By Jon Mezzera, PWTorch Specialist

RAW HITS

Detente: I had mixed feelings about this segment, so I will call this a marginal Hit. I enjoy Lana's performances. Her reactions to the "U-S-A!" chants are pretty funny. Some of the mic work here was strong. Some of it was kind of weak. While it does make sense for Zeb Colter and Jack Swagger to stand up for America, I want to be given more of a reason to start to cheer for these xenophobes. I did like how Colter brought up the president. It is one of those difficult things that WWE has to deal with when they interject politics into a storyline. You are always going to get a mixed reaction to showing the president, and America is so politically polarized right now that it is even more the case. However, Colter handled it well in saying that it doesn't matter if you like the president or not, you respect the presidency. The segment did drag on. It was too long. But, the physicality at the end worked well, the live fans were into it, and it should make people want to see Jack Swagger defeat Rusev.

Jericho - Wyatt: Chris Jericho was a bit silly in his opening promo, but it worked well to juxtapose getting serious about Bray Wyatt. It was almost like saying that he could be his usual silly self during his entire career, but Wyatt is so different that he has to be different in response. I liked the mic work from Jericho. I loved his line about Wyatt having the whole world in his hands, but Jericho has the whole WWE Universe in his. Wyatt was good in his response. I didn't think the "boring" chant was warranted. Was it just me, or did the lighting guys mess up by bringing the lights up at the wrong time? And then they had to go out again and then turn on again. Something seemed off to me, but the attack by The Wyatt Family and Jericho's escape worked well. Erick Rowan and Luke Harper had already taken The Usos out earlier in the show, which explained why they wouldn't be able to come to Jericho's aid here. The attack from Wyatt from behind was predictable but still worked well, though that Sister Abigail on the stage was sort of weak.

Cena & Reigns vs. Kane, Orton & Rollins: This was a solid handicap tag match main event. The ending was well booked with what I'm assuming was a fake knee injury for Seth Rollins (though I guess I don't know for sure) to get him out of the way in order to focus the final few moments of the show on the four men who will face off in the fatal four-way for the WWE World Championship at Battle Ground. It also explained why Rollins didn't take advantage of a hurt Cena with his Money in the Bank briefcase. WWE effectively sold chaos at the end of the show with the idea that anything can happen in that fatal four-way. They are really playing up the idea that Randy Orton can't trust Kane and that John Cena and Roman Reigns don't like each other. There was too much of that going on (more later), but it was still a pretty effective way to hype the PPV.

RAW MISSES

Opening Segment: There were some awkward moments in the opening segment. I think part of the problem is this fatal four-way at Battle Ground where there is just too much going on in one match. The whole idea of John Cena and Roman Reigns having to be partners this week, but opponents at the PPV isn't working for me. That formula can work, but it isn't working in this case. The problem is that the chemistry between Cena and Reigns isn't there for me. I was not a fan of their verbal exchange to start off Raw. My bigger issue with the opening segment was that Cena and Reigns didn't appear to try to help Dean Ambrose as he was getting the crap beat out of him in the back. The beating was well done to take him out of the main event six-man tag, but we were left with the impression that Cena and Reigns didn't even try to help him. This would have been a very easy fix. Just show a split screen where they run from the ring. And then after the commercial show them finding Ambrose in the back, to show that they tried to help him, but were too late.

Miz vs. Sheamus: I like what WWE is doing with The Miz's character since he returned from filming his latest movie. The action between him and Sheamus was solid in this match. This Miss is for two reasons. The first is the ridiculous way that in the middle of this match how they cut to a slideshow of the wrestlers who will be in the Intercontinental Championship battle royal at Battle Ground. It is a great way to send a clear message that this match doesn't matter at all. It is an insult to Miz and Sheamus. My other problem is the finish with Sheamus losing. Sheamus is the United States Champion. I'm sick and tired of secondary champions losing non-title matches like this. WWE should book their champions to be stronger than this.

Sonic Commercial: These in show commercials are really bad. Damian Sandow is totally being wasted in WWE right now, and now he has been lowered to the level of Santino Marella. How is Adam Rose supposed to get over when he is being used this way right out of the gate? I would be more willing to accept these shameless plugs if they were at least entertaining. But, they aren't. They are terrible.

Plans A, B and C: There were too many scenes in the back with The Authority meeting with Randy Orton, Kane, Seth Rollins and Paul Heyman. Are we supposed to believe that after meeting with The Authority, Randy Orton would not be watching the show to see that they later met with Kane, Rollins and Heyman about back up plans to him becoming the WWE World Champion? There was some intrigue as to what Paul Heyman meant by Plan C, but I would rather not have Heyman and (presumably) Brock Lesnar involved with The Authority. I don't want to see so much of any authority figure on Raw, especially a heel authority figure.

Ric Flair: WWE really hyped that Ric Flair was going to be on Raw this week. And why was he there? His only role was to come out and be asked by Renee Young who he thought would win the fatal four-way at Battle Ground. Really? That's the only reason to have Flair on Raw? That was a waste. Also, I'm sorry, but Flair is too old to be flirting with Young. It was creepy. Grow up man. Knowing what has happened in his life with multiple failed marriages and financial hardships despite making more money that most Americans will ever come close to making, hearing him fondly recall all of the fun he had in the past came across as totally pathetic to me. I think there can be a positive way to use Flair, but he means so little at this point that WWE would have to really do a lot of work to get to that point.

Jon Mezzera is PWTorch.com's WWE Hits & Misses Specialist, providing his point of view for Raw and Smackdown each week. Email him at jmezz-torch@sbcglobal.net.

For another view from the original Hitlist author, compare Jason Powell's views to mine by visiting prowrestling.NET's "Hitlist" section here.

We suggest these recent related articles...

9/28 WWE Raw Hits & Misses: Kane's Split Personality, Divas Revolution, Heyman & Big Show, Reigns vs. Wyatt

9/7 WWE Raw Hits & Misses: Paige vs. Banks, Rollins vs. Ryback, Orton vs. Sheamus, Cena & PTPs vs. Rollins & New Day

8/24 WWE Raw Hits & Misses: Opening Segment, New Day, Dudleys return, Stewart, Sting