RAW In A Nutshell: Red Brand Final Setup For Survivor Series

It’s time for another RAW In A Nutshell, and this week the theme is easy. It’s all about the red brand and the final setup for Survivor Series!

I mean, of course it’s the red brand final setup. This is RAW, after all.

Survivor Series is Sunday, and the annual Thanksgiving-ish tradition is nearly here.

We’ve got the now-usual champion versus champion stuff. Plus, a couple five on five, red versus blue matches.

Is it too late to point out the red brand versus blue brand versus black and gold matches were really good?

Probably, since THAT version of NXT is basically dead and buried. Poor Hunter, right?

Anyways, while NXT is likely enjoying it’s reboot….the red brand final setup for Survivor Series is staring us in the face.

Being that it is the go home show and all, I feel it’s a safe bet to expect some from the blue brand to be present tonight.

Of course, that likely means a few from the red brand return the favor on Friday…but that’s another Nutshell.

So, without further delay, let’s get to this…

RAW In A Nutshell: Red Brand Final Setup For Survivor Series

Let’s crack open this Nutshell and get to that final setup…

Best Match of the night:

There are  a few…

Owens and Balor was good. Not great, but good.

I think for the win, we’d have to go with the opening chunk, which ended up a six man tag.

Worst match of the night:

Debatable, but for me, I was not into Bianca Belair and Tamina.

I’d say a lot of that is due to Tamina.

Star of the Night

Honestly, I can’t go with one.

Closest I’d have would be Austin Theory.

Otherwise, this was not a star night.

Spot of the Night:

I suppose the RKO always satisfies…but really nothing otherwise notable.

Jobber of the Night:

I kinda feel like this was Rey Mysterio.

Upset of the Night:

From a match perspective, nothing.

Feelings? That would probably be Rey…going from on to off Survivor Series in a matter of a few minutes.

Holy Sh** Moment of the Night:

So…WWE screws up (I guess I could have used this as the botch, but no…).

First, Dom and Rey are on the RAW Survivor Series team.

Then they bring Lashley back…and he takes Dom’s spot.

So then Bobby fights Rey, and destroys Rey…and Adam Pearce declares that now…Rey is off, with a replacement to be named later.

bsource: custom, wwe twitter screenshotOut comes Austin Theory to get another ill-timed selfie…takes out Dom, and Pearce just as quickly names Theory the new final member for Team RAW.

Definitely did not see that one coming, even if Theory has been getting pushed.

Botch of the night:

Might not be a botch, but a general observation all the same…

Some of the moves between Rey Mysterio and Bobby Lashley just didn’t flow.

Maybe they went as planned? It is entirely possible, of course.

But like, Rey’s head first slide to the outside, which was reversed and resisted and all…just did not seem to go quite as planned.

Overall lowlights:

I’ve said it before around this show, I shall say it again.

There is something to be said for having a mystery member of a team. It’s kind of cool to have a late, day-of reveal.

I mean, that is basically how we all met The Undertaker, remember?

It is one of the great appeals of the Royal Rumble, too. Fans expect a few surprises, and while we know 97% of the entrants, it’s those few we all hope and guess and go crazy for.

So, while I can complain about how the team was booked and the Mysterio family was screwed (surely a follow up story after the fact…)….my bigger gripe is…leave that slot open for the rest of the week.

If you go with Theory, what difference does it make if you announce it now, or on Sunday?

None. The answer is none.

No difference either way…so let us debate who else would make sense, and see what happens.

Overall highlights:

I’d say the top Superstars earned their keep this week.

The Usos keep doing that busy work, working red brand now and blue brand as per usual. We’ve seen them quite a lot.

Big E continues to prove he belongs. Kevin Owens reminds us why he should stay…but will he?

Finn Balor also shows that he’s certainly healthy, after a scare on the UK tour.

Becky Lynch was sharp as always…downside of that is, Liv Morgan looked just not ready yet, not on the mic at least.

After the final bell:

Well, that’s it basically, the red brand final setup for Survivor Series.

Plenty to like, and certainly some to not.

I say this other times too-it depends on exactly where it takes us-but for now, I am not loving the Mysterio-Pearce stuff.

Just feels overly complicated and honestly a bit too forced.

Either way…Survivor Series is Sunday, and we know at least how the red brand took care of their final setup.