Best and Worst of WWE RAW: Highly criticized superstar undergoes major improvement, no plans for 4-time champion until 2023? (November 14, 2022)
Welcome to this week's edition of the Best and Worst of RAW. It was the penultimate episode to Survivor Series WarGames, and things are shaping up interestingly.
One thing is for sure - this is likely to be the most entertaining edition of Survivor Series since the epic 2016 pay-per-view. It certainly helps that the brand warfare concept has been dropped, as it was being overdone.
But what were the ups and downs of the episode as we head into Survivor Series? Keep reading to find out:
#3. Best: Dominik Mysterio's sudden improvement
Why is @DomMysterio35 picking a fight with @Sheltyb803!? ðŸ˜
#WWERaw #WWE https://t.co/Gag3gsAvSS
Dominik Mysterio is as annoying as you can hope for a heel to be. While it admittedly took him time to get his footing, joining Judgment Day was the best thing that could have happened to him.
He had a confrontation with Shelton Benjamin earlier on the show, who he provoked. He was certainly annoying, and it went to show just how much he had improved. He beat Benjamin, which was also the right decision.
Dominik Mysterio has gotten a lot of criticism for his character work, but he is finally making strides.
#2. Worst: Matt Riddle's post-Extreme Rules downfall on RAW
.@WWEGable picks up the win with some assistance from @otiswwe!
#WWERaw #WWE https://t.co/xWBdXywUfM
Despite defeating Seth Rollins, Matt Riddle has had a big downfall post-Extreme Rules 2022. The Elias alliance did nothing, and his feud against the Alpha Academy has been detrimental to him.
This week, Chad Gable defeated Riddle in a big upset win. While it wasn't a bad decision to have Gable win, it highlighted how underwhelming a month the four-time champion has had in WWE.
#2. Best: A great main event on RAW
This match slaps! 🔥
#WWERaw #WWE https://t.co/SbfF1STAAX
Seth Rollins vs. Finn Balor was an epic main event on RAW. Rollins retained the United States Championship because of The O.C.'s interference and brawl at ringside with The Judgment Day.
It was a great match, and Theory's presence at the end made the end of the episode even better. It was the perfect main event with the right finish and ending to the show.
#1. Worst: Mustafa Ali isn't getting the desired reactions
It's been ALL-DOMINATION by ALL-MIGHTY!
#WWERaw #WWE @fightbobby https://t.co/vBtMiXayst
Something isn't working with Mustafa Ali. Even with a loud crowd in Louisville, Kentucky, he wasn't getting the desired response. Nobody seemed sad to see Bobby Lashley destroy him, and he seems to have been booted out of the US Title picture.
Hopefully, this wasn't a burial, but it showed where Ali stands right now, and it's something that Triple H needs to assess seriously.
#1. Best: Everything about Theory on RAW
Would you like to see Theory win the #USTitle again? 🤔
#WWERaw #WWE https://t.co/Q6Y6CPgE6F
WWE put out the best version of Austin Theory on RAW last night. This wasn't just the best Theory since Triple H took over, but since his formal main roster debut. It highlighted him positively, with Austin having undergone a major character transformation.
He took responsibility, ran out of excuses, and the phone and the selfies were all gone. We got a serious version of Austin Theory, who Dolph Ziggler confronted.
He had Ziggler beat, but that wasn't enough. He brutalized him to signal a full character shift into a more vicious heel, and his intention to regain the US Title was a great touch to end the episode.
The Money in the Bank briefcase worked against Theory, and tonight was the perfect example that it was an anchor for him.
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