The 5 Things We Learned From RAW Last Night

When three hours fly by, that’s a dead giveaway that RAW was fantastic.

Without Brock Lesnar, Ronda Rousey, and Paul Heyman, WWE managed to uncork their juiciest pre-WrestleMania RAW to date. While the 180-minute run time was a well-balanced effort, it was Vince McMahon and John Cena who stole the show.

There’s already talk that WrestleMania 34 will be one of the greatest of all time, and given the current hot streak of RAW, I have no reason to believe otherwise.

So let’s break down the latest stop on the road the WretleMania—here are The Five Things We Learned From RAW Last Night

“Stone Cold” Roman Reigns

WWE is trying so hard to make you like Roman Reigns. And for the most part, it’s working.

By pitting him against the aloof Scandinavian bull named Brock Lesnar, WWE has made Reigns the default hero. With the now legendarily aloof Lesnar, fans of all demographics have begun to show preference to Roman Reigns.

And then just for good measure, Vince McMahon suspended him.

Standing up to WWE’s boss the quickest way to get cheers in WWE. Roman confronting Vince backstage was a great moment, even more, it felt real.

By getting slapped with a suspension, Reigns now walks the path of Stone Cold Steve Austin. Or that’s at least what WWE is hoping for.

John Cena is the Best

I understand that it’s cool to hate John Cena. I mean, who could like a 16-time WWE Champion who does everything WWE asks of him at an elite level?

The 2018 version of John Cena has been one of my favorites. Crippled by an existential funk, Cena, for the first time, has no direction. Even in reality, there aren’t any novel WrestleMania opponents for him, so him handpicking the Undertaker is oddly perfect.

During yet another masterful promo, Cena reminded us, WWE, and maybe himself how easily he can captivate an audience. What’s crazy is that I don’t want to see the Undertaker wrestle again. Ever. But when John Cena is screaming for it, I can’t stop myself from cheering.

RIP Alexa Bliss

Nia Jax continues to prove that she is the future of women’s wrestling.

Sure, Ronda Rousey, Asuka, and Charlotte Flair will have their moments, but Jax represents quintessential WWE. Even if she was just the female version of King Kong Bundy, she’d be a Hall of Famer. But Jax’s ceiling seems to raise by the week.

Playing a convincing babyface, Jax is now on a quest eviscerate Alexa Bliss at WrestleMania. That match will likely be a quick one, but Jax’s reign as RAW Women’s Champion may last a while.

Intercontinental Launching Pad

Right now, the rivalry between The Miz, Seth Rollins, and Finn Balor is the complete WrestleMania storyline WWE has. Given that these three WrestleMania refugees just a few weeks ago, the potency of their story can only be accredited their nuanced work every week.

This Triple Threat will make a star. Whoever walks about of the WrestleMania 34 ad Intercontinental Champion will have reached a new plain in their careers. For the Miz, maybe it gets him back to the main event. For Finn Balor, he could finally realize the potential that rocketed him in NXT. And for Seth Rollins, it could make him the face of the company.

I’ll be pulling for Rollins for many reasons, but there’s something intangible going on with Seth. Ever since his Gauntlet Match performance, the WWE Universe has shown him nothing but devotion.

The time, circumstance, and opportunity feel right for Seth to blast off into the stratosphere we’ve always hoped he’d reach.

Braun Strowman: Tag Team Champion

I really hope Braun Strowman is posing with the RAW Tag Team Championship belts at WrestleMania.

With guys like Roman Reigns, John Cena, Brock Lesnar, and The Undertaker booked for ‘Mania, Strowman has been left to float. There have been a ton of rumors surrounding WWE’s plans for the Monster Among Men, but competing alone in the tag team match may be their best option.

If Strowman were to win, he’d further established how unprecedented he is as a WWE Superstar.

And isn’t that the point?