Triple H screwing up WWE act; a major issue with the main event - 5 Mistakes that were made on RAW this week
WWE had a big main event planned for RAW, with Jey Uso defending the Intercontinental Championship against former titleholder Bron Breakker. Interference was a strong possibility after Jey's trip to SmackDown last week. He pleaded with Solo Sikoa to stop splitting the family in half, but his words went unheard, and he departed without joining either side of the Bloodline war.
While the result of the main event may have disappointed many fans, the booking process wasn't the only mistake made on the night. WWE made the next five errors on the latest episode of RAW.
#5. Competitors waiting in the ring for their opponents
An ongoing booking strategy WWE has used involves the pacing of its matches. The first competitor will often come out, but then the show cuts right to a commercial.
When the show returns, a video package or different vignette often airs before the opponent even comes out. This happened in almost every match on RAW, with Breakker waiting nearly 10 minutes for Jey Uso to come down.
Before Jey made his entrance, Cathy Kelley interviewed Gunther backstage. After that conversation, the Champ was confronted by Damian Priest. Why has a star come out and bounced around the ring for so long?
The backstage face-to-face could have been aired before his entrance so as not to break up the consistency of the competitors making their way to the ring.
#4. The Final Testament loses twice in one night
WWE's booking of Karrion Kross and The Final Testament has made the group feel like a bunch of Chihuahuas barking at Godzilla. Kross talks a big game, but the group loses much more than it wins.
That fact was on full display again as the Authors of Pain lost to The New Day via rollup. R-Truth interfered to help Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods, but he got destroyed after The New Day left the ring.
As Kross orchestrated the post-match beatdown to regain some heat, The Wyatt Sicks appeared to run them off. It's an overused trope to give heat back to heels, but the post-match antics made The Final Testament even less credible than before.
#3. A lack of creativity in WWE's booking for women's tag team matches
Over half of the women's tag team matches in 2024 have resorted to outside interference for a finish. When that tactic is used a few times a year, it works well.
But when WWE does the same thing in back-to-back weeks after doing so in many key matches, it shows a lack of booking ideas. It's easy to see that WWE wants a multi-team match at Crown Jewel.
That's the only way WWE will book Jade Cargill and Bianca Belair to lose. It's how they lost the titles the first time, but interference also marred several title matches featuring The Unholy Union.
#2. The LWO has a tag team that doesn't compete in the tag team tournament
The Latino World Order consists of Rey Mysterio, Zelina Vega, Dragon Lee, and the tandem of Cruz Del Toro and Joaquin Wilde. Del Toro and Wilde have teamed together for years but are yet to win gold.
WWE booked several teams in a mini-tournament to find a random challenger for the Judgment Day. The LWO faced the Creeds, but Rey and Lee represented the group in the match.
Rey is obviously over with the crowd and more recognizable, but what purpose do Wilde and Del Toro serve? Dragon Lee and Rey won, so the group won, but it's strange not to use a team that has been together for years in the tournament.
#1. Overbooking the main event of RAW
Had Jey Uso not gone to SmackDown last week, he may still be the Intercontinental Champion. Once he dipped his toes back into Bloodline drama, it was only a matter of time before it cost him big.
As he set up Bron Breakker for a finishing sequence, Sikoa and Jacob Fatu appeared in the crowd as spectators. Jey immediately left the ring to confront his brother. Breakker chased him but speared Solo after he pushed Jey out of the way.
Tonga Loa and Tama Tonga also appeared, but Jey hit them with Superkicks. The Champ had a chance to win, but Bron kicked out. There was a lot more going on than just a one-on-one encounter. Bookers could have had Jey push Solo, and Jacob to take exception, thus interfering to cost Jey the title.
It felt like WWE was overthinking the outcome just to get the belt off of Jey and back on Breakker. The Yeet Master's short run as Champion somewhat devalues the title since it was used to get him back into the Bloodline drama for WarGames.