5 Ups & 5 Downs From WWE Raw (29 July - Results & Review)

WWE SummerSlam is shaping up to be a solid event with plenty going on and some really good matches on the card. The major matches have had a pretty decent build, at worst, to outstanding at their best.

However, Raw Monday night was a go-home show that felt tacked on in some cases and grossly misplaced in others. Some feuds peaked before this episode, rendering segments ineffective and almost detrimental. Other matches and angles missed the mark and felt like time-filler rather than concerted efforts to build excitement for Saturday.

The feud between CM Punk and Drew McIntyre has been a bright spot for WWE for months now, but Monday’s show-opening promo might be divisive to fans. Some will feel like they and Seth Rollins nailed their aggression at each other and built on their existing animosity. But a recap promo covering no new ground with a guest referee signposting in the most direct way that he’s going to be biased is not the way to land the plane five days before a PLE.

Throw in some disappointing matches and an underwhelming return, and you have an uneven Raw that vastly underperformed. On the positive side though, the Intercontinental Championship and World Heavyweight Championship feuds looked solid, so there still is plenty to look forward to at SummerSlam on the Raw side.

Let’s get to it…