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Let's begin by saying that this week's episode of WWE RAW was not good at all, and it was a chore to sit through the three hours. SmackDown is so much more palatable and enjoyable every week, and it just seems like the superior brand right now.
It was very difficult to find 2 good things to talk about from the course of WWE RAW and even the high points were marred by confusing, befuddling booking decisions. The Best/Worst section of this article will shed further light on what we exactly mean.
If you disagree with our assessment, you have a greater sense of patience than we do, and we welcome you to write your thoughts and views in the comments below. What did you think of WWE RAW, and did it enhance or decrease your excitement for the Royal Rumble 2021 pay-per-view?
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#1 Best: Could Lacey Evans adopt the 'Nature Girl' persona on WWE RAW going forward?
Yes, Charlotte Flair did adopt the Ric Flair lite persona early on in her career, but she's arguably the greatest performer in the history of the WWE women's division and has carved her own niche as 'The Queen'.
However, if Lacey Evans does decide to come out in Ric Flair's robes, adopting a persona where she claims to be better than everyone else, it would be a step up from the 'Sassy Southern Belle' gimmick that she has donned until this point.
Yes, one could even say that it'll be the evolution of her current WWE RAW character.
And because we have seen Randy Orton in his current persona so very often, maybe the masked look as a special attraction could be a nice temporary WWE RAW gimmick for the legend, for a short while.
#1 Worst: Fans who stayed for Goldberg on WWE RAW were treated to Gillberg instead
Fans on the internet have been outspoken since WWE RAW brought back a whole bunch of legends for the first episode of the year. Not everyone seems to be a fan of the dream matchup because Goldberg is no longer in the prime of his career.
Compound the fact that WWE RAW is also missing Drew McIntyre and there's a serious lack of excitement for what the company seems to perceive as a pretty big match. However, fans must have tuned in to see Goldberg appear on WWE RAW, as a special guest on Miz TV.
Imagine how cheated they felt when it was Gillberg who showed up instead of Goldberg, after sitting through the rest of WWE RAW for so very long, in addition to a mini version of Drew McIntyre.
Remember the story of the 'boy who cried wolf'? Will the audience now believe that Goldberg and Drew McIntyre will actually show up on WWE RAW next week?
#2 Best: Everything with Alexa Bliss on WWE RAW was absolutely incredible
WWE RAW is making complete use of not having fans in the arena by using cuts, creativity, and the cinematic aspect of sports entertainment, to book Bray Wyatt and Alexa Bliss. During the match between Asuka and Alexa Bliss, the latter would undergo some kind of transformation during which she became an evolved, gothic, Harley Quinn-ish character. The company seems to be very invested in Alexa Bliss at this point, and that is a good thing.
WWE RAW went off the air with Alexa Bliss pinning Asuka, thereby setting the stage for a massive match down the line.
Alexa Bliss definitely has better acting chops than anyone in the roster and the fact that she spoke as if The Fiend was around, addressing an invisible friend must have sent shivers down many a spine. Can you imagine Alexa Bliss winning the Royal Rumble and potentially challenging Asuka for the WWE RAW Women's Championship thereafter, reader? Is that a compelling feud for you, or would you prefer some other outcome?
#2 Worst: Mace from RETRIBUTION is not very good, is he? Also, other botches from WWE RAW this week, live on air!
Many eyebrows were raised when WWE RAW star Keith Lee was sent to the Performance Center by Vince McMahon. One of the other names in the list of big men sent back to developmental was Dio Maddin, who plays Mace from RETRIBUTION. We are certain that he has a great future ahead of him, but honestly, the finisher he hit on Xavier Woods did not look good at all.
And that wasn't the only clumsy moment on WWE RAW this week if you factor in the spot with Charlotte Flair and Peyton Royce's leg on the rope as well as the backstage moment with Lashley stepping on Riddle's foot.
To be fair, and full credit to Alan from SK Wrestling for pointing this out, WWE RAW did something good with RETRIBUTION this week where they explained Ali's motivation for going after The New Day. The bar's set so low, that we have to praise such little things. But it was good nevertheless.
#3 Best/Worst: AJ Styles and Ricochet have the best match on WWE RAW, but the premise itself is flawed
It's so very strange that WWE RAW star Ricochet has to qualify for an opportunity when everyone else is just declaring themselves as entrants in the Royal Rumble. And does the fact that Ricochet lost to AJ Styles mean that he cannot enter the Royal Rumble match anymore now?
That said, this was, by far, the best in-ring contest on all of WWE RAW by a fair margin, especially if you consider the finish, which was almost GIF-worthy. AJ Styles and Ricochet are obviously not strangers to one another and they take each other to the limit, every time the two men step into the ring for a clash.
Now that you've heard what this humble reviewer had to say about WWE RAW, please tune in to check out what Vince Russo and Dr. Chris Featherstone have to say about it. Just click on the link above and check out their hilarious rants about the product.
