The final RAW before SummerSlam was exceptional. If we must give it a grade (we must), RAW scored a solid A- last night. Typically, “go home” shows are infamous for their hollowness as WWE doesn’t like to alter their course 6 days from their pay-per-views.
Oh, but that was not the case last night.
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Instead of contract signings, we got title changes. Instead of 6-man tag matches, we got a new tag team. Instead of WWE telling us about matches, we got WWE creating matches.
Really, last night’s episode of RAW is the best wrestling fans can hope for this close to a monstrous SummerSlam.
With so much to cover let’s get into the show’s highlights. Here we go, 5 Things You Miss From RAW:
Dean and Seth Will Make You Cry
This Dean Ambrose/Seth Rollins is about as good as it gets in WWE. It’s one thing to connect with the audience, but they are creating the truly emotional moment.
Their pledge to one another makes me want to fight crime with my friends, or at least watch Brian’s Song a few more times. To outsiders, their tensions may be laughably homoerotic, but we don’t care because we’ve been on this ride for four years.
BROTHERS UNITED. #RAW @WWERollins @TheDeanAmbrose pic.twitter.com/kT7FEsPcSW
— WWE (@WWE) August 15, 2017
Fully expect them to win at SummerSlam. And fully expect WWE to find weeping fans in the audience.
The Universe Corrects Itself
10 years from now when WWE makes The Sasha Banks Story documentary, we’ll look back on the summer of 2017 as her big launching point. The Boss has been pretty good in her time on the main roster, but she’s still awaiting her crystalizing moment.
SummersSlam looks to be that.
We’ll look back titter at the thought of Bliss and Banks not being the original plan because their feud is the story that the women’s division needs – they’re Shawn Michaels and Bret Hart in 1997.
#SummerSlam just got LEGIT as @AlexaBliss_WWE will defend her #RAW #WomensTitle against @SashaBanksWWE at The #BiggestPartyOfTheSummer!!! pic.twitter.com/vAocZBUllD
— WWE (@WWE) August 15, 2017
Look, I get that some of you out there like Bayley. While she is a talented gal, she had no business challenging Alexa Bliss for the RAW Women’s Championship at SummerSlam.
Her injury was tough to digest because she seems like such a genuinely nice person, but it comes as a blessing for WWE (and possibly her too). Now instead of a Bliss/Bayley feud that has proven it lacks proper fizz, we may get something special.
Enzo May Survive Afterall
Behold the power of the live crowd.
Despite being loathed backstage and headlining the short list of stars WWE may move to 205 Live or NXT, Enzo Amore lives. That goes to show you, that it’s not muscles, cool moves or brilliant booking that gets talents over – it’s personality.
After last week, I was certain Enzo was doomed. The crowd seemed like they had grown tired of Amore. However, last night killed that doubt. The Boston crowd loved Enzo so much, that they extra-hated Big Cass. Seriously, they would not even let him speak.
Enzo made a cult hero’s entrance show us and WWE that he ain’t dead, yet.
Where WWE goes from here I do not know. Enzo is alive, but he will need help going forward. He’s already done the hardest part – connecting with the fans. Now WWE needs to throw him a creative bone or two.
Akira Tozawa Slays the King
Akira Tozawa is the best thing in WWE you’re not paying attention to. While his feud with Neville did not get its proper stage, it still was a wonderful display of entertainment. While I’m still a little sad that these dudes won’t get a SummerSlam match, it did feel nice to see the Boston crowd get invested into their match.
HE DID IT! #TitusWorldwide‘s @TozawaAkira is your NEW #Cruiserweight Champion!!! #AndNew #RAW #205Live @WWENeville @TitusONeilWWE pic.twitter.com/mwd5fF8ve7
— WWE (@WWE) August 15, 2017
Neville is the unsung MVP of 2017 and I personally hope that he can move from the Cruiserweight ranks into something a little more significant. For Tozawa, he and Titus Worldwide look to be getting a real shot at relevance in WWE. Now, if we can just get Apollo Crews rolling…
The Demon’s SummerSlam Date
It took a calendar year for it to happen again, but Finn Balor will bring the Demon to SummerSlam. After Bray Wyatt covered him in strawberry syrup, Balor was left no choice but go to the darkest crevices of his soul and invite his alter ego to come and play.
SummerSlam may be the biggest match of Balor’s life. His most fervent fans would reluctantly tell you that his time in WWE has been underwhelming. while a lot of that is due to injury when Balor is healthy, he tends to get pinned quite a bit. That and WWE has yet to really commit him to a proper storyline.
Balor has lost a considerable amount of steam in a year and needs this Demon appearance to steal the show at SummerSlam.
