6 Ups And 7 Downs From Last Night's WWE Raw (Sept 26)

Ups...

6. Opening With A Match

Roman Reigns Rusev
WWE.com

One of the great complaints levied towards WWE programming in recent years has been the over-reliance on in-ring talking segments, particular as a show-opener. Things were particularly bad during The Authority's reign, when Raw would regularly open with a 30-minute tumbleweed-summoning Triple H/Stephanie McMahon promo that pushed nothing forward, and succeeded only in putting the audience to sleep.

Last night saw a significant break in the format. Roman Reigns and Rusev faced-off in a rematch of Clash of Champion's US Title match, and while the 25-minute brawl lasted entirely too long, it made for a refreshing change. The finish makes sense within the feud's context, and while the post-match only further diminishes Rusev's status, at least it shows that Raw's writers aren't entirely deaf to the show's criticisms.

If only this could become a regular fixture. Predictability kills professional wrestling (a business that thrives on shocks and surprises), and Raw would benefit immensely from opening with some actual wrestling.

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Channel Manager
Channel Manager

Andy has been with WhatCulture for eight years and is currently WhatCulture's Wrestling Channel Manager. 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.