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If I had to rate this week's episode of RAW out of 10, I would give it a 6. There was nothing particularly wrong with it, and there were even some good bits during the show, but it was spread out over three hours and hence, impossible to enjoy.
And so, I return for your weekly dose of 'Best and Worst' once again. I know that a lot of you ask why certain things aren't included in my list, and the answer is that because so much of what happens is just about average, I don't really know whether to slot it in the good or bad category more often than not.
So, let's begin with the good and move over to the bad on the following page. As always, feel free to voice your thoughts and comments in the section below.
Do you think RAW is a better show than SmackDown right now?
#1 Best: The corrupt referee
This was the twist that nobody saw coming, including Seth Rollins from the looks of it, at least. Randy Orton and Kevin Owens took each other on in the main event match of the night and put on a show for the ages.
And yet, Kevin Owens was defeated with a fast count, thanks to a referee who turned out to be a disciple of the Monday Night Messiah. Rollins would maintain that he knew nothing about this and then the referee would suffer the wrath of Kevin Owens soon after.
This is hardly a novel idea in the realm of pro wrestling, but it's new in a WWE context at least, in the current era. It's the perfect cliffhanger and I can't wait to see what happens in the next episode of RAW.
#1 Worst: No Rusev at Super ShowDown?
Rusev has the worst luck in WWE, and this does not even include him getting to watch his wife Lana getting intimate with another man. It turns out that he will not be a part of the proceedings in Saudi Arabia as part of the Tuwaiq trophy gauntlet match which features Rey Mysterio instead now.
This is extremely unfortunate for someone like Rusev who should have gone to the next level owing to just how popular he is with the WWE Universe, but somehow never seems to have the luck that favors a top star at all. No offense to Rey Mysterio, but Rusev needed the match a lot more than he did.
There are various theories doing the rounds regarding why Rusev will not be making it for the match, from an injury to the fact that his contract negotiations may not necessarily be going as well as he would have liked, and one just hopes that things work out for the Bulgarian Brute very soon indeed because he's one of the good guys.
#2 Best: The contract signing segment
I had to stifle a groan when I heard that there would be a contract signing segment for the women in the Elimination Chamber because we all know how contract signing segments go. There has hardly been a novel or unique contract signing segment in some time, but this week's RAW segment wasn't all that bad at all. I love the fact that Shayna Baszler would join the fray much later and showcase to the world that she was the one to watch out for from the entire pack of competitors.
I also loved the fact that Becky Lynch took the fight to her and that Liv Morgan chose to make a leap and attack Ruby Riott. The women in the Elimination Chamber have issues with one another in this match and they also have a lot of history with one another that will be settled inside the Chamber. And what about the little tease we saw between Shayna Baszler and Natalya too?
This was a pretty good sports entertainment segment.
#2 Worst: Brock Lesnar's pointless cameo appearance this week
Brock Lesnar appeared on the show this week but did not have an interaction with either Ricochet who made short work of Gallows or Drew McIntyre who cut an impressive promo backstage. It just seemed like his appearance was a waste.
Brock Lesnar only does very limited appearances every year and it's a shame that WWE can't find a more creative way to maximize these appearances in such a manner that it builds anticipation and excitement for his upcoming title bouts. Is there anyone in the audience at all who's more excited about his upcoming fight against Ricochet after this appearance?
This is where WWE could borrow a page or two from MMA and maybe have the two competitors do a face-off before the match actually takes place. Sure, Paul Heyman cut a great promo which had several funny lines but we've heard so many similar sounding promos over the years that I do feel like they have lost their charm as a device to promote matches.
#3 Best: AJ Styles vs. Aleister Black
I mean no disrespect to Ricochet, but I simply did not want to see yet another feud between Ricochet and AJ Styles and it just felt like that's where we were headed on RAW. Ricochet should do something very different from what Styles is doing because as good as the matches were when they tussled last, we've seen them wrestle before.
And this is why I think that The OC vs. Aleister Black is a very good feud indeed. AJ Styles is someone who can elevate Black by working with him and if Black picks up a win by defeating Styles in due course of time, it would be great.
One wonders how long this feud will last before The Undertaker challenges AJ Styles. And that is provided that the rumors about The Phenom against The Phenomenal One are true to begin with.
RAW is a good show but the one thing it is missing is The Goddess Alexa Bliss, but fear not, for I shall end this article with a tribute to The Goddess of WWE as I do every week.
