Posted in: Sports, TV, WWE | Tagged: Raw, recaps, wrestling, wwe

WWE Raw Unhindered: Jinder Mahal Returns… Can He Save WWE?

Skipped watching WWE Raw this week? Who can blame you? It's about forty minutes of content stretched out into a three hours show. But here's a secret: you're not meant to watch it on TV anyway. WWE's weekly television content is really designed to create "moments" for social media, so you're better off watching it on Facebook, Twitter, or YouTube. But even then, that can be a huge waste of time. That's where we come in. We watched it. We'll tell you what happened and whether the video is worth watching (usually not).

WWE Raw on YouTube – Monday, May 10th, 2021

Alexa Bliss interfered in a six-woman tag match via magic. Nia Jax, Shayne Baszler, and Charlotte Flair were facing Asuka, Mandy Rose, and Dana Brooke in a match when Alexa appeared on the stage with her evil doll, Lily. The match continued, but Baszler became afflicted by a magic spell that made her legs give out, allowing Asuka to get the win. It's unclear what Bliss has against Baszler, whether she is supposed to be a heel or a face, whether the doll is supposed to be a heel or face, or why we should care about any of this. Skip this one because the storyline is total garbage and the match was meaningless.

Jinder Mahal, backed by the former NXT tag team Indus Sher, renamed Veer and Shanky, made his long-awaited return on WWE Raw last night. Mahal faced Jeff Hardy. Jinder made short work of Hardy. Should you watch this one? Of course you should! You must not hinder the Jinder!

Randy Orton and Riddle teamed up with The New Day to take on AJ Styles, Omos, Elias, and Jaxson Ryker. RKBro is easily the best thing going on WWE Raw nowadays, but the match was typical RAw time-filling garbage. Watch the first video (a backstage segment), but skip to the end of the match (in which Orton pinned Elias with an RKO). Afterward, to Riddle's horror, Orton RKO'd Woods and Kingston. "How are we ever gonna have friends if you keep doing stuff like this?!"

Have you noticed that Elias eats pins more than Ryker? Ryker is meant to be the sidekick, but WWE seems to see a future for him more. Maybe because management agrees with him politically?

Sheamus fought Humberto Carrillo again. The match was called by the ref after Carillo did a sunset flip bomb on Sheamus from the apron to the floor, and Sheamus landed on Carrillo's leg while Carrillo possible landed badly on his back. It's unclear what happened, but looks like maybe Sheamus held onto the ropes too long, or Umberto didn't have the proper leverage to pull him off. Dirt sheet reports this morning say Carrillo is fine, though the ending was an audible due to fears he messed himself up on that move. Watch this one, if only to see the spot everyone is talking about.

More Eva Marie teaser stuff. Not worth watching, but I do think Eva can be entertaining when she finally shows up on Raw in person.

Shelton Benjamin defeated Cedric Alexander in a match to decide who the bigger jobber is. Though I'd love to see these two in a twenty-minute PPV match, neither of them are getting a meaningful push anytime in WWE, so why bother watching this?

Angel Garza and Drew Gulak continued their feud after Garza shoved a rose up his ass last week. Garza says he'll shove the rose down Gulak's throat next. God damn it, WWE. You never go ass to mouth! Watch it. It's short.

Rhea Ripley faced Asuka in a match that quickly devolved into nonsense when Charlotte Flair got on commentary. Ripley won. No point in watching this one. Just wait for the PPV triple threat.

Damian Priest took on John Morrison. The Miz tried to interfere on behalf of Morrison, but ended up costing Morrison a pinfall by distracting the ref. Priest got the win, and I guess Miz and Morrison will be breaking up soon. Priest has massive future star potential (though whether he'll achieve that in WWE is anyone's guess). This one is worth checking out.

Because the winner of the match got to choose the stipulation for Miz vs. Priest at Backlash, the match will be a lumberjack match.

Drew McIntyre lost to Bobby Lashley after becoming distracted by Braun Strowman's music. Confetti dropped from the ceiling as this was the 1 millionth time WWE has used this exact finish on WWE Raw. Don't waste your time with this one. Just wait for the triple threat at Backlash.

WWE Raw started off with a little bit of promise with Jinder Mahal returning, even if it is depressing to see what WWE thinks of Jeff Hardy in 2021. RKBro continues to be enjoyable. But the show quickly devolved into the usual apathy because the rest of the storylines are either weird and bad (Alexa Bliss's doll and her magical leg cramp powers, Angel Garza sticking roses in Drew Gulak's holes), boring and uninspired (Ripley/Asuka/Charlotte, Lashley/McIntyre/Strowman), or meaningless because no one involved will ever get a push (Alexander/Benjamin). The jury is out on Eva Marie, but I think she has potential.

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