WWE: The Good, The Bad and The NXT
Thursday 18 January 2018 11:23, UK
Raw's 25th Anniversary show has turned into a hotly-anticipated event since it is not only set to see the return of some of the biggest legends in wrestling over the past two and a half decades, but it is also the go-home episode of Raw ahead of The Royal Rumble.
This means that it is highly likely that the traditional brawl ahead of the annual event could take place on SmackDown Live next week, since Raw is already looking set to be a packed show.
Compared to next week, this week was quite a low key for both Raw and SmackDown with the main focus being on Braun Strowman on Raw and the United States Championship on SmackDown.
That being said, it was still a week of ups and downs for many of the superstars who are part of Raw, SmackDown and NXT.
Good week
Seth Rollins (RAW)
It's hard to look past Braun Strowman this week, but since he was fired and then rehired, it seems that he is in the same position now that he was a few days ago. Seth Rollins, on the other hand, was able to main event Monday Night Raw and pick up a confidence-boosting win over the man who defeated him in the main event of SummerSlam back in 2016 with the Universal Championship on the line.
Not only that, but Rollins made headlines all over the world when he pulled out his Curb-Stomp finisher for the first time since it won him the World Championship back at WrestleMania 31. Rollins defends his Tag Team Championships alongside Jason Jordan at The Royal Rumble next weekend, but right now he could be a great shout for the Rumble match himself as he enters just his second match in his six-year WWE career.
Bobby Roode (SmackDown Live)
Bobby Roode and Jinder Mahal won their respective matches before they met in the main event with the Championship on the line and even though The Singh Brothers attacked Roode ahead of the match, the former NXT Champion was still able to overcome the odds and pick up his first main roster Championship.
Authors of Pain (NXT)
The Authors of Pain may have been out of the Tag Team Championship picture over the past few months as rumours of a main roster call-up have gained speed, but it seems that the duo didn't miss a beat this week when they sent a message to the Champions after completely dominating The Street Profits in their Number One Contenders match.
Bobby Fish and Kyle O'Reilly should have been watching that match carefully because the team of Akam and Razar are definitely not a duo to take lightly. Next Saturday it could be The Undisputed Era who are the victims of The Final Chapter at NXT Takeover: Philadelphia.
Bad week
Paige (RAW)
Michael Cole definitely had a bad week after he was targetted by Braun Strowman along with a number of other stars on the brand on Monday night but it seems that the superstar who seemingly had the worst week was Paige.
It was announced a few days before Raw that Paige was being forced to retire from professional wrestling at just 25-years-old because of injury. On Monday Night Raw Paige went on to lose her spot in the Royal Rumble, which means that she won't be making history along with the rest of the Women's Division next weekend as the bad run of luck for the British star continues.
Samir Singh (SmackDown Live)
The Singh Brothers didn't have a lot to do this week on SmackDown, but it seems that running in and blind-sighting Bobby Roode ahead of his match with Jinder Mahal turned out to be too much for Samir Singh.
Samir managed to roll his ankle as he exited the ring after the attempted assault and had to be helped back up the ramp by his brother as it was made obvious that this wasn't a planned action. We are now merely a week away from the Rumble and it seems like really bad timing for Singh to have joined the list of superstars currently on the treatment table.
Aliyah (NXT)
Aliyah has been part of the NXT set up now since she was 21-years-old and almost three years later it seems that she hasn't been able to progress past being used as an enhancement talent for the NXT Women's Division. This week on NXT she was defeated by Lacey Evans who knocked out the youngster with a straight right hand before Shayna Baszler came out to pick through the bones.
Aliyah was already knocked out before she was locked in Shayna's Kirifuda Clutch as the referee attempted to force the former MMA fighter to break the hold. In the end, it was NXT Women's Champion Ember Moon who came out to make the save, as Aliyah was once again made to look like the weakest woman on the current roster.
