WWE Raw Live Review: Highlights, Analysis, and Grades for September 11

Strowman stands tall (Source: WWE.com via Twitter)

Brock and Roll, Boys

Indulge me for a moment as I tell a story in the middle of my Raw review here. Recently, I returned to teaching after a three year hiatus. For all intents and purposes, teaching is just public speaking. I’m pretty good at it.

But if I had a quarter of the public speaking ability that Paul Heyman has, I’d be the world’s greatest teacher. And as good as Heyman is at speaking, he’s just as good at nonverbal communication.

You don’t mess with success, and Heyman’s formula is tried and true. Fire, passion, and emotion are the main ingredients in a promo designed to sell Brock Lesnar as the most dangerous man in WWE.

This week, though, the Heyman promo, as good as it was, wasn’t even the highlight of the segment. No, that would be when Braun Strowman immediately answered the challenge to fight and DESTROYED the Universal Champion.

I mean, this was unreal. The no-sell of the suplex was awe-inspiring. Heyman’s face when he realized the plan backfired – and then Brock’s slow realization of the same – was priceless. And the sheer destruction of The Beast Incarnate at the hands of Strowman? *kisses fingers*

I didn’t think it was possible to be looking forward to this match any more than I already was. Heyman was right – he was in the ring to sell something that should already be sold. But damned if he, along with Brock and Braun, didn’t sell it even more.