The Bobby Lashley Show, Liv Morgan’s Shot at Redemption, More WWE Raw Fallout

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Credit: WWE.com

WWE Raw has a clear focus: Day 1.

This new pay-per-view has been the focus of every story, building up a rock-solid card that includes Big E, Roman Reigns and Becky Lynch defending their championships. The December 13 edition of the red brand continued that momentum.

While Seth Rollins and Kevin Owens have already punched their ticket for the New Year’s Day event, Bobby Lashley was looking to get a WWE Championship shot of his own. And he defeated KO, The Visionary and Big E to add himself to what is now a Fatal 4-Way match for the title.

Becky Lynch mocked Liv Morgan after defeating her last week, but the underdog refused to give up. Big Time Becks agreed to a rematch but only after seriously injuring the No. 1 contender.

The Miz may not be a WWE Hall of Famer yet, but he and Maryse celebrated his induction early before Edge arrived. Before the two men face each other at Day 1, The Rated-R Superstar caused some dissension between the married couple.

Otis pulled off an important win over Riddle. While he and Chad Gable lost in the RK-Bro-nament, it seems Alpha Academy could still earn a shot at the Raw Tag Team Championships.

This show had a lot going for it on the surface, and it’s clear that Raw has a strong idea of the present and future of the brand. It was just down to what the talent could pull off Monday to build the hype.

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There’s a lot going on in the WWE Championship picture.

Big E is the dominant champion, holding down the fort against some of the best in the business; Seth Rollins earned a title shot in a ladder match and picked his spot; and Kevin Owens tricked his competitors into adding him to the contest.

Now, Bobby Lashley has been added to the field after defeating all three of his opponents in singles matches on Monday night. While KO seemed to intentionally put little effort in and got Rollins disqualified, The All Mighty still technically pinned WWE champion Big E.

This seems to be a way of reheating The All Mighty quickly. However, it should not have been necessary, just as Lashley is unnecessary to the title match. Big E is already fighting two of the best in the business, worthy challengers with a good story.

The All Mighty’s story with the New Day powerhouse was supposed to have already ended, yet he handed the champion a rare loss after putting him over earlier in the year.

With all the potential stories Lashley could tell, this is the laziest.

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Are Alpha Academy title contenders or not? Following a loss in the RK-Bro-nament last week, WWE went right back around to giving Otis a win over one half of the Raw tag team champions, Riddle.

Granted, the finals of that No. 1 contender tournament were delayed due to injuries, but WWE needs to be more consistent in building contenders to a title. Otis and Chad Gable either need to be set up as challengers or fall to the back of the line.

No one will believe Alpha Academy have a chance against Randy Orton and The Original Bro with the current booking. Even if WWE made the decision to hot-shot the belts, it’s difficult to care.

Both members of Alpha Academy are talented but seen in some ways as lesser to their peers. Gable is too short to compete as a singles star, and Otis is too difficult to take seriously unless he becomes a charisma-less heel.

WWE must change that perception of both quickly. Otis has looked like a threat on his own in the ring. He just needs to show a little more personality. Before long, he could get a legitimate run at gold, which has not felt possible since he lost the Money in the Bank briefcase in October 2020.

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The Miz has shown he has two different mindsets in WWE: There is The A-Lister with Maryse, and there is The A-Lister without Maryse. He is a coward and goofball without his wife by his side, making it hard to see him as a top competitor.

When he works with her, it gives him an air of legitimacy that carries over to his promos and in-ring work. It is almost like she is a reminder to him of how great he can be.

He has been on point every week against Edge, making this rivalry feel far larger than anyone would have expected. Part of that is because Maryse is there. She is putting him over and helping him craft his story.

This week, some tension was developed between the two. If it leads to The A-Lister growing more of a backbone to truly push Edge as a competitor, that will only benefit WWE in the long run.

Monday’s Raw also teased the idea of The Miz as a WWE Hall of Famer, and there is no doubt he will get to that point. If he continues at his current trajectory, claiming that status in about 10 years is not out of the question.

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From the moment Liv Morgan lost last week, fans were clamoring for her to get a second opportunity. It was inevitable that WWE would book the match, and Raw moved quickly to set the stage for WWE Day 1.

The story now looks to be that Becky Lynch will try to make ensure Morgan cannot even make it to the Jan. 1 PPV, which will help build her credibility as an underdog contender.

While her first match with The Man was good, this second is make-or-break. She must compete at her absolute best with more time to prepare.

Lynch has shown repeatedly that she will use any trick in her arsenal to succeed, which is why it is far from certain Morgan will win. However, a performance at her best will solidify her as a top star for years to come.