Best and Worst of RAW: Unexpected superstar becomes title contender, Bizarre rivalry begins
Welcome to this week's edition of Best and Worst of RAW! It was an interesting episode this week, being the penultimate one before Hell in a Cell 2021. Given the pay-per-view that they're building to, it was a slightly underwhelming effort on WWE's part, particularly the ending.
But we'll get back to that later. For now, let's look at some of the best and worst bits of RAW this week:
#3. Best: Nikki Cross emerging as a RAW Women's title contender
Out of all the women on the RAW roster, Nikki Cross wasn't a name that many fans expected to emerge as a title contender. When Rhea Ripley won the RAW Women's Championship from Asuka, it was clear that The Empress would be taking a step back in the division that she dominated for the past year.
Rhea Ripley vs Charlotte Flair is the current RAW Women's title feud that will culminate at Hell in a Cell, but they aren't the only two women involved. A woman who isn't even in the match has emerged as an unexpected title contender on RAW.
It all started a few weeks ago when Rhea Ripley failed to beat Nikki Cross in two minutes. Charlotte Flair also failed the following week, and Nikki Cross had another challenge.
Adam Pearce booked a match pairing Ripley and Flair together against Nikki Cross and a woman of her choice. That choice, of course, was the former RAW Women's Champion Asuka.
It was a fun match to watch, and thanks to the breakdown that Charlotte and Ripley had, they ended up attacking one another. Nikki Cross took advantage of the situation to pin The Nightmare.
It's interesting because Cross never asked to be added to the match at Hell in a Cell. She simply asked for a RAW Women's title shot afterward.
While she isn't winning the title anytime soon, it's good to see her get into the mix after being underutilized for so long.