6 Ups & 4 Downs From WWE Raw (14 August - Review)

2. Alphas, Imperium Step Up The Friction

Watch out, WWE is actually building up an Imperium/Alpha Academy feud in which you might become invested.

Chad Gable’s five-minute survival against Gunther was fumbled a bit, but the two factions have managed to make this rivalry something to watch, with Ludwig Kaiser in particular stepping up as a slimy heel putting the moves on Maxxine Dupri. His promo Monday night was glorious as he called Alpha Academy a sinking ship and offered a hand to Maxxine to save her from the 360-pound anchor dragging her down toward embarrassment.

And then there was Gable toppling Giovanni Vinci in a fun little match, followed by Gunther defeating Otis in no-nonsense fashion, followed immediately by Gable getting the drop on the Intercontinental Champion.

Odds are that Chad Gable is not going to end Gunther’s near-record IC title reign, but he’s building a fair amount of momentum and investment that you know he’s going to land a home run at some point in their match and fans are going to bite.

But even afterward, a tag match between these two factions – or a six-man if the Alphas can find a suitable teammate – could garner a spot on a PLE or be a spotlight match on Raw as the rivalry potentially continues. The personalities mesh well, the in-ring action is class, and the Dupri wrinkle is a fun one. More of this please.