SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
This week’s episode of WWE Raw has wrapped. Let’s take a stroll down memory lane and relive some of the madness.
-A bit of an odd promo from Triple H to start the show. There were times out there it felt as if he were saying goodbye and based on the news that has come out today regarding Vince McMahon, maybe he was in a way? Strange start.
-The Roman Reigns and Cody Rhodes encounter was well done. Really well done. Cody calling Reigns out for cheating during their match at WrestleMania was supremely important for Cody moving forward. He did and sounded credible in doing so. The Lesnar and Cody pairing was exciting, but Lesnar’s over the top selling of it made you feel like the turn was coming later on.
-As Omos squash. I guess after Lesnar beat him he’s got to be built back up again? The squash was what it was and it’s better than not mentioning Omos, but his stuff is so one note that it’ll be hard to pivot off it at this point to make it matter. It’s one thing when he’s going up against a guy like Lesnar. Anyone else, though, and it falls flat.
-Lost in the shuffle of this week’s mostly bad show was the backstage segment with The Usos. They were shunned by Heyman and it came across beautifully. Well sold by all involved. More good Bloodline material.
-Rey Mysterio vs. Austin Theory was fine, but coming out of WrestleMania the idea was to make Theory a bigger star. He didn’t feel like one this week. Has the John Cena dust disappeared? It sure seems like it.
-Bad Bunny took quite the beating this week out there. Ouch! This was all to setup a match at Backlash in Puerto Rico and Rey/Bunny vs. Dominik/Priest is a smart way to go. This doesn’t need fancy booking. Just simple, to the point stuff that defines both sides clearly. Dominik has been so effective as a heel that this should be easy.
-Owens & Zayn vs. Street Profits? Hmmm. This is where the show started heading downhill for me. Really? Of all the heel tag teams on the roster to the job, the hot babyface team of Zayn and Owens goes up against another likable team in Street Profits. This smelled a little like Vince McMahon and if walks like a duck and talks like a duck, it’s a duck…
-Wait, so Seth Rollins did an entrance and that’s it????? Dear lord. Are we back to 10 months ago or something?
-Lashley is the smartest wrestler alive. Battle Royal win on Friday. An entrance at WrestleMania. A one minute squash on Raw. Check, check, and check. That’s the business of the business working for you Lashley. Good for you.
-The Rhea Ripley and Bianca Belair face-off was a nice tease of things to come. I see a title unification in their future.
-Matt Riddle was a nice surprise, but nothing groundbreaking. He’s wrestling Miz next week and then what? Because of everything that has happened with Riddle on the main roster, it just doesn’t seem like he’s a guy WWE brass will get behind for anything major. He’s a guy who can fill TV time and that’s what you saw this week.
-There is no excuse for hyping a tag match with Brock Lesnar and Cody Rhodes against The Bloodline and not paying it off. No excuse. Look, I don’t have a problem with the angle that closed the show. Lesnar vs. Rhodes is a major match and worthy of Cody at this point coming out of WrestleMania and his loss to Reigns. If Cody is going to face Reigns again, Lesnar is a really strong opponent for Cody to beat on the road to that rematch. That said, just do the angle. Period. Or, have the match and then do the angle. Either way, WWE cannot be in the business of teasing this level a match only to not move forward with it. It’s disrespectful of a fanbase that spent their entire weekend focusing on WWE. A really lame way to wrap up WrestleMania weekend.
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