7 bad creative decisions that defined RAW in 2018
Disclaimer: This article is the opinion of the author. Sportskeeda does not necessarily share the same views
The landscape of professional wrestling is completely different to what it was almost two decades ago, and the truth is that we as WWE fans can't say that we are not surprised, as the peak of WWE back in the 90s could not last forever.
From the company constantly breaking kayfabe to management's inability to keep fans enthralled with fresh storytelling, wrestling could not keep the magic from the attitude era going for long, and one of the worst products in decline since the attitude era has been Raw.
Monday Night RAW may be known as the flagship show, but in reality, it is far from anything special, as WWE has mismanaged the brand to such an extent, that wrestling fans can't seem to believe how far the show that once pioneered wrestling has fallen.
And whether most would like to admit or not, Raw in 2018 was lazy, and that is said with disappointment. So let's look at what lousy decisions by WWE ruined Raw for many fans this year.
#1. The choice to neglect the Raw tag team division
Think about all the great tag teams that WWE has produced over the years, legendary names such The Hardy Boys, DX and Edge and Christian all come to your mind, and try and think about one standout tag team this year on Raw.
Well, that might be hard as the Raw Tag Team Division has been a wasteland of former part-timers, wrestlers whose careers have peaked a long time go and NXT talent that is mismanaged.
While it is easy to blame the talent for being uninspiring and boring, look at some of the names in the Raw Tag Tema Division, NXT standouts such as The Revival, The Authors of Pain and even the Chad Gable-Bobby Roode duo, but instead of building a division around them WWE completely dropped the ball with Raw Tag Team Titles, as they were passed around like toys this year from one makeshift team to another.
And that is what destroyed the credibility of the division, as WWE made the tag team wrestlers background stars in their own yard. This was a mistake, and it shows now as we look back on this year.
#2. A stagnant women's division
Sasha Banks, Bayley, Alexa Bliss, Nia Jax, The Riot Squad and freaking Ronda Rousey, how hard is it for the WWE creative team to build a strong compelling division around these stars, it is truly shocking when you realize that those names mentioned above did nothing of importance this year, as WWE ignored the Raw women's division.
Now there is no denying that Ronda Rousey did elevate the Women's Title as she reigns as champion right now, but most her matches with the likes of Alexa Bliss and Nikki Bella were not what we have seen from the former UFC Bantamweight Champion, and instead of getting Rousey in the ring with the likes of Banks and Bayley, WWE made the Raw Women's Title picture a stale showing with repetitive matches and no real consequences.
Speaking of repetitive matches, there has been a record broken this year with regards to most women tag team matches in one year, as that was the standard match to expect every week on Raw. The Raw women's division could have been a driving force in women's wrestling this year, but WWE's inability to create individually compelling narratives for each of these superstars made it feel lackluster and repetitive.