Articles by Tathya Sachdev

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Best & Worst of WWE RAW: Bloodline Cinema is back, the Seth Rollins-Paul Heyman equation, more

Last night, WWE continued a strong and consistent run of Monday night programming with a brilliant episode of Monday Night RAW live from the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas.Two back-to-back backstage segments were the highlight of the night, but the show also featured some compelling in-ring storytelling and excellent bell-to-bell action as well.There isn't a lot to complain about following last night's RAW, and a whole lot to appreciate, and with that in mind, let's get to evaluating the best and worst of last night's Monday Night RAW. Bear in mind: this isn't a puff piece; the show was genuinely that good!Best: The Seth Rollins-Paul Heyman equation becomes more interesting on Monday Night RAWLast night, in a backstage segment, Seth Rollins sought some clarity regarding the future from his Oracle, Paul Heyman. Rollins maintained he must beat Cody Rhodes at Crown Jewel, somehow being even more desperate than he has been while combating Roman Reigns and Cody Rhodes. That's how much this means to The Architect and his Vision.However, Rollins wants to know what we all do at some stage in our lives: what if he fails? Paul Heyman, upon being asked to be straight, stated that it would mean that Rollins remains a wannabe and a secondary champion, and that a loss this Saturday may drastically impact how Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed see him. Rollins, as irate as he then got, wasn't shying away from the truth, though.The World Heavyweight Champion demanded to know how a possible loss to Cody might affect Heyman's loyalties going forward. Upon being told that Heyman couldn't Heyman his way out of the question, the Oracle answered that he may have to reconsider why he chose Seth Rollins over Roman Reigns. It set up a ton of possible future timelines, and a prospect fans thought would be entirely wrong now also becomes an interesting possibility: Rhodes going 4-0 ve Rollins this Saturday at Crown Jewel.The fact that this interaction was such a sudden shift in tone from the first part of this segment, which was basically Becky Lynch going on another one of her hysterical rants about what was going on, while Rollins sat quietly thinking about more important things, was the perfect illustration to show anybody that "wrestling is fake." No, it's not, and Becky Lynch continues to prove so.Worst: The opening to Monday Night RAWLast night's RAW opened the same way it usually does, with a recap from a previous show that leads to the opening segment. Fortunately, that meant not having to look at wrestlers walking into the arena in street clothes with luggage bags, coffee, and tech gadgets, pretending there are no cameras. The upgrade was significant: Roman Reigns walking down the aisle like a God as the WWE Universe serenaded and acknowledged him. The problem? What followed.Before Roman Reigns could do or say anything significant besides say "ACKNOWLEDGE ME" and aura-farm (and that by and in itself is indeed a glorious sight to behold), he was interrupted by Bronson Reed. Paul Heyman did the talking, but it wasn't as entertaining as one would expect it to be. The segment was formulaic at best, and then teased a brawl that never happened.The show certainly picked up from there, as did Bloodline business, but it wasn't he hottest start to Monday Night RAW, and certainly paled in comparison to what followed, whether involving Heyman or Reigns. That brings us to the developments that followed in The Bloodline Saga last night on RAW.Best: Backstage segments advancing The Bloodline Saga on WWE RAWIn its heyday, The Bloodline was just as compelling during their backstage segments as they were in the 20-30 minute in-ring promos, and perhaps even more so considering how unique a setting it gave them and how they could do so much with so little time in several and frequent chunks throughout an episode, maintaining continuity and keeping the fans hooked. Well, we're back!The first of two segments featured Jey Uso maintaining that he'd be there for Roman Reigns at Crown Jewel, while Jimmy said "we." Reigns asked Jey, however, to focus on the new opportunities he has open for him and to figure out why it was CM Punk getting promo time alone and not Jey Uso later that night. As Jey exited, Roman told Jimmy that the OTC pays attention to everything that happens and questioned what problems Big Jim had with Reigns advising Jey.What followed was an in-ring segment where LA Knight interrupted CM Punk, only for Jey Uso to interrupt them both. Knight and Punk started talking down to Jey and asked him to focus on tag team wrestling, while Knight mocked the fact that even that may be a dead end, given how his relationship with Jimmy is going. Punk, meanwhile, stated that everyone loves Jey, but no one likes "Little Roman." Things got physical, and ultimately, a tag team main event was set up for later in the night.The second backstage segment featuring The Bloodline, immediately following the Paul Heyman-Seth Rollins segment, saw Jey Uso question why Jimmy came out during his confrontation with CM Punk and LA Knight earlier in the night, and why he got them a tag team match against the two. Jey questioned Jimmy's loyalties and left the scene before Jimmy answered the question Roman had asked him earlier, stating that The Usos weren't like Roman and that the OTC needed to stop pulling strings, as he was harming Jey mentally.Reigns responded by saying that when Jey Uso became World Heavyweight Champion, he already became closer to being like Roman than he was to being like Jimmy. That statement is a telling one: it could be interpreted one of multiple ways. What we do know now is that we are back in the thick of The Bloodline Saga, and considering how LA Knight pinned Jey Uso in the main event (after a GTS by CM Punk), things are about to get uneasy in the family once again.Best: Solid storyelling infused in-ring action on RAWEvery match on RAW had a purpose and delivered last night. The main event wasn't the strongest, but it didn't need to be; it served its purpose. Meanwhile, the Lyra Valkyria vs Roxanne Perez match advanced Bayley's character and Lyra's dynamic with her.Becky Lynch gave Maxxine Dupri the best match of her career, getting the crowd more invested in her than they have ever been. After multiple near-falls, the match ended in a count-out after referee Jessika Carr counted Lynch out with a fast-count to get back for how Lynch treated her throughout the match.As for Kairi Sane vs Iyo Sky, it served to advance Sane's continued acquiescence to the insane Asuka. Sane beat Sky following Asuka getting involved and had to join in to the post-match assault. And since Rhea Ripley was in Australia, there was no one to save her on last night's RAW.The show also featured a solid six-man tag team match featuring AJ Lee (Dragon Styles) and Penta taking on the Judgment Day. It was set up during a backstage segment that continued to subtly escalate problems within the faction.A high-octane finish was coupled with Rusev coming after Dominik Mysterio, Penta inadvertently taking the Bulgarian out, Dom escaping, and Styles taking advantage with a Styles Clash on JD McDonagh for the win. With Penta vs Dominik in a title match set for next week's RAW in Perth, expect Rusev to play a role again.