7 Ups & 4 Downs From WWE Raw (17 Feb - Results & Review)
Sami gets what he wants, Gunther antagonizes Jey, Rollins punches his ticket, Kai gets a rematch.
Around this time last year, the build to WrestleMania 40 took an abrupt turn. It went from a clear path for Cody Rhodes to challenge Roman Reigns, to Cody stepping aside for The Rock, to Cody reclaiming his spot and engaging in an incredible feud with not just the Tribal Chef but the Final Boss as well.
This year, WrestleMania feels like a popular destination, but not some Shangri-La for wrestlers and fans. Perhaps that is a function of 'Mania being a couple of weeks later on the calendar, thus increasing the time between Royal Rumble and the Showcase of the Immortals.
Regardless, the result is a Monday Night Raw that feels more like a cog in the machine than a standout show with explosive, red-hot angles building excitement for a can’t-miss showcase in April. That doesn’t mean the build is bad, or Raw was disappointing, but Monday’s show felt like a good build to the upcoming Elimination Chamber PLE while casually setting the table for WrestleMania.
Gunther had another outstanding week on the mic, but WWE needs to take care to maintain the heat in this World Heavyweight Championship feud with Jey Uso. Sami Zayn vs. Kevin Owens remains a fascinating rivalry, and whatever comes next should be tremendous. The midcard is slowly taking shape, but there are some potential potholes along the road.
Call this a good episode with a few standout moments, but nothing of the caliber of last year’s best episodes in the lead-up to WrestleMania. Let’s hope WWE has a couple of those in them before we get to April.
Let’s get to it…