'%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)
Listen, we cannot judge WWE RAW by the usual parameters that we employ every single week because of the setbacks that WWE suffered. Moments before WWE RAW went on air, we learned that the WWE Champion, Drew McIntyre was suffering from Covid-19, the affliction that is plaguing the world at the moment.
We do hope that Drew McIntyre and anyone else in the WWE RAW roster that may have been exposed to the virus recover soon. Yes, it's fun to pick out the best and worst from WWE RAW, but let's remember that these are actual human beings at the end of the day, with real-life problems like us.
So yes, this wasn't the best episode of WWE RAW, but it's also commendable to see how the men and women stepped up when dire circumstances hit. It's been a difficult year for the company, putting on a show without fans, but the roster hasn't faltered at all.
With that said, here's the 'best and worst' from this week's show.
#1 Best: Alexa Bliss returns to WWE RAW, in the main event
Alexa Bliss is back on WWE RAW and whether you were a fan of her fireball gimmick or not, it's great to see her renew her feud with Randy Orton. It just felt like when she was written off for a week, following the cliffhanger with Randy Orton, the story lost a lot of the momentum that it originally had.
We are just counting down the days until Bray Wyatt makes a return to the WWE RAW roster, and it will be interesting to see how he's portrayed, considering that he was set on fire by Randy Orton.
Was Randy Orton burned to a crisp as well, following the fireball attack on WWE RAW this week? Will he seek revenge against Alexa Bliss?
#1 Worst: Waiting 3 hours for a Triple H street fight on WWE RAW, and getting what we ended up getting
As WWE RAW progressed, it was really amusing to read the messages on the SK Wrestling chat, where the staff seemed annoyed that the Triple H vs. Randy Orton street fight that was promised to us would not play out in the manner that they had assumed.
There was so little time left for the WWE RAW main event when the match actually began that it became obvious that we wouldn't really get the contest that we'd waited three whole hours to see.
The hook of watching Triple H wrestling on WWE RAW was massive, especially if you consider that he is a part-timer and it's been a while since we last saw him mix it up with the current talent of today. To the credit of the company, they also built the match well, if you factor in the backstage segment with Keith Lee.
Sometimes, when the build is great and the outcome is underwhelming, the audience does not return the following week.
#2 Best: The Ric Flair and the Lacey Evans alliance on WWE RAW seems interesting
For Ric Flair to betray his own daughter on WWE RAW, after being wooed (no pun intended) by Lacey Evans is the most Ric Flair thing to do, isn't it? He is the Nature Boy for a reason and Lacey Evans could really benefit from having a manager like him. Ric Flair and the other legends helped WWE RAW score a solid viewership figure last week, making it the number 1 show on cable, after all.
It also potentially sets the stage for Andrade's big return because now that Ric Flair is in Evans' corner, Charlotte Flair will want someone in her corner as well.
It will make a lot more sense to bring Andrade back to WWE RAW for this role, instead of pairing her up with a legend like Hulk Hogan or Sgt. Slaughter standing in her corner, interfering in the proceedings. Honestly, it is cool to see how WWE took a botch and made an angle out of it.
#2 Worst: Matt Riddle's WWE RAW character and his booking as well
Has there been a WWE RAW star that has been booked as poorly as Riddle since he's arrived on the brand? The creative team obviously does not understand his character, filling him with cliches about pizzas and whatnot in ridiculous WWE RAW segments every week. But the biggest mistake happened on this week's episode of WWE RAW, following his loss to Bobby Lashley.
Okay, so he came up short against Bobby Lashley of The Hurt Business which is fine, because that is the direction that WWE wants to go, with the current United States Champion.
What made no sense at all is Riddle saying that because he couldn't beat Bobby Lashley on WWE RAW, he wants to take on MVP instead. The segment would end with Lashley's interference and with Riddle laid out in the middle of the ring in some truly weird booking. Why would any babyface, after losing a WWE RAW match, challenge a lesser opponent like MVP to win favor with fans?
#3 Best/Worst: T-Bar scores a major win on WWE RAW this week
Now that you've heard what we at SK Wrestling think about WWE RAW, be sure to check out what former WWE head writer and WCW Champion Vince Russo thinks, by clicking on the link above. He is in conversation with Dr. Chris Featherstone, of SK Wrestling, as they talk about the ups and downs from WWE RAW.
So, for our final point this week, WWE RAW star T-Bar picked up his first major win on RAW and that's definitely a good thing. If you know Dominik Dijakovic from his time in WWE NXT, and other promotions, you know for a fact that he's a really gifted man and deserves to pick up one win after another.
That said, RETRIBUTION has no sense of direction really, and one has to wonder if this win will translate into any kind of push for the faction or even T-Bar as a singles star, on WWE RAW going forward. Let's cross our fingers and hope for the best.
