Survivor Series is only six days away, and this meant that the Raw brand had one last chance to generate anticipation for the show, with a number of segments dedicated to the brand warfare that will occur on the PPV. The competitors of Raw’s male team fought in tag matches, attempting to put aside their differences to work as a team heading into the PPV.
While they confronted Shane-O-Mac and Daniel Bryan at the end of the show, the Red brand’s team was in for a big surprise, as SmackDown’s team arrived at ringside. Sasha Banks and Charlotte were forced to team up, just weeks after clashing inside Hell in a Cell.
A number of Raw’s tag teams faced off against a variety of members on the Raw roster. And Goldberg and Brock Lesnar finally came face to face with their much-anticipated rematch just six days away. Did these segments generate the hype that WWE was looking for heading into Survivor Series, or did the Raw brand flounder on their go-home show?
Let’s find out, as I analyze and grade each segment from the November 14th episode of WWE Raw.
Brock Lesnar and Goldberg- Face to Face:
Grade: 9/10
This was the perfect way to produce even more anticipation for the epic rematch on Sunday, with Lesnar and Goldberg facing off amidst a line of security. Lesnar botched up his entrance and tripped when made the customary jump on the apron. Check it out below:
Paul Heyman is a magician on the mic, working the crowd wonderfully, as he dictated the face/heel dynamic in this match. Lesnar was the clear heel here, being booed, while ‘Goldberg’ chants rained through the arena.
The integration of Goldberg’s family into the story helps fans get behind him even more, and Heyman stating that Goldberg’s son would call Lesnar ‘daddy’ after Sunday’s match was an incredible line. Those who have doubted Goldberg’s physical condition were silenced, as he looked outstanding here.
Whether he can still go in the ring is another question, but as for in-ring shape, Goldberg appears incredibly prepared. The teased physical confrontation between the two men was awesome, and Lesnar backing down, earned him incredible heat from the crowd.
Even though some fans may believe the quality of the match on Sunday will be poor, this was another great segment from an incredible build. Overall, a stellar segment that generated more hype for Lesnar vs. Goldberg II on Sunday.
The GM and Commissioner address Raw’s Survivor Series teams:
Grade: 6/10
The matches that were booked by the GM and Commissioner here could’ve been announced in backstage segments or throughout the show, but instead, we got a pointless promo segment involving the two authority figures.
Stephanie hasn’t been as solid on the mic as she has been in the past, but that is mostly due to her lack of face/heel dynamic. Despite the mediocre feel of authority figures opening the show, the matches booked were fresh and intriguing, with the main theme being the unity of rivals heading into Survivor Series.
With heels and faces teaming up, the matches announced for later in the show felt exciting, which is something you can’t say for Raw’s matchups every week. This segment was kept short as well, leaving fans without the fatigue of sitting through a long promo before the in-ring action.
Overall, a mediocre segment that was focused more on the authority figures rather than the actual wrestlers, although the bouts announced were intriguing enough to keep fan interest relatively high as the show continued.
Kevin Owens and Roman Reigns vs. Cesaro and Sheamus:
Grade: 8/10
This was a solid tag bout between four talented competitors, and it was intriguing to see rivals Reigns and Owens team up, even if it was only to highlight their issues.
The tensions between teammates would be an overused theme throughout the night, but in this match, it worked well. It was great to see Cesaro mix it up with Reigns and Owens, and he certainly belongs in their position among the top superstars of Raw.
One little problem with this matchup, however, was WWE’s continued portrayal of Kevin Owens as a weak champion. Reigns, the US Champion, is constantly booked as superior to him, and Owens only got the win after being placed on top of Sheamus by Reigns.
Expect Owens to be eliminated before Reigns on Sunday, as it is obvious who WWE prefer out of the two men. Nothing against Reigns, who is a stellar wrestler, but WWE continue to book him as superior to their top champion on Raw.
Despite this misstep from Raw’s team in regards to Owens, this was a fun bout that had an intriguing dynamic, which is often missing on Raw.
Sami Zayn vs. Bo Dallas:
Grade: 6/10
This was clearly designed to give Zayn some momentum before his match with Ziggler on Sunday, and it did what it set out to do. Zayn generated a good reaction from the crowd in Buffalo and is sure to be incredibly over, in front of the Toronto crowd on Sunday.
This was a good way to put Zayn over, heading into the PPV, and although the crowd was somewhat quiet here, it will be a different story at Survivor Series. However, one negative stuck out like a sore thumb here. After countless weeks of slowly building Bo Dallas up again, WWE sacrificed him to Zayn for no reason.
Using another heel, who wasn’t carrying a decent amount of momentum would’ve been more beneficial. Unfortunately, WWE’s short-sightedness led them to a poor decision here. Hopefully, this can be avoided on future shows, as another heel like Titus O’Neill, would’ve been a more suitable option for this match.
Overall, a short, decent bout that did well to give Zayn some momentum (at the expense of Dallas).
Chris Jericho, Seth Rollins and Braun Strowman vs. The New Day:
Grade: 7.5/10
So, Seth Rollins went from threatening to take Kevin Owens and Chris Jericho down, to joking around with the latter backstage?
These gaps in logic from WWE hurt the product somewhat, and although Rollins rectified this misstep by hitting Jericho with a Pedigree after the bout, this should be avoided by WWE’s booking staff on future shows. Rivals should be eager to attack each other backstage, not joke around about scarves.
In regards to the actual match here, it was another solid tag bout that kept the tensions between Jericho, Rollins and Strowman at the forefront, while also highlighting New Day as they continue to edge closer towards Demolition’s 478-day record reign. Strowman looked like an absolute monster here, and this destruction from the giant was well-received by the crowd.
Expect him to shine on Sunday, especially against his former mentor Wyatt. Rollins and Jericho’s issues look set to continue after Survivor Series, and Rollins hitting Y2J with the Pedigree was a nice way to pop the crowd to finish the segment.
Brian Kendrick vs. Sin Cara:
Grade: 5/10
Although it made sense for Sin Cara to face Kendrick here, due to his relationship with Kalisto, Cara isn’t credible enough for fans to take him seriously against the champion. The Cruiserweight division continues to be plagued by low character development, and it feels like even Kendrick isn’t over with the crowd as a heel.
A move to SmackDown Live could benefit the division as a whole, as they are struggling on the Raw brand. The match itself was decent but left a lot to be desired, in comparison to other Raw Cruiserweight matches we have seen before. Kendrick picked up the win here, but nobody seemed to care.
Let’s hope Kalisto wins on Sunday, and the division as a whole can be revitalized on the blue brand.
Sasha Banks and Charlotte vs. Alicia Fox and Nia Jax:
Grade: 7/10
After seeing the ‘tensions between teammates’ theme a number of times before this bout, there wasn’t any intrigue when this match came around. Still, Charlotte mixing it up with Nia Jax was an interesting prospect, and Banks and Flair teaming up successfully to take Jax and Fox down was intriguing just weeks after their historic Hell in a Cell match.
Tensions obviously boiled over here, and it looks like we will have another, Banks vs. Charlotte match after Survivor Series, which has been done to death at this point. Bayley attempting to be the peacemaker of the team was a nice touch, and it would be great to see her be the Sole Survivor for Raw’s team on Sunday.
As for the match quality, this was a mediocre bout but could’ve been better, had it been given more time. Overall, a nice segment and match to generate some anticipation for the women’s Survivor Series match.
Eight-Man tag match:
Grade: 5/10
By this point in the night, the dynamic for all matches involving Survivor Series competitors was clear. Rivals teamed up, got the win somehow, all while tensions continued to brew under the surface. It was done to death by the time this bout came around, and fans reacted poorly to this match, due to this lazy booking decision.
Enzo and Cass didn’t have time to shine on the mic here either, and the Golden Truth and Shining Stars are still irrelevant. Gallows and Anderson looked strong here, and the finish was a nice touch, but this was still a boring match that did little to excite.
The Male teams face off:
Grade: 8.5/10
While the first part of this segment was tedious, with all four authority figures in the ring trying to assert brand dominance through petty insults, things really picked up when Raw and SmackDown’s male Survivor Series teams arrived on the scene. Finally, after weeks of little interaction, sparks flew between the two brands.
Owens and Styles traded insults, Jericho and Styles brought up their history, and Rollins and Reigns were on the same page. Strowman and Wyatt explored their past relations as tensions mounted.
These intriguing clashes and alliances of superstars did more to generate excitement for the male Survivor Series match than weeks of individual build did, for both brands, and finally, fans have a reason to be invested in Sunday’s match. The ‘invasion’ of sorts by team SmackDown was wonderful as well, and the brawl that ensued soon after made the crowd go wild.
The number of great clashes of superstars during the brawl was splendid also, with Rollins and Styles facing off in a tease of their potential dream match, while Shane-O-Mac and Strowman traded big moves. Rollins and Reigns travelled back to their tag team days briefly, and Owens and Orton traded blows.
These clashes increased the hype for Sunday’s bout, and the segment was an incredibly successful way to close the show. Overall, it was a wonderful closing segment that teased a number of awesome alliances and face-offs for Sunday’s male match.
Overall Grade for Raw: 7.5/10
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