WWE Raw Results: Highlights, Analysis, and Grades for May 22

Akira Tozawa vs. Ariya Daivari

Result: Akira Tozawa defeated Ariya Daivari via pinfall

Rating: 2.5 (?) out of 5 stars

I swear, this “Cruiserweight Action, Only on Raw” thing is like an experiment in ways to fail. Is there anything they could do that would be more awkward than a mid-match interview about the match as it’s happening?

https://twitter.com/WWEUniverse/status/866813689080315907

As if the cruiserweights don’t have enough of a hard time connecting with the audience (for a variety of reasons), now we’re going to break up the flow of the match on TV for guest commentary that isn’t guest commentary? It’s lunacy. Either put the guy you want to talk to at the announce booth, or cut to an interview after the match. You can’t do it both ways.

Especially because you can’t even tell how good or not so good the match might be. Tozawa seemed to control the majority of the match, but I had a hard time focusing. Maybe I’m developing ADHD, maybe I’m burned out on wrestling after TakeOver and Backlash, but this was a mess from a production standpoint.

As The Boss Turns

(No, not that turn)

The battle between Sasha and Alicia Fox – and Noam Dar, I guess – seems to be far from over. Dar as the foil here is an interesting choice, but I’m not a fan of the Total Divas-esque storyline going on here. If you want Sasha and Fox to have a series of matches, fine. But let’s not get into the “I have a boyfriend and you don’t” thing, please?