For the past two weeks, Raw has drawn TV ratings that have been the lowest in the show's history. It feels as if this week's offering was not only a reaction to that but also the first show following Saturday's Super Show-Down, so a lot to unpack in three-plus hours. There was an awful lot to like about this week's Raw and if the viewership is a record low for the third week in a row, we'd be extremely surprised.
It has been rumored that Shawn Michaels was planning on coming out of retirement ever since his heated verbal exchange with The Undertaker a month ago. At Super Show-Down on Saturday, that rumor was basically confirmed. The Brothers Of Destruction attacked HBK and Triple H after The Game's victory, and on Raw this week the attacked pair confirmed our suspicions. Michaels and Triple H opened the show, and the former confirmed that he will be stepping back in the ring after eight and a half years away. At Crown Jewel, it will be D-Generation X versus Kane and The Undertaker.
RELATED: SHAWN MICHAELS IS OFFICIALLY OUT OF RETIREMENT
A lot of uninteresting stuff happens on Raw each week, and a lot of that stuff revolves around Bobby Lashley. In Vince McMahon's head, the former ECW Champion has to be a babyface. However, those who saw him during his time away from WWE now know that he can be a monster heel. Thankfully, someone must have had a word with Mr. McMahon. Rather than turn on his hype man Lio Rush, Lashley has embraced him. He gave off a heelish aura during his match with Kevin Owens on Raw and confirmed that he had turned by attacking KO's injured leg after he had already picked up the win.
There were no questions surrounding whether we had seen a heel turn or not during the next segment. Fans have been waiting for The Bellas to turn on Ronda Rousey. We thought it would happen in Australia but no luck. As soon as a rematch with The Riott Squad was announced on Raw, we knew what was coming. Rousey made Riott tap, again, and then The Bella beatdown began. The Raw Women's Champion tried to defend herself, but Nikki and Brie's numbers game proved to be too much. Later in the evening, it was confirmed that Rousey and Nikki Bella will compete for the Raw Women's Title at Evolution.
RELATED: RIOTT SQUAD GETS MATCHING TATTOOS TO COMMEMORATE FACTION'S FORMATION
WWE will hold it's first ever World Cup at Crown Jewel, and on Raw this week we found out a little more about it. Four Superstars from each brand will compete in the tournament, and John Cena was the first participant announced. Baron Corbin put together a battle royal to decide the next qualifier, a match that included himself and a bunch of enhancement talent, or did it? The Conquistador, a luchador dressed from head to toe in gold, made a re-appearance and shocked Corbin by winning the match. More astute fans will have realized that it was, in fact, Kurt Angle under the mask before the big reveal after the match based on the moves he was performing.
RELATED: KURT ANGLE PITCHES WWE DREAM MATCH VERSUS DANIEL BRYAN
Since Evolution is now the next big show on WWE's calendar, it wouldn't have been surprising for more matches to be confirmed for the PPV on this week's Raw. Weirdly, another match was announced as mentioned above, but there are still only two matches confirmed for the show. The two matches announced for Evolution prior to Raw were inexplicably merged. Mickie James and Alexa Bliss informed Trish Stratus that they would be teaming up at the event, at which point the confronted Hall Of Famer called upon a tag partner of her own, Lita. The returning veterans chased off their foes, and now their two respective Evolution matchups have become one.
The second Super Show-Down rematch on Monday's Raw came in the form of another six-person tag match. The Shield looking to make it two wins in three days over Braun Strowman, Dolph Ziggler, and Drew McIntyre. The cracks have started to show in the latter trio's armor, all blaming one another for Saturday's loss. Those cracks continued to show during the match. When Strowman put his hands on Ziggler, he and McIntyre almost came to blows which let The Shield gain the upper hand. The match was as chaotic as the initial one at Super Show-Down, but shockingly Saturday's losers were Monday's winners. Strowman and co worked through their issues and McIntyre's Claymore Kick won them the match. After the match, Dean Ambrose stormed to the back, leaving Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns looking puzzled in the ring as Raw came to a close.