WWE Fastlane was not well received and that's an absolutely huge understatement. The B show pay per view had a number of odd booking decisions that countered some of the great wrestling we saw, which is why the Monday Night Raw twenty-four hours later was so vital. Thankfully for fans and WWE employees alike, they pretty much knocked it out of the park.
The show flowed smoothly, there were matches made for WrestleMania and us as fans were given hope when it comes to the future of the company. With that being said, we would've expected nothing less given that we're now less than a month away from the biggest show of the year with a lot of people still possessing more questions than they have answers.
But let's forget the negatives for a few minutes and give credit where credit is due because that's what the red brand deserves right now. For months the WWE Universe have been slamming Raw in comparison to SmackDown Live, with the blue brand receiving a great deal of praise. However, the pressure has been put right back on their rivals as we approach the final stretch on the Road to WrestleMania.
With that being said, here are five ways Raw bounced back after WWE Fastlane.
#5 Aries explodes
When Austin Aries stepped into the ring to interview Neville, many fans were hoping that it would be the first time that the two have a physical altercation on their way towards a rumoured match at WrestleMania 33. Thankfully, that's exactly what we got with the Chicago crowd helping the process along by chanting the name of The Greatest Man That Ever Lived.
The whole segment was perfect with the audience popping hard for Aries' attack. There's a chance it may not make it onto the main card in Orlando, but either way, it'll be a great way in which to show the world what the Cruiserweights can really do.
Now onto the segment that opened the show.
#4 Jericho & Owens clash
Many were wondering whether or not Jericho would be able to successfully transition back into his babyface role following such a long run as a heel. Following Monday Night Raw, those same people will know to never doubt Y2J again as he delivered one of his best promos in years when confronting Kevin Owens as to why the former Universal Champion attacked him during the Festival of Friendship.
It accomplished every goal that it set out to as the match between the two was made for Mania, with the former best friends also getting into a bit of a scrap which got the Chicago crowd hyped to start off the show. It was the perfect way for WWE to say "we know it's Mania season, and we know it's time to kick things up a gear".
Gong.
#3 Taker's return
If you don't get chills when you hear The Undertaker's gong, then are you really even a wrestling fan? The veteran returned once again on Monday Night Raw to initially have a staredown with Braun Strowman, before it was revealed that his intentions were to begin his long-awaited feud with Roman Reigns.
A lot of people hate the idea of these two men squaring off at WrestleMania, but they can't deny that it was a goosebump-inducing moment to hear The Big Dog utter the words "This is my yard now" right to Taker's face. It's going to be fascinating to see how WWE books this, as it feels like the only way they can pull off a successful feud between the two is by finally pulling the trigger on Roman's heel turn.
Brock smash.
#2 Lesnar F5s Goldberg
Goldberg's 22-second victory over Kevin Owens wasn't well received at all, and understandably so. Owens had held the title since two weeks after SummerSlam and as a result, it felt a little bit underwhelming to see his reign ended is such quick fashion by a man who had just hit 50. That being said, Goldberg and his Mania opponent Brock Lesnar did a good job of beginning the hype for the final match in their trilogy.
Brock was finally able to get physical with Goldberg by delivering an F5, with Heyman being his consistently fabulous self on the mic as always. It was interesting to see the champion looking vulnerable for once and even though it was due to the Beast catching him off guard, it was much needed when it comes to this storyline as things were threatening to be a little bit one-sided.
We conclude with a feud that we aren't even certain will be blown off at Mania.
#1 HHH-Rollins build
No, we still don't know whether or not Triple H and Seth Rollins will have an actual match at WrestleMania 33 - but that doesn't mean we didn't enjoy the segments involving both men on Monday Night Raw. First of all, Seth Rollins' rehab video package was pretty much a shortened version of his WWE 24 special and that can only mean good things for The Architect.
Then, Triple H had a scintillating promo via satellite that really built up the idea of his disappointment and hatred for Seth. Whilst we are still unaware what the end game is here, we're excited to see where it goes as the possibilities really are endless. Buckle up, ladies and gents - the Road to WrestleMania is going to be a bumpy one.
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