Following the extraordinary faceoff between CM Punk and Roman Reigns on “WWE Raw,” WWE Hall of Famer Bully Ray detailed his confusion in regards to the pair’s belittling of Drew McIntyre, who currently reigns because the Undisputed WWE Champion. Possibly much more puzzling was McIntyre’s response to it, which, to Ray, appeared like a babyface attempting to rally the troops against Punk, Reigns, and the “Raw” brand.
“This didn’t make sense,” Ray said on “Busted Open Radio.” “I do not know why you are burying the opposite guy who’s your champion and the opposite brand. Now perhaps, hopefully, they’ll come full circle and provides us a reason. But in all my time, all I can say immediately is to cite the nice Jeff Spicoli, I do not know.
“I’m sorry to repeat myself somewhat bit. I do not know why you exit of your technique to bury Drew, the championship, and SmackDown. I do not know why you set a promo within the guy’s mouth that I liked, meanwhile, he just eliminated the most important babyface in the corporate out of the Royal Rumble when he wasn’t even within the match. It’s like a toxic girlfriend.”
In line with McIntyre, he didn’t take offense to Punk and Reigns’ verbal digs that were directly aimed toward him. He did, nonetheless, resent the undeniable fact that they framed the Undisputed WWE Championship and the “WWE SmackDown” brand as being “second-rate.” As such, McIntyre warned that if his fellow blue brand roster members didn’t view that as a “declaration of war” and compete of their matches prefer it’s their last, then he’d show them the door.
Ray Questions The Timing Of McIntyre’s Remark About ‘War’
Apart from the babyface-leaning dynamic of McIntyre’s promo, the timing of it has also left Ray scratching his head. In any case, as Ray identified, the suggestion of going to war in WWE is traditionally reserved for events reminiscent of Survivor Series, or previously, Bragging Rights.
“The one way it might have made sense to me on this cut-off date is that if we were going into Survivor Series,” Ray said. “A declaration of war. ‘Don’t you dare talk about my brand and my roster the best way you will have. We’ll show you. We’re declaring war on you.’ Okay, we’ll get a Raw versus SmackDown, traditional Survivor Series match. I get it.”
With Survivor Series within the rearview mirror and the road to WrestleMania 42 in front of it, Ray questioned if those of the identical brand might band together within the upcoming Men’s Elimination Chamber match. The winner, after all, will earn an Undisputed WWE Championship match, potentially against McIntyre, at “The Show of Shows.” Still, with a war seemingly brewing, some competitors could consider briefly putting their differences aside.
“Are we going to have three guys from SmackDown versus three guys from Raw within the Elimination Chamber? And are the SmackDown guys going to fight as one against the Raw guys, though it’s every man for himself within the Chamber? It’s attempting to connect the dot here,” Ray said.
Up to now, Randy Orton of “SmackDown” and LA Knight from “Raw” have qualified for the Elimination Chamber. Following tomorrow’s qualifier on the blue brand, either Sami Zayn, Jacob Fatu, or Cody Rhodes will join the sector next.
In case you use any of the quotes in this text, please credit “Busted Open Radio” with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.