WWE Monday Night Raw Review: June 15, 2015 - Cena isn't here tonight
Monday Night Raw saw the return of Lesnar but he was there just for the last 10 minutes or so. This show was one of the clear indications towards the focus shifting towards building new performers to carry the baton from Cena.
Owens walked into a mostly casual fanbase in Ohio and announced that Cena isn’t in the arena because of an injury. All of this may well be a project in seeing who is capable enough to carry the show forward.
The Man named Ambrose
Dean Ambrose is still in the main event. He’s refusing to go away. And if there is anything that the main event at Money In The bank proved, it’s the fact that you just can’t keep Ambrose down. He will come back crawling, craving and scratching his way up. He’s a survivor. He’s crazy. He’s wild. More or less WWE wants to tell us that he’s damaged in the head. Well, as a quote by Josephine Hart goes- “Damaged people are dangerous. They know they can survive.”
Ambrose’s danger lies in that very aspect which everyone disregards as lunacy. He’s going to win the title one day and it’s going to be glorious
On the other hand, Rollins proved that he’s not a paper champion, that he can fight and win on his own. He proved it at Money In The bank in a match that will be known for him and Ambrose being equals and the undisputed future of the WWE.
The Champion named Rollins
Rollins needed no help and he deserved to celebrate in all his cockiness and arrogance on the fore.
But Mommy and Daddy have other plans.
Brock Lesnar is back and if you thought Triple H was the best motivational speaker in the WWE, wait till you hear him explain what was to come to Rollins in as simple words as possible. He made you understand the logic behind ending Lesnar’s suspension.
And then there was Sheamus
And then there is Sheamus. The interesting part is that he was sent by The Authority to take on Ambrose. Now, as Rollins’ place in The Authority looks vulnerable, Sheamus is the new Mr. Money In The bank. His history as a brawler may be enough for Stephanie McMahon and Triple H to trust him with their business interests. If Rollins is ever to feud with Triple and turn face or leave the Authority, it seems like Sheamus will be the guy to replace him in The Authority. He’s thriving a heel as well.
Owens, Wyatt and Reigns
There is Owens who is stealing the show away week in and week out. He wrestled an amazing match against the amazing Dolph Ziggler.
Bray Wyatt and Roman Reigns are also around making their feud worth watching. And there you have Vince McMahon’s brass ring club taking the show in their hands during Cena's absence.
This may or may not be an overnight success. The returns may or may not be an immediate success. But there is money in it if given the time, trust and writing material to go with it.
Sell a story instead of a performer. Make the story look really, really good instead of the performer involved in it. If the story is good, the performer involved in it will automatically look good.
MITB was about stories, well told. Raw was the fallout to those stories being in place with other layers added to it.
These are interesting times for the business to move into a space when Cena’s time is up.