Mostly positives out of last night. I was very afraid that last week's bump in quality would diminish almost entirely because it lacked the structured format and basic story that last week's show employed. I was right, to some extent, but the dropoff wasn't as severe as I expected.
We seem to be getting some purpose for most of the matches on the card, which is more than I can say for things just a couple of weeks ago.
I thought the action was great, for the most part. Reigns, Ambrose, Rollins, and even Owens came out looking really strong. These decisive victories + a little mic time have done wonders for Kevin Owens. He's starting to seem legitimate again. Being as good as he is as a heel isn't hurting, either.
As much as I typically dislike random pairings, Sheamus and Barrett are working. They're so damaged otherwise that it kind of seems like a "two halves make a whole" scenario. It's crystal clear that Sheamus cannnot win the title during the length of his Money in the Bank stint, so they've got to find a way to get it off of him. If that means cashing in and losing straight up, so be it. The guy can't be champion. I like that the Lucha Dragons are getting a bit of a push, and honestly, I wish they'd have just stuck with them instead of going out and bringing Del Rio in.
The Wyatt promo was excellent, but throwing to the Kane/Taker video package was so stupid. It's a little thing, but it completely takes you out of the moment. The Wyatt Family is supposed to feel like a force that is "above" the WWE's glitz and glamour. They're supposed to feel, no pun intended, raw, and unplanned. Every time Wyatt is on the microphone, it should feel like he's hijacking the show because he can, and no one is going to stop him. Throwing a WWE produced video package in the midst of an otherwise stellar segment just undermines everything they're trying to do. Little things.
Del Rio continues to be the low point of the show. It seems like they're already scratching their heads trying to come up with something for him. I don't care what anyone says, bringing him back was a huge mistake.
In general, something about Raw without Cena, Orton, Kane, and Big Show seems fresh. You know they're struggling, but they're being forced to make it work, and I like that. Orton's untimely injury is bad for house shows, but probably good for the long term.
One more thing - if you ever needed proof that Roman Reigns isn't your guy, last night was it. In the first hot tag scenario, Roman is getting beat down and the crowd is chanting "WE WANT AMBROSE!" In the second, Ambrose is getting beat down and Roman is looking for the hot tag, and the crowd is chanting "LET'S GO AMBROSE!" Not to mention the crowd's lackadaisical "oh" when Roman's music hit. Sorry, WWE, Dean Ambrose is more popular than Roman Reigns, and it isn't even close.