Six WWE stars battled on RAW for the opportunity to challenge new Women’s Intercontinental Champion AJ Lee on next week’s show. Lyra Valkyria and IYO SKY kicked off the match, but Bayley emerged victorious by pinning Asuka. Penta faced El Grande Americano after Danhausen put a curse on the Original El Grande. Adam Pearce also warned Seth Rollins about his questionable antics.
The Judgment Day took a surprising turn on Finn Balor, while CM Punk addressed the backlash he received for his controversial comments last week. Despite some notable moments, RAW made three critical mistakes in its latest episode.
One of the glaring errors was the treatment of Rusev, who was once booked as a dominant force in WWE. Rusev, a former US Champion, was quickly squashed by Oba Femi in a match that lasted only a few minutes. While it’s important to establish Femi as a formidable opponent, the manner in which Rusev was handled undermined his credibility.
In another misstep, Lyra Valkyria faced off against the heavily favored IYO SKY in the gauntlet match. Despite Valkyria’s previous accomplishments, she was eliminated early in the match, signaling a lack of confidence in her character. This decision seemed to sacrifice Valkyria’s credibility and failed to capitalize on her past success as the Women’s Intercontinental Champion.
Furthermore, the absence of Roman Reigns following the controversial comments made by CM Punk last week was a missed opportunity. Fans expected Reigns to address the situation in person, but he was conspicuously absent from RAW. This absence, coupled with the lackluster response from the Usos, left a void in the storyline that could have been filled by Reigns himself.
Overall, RAW’s recent episode highlighted several missteps in the storytelling and character development of key WWE stars. Addressing these issues and making strategic adjustments will be crucial for maintaining the audience’s interest and engagement in future episodes.
