Loved: The return of an old gimmick
In wrestling, characters change all the time. There are changes that are better than others, and some of those changes are embraced while others are not. Characters that aren’t necessary are frequently changed in WWE, particularly when talent is transferred from “NXT” to the main roster. Many of these changes are unnecessary. With their characters gradually transitioning from hip metal dudes with tattoos to Vikings, the War Raiders were a perfect example of this, but it seems that is no longer the case.
Erik and Ivar were struggling on the main roster with their previous gimmick before Erik was sidelined due to an injury. This continued when Ivar was a singles star who was confined to the middle and lower reaches of the midcard. The previous characters had been played out for a while, and they both sorely needed a change for a while. They made a great decision by going back to their previous personas when they returned to television and by quickly defeating Alpha Academy to project strength.
Hated: Terrible writing or an even worse idea
I was unconcerned when Seth Rollins mentioned that he has “slain beasts” in the past during a backstage segment on “WWE Raw.” Yes, it was a reference to Brock Lesnar, but Rollins didn’t name the individual and it was just one of several things he claimed to have done before making his final point about chasing monsters. Not a huge concern. Then an odd thing occurred. At the conclusion of his promotional appearance with GUNTHER, Cody Rhodes began discussing his past accomplishments, mentioning that he had once killed a beast. This time, however, it wasn’t just a coined term that preceded something; rather, it was Cody’s final statement before he and GUNTHER shook hands and departed the ring. There are two plausible explanations for this: either WWE intended for the recurrence of these statements to be a hint at Brock Lesnar’s likely comeback, or they didn’t.
There are two plausible interpretations of this: either WWE intended for the recurrence of these remarks to hint at Brock Lesnar’s possible comeback, or they didn’t. Putting that sentence in the mouths of two distinct babyfaces, especially in the same fashion, for the same cause, is just a bad literary decision, even if the repeat was inadvertent. If it was deliberate, then Lesnar is probably returning soon, but why? Lesnar has no legitimate place on “Raw,” “SmackDown,” or any future PLEs; WWE is doing very well without him; and, of course, he is currently facing a lawsuit against Vince McMahon and WWE for allegedly engaging in sex trafficking! Netflix just put out a documentary that certainly made it seem as though WWE is attempting to distance themselves from McMahon even more than they already have, now they’re going to bring back Lesnar?Since it doesn’t make any sense, I’m inclined to believe that the first possibility is accurate and that the identical line was inadvertently used in two distinct advertisements. But will anyone be that shocked if Lesnar shows up at Crown Jewel?
Loved: Jey Uso simply refuses to rejoin The Bloodline.
In professional wrestling, there are situations where the intended course can interfere with the storyline’s immediate logic, sacrificing the complexities of the route to ensure that the destination receives all it need and more. Working in the opposite direction, I wrote last week that I liked the intentional care with which the Bloodline OGs would be regrouping against Solo Sikoa’s neo-Bloodline. Given how they parted ways, Roman Reigns obstinately refused to comply with Jimmy Uso’s plea that they make amends with his brother Jey. The current Intercontinental Champion also had little cause to miss the family that had supported him.
Because Jimmy decided to find his twin and work things out, Monday night was another encouraging development in the simmering plot. Naturally, their brother-on-brother WrestleMania match was the last time they were positioned across from one other. Jey has won his maiden singles title and is currently the Intercontinental Champion since that night’s victory, thus he has good reason to avoid being constrained by family strife and limiting his career on the “Red Brand.” But I thought it came over really well because of the way it was done. It can truly get to me because I have brothers and we have had similar arguments.
That sentiment was effectively carried forward by Jey, who first distanced himself from his twin before smacking him with a guttural “I said no!” to end the argument. Themes of cunning treachery and emotional manipulation defined his tenure as Reigns’ “Right Hand Man” and lackey of The Bloodline. He purposefully maintained a low sense of self-worth due to the real threat he posed to the “Tribal Chief.” Both Jimmy and Sikoa tortured and thrashed Jey under Reigns’ supervision before Cody Rhodes befell him.Now that his younger brother is torturing Reigns, why would he even want to become involved? Jimmy and Reigns have both felt it lately, but it shouldn’t be enough to alter Jey’s perspective. It’s a case of who feels it understands it. They have a lot to work through before it ever reaches the point where Jey ought to think about putting himself in that situation again; if only Jimmy had a big match coming up to win back his brother’s favor.
Hated: The build-up to Morgan vs. Jax is intoxicated
Running a title vs. championship bout between Cody Rhodes and Gunner is one thing. Is it a stupid notion? Objectively, yes. However, it at least has an air of respect because neither man has ever played the other in singles action and both are having solid title reigns that have only strengthened their credibility. Even with a ridiculous background, you could at least argue for it on paper.
However, Nia Jax and Liv Morgan have already competed in four singles matches, including two in 2024. It’s not a particularly new matchup, and it lacks the sense of prestige that Rhodes/GUNTHER carries. Given that Morgan rarely defends her title and frequently wins because of outside interference, she has no credibility as a champion. Additionally, both wrestlers are heavily involved in other storylines that require Rhea Ripley, Raquel Rodriguez, and Tiffany Stratton to be a part of almost everything they do. As a result, we get fights like the main event this week, which essentially felt like a pretext to put everyone in the same ring so Nia could beat them up simultaneously
In a really simple teaser, Rhodes and GunTHER told us that two individuals who have never engaged in combat before want to demonstrate their superiority in a battle that fans have been dreaming about since the 2023 Royal Rumble. Regardless of the surrounding circumstances, there is something there, a leg to stand on. We had an almost nonsensical tag match between Morgan and Jax that ended without any contest interference. For no more imaginative reason than “they both won big matches last time we were in Saudi Arabia,” they seem to be here, and Morgan in particular feels overshadowed by the number of players in her immediate vicinity. Dominik Mysterio and The Judgment Day saving her from a Stratton cash-in, as well as the fact that Stratton wanted Jax’s belt and not hers
The only reason we’re getting a heatless bout with Morgan is because she keeps cheating to maintain her championship, even though we’re all lined up for a matchup between Ripley and Rodriguez and Jax and Stratton. Both it and the plot that is being developed around it are absurd.
