are Cody (and Seth Rollins) will accept…but they were invited to do so in a few days.
Will they wait? Or will we get an answer on Monday?
It’s time for us to find out…
RAW In A Nutshell: Will Cody Rhodes Answer The Rock?
Let’s crack this one open and see how things go!
Best Match of the night:
Everyone knew there was no chance GUNTHER was losing…but he and Dom worked nearly ten minutes and it was brutally satisfying.
Jey and Drew was good too…but honestly, GUNTHER and Dom stole it for me.
Worst match of the night:
Nothing so bad I have a choice here.
Crowd Chants of the Night:
We want Cody
Diarrhea
Star of the Night
GUNTHER was solid.
Seth and Cody did what was needed.
Everyone and everything in and after the main event worked pretty well too.
Spot of the Night:
I don’t remember if I’ve ever called them out before, but GUNTHER’S chops are a thing of beauty.
Honestly, I would be very excited if, even just once, he used his chops as a finisher.
They really are that devastating.
Jobber of the Night:
Dom took a lot of abuse and deserves something here.
But…we had an Apollo Crews sighting, I think…
Upset of the Night:
Nothing.
Holy Sh** Moment of the Night:
Part of me is surprised we are getting a gauntlet match to identify GUNTHER’s challenger…but then, it makes me think…
Perhaps the United States Championship bout gets the ladders?
Like, it would feel so wrong to have WrestleMania in Philly and not have a ladder match, at least.
Botch of the night:
Not sure if a botch or just a sloppy sequence…but…
That series of moves where Becky flung Nia into the corner. Where a normal Superstar drills his or her shoulder into the post.
Nia wound up like, hugging the middle turnbuckle. Unconvincingly at that.
Then Becky went to the top and hit a spinning move…but it just landed odd.
Credit to both for rolling with it, but it was not pretty.
Commentary of the night:
I wasn’t expecting a video congratulating Sting. Nor a comment from Cole or McAfee.
One out of two? Not bad.
Cole got antlers (slipped and called them anchors).
McAfee went the other direction and swore, pushing for an R rating.
And Cole mentioned Sting and JR on the same show? What’s this world coming to…
LOL Moment of the night:
Why would Dom try to go chop for chop with…GUNTHER?
Seems like a really bad career move.
R-Truth…coining…Re-Generation X?
Topped by Xavier’s response: “I want to hate it…but I love it!”
Noteworthy Moment:
Cody had a subtle ackowledgement for Sting while cutting his promo. Nice.
Cole and McAfee flat out said congrats to Sting on his retirement, with Pat even saying it was a great match last night. Class move.
We knew something had to happen with the Intercontinental Championship. I don’t know if I love this or hate this yet…
But, next week on RAW, six men have a chance to run the gauntlet. The winner gets GUNTHER in Philadelphia.
Those six? Chad Gable, Sami Zayn, Ricochet, JD McDonagh, Big Bronson Reed and Shinsuke Nakamura.
I will say, JD is the odd choice here. Curious leaving Jey Uso out, but I feel like this telegraphs a Jimmy versus Jey tilt.
Overall lowlights:
Even though we all know what’s going to happen for Jey…somewhat bummed to see him not in the gauntlet match.
Though, had he been…we know it would have been ruined by Solo or Jimmy.
Overall highlights:
As we are now just a month from ‘Mania, it was another good show.
We know that Cody Rhodes did answer The Rock, and both he and Seth Rollins will be at SmackDown on Friday.
The women’s tag title scene is heating up, GUNTHER is a little closer to knowing his challenger…
Yes, the road to WrestleMania is well underway and the trip is getting better and better.
After the final bell:
Not much more to say. I enjoyed the show, for sure.
A video package or something could have been nice for Sting, but the fact that they even said something was a plus.
