The last RAW before Payback was supposed to be a night of choices, but with filler matches and little drama to fuel the fire, this week’s episode of the WWE’s flagship program was nothing more than a tease.
Check out this week’s RAW Power Rankings to see who has the most to gain from a memorable performance at Payback.
Honorable Mention: Kane: With Daniel Bryan still out of action, Kane found a way to make himself matter this week after he destroyed RAW General Manager Brad Maddox with a Chokeslam and a Tombstone Piledriver. Still the Authority’s go-to bruiser, The Big Red Machine is available at Triple H’s beck and call to do what’s “best for business.†Although he won’t be wearing the WWE Title anytime soon, he’s still a top-level star that can develop younger talent and fill-out the upper mid-card.
5: Bo Dallas: The Tim Tebow/Tony Robbins rip-off is awesome. Although his finisher, a modified version of Trish Stratus’ old Bulldog, is lacking, Dallas has plenty of potential.
4: Evolution: Between their work in the ring and Triple H’s promos with his wife, the members of Evolution and The Authority always have a say in the biggest developments in the WWE. The Last Man Standing match with The Shield at Payback will be a nasty battle of the biggest and best factions in the company today. Although the contract signing between Evolution and The Shield did little to build real momentum between the two groups, was any real needed?
3: Daniel Bryan: The fact that he doesn’t have any real competition has made his injury hiatus a worthwhile one. Wrestling several times a month every week this year, Bryan needed and deserved a few weeks off. If anything, it’s made WWE fans’ hearts grow fonder for him. His refusal to drop the WWE title this week has only made his star grow brighter. After Payback, lets hope that the WWE finds him an opponent that can truly make the most of his talent both in and out of the ring.
2: The Shield: These guys are riding high the past few weeks, fighting toe-to-toe with Evolution. With another awesome promo during the contract signing segment that ended this week’s RAW, The Shield, even in spite of a devastating beat-down at the hands of their biggest enemies, continue to prove they are one of the most dominant factions in WWE history.
1: The Wyatt Family: If their ever was a heel prophet and his name wasn’t Jake Roberts, Ric Flair or Roddy Piper, Bray Wyatt would have quite a case on his hands. Another solid promo this week on RAW set the scene for what will be the next chapter in his journey with John Cena. Is he the cure or the snake? The disease or the necessary evil? Only time will tell, but for the time being and especially with Daniel Bryan still out of action, Wyatt and his family continue to chew up tons of time on RAW, but do something many superstars have a problem doing- entertain. Between Luke Harper and Erick Rowan’s destruction of John Bradshaw-Layfield and Jerry Lawler, The Wyatt’s are pure evil.
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