RAW In A Nutshell: It’s Time For A Rated R Return

It’s time for another RAW In A Nutshell, and in case you missed it, it’s time for a Rated R return.

As in, yes, Edge is back.

It was announced at the end of last week that we would be seeing a Rated R return this week on RAW.

That is not all, but a Rated R return might just bring more eyeballs than Mr. McMahon’s very expensive egg.

There will be the latest between Kevin Owens and Big E. As a fan, I can’t tell if we are seeing Owens work hard to the last…or get jobbed out on his way out.

With Day One the next PPV up..and not until next year (though really just about a month away), the slow burn to the show begins here and now.

With Edge coming back to RAW this evening, I cannot help but expect his Rated R return will tie in to the first PPV of 2022.

Of course, it might not…but it would seem rather logical.

With SmackDown sort of lining up Roman Reigns next couple opponents on last week’s show, it’s the red brand’s turn to get moving.

So, there’s no sense in 

RAW In A Nutshell: It’s Time For A Rated R Return

Let’s crack open this Nutshell, with that new arena smell, too!

Best Match of the night:

The opener for Seth Rollins and Finn Balor was really strong. That it was the opener was a heck of a way to set the tone for the show.

Worst match of the night:

Maybe it’s me…but Rey and Dom versus The Hurt Business? It just wasn’t fun.

Star of the Night

I have a couple choices here.

Liv Morgan, because I think this was her best showing yet, especially relative to positioning her as a legit contender.

Which is good, since her title match is next week.

And then, I go with Kevin Owens.

I think he had an exceptional night, playing a good bit of head games. Loved the ending, predictable as it was.

Like, you just knew that somehow, Rollins would end up getting KO into the title match at Day One. But, having Owens effectively goad him into the DQ-inducing attack?

Brilliant. OK fine, maybe that’s too strong…but it was really smart.

Honorable mention to Austin Theory, the new Vince Jr.

Spot of the Night:

We almost got stereo RKOs.

Instead, the finishing RKO will suffice. It was a nice exchange, so I am a fan of how it went.

Jobber of the Night:

In an unexpected pick…Austin Theory.

Why? Theory wasn’t even in a match…

Well, because someone had to take some offense from Vince at some point…and Theory took the slap tonight.

I could actually say Big E, too. Because he did take the stomp from Rollins to close the show.

Holy Sh** Moment of the Night:

Well, folks weren’t lying with news that Vince McMahon was back on TV.

Also not lying that there seems to be big hopes for Austin Theory.

After McMahon granted Theory a title match last week…he sat with Theory the whole RAW, with the two discussing various matches.

Where this goes, I don’t know…but it never hurts to have the boss take such an interest in you to where you are side by side with him on segments during multiple RAWs.

Though…there could be this…which is funny if nothing else:

Austin Theory is getting made tonight…

Probably fired by tomorrow…

But made tonight. @BustedOpenRadio #WWERaw

— Bully Ray (@bullyray5150) November 30, 2021

Botch of the night:

I have a few choices here.

One, Chad Gable tripped on the ropes as he entered the ring during the tag match.

Two, Damien Priest damn near landed on the top of his head badly while flipping on to Apollo on the outside.

That last one was especially scary, and I can’t help but think Crews did a bit to save his opponent.

Woahwoahwoah….@ArcherofInfamy#WWERaw pic.twitter.com/C3cCpvz2Er

— WWE (@WWE) November 30, 2021

Commentary of the night:

Jimmy called it a melee. But pronounced it like me-lee.

And Graves called him out on it.

LOL Moment of the night:

Riddle wanted Orton to dress like him this week.

He even put a wig on Orton. It didn’t end well.

Noteworthy Moment:

It can be said many times over that WWE does not consider AEW a threat. Or, that Vince McMahon does not see them as competition.

However, it cannot be ignored that more and more frequently, each company is taking shots or making comments about the other.

Not that long ago, AEW made references to John Cena and The Miz.

This week, Edge remarked-to The Miz-that Miz gets name-dropped on other shows.

I will say this on that…one or two things, really.

First, if WWE is finally taking AEW seriously…great. Would have been nice if they did so before they released everyone, but fine.

Second…I am still trying to figure out which of AEW or WWE is playing the WCW role in this round of wrestling war. If either…

Overall lowlights:

If it were an angle, then I’d say mentioning the releases is fair game. Like, how Drake Maverick was released but brought back, they did an angle around that.

However, we have more mentions of the released wrestlers. Two, at least.

Edge used Morrison’s release, taking a shot at Miz that while he was dancing, his partner got fired.

Liv Morgan used it against Becky, saying that because Lynch needed a massive contract, her friends got fired.

I am not denying the releases happened…but it feels wrong to me that WWE is using the releases as promo material.

Like, AEW wants to rip WWE over them? To me, that is fair game.

But…you did the releases…like nearly 100 of them in the last year (maybe more?). You don’t get to poke fun or refer to them, I don’t think.

Overall highlights:

Really liked what we got out of Liv Morgan this week. Strong promo, strong showing in the ten woman tag too.

It may not happen…but I would be totally on board with a Liv Morgan title run.

After the final bell:

So we have some stuff getting lined up for future shows.

Some happens next week-like Becky Lynch and Liv Morgan. I can’t help but feel like that has a tainted finish, leading to a Day One rematch.

Then, with the Rated R return, we got a surprise with Miz and Maryse returning to confront Edge. It might be a brief program (or maybe not?), but I’d bet this leads to a match on the January 1 PPV.

Wouldn’t stun me if somehow WWE parlayed this into a mixed tag match at WrestleMania.

Very curious to see how far WWE goes with the Vince/Theory stuff…and if it really does indicate Theory’s future is incredibly bright.

I have to say, it’s kind of refreshing to see WWE not take a week or two off relative to the Day One build. Could be because they’d like everything major locked in before Christmas…but it’s still nice.