Jay’s Ways – Worst. Raw. Ever?

Yes, that is the title. However, let me make a few points clear first.

Right off the bat, I am usually VERY positive about WWE programming. Everybody who follows me on Twitter (@JustinWatry) already knows, just as anybody who has read my columns for the past 13 years. I tend to look on the bright side of things. No doubt about that.

Secondly, I am one of the few that actually LIKES the current WrestleMania 37 card. While light on part-timers and big name legends, the card is good. Story lines have lined up correctly for a solid lineup, and we know the stars will be super motivated to deliver in front of a live audience. Finally, a live crowd in person again! I can’t wait.

That being said, last night’s WWE RAW was not good. Really way too much comedy this close to WrestleMania. If the company wanted to put on a goofy show in mid-May or during the holidays, I really wouldn’t care. I get it. That is their ‘slow’ season. We are just over ONE WEEK away from WrestleMania though! Now is not the time for garbage.

A quick rundown is as follows:

The Hurt Business broke up. That had been teased for awhile now. Shelton Benjamin and Cedric Alexander had been losing recently, and they have wanted to keep WWE Champion Bobby Lashley and MVP strong. Makes sense. When you have the dead weight….you have to get rid of it. Sucks for Shelton and Cedric as they had finally found a good role on television but yeah, this feels like a mistake. Not what I would have done with the group.

Then we had the Asuka/Riddle segment, I have no clue if this was intentional or not, but nothing would shock me anymore in professional wrestling. Riddle literally told Asuka he forgot what to say and walked off camera saying he was sorry. Unreal. This felt like a outtake that WWE kept in just to laugh at Riddle. Like an inside joke or something where everyone thought it would get edited but HAHAHA! IT WAS KEPT IN!!! HAHAHA!!! LAUGH AT RIDDLE BEING A GOOF! Yeah, not this close to Mania. Sorry. I hope this was planned to be awkward and horrible…then again, why plan for an awkward and horrible segment?

Speaking of, The Miz and John Morrison premiered their own music video. Clearly to rip on Bad Bunny and mock him ahead of WrestleMania. I get it. Obviously meant to be over the top and cringe worthy. Fine, whatever. Miz got knocked out with a punch by Bad Bunny afterwards. Not like The Miz was WWE Champion a month ago or anything – undeserved weasel heel or not. He was still WWE Champion.

We weren’t done though. Shane McMahon has been wanting to prove to the world that Braun Strowman is stupid. Somehow he was able to get his report card. Yes, his report card from school many moons ago. It seems Braun was a straight D student. D for Dumb perhaps? Yeah, more bad comedy. Not funny and I say this as somebody who is a big fan of Shane. This has not clicked since the beginning. Making jokes and stuff won’t help. I do like the cage match stipulation; that should be fun at WM37.

Then we get the lovely comedy segment with The New Day. Seems to be a weekly thing. I laughed five years ago. It is 2021. Big E – stay far away! Even Xavier Woods and Kofi Kingston have to know this stuff is horrible. To drag down AJ Styles (and Omos) is horrible. The dude was main eventing night one of WrestleMania 36 last year against The Undertaker! Now he is playing games in the ring with The New Day and dancing. Unreal.

Worst of all, we still had the final segment. King Corbin from Smackdown ladies and gentlemen! Remember him? Yep, he attacked “The Stud” Drew McIntyre and laid him out for Bobby Lashley. There had been an ongoing story all show of who would take out Drew. Well, it turned out to be somebody from a different show. Corbin of all people…ugh. Again, THIS CLOSE TO WRESTLEMANIA! Supposed to be serious ‘hard sell’ time. Not jokes and games. I couldn’t believe last night’s show was this unfocused and all over the place.

Disappointing for sure. This is the time of year where fans get excited the most. Not groan and shake their heads. I will say a few positives. Rhea Ripley is great. Sheamus delivered another hard hitting match. McIntyre absolutely punking out the locker room and being a beast is always cool. I dig The Fiend/Alexa Bliss/Randy Orton thing. Plus, RETRIBUTION seems to be finished. Yay for that I guess? Long story short, it is WrestleMania season WWE! Start acting like it.

By Justin Watry (Twitter: @JustinWatry)