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The final show of WWE RAW before Survivor Series WarGames had its fair share of highs and lows. We saw top superstars fight to gain momentum ahead of the upcoming premium live event.
The show also confirmed Seth Rollins' next title defense. Unfortunately, there were a few glaring mistakes in booking the red brand's go-home show.
Here, let's look at some of the biggest flops and hits from WWE RAW this week. So, without further ado, let's begin.
Honorable mention: Kevin Owens returns on WWE RAW
Kevin Owens is back on WWE RAW and is at his best. KO walked out to a deafening pop on the red brand to open the show. He addressed fans and explained why he joined The Brawling Brutes and Drew McIntyre in their feud with The Bloodline. Owens didn't forget how Roman Reigns' devious allies wronged him at the beginning of the Tribal Chief's historic title reign.
KO then sent a message to Reigns, putting the champion on notice. Owens seems to be better prepared for The Head of the Table, as they seem destined to head into a feud.
He invited Brawling Brutes and Drew McIntyre to join him on RAW, leading to exciting segments and matches. It is worth noting that KO exclusively stated that he has no problem with Sami Zayn and still thinks of him as his "brother." Could this equation impact both superstars in the WarGames match at Survivor Series?
#1. Hit on WWE RAW: Austin Theory on the road to redemption
Austin Theory's failed Money in the Bank cash-in compromised his rise to the top, but he is now a new man. The young superstar recognized the weight was off tonight as he looked determined to reinvent himself on the red brand.
This week, he locked horns with Mustafa Ali in a singles match. It was a short bout, but both superstars did extremely well inside the squared circle. Ali was fighting despite risky injuries, and Theory was busted open halfway through the match, but neither of them were ready to give up.
Theory fought viciously against a valiant Mustafa Ali, and together they accounted for an entertaining spectacle. Although the latter tried his best, Theory was too good to be contained. He picked up a promising victory, following which Bobby Lashley confronted him on WWE RAW. Theory cut a short yet impressive promo before engaging in a brawl with The All Mighty.
He hit Lashley with multiple chair shots and threw an injured Ali at him to create his escape. Both Austin Theory and Bobby Lashley will challenge Seth Rollins for the United States Championship in a triple-threat match at Survivor Series WarGames. While The Architect and The All Mighty have the odds in their favor, Theory is someone who has something to prove, and he has done an impressive job so far.
#2. Hit on WWE RAW: Rhea Ripley
WWE RAW's main event saw Rhea Ripley and Asuka battle inside the squared circle to win the advantage for their respective teams ahead of the much-awaited Women's WarGames match. The Eradicator was finally back in action in a proper match, and she didn't disappoint.
The creative team has invested a lot in building her up as an unbeatable force, and she stayed true to that booking on tonight's show.
Ripley defeated Asuka following an impressive display and earned the entrance order advantage for Damage CTRL and Nikki Cross ahead of Survivor Series WarGames. Both sides then engaged in a massive brawl as RAW went off the air.
Interestingly, the final member of Bianca Belair's team will be revealed on WWE SmackDown's go-home show before Survivor Series WarGames.
#3. Hit on WWE RAW: Matt Riddle and Elias
We saw Matt Riddle and Elias recently form an alliance on WWE RAW. They have been feuding with The Alpha Academy, which led to their tag team match on tonight's who. Otis and Chad Gable dominated the match early on but couldn't hold onto the momentum. Riddle showed great in-ring chemistry with Elias despite only working together for a short period of time.
Ultimately, Riddle and Elias picked up a grueling victory to further cement their alliance on the red brand. Watching Riddle compete in the tag team division with someone else in the absence of Randy Orton has been interesting.
However, this could set the foundation for a betrayal and a subsequent big feud between Riddle and Elias down the line.
#4. Flop on WWE RAW: Johnny Gargano takes an unnecessary loss against Omos
This week on Balor's, Johnny Gargano was supposed to lock horns with The Miz in a singles match. The latter announced that he hurt himself because of a cactus and thus couldn't compete in the match tonight. However, he found a replacement in The Nigerian Giant Omos. The former tag team champion strolled to the ring, where Gargano anxiously awaited his surprise opponent.
Despite his efforts, Gargano was no match against his opponent and suffered an embarrassing loss. Omos is not the best in-ring performer; his only advantage is his size. But fans have seen superstars of more diminutive stature beat him more often than not.
These squash matches don't help anyone and are far from entertaining. The only good thing about this match was Miz's involvement in the commentary, but there was hardly enough time for him to say a lot about Lumis.
This match did nothing for either of the two superstars involved in the battle. It also barely helped build up to the high-stakes match between The Miz and Dexter Lumis at Survivor Series WarGames. Gargano was on TV after a segment that involved Finn Balor, Sheamus, and AJ Styles, as well as the subsequent segment featuring Seth Rollins. It was a wasted opportunity, to say the least.
#5. Flop/Hit on WWE RAW: Finn Balor
We saw Finn Balor at his best while playing a heel. But something is missing from his current portrayal of the bad guy. He led Judgment Day in the match against Brawling Brutes, but The O.C.'s presence helped The Brawling Brutes pick up a convincing victory.
Following the match, Balor shouted insults at AJ Styles while Kevin Owens stood behind him in the ring. As soon as the former Universal Champion turned, Owens delivered a Stunner to leave him laid out on the mat.
Later in the night, he confronted Styles backstage, which led to a brawl between The O.C. and The Judgment Day.
As underwhelming as Judgment Day has been lately, Balor vs. Styles remains one of the most promising matches in WWE this year. Fans will see the two long-term friends turn into bitter rivals in a huge showdown at Survivor Series WarGames. Hopefully, the bout and its results will prompt the creative team to invest more in Balor's strengths.
What did you make of RAW this week? Let us know in the comments section below.
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