Block 1:

Taz opens today’s show speaking about last night’s episode of Monday Night RAW.

Taz thought the final segment of RAW last night was very interesting. After embracing Kurt Angle earlier in the show, Shane McMahon stormed the ring with his Smackdown Live Superstars during the final segment and attacked the entire RAW locker room. Taz points out that this positioned Shane McMahon as a heel, which surprised him.

Taz put up a poll on his website after RAW, asking fans to vote on whether they enjoyed the show or not. To his surprise, over 80% of people liked the final segment. He admits that he liked being shocked by the final segment, but he wishes that Kurt Angle wouldn’t have been presented as a feeble old man one night after suplexing a bunch of people through tables.

A listener calls into the show and says that since returning to WWE Kurt Angle has been going through the most awkward phase of his career. It shouldn’t be awkward and Angle is doing the best with the cards he’s being dealt, but something is just off. Taz agrees and points out that WWE even tried to tell fans that TLC was the first time Angle has been in a ring in 11 years, completely ignoring the work Angle did in TNA and on the indie scene.

Block 2:

Taz says that WWE appears to be embracing the indie community more as of late, so he doesn’t understand why they still insult their fans’ intelligence from time to time. He believes that they should have acknowledged the great work Angle did in TNA and on the indies over the last decade.

Taz points out that A.J. Styles tweeted a fan yesterday, mentioning that Vince McMahon had nothing to do with him and Finn Balor using the ‘Too Sweet’ hand gesture after their match on Sunday night. Taz was uncomfortable with that tweet right away and thought that was the perfect way for Styles and Balor to get heat with the office.

After Balor was pinned clean by Kane last night Taz’s theory was strengthened but he does point out that WWE didn’t ask Styles to take that tweet down, and they have a picture of that moment as their header photo on Twitter so there’s probably no heat there.

Taz says he loves Kane and he’s happy to see the Big Red Machine back and kicking ass, but he doesn’t think Finn Balor was the right guy to take that loss last night. After picking up a big win against Styles at TLC, Balor was demolished by Kane last night and it’s tough to build a character like that. He thinks that WWE has too much going on right now and there’s a lack of consistency in their product.

Block 3:

One performer who does have consistency is Paul Heyman. Heyman cut another terrific promo last night and although it might have looked like Heyman flat out buried Jinder Mahal, Taz points out that by the time this program is over Heyman will help Mahal more than he hurts him.

A listener calls into the show and says he couldn’t believe WWE put Balor in that situation last night. Taz agrees and says he thought Balor was going to return from injury and go straight into the Universal Title picture, challenging Lesnar for the Championship that he never truly lost. WWE seems to be unsure which route they want to take with Balor right now.

Taz says it didn’t surprise him that WWE brought so much attention to Smackdown Live being the ‘B’ show because that’s simply the truth. He says it has been that way for years and he’s not sure if it’ll ever change, but he recalls the Smackdown roster in the early 2000’s giving RAW a run for its money while he was commentating there with Michael Cole.

Block 4:

Taz didn’t like the fact the none of the performers who wrestled in the TLC main event the night before were showing any signs of distress. He thinks that at least one or two of those guys, Angle/Miz or one of the other guys, should have been wearing an arm sling or wearing tape to show how physical that TLC battle was.

He thinks that WWE has to book something on Smackdown Live tonight which paints that roster in a babyface light because they look like scumbag heels right now. He also doesn’t think talents like A.J. Styles and Nakamura should have been involved in that invasion.

That sums up today’s episode of The Taz Show. You can listen to the show yourself anytime here, and I’ll catch ya tomorrow for another recap!