10 Ups And 8 Downs From Last Night's WWE Raw (April 5)
7. Crews Control
Its hard to list Apollo Crews Raw debut as a negative, especially when you consider how big of a reaction he got from the fans, and how impressive his first match was. And there will be praise of the debuts in a bit, so it isnt all negative.
But there is one aspect of his debut that needs to be addressed: What the hell is the point of developmental? Crews is insanely talented in the ring. But one thing that has been evidently lacking is his ability on the mic and ability to convey emotion and passion to the fans. Its been viewed as the one thing holding him back in NXT.
Witness Sami Zayn, who is equally talented from bell-to-bell, but he also rallies fans to his side by his work on the mic. Apollo is developing that ability and probably is close, but those who watch NXT regularly would probably agree that hes not quite there yet. And really, isnt that what developmental is for - to work on the skills you need to be successful on the main roster?
It would royally suck if Crews ends up being held back long-term on the main roster if he cant cut a convincing promo. Then again, Apollos talent is unmistakable, and WWE needs good, fresh blood on the roster. Tough call.