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San Diego, California was the site for the latest episode of RAW. The Valley View Casino Center came alive with action, as the men and women of WWE took center stage this week. Overall, it wasn't the best episode of RAW I remember watching recently. However, there was enough good to counter the bad.
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I enjoyed the variety that RAW presented this week. There was a good mix of in-ring action and entertainment, though not everything hit the mark. As always, I plan to present what I liked and what did not quite hit the spot.
I invite you to write in and let me know your thoughts. Was this a good episode of RAW, according to you?
How pumped are you, about Extreme Rules?
#1 Best: Bayley finally snaps
Fans have lamented how Bayley has been used in the main roster for a long time now. With the hugs and kisses that she's been associated with, she felt a little lost in comparison to the rest of the women in the division. This week, after weeks of tension building, Bayley finally snapped on Sasha Banks. The beatdown on her former best friend was a pleasant surprise.
Now, Bayley has to undergo counselling for her actions and this could lead to a wide variety of possibilities. Could this inspire her to go full heel and launch into a program with her former best friend, Sasha Banks for SummerSlam? Could this be a reset for both women and launch them to the next level in coming months?
Could Sasha Banks and Bayley recreate the magic of their previous TakeOver match? A match is only as good as the build, and so far the build has been fantastic!
#1 Worst: From Maharaja to Shanti?
Jinder Mahal's new gimmick is weird. It is very unlikely that he will get over as a man who advocates peace and harmony. This week, The Riott Squad interrupted a photo shoot that he was part of. Instead of snapping, Jinder Mahal channelled inner peace and calm.
This was the weirdest thing I've seen on WWE television in a while. Whatever the case may be, I guess Mahal's time as a top guy is over if he continues with this gimmick.
#2 Best: The Strowman-Owens saga continues
WWE and comedy segments have a strange relationship. I just spoke about how they failed abysmally with Jinder Mahal and the Riott Squad. They fared much better with Braun Strowman and Kevin Owens. This is because both men are incredible actors and played their parts to perfection.
Owens has been trying to find a friend and ally in Braun Strowman for a long time now. Except, Strowman just doesn't want to be friends with him at all. And to prove his point, Strowman overturned Owens' car.
This is a nice and entertaining filler feud until Strowman cashes in his contract. I'm quite intrigued to see what's next.
#2 Worst: Matt Hardy's big botch
Matt Hardy took on Curtis Axel in a singles match. It was a short and sweet match with Axel going over clean. Somehow, the ending just seemed a tad botched. It is clear that Matt Hardy is not the performer of old, and had an uncharacteristically poor moment inside the squared circle.
Watch and judge for yourself. The finish clearly seemed a little sloppy.
#3 Best: The main event
Seth Rollins and Dolph Ziggler are two of the best workers in the company. When they competed for the Intercontinental Championship in the main event of the evening, I was absolutely enthralled. The two men took each other to the limit, and despite the DQ finish, it was a great match. So many seeds were planted during the match.
I loved seeing the Shield brothers reunited. I loved seeing the Reigns-McIntyre stare down too. The possibilities are quite endless, going forward.
#3 Worst: Nia Jax's face turn
Nia Jax protested against bullying, going into WrestleMania 34. Then, she turned heel when she feuded with Ronda Rousey. And now, she's a babyface again to feud with Alexa Bliss. She certainly is following in The Big Show's footsteps on RAW.
This lack of continuity can disrupt the audience's investment in the product at hand. Nia Jax certainly deserves better.
#4 Best/worst: Mojo Rawley's current push
I always like it when WWE tries to tell a story. I love that they're finally doing something with Mojo Rawley.
Sadly, I wonder if this push will eventually work. Rawley's character is too much of a bully, and in fact, in some ways, is not far removed from a lot of other characters we've seen recently. There's nothing fresh about him, really.
That said, I wish him all the best. Let's hope he succeeds.
#4 Best/worst: Roman Reigns getting pinned
I love The Revival. They were the act that made me a lifelong NXT fan. That said, I didn't think they should have pinned Roman Reigns. Especially considering that he's far above them on the totem pole.
Yes, it does sow the seeds of discontent for a feud between Reigns and Lashley down the line. But there could have been other ways to achieve the very same result.
So leave a comment and let me know your thoughts. Do you agree with my assessment or not?
If you don't, Alexa Bliss has a message!
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