6 Ups & 4 Downs From WWE Raw (21 Sept - Results & Review)
2. More Misses Than Hits
Triple threat matches tend to get a lot of leeway from fans because (in theory) there’s more action, more pinfall saves, and more chaos. But just because a match has perpetual motion does not mean it’s necessarily good.
The women’s triple threat for a Money in the Bank spot on Monday night had a lot of movement and action, but it was extremely clunky and awkward for much of the contest. Iyo Sky, Roxanne Perez, and La Catalina had a few nice sequences sprinkled throughout – including the closing moments where the Prodigy avoided an Iyo moonsault and dropped her with Pop Rox – but they also seemed to stumble through an ambitious match layout.
Wrestlers were out of place for some three-person sequences, having to walk into the path of a move or very obviously slide into position. The action was decent, but the crowd sat on their hands until the closing moments, which was an indication that they weren’t buying what was being sold (compare this triple threat to the main event in terms of crowd reaction).
As with many matches, it’s not fun being critical of wrestlers who are working hard and putting their bodies on the line, but this came across as a series of lukewarm spots rather than a cohesive, hot match.
Additionally, a word about Iyo: The Genius of the Sky has been widely regarded as one of WWE’s most talented wrestlers, period. However, her matches have increasingly felt like she’s playing her greatest hits rather than assembling a smart, textured wrestling performance. She’s still smooth and crisp, but it’s not the same as 12-18 months ago, when she seemed to be at the top of her game.
If Iyo can still get massive crowd reactions by doing less and not punching her bump card as often, then fair play to her. But it’s definitely noticeable in matches like this.