WWE RAW Flops and Hits: Randy Orton in epic showdown, Big mistake before Brock Lesnar vs. Bobby Lashley (24th January, 2022)

This week’s episode of WWE RAW had its fair share of highs and lows. We saw a couple of excellent performances that did well in elevating the overall standards of the show. On the other hand, there were much-awaited segments that turned out to be quite disappointing.

Between academic challenges and birthday parties, there was a lot that transpired on RAW. This was the red brand’s final show before Royal Rumble 2022, and there was plenty of good and bad that can be highlighted it.

Here, we look at some of the biggest flops and hits from WWE RAW before Royal Rumble 2022. So, without further ado, let’s begin.

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#5 Hit on WWE RAW: Randy Orton

Randy Orton delivered one of the best performances on WWE RAW this week. The former world champion stole the show with his in-ring performance and mic work.

It all started with a Spelling Bee contest between RK-Bro and the tag team champions, Alpha Academy. An overconfident Chad Gable misspelled his word, and his team lost. Orton then challenged Gable to a singles match that saw both superstars bring their absolute best inside the ring.

The Viper was near perfect throughout his bout against Gable, and the latter did well in keeping his opponent on his toes. Randy Orton went above and beyond to make Chad Gable look equally strong during their match.

We saw a tired Orton struggling to go for cover twice in the bout. The closing moments saw Riddle take out Otis with a scooter at ringside. Randy Orton delivered a picturesque RKO back in the ring to secure a pinfall.

This was one of the most entertaining matches of the night. The entire segment was well-balanced between the two tag teams, allowing all four superstars to make their presence known on WWE RAW.

Next week, they will be competing in a scooter race, a competition selected by Riddle. RK-Bro needs to compete in a series of challenges before getting another shot at the tag team titles.

It is worth noting that Orton looks delighted and comfortable in his current run as Riddle’s tag team partner. He seems to be genuinely enjoying his run in the tag team division. While RK-Bro’s split is inevitable, one can’t deny the impeccable chemistry between Riddle and Randy Orton.

We hope that the creative team will do justice to their run so far.

#4 Flop on WWE RAW: Brock Lesnar and Bobby Lashley weigh-in

The opening segment of WWE RAW saw Brock Lesnar and Bobby Lashley come face to face for their official weigh-in ahead of their title match at Royal Rumble.

Given that the WWE Universe has waited almost two decades to watch these two superstars face each other in a match, expectations were high from their showdown before the clash. Unfortunately, the meeting between Lesnar and Lashley was quite underwhelming tonight.

We saw Lesnar being hilarious on the mic, and he is clearly enjoying his time in his current run as a babyface. While we enjoyed seeing him take complete control of his promos, it was undoubtedly concerning seeing Lashley struggle to look at the same level as the champion.

Even a promo battle between MVP and Paul Heyman would have worked wonders in an otherwise uneventful segment on WWE RAW.

The writers understandably didn’t want to give away a lot from the upcoming match between Brock Lesnar and Bobby Lashley. However, both superstars should have at least been involved in a brief brawl to give us a taste of what to expect from their title bout at Royal Rumble.

A feud surrounding the WWE Championship deserves a more intense build-up, and that should not be limited to creating good promos.

#3 Hit on WWE RAW: AJ Styles

Another excellent match on WWE RAW saw AJ Styles back in action. He was booked for a singles match against Austin Theory, and their battle was nothing short of brilliant.

Theory had special instructions from Vince McMahon to bring back the selfie he would like. The upcoming star did everything possible to get that winning selfie, but he could not beat The Phenomenal One.

AJ Styles and Austin Theory pushed each other to their limits in terms of pace and technical ability. It was great to see Styles back in action as he fought brilliantly throughout the match.

Theory also deserves accolades for looking as good as he did against one of the finest performers in the pro-wrestling business. The match ended with AJ Styles sealing his victory with a Phenomenal Forearm.

This encounter was booked well, allowing both superstars to look good. We wonder why the writers didn’t adopt the same approach while booking Austin Theory’s matches against Finn Balor.

Most importantly, now that AJ Styles is back in singles action, it will be exciting to see what awaits him on RAW. We hope to see him involved in compelling storylines on the red brand moving forward.

#2 Flop on WWE RAW: Damian Priest makes the same mistake, again

Last week on WWE RAW, Kevin Owens employed his villainous tricks to become the first superstar to beat Damian Priest via pinfall on the main roster. This earned him a shot at the United States Championship.

Both superstars faced each other in a title match on the show tonight. Priest’s defense ended in disqualification after he couldn’t stop himself from subjecting his opponent to a series of illegal blows.

The two superstars engaged in a solid title bout that saw both of them look equally strong. There were several spots in the match when it felt that Owens could get away with the victory.

Towards the end of the match, we saw KO once again fake an injury before hitting Damian Priest with a cheap shot. This aggravated the champion to the extent that he summoned his brutal side and kept attacking Kevin Owens until the referee called for the match to end.

Owens won the match on WWE RAW, but Priest retained his title via champion's advantage. The problem with these repeated errors from the latter is that he ends up looking naïve and impulsive as a champion.

Unless the writers plan to have Kevin Owens and Damian Priest compete for the title in a no-disqualification match, Priest's error will make no sense. Also, he could benefit from a heel turn prompted by his title loss if that happens in the near future.

In the meantime, the writers must ensure that Damian Priest’s good performances are not overshadowed by annoying mistakes that are easily triggered. He is at a higher risk of losing credibility now that he is no longer undefeated on WWE RAW.

#1 Hit on WWE RAW: Bianca Belair

WWE RAW superstar Bianca Belair competed on this week's episode in a singles match against Queen Zelina. The two superstars clashed in a bid to gain momentum ahead of the Women's Royal Rumble match.

Although Zelina fought well, she couldn't beat Belair in their one-off encounter tonight. Neither of the two superstars looked weak in the match, which is a testament to their solid in-ring work.

Queen Vega, a reigning champion, needed to come across as a credible talent, and she put up a good fight against her opponent. Unfortunately for her, The EST of WWE reigned supreme on RAW after a dominant performance.

The one-half of the Women's Tag Team Champions fell victim to Bianca Belair's thunderous KOD, and the latter picked up the victory via pinfall.

Belair is a former Women's Royal Rumble winner, and she will look to win it again this Saturday. She can make history by being the first superstar to win two successive Royal Rumble matches in 24 years.

It will be exciting to see how she is booked in the year's first big premium live event. Additionally, Zelina's loss tonight should motivate the champion to do well in the 30-woman contest.