It’s the start of another wrestling week, which naturally means RAW In A Nutshell once again. This time around, we are saying goodbye to summer.
Unofficially, anyways. Yes, I know the season isn’t over for a few more weeks…but with schools opening and the US Labor Day holiday now behind us….it’s appropriate to be saying goodbye to summer.
But, it’s not all sad, right? Clash of Champions is approaching fast, so we can expect plenty of ongoing hype from the red brand.
The biggest match is, of course, Randy Orton chasing Drew McIntyre and the WWE Championship. That is, of course, of McIntyre is cleared to work (I am willing to bet he will be).
And I’d be remiss if I left out Retribution. The faction has been annoying us for weeks, but there’s been not much movement beyond random and uninteresting attacks.
Will the faction take the next step? Or will it be more of the same?
All of that, plus of course some more RAW Underground (sorry folks…).
Still, it’s fine to be saying goodbye to summer.
Let’s crack open this Nutshell and see what happens!
Best Match of the night:
I will take the main event here.
It would have been so easy for me to dismiss Dominik, or to think he got where he is because of who his dad is.
And, let’s be honest…that bloodline probably did not hurt him getting a foot in the door.
However, if you didn’t know who his dad was and you saw him work this week’s RAW? You’d know he belongs.
Worst match of the night:
The IIconics match. Having the former partners duke it out in a way too short match did nothing for me.
Some might like how they ended it, but some might have wanted one to snap on the other…
Star of the Night
I am becoming all in on Dominik.
Dare I say it…but could Vince be getting another superb Latino Superstar?
We know how much he has sought a new one, since losing Eddie. Thought he had that in Alberto Del Rio, but we know how that went.
He may have more with Andrade and Angel Garza, too.
Throwing this one out there…but as young as Dominik is…as green as he is…can you imagine him winning a major belt in the next year?
Spot of the Night:
How often do I throw a block or a counter in here? Not often…
Rate this #RKO counter 1-10: pic.twitter.com/rKcdIjVgdM
— WWE Universe (@WWEUniverse) September 8, 2020
And then we have this…
Rate this #RKO counter 1-10: pic.twitter.com/rKcdIjVgdM
— WWE Universe (@WWEUniverse) September 8, 2020
And then the slide by Dominik, into a sunset bomb through the table? That kid is awesome beyond his years.
What a sunset flip by Dominik! #WWERAW
— Kurumi Tokisaki [Alyssa] (@Kurumi_Alyssa9) September 8, 2020
Jobber of the Night:
If you had ANY doubt…watch the end of the main event.
Dominik and Murphy stole the show…but at the end, with Murphy taking cane shots from not one, not two, but from four Mysterios? Yep, Murphy gets this award.
Upset of the Night:
I’d have to go with Riott Squad scoring a handicap win over Shayna Baszler, and nearly doing the same against Nia Jax (saved by Retribution).
Yes, they were 2 on 1 handicap matches, but still.
Holy Sh** Moment of the Night:
How about Drew McIntyre returning in an ambulance? And then getting Orton not once, not twice, but three times throughout the night?
Nice way to move that feud forward.
Botch of the night:
Nothing for me.
Noteworthy Moment:
Well, it finally happened. Even if the timing was odd, and the message wasn’t completely perfect.
What happened? Retribution spoke.
They got a graphic, too.
We heard a couple voices, one may not have been digitally altered, but one absolutely was.
It’s a big deal…kinda…
Here’s my spin on this. I think it’s good they FINALLY took a step like this, even if I feel like this move is a few weeks overdue.
That being said, considering what we’ve been told about who may be in the faction…the message is curious. It indicates that WWE has cast aside the members of Retribution.
That makes one think that these were laid off Superstars-perhaps from the earlier cuts, for example. That is counter to the reports of NXT graduates making up the bulk of who we’ve seen on TV.
Plus, most of the recent releases have found homes in AEW and IMPACT…so it will be interesting to see who we end up getting.
Overall lowlights:
Like I said, almost too little, too late from Retribution.
Also, the suspending of logic required-sure, the group is disruptive, but do we really believe they did their own graphics and audio? So rogue they get full WWE production…
Overall highlights:
Dominik continues to impress. It’s hard to believe that he’s only worked a handful of matches for WWE, and he’s looking that good.
After the final bell:
Overall, a strong show for the most part.
Good to see a change for Cedric Alexander. A Hurt Business foursome is interesting, though it would be nice to have a babyface faction to respond (and not just a couple of former friends and a tag team WWE has nothing else for at the moment).
Dominik Mysterio…’nuff said.
Retribution speaks and they even have a logo…or at least a graphic. I have to think we get someone unmasked sooner that later.
