5 Ups & 5 Downs For WWE Raw (4 Aug - Results & Review)

2. Bella Slots In For IC Title Match Nicely

Credit where credit is due to Nikki Bella. Her return match might have been a bit disappointing, but she has played her role as the returning veteran pretty well overall.

Monday night, Nikki confronted Becky Lynch to call her out as a disappointment who is holding the next generation of superstars down. Lynch, no slouch on the mic, pointed out that she is a featured player in Happy Gilmore 2, while Bella’s scenes in the movie ended up on the cutting room floor, which Becky took credit for gleefully.

But once Nikki invoked Seth Rollins’ name, Lynch went for the jugular, declaring how she and her “hot husband” are the “greatest wrestling couple of all time.” She started to note that “at one point that would have been you and… oh, you can’t see him anymore.”

Yes, referencing Bella’s former relationship with John Cena is a bit on the nose, but that relationship was a huge part of Nikki’s character, both on Total Divas and in WWE proper, with an entire WrestleMania 33 match and storyline dedicated to their pairing and engagement.

To her credit, Nikki didn’t take the bait, which was a nice, subtle character choice – it’s been a lifetime since they broke up, and Bella shouldn’t be defined by an old relationship. Instead, she called out Becky as too scared to face her one-on-one during their initial roster run together, and challenged her for the Women’s Intercontinental Championship.

Rather than give an answer, Lynch just hit a cheap shot and bailed. Solid stuff overall, a perfectly acceptable feud over the mid-card title. Hopefully, the match will deliver as well.