10 Reasons To Be Cheerful About WWE In 2017
4. Raw's Quiet Potential
The recent Payback pay-per-view was a troubling night for the brand and company in general, with a series of matches ranging from good-to-great completely overshadowed by the repugnant 'House of Horrors' disaster between Randy Orton and Bray Wyatt.
However, on a night without hanging babies and a fridge freezer assault, the card probably would have highlighted the steady rebuilding process Monday Night Raw has undergone in the past few months.
Notwithstanding star turns from Alexa Bliss and Braun Strowman in their contests with Bayley and Roman Reigns respectively, matches featuring Seth Rollins, Samoa Joe, Sheamus, Cesaro and The Hardy Boyz offered smatterings of the potential on offer up and down the red brand.
Despite missing the presence of Universal Champion Brock Lesnar as a focal point, recent developments have seen renewed interest in the Intercontinental Title currently held by Dean Ambrose. The main event triple threat pitching The Miz, Finn Balor and Rollins against one another for a shot at 'The Lunatic Fringe' was Raw's best match of the year so far, and elevated everybody anywhere near the programme and title as a result.
Meanwhile, in Kurt Angle, the show has a limitlessly talented performer in the General Manager role, with his involvement in each live broadcast steadily increasing week on week.
SmackDown Live! looked to have 'won' the 'Superstar Shake-up', but only with Payback in the rear view mirror can Raw really now focus on the prosperous road ahead.