The Wyatt Factor
I think the general assumption was that Randy Orton would return as a member of Team Cena in the big reveal segment on this week’s RAW. Erick Rowan isn’t exactly a “sexy” option, and once the initial shock wore off, his run-in left me feeling overwhelmed by the team John has put together. Ryback was the obligatory fifth man, which I have no problem with, but the two-week build to that moment left room for something a bit more substantial.
Still, in retrospect, the decision wasn’t a bad one. Fans are consistently clamoring for WWE to push the next generation of stars, instead of relying on veteran talent. Luke Harper and Erick Rowan will both be featured in the main event of Survivor Series – a spot that has been held by Randy Orton, CM Punk, The Rock, Triple H and Shawn Michaels in the past five years. Still, with Roman Reigns and Daniel Bryan still on the shelf, and an absentee World Champion, WWE can hardly afford to keep Orton at home for this one, even if the show is technically free.
The Wrestling
The wrestling content was a mixed bag. The return of the mid-card roster, who were working a separate live show last Monday, was well-noted. All four teams in the tag team championship picture took part in a big 8-man tag match that was given appropriate length, and delivered a pretty entertaining bout. The crowd ate up the Miz and Damien Mizdow gimmick, which continues to be the highlight of anything happening in this division. The finish saw a chaotic finisher-fest which came across sloppy on television, but the meat and potatoes of the actual match was fine.
Ziggler and Harper kicked off the show with a solid match that suffered from a long commercial break cutting it in half. Their exchanges felt fluid and natural, and left me wanting more. Normally that’s a good problem to have.
The rest of the show was forgettable, save for a surprising back-and-forth between Ryback and Cesaro, which may have been the best showing of the three-hour RAW. Ryback has obviously improved between the ropes, and it was nice to see Cesaro actually have a competitive match, without being squashed as he has been since leaving the mid-card title picture.
