4 Ups & 6 Downs From WWE Raw (Feb 19 - Results & Review)
3. Diminished Judgment Day
When Sami Zayn joined the Bloodline, it invigorated an act that was fumbling about, injecting it with humor, tension, drama, and heart. The group corrupted Zayn and continued to dominate SmackDown throughout the entire run.
When R-Truth pretended to join Judgment Day, it turned the main heel faction on Raw into a sideshow comedy act with four grown men incapable of dispatching a living cartoon character who has won one televised singles match since November 2022 and is portrayed as having the mind of a six-year-old. Does anyone take them as a serious threat on Raw at this stage?
The story that refuses to die – and yet inexplicably draws huge cheers from live audiences – continued Monday night with Miz (did you know that Awesome Truth was “a great tag team”) and #DIY (not DX as Truth believes) joining Truth to take on Judgment Day.
The match itself was fine, ending with Damian Priest putting Truth away. But even that ending ran counter to the narrative WWE has told about Truth for years. He’s been little more than a court jester, the perpetual 24/7 Champion, constantly confused, easily beaten. And then suddenly, there he was on Monday, holding his own against the guy holding the Money in the Bank briefcase. Those two versions don’t align.
If WWE wants to lean into Truth’s popularity and have him be treated seriously in the ring, then build that up. Maybe have him show hints that his goofiness might be an act. Do something to make it make sense and give people a reason to buy in, and also not diminish your heel faction in the process.