Raw recap & reactions (June 27, 2022): 20 years of not seeing him

It’s been a wild few days and not in the best way. So, let’s hope Raw lifts the spirits a bit.

Claire’s blog is still the place to be.

Let’s talk Raw!

Stillmatic

WWE celebrated John Cena this week. The party resembled a nice trip down memory lane, with several segments dedicated to the PhD in Thuganomics, including different wrestlers referencing his history or words in their promos. That was a nice touch that showed how influential Peacemaker is within whatever halls WWE superstars roam on a given week.

The ceremony culminated with Cena addressing the thousands in attendance and the millions watching at home. The only reason I’m putting it here is because it was damn good as Cena always is on the mic, and the guy’s shadow looms over everything WWE does. Then, Now, and Forever.

Cena spoke from the heart, thanked the fans for keeping it real with him, and begged them to always keep it real with everyone. If they like something, let them know. If they hate something, let them know. The relationship he has with fans shaped him into a better man, a better husband, and a better professional. There are very few people in all of wrestling who always appear genuine. Eddie Kingston is one of them, Jon Moxley is another. But that’s something Cena has in spades. No matter the era, no matter the situation, he always makes the audience believe. That’s the most important aspect in this thing of ours, so a bunch of people in WWE should take notes.

Cena dropped some news as well: He plans to wrestle again. And it won’t be for just “one more match.” He doesn’t know when—the world needs a lot of peace right now—but it will happen. Cena interacted with Theroy earlier in the show, lending Creedence to the rumor these tow are set to tango in August. Maybe that’s Cena’s next appearance. Maybe it’s not.

Whenever we see him again, make sure to cherish the guy who truly gave everything to this business and its fans.

Extracurriculars

Picture Me Rollin’

WWE is telling a good story with Becky Lynch. Becky’s slump since losing at WrestleMania took her to some dark places. Funny places too, but mostly dark. This week, Becky faced five other women for the last spot in the women’s Money in the Bank match. Would she falter? Would she destroy the competition?

The answer, in short, is yes. I liked Becky’s aggression to start the match. She went after everyone in her path, doing whatever in her power as a woman on a mission. Xia Li? Pinned her. Nikki A.S.H.? Submitted her shortly after pinning Xia. Clearly the star of the match, Becky raised everyone else’s game as well. Specifically Doudrop. If someone else dominated as much as Becky, it was Doudrop. She dominated everyone whenever the action went outside of the ring, and she eliminated Shayna Baszler and Tamina back-to-back.

This was always coming down to Becky and Doudrop. Becky, in vain, attempted the Manhandle Slam a couple times. It wasn’t until Doudrop finally made a mistake that Becky capitalized off someone else’s follies rather than making her own.

Doudrop hoisted Becky onto the top turnbuckle, lost her positioning, and fell victim to the Manhandle Slam.

Becky is going to Money in the Bank.

Good main event showcasing just great Becky and Doudrop are together, and a nice chapter to Becky’s “comeback” story.

One More Chance

Battle Royales are a mess, so don’t look for a recap here on the blow by blow. I will talk about the Final Four. Riddle, AJ Styles, Nakamura, and Miz. Now, the idea here is the winner gets a spot in the Money in the Bank match. Great, makes sense. The caveat here is one of these men cannot challenge for WWE’s big championship so long as Roman Reigns has the belt.

And yet, Riddle won. The audience popped for it and it was a great finish between he and Miz, but I think he’s the wrong cat for this spot. Give it to someone without that stipulation because it increases the suspense going into the Money in the Bank match. Maybe WWE surprises me and Brock Lesnar defeats Roman…maybe. But the odds of that are pretty slim based on recent history. Meaning, in my mind, that’s one person in this match who has no shot at that briefcase on July 2, 2022.

O.P.P.

The Street Profits are in their heads. Even after Angelo Dawkins’ win over Jimmy Uso last week, they’re not quite convinced they have what it takes to defeat The Usos. I like that angle a lot. Despite their list of accomplishments—which John Cena so helpfully laid out—they’re shook when it comes to Jimmy and Jey. That means another solo victory over a member of the Bloodline meant more than just “another win.” With all that in mind, we got Montez Ford vs. The Man Formerly Known as Main Event Jey Uso.

Look, there are only so many ways I can tell you these two put on a good match. Was it great? No. But it was good because The Profits and The Usos work…