5 Ups & 7 Downs From WWE Raw (18 May - Results & Review)

DOWNS…

7. The Problem With Sol

Sol Ruca has in fact had two pretty decent – albeit spotty – matches against former world champions to start her main roster career. And there’s definitely a debate to be had about whether losing her first two matches rather than getting her and her explosive finisher over was the right call.

But context is everything, and booking Becky Lynch with Ruca for a match before the NXT call-up has even won a contest is just ridiculous. Sol could have still lost the matches to Liv Morgan and Iyo Sky, but they couldn’t have had her pick up two or three wins at the same time? We’ve seen wrestlers come in and defeat lower-card talent before losing a highly competitive match to a top-tier star, and that at least established them a bit.

Monday, Sol had to stand backstage and sell her experience on Raw as great despite losing her first two matches, only for Becky to rub it in and suggest she go back to NXT. Ruca paced to the ring and called Lynch out, then challenged her to a match at Saturday Night’s Main Event, a thrown-together bout that feels like it was booked in reverse.

The truth is that a feud with Becky could be really good for Sol, even if it doesn’t end up with her winning the Women’s Intercontinental Championship. And there was a story to tell about Lynch pouncing on Ruca after she lost a high-profile match. But having it come without Sol Ruca establishing herself whatsoever is a bizarre strategy.