5 Things WWE RAW got right this week: Top champion pinned; female superstar embarrasses powerhouse
WWE RAW opened with another confrontation between The Judgment Day and AJ Styles' team, and The O.C. It set the tone for the first match of the night between two real-life best friends.
Meanwhile, Johnny Gargano was injected into the rivalry between The Miz and Dexter Lumis. Gargano wanted Miz to spill the beans about why Lumis was haunting him. It’s a smart way to take the storyline forward, as Johnny Wrestling and The Tortured Artist have some history between them.
Bayley and Bianca Belair also competed on this week’s show. Plus, Elias made his return to the ring with a match against Chad Gable.
Take a look at the five things WWE RAW got right on this week’s show.
#5. Finn Balor defeated Karl Anderson to kick off WWE RAW
The Judgment Day kicked off WWE RAW and said that they run the show. Dominik Mysterio got on the mic and called himself the modern-day Eddie Guerrero. He spoke about his new family before AJ Styles and The O.C. interrupted him.
The two teams came to blows and a match between Finn Balor and Karl Anderson got going soon after. Balor and Anderson used their chemistry to pull off some good moves before The Prince got the Pele Kick for a near fall.
Anderson stayed alive in the contest and hit a top rope move before connecting with a superplex. Dominik tried to interfere, but AJ took him off the apron.
Meanwhile, Gallows took Damian Priest down before Rhea Ripley showcased her incredible strength by body-slamming him on the floor. Another distraction from Dominik allowed The Nightmare to hit a low blow to Anderson. Finn Balor took advantage and picked up the win soon after.
It was a fun contest between the two sides that are just getting their rivalry started. Balor and Anderson have known each other for decades and put on a good show.
Ripley showcased what she’s made of, and the babyfaces will now look for someone who can match her in the ring. It could lead to the return of Shayna Baszler, who could join forces with Styles & The O.C.
#4. Austin Theory and Mustafa Ali put on a solid match on Monday night
Seth Rollins joined the WWE RAW commentary team for a match between Austin Theory and Mustafa Ali. The Unproven One took control of the contest early and set the tone for the match before Ali made a comeback.
Theory fled the ring to avoid getting pinned and came back with a few good moves of his own. Rollins kept shouting instructions at his former disciple as he wanted to see Ali lose the match. However, Ali took control once again and went for a 450 splash.
The Visionary rushed to the ring to distract the referee while Theory kicked Ali off the ropes. He hit the A-Town Down off the distraction to pick up the win.
Rollins beat down Mustafa after the match and sent him into the timekeeper's area. He made sure that Ali knew he did not deserve a shot at Rollins’ United States Championship.
It’s good to see Ali get in the spotlight again, even though it’s just for the trip to Saudi Arabia. He is among the most talented wrestlers who have not been given enough chances on the main roster. A solid match against Rollins will help him get back on the map.
#3. Elias picked up a victory over Chad Gable
Elias got his first match on WWE RAW after making his return to the show last week. He took on former RAW Tag Team Champion Chad Gable in a singles match.
Gable looked to slow down the returning superstar with a few holds and submissions, but Elias used his strength to power out. He hit a vertical suplex and tried to get the win early.
Otis got involved in the action and did some damage to Elias as the match continued. Gable locked in the Ankle Lock but could not get the songster to tap out. Elias countered a dive with a knee strike before getting another near fall.
Otis tried to bulldoze Elias on the outside but ran into the ring post instead. Back in the ring, Elias blocked Gable’s finisher before getting the Final Cut for the win. After the match, Otis took Elias out from behind. Riddle rushed in to make the save and took down both members of The Alpha Academy.
Otis and Chad Gable are amongst the most featured superstars in WWE today. Unfortunately, they keep picking up losses nearly every week. However, it looks like WWE is building towards a new alliance between Elias and Riddle. It could turn out to be a great idea, keeping in mind how well The Original Bro worked with Randy Orton.
#2. JBL helped Baron Corbin take down Johnny Gargano
Johnny Gargano ran into JBL and Baron Corbin backstage on WWE RAW. It led to a match between Corbin and Gargano. It wasn’t the first time the two men faced each other as they had some experience from fighting each other on NXT.
The Modern Day Wrestling God took control of the contest and used his power to take down Gargano. The Rebel Heart fired back with a knee to the head and sent the big man outside the ring. Corbin took him out of the ring too and sent him into the announcer’s desk.
The big man kept the pressure on before Gargano hit him with a Spear. He went for the Crucifix pin, but The Modern Day Wrestling God hit a Deep Six to nearly take him out. The two men fought outside again, and Gargano stole JBL’s hat.
He hit a DDT on the floor before JBL dropped him off the apron behind the referee’s back. Corbin hit the Deep Six and picked up a hard-fought victory.
It was another good match between the two top superstars of RAW. JBL’s interference protected Gargano from a clean loss while Corbin came out on top to continue his win streak. The pairing of JBL and Corbin will likely do well on the Red brand.
#1. Nikki Cross returned as Bayley defeated the RAW Women’s Champion
Bayley and Bianca Belair teed off in a non-title match on this week’s WWE RAW. The Role Model went for an early pin, but Belair powered out with ease. She hit a vertical suplex and got a near fall of her own.
The two superstars traded some signature moves to keep the action ticking. Damage CTRL was at ringside, looking to cause a distraction. Bayley sent Belair outside the ring and dropped her on the barricades before hitting a DDT on the floor.
She targeted the champ’s already injured arm and kept the pressure on for some time. Bayley hit her finisher on Belair after blocking the KOD. A distraction from IYO SKY helped her connect with another Bayley to Belly off the ropes.
Outside the ring, The EST leveled Bayley with a powerbomb on the announcer’s desk. The referee caught SKY and Dakota Kai trying to take Belair out. He was ready to send them backstage before Nikki Cross returned on RAW.
She took out SKY and Kai outside the ring before wiping out Belair. Bayley crawled over The EST and pinned her for the win. After the match, Cross beat The Role Model and Damage CTRL down as the show came to an end.
It was a great way to bring Nikki Cross back into the equation. She returned in style and took out the top two women of the brand. Meanwhile, Bayley picked up a win over Belair and will likely get another shot at the RAW Women’s Championship soon.