7 things you missed from Raw: December 4th, 2017

Reigns advised Jordon,
Reigns advised Jordan to "stay in his lane"

Good storylines, better execution: these four words perfectly summarises this week's WWE Raw. The show was tightly scripted right from the get-go. The backstage interviews and the promos for next week's matches build the momentum as the night progressed.

Let’s recap the moments which went unnoticed on this eventful night.


#1 Feud with Reigns solidified Jordan

The feeling of getting caught in the wrong spot.
Jason caught Roman during their match

In last week's review, I expressed concerns about Jason Jordan's storylines. This week’s storyline has mitigated my concerns.

The match with Roman Reigns highlighted Jason Jordan’s athletic ability and his strength. The young Superstar caught "The Big Dog" midair, and Reigns' facial expressions spoke volumes about Jason's strength.

Later, we witnessed Jordan’s resilience as he refused to tap out to the perfectly positioned submission move. Notably, his bad knee ruined his opportunities against Kane and Braun Strowman in the last two weeks. However, he made sure that wasn't the case this week.

#2 Desperate win for Paige

That must be painful.
That must be painful

Paige made an impactful return on Raw a couple of weeks back with the formulation of Absolution. However, her return to in-ring action wasn’t as smooth as she would have wished for.

Sasha Banks brought the fight to the leader of the Absolution. During the match, Sasha received a powerbomb from the top rope and landed on the back of her neck. However, the gutsy superstar was able to kick out of the pinfall and continue her match.

Paige won the match but it came only after Sasha was distracted by the rest of the Absolution.

Overall, it is safe to say that the women division from both Raw and SmackDown Live is on a roll.

#3 Build up for the Cruiserweight championship match

The
The "Springboard Spanish Fly"

The cruiserweight division has truly come alive in the last couple of months on Raw. Notably, there is no counterpart of Cruiserweight championship on SmackDown Live.

Drew Gulak is now set to face Rich Swann next week, and the winner of this match will be the number one contender for the Cruiserweight championship.

Interestingly, Enzo Amore has put Gulak in charge of the "Zo Train" before leaving for the tour of India.

#4 The Absolution wants Asuka

The Absolution
Absolution "let" Asuka go before they assaulted Alicia Fox

Paige, the leader of Absolution, has issued an open warning to the women’s locker room stating either they are with Absolution, or against it.

For two weeks in a row, the Absolution has surrounded Asuka after her match. However, on both occasions, they have waved her off the ring (without an assault).

Paige is silently signalling that she would prefer the Japanese Superstar to be with the Absolution rather than having Asuka against her faction.

The addition of Asuka will surely be an evolution in the strength of Absolution.

#5 Why wasn’t Kane vs. Braun Strowman booked this week?

Will Kane take Strowman to the depths of hell?
Will Kane take Strowman to the depths of hell?

Kane and Braun Strowman has been involved in a feud for quite some time. In the last two weeks, both have interfered in each other’s match.

Raw doesn’t have a PPV before the Royal Rumble and it made a lot of sense to book these two in a match. Instead, this match is promoted for the next week. Moreover, there wasn’t even a physical confrontation between the two Superstars this week.

We believe the reason for this to be the Indian tour. Both these Superstars are booked in a match on this tour.

WWE is saving this match for the tour as they rightfully expect it to be a major attraction.

#6 Finn “no fit” Balor?

Balor is stuck without promising a storyline.
Balor is stuck without a promising storyline

The Irish wrestler’s match was the only loose angle on Raw this past week. He seems to be lost with storylines on his way to Royal Rumble and the Indian tour.

Notably, Balor was rumoured to face Brock Lesnar for the Universal championship at Royal Rumble. However, it was rumoured that Vince McMahon wasn't in favour of this match.

Further, Balor himself posted a meme on Twitter which suggested that he won’t be getting a shot at the Universal title in the near future.

Balor's tweet received overwhelming response.
Balor's tweet received an overwhelming response

Notably, Balor is booked against Bray Wyatt on the Indian tour. However, the "Eater of the Worlds" is paired with “Woken” Matt Hardy on Raw storylines.

With all major Superstars booked in their own storylines, Balor desperately needs one.

#7 Samoa Joe’s interference in the main event

Joe's attack lead to the Shield's loss.
Joe's attack lead to the Shield's loss.

Samoa Joe's interference cost the tag team gold for The Shield.

Joe’s actions have added fire to his rivalry with Reigns and it aligns perfectly with their match ahead of the Indian tour. Notably, The Shield is booked to face the Bar along with Samoa Joe on this tour.

Bonus:

This week, Raw was majorly aligned with the Indian tour. However, the only Superstar who is present on the tour but was missing from the Monday night was Kalisto.

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