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I genuinely thought that there was a lot to like about WWE RAW before Extreme Rules, and it did seem like the low ratings forced WWE to step up its game. The commentary, sans Samoa Joe, leaves a lot to be desired but that is the WWE style, and one has no option but to get used to it if we're to watch RAW or SmackDown in 2020.
I am glad to report that I am not my usual pessimistic self as I go into this week's RAW review because I did think that WWE did a pretty commendable job when it comes to getting us excited for Extreme Rules. However, there were a few things that I did not care for, and I will list them in this week's report for your reading pleasure.
So, with that said, I present the 'Best and Worst' of WWE RAW.
#1 Best: Ric Flair tells a fantastic story in one of the most underrated promos on WWE RAW this year
If you watch the interaction between Ric Flair and The Big Show, you'll see that he plugged a WWE Network special, Big Show's Netflix series, and the upcoming match on the upcoming episode of WWE RAW after Extreme Rules 2020 in a masterful promo. It did not seem contrived, it did not seem unnatural, and it seemed like Ric Flair really cared about Big Show's health because he genuinely believes that Randy Orton is the best wrestler in the world right now on WWE RAW.
Randy Orton's promo, that followed on WWE RAW wasn't bad either, and even R-Truth was hilarious in this whole drama, as he almost always invariably is. I can't believe that I'm actually kicked about a Randy Orton vs. Big Show match in the year 2020.
#1 Worst: The current WWE RAW Tag Team Championship picture seems extremely cheesy
I think the problem with how The Viking Raiders have been portrayed on WWE RAW is the same issue that I have with Bobby Lashley as well. You have someone who looks like Ivar and works like him on WWE RAW, which is a rarity in someone this big, and yet WWE chooses to dump a comedy gimmick on him.
FTR has gone on the record to say that WWE treats its tag teams as an afterthought. And if you honestly look at the current RAW Tag Team Championship picture, which features these two teams in addition to the current champions, The Street Profits, one can't help but agree with Dax and Cash.
I really hope that there isn't a Charly Caruso on a pole match down the line where Ivar battles with Angel Garza to win her heart. It would be the final nail in the coffin for the WWE RAW tag team division.
The women's tag team championship picture is significantly better, in my honest opinion.
#2 Best: Two major returns on the final episode of RAW before WWE Extreme Rules 2020
The women's division on RAW has seemed lackluster since the departure of Becky Lynch and I am glad to report that Bianca Belair is back in the mix once again, teaming up with Ruby Riott. While many in the WWE Universe, myself included, wanted Ruby Riott to team up with Liv Morgan once again, I am almost glad to see Bianca Belair included in this particular case. It means that we're not going back to the well once again and not reforming a watered-down version of The Riott Squad on WWE RAW in 2020.
Also, the return of Shayna Baszler has to be counted as a positive, considering that she could go after Sasha Banks or Asuka, depending on who emerges as the RAW Women's Champion in the match at Extreme Rules.
WWE has a stacked women's roster at the moment and it was great to see them have a chance to come back and shine under the bright RAW spotlight.
#2 Worst: The whole 'Eye for an Eye' situation despite WWE stars trying their best on RAW before Extreme Rules
Is this the worst Seth Rollins we have seen thus far? Do you remember when he used to be the top babyface on WWE RAW, take on Brock Lesnar and even beat him clean? Seth Rollins has done his best to make his heel gimmick work on WWE RAW, but as Extreme Rules approaches and a match with a ridiculous 'eye for an eye' stipulation draws ever nearer, it makes two legends like Seth Rollins and Rey Mysterio seem somewhat less important.
I quite enjoyed his match with Kevin Owens to be fair and even Murphy and Aleister Black tore it up on WWE RAW, just as we'd assumed they would.
And yet, Seth Rollins feels like someone who has just been a shadow of his former self as Extreme Rules draws ever nearer and this has been the case on WWE RAW ever since he adopted the Monday Night Messiah gimmick. Turn him babyface again!
#3 Best: The WWE RAW creative team makes Bobby Lashley a monster once again
It was baffling to me how one can have an absolute monster like Bobby Lashley in the active roster and treat him as just another comedy character on WWE RAW. While the stuff he did with Lana got some of the highest viewership on WWE's social media, and it is a business at the end of the day, we know that the WWE RAW audience, much like the rest of the human race, in general, will be attracted to car crashes.
I thought that Bobby Lashley, who is legitimately one of the most dangerous men in the world was miscast in his role and should have been portrayed as 'the dominator' on WWE RAW, a man that runs through every one of his opponents like an unstoppable monster. I am glad to report that with MVP by his side on WWE RAW, Bobby Lashley has become the beast that we knew him to be back when he was a part of Impact Wrestling again.
#3 Best/Worst: A bittersweet moment to end WWE RAW before Extreme Rules 2020
The main event of WWE RAW before Extreme Rules was exactly as advertised. It began with a fantastic vignette where Sasha Banks and Bayley set the seeds for a feud with Trish Stratus and Lita (and John Cena too, in a surprising manner) and went on to have a fantastic RAW main event match that got us pumped about their upcoming matches at Extreme Rules.
Unfortunately, this is probably one of Kairi Sane's final appearances in WWE because she will be returning to Japan, from what we've heard. If so, she will be going out with a fantastic RAW match (possibly with a few more matches?) and she will definitely be missed in the women's roster with so many top names gone.
Would you like Kairi Sane to turn on Asuka at Extreme Rules so that we can see this big match at WWE SummerSlam?
Before I leave, I'd like to remind you that Hurricane Helms will be live on Sportskeeda's YouTube on Tuesday night, and will be taking your questions. Here's a glimpse of our last live session.
