10 Things WWE Raw Can Learn From No Mercy 2016
5. Look Strong In Defeat
Nikki Bella pinning Carmella at No Mercy is the kind of thing that would usually lead to complaints. The established good guy beating the new heel clean sounds more like something her boyfriend would be involved in than her. However, it was alright, because Nikki made Carmella look tough as hell.
Carmella controlled most of the match and had Nikki on the ropes more than once. Now, you could argue that Nikki’s eventual victory negates that but the fact of the matter is this was Carmella’s best performance in the ring since coming to the main roster. She came out looking better than she did going in.
Which is something that we see far too little of in WWE. Wrestlers have to lose sometimes, and it shouldn’t be the end of the road yet far too often it is. Just look at what’s happened with Gallows and Anderson on Raw, they’ve been hamstrung by a ridiculous feud with the New Day which they came out of looking weak.
Carmella might go on to great things, or she might disappear, but by having her go toe to toe with Nikki and come out looking strong, SmackDown has ensured that she at least has a chance of still succeeding.