6 Ups & 5 Downs From Last Night's WWE Raw (Nov 27)

4. The Breakout Bout That Never Was

Elias Roman Reigns
WWE.com

Much of last night's show was built around Roman Reigns vs. Elias. It was a good idea in theory, as 'The Drifter' is one of only a handful of wrestlers still capable of generating heel heat, and Reigns still isn't getting cheered as vociferously as WWE would like. Working with 'The Guy' should've given the midcarder a nice rub, too, but the match wasn't great.

Though Michael Cole and Corey Graves tried to put it it over as Elias' breakout performance, it was actually one of the most basic matches you'll see all year. It was simple, clean, and safe: a perfect house show bout, but not the kind you'd expect in such a featured spot, even on weekly television.

'The Drifter' was joined by Curtis Axel and Bo Dallas at ringside. They inevitably got involved, but Reigns fought them off, and the clash devolved into a textbook Superman comeback sequence. This is where your mileage will vary. If you hate Roman and his push, you probably hated the match, and vice versa. Regardless, he wasn't able to elevate the limited Elias beyond mediocrity, resulting in a flat Intercontinental Title clash.

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Andy has been with WhatCulture for six years and is currently WhatCulture's Senior Wrestling Reporter. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.