5 Ups & 3 Downs From WWE Raw (11 November - Results & Review)
4. Damage CTRL Regains A Puzzle Piece
Injuries have decimated Damage CTRL in recent months, but the group finally regained a part of the equation on Monday night when Dakota Kai returned from injury.
Kai, Iyo Sky, and Kairi Sane took on Pure Fusion Collective in a six-woman tag match that saw Dakota run wild on the women who put her on the shelf before the match broke down. Iyo tagged back in and grabbed the win with a moonsault, which was the right call considering she’s the top contender for the Women’s World Championship.
As a match, this was average at best, but its purpose was more than the in-ring action. It served as a vehicle for Dakota to get some shine in her return, and for Iyo to pick up a pinfall. Pure Fusion Collective, on the other hand, is cooked as a group. They exist as a lower-card stable that occasionally gets small wins before falling to more established teams and groups.
However, one note: perhaps it would be smarter to sacrifice Sonya Deville for pinfalls rather than Shayna Baszler. The Queen of Spades could always be heated up as a good heel challenger, whereas Deville is almost a nonentity in the ring. Why have Shayna take the loss in matches like this one?