6 Ups And 7 Downs From Last Night's WWE Raw (Sept 26)
4. Clipping Their Wings
When Stephanie McMahon announced that Raw was to re-introduce the Cruiserweight division, the cynical reaction was to assume they'd ruin it. WWE, after all, have famously placed great restrictions on their wrestlers' styles to tone-down the danger levels and prevent major injury. It works to a degree, but it often works to the company's detriment by stifling the talent and preventing them from getting over.
Last night's Cruserweight goings-on were fine, but the above concerns have been validated. When Rich Swann, Cedric Alexander, Lince Dorado, and Drew Gulak stepped into the ring last night, it was hard to shake the feeling that they were holding something back. No man stepped outside the usual WWE style to go all-out and dazzle the crowd: it was the same at Clash and on last week's Raw, and WWE's Cruiserweights are really going to struggle if not allowed to display the full range of their talents.
The lack of character development is equally troubling. Brian Kendrick and TJ Perkins are getting time, sure, but what about the rest of them? It's incredibly difficult to get invested in a wrestler's fortunes without knowing what makes them tick, and most of Raw's Cruisers are completely faceless at this point. Interviews, video packages, and cohesive stories are desperately needed.