Raw recap & reactions: Taylor Swift for men

CM Punk gets the strap, Liv Morgan shoots her shot, and Randy Orton reminds GUNTHER who he is on this week’s Monday Night Raw.

Ready or Not

The Randy Orton & GUNTHER program fascinates me more and more. They started at a place where the World Heavyweight champ denigrated Randy’s career. Again, it sounded weird kicking dirt on a man with that rap sheet while also acknowledging said rap sheet, but that’s part of GUNTHER’s arrogance.

Everything after that point, especially GUNTHER mentioning Randy’s father and grandfather, is all about turning the tables on possibly WWE’s most dominant wrestlers. That’s the thing about feuds involving seemingly superhuman individuals; they suffer without credible threats. Making Randy the Ring General’s first challenger puts the champ on his heels. It started with Randy copping to the fact that GUNTHER made this personal, then the Viper getting the big man flustered on the microphone. GUNTHER isn’t used to anyone talking to him like this, much less a wrestler of whom he thinks so little.

They showed this again when Randy saw the Ludwig Kaiser sneak attack coming. I’m glad they’re not treating Randy like a normal wrestler here. They’re using his accolades and experience as a weapon; one that puts GUNTHER in a very different position.

He’s still the champ but he’s the underdog. Even when he and Ludwig got an advantage on Randy, as they should considering it was two vs. one, I never felt like they outmatched Randy.

That continued during the match between Randy & Ludwig. Ludwig figured after banging up Randy’s knee earlier in the episode that he’d have an advantage in the main event. Yeah, nah.

Despite Ludwig giving a good showing, flashing his violent streak, ramming Randy’s knee into steel steps at a full sprint, and with the big man lurking outside the ring, I never once felt like Ludwig had the upper hand. Not even for a second. And with good reason considering Randy won the match, which was the right call.

Randy manhandled GUNTHER after the match as well. A nice touch for a story about a man (GUNTHER) who barked up the wrong tree. This doesn’t mean Randy wins in Berlin, but it does put GUNTHER in jeopardy. Right now, Raw’s champ looks out of sorts. When’s the last time that happened during his WWE career?

Randy is a different animal who demands a different strategy. Does the champ have it in him? We shall see.

Gold Dust Woman

I love that they discarded all the pretense with Dirty Dom vs. Damian Priest. Damian went in knowing it was a trip and quicker than you can even think of Admiral Ackbar, Judgment Day sprung their trap. The match didn’t even start before Carlito came out swinging but Damian expected it.

From there, the brawl ensued with Damian taking on all comers and making them look silly. Then it took another turn when Rhea appeared. She and Damian took turns laying hands on Dom. Let me skip to the part when Liv Morgan came to the rescue.

Liv looked incredible while decimating Rhea. This is a side of Liv I like but also one necessary. Their first match went Liv’s direction because of Dom. Liv rarely looked like capable of hanging with Rhea much less defeating her. She looked scrappy at SummerSlam; here she looked dangerous. Rhea’s selling went a long way into making that happen but the champ looked like a believable violent person. I don’t remember the last time I saw Rhea look so mortal. It also illustrates just how outmatched the Terror Twins are. They need more firepower if their latest foray into the breach is any indication. But where do they find it?

B-Sides

Clap Yo Hands

Butch Pete Dunne busted Sheamus’ hand with a shillelagh last week. Sheamus, he of noted ill-temper, wanted his get back this week, not next. Not even once his hand fully healed. That meant Sheamus, while wearing a cast, walked into a match with a guy known for ripping apart fingers with a big bullseye on his hand.

So naturally, Pete took took aim and didn’t miss. At least in the first half of the match. Things took a turn when Mr. Dunne realized that Sheamus can’t be beat and he won’t be beat. The former world champ even called Pete out his name during the match to egg him on and get in his head.

And it worked.

The coolest moment came towards the end when Pete wrapped Sheamus’ hand in the turnbuckle padding. He then beat on that hand until Sheamus seemingly could take no more. But all that fired up the Irishman, who turned into the Incredible Hulk and ripped the turnbuckle off the ring post. He then finished the match a Brogue Kick.

Fun, physical match but I think the wrong man won. While I loved Sheamus ripping that padding off the turnbuckle, it weakened Pete a bit. He couldn’t beat a man with one hand wrapped in a cast, even after decimating that hand. There’s no shame (pun intended) in Sheamus taking the L in this situation, so give it to him. Especially since Pete has a big match coming up in NXT.

Singles

• So New Day are still at thing? Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods had a heart-to-heart before their trios match against Final Testament. X kept it real: He felt Kofi brought in Odyssey Jones as Big E’s replacement. Kofi apologized for the miscommunication on his part while saying no one could ever replace E. The former WWE champ just saw a kindred spirit in Odyssey and wants to help Odyssey the way no one helped them. X respected that then seemingly welcomed Odyssey into the fold. Then...they defeated Final Testament and that was it. Is this whole thing just a way to get Odyssey into their fold and for New Day to strengthen their bond? Maybe so. But if that’s not it, this rubber band is going to pop soon. There’s only but so much you can stretch the story before it wears out its welcome and loses emotional effectiveness.
• Before I get into the Wyatt Sicks’ latest attack, allow me a quick rant on American Made. WWE’s chyron referred to them as Chad Gable & American Made. Almost like Michael Jackson & The Jacksons. Or David Ruffin & The Temptations. Yet Chad himself referred to all of them, including Ivy Nile, as American Made. The announce team also called them all American Made. What exactly is the nomenclature here? Anyway, the big deal here is the Wyatts interrupted Maxxine and Ivy Nile’s grudge match, firmly setting the stage for a big showdown with “Chad Gable & American Made.” I really hope someone in Alpha Academy gets their payback one of these days. For a second, I thought the Maxxine & Ivy drama might move some chess pieces away from the Wyatt vs. Chad battle. Yeah, I was wrong. And that won’t be the last time, dudes and dudettes, but I apologize. So bottomline? I want more of this feud but I also want justice for Alpha Academy, who seem like they’re always bridesmaids.
• CM Punk and Drew McIntyre in a strap match in Brazil. Punk walking out with the straps around his neck for the promo looked great. Drew rocking the bracelet when he came out and almost giving it to Punk when the Chicagoan said he’d call off the match if Drew O’Mac simply handed it back also made sense. Of course he was never going to do it but I can see a world where he does if only to rid himself of this Punk drama.
• The Unholy Union retained their championship in a triple threat tag match. Fun, quick, and showed the Union’s domination over two teams who can’t get out of their own way.
• Bronson Reed defeated Miz in a No DQ match. Miz played the sentimental favorite avenging R-Truth. Didn’t go the way he wanted but a nice character moment for Miz, who keeps doing good work as a face. But it also set up Bronson vs. Braun Strowman. That’s a lot of meat.

Very fine Raw this week. They devoted adequate time to big stories and ended with a story that fascinates me.

How’d you feel about Raw? How’s the New Day story working for everyone?