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

by Scott Carlson

1. World Heavyweight Feud Finishes Strong

WWE Raw Damian Priest Gunther
WWE

Gunther and Damian Priest started out the month with a lot of work to do to make their SummerSlam title program feel important, like a must-watch destination.

Mission accomplished.

Gunther’s arrogance and entitlement has contrasted nicely against Priest’s difficult upbringing, with both men leaning on those characteristics to make their World Heavyweight Championship match feel like it's about far more than just the title. Their pre-recorded promos weren’t blow-away great, but they advanced the story a bit more just five days before their clash.

And then there was the main event, which saw Gunther defeat Damian’s former tag partner Finn Balor and then attack after the bell, prompting Priest to do the honorable thing and make the save, triggering a big brawl at ringside to close the show.

Priest’s challenge since winning the title at WrestleMania 40 has been feeling like he belongs in the main event scene. He’s flirted with that feeling a couple of times, but he’s felt more consistently in the right spot during this feud. That’s a testament to Gunther’s work, but also to Damian stepping up his game this past month.

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Scott is a former journalist and longtime wrestling fan who was smart enough to abandon WCW during the Monday Night Wars the same time as the Radicalz. He fortunately became a fan in time for WrestleMania III and came back as a fan after a long high school hiatus before WM XIV. Monday nights in the Carlson household are reserved for viewing Raw -- for better or worse.