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Last week, it seemed like RAW was a brand new show, with Paul Heyman leading the charge with a very different show. This week was a step backward, as RAW essentially returned to what we're used to, every Monday night.
I wouldn't even necessarily say that it was a bad show per se, but it was not the show we needed. Last week's explosive beginning with Heyman at the helm indicated a paradigm shift, which did not reflect in this week's show.
That said, I did manage to find some positives from the show. Unfortunately, in my overall analysis, I will have to admit that there are far more negatives than positives, this week.
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Also, what did you guys think of the CM Punk chants during the Bayley vs. Sarah Logan match?
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#1 Best: Singles push for Cesaro
It is a well-known fact that Paul Heyman is a Cesaro fan. It is obvious after his split from Sheamus that Cesaro will be given a singles push, going forward. I think that this is a very good thing, based on just how talented the man really is. Personally, I believe that Cesaro may be the most underrated superstar in the whole RAW roster.
Now, I know that some of you will say that a win over No Way Jose is not a big deal, not because the man isn't talented, but because he's only been booked as a comedy character on TV. But I would still say that it's a great sign of things to come, because Cesaro could potentially be a top heel. Paul Heyman recognizes this and he's probably building Cesaro for the big leagues.
This was a step in the right direction, I felt. It also gave Jose some TV time.
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#1 Worst: Rey Mysterio absolutely buried?
There was an air of excitement in the group where all the Sportskeeda writers chat during the show. When Rey Mysterio arrived on screen, everyone assumed that it would be someone like Bray Wyatt who would answer his open challenge.
Instead, it turned out to be Bobby Lashley, a booking decision that seemed to suck all the life out of the chat at once. Our grievances were compounded when Bobby Lashley defeated the returning Rey Mysterio in no time at all.
I don't really get the point of this whole segment and if it was indeed Paul Heyman who booked this strange and baffling match, I wonder if he is losing his touch and is no longer the genius that he once was. I mean shouldn't Rey Mysterio have won his big match back?
I get that Lashley needs momentum, but he could have defeated anyone else.
#2 Best: Cedric Alexander gets some screen time
Is this the best segment that I have seen? Not by a fairly long shot. However, the fact remains that Cedric Alexander is far too talented an individual to be sitting on the sidelines and even the cameo from him in the main event was a welcome move.
I mean if you are made to team up with Roman Reigns in the main event spot, it is a big deal and is guaranteed to get you a lot of social media buzz. Bear in mind that he went up against Shane McMahon, who's a legend in the business and Drew McIntyre, who's destined to be the next big thing. This was a huge step up from what he was doing previously in the 24X7 Championship title picture.
Will it translate into a big-time push? That is a question that can be answered in the following weeks.
#2 Worst: Miscasting the Street Profits entirely?
The Street Profits should be out there, challenging The Revival and staking a claim on the tag team championships. Why are they, instead, talking about Extreme Rules in backstage promos, only days before the event airs? I think that there's a big disconnect between NXT and the main roster that needs to be addressed.
I don't think that the segment helped them get over. Some could say that it's still better than Bobby Roode and EC3 getting no screen time, but I'd argue that had The Street Profits been in a match and gotten an opportunity to showcase how good they are, it would have been far better.
Ford and Dawkins did the best that they could, but I would have preferred to see them interact with the talent backstage, instead of this cheesy commercial. In fact, I'd prefer it if they'd never been called up.
#3 Best: The 24X7 Championship picture
Drake Maverick and R-Truth have taken a title that was panned by one and all in the wrestling fraternity and made it the talk of the town. I love the little skits that R-Truth and Carmella are part of, and the same is true for Drake Maverick and his wife too.
Drake Maverick's wife is a natural and while some may be bitter that she gets more screen time than say, Liv Morgan, she's doing a great job with the opportunities provided to her. Maverick himself seems like he was made for this title and has been doing a fantastic job as the reigning 24X7 Champion.
Even when the other content served to us is bad, these guys always bring a smile with their hilarious antics. It's only a matter of time before R-Truth becomes Champion again, I bet.
I wonder who'll be next to showcase his/her comedy skills on RAW?
#3 Worst: CM Punk chants
Like I said at the start, this was not the best week for WWE at all. But it was made worse by fans chanting for CM Punk during the 'Beat the clock' challenge because it's such a strange move.
Fine, I get the fact that the SmackDown Women's Championship should not be contested on RAW to begin with, and that's a pretty big botch, right there. But why chant someone's name who's repeatedly said that he wants nothing to do with pro wrestling anymore?
To be fair, the 'Beat the Clock' challenge wasn't even the worst part of the show, I thought. Bayley has really come into her own as a singles performer and it gave her the chance to go out there and mix it up with Sarah Logan, who hasn't gotten too much screen time.
Fans don't give anything a chance at all, these days.
#4 Best/worst: The Seth & Becky stuff
Everything with Seth Rollins and Becky Lynch is fine, I suppose. But there was an element of mystique, of majesty with regard to the Universal Championship before WrestleMania 35. Even the RAW Women's Championship felt a lot more special when Ronda Rousey was feuding with Becky Lynch.
It just seems that with Lacey Evans and Baron Corbin in the mix, everything has been devalued. The two most important titles in the brand aren't even in the main event spot. I loved seeing Seth Rollins mix it up with Andrade and I hope that's a full-fledged feud someday in the future.
I just hope that for SummerSlam, we see both Seth Rollins and Becky Lynch engage in individual feuds because it'll elevate their respective Championships. I hope this is the last of their mixed match partnership.
This is after all, the only mixed match team that matters.
