WWE Raw included a lot to talk about. So we’ve compiled the following list of notable moments on this week’s show that seem to point at a real change in the right direction.
There was a very interesting moment in the early moments of the show. The camera “accidentally” cut to the Street Profits backstage just standing there for a split second. If this was a botch, then Kevin Dunn needs to just retire because that’s a bad one to make. Therefore, we’re leaning toward the theory that this was a part of the show.
Soon after during the opening match, Braun Strowman and Bobby Lashley went through the Raw set. This caused a huge explosion and Corey Graves to say “holy sh*t.” The S-Word isn’t a word WWE usually says on their television programs… at all.
Karl Anderson put his wife on the line in a bet if AJ Styles couldn’t beat Ricochet. Then AJ said that he hopes Anderson doesn’t forget about putting his wife up on the line in a wager about a predetermined sport. WWE usually shies away from the idea of betting wives on their television show, right?
Later on, Karl Anderson was pumping AJ Styles up and he mentioned Japan. They’ve done this before, but the uniqueness of this storyline was still rather refreshing.
The Undertaker brought up a match he had with Shane McMahon at WrestleMania 32 during his segment as well. Bringing up a match that happened three weeks ago is uncommon in WWE nowadays so mentioning something that happened in 2016 is pretty impressive.
We also had a god-awful backstage promo with Seth Rollins and Becky Lynch playing a bad Lucy and Ricky routine. So yeah that was bad, but then Maria Kanellis showed up with Mike Kanellis and challenged them to a match while calling her husband “my bitch” in the process. Later on, Corey Graves repeated that on commentary as well. So they said bitch twice. Nice.
During her crazy shade throwing at Mike Kanellis, Maria Kanellis said that maybe she’ll get Becky Lynch to impregnate her next time. That implies a lot of things and none of them are necessarily TV-PG.
To close out the show, WWE did a legit Dusty Finish. AJ Styles won the U.S Title, but Ricochet’s foot was under the ropes. Another referee went in the ring to inform the original referee and they went to commercial break. This is an old-school finish that we haven’t seen in quite some time as well.
AJ Styled turned heel to conclude the show and in the process he delivered a top rope Styles Clash on Ricochet. Not only is the Styles Clash a move that WWE doesn’t really have Styles do much anymore, but one from the top rope is especially risky. It happened this week to sell the angle because it was needed and this was a good decision.
We’re not sure how much Paul Heyman had to do with any of this or who’s hand was really a huge part of tonight’s show, but something seemed to be clicking for WWE and it appears as if they’re going somewhere that doesn’t suck for a change.
Congratulations WWE, and we really mean it this time.