Raw Recap and Reactions (June 24, 2024): The Wyatt Sicks Come Out

I apologize

The last time I wrote about Raw Monday evening, I talked about follow-up. The Wyatt Sicks case started off hot, like most things involving the Wyatt name, but needed an effective follow-up to avoid going down the path that most things related to Wyatt take.

That said, I’m not sure how I feel about what happened this week. And I don’t think that’s entirely a good thing.

Let’s start with the basics. Chad Gable showed up this week flanked by security and, understandably, he was shaken. The man looked like a victim in a John Woo action movie, so a little fear made sense.

He survived his Money in the Bank triple threat qualifying match, thanks in part to Judgment Day putting Braun Strowman out of commission. Chad tried to celebrate, but this is what happened:

A little goofy for my taste but I let things play out. Then we had VHS, as seen at the top of this section.

What I like about it is that it brings Bo’s motivation to the forefront. Keeping a family member’s legacy alive is admirable and relevant. Mixing that with real emotion is what makes professional wrestling work. Even addressing the biggest elephant in the room made sense, as I’m sure many are wondering if Bo/WWE is exploiting Bray’s name and goodwill.

My problems come from the fact that I don’t really explain anything. Not even something simple like Bo Dallas was still, in fact, Bo Dallas. And why should I care about him, other than the fact that he’s Bray’s brother? The last time Bo was on TV without the Uncle Howdy outfit was in 2021. Needless to say, it’s been a very long three years. So maybe instead of assuming everyone watching knows who he is, give a little introduction.

My other issue is the slowdown in momentum from last week. They range from attacking everyone in the gorillas, including Chad, to someone scaring Master Gable and delivering a video tape to him. And going back to a point made in the Cageside offices many moons ago, this now puts a lot of pressure on Bo to lead something when he’s spent most of his career drifting from ‘one gadget to another. I hope it catches fire because I’m an eternal optimist and because it won’t work without this element.

It’s always difficult to pass judgment on these types of stories so early, when they are bearing fruit. So keep that in mind when I say I’m less excited about the group than I was last week. I hope that changes.

What do you think ?

B-sides

Clubbin’ and Chaos

I knew this was going to happen. Anyone familiar with professional sports wrestling knew this was coming. Sheamus interfered in Bron Breakker’s match against Ludwig Kaiser, causing Bron to get a W while getting revenge against Ludwig last week. Before the bell and the chaos that followed, Bron and Ludwig put on a juicy and fun match. Bron hit his usual spots and Ludwig took them like a champ while making Bron sweat a little more than usual.

That said, Bron got what he wanted: he faced Sami Zayn at Money in the bank for the Intercontinental Championship. But I’m throwing a flag on the field here. Sami told Bron a few weeks ago that if he wanted to win the championship, he would get it anytime and anywhere. Bron apparently forgot that detail when he confronted Adam Pearce about everyone getting in his way while he was trying to get that match with Sami. Based on Sami’s words a few weeks ago, Bron’s anger was unnecessary.

I’m glad we got this match, and I really think Bron should win because, come on, just give the dude a belt, but the plot details got a little lost.

This also, or so I think, brings Sheamus and Ludwig closer together.

Moby-Dick

The world is turning to Dirty D and Liv Morgan. But now Zelina Vega wants a ride and that adds another fun element.

Liv, thanks to her gifts, has fun with Judgment Day. Well, everyone in the group except Damian. She gave them a PS5 and a Tag Team Championship match! Oh, and she might be sending nudes to Dom. I’m not picking sides or anything, but the woman does enough for me.

But how does Zelina take the drama into account? Easy: She (rightly) reminded Liv that she didn’t defend this championship because she was so focused on getting “dirty D’s” and “sloppy seconds.” This fit perfectly into the LWO/Judgment Day beef, especially Rey Mysterio vs. Dom. And if you’re wondering how Dom managed to have a match with his dad next week, you can thank Liv for that too.

Liv delivered later in the series when she helped JD McDonagh and Finn Balor win the tag team championships. That’s when I realized she wasn’t just going after Dom; Liv wants to become the new mother of Judgment Day. Carlito thinks she’s cool while JD and Finn have no complaints at the moment. Only Dom and Damian remain, who might not even be in the group in a few weeks.

This story just keeps getting better while blending in cleverly with other stories. No complaints from me even if I wanted to.

The Gentleman

Damian’s championship defense against Seth Rollins at Money in the bank just got a lot more interesting. If Damian wins, then Seth will never fight for the World Heavyweight Championship as long as Damian holds the belt. But what if Seth wins? Well, the champion leaves Judgment Day.

I liked the psychology between these two during this back and forth. They expressed mutual respect while taking a few photos. Seth’s arguments are probably the hardest because they ring true: Damian says he doesn’t need any help, but without help he’s probably no longer champion. Damian showed his arrogance when he accepted Seth’s Gentlemen’s Agreement. Not by winning the match but, again, by expressing that the group needs him more than he does. This isn’t the first time he’s said it, but this might be the moment he pays the price.

That said, I don’t know how this happens. On the one hand, Damian coming out of Judgment Day arouses my curiosity, even if I don’t think it’s the right time for his release. And I think they can get out of Seth never fighting for this championship pretty quickly since I still allowed GUNTHER to win the title at Summer Slam. It’s the way to give Damian a big victory over Seth, keep the tension bubbling on Judgment Day, and free Seth to fight for that belt whenever the story demands it.

Simple

• Lyra Valkyria has qualified for the women’s Money in the Bank match. Very cool triple threat between her, Kari Sane and Shayna Baszler. Everyone looked good but Lyra really impressed me. I still think her personality is too simple, Jane, but she gets big spots and does her thing.
• The Alpha Academy story incorporated last week’s beating and changed Chad’s mind. I’m really invested in this story and Otis continues his great work. Maxxine also shined by giving Chad a heart-to-heart, but it’s clear that Number One isn’t accepting Chad’s apology. Is he sincere? Did he apologize just because he’s one man against a bunch of psychopaths? It seems the crew formerly known as Diamond Mine are about to find out since Ivy Nile and the Creed Bros. apparently gave their support.
• Karrion Kross beat Kofi Kingston thanks to AOP and Paul Ellerling giving Xavier Woods all the backstage hands in the world. This played on Kofi’s weakness and Karrion took advantage of it. I still don’t know if they’re really breaking up New Day, but it’s clear they need some…big…help.

Once again, Raw delivers a stellar episode. No wrestling for the sake of wrestling, and each match grew into something bigger. The show was so packed I didn’t even hear Drew McIntyre threaten Adam GM! These three hours flew by and I love the red brand hot sequence. The jury’s still out on the Wyatt Sicks, but other than that, everything else gets to me.

What do you say, Cagesiders?