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RAW continued the build to Hell in a Cell 2021, and next week will be the penultimate episode of the red brand before the pay-per-view.
There was a lot that happened this week, including the bits we aren't going to cover - from Sheamus' back-to-back defeats, Mansoor's intriguing interaction with Mustafa Ali, new contenders for the Women's Tag Team Titles, Shelton Benjamin getting humiliated, and more.
A lot is happening on RAW right now as WWE prepares to welcome back crowds in a month-and-a-half. The big question is whether they'll be able to maintain this momentum going forward.
#3 Best: The R-K-Bro storyline on RAW
Randy Orton hasn't started entering RAW in scooters just yet, but we wouldn't be surprised to see him do so. Orton faced Xavier Woods in a great match on RAW, and he returned the favor to Riddle from last week.
If you recall, Riddle and Xavier Woods had a show-stealer last week on RAW, with the former winning by using the RKO - his tag team partner's finisher. Everything about the R-K-Bro dynamic on RAW has worked.
Not only is it about the "odd pairing" tag team that always seems to work out, but this legitimately has substance to it. Randy Orton has arguably had one of his best years since the pandemic, and this is an extension of that.
Randy Orton hasn't changed yet. He's still the ruthless and vicious viper, and in all likeliness, that's what he will continue to be. However, there is a clear change in the dynamic that's happening on RAW.
This week, Randy Orton hit the Bro-Derek - Riddle's finishing move, to pin Xavier Woods. The storyline keeps on getting better and we're excited to see what lies ahead for R-K-Bro on RAW!
#2 Worst: Nikki Cross' entry into the RAW Women's Title picture
We're happy to see Nikki Cross back on RAW after being on the sidelines for so long. She didn't have any injury per se, but it seemed to be a case of WWE simply having no plans for her.
They do now, but it's a bit of an odd one. After boasting about "beating" Rhea Ripley last week, she asked to be the next in line for the RAW Women's Championship after Hell in a Cell.
Charlotte Flair mocked her and said that she could squash her in under a minute. This led to another two-minute bout where Nikki Cross purposely used stalling tactics to "win".
Nikki Cross is now in the mix, but there's no need for her to be. A non-title feud would be the best way to re-introduce her to RAW.
#2 Best: Elias ditching Jaxson Ryker
While there was speculation about a face turn for the RAW Tag Team Champions AJ Styles and Omos, WWE managed to find a clever way around it. In the Tag Team Title match on this week's show, Jaxson Ryker was abandoned by Elias towards the end as he looked to tag him in.
This allowed Omos to crush Ryker and AJ Styles to get the pin and also a bit of revenge from last week where the challenger pinned the Champion in a singles match.
Elias justified his decision to abandon Ryker by saying that he didn't want to be on the road with him, and this was the best decision that WWE could have made.
#1 Worst: Reginald beating Shayna Baszler on RAW
Reginald faced Shayna Baszler on RAW, and it looked like it was going to be a display for The Queen of Spades to squash him. Instead, it took a complete U-Turn.
As has been the story with Shayna Baszler recently, she had victory in her hands, but it was snatched away from her after another shocking fire explosion that shot out of the ring posts.
It led to Reginald getting the fluke victory and later that night, he was invited to Alexa's playground. While Nia Jax warned him, he ignored her. As it turns out, it wasn't Alexa Bliss that he needed to be worried about.
Shayna Baszler invaded the Playground and assaulted Reginald before challenging Alexa Bliss to a match next week on RAW. She even called Lilly a stupid doll, adding fuel to the fire. But having Shayna Baszler lose to Reggie was one of the worst parts of RAW this week.
#1 Best: An incredible main event
Drew McIntyre and Kofi Kingston had an interference-free main event on RAW, thanks to the strict stipulation that Adam Pearce implemented. Had the WWE Champion Bobby Lashley or MVP interfered, they would have been slapped with a 90-day suspension without pay.
Bobby Lashley enjoyed backstage with all his women, while he got to see two men go to war to earn the right to face him at Hell in a Cell. It was a great contest dominated by Drew McIntyre, and an incredible finish and a clean victory helped cement that.
All in all, WWE made the right choice this week of the main event, and Kofi Kingston looked great even in defeat. Bobby Lashley vs Drew McIntyre is now official for Hell in a Cell 2021.
