Seven Tiny Thoughts on Raw

With Hell in a Cell in the books and the next real pay-per-view being Survivor Series, WWE has plenty of time to do nothing. While the Super Show-Down and subsequent show in Saudi Arabia will feed some storylines, both of those events will feel more like a one-off than essential viewing.

That means that Raw on Monday didn’t have to do much. And it didn’t.

That’s not so much an indictment as it is an understanding of the circumstances. For the next few weeks, feuds will only need to take small steps forward rather than melodramatic leaps. And that’s what Monday felt like—babysteps.

Loving to Hate Baron Corbin

Considering it was only a few months ago Baron Corbin was a quiet, stringy-haired Sons of Anarchy extra, the 34-year-old has enjoyed a rapid evolution into a white collar criminal.

This guy is sprinkling corruption around every corner and turning Monday Night Raw into a cesspool. While the morally defunct authority figure is hardly a new character in WWE, Corbin’s personality and in-ring ability have introduced a new spin on an old idea. While he’ll never be anyone’s favorite, Corbin is doing a very good job in his new role. 

Rousey Tossed in the Fire

In the months following her WrestleMania debut, WWE was cautious with how they used Rousey. Knowing she was a beginning WWE only put her in places she could succeed. However, now that she’s Raw Women’s Champion, WWE is putting her in a vulnerable place.

And that’s great.

They only way she’s going to get better is by failing. While her promo and the open challenge wasn’t a failure, ti did expose a few weaker points to her game. Regardless, Rousey is not the only talent but more advanced than some of the Raw roster in terms of emoting on camera. I’ll guess her Raw performance caught flack on the internet (what doesn’t) but I’ll always be bullish on the UFC Hall of Famer.

Let’s Talk About Taker

Look, The Undertaker is probably the greatest WWE Superstar of all time. But because his legend is eternal, that doesn’t mean he has to work forever, too. I know that WWE wants to boost their foreign shows in Australia and Saudi Arabia, but Taker’s presence is making things weird. 

I feel blasphemous for even being negative, especially because every arena he enters in 2018 erupts, but it’s time to move on. I’ll guess Taker works WrestleMania 35 and is done for good, but at this point, WWE is better off building its current roster than utilizing the past. 

Ziggler and Rollins are Two of WWE’s Best

The first half of 2018 was dominated by Seth Rollins. However, his excellence has been matched stride-for-stride by Dolph Ziggler. 

It was a shame to watch Ziggler go unused for literally months at a time while on SmackDown. But upon his flipping to Raw, The Show Off has lived up to his nickname. His promos, body language,  and match quality have all been fantastic as he has genuinely revitalized his career in one summer. 

His split with Drew McIntyre is imminent, but after that, Ziggler could be in store for fruitful days as a solo star.

Nia Jax is Back

I’ve been a staunch mark for Nia Jax for about a year now. I don’t think WWE is quite sure what to do with her, but I think they see her as a fixture in the women’s division moving forward. Her return is important, even if WWE doesn’t have much for her to do. 

Lio & Bobby

I think WWE’s newest duo of Lio Rush and Bobby Lashley is a good thing. However, I think they need to be good people.

Lashley, with or without the aid of Rush’s acrobatics is a little too unnatural as a babyface for me. I’m having a tough time buying Rush as a good guy, too. I’m willing to bet they eventually break bad, but it may take a couple months. 

Raw’s MVP

There was no shortage of solid performances on Monday night. As mentioned Corbin turned in a good day at work, so did Roman Reigns, but I think I’ll vote for Chad Gable.

I love seeing Superstars given a small opportunity and make the most of it. Gable playing Bobby Roode’s overly-enthusiastic shadow isn’t a great gig by any means, but he’s making the most of it. On top of his character commitment, Gable is profoundly good at wrestling. 

So, congrats Chad Gable. I wish I had a prize, but you’ll have to settle for praise.