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Welcome to this week's edition of Best & Worst of RAW! It's the post-Fastlane edition, and WWE delivered with a good episode of RAW. While the mid-portions of the episode were forgettable, the first and last hours of the show were memorable.
WWE accelerated the build to WrestleMania on RAW with four huge matches and a tease for another. Next week's episode will be the penultimate edition before WrestleMania, and things are beginning to heat up on the Red brand.
Let's start with the final segment of the night and the impact it caused on RAW:
#3. Best: The Fiend's return to RAW and Alexa Bliss
The final segment on RAW was all about Randy Orton summoning 'The Fiend' Bray Wyatt. We had seen a creepy promo from Alexa Bliss earlier in the night, and she was the one who answered the call by Randy Orton.
Bliss unrolled a joker in the box, and surely enough, a familiar sound hit - The Fiend had arrived behind Randy Orton, but things wouldn't go as planned for The Viper.
He doused The Fiend in gasoline and before he could light him on fire again, he hit the RKO. Alexa Bliss caused a distraction leading to The Fiend getting up and sticking the Mandible Claw into Orton's mouth.
A Sister Abigail concluded the night for The Fiend and Alexa Bliss, and the latter pointed her finger to the WrestleMania sign. RAW went off the air just as it was announced that Randy Orton vs 'The Fiend' Bray Wyatt was official for WrestleMania 37.
In what could be a possible spoiler, The Fiend will be expected to crush Randy Orton similar to how he did against Finn Balor when he re-debuted in 2019.
It was a great way to go off air and the segment was done well. Despite some criticism received, the supernatural storyline has gotten a lot of attention and was the perfect choice to cap off a solid show.
#3. Worst: The handling of Jeff Hardy on RAW
It's sad to see how Jeff Hardy has been handled in his latest run on RAW. Not many fans expect Jeff Hardy to receive a main event push, but lately, it seems like success has evaded The Charismatic Enigma.
He had a decent run on SmackDown last year, with the highlight of it being a victory against Sheamus in their controversial feud as well as a brief run with the Intercontinental Championship.
This week on RAW, Jeff Hardy was used as a sacrificial lamb for The Miz - who challenged Bad Bunny at WrestleMania. So what better way to prepare a two-time Grand Slam Champion for his WrestleMania match against a Puerto Rican celebrity singer than having him beat a multi-time World Champion.
Jeff Hardy even told John Morrison to leave, and the latter obliged. The purpose of the match was to make The Miz look good, but it came at Jeff Hardy's expense. Bad Bunny vs. The Miz (or a tag team match) isn't a bad option for WrestleMania, but Jeff Hardy is being misused in a big way on RAW.
#2. Best: Peyton Royce stepping up on RAW and the aftermath
Last week on RAW Talk, Peyton Royce cut the promo of her career, revealing that her potential "haunts her". She demanded an opportunity to show what she's capable of and said that she wanted to face RAW Women's Champion Asuka.
She got what she wanted this week as she faced the Champion in a non-title match. It was an incredible effort from the Australian, and she took Asuka to the limit in one of the best matches that The Empress has had recently.
Asuka won in an incredible effort, but Peyton Royce looked great even in defeat. It was the best way to handle the situation, and the door may have opened for future opportunities.
Either way that is for the future. Rhea Ripley is the present, and she finally made her RAW debut - instantly challenging Asuka for her title at WrestleMania. The Empress accepted, and we have a potential blockbuster WrestleMania match for the RAW Women's Championship.
Will Rhea Ripley walk out of WrestleMania as the RAW Women's Champion?
#2. Worst: Kofi Kingston and AJ Styles' underwhelming match on RAW
RAW started great, with two incredible matches in Bobby Lashley vs. Sheamus and Asuka vs. Peyton Royce. That momentum was expected to continue, and while The Miz vs Jeff Hardy wasn't going to be a classic, AJ Styles vs Kofi Kingston should have been.
The prelude to their match on RAW was a comedic segment, and that seems to be the direction of their feud. The entire match itself seems to be set up simply to give AJ Styles a spot on the WrestleMania card - which is why he will be in a tag team match for the first time at The Show of Shows.
Either way, Kofi Kingston managed to secure a victory over AJ Styles with the SOS. It was a bit of a lucky victory, but there's no denying that both men could have done much better on RAW.
It should be a fun match at WrestleMania regardless, with fans wondering how Omos is going to perform in his in-ring debut.
#1. Best: The handling of Sheamus, Drew McIntyre, and Bobby Lashley on RAW
In this part of RAW, a singular storyline has now split in two. For starters, Sheamus lost in a great opening match on RAW to Bobby Lashley. But it was Cedric Alexander and Shelton Benjamin who had to be shouted at constantly for trying to interfere.
Bobby Lashley was even puzzled at their post-match beatdown of Sheamus, prompting Drew McIntyre to come and make the save. It wasn't a face turn, nor did Sheamus appreciate it later on, but the way it played out was great.
Drew McIntyre defeated Alexander & Benjamin in a handicap match, meaning that the two Hurt Business members will be barred from ringside in the WrestleMania main event.
Bobby Lashley was furious and issued a challenge to the locker room, putting a bounty on Drew McIntyre's head.
Meanwhile, Sheamus was distraught backstage. He didn't seem to appreciate Drew McIntyre helping him, and while getting interviewed, US Champion Riddle circled him with a scooter asking stupid questions. Sheamus attacked Riddle with the scooter and is now in a deserved title feud.
Sheamus vs. Riddle is expected to be the direction for WrestleMania, and it's a solid one.
#1. Worst: Shane McMahon's feud with Braun Strowman on RAW
Shane McMahon has been feuding with Braun Strowman on RAW. He was supposed to face The Monster Among Men at Fastlane, but an "injury" meant that Elias would replace him.
We saw that rematch on RAW with the same outcome. Except this time, Shane McMahon smacked Braun Strowman on the back with a crutch. The basis of the rivalry is all about Shane McMahon calling Braun Strowman stupid - nothing more.
There was even a little touch that WWE added which wasn't well received. When Strowman was running through people at ringside like he usually does, the sound effect of a train was played - to go with the "Strowman Express" theme. It was bad.
Thankfully, Braun Strowman got a good win over Elias, and his challenge to Shane McMahon for a match at WrestleMania was accepted. Shane McMahon ran away from Braun Strowman, revealing that his injury was fake.
It isn't a great storyline, and we can only hope that there's one outcome - Braun Strowman decimating The Prodigal Son.
