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WWE puts out a lot of content every single week, and while plenty of the company's booking decisions are liked by the fans, some things have left the WWE Universe scratching their heads.
This weekly series takes a look at WWE RAW, NXT and SmackDown and explores the confusing booking decisions that took place on these programs.
The week started with several bizarre booking decisions on WWE RAW. WWE NXT also threw up a few headscratchers, but WWE SmackDown put on another smooth show that didn't present many problems. As a result, WWE RAW and WWE SmackDown continue to feel like two different companies rather than two brands under one umbrella.
Here's a look at five bizarre booking decisions WWE made this week.
#5 WWE NXT booked Isaiah “Swerve” Scott to lose to Bronson Reed
Last week on WWE NXT, Bronson Reed returned to the show after an eight-week absence, and he defeated Ashante "Thee" Adonis. This past week, he did the same to Isaiah “Swerve” Scott. Although the match was competitive, Reed was victorious for the second week in a row.
The booking decision to have Reed pick up the win isn't the problem. WWE NXT sees big things in store for him, so he's being pushed as a destructive monster. The confusion comes from the decision to have Scott take this loss.
Scott was unsuccessful in his quest for cruiserweight gold against Santos Escobar. He has responded to this failure with a new attitude. Scott has adopted heelish tendencies, which helped him pick up a win against Jake Atlas two weeks ago.
Scott has tremendous potential, but he has only shown flashes of his brilliance in WWE NXT so far. He needs a consistent chance to prove himself, and his new persona made it seem like he was on the right track.
That's why his loss to Reed makes no sense. There are plenty of other wrestlers on the roster that could have taken this defeat. Another unsuccessful week leaves Scott in desperate need of some positive momentum.
#4 WWE RAW booked Ricochet to lose to RETRIBUTION again
Two weeks ago, WWE had Ricochet lose to MACE. Last week he failed to beat T-BAR, and this week, RETRIBUTION leader, Mustafa Ali defeated him.
Typically, these repetitive losses to the rebellious faction would lead someone like Ricochet to join the stable. The concept of RETRIBUTION is to fight back against a system that has wronged them, so Ricochet could seek revenge against a company that has failed him.
But the faction has done little to elevate any of its members' status within the company. The group has no credibility because WWE has mishandled it from the very start. Despite Ali's best efforts, it's hard to take RETRIBUTION seriously.
"The One and Only" hasn't won a singles match on WWE RAW since he defeated Tucker on November 2. In a recent episode of RAW Talk, Ricochet opened up about his lack of recent success. He emotionally stated that he was at a crossroads in his career.
Hopefully, Ricochet will follow the right path, and WWE won't saddle him with the RETRIBUTION gimmick.
#3 WWE RAW booked Charlotte and Nia Jax to have a DQ finish
This week on WWE RAW Charlotte Flair faced Nia Jax in a grudge match that was months in the making.
Interference from Shayna Baszler gave Flair a disqualification victory. This inconclusive ending suggests that the feud is not over. Flair will probably get a rematch with Jax at some point.
Fans heavily criticize WWE for this type of booking. It often leads to respective matches. As a result, the fans wind up feeling frustrated. To be fair, the match between Flair and Jax makes sense, "The Irresistible Force" put Flair on the shelf for nearly six months.
In June, Jax attacked Flair backstage and slammed her arm into an equipment case. It was apparent that "The Queen" would eventually seek vengeance. With the disqualification finish to the match, fans are likely to see Flair and Jax face off at least one more time. Ideally, they would have clashed in one decisive match.
#2 WWE NXT booked Johnny Gargano to retain the North American Championship against Leon Ruff
Two weeks ago on WWE NXT, Leon Ruff picked up another surprise victory against Timothy Thatcher. As a reward for his win, Ruff was given chance to face Johnny Gargano for the NXT North American Championship. The impressive rookie had the chance to win back the title he once held.
One of WWE NXT's biggest shocks of 2020 was Leon Ruff's surprising win victory over Gargano in a match for the NXT North American Championship. However, Gargano regained the gold in a Triple Threat Match at NXT TakeOver: WarGames.
The rematch on last week's show was excellent, as Ruff gave Gargano everything he had. It looked as if another upset was in the cards, but the heelish antics of "The Way" helped Gargano emerge victorious.
Despite Ruff's best efforts, the result was never in doubt. So it's fair to question why the match was booked in the first place. Ruff is an exciting young star who already has too many losses attached to his name this early in his career.
The portrayal of Ruff as a wrestler who can only pick up fluke victories is a flawed character trait. If his character stays on this track, he'll have trouble finding success on WWE NXT.
#5 WWE RAW gave the Money in the Bank contract back to The Miz
At WWE TLC, The Miz unsuccessfully cashed-in his Money in the Bank briefcase. Or was it John Morrison? Well, according to Adam Pearce, The Miz never cashed in his contract. That's why he gave the briefcase back to The Miz on this past week's episode of WWE RAW.
This technicality has never been a factor in the past. But on Monday, Pearce revealed that only the official briefcase holder can cash it in.
The unsuccessful cash-in at WWE TLC weighed heavily on The Miz. It even led to his defeat in a match against Gran Metalik. It was clear that "The Awesome One" was not his usually cocky self throughout the match. Metalik capitalized and shockingly pinned the former WWE Champion. After the match, The Miz was distraught, but his mood changed when he got his briefcase back.
The fallout from this year's Money in the Bank cash-ins, or lack thereof, has further proven that the concept is stale. It needs to be overhauled in order to restore the excitement that once surrounded the contract.
The Miz was a better briefcase holder than Otis, who won the Men's Money in the Bank Match in May. "The A-Lister" is more credible, as he's closer to the main event scene. But he is still portrayed as a joke. He hasn't been taken seriously in years. The Miz's goofball antics did little to elevate the briefcase, as he was never a true threat to the WWE Champion, Drew McIntyre.
After WWE TLC, it looked like McIntyre and the WWE Championship could move on from The Miz. But that's no longer the case. Once again, "The A-Lister" is coming for the gold.
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