It was a lukewarm ending to this week’s episode of Raw, as the main angle involving Judgment Day failed to move forward. The show kicked off with Sami Zayn’s hometown reception, but his homecoming was spoiled by the return of Kevin Owens. This led to a chain of events that caught our attention. Owens challenged Judgment Day to a tag match, but didn’t specify which two members he wanted to face.
The strange part is how Finn Balor and Damian Priest went from seemingly patching up their differences to once again distrusting each other in just one week. This lack of consistency in their storyline made the ending feel lackluster. Finn and Damian argued over who would face Owens and Zayn, but Rhea Ripley stepped in and made the decision for them.
The tag match between Finn & Damian and Owens & Zayn ended in a disqualification when Owens was caught using Damian’s briefcase. Cody Rhodes then showed up and the match restarted as a six-man tag. Despite the loss, there was no drama between Finn and Damian. The hometown heroes and Cody stood triumphant while Judgment Day licked their wounds.
The ongoing storyline between Finn and Damian is starting to drag, and we need to see some progression. Raw’s endings have been feeling repetitive, with Judgment Day either winning triumphantly or leaving in frustration. With the NFL season starting soon, WWE needs to kick their hottest angle on Raw into high gear. Perhaps they’re saving the fireworks for the first time they go head-to-head with Monday Night Football.
Firing Squad
The Viking Raiders sent a message to the New Day and the team of Matt Riddle & Drew McIntyre, who are now going by McRiddle. While the match started as a way for McRiddle to prove themselves as a real tag team, it quickly escalated into something more significant.
McRiddle had no chance against the New Day, but they started to establish what their “same page” looks like. The threat of the Viking Raiders may push them to become a formidable and consistent team. However, I personally hope this leads to a breakup, as their tandem still bores me.
Runnin’
The match between GUNTHER and Chad Gable was fantastic, with a similar story to their previous encounter. Gable showed resilience, but the ending didn’t make much sense. Chad celebrated like he won the championship when he defeated GUNTHER by count out, which felt disconnected from the narrative that this was his big break and shot at singles gold.
Back 2x
Initially, Shinsuke Nakamura’s whisper about knowing about Seth’s hurt back seemed underwhelming. However, as the promo continued, Shinsuke sold me on the idea. Seth’s weakness represents fragility, and Shinsuke understands the impact it can have on a competitor. Seth responded with a passionate promo, making the feud personal. Their match at Payback is now officially official.
The Bridge is Over
Rhea Ripley plowed through Candice LeRae, and Raquel Rodriguez made her triumphant return, challenging Rhea for her championship at Payback. The stage is set for a showdown between these two competitors.