Damien Barling: Ummm.........

I know it doesn't seem like it, but I really do like wrestling. I really do like the WWE. In fact, just so it doesn't sound like I'm always complaining, here's some positives from Raw…

The storyline with Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins was really well done. I love that Ambrose isn't quick to forgive Rollins for turning on The Shield just because Rollins is a "good guy" now. I love that they revisited the whole story and didn't ruin weeks of television by having them align and shake hands just because they have a common enemy. Not to mention, The Miz continues to be extremely entertaining.

All that led to a 3 on 2 handicap match being made for next week. The Miz and The Miztourage vs Ambrose and Rollins. This felt like a very obvious tease of a potential Shield reunion. (Probably won't happen - see below)

The WWE did a fantastic job of making the main event feel like it means something. Over the past two weeks WWE has made Roman Reigns and Somoa Joe look like stars on the level of Brock Lesnar. With the exception of John Cena, Brock is, overwhelmingly, the biggest star with the biggest star presence, in the entire company. It feels like Joe and Reigns are on that level right now.

The main event delivered. It ended exactly as I expected. Sort of. I thought Stroman would interfere and we'd get a Joe Lesnar rematch or a triple threat match. I'd be surprised if we got a Fatal Four Way with those 3 and Lesnar in the SummerSlam main event but its certainly possible. With Braun seemingly indestructible, Joe beating him up regularly, and no clear heel turn in the forceable future, why not reunite The Shield in Romans attempt to get the title back? It might be the one thing that actually gets Roman cheered. Crowds boo Roman but freak out when it looks like we might get a Shield reunion. Its all makes sense. Which is why I don't think WWE will do it. Sometimes the best path is the simplest. I don't believe they think that way.

Now - the bad!

What the hell was that?!?!?!?!?!?! Kurt Angle's big secret is Jason Jordan is his son from a relationship he had in college. Dude. Are you serious?

Look, I get wrestling works because of the suspension of disbelief we all feel while watching it.  You want to get so caught up in a match you believe what you're watching is real.

Great example - Wrestlemania 25, Undertaker vs Shawn Michaels. I knew what I was watching. I believed I knew the outcome. Yet, those two did such an amazing job telling a story of Shawn Michaels so desperately wanting to be the guy that ended The Undertakers streak I forgot I thought I knew the outcome. I forgot I was watching a TV show. I jumped at every near fall and sunk into my seat, emotional fatigued, when The Undertaker finally won.

That suspension only goes so far. Theres a point where you can't buy in anymore.

I was curious how the Kurt Angle storyline would culminate. They had done a pretty good job of making this story a big part of Raw each week. Enough to the point that as a viewer, you wanted the payoff.

The payoff didn't come. It wasn't even an introduction of a new wrestler. That I might, MIGHT, be able to understand. It wasn't a call up from the NXT roster. Again, I might be able to understand. Jason Jordan is a guy, already on the main roster, already established, and now, for some reason, he's Kurt Angles son. Sorry WWE, I cant do it on this one. Neither can the fans in Knoxville who greeted the announcement with… Nothing. They greeted it with nothing. They just stared at it. I can't imagine that was the reaction they were hoping for.