WWE Raw Review - 7th April 2008

After an exciting episode of Raw last week and with only three episodes to go before Backlash I was hoping for more of the same this week but as I was to find out later that consistency continues to not be the creative teams strong point.

Good Points

Highlight Reel

It was a bit different this week with the section being dominated by Jericho’s two guests HBK and Batista with Jericho taking a backseat. The verbal battles back and forward are great we just need to see both of them in some in-ring action to keep the feud bubbling until Backlash.

Push for Carlito and Morella

Finally they have found something to do with two of my favourite wrestlers on Raw. They are now the comedy heel tag team of raw and the creative team booked them well in a non-title win against the two dullest guys on Raw Rhodes and holly. If Carlito and Morella are given some mic time they could get over very quickly.

Focus on the main event

It was good to see the WWE really pushing the main event giving it a high proportion of TV time on Raw. The way they handled the segments wasn’t great as I will come on to later but the amount of time it as given was the right balance.

Bad Points

Too predictable and Formulaic

It has been widely known for some weeks now that there was going to be a fatal four-way match for the title at Backlash but if you hadn’t heard about it after watching the first ten minutes of the show you would have been able to guess. Having the show start by Regal announcing JBL vs. Orton as the main event for backlash you knew it was going to change as they wouldn’t push JBL like that so early and as soon as HHH came down you knew it was going to expand. HHH had to win a handicap match against Orton and JBL to get a place in the main event and when this match happened before the hour mark and that we had yet to see Cena you knew how the evening was going to go.

Too many wasted matches

Coming out of the show only two feuds were built those being the fatal four-way and HBK/Batista. So no with only two more episodes to go we have no clue about what else is happening at Backlash. This wasn’t because too much time was given to these feuds but because the time remaining was filled with in the whole pointless matches like Umaga beating Val Venis with both guys currently having no direction.

Guys missing

There we a few noticeable absentees from Raw this week. After winning Money in the Bank and appearing last week we had no CM Punk. Since his loss to JBL at Mania there has been no Finlay or Hornswoggle. After a push before Mania there was no Kennedy, after a big return last week Cryme Time were hardly seen and the list goes on, more consistency is needed.

Overall

There was always going to be a lull after Wrestlemania but when there is a lull WWE need to at least be consistent which they are currently struggling to do.