When Monday Night Raw moved to Netflix, many thought the show would have more freedom with time constraints, commercial breaks, and overall structure. Surprisingly, since the switch, Raw has been running shorter than expected, typically ending after a little over two hours instead of the usual three-hour format.
While the three-hour format could be exhausting, segments were rarely cut down significantly due to time constraints. Some may have been slightly shortened or even removed, but they were never trimmed by 95%.
That wasn’t the case this past week on Raw. When Jey Uso vs. Austin Theory was announced, many saw it as a match that would help further the Uso vs. Gunther storyline while giving Uso some in-ring time in front of the hot crowd in Belgium.
John Cena’s Promo Cuts Jey Uso vs. Austin Theory’s Time
According to WrestleVotes, during a SportsKeeda Backstage Pass Q&A, John Cena’s 30-minute promo on Raw went over its allotted time, forcing the Uso vs. Theory match to be heavily cut down.
The insider reported that the match was originally scheduled to get 11 minutes but was shortened to a quick squash match. This led to some controversy, as fans were disappointed in how things unfolded.
Uso won in a fast squash, hitting an awkward spear to get the victory. However, the feeling was that the match’s short length did little to highlight Uso’s World Heavyweight Championship run and also made Theory look weak. Some felt the match would have been better off canceled altogether rather than booked as a squash.
Regardless, Uso won and moved forward on his path to WrestleMania against Gunther. For Cena, the 30-minute promo helped add another layer to the ongoing feud with Cody Rhodes. Gunther attacked Uso after his quick victory over Theory, bringing the focus back to the WrestleMania title match.
Will Uso Get His Moment at WrestleMania?
There was plenty of discussion about Uso winning the Royal Rumble, with some questioning whether he deserved the win. While X has been unusually critical of him since then, Uso has maintained his focus and remains a fan favorite, with crowds going wild every time he enters the ring.
Uso’s match against Gunther is the biggest singles match of his career, and he has a real shot at leaving WrestleMania as the World Heavyweight Champion. However, Gunther has the advantage, having defeated Uso multiple times before.
This story has been building toward Uso overcoming self-doubt and proving he can be a champion. Will he leave Las Vegas and WrestleMania as the World Heavyweight Champion?
The feeling was the match’s short length did little to highlight Uso’s World Heavyweight Championship run.
I mean you know he doesn’t have the championship. Therefore there is nothing to highlight and you should go back to trying to give yourself head. At least you were good at that Mike