SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
Tejav Narayanan is making his PWTorch writing debut filling in for Jon Mezzera who wasn’t able to write this week’s column. Look for regular columns from him in a different format soon.
Drew McIntyre – SOFT MISS: Drew McIntyre’s slow progression from badass warrior to slightly-less-badass IRL troll has been some of the greatest character work of his career. The promo was a classic hitlist of heel tropes, from making fun of C.M. Punk’s dog to mocking the live crowds. But there’s a slight sense of “been there, done that” with Drew’s promos recently. With Punk still injured, their narrative has begun to run out of steam, finding increasingly convoluted ways to justify why the two wrestlers haven’t had a match in kayfabe. Additionally, following the massacre by the Wyatt Sicks last week, beginning the episode barely acknowledging the carnage feels like a bad symptom of a bygone era, where every wrestler remained in their own orbit and was disconnected from the show’s universe as a whole.
Breakker vs Kaiser – HIT: Bron Breakker continued to cement his spot on the main roster, cosplaying as a human bowling ball against the perfect smarmy heel in Ludwig Kaiser. The match was a classic brawn vs. brain affair, with Breakker’s deadly lariats nearly killing Ludwig Kaiser before the wily German managed to squirm out of the way. The match was fast-paced, character-heavy, and didn’t last a second longer than it needed. In the end, Breakker picked up the win thanks to Sheamus interfering, which sets up one of the more intriguing three-way feuds in recent history. Each man genuinely has unique gripes with each other, wrestles in drastically different styles, and is explosive on the mic. This feud could anchor the mid-card up to Summerslam, no problem at all.
Judgement Day Segment – SOFT HIT: This backstage promo wove together both Judgement Day storylines seamlessly and perfectly showcased Damian Priest’s growing exasperation at the sorry state of his squad. Dominik Mysterio continues to play a whiny slimeball better than anyone on the planet while Carlito’s laid-back humor meshes perfectly with the group’s comedic beats, despite his introduction to the group feeling rushed and motivations still unclear. Rhea Ripley’s specter looms on the horizon and it looks like the walls are slowly closing in on Damian Priest as he fights to keep his title and his team by his side.
Kairi Sane vs Shayna Baszler vs Lyra Valkyria – HIT: Triple H has mastered the art of making even the most random of matchups feel intentional. While there’s been little buildup to this MITB qualifier, the sheer clashing of styles between these three women was guaranteed to make an entertaining match. And boy, did it deliver. Baszler and Sane both looked absolutely unstoppable, lending eventual winner Valkyria some incredible babyface fire as she overcame the odds to win.
Liv Morgan / Zelina Vega / Dominik Mysterio – MISS: While the Liv Morgan revenge tour hearkens back to WWE’s soapier Attitude Era roots, the title itself has begun to feel secondary. This segment felt like a conscious attempt to rectify that, sowing the seeds for a Liv Morgan-Zelina Vega feud. However, the execution fell flat, falling back onto the Dominik-Liv dynamic while Vega was relegated to a third wheel within seconds. Dominik’s character work has zigzagged over the past few weeks, and this apparent pivot to a quasi-face turn feels somewhat out of nowhere given the character’s history. The Rey Mysterio run-in also added little to the segment, clearly tacked on to get the Mysterios back into each other’s orbit before the inevitable third WrestleMania match between them.
Braun Strowman vs. Bronson Reed vs. Chad Gable – HIT: I’m noticing a theme with these three-way qualifying matches. Is it a little formulaic to have the obvious underdog squeak out a win against two monsters twice in one episode? Sure? Do I care when it’s done with this well? Absolutely not. Strowman and Reed got some classic big man graps, wowing the crowd as some of the dynamic heavies in WWE history, while Gable proved he belongs in the main event scene by squeaking out a win and punching his ticket to MITB. It was a great match all around, weaving in Judgement Day as the constant thorns in Strowman’s side, as an example of strong character-focused booking leading to interference that actually makes logical sense in kayfabe. What a world!
Chad Gable / Wyatt Sicks – MEGA MISS: However, the characterization of Chad Gable following the vicious beatdown by the debut of the Wyatt Sicks leaves much to be desired. The hand-wavy explanation of Gable’s health was exacerbated by the Wyatt Sicks relying on a cheap jumpscare and spooky mystery boxes rivaling the worst of the Firefly Funhouse era. If Triple H and co., are determined to establish this new spooky faction, they either need to physically dominate their opposition or provide genuine scary moments. Right now, their power feels considerably diminished and, within just a week, they no longer feel like the all-encompassing destructive force that was promised. Not to mention, Gable’s sudden sympathetic nature feels like an odd retread. Following weeks of establishing heel Gable as almost comically abusive, his sudden warmth and apology to the Alpha Academy feels unsatisfying at best.
Unholy Union vs Katana Chance & Kayden Carter – HIT: Not much to say here. A short but serviceable match which bodes well for the future of the women’s tag division. The Unholy Union have long since deserved a main roster run, and even a short match feels like an upgrade over their stop-start booking in 2023. Pair that with multiple women’s tag teams that are more than random pairs of singles stars and you’ve got a stew going that could fuel the WWE Women’s Division for months.
Damian Priest / Seth Rollins / Gunther – HIT: A fiery segment that effectively lit the fuse for a babyface Priest, whose growing gestures of respect toward Rollins has quietly become one of the better character arcs across Raw. Rollins is reliably excellent on the mic, oscillating between seasoned vet and underdog with a chip on his shoulder with ease. Gunther’s interjection proves yet again that the Austrian’s aura is unmatched and lays the seeds for an inevitable dominant world title run. If this trio runs the top of the card for the next few months, you won’t hear me complaining.
Bo Dallas / Uncle Howdy – SOFT HIT: A meandering promo that proved Bo Dallas’s acting chops and little else. While it’s admirable that Bo (and WWE by extension) would be willing to delve into such dark subject matter, the presentation of Bo & Howdy still feels like a pale imitation of The Fiend (a testament to how truly visionary the late Bray Wyatt was). While there were vague allusions to the Wyatt Sicks’ future agenda, overall this segment was heavy on the emotion but presented precious few details about the faction’s future on WWE.
Karrion Kross vs Kofi Kingston – MISS: A forgettable, plodding match as part of a forgettable, plodding feud. Kross’s new gaslighting character is far and away his most interesting, but no one truly believes in a New Day breakup nearly 10 years on. Given that Kross’s ring work remains unable to rise above “competently adequate,” this feud offers little for viewers to grab onto week to week.
Awesome Truth vs. Judgement Day – HIT: A perfectly competent main event light on ring work but heavy on storyline. The running thread of Liv genuinely benefiting The Judgement Day through her machinations is interesting, adding fuel to the team’s eventual turn on lone skeptic Damian Priest. Miz and Truth remain ever-present steady hands, finding new ways to top themselves in-ring and out (shoutout to Miz’s surprisingly top-notch guest commentary this episode). An increasingly rare title change on television capped off the proceedings, leaving Judgement Day more dominant than ever yet cracking at the seams. Many complain that Triple H only allows big moments to happen on PPV. This main event proves otherwise, adding a much-needed jolt into the title scene on the road to Summerslam.
RECOMMENDED NEXT: WWE OVER & UNDERS: Trippy First Impression for Uncle Howdy, The Appeal of Blood, Same Old Seth, Cody’s Vernacular
OR CHECK THIS OUT AT PROWRESTLING.NET: Reported reason for Pat McAfee missing WWE Raw, hosting today’s ESPN/YouTube show
RELATED: Now check out our Wade Keller Post-show YouTube Show covering last night’s Raw including Wade breaking the news about McAfee’s absence. Also, an on-site corresponding discussed the crowd response to the Wyatt Sicks angle with Nikki Cross and various off-air happenings.
OR LISTEN TO THE AUDIO-ONLY PODCAST VERSION OF THE EPISODE HERE (or search “wade keller” in Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or any other iOS or Android podcast all)
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