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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 leave the viewers scratching their heads.
This weekly series takes a look at WWE RAW, NXT and SmackDown. Specifically, it explores the confusing booking decisions that took place on these programs.
The week started with several bizarre booking decisions on WWE RAW Legends Night. From Ric Flair causing Charlotte's loss to Goldberg's weird promo, plenty of segments confused the fans.
WWE NXT put on a brilliant show with New Year's Evil, and it didn't make many bizarre booking choices. But WWE SmackDown took the cake this week, as it delivered a confounding decision at the end of the night.
Here's a look at five bizarre booking decisions WWE made this week.
#5 WWE fails to address the Alexa Bliss/Randy Orton cliffhanger at the beginning of WWE RAW
On last week's episode of WWE RAW, fans were left wondering whether Randy Orton set Alexa Bliss on fire. In the closing moments, Bliss was drenched in gasoline when the lights went out. Orton held a lit match in his hand, so it seemed like he was going to burn Bliss.
The nail-biting cliffhanger was effective because it made many fans excited to tune into WWE RAW this week.
But the beginning of WWE RAW Legends Night didn't pick up on this hot angle. Instead, WWE chose to open the show with a Hulk Hogan promo.
Fans had to wait before WWE gave the viewers an answer about Bliss' fate. During a backstage interview, "The Viper" stated that he spared Bliss. He chose not to set her on fire. This reveal was a throwaway line that failed to live to up last week's thrilling finale. It was a disappointing end to what had been a remarkable story.
WWE's lack continuity is extremely frustrating to watch. It often leaves fans feeling lost and confused. WWE repeatedly fails to follow up on its biggest stories, and this inconsistency is an insult to the viewers' intelligence. As a result, it's not surprising that the ratings of WWE RAW have reached new lows in recent months.
#4 WWE booked Ric Flair to cost Charlotte her match
WWE Women's Tag Team Champion Charlotte Flair lost to Peyton Royce when her dad, Ric Flair tripped her. Royce capitalized and picked up a shocking victory on WWE RAW.
Charlotte blamed her dad for this defeat. She even got in his face and yelled at him. "The Queen" told "The Nature Boy" to stay out of her business.
The bizarre situation started when Lacey Evans awkwardly flirted with the two-time WWE Hall of Famer. Evans' attention got into the legend's head, and he accidentally cost his daughter the match.
Since the show ended, several reports have stated that the ending of this match was botched by Flair. He was reportedly supposed to trip Royce. But the trip was blatant, and it didn't look like a mistake.
The aftermath of the match also seemed like it was planned. Still, the strange finish sseems questionable. At this point, fans are wondering whether the dissension between Ric and Charlotte will continue to play out.
Charlotte and Asuka are the WWE Women's Tag Team Champions, so "The Nature Boy" could ultimately cost his daughter the gold.
#3 WWE booked The Street Profits to lose the SmackDown Tag Team Championships
The Dirty Dawgs, Dolph Ziggler and Robert Roode, are the new WWE SmackDown Tag Team Champions. They defeated the Street Profits on WWE SmackDown on Friday night.
The title change was both surprising and bizarre. The two teams have been feuding since last October. Roode and Ziggler had already unsuccessfully challenged for the gold. In fact, this title win was the first tag team match the Dirty Dawgs won since November 2020.
Roode and Ziggler have been booked like losers for months. They weren't presented as credible challengers. So the Street Profits' unsuccessful title defense is even more confusing.
The Dirty Dawgs' win establishes them as the heel champions on the blue brand. But the loss for Angelo Dawkins and Montez Ford brings their successful run as the champions to an end. The Street Profits have always been a highlight of WWE television, and the duo is an integral part of the tag team division.
The match itself was fantastic, as all four competitors worked to put on one of the best WWE tag team matches in recent memory. But the result is hard to swallow, so it deserves a spot on this list.
#2 WWE booked Adam Pearce to challenge Roman Reigns
WWE agent and backstage authority figure Adam Pearce will face Roman Reigns for the WWE Universal Championship at the Royal Rumble pay-per-view. The former NWA World Heavyweight Champion earned the opportunity when he won a Gauntlet Match on Friday night.
Sami Zayn, Baron Corbin, Rey Mysterio, Daniel Bryan and Shinsuke Nakamura battled it out for the right to challenge Reigns. Nakamura had one of his best showings in quite some time, and he impressed many fans. But Reigns stepped in to make sure he got the opponent he wanted.
Pearce suffered Reigns and Jimmy Uso's wrath when the duo attacked him in the closing moments of the match. Uso dragged Pearce on top of Nakamura's helpless body to give him the shocking win.
The booking decision to have Pearce win this match is making waves throughout the wrestling industry. Pearce hasn't wrestled in six years, so he's an unlikely challenger to say the least. But his newfound spot on a pay-per-view card proves that WWE can still keep its fans guessing.
#1 WWE had Goldberg cut a nonsensical promo on Drew McIntyre
At the end of WWE Monday Night RAW, Drew McIntyre defeated Keith Lee in an incredible championship match. A triumphant McIntyre was just about to address the WWE Universe when Goldberg's music hit.
The former two-time WWE Universal Champion entered the ring and confronted McIntyre. The WCW icon then delivered a promo that didn't make any sense.
Goldberg accused McIntyre of showing disrespect toward WWE legends. The icon then challenged McIntyre for the title at WWE Royal Rumble. On paper, this showdown was fine. It launched a rivalry between the champion and a new challenger. But there's one major problem with this segment. All of Goldberg's claims were inaccurate.
McIntyre has been quite respectful to WWE legends. In fact, earlier in the show, he was joking and posing with Hulk Hogan backstage. McIntyre even defended legends like Ric Flair, The Big Show, and Shawn Michaels during his feud with Randy Orton. So Goldberg's promo was wildly inaccurate.
Despite this lack of logic, it seems like a match between McIntyre and Goldberg for the WWE Championship is inevitable. Historically speaking, Goldberg usually wins titles when he returns. So McIntyre and his reign with the title could be in jeopardy.
