WWE is falling into old habits with the Raw women’s division
The episode of Monday Night Raw from the other night was a complete mess, but the Raw women’s division segments are what stood out as the show’s biggest missteps.
It’s becoming the norm for WWE to take all the Raw women’s division on the brand and throw them into one segment. Last night’s episode of Monday Night Raw was no different. Lacey Evans invited the four participants for the Money in the Bank ladder match to watch her compete. Afterward, Becky Lynch stormed down to the ring and the two had a brawl, again.
It feels like Evans and Lynch tussle every week now. Meanwhile, the others barely get to do anything other than standing around or competing in a random squash match. Three women just headlined WrestleMania a month ago and you can barely tell judging by their usage every week.
Surely there is more the company could do with them. Maybe WWE should have used qualifying matches instead of just revealing all the entrants on “A Moment of Bliss.” Anything is better than the current route, where they focus on the same two women every week.
It’s no surprise that Raw, in particular, is struggling in this department because they lost so many female stars during the Superstar Shake-Up. Yes, the SmackDown women’s roster is stacked in comparison, but “the flagship show” is still three hours long. One would think in that time they could find a way to present more than one match or storyline featuring women.
Furthermore, there are more than enough talented wrestlers available. Alexa Bliss is one of the best heel characters in the company. Natalya’s technical prowess is unmatched. Naomi is easily one of the most unique and athletic superstars they have. Where is Ruby Riott? Sarah Logan and Nikki Cross are viable options that haven’t appeared lately either.
It’s tough to admit it but this feels like the days before their lauded Women’s Revolution. The female superstars are less visible and many of them are lacking strong character development. They’re given more high-profile opportunities, but they still don’t seem like a vital part of their respective brands. It’s disappointing.
SmackDown has its flaws too but at least there has been a handful of strong matches on the blue brand since WrestleMania. It’s hard to remember the last good women’s match that appeared on Raw. This week, the show made more time for men who aren’t even on the brand than the Raw women’s division.
It’s also becoming clear that Becky Lynch needs to settle on one of the brands soon. The novelty of seeing her on both shows is wearing thin. Moreover, presenting one woman as the champion for both brands hinders the others. Hopefully, that’s something that will be addressed in a few weeks at Money in the Bank, but Raw could really use The Man as a full-time member of the roster.
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More importantly, WWE must figure out a way to manage the talent they have and craft meaningful storylines for them. That’s the biggest issue. If they don’t fix it soon, it won’t matter how big the Raw women’s division is or who’s the champion.