HEYDORN’S WWE RAW RECEIPT 1/9: Cody Rhodes videos prime audience for huge return

This week’s episode of WWE Raw has wrapped. Let’s take a stroll down memory lane and relive some of the madness.

-It’s nice to see Kevin Owens get such a positive response from the audience. He came across as a star this week and that is only going to grow brighter and brighter until the match with Roman Reigns happens at the Royal Rumble.

-JBL and Baron Corbin? Not so much on the star front. These two just don’t mesh — at all. Owens played interacting with them in the correct way, but this duo is DOA at this point in time and don’t do anything at all in terms of enhancing talent or stories that they are supplements to at a regular basis.

-Adam Pearce found a strong backbone this week in his dealings with The Bloodline. That helps the seriousness nature of the story, but WWE probably should detail why it is they keep showing up AND wrestling on Monday Night Raw if they are treated as an invading faction.

-Another win for Bayley, this week against Mia Yim, and another week of asking the same question after the fact — does anyone care? I’m not sure they do anymore. Bayley needs a jolt of momentum as soon as possible and when looking at the horizon of potential jolt opportunities, nothing jumps out as a definitive way to go.

-A really strong promo segment with Seth Rollins and Austin Theory. Best part of the show. Theory is one of the strongest characters on the show right now and Rollins enhanced things this week by toning down the new act. The song was there, but the laugh and overall demeanor was limited and it made for a more impactful outing.

-Rhea Ripley and Candice LeRae had a good little match this week. Ripley continues to position herself at the front of the line to win the women’s Royal Rumble match.

-The Cody Rhodes return videos are tremendous. They have done a wonderful job of presenting Cody as a star, addressing the severity of the injury and therefore the comeback, while building anticipation to see him again. Huge pop incoming for Cody.

-Everyone obviously knew Solo Sikoa would defeat Dolph Ziggler, but man, Ziggler can sell a Samoan Spike. Sikoa continues to look strong and Ziggler keeps to tread water.

-Dominik Mysterio’s jail escapades is madness, but brilliant heel madness. A perfect story for Dominik to grab hold of and he has. It’s gotten him more heat and show more range than he’s had this point. The addition of a bandana to his look is added heat on a silver platter.

-Some good action in the tag team turmoil match, but I question the choice to go with Judgement Day as the next team to face The Usos. The Bloodline and The Usos are primed to be major heels in some form or fashion heading into WrestleMania. Placing them against another heel faction that they will certainly get cheered over in a babyface manner sends mixed signals and makes the road to them being true heels messier than it needs to be.

CATCH-UP: Stephanie McMahon resigns from WWE days after her father Vince McMahon returns himself to power as Executive Chair