Monday Night RAW emanated from Columbus, Ohio on Labor Day for another solid installment of the longest-running episodic television series airing today.
Here’s the Top 5 Moments from the show…
1. Heels Beat Up The Shield
I’m a sucker for a big brawl. I also enjoy when a big brawl makes sense. I enjoy the big brawls before Survivor Series, or the Royal Rumble. However, when a beat down makes sense, I enjoy it even more. RAW was closing out with what looked like your typical “Good Guy(s) steals a police car/ambulance/fire truck/vehicle and comes in to kick some ass after being wrongfully arrested/sent to the hospital. The fact this is a trope in WWE is hilarious. However, when The Shield came out and then got ambushed by EVERY SINGLE HEEL on RAW, was great. The Shield runs RAW, the bad guys are gonna hate that. So, it makes sense that they’d help Ziggler/Braun/Mcintyre. What I love is that even the lower card guys like Drew Gulak and Mike Kanellis got their licks in. They weren’t cannon fodder for a comeback. Kanellis helped put someone through a table, while Gulak laid a verbal beatdown. Great stuff to close the show. Also that gash Seth got on his arm…WOOF.
2. Undertaker Squares Off with HBK
Yeah, it’s nostalgia, but sometimes nostalgia is great. Undertaker and Shawn Michaels squaring off verbally in the ring was a really good segment. It’s odd because it has no connection to the rest of WWE programming, but neither does the Super Show-Down. This is all about a one-off match, for a one-off pay-per-view/network event.
Is this setting up a return for HBK? Probably not, but it does keep the door open, and WWE loves teasing the fans. Also, this moment definitely helped make up for that God awful RAW 25 promo Undertaker did in January.
3. Drake Maverick is now managing Authors of Pain
YES! YES! YES! It was absolutely ludicrous when the WWE took Paul Ellering away from Authors of Pain. These are two big dudes who are not proficient on the mic, and need someone to get heat on them. They have floundered since their post-Wrestlemania main roster debut. But now, everything looks to be better as Drake Maverick has been aligned with them. The former Rockstar Spud has been terrific as the 205 Live General Manager, but frankly Drake has always been a great heel. With him at the helm, he’s going to do wonders with AOP.
4. Dolph & Drew Win the Belts
This is more about Drew than Dolph. Drew McIntyre is the man, and this is the first step to him establishing himself as a main event caliber player in WWE. The guys reinvented himself from a pushed-too-soon star and then a comedy act, to one of the most fearsome performers in the world. He’ll have a world title around his waste very soon.
5. Renee Young in the Booth
Can Jonathan Coachman be “assignment” for a long, long time? Renee Young has been excellent as his replacement, and it would really be in the best interest of WWE to have her transition into a full-time announcing role. She’s absolutely perfect in the role, and Charly Caruso is more than capable of being the backstage interviewer.
