RAW after Extreme Rules: 3 things WWE could have done (but didn't)

With Extreme Rules in the rearview mirror, WWE definitely wanted to set things in motion for SummerSlam, and Raw was the first step towards the Biggest Party of the Summer™. There was a whole lot of stuff worth talking about. Bray Wyatt showed up, Seth Rollins won another championship opportunity, and Brock Lesnar sat on a chair on the entrance ramp. Truly, there is much to discuss.

While no doubt everyone has their opinions on what did happen, let's talk about the things that could have happened. I don't mean the things that are so obviously out of left field that they read like the bad fantasy booking of an eight year old smark ("Bray Wyatt attacks Brock Lesnar, then Paul Heyman gives him the Universal Championship and says he is the real Beast, and then the Young Bucks superkick a kid who is on fire and say AEW loses against WWE!"). I'm talking about things WWE could have done, but just didn't.

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#3 Have the Women's Tag Team Champions appear on the show

Kay and Royce

This is certainly not a big deal. I highly doubt anyone is losing sleep over The IIconics of all people not appearing on Raw. They will be on Smackdown, presumably to defend their Women's Tag Team Championship against Asuka and Kairi Sane. If that does happen, we can let this point go. After all, we can't have superstars appearing on both brands! That would be crazy!

Ever since winning the championship at WrestleMania, the Aussie duo has proceeded to do a whole lot of nothing. Meanwhile, six of the main titles have already changed hands, and one does have to wonder why WWE made the championship if they weren't actually going to do anything with it.

Even a simple backstage promo where the IIconics remind the fans they exist would have sufficed. Maybe they could have advertised their match tomorrow. Instead, they were not there.

Imagine having champions who don't show up and disappear for large stretches of time. What a concept, right?

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#2 Follow up on The Undertaker

Come and go

Again, this is no biggie. Heck, The Undertaker may not even be competing at SummerSlam. He might have decided he wants to spend his August at home, sipping sweet tea and cooking eggs on the sidewalk with his wife. Besides, a whole lot of people don't even want Undertaker to show up at SummerSlam.

But since I also read this site, I know all about the rumors of Undertaker wrestling at SummerSlam. Be it against Drew McIntyre, Bray Wyatt, or No Way Jose, someone could be on the receiving end of a Tombstone real soon.

Regardless of your thoughts on the matter, an Undertaker match is almost automatically a big money match, and ideally you build up your big money matches as soon as possible. Start too late and you seem desperate for a big draw. If WWE starts building up to this supposed match two weeks before SummerSlam, it would not be a good look.

#1 Something actually interesting for the Universal Championship

Deja vu

I'm sure a whole bunch of people have already shared their thoughts on this match. Please bear with me, as it is only occasionally that I actually think, and so I feel what I think is worth sharing.

The Battle Royal on Raw was fine for what it was. Sure, some of the contestants maybe should not have been there. Corbin, Lashley, Mysterio, and Cesaro all lost their last matches, so in kayfabe, they may not have deserved to be in the match. If WWE is just handing out potential title shots to anyone and everyone, why not put Zack Ryder or the Ascension in the match?

Instead, we get Seth Rollins. Nothing against the man, it's just we've seen this before. He'll talk about how Brock's a lazy part timer, how he'll restore the prestige of the title, be a fighting champion, etc. Heck, he could find his old scripts from before WrestleMania and repeat the exact same promos, and I highly doubt a ton of people would notice.

One can't help but feel WWE missed out on a big opportunity to do something new and exciting. What if Cesaro won? What if Big E won? Heck, what if Lashley and Baron Corbin were the final two and eliminated each other at the same time?

At a time where familiarity has bred a whole lot of contempt for the product, no one would fault WWE for trying something new.