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WWE RAW’s first episode after Money in the Bank pay-per-view was a pretty controversial one. We saw multiple high-profile returns on the Red brand, but not all of them accounted for promising segments. We also saw a champion’s debut met with an unfortunate fate. The show featured two title changes this week, including one fuelled by a Money in the Bank cash-in.
Here, we look at the hits and flops of WWE RAW this week. So, without further ado, let’s begin.
#5 Hit on WWE RAW: John Cena confirms plans of facing Roman Reigns at SummerSlam
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Following a memorable return at Money in the Bank pay-per-view last night, WWE Superstar John Cena once again walked out to a thunderous pop on RAW. He addressed the WWE Universe in the show's opening segment, detailing his immediate plans for the promotion. Cena did not take long before bringing up the Universal Champion, Roman Reigns.
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The 16-time Champion noted how The Tribal Chief often asks the WWE Universe to “Acknowledge Him” before labeling him “A**hole” on live TV. Cena then confirmed that he wants to challenge Reigns for his Universal Championship at SummerSlam. The announcement fetched loud cheers amongst fans who were excited to see the rivalry unfold in WWE.
The two superstars were also involved in a feud back in 2017. John Cena took infamous shots at Roman Reigns during their war of words. Now that the latter has reinvented himself since turning heel, it will be interesting to see how different their feud will be this time. Cena also confirmed he will make an appearance on WWE SmackDown later this week.
It was undoubtedly one of the best starts to WWE RAW that we have seen in a while. Before leaving the ring, Cena had a small interaction with Riddle. Both superstars kept saying “Bro” back and forth before saying it together. The WWE Universe joined in on the fun and cheered for the instant bromance between the two.
John Cena will now head to WWE SmackDown, where he is expected to come face to face with Roman Reigns. The latter will have a numbers advantage with The Usos on his side. It will be interesting to see how the decorated trio will react, should Cena choose to destroy them on the mic. Add Paul Heyman to the mix, and we will all run out of popcorn by the end of the show.
#4 Flop on WWE RAW: Karrion Kross loses his debut match
WWE NXT Champion Karrion Kross made his RAW debut tonight, and it should have never happened. His was one of the cruelest debuts we have seen in recent WWE history. The reigning champion of the Black and Gold brand, who has never been pinned in the company before, lost his first match on RAW this week. Kross walked out without Scarlett, and it instantly raised eyebrows.
Soon after that, Jeff Hardy walked out to his old theme song “No More Words” and it was the only good thing about this entire segment on WWE RAW. After a brief exchange, Hardy gained the upper hand and went for a quick roll-up from behind. Before Kross realized what was happening, Hardy managed to pin him and escape from the squared circle.
The WWE Universe was left in shock as Jeff Hardy has not pinned anyone in quite some time. Moreover, it completely undermined an entire brand whose champion was defeated within a couple of minutes. Following the match, Kross took the mic and announced that it was only the beginning of his reign on WWE RAW. However, based on this week’s events, we are not sure if that is good.
#3 Hit on WWE RAW: Drew McIntyre fired up for his next feud
During the Men’s Money in the Bank Ladder Match, WWE Superstar Drew McIntyre was dominating all his opponents at one point. Unfortunately, Jinder Mahal interfered in the match and laid out a brutal attack on The Scottish Warrior, costing him his only championship opportunity. An angry McIntyre then returned on RAW this week with more than revenge on his mind.
Mahal first addressed the audience on WWE RAW and announced that it was his birthday. Obviously, Shanky had to sing for him because Indians love nothing more than birthday songs.
Thankfully, McIntyre interrupted the corniest celebration in humankind’s history by hitting Mahal, Shanky, and Veer with multiple chair shots from behind. The latter and Mahal managed to escape, but our lead singer was sadly left inside the ring to face the music on WWE RAW.
McIntyre, adamant about sending a strong message, decided to redefine how chairs can be used. He hit Shanky with 20 chair shots while the entire arena counted alongside the chilling sound of steel crashing against Shanky’s back.
Mahal and Veer looked horrified in the distance as they witnessed their friend lying helplessly against a Scottish beatdown. McIntyre’s response, coupled with the history he shares with Jinder Mahal, assured us that it would be an entertaining feud. This could be huge for Mahal, Shanky, and Veer, who could use the spotlight to showcase their full potential on WWE RAW.
McIntyre carried the Red brand for over a year and delivered great matches every week, even when he was wrapped in the assurance of the world championship. Unfortunately, McIntyre couldn’t enjoy his epic title reign in front of the live crowd.
However, at the moment, he needs to be kept away from the WWE Championship. He deserves a lot of credit for putting in the same effort in his feud with Mahal as he did in all his title rivalries over the last two years. Even when he is not a fan favorite, no one can question his dedication to the craft.
#2 Flop on WWE RAW: Goldberg arrives as Bobby Lashley’s next challenger
WWE Champion Bobby Lashley successfully defended his title against Kofi Kingston after a dominating performance at Money in the Bank. Following that, he issued an open challenge on RAW this week, which set up Keith Lee’s much-awaited return.
These statements could have marked the beginning of one of the most defining feuds on the Red brand this year, but to quote Thanos, “Reality is often disappointing”.
Lashley and Lee engaged in a decent match that eventually ended with the WWE Champion picking up a convincing victory. Unfortunately, his celebration was cut short by a returning Goldberg who walked out to a huge pop.
He stepped inside the ring and declared that he was next in line to challenge Lashley for the title. Both superstars will likely face each other in a title match at SummerSlam next month.
Goldberg potentially has another title win left in his contract, and there’s a big chance that he will dethrone Lashley as the WWE Champion. The latter’s recent booking would be entirely pointless if the creative team sticks with this direction.
Lashley needed a dominating run to set up a dream match against Brock Lesnar – a fight that has been in the making since both these superstars signed with WWE. However, it seems that his days as a champion are now numbered.
#1 Flop/Hit on WWE RAW: RAW Women’s Championship changes hands again
Last night at WWE Money in the Bank 2021, Charlotte Flair defeated Rhea Ripley for the RAW Women’s Championship. Their performance forced the crowd to go from “We want Becky!” to “This is Awesome!”. The Queen returned on RAW to celebrate her win but walked right into a title rematch with Ripley.
Both superstars then faced each other in the main event that ended with Charlotte Flair intentionally disqualifying Rhea Ripley. She retained her title owing to the champion’s advantage, but Ripley was far from satisfied. She laid out the vicious attack on the WWE RAW Women’s Champion before Nikki A.S.H. walked out with her Money in the Bank contract.
Nikki cashed in on her guaranteed title opportunity and pinned Flair to win the RAW Women’s Championship. It will be interesting to see how she will move forward as a champion. At the same time, it can’t be ignored that Flair was once again booked as a transitional champion.
At this rate, it is pretty pointless to credit her for being the most decorated superstar in the WWE women’s division. The creative team should have either booked the cash-in for last night or should have waited at least until SummerSlam. Meanwhile, all eyes are now on Nikki A.S.H.
