7 Better Uses Of WWE Raw's Awful 3rd Hour

1. Dedicated Cruiserweight Hour

Neville Zayn Raw 2014
WWE.com

With the Cruiserweight Classic steadily drawing critical acclaim despite having only just made its first proper appearance on the WWE Network, demand for more junior heavyweight action will surely be high by the time the dust has settled on its coda.

While my bet is on a Kota Ibushi Vs. Zack Sabre, Jr. finale, the field is so stacked and talented that it will tear the Full Sail house down regardless of who contests it.

The popularity of Cruiserweight wrestling in the western mainstream has been truncated for two reasons - complete McMahon disinterest and pollution with heavyweights, which spelt the end for WCW's acclaimed division.

The former problem looks to have been alleviated - the very presence of the Cruiserweight Classic is indicative of that. In order to avoid the latter, and add a unique element to the third hour of RAW, WWE would be best placed to operate their cruiserweight division in much the same way as WCW did back when they were handily winning the Monday Night War.

By dedicating the opening hour to Ibushi and his peers - that's if they convince the notoriously flighty freelancer to commit to an exclusive contract - WWE would diversify its product and potentially draw back in the fans who've forsaken them for Lucha Underground.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!