6 Ups & 5 Downs From WWE Raw (July 25)
How did the first Raw in the post-Vince McMahon Era fare? Hint: 'Belts' was uttered!
The first Monday Night Raw of a new era (?) was always going to be looked at under a strange microscope. Booking decisions were going to be scrutinized, promos analyzed, matches dissected, all with tea leaves reading galore.
So what did we learn Monday night? We saw a couple of wrestlers who have been drifting about without explaining themselves finally clarify where they stood. We heard the word “belts” used to describe titles while the word “opportunity” wasn’t uttered once. The 24/7 Championship was nowhere to be found.
Perhaps most shockingly, Roman Reigns took a not-so-subtle jab at Vince McMahon’s departure from WWE in the first program really to air after the former CEO’s ouster.
All of this lends itself to fans wondering if we’re on the cusp of some sweeping changes, or to think that maybe it was just a one-week blip. This is what we as wrestling fans do: We try to read into things and look for trends, to see if what made it to TV signals some bold new direction that will lead to the next boom period.
Raw Monday night was none of that. It was uneven – as it almost always is – but somewhat elevated by energy from fans and superstars alike as WWE heads into its biggest show of the summer, and into uncharted territory.
Let’s get to it…