Intro
This is the Rundown where Rob and I give our takes on what we thought WWE did well and what they did poorly. We love to hear your takes as well, so drop a comment in this post down below.
Reverse Hipster
5.Eva Marie attacks Doudrop
I like this segment because it shows me that the WWE isn't returning to the Evalution breakup. Also, I think Doudrop and Eva can have a perfect match together in the blowoff. I also thought both superstars looked good Doudrop cut a good promo stating why she doesn't want to be with Eva anymore. Eva had a savage beatdown on Doudrop. Also, Eva and Doudrop are giving the women a nontitle storyline which is a definite plus.
4.Nikki and Rhea vs. Nia Shayna
I'm disappointed that Nikki and Rhea are just going to move on and forget about the biggest prize in the division. Even though Charlotte never did that, she always returned for the title right away, even after losing. Charlotte has been in the title picture since WrestleMania Backlash. However, I like the team of Nikki and Rhea, and they had a great match. Don't forget Nikki is one-half of the best tag team to hold the women tag titles. Nikki and Rhea taking the tag titles would be an excellent way to build their characters and keep them strong despite the charlotte debacle.
3.Karion Kross
Yes, Karion Kross looks ridiculous. However, he was booked well this week. He brutally squashed Ricochet. I don't mind this because Ricochet has no momentum, so it isn't really hurting him. Also, this is how Kross should have been booked from the start. There was no storyline with Jeff, and it was a bad choice to have him beat Kross. At least Kross has some momentum now.
2. Miz and Morrison Breakup
The breakup was an exciting development. First, Xavier Woods beat Miz due to a Morrison distraction. Then Miz beat the crap out of Morrison after the match. I think this break-up was the right choice. Miz and Morrison have run their course and should go solo now. Also, we got Xavier's match and win out of it, which is always fun to see.
1. The Opening Segment and Match
Raw started hot. Mvp cut a promo on Golberg and the entire crowd calling them all cowards who wouldn't step to Lashley. He also reminded the crowd that Lashley would rag doll the crowd just like he did Golberg's son if they tried. It got a lot of heat from the crowd and started off things the right way. Then Damien Priest came out and challenged Bobby and loved the feud between the U.s Champion and the Champion. Then things got even better because Sheamus broke up the impromptu match between Lashley and Damien Priest. Then Drew came out, and we had a massive brawl. Then they transitioned into an exciting tag team match. I enjoyed this segment the most because it showcased Damien Priest as an up-and-coming star.
Rob’s What mattered
4. Alexa Bliss as a Potential Number One Contender
This segment barely made it into what mattered. I’m still not happy with Charlotte Flair’s [NUMBER] title reign for the sake of numbers. She cut a boring, inconsequential heel promo for nearly ten minutes, and nobody interrupted her..until right at the end. I didn’t know where they would go from here because it can’t be Rhea Ripley or Nikki ASH again, but I thought Alexa Bliss is the right choice. At one point in time, Bliss was in the conversation to surpass Flair in accolades. Now, her career has gone a different direction, with creative and dark turns in place of titles and main events. That should make this the clash of characters Flair needs to remain interesting.
3. Nikki A.S.H. and Rhea Ripley vs. Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler
Nikki A.S.H. and Rhea Ripley defeated Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler, and I thought this was the best way they could rebound. The contrast of their characters makes an interesting and surprisingly complementary team. I don’t think it would be a bad direction for them to go while they are out of the championship picture for a while. The potential problem is that WWE tag divisions are increasingly built on great singles stars with nothing better to do when I think it should be focused on teams that stay together. I also liked that they explained Jax’s rationale for teaming with Charlotte Flair last week. Now, we know it didn’t work, and it is continually increasing tension between Jax and Baszler.
2. Sheamus as a Potential Number One Contender
I was upset that Sheamus lost the United States Championship at Summerslam, but if we’ve learned anything throughout the years, it’s that losing a mid-card title can launch you into the main event scene. If Sheamus faces Bobby Lashley at Extreme Rules, it could be a match of the night contender with the physicality and in-ring work these two have shown. It would be an excellent reward for Sheamus, who has been a staple performer of Raw this year.
1. Hey Hey Uh Oh
In an unexpected turn this week, the Miz betrayed John Morrison. I thought MoistTV was a good use of Jake Paul, but more importantly, incredible storytelling to have Miz start hinting that maybe Morrison wasn’t good for him. Miz made great points: with Morrison; he wasn’t even on the Summerslam card but in a silly dripstick segment. In that way, Miz turning on Morrison after the match was perfect. I just hope WWE has the patience to let this boil until Extreme Rules and give these two time to shine. They have told a great story and already have established chemistry in the ring.
Rob’s What didn’t matter
3. Damian Priest and Drew McIntyre
The downside of the championship picture on Raw this week was these two. While they are both excellent, I don’t think this was a great use of them. I don’t want to see either of them face Bobby Lashley. Damian Priest should be celebrating his championship win and seeking out new opponents to steal the show with. Drew McIntyre should be moving on fast from his bad Jinder Mahal feud and seeking out an opponent on his level. The absolute worst thing that could happen is if these two get in a feud. Frankly, it would feel beneath McIntyre, and if McIntyre wins, it will kill Priest’s push.
2. The Main Event
It’s hard to complain about an AJ Styles and Riddle match, but I can’t get over that the main event was a group of put-together singles stars competing over the tag team titles. I still think RKBro is one of the best stories on Raw right now, but I like them more on the opening of the show or crossover segments. I’m not sure what the endgame is for Styles and Omos, but WWE will eventually have to invest more in actual teams for their division.
1. Karrion Kross
Karrion Kross is having one of the roughest series of events in a debut I think I have seen from NXT, and that’s saying a lot. This week, he debuted a new look that looked like a bad mix of a Gladiator extra and a BDSM enthusiast. After losing his championship at NXT, the crowd gave him go-away heat, taunting him with Jeff Hardy chants and the dreaded “nananana goodbye” chant. I think most hardcore fans would agree that they did not want to see him squash Ricochet, a beloved wrestler who has been underutilized ever since he was the hot NXT callup. WWE invested big when they signed Kross away from Impact, and this is a tragic mismanagement at this point.
Reverse Hipster What Didn't Matter
5. The Finish of Damien & Drew vs. Bobby & Sheamus
The finish of this match was such a letdown. Bobby just abandoned Sheamus for no real Kayfabe reason. Sheamus had just shifted the match, and he was about to tag Bobby in, and they probably would have won if Bobby hadn't abandoned him. It was a shame because either Drew or Sheamus could have taken the fall in that match, and it would have been fine. Instead, they had Bobby leave to try and protect everybody, and it just threw a wet blanket on what was a hot start to Raw. The win the babyfaces got was tainted because it was two on one. Also, it was a dirty finish for no reason.
4. Riddle vs. Randy
RKBro and AJ & Omos did their best and did deliver in the ring. However, I can only get so excited about Riddle beating Aj again. Especially right after RKbro took the tag titles from Aj and Omos at Summerlsmam two days before Raw.
3. Jinder vs. Mansoor
I like this matchup, and I like the story of Mansoor trying to do things the honest way and Ali trying to advise him against it. However, I feel that the story was poorly executed. One of two things should have happened either Mansoor overcomes the odds and wins the honest way, or Jinder wins via the numbers game or a cheap pin. Neither happened. Instead, Jinder just beat Ali up until he was disqualified. This was stupid because Ali still won, so he wasn't proved wrong for doing things the honest way. Also, Jinder looked like a fool for getting himself disqualified, and his goons were utterly pointless cause they weren't used.
2. Alexa and Charlotte
Starting with Charlotte, I thought her promo was horrible. It was long. It was rambling, and it looked like she had trouble remembering it all, and she didn't believe in her message. I have many criticisms of Charlotte, but I haven't criticized her over her conviction and voice. She usually comes across very clear as a character and seems to believe in what she is delivering. Not today; she was taking shots at her dad for no reason talking about being a real woman, and it just seemed like a promo from a decade ago that wasn't in line with who Charlotte is and today's women's division.
I'm excited for a feud between Alexa and Charlotte, but this first interaction was bad. Alexa just said hi instead of making a splash leaving fans to do all the work in their heads to hype this up when WWE should be selling this match to us. I'm not saying the feud is ruined, and I don't want to see anymore, but despite its enormous potential, it's off to a lackluster start.
Logan Paul
The Logan Paul segment was a disaster. Who was supposed to be getting over in that segment? One minute Miz is kissing Logan Pauls's ass the next; he is instigating a fight. It was hard to follow, and I'm not sure if it was about Miz and Morrison or a possible fight with Logan Paul, and if you cut out this segment from Raw, nothing would fundamentally change.
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