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Putting together 3 hours worth of live television every week is not easy. Fans of wrestling constantly criticize the job WWE's creative team do putting matches together but few truly understand just how difficult their task is.
Making each show different and exciting is incredibly difficult even without considering the injuries, bans and talent turnover that WWE have to deal with. That's not to say that they couldn't do a better job and so here is how I would go about booking Monday Night Raw, starting with next Monday's show in San Jose.
#1 Elias vs Braun Strowman
Fans love to complain about the opening segments of WWE programming. They are, however, important in setting the tone of the show and so I haven't strayed too far from what the viewer expects to see.
Elias has been fantastic since being called up to the main roster and following his big win at the end of last week's raw, he's earned opening this week's show. He can head down to the ring, warning the crowd to be quiet and then begin his tune. He should talk up his win last week, before admonishing the post-match assault by Strowman and criticizing Angle for both not punishing Strowman and being a disappointing and boring GM.
This can trigger Angle to interrupt Elias and seem enraged by Elias's taunts. He can point to the night's main event, a fatal-4-way match to determine the final elimination chamber birth (a match that has already been booked in real life). He should also announce a major women's main event for later in the night (more on that later), before addressing Elias directly. Angle can announce that not only will he not be punishing Strowman, that he will, in fact, be placing Strowman in a match with Elias to begin immediately.
Elias should put up a good fight but ultimately be beaten fairly comfortably by Strowman, who needs to remain looking strong headed into the Elimination Chamber pay-per-view.
Winner: Braun Strowman
Segment and match running time: 25 minutes
Transition segment: Strowman stares down Cena backstage before moving on. Cena receives a formal invitation by the miztourage to appear on Miz TV.
#2 Absolution vs Bayley and Sasha Banks
Sasha Banks and Bayley can play off their recent friendly rivalry in this match. It should become clear that the pair is not on the same page. Meanwhile, the Absolution duo should look like a strong well-oiled team as they don't really carry any threat headed into the women's elimination chamber match at the moment.
Absolution has really struggled to gain any traction since Paige's injury but I'd have them pick up a surprise win here, capitalizing on some Bayley and Banks confusion. This would give them a little momentum headed into Elimination Chamber and would progress the Bayley and Banks narrative.
Winner: Absolution
Match running time: 20 mins
Transition segment: 205 Live tournament highlights
#3 Cedric Alexander vs Drew Gulak
Maverick should appear on stage, highlighting 205 Live and the current tournament on the brand. He should mention how the brand has changed and it's time everyone else woke up and took notice. He will then announce he has booked a match tonight to showcase the best of 205 Live at the moment but also noting the brand is going from strength to strength.
Gulak and Alexander are two of the more interesting performers on 205 Live and, given a little time here, they should be able to put on an entertaining match. A one-on-one fight would also be a nice change of speed compared to the multi-man tag matches we have grown used to. The winner here isn't particularly important as the point of the bout is to draw interest in 205 live but I'd have Alexander win the matchup to further cement him as the favorite for the cruiserweight title.
Winner: Cedric Alexander
Segment and match running time: 20 mins
Transition: Cena preparing to feature on Miz TV
#4 Miz TV segment
Miz can explain how he has come on leaps and bounds since his rivalry last year with Cena. He can mention that perhaps Cena is losing it whereas he is once again an act worthy of headlining WrestleMania.
When Cena joins him he can assure Miz he has plenty left to give. He can mention how he's not finished being "the guy" in WWE.
At this point, Roman Reigns should march down the ring. He can inform Cena that he has not been "the guy" for some time now and that the last time these two squared off he came out on top.
The last time these three shared a ring the Miz stole the show with his mic work and he should reference this whilst trying to upstage the pair once again. Cena and Reigns can admit that Miz is good on the mic but question his ability in the ring. When Reigns leaves the ring, Miz and the Miztourage can attempt to jump him from behind before Cena comes in with the save. Cena can hit Miz with the attitude adjustment before looking down at Miz's Intercontinental title with some intrigue.
This segment has the potential to be electric, Reigns and Cena look strong heading into the elimination and a Cena vs Miz intercontinental title match is teased which could be a fun main event for the following week.
Segment running time: 20 mins
Transition: Advert break
#5 The Bar vs Seth Rollins
The Bar should come out and mock Seth Rollins. Ambrose is gone, Jordan is gone and Reigns is focusing on Elimination Chamber. He has nobody left and after months of feuding with the tag team, they are still the champions and he is back to square one.
Rollins can then appear, having heard enough. He will admit he doesn't have any more tag team partners but claim he doesn't need one to take on the pair. The Bar can invite him down to the ring and a handicap match can commence.
Rollins should be battered in this match, having little to no offense until the final throws. He can come close to upsetting the tag team champions before ultimately succumbing to the numbers game. Rollins can look valiant in defeat and increasingly frustrated with his situation. The Bar should continue to look dominant as champions.
Winner: The Bar
Segment and match time: 30 mins
Transition: Advert Break
#6 Alexa Bliss vs Asuka
This match should be heavily hyped as it is, after all, the royal rumble winner versus the champion. A video package alongside animated commentary could really elevate the importance of this bout.
Asuka and Bliss should appear fairly equal in a bout that should not be allowed to go on for too long. With Asuka beginning to roll and gain the upper hand Nia Jax should intervene and spoil the fun. She can beat down on Asuka while Bliss scuttles away to safety.
This could create some belief that Nia Jax has a chance at elimination chamber and Bliss can seem worried about the potential threat Asuka poses to her title. Arguably the most important function of this match is to see whether or not Bliss versus Asuka at WrestleMania is the right direction for the division or whether the WWE would be better served changing plans towards an Asuka vs Banks program or a multi-women matchup potentially including Jax.
Bliss vs Asuka is still the match I'd like to see at WrestleMania and so that bout ought to be teased here without giving away too much.
Winner: Asuka (via DQ)
Running time: 20 mins
Transition: Broken Matt Hardy video
#7 Finn Balor vs Apollo Crews vs Matt Hardy vs Bray Wyatt
This match has already been scheduled by the WWE so I won't go into the reasoning behind its booking.
The match itself should be lengthy and should showcase the four men involved which in the process will make the elimination chamber match feel all the more important.
At one point in the match, I'd like to see Titus, who could be a special guest commentator for the match, help Crews gain the upper hand on Balor. Balor's club mates should then interfere and level the playing field. To add to the chaos, I'd then have the Revival get involved, taking out the Club and setting up a match next week between the two teams, potentially for the rights to face the Bar for their gold at Elimination Chamber. The two had an altercation last week and so I feel it would be smart to build on that this week.
Wyatt and Hardy's history should also be developed in this match to further their feud. Perhaps the two can form an alliance to take on Crews and Balor, gaining the upper hand at one point in the match. The two's obsession with each other should once again cost each other an opportunity with the pair taking themselves out leaving Balor to capitalize and pin a weakened Crews.
This would complete the field for Elimination Chamber, develop the tag team division, further Balor's push, progress the Wyatt vs Hardy feud and give Crews a bigger role than he is used to.
Winner: Finn Balor
Running Time: 40 mins
