#LAWTAKE - WWE RAW 8/5/24
We’re back for another Monday night edition of Raw, post-SummerSlam. The anticipation for this show was high, coming off a major showing at this past Saturday’s PLE showing. Sit back, relax, and dive into one of the better Raw episodes in quite some time as Chad Law of the RSC gives his Law Take.
My and our new World Heavyweight Champion GUNTHER makes his way to the ring to kick off the show and I am excited to see the start of his reign get under way. The bevy of challengers that are at GUNTHER’s helm are going to be endless in what I imagine to be a 1,000 day reign. Ha!
The Legend Killer himself Randy Orton showed up (what draft? AO voice) to remind GUNTHER that his loss to him in Saudi ended up more flukey than not. Orton laid the challenge down for a modern-day Flair vs Steamboat revamp at Bash In Berlin, to which GUNTHER accepted.
I fully expected Drew to win some sort of #1 Contender match, while most of the IWC was frothing for Ilja Drag to be the #1 Contender… all the while Randy Orton was right there in front of our faces this whole time. I’m fine with this, as it prolongs Orton/Cody, but also GUNTHER/Drew 2.
Now this leaves me wondering… where does Cody go from here at Bash In Berlin? Please Lord not another Solo match.
Sheamus made pretty easy work of Ludwig Kaiser in his return from injury. Pete Dunne interefence and all, Sheamus needed this W more than anything. We are leading towards a Pete Dunne/Sheamus BANGER, but we also can’t forget Pete Dunne has a war he has started with Trick Williams down in NXT. This makes me wonder if the storylines could possibly overlap..
Damian Priest has ditched the family of Judgment Day, instead choosing the Baltimore audience as his new family. Babyface turn is 100% complete and it’s crazy it took him losing the World Title to get here.
The Judgment Day is under new management with Finn and Liv taking Damian and Rhea’s place, with Carlito probably taking more prominent of a role I guess? Let the whacky faction warfare begin.
Lyra Valkyria defeated Shayna Baslzer via DQ and the 50-50 matches begin. Damage Control return to fight off the Studline and they are already more intriguing than Kayden and Katana aka Crickets and Tumbleweed.
CM Punk shows up next to give another yawn-worthy babyface promo. I love Punk, but wow I have found myself legit yawning out loud during his more recent live promos. I was hoping we could fully pivot to Punk and Seth full-time but instead we are going to run this Drew feud over the bracelet back with no real breaks in-between.
What is Seth to do? Well thankfully he showed up ready to wrestle, as did the guy who would whop his ass shortly after he got to the ring - Bronson Reed.
Bronson Reed is having random, monster, upper mid-card/semi-main event feud with Seth Rollins and I’m here for it no matter how short lived it will probably be.
Bronson Reed is a heel but his Tsunami body splash went major babyface if you gauge it off the crowd reaction.
The New Day about to potentially split up on account of the Odyssey Jones inclusion and I’m torn on it. On one hand, AOP are fucking cooked. They never win, nor can they. Karrion Kross’ whole faction is actually fried, so to think Xavier Woods would leave his legendary group, for actually including some help, to join a job squad… is underwhelming. I don’t think anyone comes out of alive with this new storyline no matter how well Odyssey does.
What are A-Town Down Under doing on Raw? WTF happened to this Draft? The rhymthless Miz and R-Truth took an L to the former Smackdown Tag Champions. When does Miz turn on R-Truth? I give it another month.
Another DQ finish occurred as JD McD couldn’t get through Damian Priest. I imagine the ass whopping of JD on a recurring basis will be the case every week as Finn and Dom avoid Damian.
If there was ever a time to put the Tag Titles on Rhea Rhipley and Damian Priest - now would be the time to break that ground.
Iyo Sky beats Sonya Deville much to my surprise, but Iyo could use that win. The Studline vs Damage Control for the make-believe Women’s Trios Titles in Berlin sounds like the plan.
The Wyatts Sicks defeated Gable and the Creed Brothers relatively clean and easy. Thankfully, no funny witchcraft and dark and spooky mess occurred outside of the entrances. They wrestled without masks, they wrestled normal, they took bumps, and the move sets looked fine. Once we get to the pseudo-paranormal shit they lost me.
Oh yeah, Gable eats the pin. Feud over. Crickets. The scary babyfaces win in the end. But alas, this feud will continue on for the next few months. Let the 50-50 booking continue!
Easily one of the best Raw’s in ages. I love these post-PLE Raw’s because they feel so fresh and so clean. Resets are needed and we don’t feel like they are spinning wheels, especially with Berlin at the end of the month. Two thumbs up for this show with me. Give me your feedback in the comments or on Twitter!