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Let me say this right at the start, dear readers! I thought this week's episode of RAW had many significant segments and so it felt more important than usual. And whenever there are stakes, it allows you to immerse in the show that much more. The US Bank Arena at Cincinnati, Ohio, had a fabulous crowd as well.
Yes, this was a crowd that was invested in the action from start to finish. At no point, did their interest wane and this reflected in the matches that transpired, this week. So was it a good show overall?
In my opinion, it was a mixed bag like it always is. There were some aspects that I really enjoyed and some others that I did not particularly care for.
That being said, I hereby present the best and worst of RAW.
#1 Best: Three SummerSlam matches confirmed!
SummerSlam is almost upon us and the excitement is palpable. In my opinion, with the right kind of booking, this could be the best SummerSlam event in a while. Three big matches have been confirmed for the event and this is an indication of just how significant this week's episode was.
Seth Rollins and Dolph Ziggler will slug it out for the Intercontinental Championship, in front of a new crowd, that hopefully does not count down from ten to one, effectively ruining their magnificent matches. Braun Strowman will put his Money in the Bank briefcase on the line against Kevin Owens as well. Could Owens pull off a sneaky win come SummerSlam?
And that brings us to Roman Reigns vs. Brock Lesnar for the prized Universal Championship. Turn over to the next page to find out what I think about the fourth encounter between these two absolute powerhouses.
#1 Worst: Reigns vs. Lesnar again!
No, Bobby Lashley isn't the best wrestler in the world at all. He's not got bundles of charisma either, quite honestly. Yet, in my opinion, Lashley vs. Lesnar would have been a fresh contest that fans haven't seen. Having Reigns face Lesnar again is a supreme waste of time I believe.
The crowd just will not be invested in a match like this. Remember how hostile they became during the WrestleMania main event, this year? It may only get worse during SummerSlam, I think. The only hope for salvation may be a cash in.
#2 Best: Fiery promos
Braun Strowman tossed Kevin Owens from the top of a steel cage at Extreme Rules last weekend, on pay-per-view. I even caught up with him, and he did not seem to show any remorse for his extremely heinous actions. Kevin Owens returned from his 'injury' to cut a fiery promo on the Monster Among Men, this week.
What I liked is how real it seemed, from start to finish. I loved the fact that Owens brought in his family into the equation, because we all know that he's a family man. He seemed genuinely upset with the events at Extreme Rules and he played the audience quite wonderfully.
I also thought that Roman Reigns cut a fiery promo on RAW. His promo skills have improved significantly and he really did come across like a warrior going to battle against Lashley.
#2 Worst: The anger management session
Kevin Owens promised dire consequences to Braun Strowman on RAW. Hilariously enough, Baron Corbin came out to introduce Jinder Mahal as, seemingly, his punishment. This was an odd punitive measure.
Jinder Mahal came out to coach Braun Strowman in the art of 'shanti'. One could see how this segment would play out even before it got underway. Both Jinder Mahal and his fellow Singh Brother 'got those hands', this week.
What a waste of time this segment was, for every superstar involved. Jinder Mahal, in particular, seems to have slipped down to enhancement talent level once more.
#3 Best: All Women's pay-per-view
The women's division has made many strides over the past few years. And this week, Stephanie McMahon and WWE rewarded the women of WWE with their very own pay-per-view event. This is 'Evolution' in the truest sense. Social media was on fire shortly after the announcement.
Congratulations to the women of WWE, who, I'm sure will continue to make many great strides forward.
#3 Worst: Finn Balor's new locker room
Baron Corbin has been on Finn Balor's case, reminding him of just how small he is. I thought 'Finn's Funhouse' was a very silly way to do that. The scripting was awful and the feud just felt childish, all around. In a way, it took away the genuine heat that these two men had built on social media.
Compare the heat from the feud with Ciampa vs. Gargano in NXT!
#4 Best/worst: The heel turn?
Matt Hardy and Bray Wyatt are two very strange cats, aren't they? After suffering a loss to the B-Team, they seemed to be lauding their efforts, when they suddenly turned heel and assaulted the champions. But have they turned heel? We seriously cannot tell either!
#4 Best/worst: Nikki Cross on the main roster
I'm sure you all noticed SAnitY's Nikki Cross as part of the lineup of superstars at the top of the show. Yes, she's been working Live Events for a while. I thought this was a pretty awful way of introducing her into the main roster. She's one of the more unique cats in the roster and her debut deserved to be more special than it was.
Do you agree with my assessment? Disagree? Don't care?
Leave a comment and praise the Goddess of WWE!
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