Last night, we complained that Fastlane was quite underwhelming and urged WWE to pull up their socks heading into Wrestlemania 33. To be fair to them, they did try to, at least this week on Raw. While it won’t be remembered as one of the better shows of the year, it was a show that built to Wrestlemania 33 and set many wheels in motion.
That too, in front of a vocal Chicago crowd who chanted for CM Punk at every given opportunity. Let’s take the time to look back at the episode and analyse the best and worst of Raw.
#1 Best: Handling the vocal Chicago crowd
The Chicago crowd is known to be tough and even Goldberg was thrown off by the CM Punk chants this week. Stephanie McMahon seemed unaffected by the chorus of Punk chants though and spoke through the uproar, calling the audience ‘losers’ masterfully.
Triple H joined the show via satellite and immediately spoke about how WWE spares no expense to hire the best medical personnel and how doctor Kevin Wilk was the ‘best in the world’. This was a reference not only to Punk’s catchphrase but the fact that Punk was very critical of the medical care provided by WWE when he was down in the dumps with an injury.
While this may not be fair to the man himself, it was a great potshot at fans who keep chanting for a former talent that wants nothing to do with WWE or professional wrestling anymore.
#1 Worst: Now the Emma vignettes begin!
We had to sit through many weeks of Emmalina vignettes to finally have her show up and say that she was returning to her Emma avatar. Now, the Emma vignettes have begun. We cannot take yet another countdown.
While the women’s division really needs Emma to show up and turn things around as she's a great worker, we don’t need the tomfoolery that we’re seeing here.
#2 Best: Austin Aries leaves the commentary desk
Last night, the Cruiserweights saved an underwhelming show from being a total disaster. This week, Neville was being interviewed by Austin Aries and from the looks of it, he will be Neville’s next challenger at Wrestlemania 33.
The loud and raucous crowd was totally into Aries at this point, and when Aries took his glasses off, we saw that he had been completely healed. The crowd is finally invested in the two men involved in the Cruiserweight title picture.
We will miss Aries at the commentary desk but 205 Live needs a new top babyface and we cannot think of anyone better than Austin Aries.
#2 Worst: Braun Strowman loses momentum again?
Until last night, WWE had built Braun Strowman as a dominant monster. Then, he lost clean to Roman Reigns at Fastlane.
This week, we felt it was his chance at redemption when he called Reigns to confront him in the middle of the ring. However, The Undertaker would answer the challenge and confront the monster among men.
However, a cowardly Strowman would make a hasty retreat at the sight of The Phenom. For someone who was asking Mick Foley for more and more competition until not so long ago, this is something that's absolutely out of character.
WWE creative really needs to be more seamless in their logic and make their dominant monster heels look strong.
#3 Best: Top babyface
During their run, JeriKO would often make the crowd pop but thereafter insult them so that they didn't get cheered. This week on Raw, Jericho made his first real appearance as a babyface and with due respect to Goldberg, is at present, the biggest fan favourite in the entire WWE roster.
As we saw in the first section, Jericho and Kevin Owens have incredible chemistry and we know that we're not alone when we say that the US Championship looks like the most important title heading into the grandest show of the year!
Now if only WWE would turn AJ Styles face and give the crowd a chance to cheer for their favourite Superstar!
#3 Worst: Pointless ice cream segment
WWE Creative has absolutely no direction for The New Day, even heading into Wrestlemania. We can only hope that they will be involved in a big angle with someone (who? who? who?) at the show, because at present their whole ice cream shtick is hard to watch.
Thankfully, even the crowd has stopped popping for these popsicles.
#4 Best: Wrestlemania matches were set
All said and done, this was an episode that set plans in motion. We hope WWE does not drop in quality in the coming weeks.
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