We both agree Raw was better this week than last week. I liked it better than you did. I found that while it had no great moments, there was nothing I hated either. The VIP lounge segment was okay. Even with Asuka, Shayna Baszler and Nia Jax as Raw's women's Money in the Bank participants, I would like WWE to reschedule their match from last week which didn't happen and have them square off in a triple threat bout. The gauntlet match for the final spot in the men's Money in the Bank (which became available with the storyline injury of Apollo Crews) was entertaining. The full order of participants were Bobby Lashley, Titus O'Neil, Akira Tozawa, Shelton Benjamin, Humberto Carrillo, Angel Garza, Austin Theory and AJ Styles. Lashley squashed O'Neil, then squashed Tozawa. Lashley & Benjamin had a decent go at it, but Lashley won again. Carrillo won by DQ after Lashley made contact with an official (you were right on that). As you noted, Carrillo then beat Garza and Theory before Styles beat Carrillo and claimed the spot vacated by Apollo Crews. Styles joins Aleister Black and Rey Mysterio as Raw's participants in the men's Money in the Bank match. I'm liking the Seth Rollins character more than you. I think WWE has toned things down a little because there is no crowd off of which to play. Otherwise, I think Rollins would really be trying to sell himself as the 'master', so to speak. Here, he's framed the argument as it being his destiny not just to win the championship but to lead Raw. In his mind, it doesn't matter who has the belt, he must claim it. Shane Thorne and Brendan Vink did beat Cedric Alexander and Ricochet. I was okay with this, despite hoping the babyfaces eventually get a tag title run. Ever-Rise are a different team. Thorne & Vink worked together on the Australian indies before signing with WWE. Meanwhile, I actually liked the Street Profits vs the Viking Raiders as a match, though I'd have preferred a different ending. I was okay with this being a non-title bout and I suspect we will get a title match either as an addition to Money in the Bank (probably) or for next week's Raw (less likely). I do have to correct you on one matter. Liv Morgan beat Ruby Riott twice in April, on Raw. Morgan did lose to Charlotte on Monday, but she looked good in defeat, giving the Queen a competitive match. Charlotte will forever be one of the top women in WWE. She is currently pulling double duty on Raw and NXT at the moment. But WWE must see something in Morgan. I'm not sure what to make of the MITB ladder matches. I suspect they will be polarizing. Either people will really like them or they really won't. The key will be to keep things from becoming comical. They can have some fun with the surroundings by incorporating office supplies or photocopying someone's face. However, once the match gets to the roof, I want to see spots and risk taking, not just someone lumbering up the ladder and grabbing a briefcase. While I was okay with Drew McIntyre vs Buddy Murphy as a non-title match, I also would have been good with this being a title bout. I guess the argument against it would be WWE would almost never have put the belt on Murphy, so the result would've been a foregone conclusion. Murphy remains Seth Rollins' disciple and I don't yet see them facing each other inside the ring. But WWE is going to have to take some risks to overcome what are historically low ratings. If they are losing long-time fans like you, they are in trouble. I'm willing to bet we get at least one title match on Raw and/or Smackdown next week. Depending on how things end up, we could see a rematch of Braun Strowman / Bray Wyatt, following whatever goes down this Sunday. Another possibility is a Bayley / Tamina rematch, especially if Tamina emerges from Money in the Bank as the new Smackdown women's champion. Finally, on the subject of booking Raw and Smackdown, all roads lead to Vince McMahon. Others may put together the card, but Vince has the final say on whether matches happen, what the show rundowns looks like and who wins.
We both agree Raw was better this week than last week. I liked it better than you did. I found that while it had no great moments, there was nothing I hated either.
The VIP lounge segment was okay. Even with Asuka, Shayna Baszler and Nia Jax as Raw's women's Money in the Bank participants, I would like WWE to reschedule their match from last week which didn't happen and have them square off in a triple threat bout.
The gauntlet match for the final spot in the men's Money in the Bank (which became available with the storyline injury of Apollo Crews) was entertaining. The full order of participants were Bobby Lashley, Titus O'Neil, Akira Tozawa, Shelton Benjamin, Humberto Carrillo, Angel Garza, Austin Theory and AJ Styles. Lashley squashed O'Neil, then squashed Tozawa. Lashley & Benjamin had a decent go at it, but Lashley won again. Carrillo won by DQ after Lashley made contact with an official (you were right on that). As you noted, Carrillo then beat Garza and Theory before Styles beat Carrillo and claimed the spot vacated by Apollo Crews. Styles joins Aleister Black and Rey Mysterio as Raw's participants in the men's Money in the Bank match.
I'm liking the Seth Rollins character more than you. I think WWE has toned things down a little because there is no crowd off of which to play. Otherwise, I think Rollins would really be trying to sell himself as the 'master', so to speak. Here, he's framed the argument as it being his destiny not just to win the championship but to lead Raw. In his mind, it doesn't matter who has the belt, he must claim it.
Shane Thorne and Brendan Vink did beat Cedric Alexander and Ricochet. I was okay with this, despite hoping the babyfaces eventually get a tag title run. Ever-Rise are a different team. Thorne & Vink worked together on the Australian indies before signing with WWE. Meanwhile, I actually liked the Street Profits vs the Viking Raiders as a match, though I'd have preferred a different ending. I was okay with this being a non-title bout and I suspect we will get a title match either as an addition to Money in the Bank (probably) or for next week's Raw (less likely).
I do have to correct you on one matter. Liv Morgan beat Ruby Riott twice in April, on Raw. Morgan did lose to Charlotte on Monday, but she looked good in defeat, giving the Queen a competitive match. Charlotte will forever be one of the top women in WWE. She is currently pulling double duty on Raw and NXT at the moment. But WWE must see something in Morgan.
I'm not sure what to make of the MITB ladder matches. I suspect they will be polarizing. Either people will really like them or they really won't. The key will be to keep things from becoming comical. They can have some fun with the surroundings by incorporating office supplies or photocopying someone's face. However, once the match gets to the roof, I want to see spots and risk taking, not just someone lumbering up the ladder and grabbing a briefcase.
While I was okay with Drew McIntyre vs Buddy Murphy as a non-title match, I also would have been good with this being a title bout. I guess the argument against it would be WWE would almost never have put the belt on Murphy, so the result would've been a foregone conclusion. Murphy remains Seth Rollins' disciple and I don't yet see them facing each other inside the ring. But WWE is going to have to take some risks to overcome what are historically low ratings. If they are losing long-time fans like you, they are in trouble. I'm willing to bet we get at least one title match on Raw and/or Smackdown next week. Depending on how things end up, we could see a rematch of Braun Strowman / Bray Wyatt, following whatever goes down this Sunday. Another possibility is a Bayley / Tamina rematch, especially if Tamina emerges from Money in the Bank as the new Smackdown women's champion.
Finally, on the subject of booking Raw and Smackdown, all roads lead to Vince McMahon. Others may put together the card, but Vince has the final say on whether matches happen, what the show rundowns looks like and who wins.