WWE gave fans a great night of pro wrestling on Feb.19. It was exactly what the company needed and what it should continue to give fans in the future.
WWE Raw brought the action like never before on February 19. The flagship program delivered a Gauntlet Match, which featured Seth Rollins, Roman Reigns, John Cena, Elias, Finn Balor, The Miz and Braun Strowman.
Rollins pinned Reigns and Cena in the first two matches. Elias entered next and defeated The Kingslayer. Elias was then taken down by Finn Balor, who was later beaten by The Miz. Braun Strowman ended the gauntlet by destroying Miz as the crowd roared. The first two hours of Raw were nonstop action.
This is what fans want. This is what fans want every week. Big matches are usually reserved for pay-per-view and that is understandable. But somewhere along the way, WWE seemed to have forgotten how to present epic television.
For the first time in a long time, WWE focused on the wrestling. Long-winded promos were not the order of the night. Countless arguments at the commentary table never happened. In other words, this was not the typical Monday Night Raw.
WWE is supposed to be the best in the world at what it does. But oftentimes what it does isn’t very nice to look at. The company catches major criticism because of the entertainment emphasis, which detracts from the in-ring action.
Raw is under fire as well. The three-hour format has critics seething regularly and with good reason. The time to fill is immense, especially for a company so preoccupied with everything but the actual wrestling. But no matter how many fans complain, WWE moves on as is.
However this Raw is the exception. The entire presentation was a vehicle to build anticipation for WWE’s upcoming Elimination Chamber Match. All seven men did their part to get the Gauntlet Match over and it worked on every level. If any fans were on the fence when it comes to the chamber, those opinions have surely changed now.
Rollins made his case for being the new Mister Monday Night. It’s a role that suits him perfectly. The tag team division is not his style. Rollins’ supporters have impatiently waited for the moment he would once again rise up. That moment is now.
Cena looked like a man on top of his game. He may have lost, but he proved that he’s still a prime player in WWE. Fans may not expect him to win in the Feb. 25 Elimination Chamber but if he does, will anyone truly be surprised?
Reigns was Reigns. He came out to a chorus of boos and he pressed on as if he didn’t care. He and Rollins stepped into the ring and reminded everyone why WWE believed in them so much as The Shield. WWE is their company and that was evident on Raw.
Elias gave a great effort and he may be the underdog heading into the chamber but many fans have already rallied behind him. Though he will likely not win, he has proved he can carry the load on the main stage. The same of course is true of The Miz, who was once the unproven talent himself. He will be a world champion again; it’s only a matter of time.
Finn Balor lost once again. But his lost momentum could mean he will win on Feb. 25. Though many fans have predicted Reigns will go over and then go on to face Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 34, the company could change it up and give Balor the shot. But fans cannot forget about Strowman.
The Monster Among Men is unstoppable. Lesnar is the only one who has ever slowed him down. Strowman is the next big thing. But as long as The Beast Incarnate is in his way, Strowman may never realize his true main event potential.
In two hours, WWE presented seven of Raw’s best and delivered their stories in the ring. Very little mic time was involved. There were no distractions and the focus remained on the action. Monday Night Raw was once again must-see TV for pro wrestling fans, and that’s how it should be every week.
Next: The Top 10 Greatest Moments In Elimination Chamber History
The Elimination Chamber is now a must-see event and it’s thanks to Raw’s Gauntlet Match. But fans should not forget the match, just as the company should not forget what the fans really want. This is how Raw could always be. This is how Raw should be. The WWE faithful knows that. Hopefully WWE knows that as well.