2025-01-06 WWE RAW - REVIEW

2025 Malapert Smark Podcast Review System:

🤯 - Mind Completely Blown!!! [+10]

🔥 - This Was Fire!! [+5]

❤️ - Loved It! [+3]

👍👍 - REALLY Liked It! [+2]

👍 - Liked It [+1]

1/2 👍- Kinda Liked It [+0.5]

👊 - Indifferent [0]

👎 - Didn’t Like it [-1]

👎👎 - Hated It [-2]

🤮 - Made Me Sick [-5]

🙋‍♂️- Chris Jericho Bad [-10]

Catch our review of this episode of Raw on episode #143 of the Malapert Smark Podcast with Vlad "The Wrestling Expert" and Robert "The Frozen Asian!"
https://youtu.be/f1ujrlqtIqg

=====

➡️OVERALL SHOW COMMENTS⬅️

⭐️TheMalapertSmark: I was not a fan of this episode overall. It feels like 2 hours of content with no sense of urgency whatsoever stretched out to 3 hours. Like our time and energy mean absolutely nothing. I think it should be the opposite. They should value our time and hustle a little bit… Also, it was a little lame, and becoming a pattern of HHH booking, that all the babyfaces win on these “big” shows. 

⭐️TheWrestlingExpert: I thought the show looked amazing just aesthetically. It's incredible actually. but creative-wise not how I would have booked it. Unless they flip Roman heel again… Hogan getting booed. haha. This the wrong place for this Trumper… I see why Kayhan didn't like the show. all the baby faces won.

⭐️TheFrozenAsian: It felt really odd watching commercials on Netflix. 

=====

STORYLINES:

=====

(1) Roman, Solo, Heyman, Jacob, Tama Tonga, Sami, Jimmy, KO, Cody, The Rock

-Roman Reigns defeats Solo Sikoa in NO DQ “Tribal Combat” match to regain his spot at the Head of the Table. Jacob, Tama Tonga and KO tried to help Solo while Jimmy, Sami & Cody countered for Roman.

-Post match, the Rock takes the Ula Fala necklace from Heyman and bestows it on Roman.

-The Rock is shown on his Instagram Live leaving the arena, hugging his family members and Cody…

🌪️REVIEWS🌪️

Kayhan TheMalapertSmark - 🤮

Vlad TheWrestlingExpert - 👍

Robert TheFrozenAsian - 1/2 👍

➡️COMMENTS⬅️

⭐️Kayhan: Well. The burial of Solo is complete. So nice of him to put his cousin over. I guess that’s all Solo’s run amounted to. Shame because he was a really cool character… The only saving grace was that KO got involved. Drew should have too. His match later in the night wasn’t as important as this.

⭐️Vlad: Oh wow. so Drew didn't even interfere but at least Owen's tried…. Odd very odd… Creative-wise not how I would have booked it. Unless they flip Roman heel again… This was still enjoyable but I do question this booking. I think it's gonna work out fine but wonder how Solo will recover or if he even can. That will be as interesting as anything else. The Rock being a babyface also has to be a swerve.

(2) Penta, Chad Gable

-Video package reveals Penta’s name. 

-In Pierces’s office, Gable asks for a match with the greatest luchador…

🌪️REVIEWS🌪️

Kayhan TheMalapertSmark - 👊

Vlad TheWrestlingExpert - 👊

Robert TheFrozenAsian - 👊

➡️COMMENTS⬅️

⭐️Kayhan: Not a fan of how they set of Penta’s debut here.

(3) John Cena

-Cena comes out to the ring and talks about his career winding down. He says winning a title in his final run is probably unlikely but not impossible, having to win the Royal Rumble or Elimination Chamber. “You can’t win if you don’t play!” Cena announces he will enter his final Royal Rumble. 

🌪️REVIEWS🌪️

Kayhan TheMalapertSmark - 👎

Vlad TheWrestlingExpert - 👍

Robert TheFrozenAsian - 1/2 👍

➡️COMMENTS⬅️

⭐️Kayhan: Same old boring Cena. Too much time on these 3 hour episodes. This was a 3 minute promo. Max!

⭐️Vlad: No issue with this whatsoever.

(4) Logan Paul

-Video package introduces Logan Paul as newest member of Raw roster. Paul announces he will be a full time wrestler now. 

🌪️REVIEWS🌪️

Kayhan TheMalapertSmark - 👊

Vlad TheWrestlingExpert - 👊

Robert TheFrozenAsian - 👊

➡️COMMENTS⬅️

⭐️Kayhan: I recognize Logan Paul’s a pretty solid wrestler, but for some reason I just don’t care about him. I haven’t really loved anything he’s been a part of in WWE. He can do the moves but I literally feel nothing for him either way. 🤷‍♂️ 

⭐️Robert: 

(5) Rhea, Liv, Raquel, Dom, Undertaker

-Rhea overcomes interference from Dom & Raquel to defeat Liv Morgan and regain Women’s World Title.

-Post match, Dom threatens to sneak attack Rhea but Rhea catches him. Dom tries to give her hug but Rhea kicks him in the balls and kicks his ass. Then the Undertaker comes out, rides his motorcycle around the ring, puts Rhea over.

-Jackie Redmond interviews Rhea about her win over over Liv. Damian is also there to put Rhea over. 

🌪️REVIEWS🌪️

Kayhan TheMalapertSmark - 👍

Vlad TheWrestlingExpert - 👍

Robert TheFrozenAsian - 👍

➡️COMMENTS⬅️

⭐️Kayhan: This was solid. I liked the way they worked the match. Another predictable finish, but ok… Very weak use of the Undertaker. I didn’t feel anything for that other than a conjured up rub. Like Rhea really needs a rub. They could have brought someone out for Taker to choke slam. Like Dom!

⭐️Vlad: Dirty Doms mustache is hideous. If l had a sign I would throw that up. 

⭐️Robert: 

(6) Drew McIntyre, Jey Uso

-Jey Uso defeats Drew McIntyre

🌪️REVIEWS🌪️

Kayhan TheMalapertSmark - 👎

Vlad TheWrestlingExpert - 👎

Robert TheFrozenAsian - 👎

➡️COMMENTS⬅️

⭐️Kayhan: This should have been on before tribal combat and both these guys should have been involved. wtf… I see the idea of having a “realistic finish.” But just because this is something that could have possibly happened, doesn’t mean it’s the way it should be written. Kinda sad that this all the fans who paid for tickets got to see. It was a high profile match between two top guys but i’m dissapointed. If this opened the show and they both were in Tribal Combat, I would not have problems with this. 

⭐️Vlad: No way should Jay be beating Drew in this spot.

(7) Gunther

-Video package shows Gunther cutting promo putting himself over. 

🌪️REVIEWS🌪️

Kayhan TheMalapertSmark - 👊

Vlad TheWrestlingExpert - 👊

Robert TheFrozenAsian - 1/2 👍

➡️COMMENTS⬅️

⭐️Kayhan: The World Champion got on the show. Maybe they could have got him into the arena for something more substantial, considering he’s supposed to be the man on this show.

(8) Gabriel Iglesias, New Day, Alpha Academy

-Earlier in the night, in a segment that only aired for international audiences, New Day interrupted a Jackie Redmond report to cut a promo running down the audience in LA. Also threw in a jab at Kendrick Lamar. 

-New Day interrupt a Cathy Kelley backstage interview to troll comedian Gabriel Iglesias and complain about their lack of opportunity to explain themselves. Alpha Academy then enter to align with the comedian and troll New Day.

🌪️REVIEWS🌪️

Kayhan TheMalapertSmark - 👎

Vlad TheWrestlingExpert - 1/2 👍

Robert TheFrozenAsian - MISSED THIS

➡️COMMENTS⬅️

⭐️Kayhan: Unfortunately, I have been disappointed with New Day’s storylines since the heel turn. The angle is that they only complain that they can’t get a word in over the fans booing. Kinda weak. 

⭐️Vlad: 1/2 👍 for Fluffy

(9) Damian Priest

-Jackie Redmond interviews Damian about his upcoming match with Finn next Monday. Damian says he’s hoped to be done with Finn, but Finn just can’t get let it go. Damian says he hopes to finish this in next week’s Street Fight.

🌪️REVIEWS🌪️

Kayhan TheMalapertSmark - 👍

Vlad TheWrestlingExpert - SKIPPED

Robert TheFrozenAsian - 1/2 👍

➡️COMMENTS⬅️

⭐️Kayhan: 

⭐️Vlad: I don't think I saw this.

(10) CM Punk, Seth Rollins

-CM Punk defeats Seth Rollins. 

🌪️REVIEWS🌪️

Kayhan TheMalapertSmark - 👍

Vlad TheWrestlingExpert - 1/2 👍

Robert TheFrozenAsian - 👍

➡️COMMENTS⬅️

⭐️Kayhan: It was a good match but I don’t see the point of having a clean finish. They could have gotten more juice out of this. They still might but I won’t have as much interest now that they’ve already had Punk go over. I guess Rollins could just attack Punk and squeeze a hardcore match out of this. 

⭐️Vlad: I'm slightly confused with the booking. Good match but 1/2 off for my confusion. Set me straight HHH.

=====