WWE RAW five-point review: August 26, 2013

Kane and the Wyatts

• Where is Kane?The question remains unanswered. The Big Red Monster who was last seen being eerily carried off by the Wyatts has been missing for a couple of weeks now, but the Wyatts have offered no explanation. Bray Wyatt cut an interesting promo on Monday Night pronouncing his finisher, “Sister Abigail”.Personally, I feel that the Wyatts have great potential and present that aura of mystique and premonition which has been missing since the absence of the Undertaker.The Undertaker who is nearing retirement age now, will always be one of Vincent K McMahon’s prized creations and has lent his superior aura of dominance and supernaturalism to the WWE which has made him a rightful legend of the business and a first ballot future Hall of Famer.The Wyatts can be seen in a similar light adding back to the Universe that same sense of supernaturalism. Though it is sometimes disheartening to hear the dead responses of the crowd during or after their outings, one can only hope that they continue to appear as something captivating and unreal and don’t pass away as uninteresting or overcomplicated.
• Summer of The ViperThis could have more aptly been titled as the “Summer of the Beard” as Daniel Bryan continues to prove that he is red-hot, in the ring, on the mic and as a character. WWE went the “ruin a car” way for tonight’s show and let’s face it, who doesn’t enjoy watching a $85,000 Cadillac being destroyed with spray paint?Though I felt that the opening promo felt like a repeat telecast of what we have already seen and the gist of almost every single Triple H feud, “Business vs Personal”. Daniel Bryan ran the gauntlet with the entire roster watching helplessly and provided an excellent match with Rollins for the second time.

These two warriors made for some compelling spots and an exciting match.The finish was an expected one with the new faction standing tall and mocking, but entertainment was all around anything Bryan touched.Sparing a thought for Randy Orton, his match with Christian which was carried out in typical heel persona showcasing brilliant wrestling for the 10-15 mins. It seems as though all the stars have aligned for this feud and I am looking forward to it as the anchor that carries the WWE forward into the race toward WrestleMania XXX.

The Not-So Minor Things:

Apart from the 5 points laid out by WWE, one thing no one saw coming was that absolute bombshell of a promo by one AJ Lee. The girl just won me over a hundredfold and millions of others like me. From striking point to striking point her promo was reminiscent of Punk’s promo laying it all out there and baring soul which is the best way to sell a promo. Her line, “You will never be able to lace up my Chuck Taylor’s” resonated greatly with me and I applaud her every bit I can for it. To anyone who hasn’t watched it, you can watch it here.

Elsewhere, Cody Rhodes, Damien Sandow, Fandango and The Miz continued to exist and carry forward their feuds, Los Matadores are coming and Ryback (entertainingly) bullied Josh Mathews. The Prime Time Players continue to enjoy their sudden push and look great as faces and it is enjoyable to see the crowd catching up with their dance.

In conclusion, one looks at this WWE roster without John Cena, Sheamus, Chris Jericho, and recently even the Big Show, but it still looks mighty strong and shows that WWE’s strategy of developing and nurturing talent has been right all along.