7 Ups And 7 Downs From Last Night's WWE Raw (Jan 9)

Downs...

7. Stephanie Treading Fine Line

Last week, this column gave passing marks to Stephanie McMahon becoming the authority figure foil to Bayley on her quest to become the Raw Women’s Championship, comparing it to Triple H and Steph opposing Daniel Bryan in 2013-14.

This week, we have to give a mild thumbs down to Stephanie’s all-out venomous segment with Sasha Banks and Bayley. McMahon laid into both women, telling Sasha that there was only one boss in the room and that Banks needed to drop the bass in her voice. She also demanded that Bayley call her “Ms. McMahon,” not Steph.

This has been a gripe before, that Stephanie gets in the talent’s face and reams them out, but she never gets her comeuppance. Aside from a departing Vickie Guerrero and Brie Bella, Steph almost never gets hers. So we have to grade her antics against that backdrop, even if the intention is for McMahon to get a receipt for her invective. Until we see otherwise, this development will constantly tread along the line between positive and negative.

At least Sasha managed to keep a stern sneer going the entire segment, staring a hole through Stephanie. That at least counts for something.