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Credit: WWE.com
Another Monday, another Monday Night RAW. WWE’s flagship show has been less than appealing in its after-WrestleMania, pre-SummerSlam yearly slump, but there have been glimmers of hope.
The arrival of new talent and some true feuds have kept the product fresher, but that doesn’t mean everything is working. Let’s take a look at last night’s episode and see what was good, what was bad, and what was, what I’m calling “Huh”-gly (a mixture of “Huh? That just happened” and really, really ugly.)
The Good
(Photo: WWE)
Kevin Owens and John Cena
I wasn’t a huge Owens fan when he debuted on the main roster almost a month ago. The guy looked like someone jumped the guardrail and was trying to get into a fight with the “Face That Runs the Place.” Even when he power-bombed Cena to announce his intentions, I still wasn’t sold. Then he pinned Cena clean at Elimination Chamber.
I want you to really stop and think about that for a second. Five years ago, Vince McMahon wouldn’t have let Kevin Owens within a hundred yards of a WWE ring, least of all on Monday Night RAW making his franchise player look bad. Now, you have to believe that Vince trusts Triple H’s vision a lot more than anyone would have once believed. Either that, or the boss is seeing if his son-in-law will sink or swim.
Anyway, last night, we got the borderline typical Cena promo, but with a lot more emphasis on why he, not Owens, will emerge this Sunday victorious; bottom line, because Cena knows he’s a safe bet. Owens retort focusing on Cena being delusional; that audiences have seen this before. Cena comes out to open RAW, gives his two cents, and people either buy in or they don’t. Owens thinking that it’s time for a change resonates because even though he isn’t the first man to tell Cena he’s a joke, Owens immediately backed it up by beating Cena clean.
The idea that the US Title Open Challenge is old and people would rather see an NXT Title Open Challenge was a nice rift on the monotony of always knowing that no matter who came out to answer the challenge, Cena wasn’t losing that title on an episode of RAW. Neville’s inclusion and decision to fight Owens was two-fold; it made Owens’ proclamation seem legit and gave two NXT guys center stage to open RAW. Owens winning then inviting Cena back into the ring, then leaving to fight another day works, because it really is making Owens look like a prizefighter.
More Good
(Photo: WWE)
The Tag Team Division Actually Looks Good
Even with the injury to Tyson Kidd that sidelines (arguably) the greatest tag team in recent WWE history, the rest of the division looks to be heating up. The New Day may just be the best heel tag team in recent memory. Why? Because they don’t know that they’re a heel tag team. The WWE has successfully taken three men who’s individual careers were in doubt moving forward–and turned them into one of the most entertaining (albeit strangely) acts on the card.
The Prime Time Players give the team an immediate threat, while the burgeoning team of Rowan and Harper will provide the monster heels necessary to make the division interesting. Throw in a splash of a high-flying team like the Lucha Dragons, and it’s the 80s/early 90s all over again (and that’s a good thing.) Don’t believe me?
Rowan and Harper: Demolition (power heels)
Lucha Dragons: The Rockers (high flyers)
Kidd/Cesaro: The Hart Foundation (technically sound/powerhouse)
Prime Time Players: Hollywood Blondes (Titus O’Neil is the Ausin)
The New Day: The Fabulous Freebirds
All we need now is for someone to be the Natural Disasters and I’m all in.
(Photo: WWE)
They’re Making the Best Out of Ambrose/Rollins
Though I still think it’s just a blow-off feud to set up the return of Brock Lesnar to challenge Seth Rollins for what he never lost, so far, the storyline involving Dean Ambrose stealing the WWE World Heavyweight Championship has paid off in spades (at least in casual viewership). Since Rollins has been champion, the basic heel persona where he gets help at every turn needed a shot in the arm.
He’s got it now. Last night, it seemed as if Rollins and the Authority are on a one-way trip to implosion. Having the WWE World Heavyweight Champion in the main event is always nice for RAW. Having the WWE World Heavyweight Champion face his former security team, well, meh. Having him lose (by pinfall, no less and with no actual outside interference)–mind-boggling. Still, Rollins has to be the hand-picked guy if the Authority angle is going to last. Having him care only about his title is front and center, but losing to Ambrose is still not an option.
Having Rollins and Triple H feud somewhere in the future may actually help his career, especially once this character gets stale and needs a face turn.
The Bad
(Photo: WWE)
The Divas Division Is A Mess…Still
I just don’t get it. You build Naomi up as a legitimate title threat in the Divas division. You even pair her with A.J. Lee’s old running mate Tamina. Then you have her lose clean at Elimination Chamber. Then, Paige comes back, and to make sure everyone thinks it’s 2008, she lost to Nikki Bella through “Twin Magic.”
The Divas division looked exciting when it was centered around Lee and Paige, with the occasional challenger thrown in to change it up. Naomi would have made an excellent heel champion who could have helped transition the title to a debuting Charlotte or Sasha Banks. The failure to pull that trigger speaks volumes of just how much Vince McMahon still thinks of women’s wrestling, no matter much Triple H and Stephanie want to capitalize on the fan’s strong affinity for the women down at NXT (and on the main roster.)
Having Nikki beat Summer Rae did nothing for the division. It’s nothing against Summer Rae, but the lack of actual Diva matches in the past year shows. Putting a new face out there to make Nikki look good isn’t doing anyone any favors. The only reasoning I can find for this lies in the fact that, like it or not, the Bellas are the face of the Divas division, thanks to Total Divas. Advertisers recognize them and the cross-viewers of both shows know who she is.
The “Huh”-gly
(Photo: WWE)
The Money In The Bank Ladder Match Is Boring
JBL actually uttered the words “This is the most star-studded Money In The Bank Ladder Match” ever last night on RAW. I’m still trying to figure out what match card he was looking at. Sheamus, Ziggler, Reigns, and Orton all make sense moving forward. They are your “B” squad. They’re the guys that make believable threats to the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at the moment.
So, why then, are Kofi Kingston, Neville, and Kane in this match?
Well, Kane’s involvement is to apparently appease the Authority angle of, if he wins, he can take out Rollins (finally, in his mind) and become the “Future of the WWE.” OK. Sure. Not really, but fine.
Neville appears to be getting rewarded for his ascension to the main roster and not fizzling out entirely. He also is replacing, on the whole, Daniel Bryan, who would surely be in this match if he wasn’t injured.
That leaves Kingston. Five years ago, Kofi Kingston peaked. He held his own in a short feud with Randy Orton, but that was all but forgotten. He’s bounced around in different tag teams, won multiple mid-card titles, and annually performs the high spot in the Royal Rumble match. He’s found his place as a member of the New Day, but that’s it. I don’t believe for a second that Kofi Kingston will ever hold the WWE World Heavyweight Title.
So, that leaves the obvious. If Kingston, Neville, and Kane probably won’t win, then that leaves four guys. And frankly, I don’t know many who are betting on anyone other than Reigns or maybe Orton leaving with that briefcase.
(Photo: WWE)
Roman Reigns Is Never Going To Get Over
Which leads to this. In his match last night with Kofi Kingston and in his initial promo before being interrupted by everyone in the MIB Ladder Match (and one guy who wasn’t), Roman Reigns proved something that is invaluable knowledge moving forward:
He doesn’t have it. He never will.
The ship on Reigns has sailed. I’m not entirely sure everyone in the WWE, including Vince McMahon realizes that, but they’d better very, very soon. When he talks, I tune out. He has little to no charisma, and his move set is more predictable than John Cena’s. The difference? Cena can talk. All day. Even when we don’t want him to anymore. The Champ is still more compelling than Roman “Paint Drying” Reigns. To borrow a line from the Miz, “He can’t emote properly.”
Conclusion
RAW itself was a decent go-home show for the PPV, but some of the feuds just aren’t working. No one cares to see Big Show and Ryback for the Intercontinental Championship. Where, once again, was Bray Wyatt? Where, pray tell, are some of the mid-card guys people may actually want to see? Why in the world does the MIB Ladder Match feel rushed? Is Kevin Owens – John Cena the only thing the company has going now? (Yes)
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