7 Ups & 5 Downs From WWE Raw (6 May - Results & Review)

Nearly a month removed from the shine and sheen of WrestleMania 41, WWE looks to be settling into a rhythm, though it might not be the entirely positive vibes some would have expected after a tremendous start to the year.

Raw has become a bit more paint-by-numbers, with quieter crowds, some questionable booking decisions and a couple of missteps. This doesn’t mean that the red brand is actively bad or suddenly a hard-to-watch show. Monday’s episode had some good-to-very-good wrestling, including formally introducing fans to two new superstars in fine fashion and running back one of WWE’s better matches from the past two years.

But Monday’s program also played to a much quieter audience than this past weekend’s shows in France, perhaps serving as a reminder that the red-hot crowds in February and March might have been amped by the allure of WrestleMania season. Raw’s top draft pick failed to impress despite getting rewarded with a late entry into the King of the Ring tournament, raising questions about what his ceiling as a solo act truly is.

Perhaps the most confounding part of Raw was a promo from CM Punk that did not connect with the audience at all, overstayed its welcome, and veered into the Perry – er, the petty. If anyone can overcome that with one tremendous performance on the mic next week, it’s Punk, but Monday’s promo was a low point.

Let’s get to it…