RAW Thread 02/08/16: Farewell Daniel Bryan

[Steveweiser]

RAW is live tonight from the Key Arena in Seattle, where news has broken that will disappoint millions of fans worldwide, but will give fans a chance to say thanks to one of their favourite Superstars.

As announced this afternoon, former WWE World Heavyweight Champion Daniel Bryan has announced his retirement, as a result of a long term concussion. Bryan will appear on RAW tonight to elaborate on his decision. It's going to be very sad, but if there was any way in this situation Bryan would go out, it would be at home in front of his biggest fans.

Last week on RAW, Brock Lesnar gave Dean Ambrose an F5 to send a message to both him and Roman Reigns heading into their Triple Threat match at Fastlane. Then on SmackDown, egged on by The Authority's bid to drive a wedge, Ambrose accidentally laid out Reigns when trying to save him from a beatdown by the League of Nations. Tonight in Seattle, Lesnar is scheduled to appear - does this give Ambrose a chance for revenge, or will Reigns intervene?

We have a match announced... but not for tonight, as AJ Styles and Chris Jericho get ready for their rematch this Thursday on SmackDown. It seems like friendly competition from the outside, but there's something that seems unhealthy about Jericho not letting go of his loss to the Phenomenal One (or is that "Pitbull" now?) two weeks ago. Will Thursday's stakes be raised higher tonight?

During their time together in NXT, Becky Lynch and Sasha Banks formed a dominant partnership known as Team B.A.E. (Best At Everything), which dissolved when Lynch challenged Banks for the NXT Women's Championship. Things haven't been so cordial between the two since, but they now have common enemies in Banks' former partners in Team B.A.D., Naomi and Tamina. Will we see tag team action this week, and how long will this incarnation of Team B.A.E. last before both members refocus on Charlotte, who's now dealing with Brie Bella?

Kevin Owens suddenly finds himself in a rivalry with Dolph Ziggler, after the Show Off evened their recent series last week. Then on SmackDown, Ziggler's involvement led to Owens falling to US Champion Kalisto. It's important that Owens gets himself out of this rut, with a big spot on the WrestleMania card at stake, will he settle matters with Ziggler tonight?

In other events, Goldust looks to make another attempt at securing R-Truth as his tag team partner, and The Big Show and Ryback look to even matters with the Wyatt Family, likely with Bray back in tow after missing last week. All that and more live on RAW tonight from 8/7c on USA, followed by a new episode of Ride Along on the WWE Network!

[CeilingFan]

Feb 8, 2016 8:17:47 GMT -5 Steveweiser said:

RAW is live tonight from the Key Arena in Seattle... though the title I've given this thread may be obsolete if the rumour of a certain former champion from round that way being back is correct.

Last week on RAW, Brock Lesnar gave Dean Ambrose an F5 to send a message to both him and Roman Reigns heading into their Triple Threat match at Fastlane. Then on SmackDown, egged on by The Authority's bid to drive a wedge, Ambrose accidentally laid out Reigns when trying to save him from a beatdown by the League of Nations. Tonight in Seattle, Lesnar is scheduled to appear - does this give Ambrose a chance for revenge, or will Reigns intervene?

We have a match announced... but not for tonight, as AJ Styles and Chris Jericho get ready for their rematch this Thursday on SmackDown. It seems like friendly competition from the outside, but there's something that seems unhealthy about Jericho not letting go of his loss to the Phenomenal One (or is that "Pitbull" now?) two weeks ago. Will Thursday's stakes be raised higher tonight?

During their time together in NXT, Becky Lynch and Sasha Banks formed a dominant partnership known as Team B.A.E. (Best At Everything), which dissolved when Lynch challenged Banks for the NXT Women's Championship. Things haven't been so cordial between the two since, but they now have common enemies in Banks' former partners in Team B.A.D., Naomi and Tamina. Will we see tag team action this week, and how long will this incarnation of Team B.A.E. last before both members refocus on Charlotte, who's now dealing with Brie Bella?

Speaking of Brie Bella, there's rumours circulating that her husband, former WWE World Heavyweight Champion Daniel Bryan, will be on RAW tonight in Seattle, the nearest big city to his home town. Bryan has been out of action for nearly a full year with a concussion, and controversy persists as to whether he'll ever be cleared to return. Does the YES Man have good or bad news for us tonight?

Kevin Owens suddenly finds himself in a rivalry with Dolph Ziggler, after the Show Off evened their recent series last week. Then on SmackDown, Ziggler's involvement led to Owens falling to US Champion Kalisto. It's important that Owens gets himself out of this rut, with a big spot on the WrestleMania card at stake, will he settle matters with Ziggler tonight?

In other events, Goldust looks to make another attempt at securing R-Truth as his tag team partner, and The Big Show and Ryback look to even matters with the Wyatt Family, likely with Bray back in tow after missing last week. All that and more live on RAW tonight from 8/7c on USA, followed by a new episode of Ride Along on the WWE Network!

I love the title of this thread

[Bang Bang Bart]

Oh boy.

[TWERKIN' MAGGLE]

This one's gonna hurt, isn't it?

[Abdullah]

Bryan is not going to announce his retirement. They're not going to have him do that unless they want hijacked shows going forward.

He may have return at some point, right now it seems like there's a good chance he won't, but yeah I don't expect any heartbreaking news.

[EoE: Well There's Your Problem]

Man, I hope this graphic gets to see the light of day for my points rankings...



(Of course, I'd have to change the picture to account for his haircut, but you get the idea)

[543Y2J]

Really anxious about this Bryan thing.

[Deleted]

Iiiii have no idea if I should watch tonight or not. Don't really want to, but would like to see how this whole Bryan thing shakes out - though I'm guessing it'd probably just be either some random cameo for the crowd, something tying into the Reigns storyline to try and build up sympathy for him, or a 'retirement' that lasts through the length of his WWE contract and then he goes right back to wrestling elsewhere, because with this Vito thing going on they're not putting him back in the ring - and doubt I'll have much else going on this evening.

Eh, maybe might as well, given next week Raw can go screw itself regardless of how good it is tonight because Gravity Falls.

[Deleted]

Like Liz Lemon, I guess I'm trying to have it all. Talk about wrestling online without having every surprise ruined.

[EoE: Well There's Your Problem]

Feb 8, 2016 10:29:41 GMT -5 @lovehater said:

Like Liz Lemon, I guess I'm trying to have it all. Talk about wrestling online without having every surprise ruined.

That reminds me... Where IS my sandwich?

[Bo Rida]

Feb 8, 2016 8:22:24 GMT -5 CeilingFan said:

[I love the title of this thread

I don't, for one horrible moment I thought Del Rio was scheduled to be in the main event.

Edit: Well this comment makes no sense now.

[cool]

I'm dreading Stephanie coming out during the Bryan time and completely emasculating him.

[Welfare Willis]

Feb 8, 2016 8:17:47 GMT -5 Steveweiser said:

The Big Show and Ryback look to even matters with the Wyatt Family,

Feb 8, 2016 8:17:47 GMT -5 Steveweiser said:

The Big Show and Ryback look to even

Feb 8, 2016 8:17:47 GMT -5 Steveweiser said:

The Big Show and Ryback

Feb 8, 2016 8:51:16 GMT -5 TWERKIN' MAGGLE said:

This one's gonna hurt, isn't it?

[EoE: Well There's Your Problem]

Feb 8, 2016 10:50:58 GMT -5 cool said:

I'm dreading Stephanie coming out during the Bryan time and completely emasculating him.

Won't effect him, and history proves it. She tries to slap him while he's handcuffed and being beaten to a pulp, and he responds with "YOU HIT LIKE A GIRL!". She tries to slap him at WrestleMania, and he just laughs in her face.

Dread all you like, he's unemasculatable.

[wisdomwizard]

If Bryan is on tonight, I demand the thread title be changed to Beardless in Seattle immediately.

[Big Bad Kahuna]

Feb 8, 2016 11:14:37 GMT -5 wisdomwizard said:

If Bryan is on tonight, I demand the thread title be changed to Beardless in Seattle immediately.

But..he does have the beard!?

[The Kevstaaa]

One week after obliterating the brazen Dean Ambrose with an F-5, Brock Lesnar looks to dominate Raw once again, two weeks before battling The Lunatic Fringe and Roman Reigns in a Triple Threat Match at WWE Fastlane. What awaits on what’s sure to be a bombastic edition of Monday night’s hottest show, live in Seattle? WWE.com has some ideas.

Last week, after showing defiance in the face of Brock Lesnar, Dean Ambrose’s bravery was met with cruel vengeance when The Beast Incarnate ambushed The Lunatic Fringe with a ring-shaking F-5. The brutal attack sent a chilling message to both Ambrose and Roman Reigns — Lesnar’s opponents at WWE Fastlane.

As outside forces look to turn WWE’s brothers-in-arms against each other in the lead-up to that high-stakes bout, Lesnar will be on the warpath Monday night once again. Will Ambrose get his pound of flesh from The Beast, with The Big Dog by his side, or will the promise of a WWE World Heavyweight Championship Match against Triple H at WrestleMania drive the best friends apart physically and psychologically?


Ever since AJ Styles scored a huge victory over Chris Jericho in his Raw debut, Y2J has taken an intense interest in The Phenomenal One’s career, going so far as to challenge Styles to a rematch on this Thursday’s SmackDown. It’s clear that Jericho sees some of himself in the ring veteran, and is seeking to push Styles to his limit whenever possible. But is there a part of Jericho that is attempting to derail the WWE newcomer’s career?

The Phenomenal One has approached each of his matchups with pitbull-like tenacity since emerging during this year’s Royal Rumble Match, and it’s that aggression that has captured the imagination and the attention of the WWE Universe. Is Jericho jealous of what Styles might be capable of on The Road to WrestleMania? After all, as history has proven, Y2J isn’t exactly fond of sharing the spotlight. Expect Jericho to pay very close attention to whatever awaits Styles on Raw.


Last week on Raw, Sasha Banks broke away from Team B.A.D. to forge her own destiny, and The Boss’ declaration of her own independence didn’t sit very well with Naomi and Tamina. Sasha and Becky Lynch fought off the attacking Team B.A.D. remnants, becoming what can best be described as an alliance of necessity as a result.

As we witnessed on SmackDown, Becky and Sasha are by no means exchanging friendship bracelets at this point, but they have formed a united front against Naomi and Tamina as they separately pursue the Divas Championship. Will this uneasy union pay off on Raw?


Ryback went into SmackDown with an appetite, and he gorged himself on lamb chops.

Showing renewed intensity on Thursday night, The Big Guy defeated Erick Rowan — despite “The Black Sheep” Braun Strowman’s imposing presence at ringside — and made a powerful statement to The Wyatt Family: Ryback isn’t afraid.

But should he be? Last Monday night, The Wyatt Family dismantled the similarly bold Big Show with a 3-on-1 beatdown. Ryback had best be cautious this week.


Goldust is a lot of things: bizarre, unpredictable and unsettling are a few words that spring to mind. But he’s also persistent, as evidenced by his continued attempts to woo R-Truth into a tag team partnership known as The Golden Truth.

Last Thursday before SmackDown, The Bizarre One disguised himself as a bellhop and ambushed his would-be partner in a hotel lobby. Goldust left disappointed and empty-handed, save for a pair of R-Truth’s underwear that he might or might not have tried on later that night. Yet, something tells us he’ll make another attempt to win Truth over on Raw. Will Goldust find success this week?

Don’t miss Raw at 8/7 C on USA Network, and be sure to tune in to Raw Pre-Show at 7:30 ET, only on the award-winning WWE Network.

[Alyce: Old Media Enthusiast]

I'll be here this week for certain. Got a bit more energy and fervent snark tonight so we'll see if that charges my batteries for three hours.

[Alyce: Old Media Enthusiast]

Well shart

[Big Poppa Pumpkin]

was on the fence about watching, now there is no way I'm missing Bryan's retirement even if I have to sit through Big Show and Ryback vs Snowman to get to it