5 must see moments from WWE Raw (May 22nd, 2017)
WWE Extreme Rules is a just a couple of weeks away and as we near Raw finds itself switching into a much higher gear. This particular Monday night saw a few big developments for some of the marquee matches, especially in the main event and tag team title scenes.
For the upcoming Fatal 5-Way Number One Contender's Match, a partial Shield reunion took place in Raw's main event. Sadly for Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins, their ability to stay on the same page isn’t quite what it used to be. A misguided Superman Punch isn't exactly the best way to treat your partner.
As for the Hardys’ upcoming Tag Title defence, Matt and Sheamus battled it out for the right to pick the match stipulation. If you went with the obvious guess that a Hardy would choose a ladder-themed environment, you 'd be wrong.
Several other big developments took place, including a clever attack by The Miz that surprisingly wasn't directed toward Dean Ambrose and a Cruiserweight senton off of the top rope that was tailor-made for the highlight reels.
This article showcases the must-see moments from Monday Night Raw:.
#5 High praise from Paul Heyman
As the five competitors vying for a shot at Brock Lesnar’s Universal Championship near their Number One Contender’s match, one person seems to be on a different path than the other four. Finn Balor was absent during the big kerfuffle in the opening segment and was also not included during the main event tag team match featuring all of his Extreme rules foes.
The segments he was involved in happened to be very telling.
Finn squared off against his former Bullet Club brother Karl Anderson in a singles match that featured a must-see promo beforehand. Paul Heyman made a surprise appearance and countered the first Universal Champion, offering some uniquely high praise.
He lauded Finn’s talents to the point that it brought out what looked like a genuine smile. He also made a point to call all four of Finn’s Extreme Rules opponents victims as a contrast to stating that Balor is “nobody’s victim.”
Balor is being set up on a pedestal to stand out among his peers. This has to bode well for his chances to challenge Brock for the title he never lost. It’s disheartening to think that Balor might ultimately be treated as fodder on the path to Lesnar vs. Reigns at next year’s WrestleMania, but for the meantime, he’s being regarded as a very special performer.