8 Ups & 4 Downs From WWE Raw (10 Mar - Results & Review)

1. Roman Has His Working Sneakers On

Oh look, Roman Reigns woke up from his five-week nap!

The Tribal Chief made his return to WWE for the first time since the Royal Rumble to exact revenge on Seth Rollins, who stomped his head into the arena floor and steel steps at the Rumble. Reigns yanked Rollins out of the steel cage (giving Seth the win) and then battered him around ringside before officials ran down to stop Roman.

That’s when Reigns noticed CM Punk being helped up by Paul Heyman inside the cage and turned his attention to the other Paul Heyman Guy. Just like that, a long-rumored triple threat is officially in the works onscreen. All the pieces were there; they just needed to be put into place on camera to get the story rolling.

One minor criticism: Reigns had been the central figure in WWE for the four years leading into WrestleMania 40, and he’s all but disappeared during this past year, only to resurface six weeks before WrestleMania 41, presumably to nab another main event match (if not, a very high-profile bout). Other than the capital he’s built up the past several years, what else validates this positioning?

Yes, Roman is a major star, and the reaction Monday night was undeniable. The next few weeks will obviously determine how this late fly-in rates.