7 Ups & 3 Downs From WWE Raw (17 June - Results & Review)

5. The Silver Lining

Otis Chad Gable Alpha Academy
WWE.com

No, it wasn't ideal that Chad Gable resembled a 1980s Wrestling Challenge jobber vs. Braun Strowman on Monday, but look on the bright side: It was Chad's own tyrannical behaviour and need to wag a finger at his Alpha Academy colleagues that landed him in that spot. This was 100%'s Gable's own doing.

Braun was just the brick wall he sprinted nose first into.

Otis shoving Chad down and telling him "we're done" post-match wasn't the big blow off moment for the Academy story, so nobody should be worried about that. Gable vowed to win Money In The Bank and do something Otis couldn't by cashing in successfully. This story just continues to heat up, and it's magic.

Annoying match results can be forgiven if the overarching story is strong enough. This one is. Few will even bring up Gable's loss to Strowman in a week or two. Nah, they'll be too busy wondering when the next wrinkle of Alpha Academy goodness is going to happen, then everyone can chant for Otis vs. Chad one-on-one.

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Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.