WWE has established a new motif for the opening moments of RAW, and it works.

Each wrestler who is involved in one of the main stories of that episode is seen arriving to the arena, wheeling their suitcases down a corridor, entering the dressing room, or getting out of a car. It adds a touch of realism right from the start and allows Michael Cole to set the narrative table for the episode.

Jey was a welcome official start to the show, making his way through the crowd, “Yeeting” in time with his music. Much to my pleasure, this RAW kicked off with a match. Much to my displeasure Jey’s opponent was Grayson Waller. While this match represents a few weeks of storytelling, it does not achieve the intended goal. Matches like this between an obscure midcarder and a main-eventer are designed entirely to make the main-eventer look strong. The problem with this specific example, Uso vs Waller, is two-fold.

One, Waller is one of a handful of backstage geeks who seldom exist in the wrestling ring. He says and does nothing of import. He’s purely an annoyance, clogging up the backstage hallways with mediocrity. So what does it mean to beat him? Not much.

Two, Waller actually put up a fight, which conveys the idea that he might be on Jey’s physical level (not something WWE actually wants). Austin Theory, Waller’s partner, interfered at key points, stacking the deck against Jey, but he’s also a backstage geek with nothing better to do. Being distracted by him makes one look mentally feeble. If WWE wanted to challenge Jey so as to make him look strong, he would need a stronger opponent. But there are no stronger opponents to draw from, just that handful of backstage geeks. And another element shaping the existence and presentation of this match is that WWE needs to eat up two and a half hours of screen time. While the inherent purpose of the match (make Jey look strong) demands it be over in a matter of two minutes, one spear and a three count, the need for content bloats this non-match into something we have to sit through and take seriously despite the obvious conclusion. There are two fixes to this problem, as far as I can see from my admittedly small lens.

One, defer to the purpose of the match and have Jey win quickly and powerfully with Waller getting very little offense in. Make up the time somewhere else in the night so that you’re number one contender for the World Championship doesn’t look like an idiot by association with backstage geeks.

Two (and this is a much larger proposal addressing a much larger issue), fundamentally rebuild the midcard so that it consists of vibrant, popular, yet “right for their spot” wrestlers who can occasionally intersect with wrestlers on Jey’s level and above.

WWE’s present midcard is nothing short of a mess, and that’s a massive problem when it takes up the majority of a broadcast. Heels who aren’t that bad and babyfaces who aren’t that good. The heels operate somewhere between gnat and high school bully, and the babyfaces operate somewhere between “nice guy” and idiot. They have no power, no strength, no confidence, and nothing to do save wait behind a storage crate and pop out when AJ Styles has another awkward interview.

The epitome of this character-type is nowhere more evident than in The Judgment Day. Finn Balor is constantly complaining, Carlito mumbles into his apple, Liv Morgan somehow manages to sound believable, and Dom Mysterio is just…well…Dom. They have nothing in common, they clearly dislike each other, and they seem ready to betray each other every week. And they lose…a lot. What is holding them together save the contempt of beleaguered sitcom writers who grew up watching Friends (not Wrestling With Shadows)?

This is a terrible way to go about world-building and character creation.

Everyone should have a goal and suitable emotions. Yes, Finn wants gold so he’s targeting Braun Breaker’s Intercontinental Championship, but he’s done nothing but fail upwards until he inevitably fails downwards. His existence remains fixed in that terrible waste-high camera angle in the backstage where he can do nothing but moan about his losses. There’s no way to make such scenes good - they are inherently bad, showcasing the performers’ flaws and hiding their strengths. No one could get over with such treatment. And that’s why I wonder, does WWE want Judgment Day to “get over”. It sure doesn’t seem like it. And if the answer is “no” then why are they even on TV? Why am I being forced to watch them quibble week after week, awaiting Carlito’s weird little punchlines?

One might argue they exist to get characters like Braun Breaker “over”. I contend that’s a far too generous reading, and I’ll add the aforementioned point that it’s hard to “get over” when you’re beating absolute idiots who have no discernible strengths. What does it mean to beat Finn Balor in 2025? Absolutely nothing. Given that’s the case, and Finn is so thoroughly sapped of value, can Braun Breaker and Finn Balor even have a good match? They’re both skilled, but can the effective execution of wrestling moves, in the context of their fight, actually tell a good story? All of this also assumes Braun Breaker is an “over”, popular wrestler with charm, power, and depth. He’s certainly in a better position than The Judgment Day because that’s the way the WWE brass wants it, but is he “undeniable”.

I’m not so sure.

Asking him to beat Balor isn’t exactly “leveling up”. To his credit, it’s impossible to do so with Balor for all of the above reasons.

And this is why the midcard is inert. You can’t “get over” on someone who isn’t, themselves, at least marginally popular. And you can’t get popular without two things.

One, the approval and investment of the show runner.

Two, a human character who taps into some part of the human psyche.

The WWE midcard, embodied also in the women’s division and the tag divisions, represents a self-cannibalizing mechanism that cannot accomplish even the simplest task of making a star look strong.

As such, it demands a complete overhaul.

How might this be achieved?

Look to the way the company has booked Penta since his arrival. That’s a viable midcard star who can fluctuate up and down depending upon what’s needed any given week. He’s presented as an attraction and a threat, only a few good days away from being a champion’s concern. That’s what we should be watching throughout both the men’s and women’s locker rooms. The heels should not exist solely to interrupt backstage interviews or crack wise in their nondescript club houses. They should exist to hurt people, to make their lives miserable, and reshape the WWE in their own image. Like Gunther. The babyfaces should represent a stabilizing force for good, restoring order to the backstage world all while succeeding (or failing) in the ring.

This episode of RAW was the weakest since the switch to Netflix because of the company’s humorless, lifeless cast of midcard characters, relying solely on the main event match to give the entire experience any meaning.

And credit where credit is due, WWE did just that.

The main event was a very good cage match between CM Punk and Seth Rollins. This was a better outing than the Chamber qualifying match from several weeks ago, despite a continued reliance upon finisher-kickouts. These two-counts felt earned, and the appearance of Roman Reigns was delightfully logical. He dragged Seth out of the cage, thus winning Seth the match, before spearing and stomping him on the outside.

Next, pro-wrestling was elevated to Shakespeare when Roman saw Paul Heyman comforting CM Punk in the center of the ring. Roman’s “Are you for real?” expression was perfectly timed, as he strode up into the cage to deliver another Spear to Punk. The interpersonal dynamics here represent excellent television. This also gave me hope that Punk’s Mania main event dream might actually come true. If Triple H was being honest at the Elimination Chamber press conference (and I think he was), and the Mania card is completely up in the air, they could only do worse than Roman vs Rollins vs Punk in the night one main event.

IN CONCLUSION

This episode of RAW was a letdown save the final match and subsequent fallout. It’s great to have Roman back and the prospect of a triple threat at WrestleMania between Punk, Rollins, and Reigns is tantalizing. There’s lots of history to draw from and the athleticism and thoughtfulness on display could easily result in a classic (not to put too much pressure on them). The WWE sorely needs to reexamine their midcard, not only the talents who make it up but specifically how those talents are used on television. I’ve had enough obnoxious backstage geeks to last me a lifetime and I know I’m not alone.

I yearn for a lively backstage world crackling with energy and purpose. It’s there, ready to be mined for hidden gems, but WWE must possess the will and know-how to make it a reality.

Thanks for reading.

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Tim Kail's Raw Review, 3/10/25