If you wanted fireworks on the Raw following WrestleMania 39, you likely awoke this morning disappointed.
Outside of the beginning and end of the show, which were both exceptional, the famed Raw following ’Mania was largely a letdown.
The highlights featured Roman Reigns, Cody Rhodes and Brock Lesnar. Rhodes interrupted Reigns’s interview in the ring, challenging him to a rematch. Reigns and Paul Heyman were quick to reject that offer, but they did accept a tag match between Rhodes and a partner against Reigns and Solo Sikoa. Rhodes’s partner was revealed to be Lesnar, and the match was scheduled to be the main event for the show. Except that it never took place—Lesnar turned on Rhodes before the match, then pummeled him throughout the final segment of Raw.
For all the issues with this week’s Raw, this was executed perfectly. Rhodes now has a new opponent in Lesnar, a monster he has never defeated. If Rhodes beats Lesnar cleanly, then he has an opportunity to gain even more traction in his ongoing quest to become WWE champion. Following his loss to Reigns at WrestleMania, he needs to present himself in strong fashion—and what better way to do that than by defeating Lesnar?
A few other noteworthy moments did occur on Raw. Bad Bunny was chokeslammed through a table by Damian Priest, setting up a match (likely a tag) that will take place at Backlash in Puerto Rico. Matt Riddle returned, though his return illustrated the problem with Raw. The Miz provoked Riddle into a fight, but there was no real setup to a program of any substance. That also happened when Seth Rollins came to the ring—no new opponent was introduced for Rollins, which was a surprise considering that the Raw after ’Mania is known for beginning the new year of story lines.
Overall, the night stood out for what did not occur. There was no Bron Breakker, Tiffany Stratton nor even “Switchblade” Jay White. Trish Stratus did not turn on Becky Lynch, which will likely occur next week. There was also a women’s tag match between Raquel Rodriguez and Liv Morgan against Dakota Kai and Iyo Sky with the maddening stipulation that a tag team title shot was on the line. In terms of the story line, this made no sense. Just a night before, Ronda Rousey and Shayna Baszler won the women’s tag showcase at WrestleMania, which should have put them at the front of the line for a shot. It was not a great moment for those seeking to apply logic to pro wrestling.
This is particularly concerning as it was the first Raw with Vince McMahon officially back in charge. McMahon runs the company, but Paul “Triple H” Levesque is technically in charge of creative. Yet McMahon is extremely hands on, so it is easy to make a direct connection between the lack of continuity on last night’s show and his return.
Another important moment happened when Levesque opened the show, thanking the talent, staff and crew for an incredible weekend, as well as the fans who are dedicated to the WWE. He assured viewers that WWE is not changing from its core principles, quelling any worries over the company’s sale to Endeavor. But the real concern right now is storytelling. If the Raw after WrestleMania is any indication, especially with the return of McMahon, we could be in for a long year.
Justin Barrasso can be reached at JBarrasso@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @JustinBarrasso.
