WWE Raw Review (Feb 6, 2017)

Roman Reigns may not be quite be the era-defining goliath WWE wants just yet, but if the true power of a superstar can be gaged based on the significance of their losses, he’s probably the most important performer on the entire brand. Laying down clean for new arrival Finn Balor last summer, then again in high profile title matches against Kevin Owens, ‘The Big Dog’ was examining the lights yet again as Samoa Joe was given an enormous victory to mark his official in-ring debut on the main roster.

Suited and booted for the opening segment of the show, the ‘Samoan Submission Machine’ briefly touched on his eighteen year journey to the company, and did so with just about enough vim to avoid being used as a pawn in yet more inane squabbling between Stephanie McMahon and Mick Foley. With no immediate rival to spar with as WWE elected to tiptoe around the severity of Seth Rollins’ injury, Foley was forced to play foil yet again, appearing incompetent for not giving Joe ‘an opportunity’ unlike Triple H the great creator. The subsequent interruption from Reigns was unusually welcome as a result, and with a sizeable chip on his shoulder, Roman laid out the challenge to Raw’s newest ‘destroyer’ to suddenly give the whole thing a bit more purpose.

The match between the two was a typically short but entertaining TV brawl that left plenty behind for another day, and also served to confirm the ‘Fastlane’ contest between Reigns and Braun Strowman, who had threatened General Manager Mick earlier in the night after a return to squash match duties fell well below his expectations. The story between Roman and Braun has been joyously simplistic, with the two interfering in each other’s business because they both believe they’re bigger and stronger than the other. Had it not appeared as though Reigns would be heading for a blockbuster WrestleMania match with The Undertaker, ‘The Monster of a Man’ may have been the ideal candidate for his match at the ‘Showcase of the Immortals’, but as it is, WWE are electing to give the contest away one month prior. Like with so many pre-WrestleMania contests, delicate booking is required to navigate both men through the rivalry to ensure the product over-saturation doesn’t damage their aura before the Orlando showpiece. Another loss may have to come Roman’s way, but if there was ever a time where his character could survive and even thrive from yet anther defeat, it would be now.

Meanwhile, Kevin Owens is ‘next’. As well as accepting Brock Lesnar’s challenge for a final battle at WrestleMania 33, Goldberg used his latest Raw appearance to talk his way into a huge Universal Title match against the petrified champion for ‘Fastlane’, leaving the status of the red brand’s top prize completely up in the air just one month shy of the ‘Show of Shows’. Defiantly adding himself to ‘The List of Jericho’, Big Bill was outstanding yet again, as his comeback proves to be one of the most creatively satisfying Attitude Era dust-offs in company history. Presumably having not smashed his own head against a wall ahead of entering this time, Goldberg coherently outsmarted the best friends, who had proffered a title-for-title match between themselves as the WrestleMania main event before the intrusion.

Jericho and Owens were sensational as usual, but surely the only way ‘KO’ leaves the March Pay-Per-View with his title would be due to interference from Brock Lesnar, and all ‘The Beast’ would do there is illogically cost himself a Universal Title clash at WrestleMania. Regrettably, this did appear to signpost the definitive end to speculation that the eventual Owens/Jericho rupture may still be for Raw’s top-tier strap. Utilising the help of Owens behind the referee’s back, Jericho’s successful US Title defence against Sami Zayn ended the duo’s night on a high at least, and ‘Y2J’s promise of a ‘Festival of Friendship’ on next week’s episode may prove to be one of their final great moments as a unit before the split finally occurs. Undeserving as it may be for all their incredibly hard work over the last several months, it looks certain that the gold tucked away underneath the multitude of Jericho scarves will mark the final destination between the charismatic Canucks.

Building backwards to her Women’s Title rematch on next week’s episode, Bayley proved again to be Nia Jax’ best opponent, falling to Raw’s dominant female in a choice match between the two following distraction from Charlotte Flair. Jax should never really have been called up last summer, but finds herself in the safest hands with three of the ‘Four Horsewomen’ giving her nightly tune-ups. Causing more trouble backstage, the Champion later heaped misery on the permanently banged-up Sasha Banks, seemingly tying together all the loose ends of the Raw Women’s Divisions ahead of a probable fatal-four-way at WrestleMania.

As if to outdo the turgid crop of tandems on Smackdown Live, Monday Night Raw presented its own impotent doubles division across two draining segments shamefully presented back-to-back on the three hour broadcast. The Club’s title rematch with a flatlining Sheamus and Cesaro ended in disqualification thanks to a scuffle with Enzo and Cass that fell woefully flat, whilst The New Day’s clean win over The Shining Stars was so devoid of consequence that it almost returned the entire product back to the days of squash-match tapings. Failing forwards, WWE still have beloved and over acts with Amore, Big Cass and The New Day, but a fundamental inability to channel the characters anywhere meaningful will ultimately cause that support to suffer sharp decline.

However, whilst the Tag Team scene lies in disarray, there appeared a faint light at the end of the tunnel for the Cruiserweights this week, as Akira Tozawa dazzled in his Raw debut, and the unendingly brilliant Neville stage-managed some superb conflict between the remainder of the division gunning for his title. Ahead of a Number One Contender’s match on 205 Live, the usual suspects were thrown into a six-man tag alongside ‘The King of The Cruiserweights’, but not without atypical time given to the increasing cast of lightweights the company has gradually inserted onto the roster. Tony Nese, Cedric Alexander, Noam Dar and curiously, TJ Perkins were all given renewed focus alongside current standout Jack Gallagher, and made it briefly appear as though WWE, through gritted teeth, may somehow be able to salvage something from the months of deadly silence that has accompanied the purple colour scheme on Monday Nights.