Source: f4wonline.com

Raw last night did the all-time record modern low audience with 2.46 million viewers.

The show dropped nine percent from last week.

Still, Raw was fourth for the night on cable, once again only trailing news shows, and beat both FOX and CW on network television.

The least-watched modern era episode was on September 26, 2016, which also did 2.46 million viewers against both the first Trump-Clinton Presidential debate and the NFL.

Last year on the same week Raw did 3.01 million viewers, so this is an 18 percent annual drop.

The show started out weak and fell throughout, meaning whatever they were hyping did not keep the audience.

There were consistent drops in almost every demo throughout the show. Unusual is the third hour male drop in 18-49 was seven percent while the female 18-49 drop was only two percent. Usually third hour drops are more female skewed.

The three hours were:

8 p.m. 2.58 million viewers
9 p.m. 2.51 million viewers
10 p.m. 2.32 million viewers

Somebody else pointed this out, and I figured I'd share here...

Week 1: New feud established.
Week 2: Squashing other jobbers.
Week 3: Tag team match or how will they coexist?!!
Week 4: Match is ‘officially’ set up, even though writing was on the wall since week 1.
PPV: Feud stalls til bigger PPV or is resolved.
Week 5: PPV loser beats jobber. Winner repeats week 1.

The pattern has made the show unwatchable for me. I'm all for a show where you can miss a week and not feel completely lost, but you still GOTTA do SOMETHING! THREE HOURS of nothing happening, recaps of nothing happening last week, no champion, and the most cringe-worthy acting they've put out in years... now, as has been pointed out here, they're almost recycling last nights script on Smackdown with different guys. I just can't do it. When I took a break from wrestling a few years ago, it wasn't because I'd burnt out, but with the kids and all that, I just didn't have the time or energy to keep up with 5+ hours of WWE every week.

Now, and the numbers say I'm not alone, I just don't want to watch it. If it's not entertaining, it's just a waste of time. I never thought I'd see the day when I'd purposely hunt down spoilers prior to watching a show just to see if it was worth my time. I've decided against Raw 6 weeks now, and I think it's been 4 for Smackdown.

I'll stick to NXT, 205, and following Marty Scurll around...

Week 1: New feud established.
Week 2: Squashing other jobbers.
Week 3: Tag team match or how will they coexist?!!
Week 4: Match is ‘officially’ set up, even though writing was on the wall since week 1.
PPV: Feud stalls til bigger PPV or is resolved.
Week 5: PPV loser beats jobber. Winner repeats week 1.

I would have no problem with this pattern without the hackneyed week 3 part and the idea of the feud "stalling" on PPV until ready to resolve. Replace weeks two a three with Guy 1 wins, Guy 2 cuts a promo and reverse it the next week, and I'd be happy with it. The issue is that the stories they are telling are so stories that they only have one week worth of material for, so they keep repeating that one week over and over. Even if the stories are different, they are each still repetitive.

This has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that we haven’t seen the Champion or the Title on the show in months, right? Right?

Serujuunin wrote: ↑Jul 12th, '18, 09:20 This has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that we haven’t seen the Champion or the Title on the show in months, right? Right?

To be honest... I think that is actually 100% correct. The problem isn't a lack of top title. Any properly pushed belt can substitute for that (though instead we've got an IC Title picture that, while good in the ring, isn't particularly robust, plus a women's title that has suffered from one-note storylines, and tag titles that have been defended less frequently than absentee champion Brock's belt, and are also a joke). The problem is that the storylines all constantly repeat themselves. They put one idea's worth of thought into what needs to be a four or five week long story.

Big Red Machine wrote: ↑Jul 12th, '18, 10:42

Serujuunin wrote: ↑Jul 12th, '18, 09:20 This has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that we haven’t seen the Champion or the Title on the show in months, right? Right?

To be honest... I think that is actually 100% correct. The problem isn't a lack of top title. Any properly pushed belt can substitute for that (though instead we've got an IC Title picture that, while good in the ring, isn't particularly robust, plus a women's title that has suffered from one-note storylines, and tag titles that have been defended less frequently than absentee champion Brock's belt, and are also a joke). The problem is that the storylines all constantly repeat themselves. They put one idea's worth of thought into what needs to be a four or five week long story.

I’m with you on the issue of repetition.. but they give us so little to care about that I think the lack of the top title is a major issue. Yeah we get the IC title, but that's been firmly Rollins’ for some time and I think he’s just going to get it back from Dolph and we’ll carry on in that way for a while more. Nothing wrong with that, but it’s just old hat. And I feel like there’s not the feeling of seriousness that there should be because the top title is never around.

But I’ve also noticed that there doesn’t seem to be a damn thing they can do right so it’s really only one of a suite of issues.

Serujuunin wrote: ↑Jul 12th, '18, 11:24

Big Red Machine wrote: ↑Jul 12th, '18, 10:42

Serujuunin wrote: ↑Jul 12th, '18, 09:20 This has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that we haven’t seen the Champion or the Title on the show in months, right? Right?

To be honest... I think that is actually 100% correct. The problem isn't a lack of top title. Any properly pushed belt can substitute for that (though instead we've got an IC Title picture that, while good in the ring, isn't particularly robust, plus a women's title that has suffered from one-note storylines, and tag titles that have been defended less frequently than absentee champion Brock's belt, and are also a joke). The problem is that the storylines all constantly repeat themselves. They put one idea's worth of thought into what needs to be a four or five week long story.

I’m with you on the issue of repetition.. but they give us so little to care about that I think the lack of the top title is a major issue. Yeah we get the IC title, but that's been firmly Rollins’ for some time and I think he’s just going to get it back from Dolph and we’ll carry on in that way for a while more. Nothing wrong with that, but it’s just old hat. And I feel like there’s not the feeling of seriousness that there should be because the top title is never around.

But I’ve also noticed that there doesn’t seem to be a damn thing they can do right so it’s really only one of a suite of issues.

I guess I really just have no faith that they'd book the top title in a way that will make anyone care about it, either.

Big Red Machine wrote: ↑Jul 12th, '18, 11:38

Serujuunin wrote: ↑Jul 12th, '18, 11:24

Big Red Machine wrote: ↑Jul 12th, '18, 10:42

To be honest... I think that is actually 100% correct. The problem isn't a lack of top title. Any properly pushed belt can substitute for that (though instead we've got an IC Title picture that, while good in the ring, isn't particularly robust, plus a women's title that has suffered from one-note storylines, and tag titles that have been defended less frequently than absentee champion Brock's belt, and are also a joke). The problem is that the storylines all constantly repeat themselves. They put one idea's worth of thought into what needs to be a four or five week long story.

I’m with you on the issue of repetition.. but they give us so little to care about that I think the lack of the top title is a major issue. Yeah we get the IC title, but that's been firmly Rollins’ for some time and I think he’s just going to get it back from Dolph and we’ll carry on in that way for a while more. Nothing wrong with that, but it’s just old hat. And I feel like there’s not the feeling of seriousness that there should be because the top title is never around.

But I’ve also noticed that there doesn’t seem to be a damn thing they can do right so it’s really only one of a suite of issues.

I guess I really just have no faith that they'd book the top title in a way that will make anyone care about it, either.

Also disappointingly true

I pretty much summed up the problems and trouble created by the lack of the universal title under 2 cents a ways back actually.

Serujuunin wrote: ↑Jul 12th, '18, 11:24

Big Red Machine wrote: ↑Jul 12th, '18, 10:42

Serujuunin wrote: ↑Jul 12th, '18, 09:20 This has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that we haven’t seen the Champion or the Title on the show in months, right? Right?

To be honest... I think that is actually 100% correct. The problem isn't a lack of top title. Any properly pushed belt can substitute for that (though instead we've got an IC Title picture that, while good in the ring, isn't particularly robust, plus a women's title that has suffered from one-note storylines, and tag titles that have been defended less frequently than absentee champion Brock's belt, and are also a joke). The problem is that the storylines all constantly repeat themselves. They put one idea's worth of thought into what needs to be a four or five week long story.

I’m with you on the issue of repetition.. but they give us so little to care about that I think the lack of the top title is a major issue. Yeah we get the IC title, but that's been firmly Rollins’ for some time and I think he’s just going to get it back from Dolph and we’ll carry on in that way for a while more. Nothing wrong with that, but it’s just old hat. And I feel like there’s not the feeling of seriousness that there should be because the top title is never around.

But I’ve also noticed that there doesn’t seem to be a damn thing they can do right so it’s really only one of a suite of issues.

I think you're both equally right, there really isn't a need to one or another title to be there, the name of the title being focused on is irrelevant, but at the same time, when the top storylines all revolve around who is going to become the no 1 contender to the absent title, it really hurts the show, we are constantly reminded that infact, the champ is not there. So i wouldn't blame the repeated storylines, most promotions that focus on titles do that, but the fact that they all repeat and lead to nothing

It makes me wonder what's really going on.

I feel like they legit have no clue what's going on with Brock, and put creative on hold. "Let's just tread water until we figure this out..." But now it's been six months and they still don't know.

We haven't talked about it here, but I'm assuming everyone knows Brock showed up at UFC last weekend, got in the ring and cut a promo...
...a very Scott Steiner inspired promo, but that's neither here nor there. Now, do they let him play UFC with their title on display or is he done? Do we continue to tread water all the way to the end of the year?

No way they let him do UFC as the champ. Two years ago they rushed the Brock vs. Orton announcement because they were worried a UFC loss would hurt that match, and that match had nothing on the line. In their minds, if he loses in UFC then that makes it mean less when Roman beats him. All this has done is give us something of a time-frame for when his contract is up by (he went back in the USADA testing pool and is illegible to fight sometime in January).

Big Red Machine wrote: ↑Jul 12th, '18, 22:24 No way they let him do UFC as the champ. Two years ago they rushed the Brock vs. Orton announcement because they were worried a UFC loss would hurt that match, and that match had nothing on the line. In their minds, if he loses in UFC then that makes it mean less when Roman beats him. All this has done is give us something of a time-frame for when his contract is up by (he went back in the USADA testing pool and is illegible to fight sometime in January).

Brock is worth more to UFC as champion, though. Vince and Dana are friends, there's SO MUCH they could do to make this fun...

As worked as the aftermath of Cormier fight was, how hilarious would it be if Braun cashed in his briefcase at a UFC event...

Bob-O wrote: ↑Jul 14th, '18, 06:46

Big Red Machine wrote: ↑Jul 12th, '18, 22:24 No way they let him do UFC as the champ. Two years ago they rushed the Brock vs. Orton announcement because they were worried a UFC loss would hurt that match, and that match had nothing on the line. In their minds, if he loses in UFC then that makes it mean less when Roman beats him. All this has done is give us something of a time-frame for when his contract is up by (he went back in the USADA testing pool and is illegible to fight sometime in January).

Brock is worth more to UFC as champion, though. Vince and Dana are friends, there's SO MUCH they could do to make this fun...

As worked as the aftermath of Cormier fight was, how hilarious would it be if Braun cashed in his briefcase at a UFC event...

That would mean Brock retains until January. IDK if I'm ready for that

Bob-O wrote: ↑Jul 14th, '18, 06:46

Big Red Machine wrote: ↑Jul 12th, '18, 22:24 No way they let him do UFC as the champ. Two years ago they rushed the Brock vs. Orton announcement because they were worried a UFC loss would hurt that match, and that match had nothing on the line. In their minds, if he loses in UFC then that makes it mean less when Roman beats him. All this has done is give us something of a time-frame for when his contract is up by (he went back in the USADA testing pool and is illegible to fight sometime in January).

Brock is worth more to UFC as champion, though. Vince and Dana are friends, there's SO MUCH they could do to make this fun...

I totally disagree with this. UFC doesn't care about fake pro wrestling championships. Doing things that would make this "fun" would alienate a chunk of UFC's audience by getting their real sport involved in fake WWE stuff.

Big Red Machine wrote: ↑Jul 14th, '18, 19:29 I totally disagree with this. UFC doesn't care about fake pro wrestling championships. Doing things that would make this "fun" would alienate a chunk of UFC's audience by getting their real sport involved in fake WWE stuff.

Dude...
Have you SEEN anything UFC has put out in the last 2 years? EVERYTHING either side of the bells is the fake WWE stuff. It's widely known.

Watch that clip again and tell me it isn't painfully obvious that they're working.

cero2k wrote: ↑Jul 14th, '18, 14:48 That would mean Brock retains until January. IDK if I'm ready for that

Meh... we've gone this long.

Besides, we don't have to wait till January. They do one of those PR things where they pose for pictures with Joe Rogan, cameras are going crazy when suddenly, *BOOM* one of cameras emits a FIREBALL! It's Shinsuke Nakamura! Brock is BLINDED! Nak does the shocker/crotch chop thing while security tries to haul him away, he breaks free, spitting GREEN MIST into Brock's eyes, making him MORE BLINDED! Then....

ROOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRR!!!!

Strowman shoves his way through the crowd with his briefcase under one arm and a referee under the other. Braun puts Brock through the table and our new champion stands tall, while Shayna Baszler and Rhonda Rousey stand on Lesnar's unconscious body and make out with their mouth guards in.

Vince McMahon appears in the back of the room with a mic. He announces that if Brock wins in January, he will assume control of UFC. Dana White looks confused, says 'no'. Team WWE exits. Seconds later, Randy Orton pokes his head back in the door and calls everyone stupid.

Brock says it's "bullshit" because nobody rang a bell.

Bob-O wrote: ↑Jul 14th, '18, 23:11

Big Red Machine wrote: ↑Jul 14th, '18, 19:29 I totally disagree with this. UFC doesn't care about fake pro wrestling championships. Doing things that would make this "fun" would alienate a chunk of UFC's audience by getting their real sport involved in fake WWE stuff.

Dude...
Have you SEEN anything UFC has put out in the last 2 years? EVERYTHING either side of the bells is the fake WWE stuff. It's widely known.

Watch that clip again and tell me it isn't painfully obvious that they're working.

That's been happening for years. But the concept of them in any way acknowledging WWE's fake championship as being anything more than a prop passed between actors in fake wrestling is zero. The championships (and the concept thereof) are part of between the bells stuff.

Bob-O wrote: ↑Jul 14th, '18, 23:11

Besides, we don't have to wait till January. They do one of those PR things where they pose for pictures with Joe Rogan, cameras are going crazy when suddenly, *BOOM* one of cameras emits a FIREBALL! It's Shinsuke Nakamura! Brock is BLINDED! Nak does the shocker/crotch chop thing while security tries to haul him away, he breaks free, spitting GREEN MIST into Brock's eyes, making him MORE BLINDED! Then....

ROOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRR!!!!

Strowman shoves his way through the crowd with his briefcase under one arm and a referee under the other. Braun puts Brock through the table and our new champion stands tall, while Shayna Baszler and Rhonda Rousey stand on Lesnar's unconscious body and make out with their mouth guards in.

Vince McMahon appears in the back of the room with a mic. He announces that if Brock wins in January, he will assume control of UFC. Dana White looks confused, says 'no'. Team WWE exits. Seconds later, Randy Orton pokes his head back in the door and calls everyone stupid.

Brock says it's "bullshit" because nobody rang a bell.

This scenario is clearly ridiculous and fake and UFC would never agree to it! I mean... come on! Everyone knows that if you get misted after a fireball it doesn't make you more blind! It heals you eyes, like when you multiply two negative numbers it makes a positive one.

I'm not quoting stuff because I don't know who's comment I would quote.

I heard a rumor that WWE wanted Brock to go into that fight as Champ because it would up his stock being a champ in two different sports. That being said, I'm not ready for Brock to retain the title for that long. I want it off him like, yesterday.

Yeah, can we please have an average wrestling product where the champion is actually always around? Just saying that makes it all even more ridiculous.