4 Ups & 7 Downs From WWE Raw (Results & Review - 23 Oct)

2. Everyone’s A Dope

Nia Jax has infused the women’s division with some much-needed conflict and controversy (within storylines), which has been a welcome development.

But while the conflict has been a welcome addition, Monday’s contract signing was a reminder of how things can go off the rails and diminish what WWE has been establishing. Nia was the clear star of the four challengers facing Rhea Ripley for the WWE Women’s World Championship, being the only one to get promo time and cutting down other participants in the match with no rebuttal.

Jax even called it that Ripley was steering clear of the ring because she was secretly hoping Nia would flatten everyone else to make it easier for the champ. And then all four challengers brawled, leaving only Jax and home state girl Raquel Rodriguez, who eventually got hit with a Samoan Drop, rendering her inert.

Zoey Stark and Shayna Baszler might as well have not even bothered showing up. Rodriguez, who has been plagued by being the smiling babyface, got insulted and then got physically owned when she stood up for herself.

Even Jax looked a bit foolish – while looking dominant – acknowledging exactly what was going to happen, and then getting sucked into it all while Rhea watched and laughed. But hey, fans cheered and chanted “let them fight!”, so it couldn’t be all bad, could it?