5 Ups & 4 Downs From WWE Raw (15 Oct - Results & Review)
Crown Jewel champ-versus-champ matches take center stage, Jimmy approaches Jey, Vikings return.
WWE Raw went two-footed on promoting the company’s upcoming Saudi show on Monday night, and depending on how fans feel about sportswashing or even just the resurrection of 2010s-era Survivor Series themes, mileage may vary on this show.
Champion-versus-champion matches are a mixed bag. They can be a fun comparison and a draw, but when the stakes are “bragging rights” or – in this case – a gaudy championship that only exists because Crown Jewel takes place in Saudi Arabia, they can be a net negative.
But WWE gave a hard sell of its top male and female champions squaring off in a few weeks, with Cody Rhodes and Gunther offering mutual respect, while Nia Jax and Liv Morgan (and their seconds) brawled to close out Raw. At least the women’s match carries the extra intrigue of Tiffany Stratton possibly cashing in her Money in the Bank briefcase… with the added question of whom she tries to pin.
Elsewhere, Awesome Truth imploded, the Viking Raiders returned (sans Viking theme), Bronson Reed explained his motives, and Jimmy Uso made his opening overture to brother Jey as the Bloodline reconciliation angle begins.
Overall, a good enough Raw that this week benefited from the lost third hour, as it flew by and didn’t overstay its welcome. Also worth noting that the pacing problems that plagued last week’s program did not pop up Monday night.
Let’s get to it…