'%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)
This week's episode of WWE RAW came from the Bell Center in Montreal, QC, Canada. After an eventful show in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, this was the last chance for the RAW roster to shape things up for the first co-branded PPV after WrestleMania, Backlash, which happens this Sunday.
The crowd was red hot and made sure its voice was heard throughout the arena. The pops received by Seth Rollins, Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn were enough evidence to that. While the highlight of the show was most definitely the main event, there were quite a few decisions that shouldn't have been taken or could have been taken in a better manner.
#5 Titus O'Neil as a klutz
While every member of the WWE Universe laughed out loud and re-watched Titus O'Neil's major botch at the Greatest Royal Rumble, the WWE should have left it at that. But creative went on to push this angle forward and made the Titus Worldwide leader purposely botch his entrance.
If that wasn't enough, Titus O'Neil has his very own merchandise available for the WWE Universe to get his hands on. The t-shirt is based on his botch during the 50-man Royal Rumble match in Saudi Arabia.
O'Neil is a talent with which so much more can be done. He is without a doubt a powerhouse wrestler that can be made to look tough and dominate his opponents. But because of an unforeseen trip, not only is he forced into a comic role but also Apollo Crews is made to play along with this gimmick.
The team of Crews and O'Neil could be put to better use as contenders for the Tag Team Titles in a tag team deficit RAW roster.
#4 Replaying the Bobby Roode hit in Slow Motion
Bobby Roode was traded to RAW in the Superstar Shake-Up and since then is seemingly lost in the shuffle. Since his main event RAW debut, Roode has not been seen doing anything relevant. He lost to Elias last week and oversold an injury this week.
Not taking anything away from Elias, he deserves a win as much as Roode does on the flagship show of WWE, but Roode could have been made better use of by playing a heel and attacking a happy go lucky character such as No Way Jose.
In this week's match, while Elias and Roode were putting on a decent matchup, in one spot, Elias drove Roode through what was supposed to be throat first into the turnbuckle. Roode hit his chest on the turnbuckle and fell to the outside of the ring while clenching his throat. Roode did an amazing job of selling this move, but WWE went on and replayed this move in slo-mo.
They didn't have to replay this spot if they didn't have a good angle and especially when Roode clearly didn't hurt his throat. Not many people would have noticed this move if the replay in slo-mo was not shown.
#3 Pairing up Bobby Lashley and Braun Strowman
The WWE Universe was so excited to see Lashley back on WWE TV when he returned on the night after WrestleMania. He was lost in the shuffle for the first three weeks of his return but one could understand this because of Roman Reigns being involved in a feud with Brock Lesnar for the Universal Championship.
With the Lesnar-Reigns saga lasting three matches, one would've expected a new challenger to Lesnar's title creep up. Many fans anticipated Lashley to be the next challenger for the title. But now, WWE seem to be pushing Lashley and Strowman as a team by pitting them in a tag team match against the team of Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens.
What is baffling is that if Lashley was to team up with Strowman all along, then why wait until now instead of bringing this to fruition at WrestleMania. This idea would've received an incredible pop then.
Now, not only has this decision devoid the chance of watching these behemoths in singles competition but also has almost confirmed that Reigns may be getting another shot at Lesnar.
#2 Ember Moon, Chad Gable and Breezango missing in action
Ember Moon was called up to the main roster on the RAW after WrestleMania. She tagged with Nia Jax on her main roster debut and picked up the win by pinning the former Women's Champion, Alexa Bliss.
Since then, she has been a part of many multi-woman tag team matches and has been the focal point of all of them. Moon was nowhere to be seen this week and that was something that could have been avoided. The Women's Division seems stacked at the moment and while people are waiting for Rousey to step into the ring again, the likes of Ember Moon must not be forgotten.
The same goes for the Chad Gable and the team of Breezango. These Superstars made their way to the RAW roster during the Superstar Shake-Up and what they did was nothing less than shaking us all up.
While Breezango picked up an upset victory against the four-time RAW Tag Team Champions, The Bar, on the night the team made its RAW debut, Gable picked up a huge win against the former US Champion, Jinder Mahal on last week's episode. These huge victories were most probably forgotten by many viewers because of these Superstars' absence on the show.
#1 No contenders for Tag Team Champions
The newly formed tag team - "The Deleter Of Worlds" won its first Tag Team Titles at the Greatest Royal Rumble event in Saudi Arabia. While this was a very expected result, what else was expected that there would be no clear contender for the RAW Tag Team Titles. The RAW roster is suffering from a shortage of relevant and legitimate tag teams.
Now that Lashley and Strowman are being pushed as a team, one can expect them to challenge The Deleter Of Worlds sometime in the future. While there is another option of tag team challengers in the form of Dolph Ziggler and Drew McIntyre, it may be too early for that push.
The RAW roster needs tag teams that can be taken seriously and this can be done only if teams like Breezango, Titus Worldwide and The Ascension aren't pushed in comic roles.
Bayley gives us a HUGE update on a top Superstar's upcoming return RIGHT HERE.
