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Quite a lot happened on tonight's episode of WWE RAW, including title matches, new pushes, and teased heel turns. Not everything was perfect, though, as there were issues with the main story thread of the show. But what exactly happened? Let's find out.
So, without further ado, let's look at the main positives and negatives of the show, along with the usual suspects, Becky Lynch, Kofi Kingston, and Drew McIntyre all feature.
#3. Best: The Tegan Nox story finally begins
After internally getting replaced by Natalya as Becky Lynch's opponent on WWE RAW last week, Tegan Nox finally got the spotlight. The Man gave her some words of encouragement backstage, leading to a match between Nox and Natalya.
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Lynch was present at ringside as the Welsh star scored a solid win over the veteran, earning a shot at the NXT Women's Championship. Tegan Nox is next in line after No Mercy, where Becky Lynch will defend her title against Tiffany Stratton in an Extreme Rules Match.
It's always great to see young stars getting an opportunity to shine, especially someone as talented as Nox. The future seems encouraging.
#2. Worst: Same old start
WWE RAW's opening segment feels like it's been done almost every week for months. Cody Rhodes came out to cut a promo, only for The Judgment Day to interrupt him. Jey Uso, Sami Zayn, and Kevin Owens appeared, while JD McDonagh joined the heels.
This was obviously done to help build the main event Tag Team Title match, but it's part of a larger issue of repetition. A change in structure to these segments would do wonders. McDonagh ended up helping Finn Balor and Damian Priest defeat Owens and Zayn, much like he tried to do at Payback.
The ending of WWE RAW has indicated all eight men aren't nearly finished with each other. Expect Jey Uso to open next week's show, only for "The Other Side" to start playing during his promo.
#2. Best: Dirty Dom and Dragon Lee show out
Shockingly away from his Judgment Day teammates for a brief while, Dominik Mysterio showed out on WWE RAW. Tonight's show was all about showcasing the title picture of NXT as much as it was building to Fastlane.
Dirty Dom defended his North American Championship in a great match against Dragon Lee, winning with a super clean Frog Splash. Both stars were excellent on WWE RAW, with the luchador forming a fantastic first impression on the main roster.
Meanwhile, Dominik Mysterio may have had the best in-ring match of his career. His reign isn't over yet, and he remains one of the best across all three brands.
#1. Worst: No WWE RAW Women's Champs on the show
Besides Becky Lynch, there wasn't any female champion on WWE RAW. Rhea Ripley is still away, which isn't ideal, especially after all members of The Judgment Day defended their titles. However, Chelsea Green and Piper Niven seemed to be left off the show.
The Women's Tag Team Champions should be on television every week, either backstage or in the ring. Green, in particular, must get screen time every Monday. She is one of the most entertaining parts of the show and shouldn't be live-tweeting it as much as we enjoyed it all night.
#1. Best: Drew McIntyre's slow burn continues
The road to Drew McIntyre's inevitable heel turn continued on WWE RAW. The Scottish Warrior was a guest on The Miz TV tonight, during which he was interrupted by The New Day. Following a war of words, McIntyre defeated Kofi Kingston in a great match.
The two former world champions went toe-to-toe until Ivar of The Viking Raiders made his presence felt. He distracted Kingston and attacked him after the match. Drew McIntyre decided not to help the New Day member and walked to the back.
This saga is even more intriguing now, especially after The Scottish Warrior actively teased a feud with Cody Rhodes. This program would make WWE RAW a better show in the coming months.
