7 Ups & 8 Downs From WWE Raw: In Your Face (Sep 14)

6. 10 Minutes Of Nothing

Drew McIntyre Keith Lee
WWE.com

Your mileage may vary with this week's Raw opener, though this writer found it to be a dull piece of table-setting that accomplished little that wasn't put over in Keith Lee and Drew McIntyre's interactions later in the show.

McIntyre vs. Randy Orton is now an ambulance match after the duo took turns in sending each other to the hospital. Fair enough, though you can count the number of genuinely great bouts this stipulation has ever thrown up in WWE on one hand, despite the duo's awesome match at SummerSlam. The WWE Champion then took a page out of Randy's book, devolving to low comedy for a weak Photoshop dig at everyone he has Claymored recently, before Adam Pearce walked out, flexed his authority, and said Lee defeating McIntyre and Orton not making it to Clash of Champions would make Keith vs. Drew the new main event. Cue: Lee's crappy theme music and a tense handshake.

Drew's promo was fine, though the stipulation and other Clash implications could have been announced in a tweet and the Lee/McIntyre stuff was covered more effectively elsewhere. Thus, this was a waste of everybody's time. Total filler.

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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.