WWE Raw Results: Highlights, Analysis, and Grades for March 13
By Bryan Heaton
Source: WWE.com
Who Did Foley Fire?
WrestleMania 33 is being billed as The Ultimate Thrill Ride. Clearly, this segment is the blueprint, because this was the biggest roller coaster of feelings WWE has produced in a long time. Let’s unpack this a bit.
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First, I’ll admit that I was wrong about Foley falling on his sword. By choosing to “fire” Stephanie, though, the spirit of my prediction was there – he could not bring himself to get rid of any of “his” superstars. But I was still wrong, and I’ll own up to it.
As for the meat of Foley’s argument, well, I don’t understand how it could take over six months to figure out that Stephanie is a two-faced liar. She’s literally the same character she’s been since first aligning with Triple H in the Attitude Era. Not a damn thing has changed. But here’s Mick to solve the puzzle!
Of course, mentioning any of Triple H’s crew by name nowadays brings that guy out. Sami Zayn has summoned Samoa Joe numerous times, KO is always lurking and waiting to hurt someone, and now Foley mentions The Game and here he comes. It’s the worst kind of Triple H appearance, too – the one where he’s got to go all inside baseball for everyone. I get that kayfabe is mostly dead, but mostly dead is slightly alive.
IT'S MR. SOCKO!!!!! @RealMickFoley brought some "back up" to @WWE #RAW!! @TripleH @StephMcMahon pic.twitter.com/reDQZlSrNY
— WWE Universe (@WWEUniverse) March 14, 2017
Because WrestleMania 33 is clearly taking place in a wormhole where it’s 1999, Triple H and Mick Foley have to get physical to promote things. Foley breaks out Mr. Socko, because if he hits a double arm DDT his hip will probably disintegrate. A low blow from Stephanie saves Triple H, because Women’s History Month maybe?
Once things calm down a bit, Seth Rollins limps down to the ring to make the save. Finally, something interesting is happening. Say what you will about Seth Rollins, but the slow reveal that he doesn’t really need the crutch was pretty cool, even if greatly telegraphed.
CRUTCH DROP!!!!!@WWERollins is ready to PLAY THE GAME on #RAW!!! @TripleH pic.twitter.com/26WXScUNhI
— WWE Universe (@WWEUniverse) March 14, 2017
And he initially gets the upper hand on Triple H! That’s good! Throwing all sorts of kicks with the bad leg, he gets Hunter running scared. But he goads him back into the ring and that’s when it all goes to hell.
When Triple H gets back into the ring, he brings Seth’s discarded crutch with him, and uses it to “reinjure” the bad leg. It’s so unnecessary, and the show could have and should have ended with Seth pointing at the Mania sign. Why did Triple H not only need to get his heat back, but get it back immediately? What is it, an Alberto Del Rio victory over Kalisto?
So it looks like Rollins/Triple H is a go for Mania, which is the biggest positive to take out of this. Out of all the initially rumored WrestleMania matches from months ago, this was the one with the most potential to be a show-stealer.
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What did you think of this week’s Raw?