7 Ups & 3 Downs from WWE Raw (26 May - Results & Review)

Ups…

7. Rusev Crush

WWE Raw Rusev Akira Tozawa
WWE

After the multi-week buildup, there was a real worry that WWE would try to turn Rusev versus Akira Tozawa into an extended squash, with the cruiserweight getting a few near-falls along the way.

Thankfully, Tozawa’s hope spot came in the form of a couple of quick attacks and a lone missile dropkick before Rusev flattened him with a clothesline and thrust kick, ending the charade quickly and finishing it off with the Accolade. This was exactly what the situation merited.

When Rusev wouldn’t release the Accolade, Sheamus (who had been seen supporting Akira in recent weeks), ventured out to stare the Bulgarian down. For a first proper feud in his return, Rusev couldn’t do much better. Sheamus has become a beloved figure in WWE, and the two should have excellent chemistry hitting each other as hard as they can.

If Rusev can’t get over as a killer putting the Celtic Warrior down, then something will have gone wrong.

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Scott is a former journalist and longtime wrestling fan who was smart enough to abandon WCW during the Monday Night Wars the same time as the Radicalz. He fondly remembers watching WrestleMania III, IV, V and VI and Saturday Night's Main Event, came back to wrestling during the Attitude Era, and has been a consumer of sports entertainment since then. He's written for WhatCulture for more than a decade, establishing the Ups and Downs articles for WWE Raw and WWE PPVs/PLEs and composing pieces on a variety of topics.