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Usually, my colleague Rohit Nath is responsible for this feature, but he's off to seek the thrills of the hills, leaving me in charge of this article. Overall, I'm glad that this week is when I get to write this piece as it is the beginning of a brand new era.
Since most of what was dished out this week was so good, the poor segments actually stand out like sore thumbs. Let me identify them for you in this article and invite you to leave your comments in the section below.
With Paul Heyman in charge of RAW and Eric Bischoff waiting in the wings to take over SmackDown Live, there is no doubt that the product is going to improve in the weeks that follow. Be sure to let me know if you really thought these segments were as cringe-inducing as I did.
Let's begin the article without wasting any more time.
#5 Shelton Benjamin rolls his eyes
Shelton Benjamin is a man who's earned his stripes and then some with a very impressive career in WWE, in a variety of roles. You have to remember just how long he's been doing this and if you do, you'll automatically develop a sense of respect for the man and his amazing talent.
I'm just amazed that he's being used in the manner that he is, being asked about a match that he's not even booked in, and being asked to respond in a completely ridiculous manner. There is no way that such a gimmick will ever get over with the audience, casual or hardcore. I doubt that anyone, young or old, found this segment funny.
Let Shelton Benjamin go out there and have good matches. That's the best way to use the legendary superstar.
#4 The Street Profits get called up to the main roster
I don't know what the long-term plans with the Street Profits entail, over the coming weeks. But what I do know is that they're not main-roster ready and this was a strange week to call them up to RAW, so soon after they've won the NXT Tag Team Championships. The problem with RAW is not that a shortage of talent but the fact that the talent isn't being used and booked in the right manner.
I really do think that the Street Profits need to be in developmental, to also iron some of their own chinks out. As good as they are, you just need a little more time to be ready for the big leagues. I'd argue that the Undisputed ERA is more ready than they are.
Why not showcase the AoP instead? I mean they're healthy but nowhere to be seen at all.
#3 Maria Kanellis announces her pregnancy to the whole world
I'm not even sure if I'm a fan of the Seth Rollins and Becky Lynch on screen pairing honestly. It could just be because they've clubbed two title programs against two opponents who're not all that exciting, per se.
That said, what happened with Mike and Maria Kanellis on this week's show was something right out of a really cheap film. Maria Kanellis announced to the world that she was pregnant and then buried her own husband on live worldwide television, saying that she wished that 'the man' Becky Lynch, was the father of her child.
I still have scars from witnessing what I did this week. I really hope that the Paul Heyman regime does not necessarily mean an overdose of such sleazy segments on a weekly basis.
At the same time, I'm okay with both Mike and Maria getting more screen time.
#2 Waiting far too long with Aleister Black
We've all seen that Aleister Black has been yearning for a fight for many weeks, and nobody has stepped up to the plate. Last week, someone did when he/she knocked on Black's door, as the old Bob Dylan song goes. Only when Black went to open the door, he discovered that it was a false alarm, that there was no one there.
Someone is playing mind games with Black and I suppose that this means that we can expect a program between Black and Randy Orton, in the weeks that follow. I mean I know that Cesaro has been touted as Black's opponent, but you can't imagine Cesaro scampering away after knocking on Black's door. It would also be Wyatt, and that would be awesome.
I just thought that the storyline was extended this week for no rhyme or reason. We'll have to wait until Extreme Rules to find out who knocked on Black's door, which means another week of incomprehensive ramblings.
#1 Taking time away from a more important segment
I don't think that Ember Moon and Mandy Rose had a bad match at all, this week. However, I believe that because they had their match, Finn Balor did not get a chance to build on his rivalry with Shinsuke Nakamura since SmackDown suffers from a stacked roster and a genuine lack of time.
The IIconics did not get any screen time either. We know that they are scheduled to face the Kabuki Warriors at Extreme Rules based on the fact that Asuka and Kairi Sane managed to defeat The IIconics during their recent big match in Japan.
If you consider everything I've said thus far, it is clear that because Moon and Rose had their match, two title programs were affected. Finn Balor, even though he holds a championship, has had very little going for him since he won the prized title.
What good is a champion who gets no TV time at all?
