WWE Raw: Results, Highlights, Analysis, and Grades for January 29
By Bryan Heaton
Photo Source: WWE.com via Twitter
The Revival (Scott Dawson & Dash Wilder) vs. Rhyno & Heath Slater
Result: The Revival defeated Rhyno & Heath Slater via pinfall
Rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars
The biggest surprise of this match? It wasn’t The Revival vs. The Balor Club. A best of three series over the course of seven days is straight out of WWE’s typical playbook.
Instead, it was Heath Slater and Rhyno. Slater was coming off a terrifically entertaining appearance in the Royal Rumble. Rhyno is back home where his career got started in Philadelphia. But the story of the match is Dash and Dawson, and how great of a tag team they are compared to the majority of the wrestling world.
.@Rhyno313 just got SHATTERED as #TheRevival picks up the victory on #RAW! @ScottDawsonWWE @DashWilderWWE @HeathSlaterOMRB pic.twitter.com/Ec9gRYxeu8
— WWE (@WWE) January 30, 2018
Some decent camera work early on actually caught a bit of strategizing amongst The Revival. That’s a nice touch – if you watch enough sports, you eventually catch a sign or signal, or some kind of conversation that gets picked up by the cameras. Why not the same thing in WWE?
Two matches in a row with a chop block to the knee is a little strange – don’t the road agents/producers talk about the show? But there had to be a way to neutralize the much larger Rhyno to get him in place for the Shatter Machine, which sealed the contest in favor of The Revival.
"We learn from the past, these people can't stop living in it..." -@DashWilderWWE @ScottDawsonWWE #RAW pic.twitter.com/vbvyo5aoEh
— WWE (@WWE) January 30, 2018
After the match, Charly Caruso admits to not being familiar with the Graham Brothers. Come on, Charles – step up your game. But Dash crapping on the crowd for “getting themselves over” is that meta, Deadpool-esque breaking of the fourth wall that smarks love. I don’t know where The Revival are going next, but it’s been entertaining to watch thus far.
Dudley Boyz to Hall of Fame
Announcing this in Philadelphia was an obvious choice. I just hope this means no more Dudley matches in WWE. It’s time.
Photo Source: WWE.com via Twitter
Finn Balor, Master Troll
Ol’ Finnski and the Good Brothers don’t need your production values, they’ll just film their own promos. Especially if all they’re doing is talking about going over, NERRRRRRRRRD.