7 Ups & 5 Downs From WWE Raw (8 Aug)

3. A Triumph, Despite The Crowd

Dolph Ziggler Chad Gable
WWE.com

Despite the tepid crowd, Dolph Ziggler vs. Chad Gable was a great bit of business that leaned heavily on the wrestlers' backgrounds - as it should have.

Gable and Ziggler utilised their amateur wrestling experience in an effective pro wrestling setting. Thus, the opening sequences were all about jostling for position. The duo looked like they were competing on NCAA mats, not in a basketball arena, as they fought to identify tiny openings, find holes in each other's armour, and put the other guy on the mat. They adjusted stances and shifted their weight accordingly, gently unravelling towards a more traditional pro wrestling encounter.

Dragon Screws, chops, Moonsaults, and DDTs all came out. Gable went for the Ankle Lock several times, transitioning even when Dolph attempted to counter out, though he finally succumbed to the Superkick. One of the most pro wrestling moves in either man's arsenal was decisive in a Greco-Roman-inspired match.

Again, such content is atypical of WWE. This wasn't worked to the house style at all. Further breaks from the format are welcome, even if it'll take time to get over.

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Channel Manager
Channel Manager

Andy has been with WhatCulture for eight years and is currently WhatCulture's Wrestling Channel Manager. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.