WWE Raw: Ranking the Debuts and Returns From Post-Mania Show

5. Authors of Pain

Much like No Way Jose, the Authors of Pain debuted in a relative squash match. They answered the open challenge thrown out by Heath Slater and Rhyno, and made short work of the first ever SmackDown Tag Team Champions. But there’s a few reasons why Akam and Rezar are ranked this low in terms of the night’s debuts.

First, they debuted on a night where General Manager Kurt Angle established a tournament of sorts for the now-vacant Raw Tag Team Championship. But was this match a part of the tournament? Nope. Wouldn’t a greater impact have been made if AoP were immediate contenders for the titles?

Second, at this point in their run, Slater and Rhyno are less “former tag team champions” and more “hey, we’re not on Main Event this week!” Sure, they’re not exactly on the same level as John Skyler, but there’s less of a gap than you might think.

Third, the dismissal of Paul Ellering should have happened more officially on Raw itself, and not in a backstage web exclusive. Ellering is a Hall of Fame manager, and while he’s not the only reason for AoP’s success, he is a big part of it. I get it if a 64-year-old guy doesn’t want to go on the road full time, but it should have been more clear on the broadcast itself.

Still, Akam and Rezar are hella fun to watch. The way they can dismantle even the best tag teams out there is a joy to watch. It’ll be interesting to see how well they get themselves over without Ellering, but I’m here for the ride.