5 Ups & 4 Downs From WWE Raw (21 Oct - Results & Review)

2. Opening Raw With Chaos

When WWE started experimenting with different camera shots during the past two years, one new staple that emerged was the arrival footage of wrestlers entering the arena, with the announcers discussing the upcoming action. But those shots have become so constant that they were becoming tired and boring.

Then Seth Rollins threw a huge curveball.

As Bronson Reed arrived during the opening moments, Rollins attacked from behind and battered Reed with his own suitcase. Rollins raced to ringside and demanded that if Bronson wanted to be famous, he’d accommodate him. Reed stalked to the ring, tossing security as he went, touching off an in-ring brawl that spilled to the outside and ended when an attempted Tsunami through the announce desk missed, with Seth evading just in time.

The brawl would continue throughout the night, but the opening set a tone for the show, and it completely subverted the normal opening in a way we almost never see. It also served as another smoke-and-mirrors way of keeping Reed red hot as a threatening heel without having him wrestle or cost Rollins any of his luster.

With the match set for Crown Jewel, they could ban both men from the building for next week to end the build on a high note, or they could double down for the go-home show.