WWE Raw: 3 Questions from the January 23 Show

What were the biggest questions Raw left behind after the January 23 edition of Raw?

The January 23 edition of Raw would hit all the right notes. It would do its best to hype the upcoming Royal Rumble PPV and the match itself throughout the show. Raw would do a great job of highlighting Reigns Vs Owens and Charlotte Vs Bayley. Combine that with a few surprises and you had a better than your usual weekly episode of WWE Raw.

The biggest moment of the night would come courtesy of a staredown between the Undertaker, Goldberg and Lesnar. The fans in attendance would explode into a frenzy as the three legends stood across the ring from each other. Bleacher report aptly captured the spirit of the moment.

Elsewhere, creative looked to further the Reigns – Owens program. Big Show would make a surprise return to confront Braun Strowman. Finally, Triple H would tease a return to send the fans into a frenzy. Though the game did not make a return, he did all that was necessary to ensure the moment of tease produced the desired result. While we are on that, it would lead us towards our first question of the night.

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3. What Lies Ahead for Rollins at the Rumble?

Seth Rollins’ dreams of main eventing Wrestlemania would reach a dead-end this week on Raw. Earlier in the show, Rollins would be informed by the GM Mick Foley that he would have to defend his Royal Rumble match spot against Sami Zayn. This would also mean that in case Zayn wins the match, Rollins would not be a part of the rumble match.

A focused Rollins and equally focused Zayn would then work a face vs face match that was a sight for sour eyes on Raw. Not only was this match an intriguing pairing but it would also place high stakes on the line. The entire ordeal allowed the performers to produce a compelling story before us as the match progressed. However, as fate would have it, Triple H’s music hit and that was enough to distract Rollins. Zayn would capitalize on the distraction and roll-up Rollins for the win and a spot in the rumble match.

What would Seth Rollins do at the Rumble now? Would the architect spend time sitting out this year or would he have a plan? Ideally, one would love to see Rollins be a surprise entrant. Eric Rowan would take Curtis Axel’s spot after the former attacked the latter last year. Perhaps Rollins could do the same. Regardless, the outcome would remain the same. Rollins and Triple H are on course for a match at Wrestlemania. Though, I would have loved to watch the Game enter the Rumble and cost Rollins then than this week.

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2. Who Would Walk Out of the Rumble as the Universal Champion?

Reigns would face Jericho in the rematch for his United States title this week on Raw. The match would predictably end in disqualification after KO would make the save/interference on behalf of his best friend. The heels would then gang up on Reigns and beat him up. They would then proceed to lock Reigns in the shark cage. It would seem as if the heels would succeed in humiliating the challenger this week.

However, right in the nick of time, Reigns would recover and prevent the heels from locking the cage door. He would then proceed to beat up the heels single-handedly and lock Owens in the cage. So it would seem that the big dog had the last laugh this week. Going by the company’s usual booking patterns, that would mean that the champion might retain at the rumble.

Moreover, the match has been made a no disqualification match following these events. That would open the door to a number of possibilities. The easiest of them being Jericho making the save for his partner. He could very easily drop his US title belt into the ring from above and KO could use it to blast Reigns eventually in the match. That would be one way to ensure KO retains. It remains to see who would walk out the champion come January 29.

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1. Why is WWE Overly Dependent on Part-Timers?

The ending of Raw would feature and epic staredown of demonic proportions. The Undertaker, Goldberg and Brock Lesnar would stand across the ring from each other as the crowd erupted. Moreover, Undertaker’s and Lesnar’s entrances were rather a surprise and added to the intensity of the moment. However, the question must be asked about the company’s reliance on part-timers.

The entire show moved around part-timers and stars of the yesteryear. From Triple H’s impending return to Big Show’s staredown with Strowman, part-timers and veterans would carry much of the show even in this new era. One would witness less significance being placed on the likes of Big Cass and Rusev.

On the flip side, one would be forced to take note of the way each veteran approached their angles. The sheer intensity the 3 legends showed in the closing segment was proof of their understanding of the business. The new era stars had a lengthy segment complete with promos and a match to get the crowd excited. However, all Lesnar, Goldberg and the Phenom had to do was to just stand there and let the moment hype their presence all by itself.

That is a lesson the new era stars could learn from the likes of the Undertaker. The new era need not be entirely about young stars. The veterans do have an important part to play there. They must share their wisdom and understanding of the business to transfer their intensity and electricity into this new era of young star. However, more often than not, the part-timers eclipse the rise of young stars.

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