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Has there ever been a good show of RAW overseas? It just seems like whenever WWE travels to the UK to tape a show, it's never the best episode at all. Somehow, the superstars just seem to phone it in. This week's show was hard to sit through, for three hours.
RAW had a chance to carry the momentum of all the developments from the Crown Jewel pay-per-view event. The brand also had a chance to build excitement for Survivor Series. I daresay neither aspect was accomplished effectively.
My best and worst situation will try to create a few positive from a show that was largely filled with negatives. Let me give WWE the benefit of the situation here and assume that this is all leading up to something grand.
Maybe it's wrong to expect so much from WWE's weekly shows, but we all know that when they try, they put on some winners.
#1 Best: The Rollins-Ambrose drama
Ambrose pulled off perhaps the most devious heel turn in recent memory. I like the fact that he has not explained his motivations thus far. The day he does, we know that it will be the end of the mystique around his character, and it'll go back to being just a regular feud once again.
I like the fact that Ambrose comes in through the crowd, stalks Seth Rollins and lays a beating on him every week. Ambrose attacked Rollins when The AoP had destroyed him, leaving him broken and bruised on the mat. I daresay that this was the only good thing about RAW this week.
When the two men do clash, this is a rivalry that should explode into an all-out war. I simply can't wait for it!
#1 Worst: No Universal Champion
The whole world was talking about Brock Lesnar winning the prestigious Universal Championship. And the champion decided not to show up. It's one thing when he does not do it for storyline purposes. However, the fact that he missed a critical RAW episode is criminal.
This was the one thing that possibly made people tune in to catch the action. I was disappointed with the fact that not enough of a big deal was made about the title switch. Neither was the match against AJ Styles provided any real build.
Neither did he show up at UFC which was considered to be the only valid reason why WWE would put the belt on Lesnar. Those in the industry had assumed that WWE wanted their belt to be seen at a big UFC pay-per-view event, but this turned out to be a mere rumour.
#2 Best: Resolving the tag team title situation
The Shield had kept the tag team titles hostage for quite some time now. Well, Ambrose and Rollins have gone their separate ways and that situation has seemingly been resolved. AoP defeated Rollins in a handicap match and they are the brand new Champions.
AoP is one of those teams that will do much better on the main roster, as compared to what they did in NXT. They just have the look, the size and the demeanour that appeals to the top WWE brass. I hope they go on to have great rivalries with teams like Roode/Gable and The Revival, in weeks that follow.
I hope that WWE invests time and effort into AoP and builds them into a monstrous tag team, that can go on to do wonderful things in the company, in the months that follow. I seriously hope that they do!
#2 Worst: Spoilers
The problem with any taped show is that you cannot escape the spoilers from the event, however hard you may try. If you're part of any wrestling related forum or chat, spoilers inevitably show up and spoil the show. This was certainly the case with me this week.
In fact, I knew about the title change beforehand and going into the match, I wasn't as enthused as I would have otherwise been. When you already know how a movie is going to play out, would you sit at the theatre and watch it until it eventually concludes? I cannot speak for all of you, but I am certain that a lot of viewers must have tuned out.
And the worst part is that WWE themselves tweeted out the spoilers from their very own social media accounts. Not the smartest way to get fans to tune in and watch the show, I believe!
#3 Best: Ronda Rousey's promo
In recent times, UFC has soared in terms of popularity. This is because it isn't divided into good and bad, into black and white. You have two competitors at the top of their game saying why they will win the said contest. Rousey brought the fire and the fury during her promo.
Even though the crowd chanted for Becky Lynch, Rousey cut a promo on how she was training for the Olympics, when Lynch went to clown school. It was delivered with utmost passion and woke a drowsy crowd up immediately. I wonder if Becky Lynch will respond to these comments on SmackDown Live, also from the United Kingdom.
The most amazing thing about Ronda Rousey is probably her transformation from a smiling babyface into the crazed fighter, in each and every one of her segments. She is the real deal.
#3 Worst: Evolution rematch
Doesn't it feel like we've seen variations of The Riott Squad against Bayley, Sasha Banks and Natalya forever? Doesn't it feel like these women would be far better served in individual feuds? Who else is waiting for Sasha Banks to turn on Bayley again? Or vice versa.
I did like the spot where Ruby Riott gained heel heat by breaking Jim 'The Anvil' Neidhart's glasses. Natalya made it work by crying real tears, from what should still be a sore spot with her. But again this Tweet sums up what most of us viewers must have been feeling at the moment.
I do hope that from next week on, we see some semblance of a build for Survivor Series. That would be forward motion, as compared to the very same segment, week after week!
#4 Best/worst: The Apollo Crews situation
Apollo Crews has all the makings of a superstar. He's incredibly gifted and likeable, and can go in the ring as few others can. I do like the fact that he's getting a singles push too. But I wonder if it's all just a case of too little, too late for him.
Defeating Jinder Mahal, a former WWE Champion, is a very big deal. Only months before this, Mahal would be the one pinning Crews in a matter of no time at all. I just wonder how far Crews can go, because of how he's been perceived thus far.
He has been little more than a jobber during his time in WWE. But then again so was Jinder Mahal and he did well for himself, didn't he?
Maybe if he has the blessings of a real Goddess...
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