WWE: 3 MVPs From Tonight’s Raw (Sept 15)

WWE looked to put the finishing touches on the WrestlePalooza card with tonight’s Monday Night Raw, but it also looked to cement key character changes and introduce promising new feuds into the mix. While tonight’s Raw had a solid lineup of matches, it was the moments in between those matches that really stole the show, and you’ll absolutely notice that as we break down the 3 MVPs of tonight’s Monday Night Raw, as well as 4 top-tier moments of the show. Let’s get started with WWE Raw’s MVPs.

3. AJ Lee

AJ Lee drew a massive pop from the crowd when she made her 10-year return to WWE on SmackDown, and tonight Lee and CM Punk would have their final confrontation with Becky Lynch and Seth Rollins ahead of their match at Wrestlepalooza.

Lee took advantage of the moment and delivered a promo that felt 100% authentic to who she is in and outside the ring, and yet leaned into her unpredictable nature with some hilarious and truly unexpected zingers. The one that couldn’t help but stand out was the golden line, “I’m a Puerto Rican from New Jersey, sometimes they shank a chick”, which drew a great reaction from the crowd, a genuine smile from Punk, and a truly shocked expression from Rollins. Coupled with the slap to Rollins, Lee is easily one of the shining stars of WWE Raw.

2. Becky Lynch

Speaking of that segment, let’s give some praise to Lee’s perfect foil, Becky Lynch. Lynch is doing some of the best character work of her career during this current heel run, and segments like this showcase that for all to see.

Read Next

WWE Just Made History with WrestleMania 43 Announcement (And Fans Aren’t Happy)

Lynch’s facial expressions and reactions are comedy gold, but what’s most impressive about them is that Lynch is doing all this even when she’s not the one in the immediate spotlight. If Rollins, Punk, or Lee are speaking, Lynch is still doing a ton through her expressions and mannerisms, and that only makes her promos hit that much harder when she does take the mic.

Tonight was evidence of that, as Lynch shifted from comedy to intensity on a dime, like when she faked an argument with Rollins only to sucker punch Lee with a Manhandle Slam and then get in Punk’s face once more. Lynch has even managed to get over 2 catchphrases in the midst of all this, so to say she’s doing her part in arguably making this match the biggest one of the weekend is an understatement.

1. Bayley

As I mentioned previously, tonight was about moments more than matches, and Bayley had some of the most memorable moments of the show. Bayley was truly in need of a refresh after SummerSlam, and that’s led to a major shift in her character courtesy of battling personalities.

While some of the past vignettes have been strong, tonight showcased the strengths of this storyline and the impact it can have on the rest of the roster. Not only did we get the unexpected save from Bayley, but it featured elements of her old Hugger persona as she literally ran around the ring and hugged everyone she saw.

Then we get the Lyra Valkyria moment (played brilliantly by Lyra, mind you), where Bayley is yelling at herself as her two sides battle it out in her mind, though that battle is now being voiced for everyone to hear. That leads to a sequence where Bayley gives off an aura that can only be described as chilling before launching into a tirade that conveys how unhinged she’s become, and all while wearing an outfit split between black and white as another visual cue. This storyline is quickly becoming one of Raw’s strongest, and it’s another showcase for one of WWE’s most underrated superstars.

Notable Moments

4. John Cena Covering Up Lesnar Chants: Few superstars are as quick on their feet on the microphone as John Cena, and fans got an example of this in Raw’s opening moments. After Cena heard the F*** Brock Lesnar” chants from the crowd, he immediately worked it into his promo in a humorous way, saying, “Netflix, they’re saying talk to Lesnar, they’ll continue saying that.” Tip of the hat to Cena on that one.

3. Rusev vs. Mysterio: One of the welcome elements of Raw over the past two months has been the introduction of fresh feuds, and tonight we got the start of a great one in Rusev vs Dominik Mysterio. After coming off a strong feud with Sheamus, Rusev kept the words simple and to a minimum, announcing he’s coming after Dom’s Intercontinental Championship. Mysterio’s heel antics should shine in this feud, and this could be another strong showing from Rusev as well, especially if he’s able to wrestle the Title away from Dirty Dom.

2. Spider-Americano: One of the running gags over the past few months is the multiple El Grande Americanos running around Monday Night Raw, and while I haven’t loved this particular story all that much, I have to give them credit for tonight. That’s because at one point we get all three versions of El Grande Americano recreating the famous three Spider-Men meme, and have to admit, it made me chuckle more than I expected. Well played, WWE, well played.

1. Kairi Sane is a Treasure: Asuka has been slowly ramping up what promises to be an epic heel run, and we all know she will inevitably turn on Iyo Sky in the coming weeks as part of this story. One of the unsung heroes of this particular story though is Kairi Sane, who is shining every single time she is on screen. Whether it’s her fearful expressions of Asuka or her slinking away when Asuka screams for her off-screen, she’s been fantastic, but tonight, we got a new favorite after Sane starts to put up her fists in a full boxer stance against Stephanie Vaquer, and it was priceless. Kairi is quietly doing some of her best character work since returning to WWE, and moments like these will make the eventual rebellion against Asuka even better.

What do you think? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!

The post WWE: 3 MVPs From Tonight’s Raw (Sept 15) appeared first on ComicBook.com.