-As they say, if you’re going to do something, do it right. The Vision got a full-blown jolt of momentum this week when they took out Oba Femi for the second night in a row. The faction has been snake-bit since the beginning and framed all over the place on the WWE Raw hierarchy. Because of the start and stop pushes throughout the last 18 months, it’s reasonable to question whether or not they should be getting another one. WWE answered that question for you this week. Bron Breakker and company might as well have worn t-shirts that said “we’re important” on them. At least they went all the way. There wasn’t a hedge about the push. Breakker and The Vision took out the top guy on the show and then gloated about it afterward. WWE likes to go halfway with some of this type of framing. They didn’t here and it landed much better.
-The announce team came across as trying to sell the surprise return of Otis. For better or worse, it didn’t feel like he ever left.
Royce Keys, the 946, and a sweet spot
-The 946 had a few black and white vignettes this week and they each came across very strong. The vignettes present a genuine version of what Royce Keys and OTM are trying to portray as characters. These enhance the act and hopefully more are on the horizon.
-Ok, Matt Matthews. You win the award for worse celebrity Raw involvement of all-time. Like, ever. Matthews started in the crowd, made fun of The Miz a bit, got one move of offense on Miz in the ring, and then ate a Skull Crushing Finale. That was it. Usually, the celebs get some comeuppance with a babyface during stuff like this. Tough night if you’re a Matthews fan — if those people actually exist.
-Bron Breakker qualified for Money in the Bank — no surprise there. Look, if he’s going to lead a Vision comeback on Raw, then he’s got to be in matches like Money in the Bank. Again, this week was a reminder that Breakker is a huge part of WWE’s future plans. Wins like this help solidify achieving that goal. Breakker is on a short list of guys who could win the briefcase this year.
-Something tells me that Adam Pearce’s “word” is going to all of a sudden not be “good” in the coming weeks regarding an LA Knight world title shot. The more that the perception of Knight is that he is overlooked for title opportunities, the more it helps him get over. Knight clawing his way to a title match is a smart way to emphasize that point and make crowd reactions to him grow even bigger.
Sol Ruca? Meet the ladder match
-Like Breakker, Sol Ruca was an obvious choice to be in this year’s Women’s Money in the Bank ladder match. She beat Lyra Valkyria and Maxxine Dupri — hat tip to Bayley on the help. Ruca was born to do this match. Sol Snatcher off a very high ladder. Pencil that in for the next five straight women’s Money in the Bank matches.
-As for Bayley, it appears she has re-signed with WWE? Maybe? While joining AEW was an exciting proposition, it makes all the sense in the world for her to continue on with WWE. That’s where her history is. I’m sure she got paid tremendously well. After all, that’s the point of all this.
-Ok, I think we’ve found somebody on WWE television that is less cool than Michael Cole. Joe Hendry? Come on down! Wow. The Hendry music video about the JD McDonagh funko pop head — if it can even be called that — was god awful. It wasn’t funny, clever, or effective. Babyfaces should very much stay away from bullying heels about their looks. More evidence that WWE has a hard time booking babyfaces as actual good guys. Do the powers at be even know what one looks like?
-Is WWE trying to sell Funko Pops or something? Poor Je’Von Evans stumbled around with a fake Funko Pop head this week to distract Judgment Day and allow Joe Hendry to pick up a victory. Not great for Evans if you want to be taken seriously as a contender to top titles and credible opposite guys like Big Cass.
Teleprompter Cass
-Speaking of Cass, where has he been? We got a little vignette for him this week, but that’s it. I guess the pre-tapes are better for Cass than cutting a bad promo live in the middle of the ring, but Cass sounded like he was reading off a teleprompter. Sure, he probably was, but the idea is to make it sound like you aren’t. Cass didn’t speak in a monotone voice during his time with TNA or AEW. He’s a lot stiffer with WWE. He was during his first run and so far, same thing now.
-Paul Heyman got to play the disappointed Dad to The Vision this week, but I’m not buying it. Mark my words, Heyman is pulling the strings on all of this Vision reuniting and Oba Femi destruction stuff. Just look at the hug he gave Bronson Reed.
-Reed had a great night. His part of the show-opening promo was well-delivered and he carried with him the gravitas of being a top guy. Femi vs. Reed is a cool match to go with, but one that will sacrifice Reed in favor of Femi. Not the wrong call, but a choice that was made.
-With it being a holiday show, I was expecting more from Stephanie Vaquer vs. Liv Morgan for the WWE Women’s World Heavyweight Championship. The match was slow to start and the audience only ramped up near the end. It didn’t feel like a title crowning moment for Vaquer this week and it’s possible the audience sensed that and didn’t invest. At the same time, the action was slow and not all that crisp. Add in the obvious interference by Judgment Day and the result was a blah main event.
-Ok, I’m careful with this compliment, but bravo to Becky Lynch. She was able to actually help Stephanie Vaquer without any drama or will she/won’t she turn psychology. Now, WWE will most certainly extinguish this compliment by having Vaquer needlessly be upset with Lynch next week, but that’s next week. Babyfaces were babyfaces and in a WWE land where that is rare, gotta call it out.
Hot!
-A hot ending to Raw. LOL. Get it? The 946 setting The Bloodline’s van on fire looked cheesy, but it put an important focus on Royce Keys. If nothing else, he stood out during this angle and for the third week in a row was treated as a top guy on the show. Many in the audience were cheering for The Usos opposite Keys and his faction so that narrative still has to flush itself out.
What was your favorite segment from this week’s episode of WWE Raw? Let us know in the comments!
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Judgment Day are an albatross. There's damn near nothing left for 'em to do.
I want that ship to sink.