5 things WWE got right on the RAW before Hell in a Cell: WWE Champion pinned; major retirement match took place
With WWE Hell in a Cell just six days away, RAW tried to bring some major rivalries to boiling point. Fans watched several matches take place, with a few having disappointing ends.
Nikki Cross and Charlotte Flair competed early on in the night, while Rhea Ripley took on Asuka later. The New Day was also looking to prove that they were the premier tag team on RAW in a match against The RK-Bro.
Elias and Jaxson Ryker competed in a match that led to another count-out victory for the latter. Alexa Bliss also returned to the RAW ring for a match against a superstar from the women’s division after a long time.
Plus, Drew McIntyre took on AJ Styles just days before his big match against Bobby Lashley for the WWE Championship.
Take a look at the five things WWE got right on RAW before Hell in a Cell.
#5 The tension between Rhea Ripley and Charlotte Flair heightened on WWE RAW
The first match of the night saw Nikki Cross take on Charlotte Flair. Cross has picked up some big victories on RAW over the past few weeks and was ready to show her skills once again.
Flair wanted to prove that she should not have lost to Cross in the two-minute challenge a couple of weeks ago. Rhea Ripley came out to watch the match and distracted The Queen for Cross to get a near-fall.
Flair seemed overconfident throughout the contest once again and punished the Scottish Superstar. She also started taunting Ripley, unaware of the fact that the referee was counting. Cross rolled back into the ring just in time to pick up a count-out victory over Flair.
The Queen took down Cross with a big boot following her loss before Ripley attacked Flair.
Later on RAW, Rhea Ripley competed in a match against Asuka. The Empress of Tomorrow controlled the match for some time before the RAW Women’s Champion made a comeback.
Asuka tried to use her submission holds to wear out Ripley, but the powerhouse used her strength to keep The Empress down. The RAW Women’s Champion finally picked up the victory with a Riptide to Asuka.
After the match, Charlotte Flair repaid the favor and attacked Ripley. They brawled until officials broke them up.
The two matches weren't special, but they allowed Ripley's and Flair's build-up to their match on Sunday.
It was unfortunate to see Asuka work as a warm-up for Ripley. However, it will be interesting to see who comes out on top on Sunday at Hell in a Cell.