What were the biggest questions the superstars of WWE Raw and SmackDown left in the ring this week?
WWE had quite a week for us with the weekly shows, NXT, 205 Live and the newly launched Mixed Match Challenge. Moreover, Raw was packed to the brim with explosive moments and segments. To cap off Monday night, Finn Balor and Seth Rollins rekindled their historic rivalry from their fateful encounter at SummerSlam. Rollins brought back a familiar weapon to his arsenal and picked up a quality win.
Raw did not waste a moment building towards the Royal Rumble and the upcoming 25th anniversary of the weekly show. From Braun Strowman’s rampage to Jason Jordan’s meddling and annoying antics, the show was on fire and to the point most of the time. The Women’s division to progressed along nicely.
The same could not be said about SmackDown Live however. Once hailed as the ‘Wrestling-centric show’ Tuesday nights have now become a sow drama. The storyline featuring Shane McMahon, Daniel Bryan, Owens, Sami Zayn and AJ Styles has enough moving parts to craft a classic. However, creative’s lethargic approach to it and the slow-burning arc are certainly hurting the angle.
Throw in the show’s continued mismanagement of the Women’s division with throw-away tag matches and you have plenty to complain about. In addition, the completely wrong choices made throughout the US title tournament made the show a ‘B show’ in many aspects. With so much to nitpick from a week, what were the biggest questions from the week that passed by us in the WWE?
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5. Will Dolph Ziggler return to confront the new United States Champion?
This is more of a question of ‘when’ rather than ‘if’. Dolph Ziggler defeated both Bobby Roode and Baron Corbin to win the US title cleanly. He then relinquished the same (sort of). Ziggler never said he did that. He just left the title in the center of the ring and walked away. As a result, the authorities in the Blue Brand came up with the idea for a US title tournament.
Now, am a big fan of tournaments in the WWE. They are always fun. But most of the time, there is no end game to it. Let’s be honest, when was the last time a King of the Ring tournament winner was actually booked as a credible star? But this time, there was a definite prize waiting at the end of the line. But, thanks to the creative team, this was all kinds of a mess. First and foremost, where was Baron Corbin? Isn’t the former champion entitled to a rematch?
That doesn’t mark the end of it though. Bobby Roode wasn’t the most ideal candidate to win the title either. But more on that later. My question is when will Ziggler decide to grace us with his presence and save us from this abominated angle. Will he do it next week? Or will he choose to make a surprise appearance at the Royal Rumble? He could even wait till it’s all over and ambush Roode the week after. For all I know, Ziggler is coming and he won’t be pleased to see the man he defeated being crowned as a champion and being cheered on.
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4. Are the Revival bound to job out at Raw 25?
Scott Dawson and Dash Wilder, collectively known as ‘The Revival’ is one of the best tag teams in the WWE. They bring a kind of charm and nostalgia to their act that screams out ‘old school’ at every turn. Two bruisers who stay true to their mantra ‘No Flips Just Fists’ are an absolute joy to watch in tag team action. However, owing to ill-timed injuries and circumstances, they are yet to find much success in the main roster.
This week, the duo took on a pair of unfortunate local competitors. They made short work of the opposition and finished them off with the Shatter Machine before being interviewed in the ring. Dash and Dawson mocked the legends who would be appearing next week at Raw 25. The names included the New Age Outlaws, Shawn Michaels and the Texas Rattlesnake himself.
If that is any indication of things to come, then the Revival are doomed to job out next week to at least one of these returning legends. I can understand creative wanting to give some of these legends a big moment in the ring. But why do that at the expense of one of the most prolific tag teams you have right now. With the advent of the Balor Club, Gallows and Anderson would most certainly move on to the title picture next. That leaves the Revival for a series of misfortunes yet again.
Expect to see them cross paths with at least one of the names above. At best, the Revival might beat down the New Age Outlaws. But sooner than later, expect one of the legends to come out and clear the ring off them. Trust me when I say this, Dash and Dawson deserve better.
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3. Can Roman Reigns retain the title at Raw 25?
Roman Reigns will defend his IC title against the Miz at the 25th anniversary edition of WWE Raw. The match was set a week ago by General Manager Kurt Angle. Logically speaking, the Miz never had his rematch for the title he lost. It seems imperative that the mid-card title belongs in the shoulders of the Miz.
However, that does not, in any manner of speech mean that the Miz is not a main event player. The truth is, there is nobody else who can make the IC title seem significant, the way the Miz does it. Not Roman, Reigns, not Seth Rollins and most certainly, not Jason Jordan. To everybody else, it is just a title, a stepping stone towards the Universal title. At best, it is a way to keep talent occupied until they move on to the World title picture.
But for the Miz, the IC title is everything. The extent to which he goes to retain it week after week tells you a lot about his act. Despite being the clear heel, the Miz constantly reminds us of how he wants to restore prestige to the title. That aura has been lacking with Roman Reigns. His open challenges have been fun and excellent. But the Inter Continental title needs the Miz.
But does creative think the same as well? Will the Hollywood A Lister overcome the Big Dog with the assistance of Curtis Axel and Bo Dallas? With such a historic show set to take, expect a title change to happen. This seems like the most possible outcome.
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2. How much longer can Braun Strowman remain relevant?
Two weeks ago, Braun Strowman pulled down a section of the set on to Brock Lesnar and Kane. As a result of his actions, Strowman was fired at the beginning of the show this week. This sent the Monster Among Men into a frenzy and soon he would embark on a rage-filled rampage. Strowman would throw the security guards around, put superstars through tables and scare off the backstage employees.
After being threatened by Angle that the cops would need to be called, Strowman vented more of his anger by flipping over a truck. This is the latest stunt in a line of superhuman feats Strowman has performed over the past year. Strowman makes all this seem believable as well. Every time, creative manages to build him up as an even bigger monster than he was. Gone are the days when the image of Strowman throwing chairs like a baseball pitcher haunted us.
We have seen him destroy the steel cage, break the ring, send Kane through the ring and now his latest two acts. But my question is, how far can creative go with these antics? At some point Strowman is going to have to grab the big win. As of now, I am doubtful as to whether he would get the job done at the Royal Rumble.
These superhuman acts of vandalism are essentially creative’s means of rebuilding Strowman’s credibility after losing a PPV match. If he loses at Rumble, what more can he do to remain relevant and retain his monstrous aura and presence? That question needs to reverberate across the WWE Universe and the creative team. Hopefully, they decide to let him grab the Universal title soon and unleash hell on Monday nights.
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1. Who is the real heel on Monday nights?
Monday night Raw ended with a stellar main event pitting Seth Rollins against Finn Balor. These two men were yet to cross each other in singles action after their historic encounter at SummerSlam to decide the first ever Universal champion. Needless to say, the two men delivered a classic back and forth match. However, the ending got really weird to say the least. At one point, Balor had Rollins down for the count which the referee messed up.
The Bar, trying to avenge Jordan’s interference from earlier in the night tried to take matters into their own hands. This resulted in a brawl and ringside between the Bar and the Balor Club. In midst of all this, Jordan grabbed Balor’s legs from behind, causing him to trip and fall. In the aftermath, an ever so opportunistic Seth Rollins found an ideal spot to bring back a forgotten weapon in his arsenal. The Curb Stomp, referred to as the Blackout by Corey Greaves took Balor down for the count.
The after effects of the match saw Rollins celebrating alongside Jordan, with a wide grin spread across his face. Balor, stunned and shocked took his time to collect himself and leave the ring. That ending left me with so many questions. First of all, what was Jason Jordan doing there, grabbing Balor from behind? Taking shortcuts to win matches doesn’t spell out babyface. So is he turning heel? If so, what about Rollins?
The case could be made that he never saw the interference. So then, when he notices it next week, what would his reaction be? Moreover, what about when Rollins actually lost the match but survived because of the referee’s mistake. Above everything else, the return of Blackout is intriguing to say the least. That move has a heel appeal written all over it. So, is Jordan shifting to the dark side and taking his tag team partner along with him?
Then there is Finn Balor; the man who was robbed of a victory on Monday night. How will he react to these events. Will he challenge for a rematch or will he try to avenge Rollins and take matters into his own hands? Could this initiate a heel turn for Balor instead? Last time I checked, Anderson and Gallows weren’t your ideal babyface partners. What did Balor side with them all the sudden?
Next: Seth Rollins Benefits Immensely From Curb Stomp Finisher
The biggest question from this week in the WWE is this. Who is the real heel on Monday nights. Is it Jason Jordan who has been interfering in matches a tad too much? Is it Seth Rollins who pulled off a dangerous move to avenge his first loss to Balor from the past? Or is it the Demon’s awakening, a heel waiting to be unleashed alongside Anderson and Gallows?