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The first episode of WWE RAW after the tragic and untimely demise of Brodie Lee did not have the kind of tributes fans were expecting to witness. The Superstars, however, chipped in with their little tributes across the show, and it was heartwarming.
However, the show had some interesting developments like a new contender for the WWE Championship was determined, The Miz getting back his MITB briefcase, and Alexa Bliss almost set on fire. Several storyline possibilities have opened up, and RAW now stands the chance of actually bringing about a shake-up that was spoken about a couple of weeks ago all over the internet.
So without any further delays, let's dive and discuss some of the major talking points from this week's episode of RAW that has already gotten the fans talking. Do share your thoughts in the comments section.
#5 Randy Orton possibly sets Alexa Bliss on fire to end RAW
First things first, Alexa Bliss is a tremendous actress, and she would be smart enough to pursue a serious acting career when she hangs up her boots. The material here on RAW wasn't anything great except for that shock ending, but Bliss was simply fantastic in her role, and she deserves all the props to elevate the segment with her performance.
Earlier in the show, Alexa Bliss had challenged Randy Orton to a match in the ring, to which the latter accepted. Later in the main event, both The Viper and former five-time Women's champion made their way into the ring.
Bliss got a gift for Orton, which to the surprise of none, was a gasoline can. While Orton was unsure about what to do, Bliss surrounded herself with the gasoline, eventually pouring it on herself. After taunting him for not being as sadistic as he calls himself to be, the lights dimmed, and The Viper smiled while holding a match in his hand.
Honestly saying, this was weird and may have worked with better planning. The only redeeming factor was Bliss, as mentioned earlier. Maybe she and The Fiend would return on RAW as changed people, seeking vengeance, or maybe it was a plan all along to destabilize Orton. The possibilities are genuinely endless, but not many are exciting.
#4 Keith Lee is the latest challenger for Drew McIntyre's WWE Championship on RAW
In what was a much-needed departure from the usual RAW tropes, the opening segment wasn't an overlong promo exchange between multiple Superstars. Instead, a little tribute for Brodie Lee by WWE Champion Drew McIntyre, followed by a minor mic showdown between Keith Lee and Sheamus, and we got into the meat of things.
The match between Keith Lee and Sheamus to determine the No.1 contender for the WWE Championship was a pretty good one, as expected from these two guys. While most would have predicted The Celtic Warrior to come on top, considering the story developments in recent weeks, it was Lee who surprisingly came up victorious in the end.
Though it's hard to imagine the WWE Championship change hands on RAW, the clash between Lee and McIntyre is bound to be a fantastic one. The two Superstars are way too talented to disappoint. However, it'll be intriguing to see how things end.
A clean loss may put Lee out of the title picture for the foreseeable future, while a screwy finish doesn't fit the character of McIntyre. Maybe Sheamus would end up interfering, setting-up a triple threat clash at Royal Rumble 2021 in the process.
#3 Charlotte Flair has her first singles match in more than six months on RAW
Current one half of the Women's Tag Team Champions, Charlotte Flair wrestled her first singles match on RAW in over six months, facing Nia Jax. While she felt quite comfortable in the tag matches, considering there was less in-ring time, even a little ring rust would have been evident in a singles match. However, it seems like she hasn't lost a step in the ring.
On the contrary, she helped Nia Jax have one of her best singles matches in recent times. The two women went back and forth for over 13 minutes, never stalling the action for a long time.
Though the ending was quite disappointing, with Shayna Baszler causing a disqualification, it ensured there's more in store for these two tandems.
It would be interesting to see who challenges Asuka for the RAW Women's Championship at Royal Rumble 2021. While Jax announced herself as an entrant in the Rumble match, Asuka's friendship with Flair shows no signs of dissolving anytime soon.
It leaves Baszler as the only viable contender for the title, and that certainly promises to be a delicious prospect.
#2 Ricochet stays adamant about not joining RETRIBUTION, even after losing on RAW
After weeks of tormenting Ricochet on RAW in an attempt to make him join RETRIBUTION, the faction's leader, Mustafa Ali, himself stepped up to face WWE's Resident Superhero. The ensuing clash was as good as people expect from performers of these two's caliber.
After fighting in the ring for most parts of the match, other members of RETRIBUTION tried to interfere, but Ricochet single-handedly vanquished them all away. Soon making his way back into the ring, he set-up himself up for a 630 splash, but landed on Ali's knees, who then locked him in the Koji Clutch to secure the victory.
After the match, Ali made one last offer to the former United States Champion to join the faction, but the latter refused yet again and managed to escape. It's hard to determine what will be this story's endpoint.
Ricochet will have to score that big win to bring this story to a logical end or let himself relent and join RETRIBUTION. Considering the position he finds himself in, any of the two directions can help in re-energizing his career on RAW.
#1 Miz gets back his Money in the Bank briefcase on RAW
The Miz had quite a topsy-turvy night on RAW. After losing to Gran Metalik of all people earlier in the show, he was later handed back his Money in the Bank briefcase by Adam Pearce after the valid argument he made on last week's episode.
While The Miz was smart enough to point out the loophole during the cash-in at TLC 2020, it's still hard to imagine him becoming the WWE Champion in his current role. The way he danced along with John Morrison after getting back the briefcase itself showed this story is a comedic one.
Honestly, if he cashes-in his contract on McIntyre, it can lead to crowd uproar and create more damage to the overall product. WWE has found themselves in a rabbit hole, and it would be hard to find a way out of it.
He needs to be booked strongly on RAW, accumulating wins against mid-card and upper-mid card guys, instead of losing to Gran Metalik and engage in impromptu dance sessions.
