WWE RAW – Best and Worst – 2 huge returns in Judgment Day segment; legendary star to turn heel?

The go-home episode of WWE RAW before Bash in Berlin is in the books, with the red brand going strong into this Saturday’s show. However, there is a lot more than just what is happening at the premium live event.

Many stars who are not on the card had their moments on WWE RAW. This includes names such as Bronson Reed, the Latino World Order, and most notably, Uncle Howdy. However, how good was his in-ring debut?

Let’s find that out and so much more. Here are the biggest positives and negatives from tonight’s episode of WWE RAW.

3. Best: Bronson is on a roll

The past few weeks have seen the rise of Bronson Reed. He injured Seth Rollins and R-Truth, before defeating The Miz in a No Disqualification Match. It seemed like Reed met his match with Braun Strowman on WWE RAW this week, but that is not quite how things played out.

While their match ended without a winner, Strowman and Reed’s backstage brawl turned ugly. The Australian star eventually ended up on top, as he hit a Tsunami onto his opponent on the roof of a car. Taking out The Monster Among Men like that has given Bronson Reed an instant boost.

He is an even bigger star now, with his attacks quickly becoming one of the best parts of WWE RAW every week. It remains to be seen what is next for Braun Strowman after getting crushed. A stipulation match seems likely, which is a great sign after what we saw.

#2. Worst: The LWO is back, but it is the same old

It has been a few weeks since we have seen them, but Rey Mysterio and Dragon Lee make WWE RAW a better place. The duo returned in the opening segment of the show, as the Latino World Order confronted The Judgment Day. Mysterio, in particular, had an issue with his son’s behavior. What a shocker.

On one hand, the two factions work well against each other. However, we have seen it way too often now, with Dominik Mysterio already pinning his “deadbeat” dad. Liv Morgan helped him repeat the feat in an eight-man tag team match. It is not known if this issue will be furthered.

The one saving grace would be Rey Mysterio and Dragon Lee potentially going after the World Tag Team Championship. Finn Balor and JD McDonagh are yet to defend their belts since winning them over two months ago, so it is about time.

#2. Best: A successful go-home WWE RAW before Bash in Berlin 2024

The final build to WWE RAW’s biggest matches in Berlin was a huge success. Rhea Ripley and Damian Priest intimidated The Judgment Day after their aforementioned win over the Latino World Order. It did not take too much away from the main members, as JD McDonagh and Carlito took most of the beating.

Meanwhile, Randy Orton cut a heartfelt promo about his career ahead of his match against Gunther. The Ring General was not present on RAW, but that gave The Viper enough time to say his piece. However, the best part of the final build came in CM Punk and Drew McIntyre’s segment.

The Best in the World attacked his rival with a leather strap before the two had to be separated by security guards. Punk proceeded to beat them up, as McIntyre escaped through the crowd. WWE RAW truly boosted our excitement for Bash in Berlin.

#1. Worst: All that build for nothing?

The Miz has been delivering some great promos lately. From his heartfelt speech before facing Bronson Reed last week to talking about the Intercontinental Championship, The A-Lister has had a solid return to form. That is why he should have advanced in the tournament on WWE RAW.

Pete Dunne getting a push is always a positive, but tonight seemed like The Miz’s time. The Bruiserweight won a Triple Threat Match that also featured Xavier Woods, with the eight-time Intercontinental Champion getting pinned.

Hopefully, something good is around the corner for The Miz, as it would be a waste if he did not do anything off the back of the past few weeks. Could he turn heel following his recent frustrations? It is certainly possible.

#1. Best: Uncle Howdy pulls it off

There was a large amount of pressure on Bo Dallas, who donned his mask to make his in-ring debut on WWE RAW. Just over a year after Bray Wyatt’s tragic passing, Uncle Howdy wrestled for the first time. Fortunately, things went as smoothly as possible.

All of the pre-match concerns were washed away, with Chad Gable looking pretty good against Howdy. This was not a one-sided beatdown in any way, with the former Olympian getting quite a lot of offense in. The hokey shenanigans were kept to a minimum as well.

The rest of The Wyatt Sicks attacked the Creed Brothers after they got involved, leading to a fun brawl in the crowd. This led to the ending, which saw Uncle Howdy finish Chad Gable off with Sister Abigail. Littered with subtle tributes to his late brother, Bo Dallas did a great job in his first match back in the main event of WWE RAW.

Bray Wyatt must have been smiling from above. He remains dearly missed by people to this day.