RAW In A Nutshell: Oh Yes, It’s WrestleMania Week!

It’s the last RAW In A Nutshell before this weekend’s WrestleMania. Put another way: Oh yes, it’s WrestleMania Week!

Sure, it’s a vastly different WrestleMania Week, for the second year in a row.

This year’s WrestleMania Week is fortunately trending closer to normal, as we seem to be moving in the right direction as we work toward recovering.

With all that said, it’s still the go-home show for RAW. I’ve heard that some or all of the pre-‘Mania shows were taped last week…but I don’t even care.

If they were, I did not find any spoilers (I also did not look for any).

On Saturday and Sunday, we have lots of matches heading our way. While a bunch of those have been locked in, I’d expect a few more are still going to come into focus this show.

So, recorded or not, it should be an eventful RAW In A Nutshell, giving us our go-home show.

With that said…its time for…

RAW In A Nutshell: Oh Yes, It’s WrestleMania Week!

Let’s crack open this Nutshell and get into it!

Best Match of the night:

I suppose McIntyre and Corbin. Maybe mostly by default, but it was good.

Worst match of the night:

Probably will pick on the Strowman versus Ryker and Elias match.

Star of the Night

I’d go with Drew and Bobby.

But…I’d also say we had a few really strong performances.

Spot of the Night:

Not much tonight…but there is this…

Jobber of the Night:

Jaxson Ryker and Elias?

I mean…this has to be the call, right? 2 Superstars lose to one, that has jobber written all over it.

Holy Sh** Moment of the Night:

Sure, WWE has trashed plenty of cars over the years…but did we ever see them paint what was said to be a $3 million Bugatti?

I can’t recall that happening…

Botch of the night:

Sure, it was last week…but I am still harping on it.

Breaking up The Hurt Business, as we knew it, was bad. Bad timing, if nothing else.

For a couple reasons. For one, the group was one of the best things going.

For another, why on Earth break them up two weeks out of ‘Mania? That makes little sense.

Like, Lashley should be focused on McIntyre. Having to take out his former mates less than a week out from WrestleMania is silly.

Hold that program for after WrestleMania, or have it happen much more ahead of the biggest show of the year.

As it was, the feud may go nowhere because of timing and planning issues.

LOL Moment of the night:

Billie Kaye and her photo bomb.

Need proof? Just look at the faces…

Noteworthy Moment:

Well, we heard about it months ago, and now it’s finally official. While initially it was announced as Bad Bunny versus The Miz, the match is now a tag match.

Guessing they were concerned about getting Morrison and Damien Priest cleared, but it seems fine now.

Overall lowlights:

Forgetting logistics for a moment (needing to leave Thunderdome, WrestleMania Week, up against the National Championship Game), it’s disappointing to hear WWE taped shows for this week.

It’s also disappointing to see them dub Friday’s show as a WrestleMania edition of SmackDown. Complete with the SmackDown Tag Team Championship battle.

Also the Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal is Friday.

I just want to say…WrestleMania is TWO NIGHTS. Tell me why neither of those matches couldn’t make it to Saturday or Sunday?

Granted, as I typed that, I figured that WWE is now using SmackDown as this year’s pre-show, as they want to make the opening on Saturday more special (and a typical pre-show would ruin that).

Overall highlights:

Lashley and McIntyre are raising their games.

Are they pushing Roman Reigns et al? Probably not…but I’d argue they are being sneaky good at this point with how they are building toward their WrestleMania match.

Riddle and Sheamus, too, for what it’s worth.

Speaking of Sheamus…with obvious parallels to RVD, and RVD going into the Hall of Fame…tell me WWE can work The Whole F’n Show into that program, if for one night only?

After the final bell:

Well, as far as RAW is concerned, it’s all over but the fighting.

Saturday and Sunday are rapidly approaching. Did WWE build a good show?

Not much longer till we find out. Oh yes, it’s WrestleMania Week!