5 things that should've happened on Raw this week

WWE only accomplished two things on Monday Night Raw this week. Firstly, the company finally shed some light on some of the matches that would feature on the WrestleMania card. Secondly, the creative team did a passable job in building towards other encounters that will be announced for the showcase of the immortals in the coming weeks.

Those encounters include slow babyface turn of Nia Jax, Bayley's growing resentment towards Sasha Banks and Ronda Rousey's WrestleMania opponents, and all those narratives centres around the women's division which is great. Clearly, WWE is finally giving the division the excellent booking it needs.

However, while WWE progressed the narratives of many Superstars, set up WrestleMania matches and, there were parts of the flagship show that WWE could’ve booked better that would have been a solid show from start to finish.

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#1 The Revival build credibility

The last time WWE presented The Revival as top guys on Raw

When the “top guys” came bursting onto Raw the night after WrestleMania 33, the entire WWE Universe was convinced that WWE had the greatest team of the modern era on their hands. However, all it took was an unfortunate injury, poor booking and an immense loss of credibility, and The Revival were reduced to a pre-show filler.

And on Raw this week, WWE had the chance to shatter that notion and get Dash and Dawson on the right track again as they took on The Bar in a non-title match for the right to face them at Wrestlemania 34 in a championship match. However, the “top guys” shockingly lost clean, and that loss can be interpreted in two ways, either the unexpected loss to The Bar will reignite a fire in The Revival or their careers are stuck in a stagnant losing streak.

Majority of the WWE Universe believe that it’s the second option as WWE’s booking of them has clearly suggested it. Even though WWE's plan for the Tag Team Title’s at WrestleMania doesn’t include Dash and Dawson, they should’ve been protected in defeat to help build their momentum once again.

Therefore, when a low tier tag team such as Titus Worldwide can defeat The Bar three times and arguably one of the greatest tag teams in NXT history cant, it speaks volumes.

#2 Strowman gets a serious direction on the road to WrestleMania

Strowman needs a direction as Wrestlemania is fastly approaching

The Raw writing team is mostly criticised for two things. First is their lack of creative booking and second is their underutilisation of younger talent. While both those statements are blatantly true, this week on the flagship show WWE presented a segment that tried to solve both those issues. They showed Braun Strowman taking on the blazing hot Elias in a Symphony of Destruction match.

Even though this match was a fun light-hearted bout, that utilised the comic genius in Strowman and excellent heel work of Elias, it defeated the purpose of one of those previously mentioned issues.

Moreover, it risks Strowman losing direction on the road to the most important show of the year. As WWE is leaning onto Strowman as a comic act instead of the monster he truly is not an advantage heading into Wrestlemania.

Instead of wasting a valuable week on the road to Wrestlemania WWE should’ve given Strowman a direction that would've truly paved his path to a blockbuster match at Wrestlemania 34. Otherwise, there is a risk that WWE might have him thrown into another Andre the Giant memorial battle royal (if it’s not cancelled) or a multi-man bout.

Strowman is hot properly and by WWE wasting these golden opportunities to give him a serious narrative to follow, they might never have the chance to pull the trigger on him again.

#3 Rousey gets a better WrestleMania opponent

There are better ways to use Ronda's mainstream

When Ronda Rousey appeared at the 2018 Royal Rumble PPV many fans were thrilled and even though her actual appearance raised many confusing questions, the majority of the WWE Universe were excited to finally to see the former UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion make the jump from the octagon to the squared circle. But now knowing that Rousey’s first match will see her teaming up with Kurt Angle to take on Triple H and Stephanie McMahon is disappointing.

As WrestleMania has become bigger than a mere wrestling show in recent years, WWE has to cater for a more casual audience which means the match card has to have a unique variety of bouts and segments.

While the advantage of having Rousey take part in the mixed tag match will allow Angle and Triple H to do all the bulk of the work and mask her inexperience in the ring. Also, taking on a non-wrestler in Stephanie McMahon is not going to do her any favours with regards to building a respectable reputation in wrestling.

WWE could’ve used Rousey’s mainstream appeal in various other ways, and the alternate route was staring WWE in the face. Instead of facing the bosses in a poorly built storyline, Rousey could’ve faced anyone of Triple H’s enforcers from NXT, as that would’ve added more depth to the Raw women’s division and it would’ve given an NXT star the chance to break out on the main roster. WWE had various options to make Rousey the badass she truly is and having her stuck in the middle of another Authority storyline will not do that for her.

#4 Cena puts an over rising talent

John Cena could've introduced a hot talent to the main roster like he did for SamiZayn and many others years ago

When John Cena received his free agent status many were confused, many questions arose to how did he even earn it? When can he use it? And why does he have it in the first place?

While Cena has been on the flagship show for the better part of the year, his unsuccessful run on Raw has seen him jump ship to the blue brand where he defeated the WWE Champion AJ Styles on his first night back, thus, earning a chance to compete for the WWE Championship at the 2018 Fastlane PPV.

Therefore, many thought Cena would stay on SmackDown Live for the time being. That is why it was surprising to see the 16 time World champion make an appearance on Raw this week.

While many knew it was WWE trying their best to promote the highly unanticipated Fastlane PPV, Cena was surprisingly involved in a match, and that match was against Goldust. However, the first singles bout between these two veterans surely did disappoint.

WWE should’ve used Cena’s unexpected appearance as an opportunity to give a young talent looking for validation a shot at the glory. Whether it could’ve been TJP, Pete Dunn, The Revival or any other young rising talent that needed a boost of momentum, Cena could’ve been the man that gave them that classic that would’ve launched their career.

WWE wasting yet another appearance from the 16 time World Champion is disappointing, as there is so much they can accomplish on an episode of Raw if they use him right.

#5 Raw ends with a bang

An F5 out of nowhere would've saved this segment

The week before this, Monday Night Raw ended with a bland confrontation between the Authority, Ronda Rousey and Kurt Angle. Therefore, fans were clamouring for WWE to pull off a different conclusion to the broadcast that leaves many cliff-hangers which generates excitement for the upcoming episode of Raw next week.

Instead, what the WWE Universe actually got was a rocky promo from Paul Heyman addressing Roman Reigns words against his client.

While the company did a solid job of selling Brocks Lesnar's absence, his somewhat unyielding hold on the Universal Title and his uninterested attitude with regards to the fans, the entire segment was a mistake.

Heyman and Reigns distastefully repeated the points that the WWE Universe has heard a thousand times before lead to a monotonous ending of the show. Alternatively, WWE could’ve added another significant dimension to the feud.

Whether that dimension would’ve been Braun Strowman addressing his attack on Reigns at the Elimination Chamber PPV and making it clear he wants one final shot against Lesnar or WWE could’ve had Lesnar surprisingly beatdown Reigns even though Heyman said that “the beast” wasn’t at the broadcast.

WWE needed to do something that kept the momentum of Reigns solid promo last week and by having Reigns left with nothing to do this week as Lesnar was nowhere to be seen, they risk Roman losing some of that momentum.

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