What were the biggest questions the superstars of WWE Raw and SmackDown left in the ring this week?
Another week has passed by us in the WWE and it’s time once again to dig into the events from the week. I am back once again with my five burning questions for the week in the WWE. Both Raw and SmackDown had plenty to take away from this week. However, it was the Blue brand that had the most logical storylines and nail-biting action. We saw the birth of the ‘Yep’ movement, which was something I honestly loved.
Other highlights from the night included AJ Styles not being the typical idiotic babyface and Naomi making an emphatic return. Styles strayed from the typical, trusting babyface path and saw right through the act the Singh Brothers were playing in front of him. He did get beaten up by the trio later in the night but something seems out-of-place.
On Monday though, questionable booking was seen all around. Finn Balor continued to mix it up with the Miztourage for no apparent reason. Meanwhile, an out of shape Kane fought Braun Strowman to a draw. The implications of the result alone can summarize what is wrong with the WWE creative today. We will let that point lead the charge for this week’s list of five burning questions.
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5. Who will face Brock Lesnar at Royal Rumble?
Almost a month ago, we were all lead to believe that Finn Balor would finally get his shot at the Universal title, which he never lost at Royal Rumble. The WWE universe was eager to witness the Demon take the fight to the Beast Incarnate. However, plans changed for reasons known only to Vince McMahon and we still don’t know who Lesnar’s opponent is.
This week, out of the blue WWE declared that the winner of Strowman Vs Kane match would be the number one contender for the Universal title. The winner would face the Beast Incarnate at Royal Rumble. My mind automatically went to Strowman. There should be no second thoughts about him defeating Kane, and ending this horrible feud once and for all. However, creative had other intentions. These two monsters fought to a draw, courtesy of a count out finish.
So now, the big question is who will face Lesnar. It seems more than likely that we will get a triple threat match at the Rumble. For starters it will ensure Strowman remains protected and Lesnar retains the title. But tell me this WWE universe, would you rather watch Kane and Lesnar compete in the ring for the first time or Balor and Lesnar in the ring for the very first time? Creative needs to get their priorities right.
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4. What is the deal with Nia Jax?
Nia Jax is a phenomenal performer. She is the Braun Strowman of the women’s division. Jax is surprisingly agile for someone of her size and she has put on entertaining matches with all kinds of opponents. However, creative seems to have no real plans for her at the moment. For the second weeks in a row, Jax was seen talking to Enzo of all people. It was weird in the first place.
Regardless, stretching it out for a second week and trying to create an angle out of it seems forceful. Seeing as Jax possibly walked out a month ago, I would think she’d do the same once more. I would take losing to Sasha Banks over this any day of the month. Jax should be portraying herself as a monster that preys on the Women’s division. She should either be a loner in the ongoing battle in the division between the Absolution and the rest of the women; or she should be one of the top priorities for the Absolution.
Instead, Jax is neither of these, but a big softie for Enzo Amore. How did the creative team come up with this idea? Are they going to have her interfere in title matches on behalf of Enzo? Will she make an example out of the Cruiserweights now? Creative could have added one more layer to the Absolution’s story by having Jax as the lone player who is feared by everyone. That is the kind of role she needs and deserves.
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3. Where are all the other tag team on WWE Raw?
For the past couple of months, the tag title division on Monday nights composes entirely of the Shield and The Bar. Where are all the other tag teams? Gallows and Anderson have been horribly misused since their arrival. The Revival has been plagued by injuries since their call-up. Titus Worldwide lacks any kind of credibility. The Miztourage can’t seem to find an upper hand despite having the numbers advantage against Finn Balor. That makes me wonder how they would fare as a tag team then.
One can understand why creative goes back to the Shield vs Bar every week. They put on great matches. But so does the other tag teams. Gallows and Anderson are a decorated tag team, respected all over the world. They should be having a slug fest with the Bar, not cracking lame ‘nerd’ jokes. It baffles me that despite not having anything to do with Finn Balor or the Club at the moment, why creative wouldn’t use them as a stable.
Personally, I would love to see The Revival challenge the Bar. But until they are fit to compete in the ring, other tag teams like the Club and Titus Worldwide need to step up. To be more precise, creative needs to let these teams shine. But how can you do that when you are never featured on a weekly basis with something substantial to do?
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2. Are the Singh Brothers working for AJ Styles?
This question should not make much sense after what transpired last Tuesday. The Singh Brothers kind of pledged their allegiance to Styles, ahead of his clash with Jinder Mahal this Sunday. After being hit with Khallas from an irate Mahal, the brothers said they were done with him. They would now instead, hope to serve a real champion in Styles. Normally, this is where the idiotic and simpleton babyface falls for the act and takes the bait.
But Styles isn’t your everyday average babyface. He saw right through the act and was having none of it. He proceeded to attack the Singh Brothers during Mahal’s entrance. Mahal though, knowing he was at a disadvantage here without his minions, checked on them and opted not to attack Styles. However, later in the night, during a backstage segment, the trio would return to ambush Styles.
If anybody suspected that Styles and the Singh Brothers were playing Mahal, that would have been clear by now. But what if there is one more layer to this story? What if, Styles himself orchestrated this attack so that Mahal would think he is still backed up by his minions? That kind of clever twists in the story are not something WWE creative is known for. But considering they have done everything else with Mahal and his lackeys, now seems like a good time to end their time together. Clash of Champions might be the night when the Singh Brothers retaliate for Mahal’s past treatment of them.
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1. Is Daniel Bryan a part of the Yep movement?
Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn believe that they are victims of a conspiracy. One that involves Shane McMahon and his personal vendetta against the two. Owens Vs Shane has boiled over and gotten out of control multiple times in the past. However, after the events of Survivor Series, Shane is out to get these two men once and for all.
The latest in a line of punishments for the two best friends is a tag team match against Randy Orton and Shinsuke Nakamura. If Owens and Zayn lose, they would be fired from the WWE. Oh, did I say that Shane is the special guest referee? The odds couldn’t be stacked against them anymore. This even lead Bryan to a sense of sympathy for the heels for a moment as we saw towards the end of SmackDown Live last week.
This week, the heels took to the ring, announcing the birth of the ‘Yep’ movement; a parody of Bryan’s legendary ‘Yes’ movement. The parallels between the two storylines are hard to neglect. But Bryan was the purest of pure babyfaces and Owens and Zayn are the smartest of heels. Regardless, this is making up for some must-see TV.
Bryan would come out to confront the heels for mimicking the fabled Yes movement. He would go on to say he believes Owens and Zayn are incredibly talented, before announcing himself as the second guest referee. We don’t know how this is going to work. But we do know one thing for certain. Things are going to get a lot more tensed between Bryan and Shane McMahon.
But what if there is more to it? What if Daniel Bryan is actually working alongside Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn already? Bryan took the role of the referee during the match between Owens and Nakamura. When the King of Strong Style had Owens for the cover, it took Bryan a few moments to get in the ring and start the count. There was a slight hesitation in his movements. Was that a sign of things to come?
Next: WWE SmackDown: The Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn Story So Far
This storyline now has multiple angles and layers. They range from a possible heel turn by Randy Orton to a shocking revelation of the true Yep movement. This one plot has made Clash of Champion a can’t miss PPV. Will Daniel Bryan shock the world by aligning himself with Owens and Zayn, out of his own reasoning?