WWE Raw – February 18, 2019 (Review)

Rumor has it that WWE’s writing team was given explicit instructions to “think outside the box” when it came to booking Raw last night, in a concerted effort to make the show feel different.

I’m sure I speak for all of us when I say that this is a directive I can fully get behind. Recent weeks have brought heavy sledging on Monday nights, with WWE’s red brand  in particular guilty of parading endless rematches, lackluster characters and low-stakes booking. So the promise of an injection of new ideas was more than welcome.

And then the first match was Baron Corbin vs. Braun Strowman.

Uh, hold on a second. I think I’ve got the wrong show. Let me re-check the tape.

“Tonight, all hell is about to break loose!”

Yeah, okay, I thought that’s what Triple H said to open the night.

.@TripleH is HERE on #Raw! pic.twitter.com/rSY2Qf2a6U

— WWE (@WWE) February 19, 2019

Of course, the thirty minutes of Braun and Corbin gradually lulling us into a coma was not the highlight of an otherwise newsworthy Raw. It was undoubtedly the NXT call-ups making their debut on the main brand.

You see, before the dynamic tandem of Corbin and Strowman took centre stage, Triple H had made his way to the ring to announce the first of this year’s Hall of Fame inductees as well as a new influx of developmental talent to revive a flailing product. The brave souls tasked with this monumental challenge also happen to be four of the absolute best talents on the company’s books. Ricochet, Tommaso Ciampa, Aleister Black and Johnny Gargano. All former NXT, North American or Tag Team Champions.

Yet, as exciting as the prospect of them joining the main roster ranks was, reality didn’t quite line up with expectations. It didn’t help either that looming over these promotions was the specter of call-ups past who, I think it’s safe to say, have failed miserably. Heavy Machinery have been turned into lobotomized Bushwhackers, Nikki Cross and EC3 are little more than afterthoughts, and Lacey Evans’ new gimmick appears to be ‘woman who makes wrong turn on her way to the umbrella store’.

Now that's a strut. @OtisWWE @TuckerWWE #Raw pic.twitter.com/uVAc4b03xP

— WWE Universe (@WWEUniverse) February 19, 2019

So it was against this backdrop that WWE’s latest recruits made their big league debuts. While it wasn’t made immediately clear whether these were intended to be full-time call-ups, the context certainly made it seem so.

And so NXT will soon be left without its current champions, as Ciampa and Gargano reunited to face the Revival, Ricochet teamed with Finn Bálor to take on Lashley and an admirably forgiving Lio Rush, and Aleister Black immediately moved into Raw’s lower mid-card in a hard-fought contest with Elias.

Admittedly, each of these new acts claimed victory (as you’d probably expect), Ronda defended her Raw Women’s title against Ruby Riott, and Paul Heyman promised more misery for Seth Rollins. You’d think with all of that going on, Raw would feel like the chaotic free-for-all that Triple H promised at the top of the show.

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Yet, by the end of the night I was left asking myself one simple question: Was that it? It sadly all felt a little underwhelming in truth. Like unfulfilled potential. As much of a cliché as the saying has become, the fact is that you only get one chance to make a first impression on the main brand. And I can’t help but think that this could’ve been handled slightly better. Each of the NXT call ups were legitimate stars in developmental, with a long resumé of incredible matches. Watching Raw last night, did it feel that way?

But with much to get to, let’s tackle it one step at a time. Read on to find out what our WrestleTalk writers considered to be highlights – and lowlights – from last night’s Raw. Before we dwell too long on the negative though, let’s start with the good!

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