RAW In A Nutshell: The All Mighty Era Begins Now

WWE kicks off a new week with a new RAW In A Nutshell: The All Mighty era begins now.

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, unless you completely forgot, Bobby Lashley claimed the WWE Championship to close last week’s show.

Which means tonight is Lashley’s first full RAW as champion. What will this week’s RAW In A Nutshell bring the new champ?

With Fastlane right around the corner, one would have to think we might see his first PPV challenger lined up. Could it be a rematch with The Miz?

Or, would Drew McIntyre want a shot at the man who cost him his title at Elimination Chamber?

Then again, the Scottish Psychopath has his own problems. The former champion is feeling the heat from Sheamus, so might that feud keep McIntyre away from the title?

There’s plenty more going on, too. What about Randy Orton, regularly haunted by The Fiend?

Or the brewing troubles between Braun Strowman and Shane McMahon?

Plenty to address between now and WrestleMania, but before then, we must rememer one thing.

The All Mighty Era begins now.

So, yes, it’s RAW In A Nutshell, and yes, the All Mighty era begins now.

Let’s crack open this Nutshell and find out!

Best Match of the night:

I was into Drew and Sheamus.

Ending a no DQ match in basically a no-contest? That feels like a setup for a Fastlane match-winner gets Bobby Lashley in Tampa a month later.

I don’t really mind that…even if it makes the outcome that much more obvious.

Drew-Bobby could be decent, but I’ll say it doesn’t have that ‘Mania flair. Lashley’s WM match is honestly a time where I have now thought “this feels like Vince is going to call Brock”.

I mean, two guys with legit MMA experience, something that’s been talked about before…and knowing Vince wants to nuke the ‘Mania lineup?

Worst match of the night:

The women’s tag title match wasn’t great. There were a couple others worth consideration, but this one bothered me.

I kind of hope WWE does something crazy and has Gonzalez and Kai beat the current champs. At least makes things interesting again…

Star of the Night

One man gets the nod. After all…The All Mighty era begins tonight.

So sure, I am giving this one to Bobby Lashley. At least until The All Mighty proves me wrong…

Spot of the Night:

I mention it later on too…wasn’t a wrestling spot, but I was a fan of the Alexa Bliss-flame bit.

Bliss blows out a match, and a second later, the ring posts during Orton’s match shoot off flames and The Viper is spitting up black goo.

Holy Sh** Moment of the Night:

Another week, another round of Randy Orton leaking black stuff thanks to The Fiend.

The trick with Alexa Bliss and the flames? Nicely done, if perhaps a bit delayed.

Not so bad like say, a screwed up explosion, but it generally worked.

Honestly, I expected The Fiend back tonight. The teasing continues, but we all know it’s only a matter of time for his return.

After all, a month and change until WrestleMania. Those two have a match to set up.

Botch of the night:

Naomi went for the rear view on Shayna Bazsler.

Shayna sold it like the pro she was, as though she was hit.

The problem with that, however, is that from the angle we got, you could see plenty of daylight between Shayna and Naomi’s posterior.

LOL Moment of the night:

Maybe it’s me, but seeing Naomi carry Reginald out after their tag title defense make me laugh.

Noteworthy Moment:

Shane McMahon and Braun Strowman are ramping up their program. It seemed likely that the two would set up a match, and nothing is changing there.

I don’t know that I like HOW they are getting there, however.

Shane calling Braun stupid? It comes off as overly simple and needlessly offensive.

Like, stick with the fact that Braun is pissed that he was left out of the EC match (even if he wasn’t legit a former WWE Champion). And that Shane McMahon is who he is and feels like he can tell any Superstar to pound sand.

No need to go and do the whole “stupid is as stupid does” bit.

Overall lowlights:

Yes, it made noteworthy for me too.

It also gets here. Because while I am ambivalent to the idea of Shane McMahon in a match at ‘Mania…I am not loving the latest bit to generate heat for him.

Simply put, I think some things should be off limits, or done within certain parameters. Maybe it just rubbed me the wrong way, but I didn’t like how they pulled it off.

Overall highlights:

Was a strong start to Lashley’s first (and long overdue) world championship run for WWE. If I had left the category here this week, Miz would get the jobber of the week.

Downside to Lashley’s run? I can’t help but think…did Vince put the belt on him now, so that if Vince hates him as champ, he pivots at WrestleMania?

Like…he always has an out, for any champion. But Lashley being a big bad monster of a heel, you hope WWE actually lets the man hold onto the belt for a while.

On one hand, the slooooow build to the return of The Fiend is great. All the same, because most in WWE forgot the idea of a slow burn, it may be driving some of us crazy.

After the final bell:

Well, the first RAW In A Nutshell of the All Mighty era? Not too terribly bad, but also nothing crazy to right home a out.

The failings? Those are not on The All Mighty.

I think for now, my two biggest questions are…who will WWE opt to trot out for Lashley’s WrestleMania match. And what will The Fiend look like when he returns.

I am in for both of those, and there was of course other stuff to like. Just happens that those are my most prominent two choices.