4 Ups & 6 Downs From WWE Raw (Feb 19 - Results & Review)
Rodriguez returns, Cody has déjà vu, promo train ruins Chamber hype, IC Title finish telegraphed.
Heading into WWE Raw Monday night, things looked really promising, with three big singles matches with serious potential announced and a lot of energy surrounding the company of late. And while all three matches mostly delivered in the ring, it’s difficult to call this episode of Raw anything but a disappointment.
If you were really amped about the women’s Elimination Chamber match, you had to sit through a dull, anti-climactic battle royal, then suffered through a brutal promo train and brawl. The match itself should be fine on the night, but if that was WWE’s way of a hard sell, they need to go back to school.
Andrade El Idolo had another lackluster vignette touting his return, as it continues to astound that a company that usually nails its prepared video packages is fumbling this so badly. Pat McAfee continued to grate throughout the entire three hours. When he was showing up for one match at a PLE, it was a change of pace. After 180 minutes, it’s overbearing and exhausting.
R-Truth fans probably love his ongoing hijinks, but Judgment Day is not going to come out on the other side stronger. And of course, Raw was invaded in the most predictable way, producing mixed results.
Still, there was some good action and promo work, and crowd energy was up for most of the night, making the show watchable, if flawed. Elimination Chamber looks to be a really underwhelming stadium show, with only four matches announced. But then it’s WrestleMania all day, every day, and things have to look up then, right?
Let’s get to it…