7 Ups & 5 Downs For WWE Raw (14 July - Results & Review)
1. Bron’s Breakthrough
Although he didn’t win, Bron Breakker was the star of Monday night’s gauntlet match, entering first and lasting until the very end, when a much fresher CM Punk vanquished him.
Breakker defeated Penta, LA Knight, and Jey Uso, needing some help from Bronson Reed to stop Jey. The gauntlet – which was a vehicle that helped put Seth Rollins over with fans during WWE’s darker times – served Bron well, allowing him to showcase his talent and prove that he could survive in a longer match.
That doesn’t mean Breakker is ready for a 30-minute WrestleMania main event next year, but this was a good test of his ability to still be convincing in the ring as he hit the 40-minute mark. Bron looked sharp throughout, although he needed a breather a couple of times and some water between matches.
That didn’t stop Bron from vaulting to the top rope to attempt a Breakkensteiner on Punk more than 35 minutes into the gauntlet.
It’s clear WWE is planting the seeds of a main-event run in fans’ minds, but it remains to be seen how it pans out long term. Monday was a good dry run, though.