'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Welcome to this week's edition of Best and Worst of RAW. It was a great episode to wrap things up before Crown Jewel 2022. The show began with Nikki Cross' return match, and ended with a huge title change as the returning Asuka and Alexa Bliss dethroned Damage CTRL's IYO SKY and Dakota Kai.
It was a great way to end the show, but there is much more to discuss regarding what happened as we head toward Saudi Arabia this weekend. Ahead of the big show, let's look at the ups and downs of RAW this week!
#3. Best: Seth Rollins vs. Austin Theory on RAW
Austin Theory is the old protege of Seth Rollins from 2020 when he was in his faction alongside the likes of Buddy Murphy and the Authors of Pain. While he was quietly removed to return to NXT, he is now the youngest Mr. Money in the Bank.
He took on Seth Rollins in a rare heel vs. heel match. Although it wasn't for the title, Theory got an incredible showing. It shows how much faith WWE still has in the 25-year-old star.
#2. Worst: Baron Corbin sucking out all the heat from the segment
JBL came out on RAW this week. Although it was his home state of Texas, he brilliantly got heat from the crowd by insulting the younger generation.
He then introduced Corbin, who sucked all the heat out of the arena before R-Truth came out. The former Mayor of Jackpot City needs to do better, and if it continues like this, the pairing with JBL is doomed to fail.
#2. Best: The Roman Reigns-The Miz segment
Roman Reigns came out on RAW this week and was in god mode. Everything he did and said felt special. His confrontation with The Miz was fun and light, but the fact that he decided not to take Logan Paul seriously only added to the story.
His walkout rant while looking right into the camera was nothing short of epic. It's moments like these when he reminds fans why he has always been destined to be "the guy" in WWE and why they handed him the keys to the kingdom.
#1. Worst: Nikki Cross losing her first match back on RAW
Nikki Cross opened the show as she faced RAW Women's Champion Bianca Belair. While we liked that she showed no allegiance toward either Belair or Damage CTRL, we didn't want her first match back to end in defeat.
While we aren't getting as many dusty finishes as we did during the McMahon era, this was one of the rare situations where a dusty finish would have been fully justified.
#1. Best: The perfect way to handle Brock Lesnar vs. Bobby Lashley
WWE ran the Bobby Lashley-Brock Lesnar segment and overall feud on RAW to absolute perfection. They played to both men's strengths, and there was less talk and more fighting.
The locker room and Triple H coming out to restore order made the upcoming match feel more important, and we can't wait to see the explosive clash of the titans in what is the most highly anticipated rematch in a very long time.
