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It certainly was an interesting episode of Monday Night RAW. It was the penultimate episode before the 2023 Royal Rumble and a week before the 30th-anniversary show.
It was far from a perfect show. While some could argue that it was one of the weaker shows of the Triple H era, there were still a lot of positives to take away as well. So here are the ups and downs of RAW this week:
#3. Best: All things The Judgment Day
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The Judgment Day was on fire this week on RAW. They confronted three-fifths of The Bloodline and gave them a run for their money. Rhea Ripley even went face-to-face with Solo Sikoa in an epic moment.
Ripley and Dominik Mysterio have been the standouts so far, but Damian Priest and Finn Balor are also holding their own. It was interesting to watch as they first confronted The Bloodline before Dominik and Priest defeated The Alpha Academy later.
Although Finn Balor didn't succeed in the main event, it was still a good way of subtly indicating that they could win their first titles next week as Dominik Mysterio and Damian Priest face The Usos for the RAW Tag Team titles.
#2. Worst: Not enough time for IYO SKY & Michin
We're not going to complain about Michin beating IYO SKY on RAW because it was only a week ago when we complained about Michin being utilized as an enhancement talent. What would have benefited both women, however, was more time for their match.
The crowd made it seem like the Thunderdome, but both women did well to pull the audience back into the match. They simply needed more time, as the chemistry is obviously there.
#2. Best: A no-nonsense segment between Alexa Bliss & Bianca Belair
Bianca Belair called out Alexa Bliss and made it clear that she didn't want to wait for Bliss to win the Royal Rumble and then challenge her at WrestleMania. Instead, she challenged Bliss to a title defense at the Royal Rumble that was accepted.
It led to a brawl in the area where the crowd was, and Belair almost got the better of her until the presence of Uncle Howdy gave enough time for Bliss to escape and attack the RAW Women's Champion to stand tall.
This was a good and straightforward no-nonsense segment between the two women - perfect to hype up their upcoming rematch at the 2023 Royal Rumble.
#1. Worst: No proper flow to the show
As we mentioned, there was a point where it seemed like the Thunderdome from a complete lack of reactions. There were solid segments, but the big issue with the show was the overall lack of flow.
It felt inconsistent throughout, but perhaps a strong start and finish were enough to leave a good impression on most fans.
#1. Best: An epic main event on RAW
The six-pack elimination challenge was a solid one, with six elite competitors facing off to get a shot at Austin Theory's US Title next week. Seth Rollins had a great performance, eliminating The Miz, Dolph Ziggler, and Finn Balor.
Bobby Lashley ultimately won only because of Omos' interference, along with MVP. The Visionary gave an epic stomp to Omos on the announcer's desk, but the time in between allowed Lashley to recover and hit a spear to get the win.
Overall, it was a great main event with the right result.
Ex WWE writer blasts Liv Morgan HERE
