WWE RAW Flops and Hits: Top star replaced in title match at Money in the Bank; Becky Lynch bursts into tears after big loss
WWE RAW put up an exciting show this week. The red brand saw two big Money in the Bank qualifier matches, a Gauntlet bout and a massive championship contender contest. Elias returned to the show for a concert, and the segment ended with him breaking his guitar on Kevin Owens' back.
Top WWE Superstars looked to gain momentum ahead of the upcoming premium live event, with an interesting new feud being teased on the show. Here are some of the biggest flops and hits from RAW this week. So, without further ado, let's begin.
#1 Hit on WWE RAW: Impressive championship contender match to kickstart the show
In the opening segment of RAW, Bianca Belair confirmed that Rhea Ripley is medically unfit to compete in the championship match at Money in the Bank. This led to a Fatal Five-Way match between Becky Lynch, Asuka, Liv Morgan, Alexa Bliss, and Carmella to determine Ripley's replacement.
It was a highly entertaining bout that deservedly earned "This is Awesome" chants from the fans in attendance. All five superstars engaged in a thrilling, fast-paced in-ring battle.
Becky and Asuka's rivalry kept both superstars busy throughout the bout. Liv Morgan and Alexa Bliss showed great in-ring chemistry, and Carmella was at her opportunistic best.
LIV MODE
@YaOnlyLivvOnce #WWERaw https://t.co/JSYjYRqgda
In the end, Mella pinned Morgan to win a title shot against Belair. It was a wise decision as the other four superstars would make for better competitors in the Women's Money in the Bank match. The latest loss will also help motivate Morgan ahead of the high-stakes battle at the upcoming premium live event.
#2 Hit on WWE RAW: Asuka and Becky Lynch
WWE RAW's main event saw Asuka and Becky Lynch lock horns in an epic Money in the Bank qualifier match. Big Time Becks landed the first blow as she attacked The Empress during her entrance. The match soon started, and the two superstars didn't waste a second before unleashing hell inside the ring.
It is worth remembering that both Becky and Asuka competed in the show's opening match. They took turns dominating the match, and fans were on the edge of their seats. The bout ended with Asuka pinning her opponent to seal a spot in the Women's Money in the Bank match.
Do you sympathize with @BeckyLynchWWE or is Big Time Becks finally getting her just desserts?
cc: @ScrapDaddyAP
#WWERaw https://t.co/EtG7Yqreq4
Asuka had the last laugh after toying with her rival for weeks. Becky Lynch's losing streak might have continued, but she looked far from weak on RAW this week. The former women's champion took out her anger on the commentary desk and steel steps before devastatingly sinking in tears.
She will now be desperate to get back in the title picture, and it will be interesting to see how she is booked following yet another strong performance.
#3 Hit on WWE RAW: Angelo Dawkins
.@AngeloDawkins upsets Jey @WWEUsos ahead of #MITB!
#WWERaw https://t.co/SuEvuTbVZW
The Usos returned on this week's edition of RAW. The Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions were cutting a promo when they were interrupted by The Street Profits. Both teams are set to lock horns in a title match at Money in the Bank. Their war of words led to a singles match between Jey Uso and Angelo Dawkins.
Jey Uso, Jimmy Uso, and Montez Ford have proved their dominance in this feud. But Angelo Dawkins needed a win that would put him on the same page as the others, and that's precisely what happened on RAW. He convincingly defeated an arrogant Jey Uso to send a strong message to The Bloodline members.
Dawkins also needed this momentum on his side to make the upcoming tag team title match more balanced ahead of Money in the Bank. As of this writing, there is a realistic chance of The Street Profits dethroning The Usos as the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions.
#4 Hit on WWE RAW: Bobby Lashley
This week on WWE RAW, Bobby Lashley won a huge Gauntlet Match to win a shot at Austin Theory's United States Championship. He first faced Chad Gable in a grueling encounter. Gable pushed The All Mighty to his limits, but the latter eventually prevailed.
His next competitor, Otis, was already at ringside. He wasted no time launching a vicious attack on Lashley right after he eliminated Gable. This allowed the Alpha Academy member to gain an early advantage.
The WWE crowd unanimously cheered for Lashley as he made his way back inside the ring to face Otis. He couldn't keep the All Mighty down for too long as Lashley made strategic calls to keep himself in the fight. Ultimately, Gable's impulsive interference led to Lashley's victory via disqualification.
ALPHA SPEAR!
@fightbobby @otiswwe #WWERaw https://t.co/gKHPelFLYZ
His third and final competitor was Austin Theory. He immediately started attacking Lashley, who was still fighting against Chad Gable and Otis. Lashley struggled to keep up with Theory's speed but ultimately used it as a weapon. In the match's closing moments, he reversed Theory's A-Town Down into a roll-up pinfall to pick up a huge win.
#5 Hit/Flop on WWE RAW: Riddle's booking on the show
No, Seth, No!
@WWERollins #WWERaw https://t.co/0UEYwyTqgf
This week on WWE RAW, Riddle locked horns with Omos in the Money in the Bank qualifier match. The RK-Bro member delivered the performance of his lifetime against Roman Reigns in the Undisputed WWE Universal championship match on SmackDown. He was fresh from a grueling encounter and was already at a huge disadvantage against The Nigerian Giant.
Still, Riddle fought bravely, but even he couldn't make Omos look good, especially when the latter was out of position in so many instances. The giant's timing led to several moves appearing botched, but the short duration of the bout made their overall match look decent.
Omos then attacked Riddle after the match to make a statement and will now prepare for the upcoming Money in the Bank match for which he qualified with a victory this week.
Before Riddle could leave the ring, Seth Rollins promptly arrived and attacked the top babyface. The Visionary blatantly stated that it was his turn to go after Roman Reigns, which he would do after winning the Money in the Bank briefcase. Riddle tried to fight back, but it was easy for Rollins to hit a devastating Stomp and cement his dominance.
The interaction teased a potential feud between Rollins and Riddle, which implies that the latter will receive a huge push in the coming weeks. Riddle's booking made him helpless on tonight's episode.
Still, it will get the WWE Universe to rally behind him, especially when he is fighting for Randy Orton. It was a good decision, but the match against Omos could have been better.
Honorable mention from WWE RAW: Theory
Theory was hilarious during his segment on WWE RAW this week. He was inside the ring, showing off his physique while the crowd booed him. Unbeknownst to him, Bobby Lashley made his way to the ring, and the crowd started cheering. Theory thought people were reacting to him, but he didn't realize that All Mighty was right behind him.
He arrogantly asked fans to "shut up" before he clicked a selfie. He then realized that Lashley was also in the ring, and before the champion could react, he was drenched with baby oil, and most of it went into his eyes. Lashley then delivered a Spear before announcing that he was coming for the United States Championship.
Now he knows.
@fightbobby #WWERaw https://t.co/G2qZYSdHfv
It was a brief, yet entertaining, segment that worked well for both the heel and the babyface. Lashley looked more comfortable on the microphone, which was great. Theory was masterful in his arrogant delivery, showing us exactly why WWE has decided to invest so much in building him as the future face of the company.