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It's almost been two months since WWE made the announcement that Paul Heyman and Eric Bischoff would be appointed as Executive Directors of RAW and SmackDown. While Bischoff has been gradually transitioning into his new role on the Blue Brand, Heyman seems to have taken full creative control on Monday nights.
Paul Heyman is said to be largely responsible for every storyline involving his client, Brock Lesnar. Heyman was also reportedly heavily involved with scripting promos and working alongside Ronda Rousey during her year-long run in the company. Therefore, to no one's surprise, Heyman has taken to his new role like fish to water. The famous New York native doesn't only get along with Rousey and Lesnar. He has a good rapport with many of the current crop of WWE Superstars.
Since Heyman has taken over the reins of WWE's longest-running weekly show, there has been a massive uptick, both in storytelling and in-ring action. The matches feel (most of them) more important than they have in a long time, the storytelling has been more coherent, and the characters within the show finally seem to have a legitimate purpose. This has been reflected in TV ratings, which have seen a gradual increase despite heavy competition from the NFL and other sports leagues.
One of the best things to have happened on RAW since the former ECW head honcho took charge is the emergence of young, up and coming superstars. Names like Ricochet, Cedric Alexander and Chad Gable, have hit home runs each and every time they have graced the Red Brand's ring. The overall quality of TV matches has also improved dramatically and the biggest example of that has been the 2019 King of The Ring. The 16-man single-elimination tournament has given fans some of the best matches on WWE TV in recent memory.
The biggest change that Heyman has brought about on Monday Nights has been the air of unpredictability surrounding the show. The company has thrown many surprises at the fans over the past few weeks. While not every surprise has necessarily worked, fans can't help but applaud the company for at least trying.
The presentation of The Fiend and everything Bray Wyatt has done with the character has been absolute gold. It should come as no surprise that the company is actively trying to push The Fiend into the mainstream as the Red Brand's poster boy, and rightfully so.
Lastly, there have been a few segments on RAW over the past few months that have been downright uncomfortable to watch. Brock Lesnar has engaged in sheer brutality, beating down Seth Rollins, and most recently Rey Mysterio and his son, Dominick. This has made many in the WWE Universe feel uneasy, which isn't really a bad thing. Add to that, the Mike & Maria Kanellis pregnancy storyline and the shocking closing stretch of this week's RAW. One thing is clear. We can already see the mad scientist's fingerprints all over Monday Night RAW and so far, that has proven to be a good thing.
