4 Ups & 8 Downs From WWE Raw (Aug 23)

1. A Cut Above

In a shocking turn of events, the (relatively) straightforward match featuring two world-class in-ring performers was the best thing on the show. Comfortably so.

Riddle vs. AJ Styles was a level above everything else on Raw. Fought with a tangible competitive spirit and good physicality, it saw the duo make good use of their runtime with creative spots like Styles trying to powerbomb his way out of a triangle hold, only both men to get taken over the top rope. The psychology was sound, too. Styles attacked the leg throughout, which paid dividends as Riddle sold on offense, the sustained damage preventing him from capitalising at points.

A Calf Crusher to the targeted limb looked like it could believably put Riddle away, particularly after AJ's readjustment to take Riddle away from the ropes. Countering into the Bro-Mission gave the Raw Tag Team Champion a route back into it, however, and he ended up winning after bashing a distracted AJ (Randy Orton was leathering Omos with a scooter on the outside) with Bro Derek.

With more matches like this and fewer demon dolls and Drip Sticks, WWE will make an acceptable show of Raw yet.