4 Ups & 6 Downs From WWE Raw (July 12)
Raw featured a few bangers, some lame comedy and familiar/infuriating WWE tropes.
The ThunderDome era is over.
WWE ended their residency in front of some LED screens by producing a so-so edition of Raw. It wasn't outright bad, which is actually a positive considering how the three-hour flagship normally gobbles up airtime, but there's something terminally wrong with how the red brand's writing staff tells stories and develops characters.
Familiar tropes like 50/50 booking, "surprise" roll up finishes and lame comedy have all become crutches for WWE creative - that needs to stop if they expect fans to treat anybody like a star when live crowds return later this week. The way this company produces some of Raw's segments is shockingly counterproductive.
On the plus side, this week's show had some cracking matches. Ricochet is heating up at the right time before Money In The Bank, and Rhea Ripley dispensed with her childish antics. Elsewhere, Bobby Lashley quit being a party boy and got serious again.
It's almost a given that Raw will have more 'Downs' than 'Ups' though. Using the three-hour excuse is overdone, but there's merit to it. Cutting some fat and moving away from woefully-lazy booking would also help Mondays out big time.