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We are only a few days away from Crown Jewel and the RAW go-home show is now in the books. WWE tried to use the final episode before Crown Jewel to build on the event and did so to great effect.
Unlike last week, even WWE's female Superstars saw television time on this week's edition of RAW. This is especially interesting considering the fact that Crown Jewel will be an all male pay-per-view.
Apart from that, the company built on the Team Hogan and Team Flair rivalry well, and the match between Ricochet and Drew McIntyre provided adequate action to put the final touches to the storyline before heading into Crown Jewel.
United States Champion AJ Styles also shined once again just days before he will take on the winner of the Battle Royal at Crown Jewel.
In this article, we will look at the 5 things WWE got right on this week’s RAW.
#5 The RKO Out of Nowhere
On SmackDown last Friday Night, Roman Reigns, Ali, and Shorty G defeated the team of Shinsuke Nakamura, King Corbin, and Cesaro in the presence of WWE Hall of Famers Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair.
Team Flair captain Randy Orton was missing in action, but he certainly made his presence felt on RAW this week. Orton is arguably the biggest name in the clash, and his presence and impact were necessary to put the finishing touches on the huge match that is set to take place in a few days.
Orton was a force during the match between Ricochet and Drew McIntyre this week. As Ricochet prepared to perform the 630 Splash to score the win, McIntyre dodged and Richochet was hit by a Randy Orton RKO instead. Ultimately, the RKO drew a disqualification, but Orton proved that no one is safe, so long as there is a 'Viper' stalking his prey.
Although it would have been better to pit Ricochet against Orton this week to provide even more impact heading into Crown Jewel, it helped Ricochet to pick up a disqualification victory over McIntyre while simultaneously showing that Team Flair will be a force to be reckoned with.
See WWE RAW Results, Highlights of event, & more on WWE RAW Results page
#4 Gave The IIconics some screen time
It’s difficult to believe that Peyton Royce & Billie Kay were WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions not too long ago. The IIconics held the title for almost four months, but did not defend it as frequently as fans would have liked.
Since dropping the titles, The IIconics have not been featured much on television, and this has really impacted the value and build they’d earned since the beginning of the year.
If one was to compare their run to any other team, it is eerily similar to how The Good Brothers have been booked over the past year or so. Like The Good Brothers, The IIconics haven't received much screen time even though both women have decent skills on the mic and in the ring.
This week, the company brought them back by pitting them against Charlotte Flair & Natalya in tag team action. While most veteran wrestling fans could have guessed the outcome of the match before it even began, it was good to see the four women featured in a RAW match, especially during such an important week.
It’s unclear whether the company will continue the angle between the four women or whether it was just a one-time thing, but if the plan is to give The IIconics another run, WWE could soon turn them face in order to compete against The Kabuki Warriors.
#3 Allowed Erick Rowan another decent high-profile match
WWE carried on an interesting angle this week, as Universal Champion Seth Rollins took on Erick Rowan in a Last Man Standing Match. It’s important to note that Rowan is fresh off a feud with Rollins’ former partner Roman Reigns, while Rollins is set to take on Rowan’s former family member Bray Wyatt at Crown Jewel.
The action was decent and gave fans a taste of what to expect at Crown Jewel from a more focused and aggressive Seth Rollins. Putting him up against a bigger man helped sell his attacks even more and Rowan’s kick-out after a Stomp helped build him as a future threat to the RAW division.
Giving Rowan a match against the Universal Champion helped keep him strong at a time when he was looking to continue the momentum he earned from his rivalry with Roman Reigns. Rowan doesn't have a match at Crown Jewel, but WWE will certainly be looking at potential future feuds for the big man.
Rollins needing the help of a forklift to pin the big man only added to Rowan’s value as a legitimate future threat to the Universal Champion. It also gave Rollins some memorable spots heading into this Sunday's bout against The Fiend at Crown Jewel.
#2 Humberto Carrillo's continued rise
It looks like RAW has taken a page out of SmackDown’s book on how to build on new Superstars. Much like the company did for Ali and Andrade when they kicked off their main roster careers, it seems like Humberto Carrillo could be in-line for some great things too.
This week on RAW, Carrillo agreed to battle AJ Styles after the newcomer wrestled Universal Champion Seth Rollins last week. This was a great move by creative, as they continued to build on the momentum Carrillo earned last week. He seems like a true babyface who can do wonders on the main roster, and battling against someone like AJ Styles was going to increase his credibility no matter what. Carrillo once again managed to give a great performance against one of the best wrestlers in the industry and showed that he’s a top WWE prospect.
After the match, The Street Profits made the save as Carrillo suffered a beatdown from the three members of The O.C. While nothing was added to last week's Kevin Owens vs AJ Styles storyline, the angle did add fuel to the budding feud between The O.C. and The Street Profits.
#1 Gave Kairi an InSane match
Kairi Sane is arguably one of the most talented in-ring performers in the entire WWE locker room. She’d previously proven her worth in NXT, and even had the honors of defeating the ever-so-dominant Shayna Baszler for the NXT Women’s Championship before losing it and moving to the main roster.
Sane has always been a good tag team competitor, but her individual performances have always been far superior.
After Asuka and Kairi Sane mocked their manager before 'The Empress of Tomorrow' spit green mist into Paige face, the match between Becky Lynch and Sane began. The two put on an epic performance before Lynch forced 'The Pirate Princess' to tap out to the Dis-arm-her. The match was solid and gave a taste of Kairi Sane's main roster potential.
Will The Kabuki Warriors turning on Paige lead to her managing Rose & Sonya Deville in order to exact revenge on the heels? That could make for a very interesting angle in the weeks to come.
