'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
The final episode of RAW before this Sunday's Tables, Ladders & Chairs Pay-Per-View was comparatively better than many of the unimpressive shows that WWE tends to put out at this time of the year.
Of course, the biggest moment of the night saw Seth Rollins finally embracing his dark side.
There were also some experimental skits scattered throughout the episode: Rusev and Lana's divorce segment was as over-the-top as you would expect it to be, and The Street Profits promoted TLC 2019 in a Weekend Update-style parody towards the latter half of the show.
Here are a few interesting observations from this week's episode of Monday Night RAW (December 9, 2019):
#3: Rusev, Lana and Bobby Lashley's storyline might extend beyond TLC 2019
As the fan backlash against Rusev, Lana, and Lashley's storyline intensifies each week, it is only natural for this saga to end at some point down the road.
But knowing that these segments draw huge numbers on Social Media, it is likely that WWE might exploit this storyline's potential until it totally runs out of steam.
I enjoy Rusev and Lana's over-the-top bickering over their failed on-screen marriage on RAW every week. Because I don't see it as anything more than a cheesy, soap-opera style feud.
However, a huge majority of hardcore fans feel uncomfortable while seeing all of this go down in a wrestling ring every week.
If we follow the natural course of events that have happened so far, Lashley and Rusev's match at TLC should settle this saga for good.
But with Lana on Lashley's side, there are multiple ways this could play out in the end.
This is why WWE might take advantage of the endless possibilities to add more fuel to an angle that's been attracting attention for all the wrong reasons.
#2: What Charlotte Flair and Becky Lynch's frequent pairing tells us about the RAW Women's Division right now
I wouldn't go as far as to say that the RAW Women's Division doesn't have enough opponents for Becky Lynch.
This is because there are women on the Red Brand's roster who have been sitting on the backseat for quite a while now.
However, the show doesn't have any credible opponents left for Lynch to face.
Charlotte Flair is on The Man's side for the time being and Asuka has teamed up with Kairi Sane (The Kabuki Warriors) on the other end.
Apart from them, the RAW Women's Division is full of talented women who haven't been built up to their best potential.
Don't get me wrong, WWE tries to push new women to the top of the division from time-to-time. But more often than not, the push fails to make a huge impact in the end.
This is because the creative team has the wrong approach towards pushing new women on both Raw and SmackDown.
So at the end of the year, even though there are others in line to face Lynch for the RAW Women's Championship, that particular match still won't be as mainstream as her and Flair teaming up against The Kabuki Warriors in a TLC Match.
#1: WWE finally capitalized on Seth Rollins' heat to echo the sentiments of the WWE Universe
After all that has happened, what strikes me as quite interesting is that Seth Rollins' character still doesn't realize why people turned on him in the first place.
So when Rollins came out to the arena after beating down Kevin Owens (together with AOP) backstage, you could see how The Beast Slayer was essentially talking to a mirror, and not the fans.
The crowd didn't choose to respond when Rollins kept wondering what happened along the road that made the WWE Universe turn on him.
The answer is quite obvious; despite working hard throughout the year, Rollins remained oblivious to fan backlash regarding his public persona outside the squared circle.
WWE saw this is an opportunity to channel fan backlash into their fictional programming every week. They took all the things that made Rollins unlikeable and established those characteristics into his on-screen character after Survivor Series.
Not only that, but the slow-burn anticipation to his eventual heel turn paid off last night.
Like the former Universal Champion said during the episode, the fans are indirectly responsible for this heel turn in the end. If it wasn't for their jeers and "CM Punk" chants, Rollins would have still been one of the top babyfaces of the Red Brand.
Bayley gives us a HUGE update on a top Superstar's upcoming return RIGHT HERE.
