7 Ups And 5 Downs From Last Night's WWE Raw (Jan 30)

Ups...

7. The Kevin & Chris Show

Opening Raw with a talking segment isn't always bad, and this week's show is proof of that. Kevin Owens has had his problems as Universal Champion, but he and Chris Jericho remain two of the show's most entertaining performers, and they were in top form again last night.

KO ranted against Mick Foley for setting him up to fail at the Royal Rumble, then praised his own perseverance. Jericho soon joined in on the fun, but was interrupted before he could ever get going. Braun Strowman hit the ring to talk about his assault on Roman Reigns at the Rumble, then demanded the Universal Title shot that Owens had promised him weeks prior.

This, of course, prompted the arrival of Mick Foley and his horrendous suit, and Foley booked the match. Owens looked absolutely petrified, and rightly so: Braun has been built-up to perfection, and nobody feels like a bigger threat than him at the moment.

The opening segment worked on every level. Jeri-KO are always money on the microphone, and while their wit and charm makes it hard to root against them, their snivelling ways keep them firmly rooted in the "bad guy" column. Strowman, meanwhile, got a rare opportunity to show that he's more than a monster by holding KO to his word and enforcing the title shot. Smart work all-round, and a great way to open the show.