3 Ups & 7 Downs For WWE Raw (18 Aug - Results & Review)

6. Low-Key Loser

Social media says that, apparently, Natalya is killing it in other promotions with her Low-Key Legend gimmick. If that’s the case, then it’s downright criminal that WWE is sending her out there to (metaphorically) die like she did on Raw Monday night.

Nattie, still playing her “veteran who just can’t seem to get it done” character for the seventh consecutive year, challenged Becky Lynch for the Women’s Intercontinental Championship. In theory, this could have been a really good technical display that showcased Natalya’s talents and tried to suck fans into rooting for the Queen of Harts.

Instead, Nattie hit the post before the commercial break that ate up half the match, and she spent the remainder clutching her arm and awkwardly fighting back until Lynch snapped Natalya’s arm in the ropes and applied the Disarm-Her for the tap-out.

All of this played to near-silence, with the crowd only rising up for Becky attacking Maxxine Dupri and when Nikki Bella saved afterward.

What an absolutely disappointing display. The wrestling was pedestrian, the crowd was non-existent, and the outcome was never in doubt. The only silver lining here was that Corey Graves made passing references to Nattie’s character evolution elsewhere, so perhaps that will filter into WWE, but it’s hard to trust they would get it right.