'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Disclaimer: The views of the author do not necessarily reflect those of Sportskeeda.
The fall season officially began yesterday, and Raw has a season premier set for next week. This episode included a fatal five way to determine the challenger for the Universal Championship next week. Elsewhere, we saw Rusev back in action and some more hype for Hell in a Cell. Unfortunately, much of the show was a filler.
Who got the most and least on the first night of fall?
Winners: The Viking Raiders
For months, The Viking Raiders have done nothing but defeat local jobbers to zero audience response. Now at least they're feuding with an established team in Gallows and Anderson. The Viking Raiders defeated the OC members last night, earning a legitimate victory that at least promises something greater in the future.
One wonders where this rivalry could possibly go with the Raw Tag Team Titles hanging around elsewhere, but at least it's a step toward something more positive for the Viking Raiders, who have been aimless ever since their impromptu main roster promotion in April.
Winner: Becky Lynch
Becky is always at her best when she's trash-talking an opponent and creating hype for a big pay per view match, so long as she has the right script, of course. She did it last night in this segment, where she declared that the Cell wasn't for keeping Bayley out, but rather leaving Sasha Banks with nowhere to go.
It was simple, but that's often where things are most effective.
Becky Lynch vs. Sasha Banks inside Hell in a Cell should be a memorable encounter, so long as the performers aren't hamstrung. We saw what they did last month, and their fabled match in NXT. Let's just hope the performers will be similarly unleashed inside WWE's most infamous structure.
Women's wrestling is finally heating up once again.
Winner: Rusev
A victory over EC3 is nothing to write home about, but for Rusev, it represents progress, considering that he was off TV for months on end. He looks a bit more menacing than he did. One wonders if he's going to get a new push, given his rumoured desire to leave and WWE doing all it can to keep talents under contract.
We'll see what happens over the coming weeks.
Loser: Nikki Cross
Again, there was no way Sasha Banks could lose given her title match at Hell in a Cell, but one questions WWE for putting Nikki Cross in this situation when other people were available.
Does WWE care about the women's Tag Team Titles that little? The question seems rhetorical. Given how they've been booked since WrestleMania, the answer is clearly yes.
So the end result is that a champion loses to make someone else look good heading into an unrelated match the company clearly prioritizes more. Such isn't the best use of talent.
Loser: Ember Moon
You can only scratch your head at stuff like this. Despite its proven failures, the Lacey Evans experiment is still continuing. Thankfully, a title isn't involved, but much more talented competitors are taking the brunt of slowing their pace to keep up with the clearly inferior Evans.
Not to mention a whole bunch of more talented people can't get airtime, even on a three-hour show like Raw.
One wonders just what WWE has in mind for Evans. She's clearly not ready for any kind of main event push, but the company seemingly just can't let her go.
Winner: Chad Gable
Chad Gable was on television again with Baron Corbin, and the two had an electric match before the latter intentionally disqualified himself. Surprisingly, this rivalry looks like one of the low key hits of 2019. Corbin is more exciting with Gable than he ever was challenging for the Universal Championship.
And Gable looks like a new man. Cynically, though, one has to wonder how long this will last. Will it lead to anything bigger for Gable or will he die on the vine?
For now, though, Gable is riding high.
Winner: Bray Wyatt/The Fiend
Bray Wyatt continues to be a smash hit. Now he interrupted a fun match between Seth Rollins and his former protege, Braun Strowman. Strowman got laid out and the Fiend looked stronger than ever. Seth Rollins was unnerved, to put it lightly.
And The Fiend didn't touch Rollins. He's clearly saving it all for Hell in a Cell, increasing anticipation for what was already an anticipated match.
There's really no going back but for The Fiend to win the title there. I've seen some chatter about Undertaker appearing, but that would be a disappointing end and only undercut The Fiend's momentum. It would tell us that he has a ceiling, that the company will never put the title on him. The same fate happened to Braun Strowman. Look how much cooler he is than he was two years ago. It would be a tragedy for The Fiend to go down the same road.
Plus, nobody cares about Undertaker in 2019. Sorry, but that's just the way it is. We know how hobbled he is in the ring these days. No amount of gimmickry can mask that.
WWE must capitalize on The Fiend.
