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WWE Royal Rumble 2021 is just one week away but the build-up to the pay-per-view hasn't been all that exciting so far. We have seen several WWE Superstars announce their entry into the Royal Rumble matches while others are trying to earn a spot in the match. This week's SmackDown was not as good as it has been recently, but still, it was better than RAW, a show which had a few good moments but dragged overall.
In this article, let's take a look at three mistakes WWE made this week and three things they got right. Be sure to comment down and let us know your thoughts on the same. Who are you rooting for to win the 2021 Royal Rumble men's and women's match?
#3 Mistake WWE made: Fake Drew McIntyre and Gillberg segment on RAW
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WWE advertised that Goldberg would be appearing on RAW in a segment with Mr. Money in the Bank The Miz. However, it turned out to be Gillberg who appeared instead. If that was not enough, John Morrison also made arrangements for a fake Drew McIntyre.
As great as it was to see Gillberg back healthy, who recently suffered a heart attack, the segment was forced comedy that surely wasn't funny. RAW is surely missing the WWE Champion Drew McIntyre, who tested positive for COVID-19 last week. The only takeaway from the segment was The Miz teasing a Money in the Bank cash-in at the Royal Rumble.
WWE has advertised the return of Drew McIntyre and Goldberg for next week's RAW. Hopefully, this time it's the original WWE Superstars and not their mini parody versions.
#3 WWE got right: The Phenomenal match and finish on RAW
AJ Styles and Ricochet are two of the best athletes on Monday Night RAW. The match between the two of them this week was absolutely phenomenal, to say the least. Especially the ending sequence where AJ Styles threw Ricochet on the top rope and caught him on the bounce back to deliver a Styles Clash was a thing of beauty.
However, there were questions about the premise of the match as losing that much doesn't mean Ricochet's not worthy of being in the Royal Rumble. It was Ricochet who assisted Drew McIntyre in eliminating Brock Lesnar from last year's Royal Rumble.
In all likeliness, he will again be a part of the match this year and he definitely should be. But doesn't that make this story pointless? There are surely loopholes, but that doesn't shouldn't take away anything from these two who put on a great match on RAW this week.
#2 Mistake WWE made: The predictable SmackDown main-event
WWE has struck gold with the heel turn of Roman Reigns and everything that he has done on SmackDown as the Universal Champion ever since. However, this week's show didn't live up to the mark. At the very beginning of the show, WWE set-up a massive main event for the night with Paul Heyman challenging Adam Pearce to a match.
However, the entire 'card is subject to change' angle was just way too predictable. Even Kevin Owens appearing in a hoodie to attack Roman Reigns in the main event after claiming earlier that he wasn't allowed to enter the arena was too predictable. Also, Jey Uso missed the show without any explanation and there was no follow-up on the massive tease of Apollo Crews joining hands with Reigns last week.
#2 WWE got right: Bianca Belair's astonishing feat of strength
The obstacle course challenge on WWE SmackDown this week between Bayley and Bianca Belair was a fun segment. Bayley played her part as the annoying heel to perfection. However, it was Bianca Belair who left the WWE Universe in shock with her display of strength as she picked up Otis, who weighs well over 300 pounds.
Bianca Belair is definitely one of the WWE Superstars to watch out for at the upcoming Royal Rumble 2021 match. Last year, she eliminated as many as eight women from the Royal Rumble match, setting up a record that was matched later that night by Shayna Baszler. Can she break her own record this year and go all the way to win the match?
#1 Mistake WWE made: Multiple botches on RAW
WWE RAW this week saw several botches throughout the night. The biggest one that several fans noticed was the botched finisher that MACE of RETRIBUTION delivered to Xavier Woods on RAW this week. MACE, fka Dio Maddin, was one of the talents that WWE sent back to the Performance Center for improvement and the match tonight was proof of why WWE took that decision.
Other than that, there was a massive botch during the backstage segment between Riddle and Bobby Lashley. WWE also had a couple of production botches on RAW, something they would want to avoid in the future.
#1 WWE got right: Alexa Bliss turns on her Fiend mode
The best part about Monday Night RAW, and maybe all of WWE, right now is Alexa Bliss. Everything she did on Monday Night RAW this week was pure gold and even a Hollywood director would be impressed by her amazing acting skills. Bliss teased the presence of 'The Fiend' Bray Wyatt during her playground segment and also announced her entry into the women's Royal Rumble match.
However, it was the main event between RAW Women's Champion Asuka and Alexa Bliss that stole the show. Bliss started the segment in her smiling Firefly Fun House persona, but mid-way she tapped into her dark side, almost as if The Fiend had possessed her. She went on to deliver Sister Abigail to Asuka, pinned her, and then suddenly transformed back to her smiling persona. Amazing storytelling and production.
