Best and Worst of WWE RAW- Surprising encounter, A big missed opportunity?

Randy Orton was a big part of tonight's RAW
Randy Orton was a big part of tonight's RAW

Honestly, there was a lot to like on this week's episode of RAW, in my personal opinion at least. I genuinely thought that parts of this show were up there as some of the better RAW segments in memory.

Even the weaker parts of the show weren't weaker per se, but they just did not strike a chord with me personally. And this is why I invite you, dear reader, to leave a comment and let me know exactly what you thought of the show.

I have to say that I think that Paul Heyman is doing a pretty fantastic job at the helm of WWE RAW. The creative thus far has been awesome and there's genuine excitement as we head towards WrestleMania.

So, let me commence with my review for this week's show then...


#1 Best: Rhea Ripley & Charlotte Flair

We had all heard the rumors that Charlotte Flair and Rhea Ripley would be doing battle at WrestleMania but to see the two women square off was a pretty cool moment, in my personal opinion at least. The two women do size up nicely and the fact that Charlotte Flair has not beaten Rhea Ripley thus far could be a great storyline going forward.

If I were to book the match at WrestleMania, I would personally have Rhea Ripley go over Charlotte Flair clean after what is a very competitive match. Flair is incredible and has already had one of the best careers in the history of the women's division, if not the best, and it would not hurt her at all to put over this promising newcomer.

This move would also make NXT the most talked about brand and make up for the 'burial' they experienced in the Royal Rumble.

#1 Worst: Not doing Lashley vs. Lesnar

Having Bobby Lashley square off with Brock Lesnar would have been the right move, in my books at least. I know that both men are heels but this is a dream match that people have wanted for a very long time and I would have loved to see it unfold in Saudi Arabia.

Yes, I know that Ricochet is a very talented performer but can you honestly tell me that you don't know how Brock Lesnar vs. Ricochet is going to go, ladies, and gentlemen? We have seen way too many matches of that nature already from AJ Styles, Daniel Bryan, and even Finn Balor.

Bobby Lashley vs. Brock Lesnar was the big match back when the former finally arrived at WWE from Impact Wrestling and he's been very vocal about wanting the match as well. With all due respect to Ricochet, I don't think even the most casual WWE viewer thinks that he's going to be the one to defeat Brock Lesnar for the title in Saudi Arabia.

Not the best decision from WWE at all.

#2 Best: The return of Ruby Riott

Ruby Riott is one of the most underrated workers in the company, male or female, because of the sheer amount of value that she brings to the table every time she competes. I loved the fact that she returned to attack Liv Morgan because a babyface turn was teased for a while but then Riott showed her true colors. This is a great way to announce to the world that The Riott Squad was over and done and that Lana vs. Liv Morgan is also concluding very soon.

Neither Liv Morgan nor Lana is exactly Daniel Bryan in the ring so there's a limit to how many times they can clash with one another. And therefore, introducing a brand new piece on the chessboard like Ruby Riott just widens the playing field and makes things a lot more interesting. Riott is good friends with Liv Morgan in real life and will want to elevate her best friend.

Plus, she can be a great opponent for Becky Lynch down the line.

#2 Worst: Doing Becky vs. Asuka again and again

Becky Lynch vs. Asuka was a good match when it happened last year, I thought. The rematch at this year's Royal Rumble pay-per-view was also solid but that wasn't a surprise at all if you consider just how talented both these women are. But I just don't want to see them throw it down one more time.

Yes, the match is guaranteed to be great but how many times can you watch the same match over and over again and not get bored? I mean it's the same thing as the Roman Reigns vs. King Corbin storyline, where WWE is just milking the whole thing dry right now. The Becky Lynch vs. Asuka clashes felt special but now, doing yet another rematch will just take the sheen off the whole thing.

And the worst part is that there's absolutely no importance being given to the Women's Tag Team Championships at all and it feels like a division that's just been forgotten at this point in time.

#3 Best/Worst: The Randy Orton segment

Nothing happened during the Randy Orton segment at the top of the show. And maybe that was the beauty of the whole thing because I can't remember the last time that the man was booed so much by the audience in attendance.

Can we have a round of applause for the audience, to begin with? These were men and women and even children who braved a snowstorm to come to the arena to watch RAW and cheer for the babyfaces and boo the heels.

They did not derail any of the segments and drowned Randy Orton in a chorus of boos to such a degree that whenever he brought the microphone close to his face, they wouldn't let him speak at all. Just remember this reaction because it will lead to the loudest pop that you've ever heard when Edge decides to make his return to exact revenge against Orton.

But then again, I felt that this segment went on for far too long. And this is why it's in the best and worst column.

#3 Best/Worst: Rezar wins?

I mean no disrespect to Rezar when I say this but thus far he has not been portrayed as a singles performer at all, honestly. And therefore, for him to be the one to pin Kevin Owens does not make much sense.

I would have been okay with Buddy Murphy scoring the pin because he has a distinct personality and while he is part of a tag team, a push for him is necessary even from a solo perspective. But unless Rezar is allowed to branch off and participate in singles matches, I don't really see the point of him picking up a big victory.

But I cannot call it a worst per se, because I don't know WWE's plans yet and maybe this is really the direction that they are going to be heading in next. Maybe each of the members of the Authors of Pain is allowed to branch out and establish himself as a singles star.

And the match, in itself, was pretty good, so I'll simply call it- best/worst.

#4 Worst: The injuries

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Honestly, the absence of Samoa Joe is really beginning to show on RAW and I can't necessarily say that I like it at all. Samoa Joe was a critical part of the storyline with Seth Rollins and without him in the mix, everything just feels very flat to me.

And the same can be said for AJ Styles as well because there's no way that The OC will be treated as anything more than enhancement talent in his absence. AJ Styles was a very critical part of the overall RAW mix, and much like his friend Samoa Joe is dearly missed on the red brand.

Let's hope that these two gentlemen return very soon because if you, reader, were to couple the absence of Andrade thanks to his wellness violation, you would have some very important Superstars missing from the picture. So, as we wait for them to get back on their feet and get back to full health soon, be sure to check out the video I've linked on top.

And also, this picture of The Goddess, Alexa Bliss.