WWE Network
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<p>The major talking point following 'Mania was...</p>
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<p>[spoiler]Undertaker's streak ending to Lesnar.[/spoiler]</p>
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<p>...which kinda sidetracked what should have been the MAIN story...</p>
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<p>[spoiler]Daniel Bryan FINALLY winning the belt.[/spoiler]</p>
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<p>I reckon the first one was...</p>
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<p>[spoiler]Mark Calloway (Undertaker)'s call.[/spoiler]</p>
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<p>It indicates to me that...</p>
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<p>[spoiler]Calloway is hanging up his boots with imminent retirement.[/spoiler]</p>
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<p>I would have preferred that...</p>
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<p>[spoiler]Undertaker retired with the Mania streak perfect, since the "Deadman" is probably the greatest wrestling gimmick ever[/spoiler]</p>
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<p>Alas...</p>
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<p>[spoiler]Calloway is the core anchor of the "boys," a pro's-pro. He knows the tradition is to lay down on his back when the career ends. So he did the "business," the "honours," like a true professional.[/spoiler]</p>
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<p>And although...</p>
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<p>[spoiler]Many critics strongly believe Lesnar was the wrong guy to lay down on your back for...[/spoiler]</p>
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<p>I'm pretty damn sure that was...</p>
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<p>[spoiler]Undertaker's desired wish - he wanted the streak to end to a LEGITIMATE MONSTER BEAST -- and it's transparent he respects the HELL out Lesnar for the LEGITIMACY of his athletic pedigree.[/spoiler]</p>
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<p>It also makes this...</p>
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<p>[spoiler]Earlier encounter three years ago at UFC 121 that much juicier!</p>
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<p>Were these guys actually "working" at a legit athletic contest??!!</p>
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<p>It boggles the mind!![/spoiler]</p>
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<p>It makes me suspect that...</p>
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<p>[spoiler]Lesnar will be around for a while -- he's only on a one-year contract, but for the giant money he makes for all of a few appearances a year, it would be in his financial interest to keep that going.[/spoiler]</p>
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<p>...and we'll soon, maybe even immediately, see...</p>
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<p>[spoiler]Brock vs. Daniel Bryan feud for the belt.[/spoiler]</p>
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<p>The fall-out from tonight's RAW should be EPIC.</p>
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<p>Don't ya dare miss it!</p> -
<p>RAW was monumental tonight. The post-Mania Raw episode usually is the best of the year, with the vocal international crowd staying behind and treating WM & Raw as a double-header. Lesnar entered the ring to boos and CM Punk chants, and damn if Paul Heyman doesn't pull together a managerial masterpiece and almost get the crowd behind him. He is incredible on the microphone in front of a hot live audience. The mention about "children" was perfectly executed and well received. If memory serves me correct, Lesnar didn't say a single word. The whole episode had a lot of memorable moments, including a pair of huge face-turns, Ultimate Warrior got in front of a live audience for the first time in 20 years and was as incoherently insane as you might expect, a championship title-change, singles debut of a new beast Rusev, really too much great stuff to mention, and I had to pinch myself, the crowd's "you deserved it" chant at Daniel Bryan almost got me choked-up..</p>
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<p>UPDATE: Just saw this tweet...</p>
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<div style="color:rgb(41,47,51);font-family:Arial, sans-serif;background-color:rgb(245,248,250);"><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='https://twitter.com/IAmJericho'><strong>Chris Jericho</strong> â€<span style="font-size:13px;color:rgb(136,153,166);"><span style="color:rgb(177,187,195);">@</span>IAmJericho</span> </a> <a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='' title="11:27 PM - 7 Apr 2014"><span>25m</span></a></div>
<p style="color:rgb(41,47,51);font-family:Arial, sans-serif;background-color:rgb(245,248,250);">WOW! Best <a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='https://twitter.com/search?q=%23MondayNightRaw&src=hash'><span style="color:rgb(102,181,210);">#</span>MondayNightRaw</a> EEVVEERRR!! Now that’s how you introduce and put over new talent. The new era has begun!!!</p>
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<p>Just curious, what time is it broadcast in NZ?</p>
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<p>In the ET (USA Eastern Time) zone it goes LIVE from 8 pm to 11 pm plus over-run, which is usually 7-15 minutes past the top of the hour.</p>
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<p>I honestly couldn't even tell you if the PT (Pacific Time) zone of the west coast/California watches it live, or if they get it on a tape delay through their cable carrier (three hours time difference) or both. I guess the new WWE Network app makes that obsolete - presumably it's live everywhere. What station/who is the carrier in NZ? </p> -
<p><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.f4wonline.com/more/more-top-stories/96-wwe/36358-wwe-raw-tv-report'>Wrestling Observer review</a>:</p>
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote"><span style="font-size:14px;">This was, from a one shot perspective as well as a cool sign of things to come, <strong>the best Raw of the decade</strong>.</span></blockquote> -
<p>Holy shit! Is this real?!?!</p>
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<p>According to Chris Jericho and Jim Ross' twitter feeds, Ultimate Warrior has allegedly died.</p> -
<p><strong><span style="font-size:24px;"><span style="font-family:georgia, serif;"><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://deadspin.com/jim-hellwig-known-as-the-ultimate-warrior-reportedly-1561163348'>Jim Hellwig, Known As The Ultimate Warrior, Reportedly Dead</a></span></span></strong></p>
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<p><span style="font-size:14px;">Jim Hellwig, who portrayed the Ultimate Warrior, has reportedly died. He was 54.</span></p>
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<div><span style="font-size:14px;">Hellwig had just been inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame a couple of days ago, and made an appearance Monday night on RAW, seen above. He spoke about death in his speech. An excerpt:</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-size:18px;">No WWE talent becomes a legend on their own. Every man's heart one day beats its final beat. His lungs breathe a final breath. And if what that man did in his life makes the blood pulse through the body of others, and makes them bleed deeper and something larger than life, then his essence, his spirit, will be immortalized. By the storytellers, by the loyalty, by the memory of those who honor him and make the running the man did live forever. You, you, you, you, you, you are the legend-makers of Ultimate Warrior. In the back, I see many potential legends. Some of them with warrior spirits. And you will do the same for them. You will decide if they lived with the passion and intensity. So much so that you will tell your stories and you will make them legends, as well. Ultimate. You are the Ultimate Warrior fans. And the spirit of Ultimate Warrior will run forever!</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-size:14px;">Deaths sometimes occur as part of storylines in wrestling, and there hasn't been a report outside of WWE, but they seem to be treating it with the solemn tone reserved for actual deaths. Hellwig had reportedly signed a new Legends contract with WWE two days ago.</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-size:14px;">Triple H first broke the news of Hellwig's death:</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-size:18px;">Triple H ✔ @TripleH</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-size:18px;">Saddened to announce the passing of the Ultimate Warrior. Icon and friend. My sympathy to his wife Dana and his daughters</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-size:18px;">11:41 PM - 8 Apr 2014</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-size:14px;">WWE released a statement on their site:</span></div>
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote"><span style="font-size:14px;">WWE is shocked and deeply saddened to learn of the passing of one of the most iconic WWE Superstars ever, The Ultimate Warrior. Warrior began his WWE career in 1987 and quickly went on to become one of the biggest stars in WWE history. Warrior became WWE Champion at WrestleMania VI, defeating Hulk Hogan in an epic encounter. We are grateful that just days ago, Warrior had the opportunity to take his rightful place in the WWE Hall of Fame and was also able to appear at WrestleMania 30 and Monday Night Raw to address his legions of fans. WWE sends its sincere condolences to Warrior's family, friends and fans. Warrior was 54 and is survived by his wife Dana and his two daughters.</span>
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<p>Stink, one of my fave Wrestlers from when I used to watch all the time!</p>
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<p>RIP!</p> -
<p>That final speech where he pulls on the mask ...</p>
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<p>... what I described yesterday as "incoherently insane," now in retrospect looks eerily like he was telling us he was going to die. The public appearances the past three days were a godsend, but I wonder if it killed him? The WWE produced that DVD several years back that buried him, and it's been eating him since. He said as much in his Hall of Fame speech three days ago, he said it really hurt him. He wants the record rectified. He kept returning to the DVD and saying it was "just wrong," and thanking the fans for keeping his memory alive in a way that the organization could not bury him. It seemed like a real reconciliation and a big weight off him. </p>
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<p><img src="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BkqnaCqIEAAuaIi.jpg" alt="BkqnaCqIEAAuaIi.jpg"></p>
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<p>For two guys who would never talk to each other and only say nasty things about the other for two decades, this is an amazing photograph. Never say never.</p> -
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<div><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' class="" href='https://twitter.com/JakeSnakeDDT'><span><span style="font-size:16px;font-weight:bold;color:rgb(41,47,51);">JakeSnakeDDT</span> <span style="background-color:transparent;;"><span>✔</span></span> </span><span style="font-size:14px;">@JakeSnakeDDT</span></a></div>
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<p class="" style="font-size:18px;font-family:Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Palatino, serif;">Deeply saddened. We just had a great talk & buried a senseless hatchet. Talked working together. RIP Warrior. Taking solace we made peace.</p>
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<p>I wonder what Hogan is going to say...?</p>