Triple H has largely received positive responses to his booking decisions since taking over the WWE creative duties from Vince McMahon. However, fans aren't entirely sold on how Mustafa Ali has been booked under the new regime so far.
On January 16, 2022, Mustafa Ali publicly requested his release from WWE, which was declined by the company. He was written off television for a few months before making his return to RAW in April, defeating The Miz. Ali then feuded with the Hollywood A-Lister for a while.
Eventually, the 36-year-old star challenged Austin Theory for the United States Championship at the Hell in a Cell premium live event. He lost the match and has been on a losing run on the red brand for many weeks. His last win on RAW came in October.
On the latest edition of the Monday night show, Bronson Reed obliterated Mustafa Ali. In his last match in January, he was easily dispatched by Solo Sikoa. Some fans were far from pleased with how Ali has been booked by Triple H.
Vince Russo criticized Mustafa Ali's booking on WWE RAW
During his match against Bronson Reed, Mustafa Ali was flung onto the timekeeper's area. Former WWE writer Vince Russo feels that the spot should not have been no-sold in the manner it was:
"We all know my history with Muhammed Ali. Let me make one thing very clear, this was not his fault. This is the agent of the match, this is the agent of this match. This is not Ali. I doubt he’s laying out his own matches. I don’t think he’s got that kind of stroke. Bro, who’s this guy, Bronson Reed, Reed throws Ali in the chairs, looks like he killed him and I’m saying bro, that had to hurt. Those chairs are not worked, he did not know how he was gonna land, that had to hurt. They came back and he no sold it. How did he not get counted out after that? You just killed Bronson Reed. You just killed the dude. A 160-pound guy would be able to come back after that." [1:12:00 - 1:13:30]
Mustafa Ali's winless streak continued as Bronson Reed pinned him with a Tsunami Splash. Next week, the former Retribution member will take on Dolph Ziggler on WWE RAW.