This is going to be a powerful Raw Talk!

BRAUN STROWMAN is now on Raw’s Survivor Series Men’s Team, but the battle to qualify was brutal! What will he have to say about his “teammates?”

Charly Caruso and R-Truth welcome us back to the show!

But #CharTruth isn’t quite at 100%, mostly on Truth’s end after the Hurt Lock. How is he? Truth says he’s still enthusiastic, but he just can’t show it. He thought he was meeting the Water Boy, but there are different Bobby’s out there. The one that puts people in pain was the one out there. The spear and the full nelson from The Simpsons! And then, Truth loses his title to Gulak. Truth’s “baby” is gone because, though Lashley brutalized Gulak, too, Lashley put Gulak on Truth for the pin. Truth says Lashley is a “scoundrel” for doing all that in a non-title match. Truth laid down for Lashley but Lashley just likes hurting people. Gulak, too. But Gulak is champion, so he’s doing a little better.

Did Charly see Bobby Bouche anywhere? No, sorry. Suffering succotash. Charly is a big fan of the Water Boy, too. They should get her water bottle signed. Charly is glad to see Truth’s spirit is still strong. But let’s also talk about the ending of Raw: McIntyre getting some payback on Miz and Morrison for being the pains in the side they were, only for Orton to get him back. Orton has the title, has the RKO, and that’s how things ended. But there was also that laugh, from The Fiend… He’s always lurking, after all. Truth wasn’t hearing things, that’s good. It’s mostly just his neck. Wait, is that laughter live or the recording? Oh no. At least Truth isn’t the only one.

But there was also the Raw Men’s Survivor Series team. One more spot was filled, and with that we welcome the first guest, BRAUN!!

Braun Strowman joins Raw Talk!

The Monster Among Men joins Truth and Charly, and Braun says Truth looks like how he did after they had a run in. Does Truth want Braun to help with that neck? No, Truth’s good. Braun takes his seat, Truth says Braun could sit anywhere he wants. Truth knows Braun is the Monster Among Men, but has he met other monsters? Has he met Frankenstein’s monster? Or Dracula? Is this what Truth wants to talk about? Because Braun can just go. He doesn’t get paid to talk, he gets paid to fight. Right, of course. Charly talks about him joining Team Raw. How does that feel? Braun’s question is how they feel about it? Charly feels great about it. Braun says they should all fell great, because when the Monster comes around, it’s bad for those on the other side. Good point.

But Braun was also vocal about how he shouldn’t have had to qualify, he also should be the captain. Well like Braun said, all his accolades at just Survivor Series, the proof is in the pudding. Someone’s gonna #GetTheseHands, so it’ll happen again. Styles is Phenomenal, but he’s a chihuahua compared to all the BEEF in the ring with him. Sheamus is the second smallest at 250, Keith Lee is 330, Braun is 370 and change. Styles is 200 soaking wet and he wants to be the captain? Braun’s dated girls bigger than him. Truth knows what that is, #BBW. Charly asks how Braun feels the team is shaping up? Well two of his teeth are loose. Sheamus gives him a hug but then cowardly kicks him. Braun just wants to bring a win to Raw because that’s his job. Whatever these guys can argue about, Braun’s going to do what he gets paid to do. Truth’s sold. Charly is, too.

There is tension with Keith Lee, but Braun pinned him clean. Braun gives Keith credit for being strong, doing stuff no one has done to him. But the team will settle differences and bring the win home. If Braun had his choice, who would be his fifth man? McIntyre has a fire inside him, and there is history there, too. Strowman knows McIntyre has the same mentality so it’d be awesome to have that on the team. Charly and Truth agree. Yahtzee! Thank you, Braun, for this, sorry for the awkward start. Strowman knows they like to have fun, he likes to have fun beating people up. He’s calling it now, Team Raw with the win at Survivor Series. Tell Frankenstein Truth said, “What’s up?” Does Truth want to get something else broken? Truth waited for Braun to be gone, it’s okay. Just tread lightly. #CharTruth needs to live forever, but at this rate, it’ll just end up #Char.

Lacey Evans and Peyton Royce join Raw Talk!

The Sassy Southern Belle and the Venus Flytrap are both here together and yet Lacey gets her song. They’re a team? No, get that word out of your mouth now. How are they doing tonight? Better than Charly. Ooh, a lot of sass from Lacey. She checks herself out in the camera, apparently. Truth says there’s trouble coming, Lana said that. No, Lana is the trouble. She keeps getting put through tables. What help is she going to be? That spot should be one of theirs. Oh, Lana has a tough spirit, but she keeps getting her ass kicked. You gotta get up differently if you’re going to change things. But Lana won the Fatal 4 Way. Oh shut the gibberish. Whoa! Okay, well, despite the discord between these two, these two are quite a good combination already.

Uck, gross. Lacey’s gonna puke. She doesn’t want Peyton as a tag partner, she needs someone who can help pick her up. Peyton says she’s been picking Lacey up, and she is heavy. How dare you! Lacey is 140 at most, and she’ll kick your ass, too! Like she did to Lana? No, not pick her up literally. She means promote her, raise her up, make her and her “assets” look better than they already do. Peyton can’t. Well speaking of promoting, let’s talk about the rest of the Survivor Series team. Oh yes, let’s talk about them~! Well, Shayna posted about how the team is her, Nia, Mandy Rose and Dana Brooke. She explained “Lana isn’t in this pic because we aren’t wrestling her on Monday. She knows by now whose team this is (the table told her).” Okay, what’s your point? The team looks weak.

Charly reads the tweet for them and Peyton makes fun of her being able to read words. Charly wants to point out this is about putting differences aside for the team. Even for the benefit of both of them, this promotes Raw as a strong brand. Shouldn’t they want to support the team for everyone’s sake? Lacey does say that as part of Raw, the team represents them at Survivor Series. BUT look at what the team is! It’s all weak links! Lacey may not like Peyton and vice-versa, but they both could be better than those ones. They’re already thinking Raw wins. Do they think there is at least a strongest member? Peyton speaks up that it isn’t on the team, it’s the one sitting right here. Which one? Who? Who who who? Lacey will be an owl, that’s embarrassing, too. Look at these guns! And her ass kicking boots. Those are snow boots. But she’s cold. In Florida? Well these boots are made for kicking butt.

Charly says it is unfortunate that they’re both strong competitors and would’ve been great assets to the team. But that isn’t in the cards, so what is next? Lacey speaks over Peyton as she says she’ll be Raw Women’s Champion. Oh sorry was that Peyton’s answer? HEHEH! How long as Peyton NOT been a tag team partner again? Lacey doesn’t even know what it is to be on a team. Right, because Lacey holds herself accountable. Peyton’s been leaning on someone for her whole career and is now all alone. Does she thinks he can stand toe to toe with Lacey? Lacey will have Peyton’s ass crawling and crying to Billie Kay! WHOA~! Well at least Peyton has someone. Lacey has NO ONE. Not a single woman on Raw, because Lacey can’t be a team player. Peyton IS a fighter, she will fight Asuka and take that title! Lacey says, “Cry me a river, ya nasty!” Lacey doesn’t need no one.

Peyton waves a hand as a barrier and she almost smacks Lacey. Lacey will rip those fake earrings right out! She’s getting sweaty here. Peyton nudges Lacey away, Charly thanks them both for being here. Peyton pulls Lacey’s hair to keep her out of the way. Hey, this is natural hair! No extensions! Peyton thanks Truth for their time, Lacey says bye to the nasties. Peyton pushes Lacey and Lacey “falls” onto Truth. Lacey and Peyton leave, Charly worries for Lil’ Jimmy but it’s okay, Jimmy’s at camp. Charly asks if there’s something in the air or water that’s making people act all weird. Things are just… Did Charly have some? No, she drinks bottled, remember? Right, right. Charly has her fingers crossed for their final guest because guess what? It’s the leader of Retribution!!

Mustafa Ali joins Raw Talk!

Ali takes a seat and Charly tentatively asks how he is doing. He wants her to say his name. “Muu-sta-fa Ali.” No, it’s “Must-afa.” Charly repeats it that way, and so does Truth. Ali wants them to put some respect on his name. And he is doing fine. Charly wants to address the handful of attacks we saw tonight from Raw. Tucker and Ricochet were Retribution’s victims, but does Ali think everyone on Raw is that terrible that they deserve it? Retribution sees it as self-defense and the protection of justice. As Ali said, a sin cannot be forgiven until it is punished. Tucker’s sin was betraying his best friend, Otis. And how dare they question Ali’s actions. Aren’t they questioning what Tucker did? Though what does Truth know. Truth does know stuff, he just forgets.

Oh there’s the jokes. Laughing time is over, Ali is here. Tucker backstabbed his BEST FRIEND, and for what? To get ahead. So it is Retribution’s job to be judge, jury and executioner? Yes, all of that. That was their warning, and the warning is reality. So then, Retribution is the “cure” to what plagues WWE. Yes! Do you not feel this? He lost brain cells watching Peyton and Lacey talk! “Corrupt, greedy, selfish superstars” is all this place makes! Ali is here to fix that! But doesn’t Ali realize some people just want entertainment? Especially during the times we’re going through! Oh~ yes, be the eScApE fRoM rEaLiTy~! Ali doesn’t want them to escape but to feel it! Truth knows Retribution wears Bane masks, but what did Batman ever do to them?

Oh, haha, more jokes. What’s next? Mocking their names? You’re named R-TRUTH! What a great name! It is though. Ali says he will explain why they dress the way they do and have the names they do. Maybe Truth can learn to be serious here. “Imagine being judged by your name. Imagine being mocked because of how you look.” Imagine a guy like Mustafa Ali, that gave the members of Retribution the names and masks so that they could understand how he’s felt. Crazy, isn’t it? Not crazy at all. But can Ali explain why those names? Is it Flapjack or Slapjack? Maybe Ali isn’t the one to explain it. Maybe Slapjack himself can explain it! Because here he is! Maybe Mace and T-Bar can explain it because here they are!! Oh no, don’t mace Truth, he’s already in rough shape. What about Reckoning, too? Truth says he’s been through enough already! Please!

Well Truth has nothing to say so Ali will say it. “Mustafa Ali, thank you so much for being a wonderful, informative guest here on Raw Talk. We thank you and Retribution for saving us.” Mic drop. Retribution all give Truth one last glare, and even a laugh, before leaving. Charly is terrified, truly. Truth, you have to watch what you say! Truth thinks he pooted. What. Pooted. Well, time to end the show anyway. Let’s try and have a better episode next week. No more Mustafa or Retribution on the show…

My Thoughts:

A really good episode here. Braun’s segment was brief but to the point, and I like that he seconds Sheamus’ idea to get McIntyre on the Raw Men’s Team. I wonder if this is a tell that McIntyre won’t win the title in whatever match before Survivor Series. McIntyre, Sheamus, Strowman and Keith are all incredible powerhouses that can also do a lot more than just power, and then Styles is there as speed and even some technical ability, that’s a very powerful team. Lacey and Peyton had very humorously dysfunctional chemistry much like Shayna and Nia do, but I’m hoping their team doesn’t work out at all. What’s the point of breaking Billie and Peyton up if Peyton ends up in a new team? Peyton and Lacey should stay solo, take the long road to the title and maybe face Asuka around Royal Rumble season.

And Ali’s segment did so much more for the Retribution angle than anything Raw does with Vince hovering over it all. I like that the goofy names and weird disguises actually have a purpose, that they actually aren’t pretending these four aren’t Dijak, Dio Maddin, Shane Thorne and Mia Yim, but it’s them willing to walk in Ali’s shoes, as the saying goes. Ali has always been an advocate of breaking down cultural barriers in regards to his name, which he’s adding onto with how it needs to be pronounced properly. I feel like they should’ve taken half a beat to bring up how Ali was on their show before the Retribution reveal and how he was being nice then and ask if that was an act, because I feel like this Ali would say it was. Ali has so much potential, and the one promo about how WWE couldn’t figure out how to make money off him is more meta than you’d think. Ali and Retribution, with who is in it and what they can all do, should be the ones dominating Hurt Business and multiple divisions on Raw, if only Vince would shut up and move aside.