10 Big Talking Points From WWE Raw (July 4)
Raw Ain't Roman, Part 2
For the second week in a row, WWE Raw was missing one of its hottest - or at least hardest-pushed - stars. Roman Reigns was suspended nearly two weeks ago for violating WWE's Wellness Policy, and Monday presented the second of four Raws that he will miss.
Thankfully, this week the company handled it better than they did last week. On the June 27 show, it felt like Roman's absence created a black hole that sucked in everything around him - he was still the focal point of the program, and other stars came out the worse for wear. This week, the emphasis was put on Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins, and the Shield Triple Threat match at Battleground was stronger for it.
That's not to say that Raw was without faults, though - as the show fell out on the Fourth of July, many were predicting record-low ratings for it. It looked like WWE was trying to fight back by announcing some important matches beforehand, but ultimately, those bouts didn't deliver. When WWE knows nobody's watching, their shows typically have an underwhelming feel, and this was no different.
It was good, it was bad, it was long. Here are 10 big talking points from WWE Raw:
10. What's Next For The U.S. Title?
Raw opened up with the United States Championship rematch between Rusev and Titus O'Neal - well, it opened up with a food fight, but after that, we got the match. Rusev was put over strong, kicking out of the Clash of the Titus, faking an injury for the advantage, and finally making O'Neal tap out to the Accolade.
This begs the question as to what's coming up for the U.S. Title next. When "The Bulgarian Brute" first captured the belt from Kalisto at Extreme Rules, many fans thought he was just keeping it warm for John Cena. That turned out not to be true, and there's no expiration date on Rusev's reign. That said, the Titus O'Neal feud didn't do much for either guy.
So who will get the next shot at Rusev, presumably at Battleground? Sami Zayn is indisposed, and Apollo Crews will probably be, as well. Cesaro just got a shot on Smackdown.
I guess there's always Jack Swagger again...