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It's one thing to make a promise. It's another thing to keep a promise. While the McMahons came out at the top of the show and affirmed that they will be taking a personal interest in the product to make it exciting again, I really wonder if that was achieved in this particular telecast. It was perhaps a slightly better show than last week's affair, but not by much.
RAW still suffers from the same problems that have always plagued it. It's an hour too long and there are far too many commercial breaks for viewers to stay invested. But that said, this show wasn't a complete washout.
Let me list out a few positives and negatives that I found noteworthy. Feel free to chime in with your comments in the section below.
Do you think WWE managed to improve RAW at all, this week?
#1 Best: The Revival finally get a title shot
Unless you've watched NXT, you will probably not understand why The Revival are amazing. They made tag team wrestling exciting again, much like the Four Horsewomen did with women's wrestling. They put on some of the best matches in the promotion, against acts like #DIY and American Alpha. And now they have a chance to recreate the magic once again.
The Revival managed to win a Fatal Four Way match this week and qualify for a title shot. This is a big deal because they've never been booked as a strong act previously, at least in the main roster. And we know they can tear it up with Bobby Roode and Chad Gable.
No, Jason Jordan is not a part of the mix unlike in NXT. But we know that Roode is quite the ring general.
Tag team wrestling can finally be exciting again.
#1 Worst: The gauntlet match
The problem with the gauntlet match in the main event spot is that a lot of the women involved do not have their characters fleshed out yet. So when Dana Brooke or Mickie James are competing, does the audience have a reason to care at all? The crowd, which was hot for most of the night, grew quite still and restless. There were moments of brilliance but the match was too long.
Also, I would have personally preferred to see Sasha Banks take on Ronda Rousey instead of Natalya at this particular juncture. The show would end with a staredown and a face off instead of a hug then. I wasn't a big fan of the new era of RAW ending with two friends merely hugging in the middle of the ring.
#2 Best: Owens and Zayn return
Kevin Owens was one of the best parts about RAW when he was Universal Champion. Remember just how entertaining he was with Chris Jericho? I quite enjoyed his run on SmackDown Live as well, especially his feud against Shane McMahon with the head butt to Vince McMahon that stunned the world.
Sami Zayn started out as a babyface on RAW and for a brief run on SmackDown Live, but found his footing as a heel. The two men became one of the most entertaining acts on the blue brand, and brought their chemistry over to RAW as well. I remember Kevin Owens even teased that he was going babyface right before he was injured.
It does seem like both men will be making a return to WWE very soon. If anyone can make the product as exciting as it used to be, it is these two men.
#2 Worst: A TLC repeat
I thought that WWE closed the Baron Corbin chapter at TLC. That was certainly not the case as he came out again to ask for his job. And then we saw a repeat of what we saw at TLC, where every RAW babyface teamed up to beat him up good.
This would be a pretty good match, had we not seen it at TLC already. It just seemed like the characters involved went through all the motions again and while the crowd was into it, I wasn't. I guess the live crowd was into it a lot more than the audience watching at home was!
Did Corbin ever have a chance to get over with the WWE Universe, when the scripting is lacklustre? I think instead of new faces, 'new writers' should happen.
#3 Best: Reversing the mind games
Dean Ambrose took on Tyler Breeze for the Intercontinental Championship, this week. While it was great to see Breeze on TV, this was little more than a squash match. There's no way that a man that beat Seth Rollins clean would lose to Tyler Breeze in his very first title defense. The announcers made much of the fact that Rollins never answered Ambrose's challenge on RAW.
While I could predict it, it was still great to see Rollins emerge his costume and take the fight to Ambrose. The feud is hotter than ever and I'm intrigued to see how it develops in the weeks that follow. This is just what the Intercontinental Championship needed to get the necessary spotlight. Let's see how Ambrose interferes in Rollins vs. Corbin next week!
#3 Worst: Lashley flexing his rear end
Lashley was booked as an unstoppable monster during his time in Impact. If he's given the chance to shine, we all know how good he can potentially be, as a result. While the pairing with Lio Rush is fun, I don't know if it's doing justice to a man of his talents. You get a beast like Lashley and you book him in Lex Luger's 'narcissist' gimmick, mind you, which wasn't a big hit either back in its day!
Even Elias is way more gifted and entertaining than his current feud with Lashley is allowing him to be. Isn't it strange that for all that he's achieved in WWE, he has never held a title, despite being so over with the WWE Universe. Whether he plays a babyface or a heel, Elias is a man who always gets a reaction from the crowd. Always!
#4 Best/worst: The NXT call ups
So many sports entertainers around the world dream of being in the WWE main roster some day. Whether it's RAW or SmackDown Live, most of the men and women who make it to this level have scratched their way from the bottom of the barrel to get to the very top of the food chain. And therefore, it's great to see all the NXT call ups that are happening.
But let me reiterate that just coming to the main roster does not mean you will succeed. Look at Tyler Breeze or No Way Jose. In fact, despite the way she was booked in the main event, look at Bayley, a woman who should have been booked far better than she has been.
As much as I want all of these acts to succeed, I cannot imagine Heavy Machinery getting over. They needed a longer stint in NXT, in my opinion.
#4 Best/worst: The McMahons
Vince McMahon was advertised to make a huge announcement on RAW. He promised that there would be no middlemen anymore and the McMahons would handle both RAW and SmackDown Live. He promised a new start with fresh faces. And this is always a good thing.
I like the fact that at least in theory, this is going to be WWE's approach, going forward. But at the same time, I thought that the show that played out was much of the same, considering what we've seen in the past. It did not feel like a show that had evolved with the times.
Therefore, the promise that was made and the show we were served were two completely different things. Let's hope that the McMahons can indeed make the show better, after this rocky start.
You tell them, Liv!
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