Here are 10 thoughts on Monday Night Raw from October 26, 2015!
1. The Authority & Seth Rollins Promo: Raw opened with the Authority telling about how great they are and how great their guy, Seth Rollins is. Seth came our to accept his accolades and the Authority told him that he was so good they didn’t think there was anyone left to face. So they’d decided to have a mini tournament for the new number one contender. Reigns came out to confront his former friend and informed Seth that his time was coming. This promo wasn’t great but Reigns’ simple statements and powerful stance spoke volumes.
2. Roman Reigns v. Kofi Kingston: the first match of the tournament for a space in the fatal four way was well done but a few things could have been better. Reigns, while not overpowering, could have come across more weak after his Hell In a Cell match with Bray Wyatt. Reigns and Kofi did well but in the end Reigns one his place in the fatal four way main event.
3. Cesaro v. Kevin Owens: The second match for a space in the fatal four way was a bit better than Reigns and Kofi. Owens and Cesaro had some good moments and it looked like Cesaro was on a roll, about to win and get a push a little higher on the card. However. Even after the great moment of Cesaro running around the ring, a Cesaro Section sign in hand as he landed an uppercut on Owens, Owens still came out on top. Owens too did well and played up his cunning nature for the win. I would have rather Cesaro won the match, mostly because Owens already has gold and Cesaro deserves some. Still, this was a good second match of the night.
4. Team PCB v. Team Bella: this match was okay but the attack from Paige on Becky and Charlotte was predictable. The fans chanting for Becky was great but, in the end, Team Bella won and Paige built up her heel status. I wasn’t super impressed with this match but perhaps we’ll see a decent rivalry out if Paige and Natalya at the end of all this.
5. Alberto Del Rio v. Neville: The third match for a spot in the number one contenders match was okay. Del Rio looked good in the ring and Neville added some excitement with his ability to pull out a few great spots at any given moment. Again, I feel pushing Del Rio so far so fast is truly an example of how WWE isn’t aware of how to cook their stars. Del Rio just returned and won gold in his first match back, why did he have to pin Neville, a fan favorite, good second night back?
6. Ryback & The Dudley Boys v. King Barret, Sheamus & Rusev: Bringing back the Dudley Boys was a great moment for WWE. Booking them to be fun but not to win is, for lack of a better word, disrespectful. The Dudleys deserved the titles ever since their return and having them continue to lose is not the best use of them. There was a great moment when the Dudley Boys joined Ryback in a “feed me more” chant was nice. The issue, aside from bad booking for the Dudleys, was that yet again it was a thrown together Six Man Tag match. The WWE may be trying to fit as much start power as possible into Raw but rather than these Six Man matches they donor could cut back on the taking and have more matches with true rivalries involved.
7. Bray Wyatt Promo: Wyatt stated that he and his family had taken advantage of the Undertaker in order for Wyatt to “resurrect” himself. When Kane came out as the demon version of himself, the lights went out and the rest of the Wyatt family appeared around the ring. Kane was then attacked, much like the Undertaker had been the night before. Kane too was dragged off. This promo was well done, allowing Wyatt to smoothly transition from his fued with Reigns into his new storyline. It seems we’re heading for a Survivor Series match.
8. Big E v. Dolph Ziggler: With Tyler Breeze at ringside along with Summer Rae, it looked like Ziggler wouldn’t be able to overcome the challenge of Big E. Both Big E and Ziggler did will here and Ziggler’s win was well earned. Big E played up the goofy side of his character while still being intimidating in the ring.
9. Susan G. Komen Promo: The ring was filled with Rise Above Cancer shirts with various superstars, divas and fans who have beaten or are battling cancer. Titus O’Neil gave a nice speech, thanking the audience for supporting WWE & Susan G. Komen by buying the gear and continuing the fight. It was a nice moment and one that, if Raw has to be interrupted with talking, was appropriate.
10. Fatal Four Way for the Number One Contender spot; Roman Reigns v. Kevin Owens v. Alberto Del Rio v. Dolph Ziggler: Despite a lot of chaos with these four contenders running around the ring, hitting their best moves, the match was solid. Everyone had a chance to shine. Del Rio and Owens formed a brief alliance only to turn on each other within seconds. Still, Roman Reigns came out on top after pinning Kevin Owens and the crowd approved. Reigns earned this Number One Contender spot and it was definitely a great way to end Raw with Reigns and Rollins staring each other down before Reigns, with confidence oozing out of him, turned his back on the champ to play to the crowd.
