WWE RAW 5/20/2024: 3 Things We Hated And 3 Things We Loved

Welcome to Wrestling Inc.'s weekly review of "WWE Raw," the show where you occasionally miss the entire first hour because you were busy deciphering QR code puzzles! Shocking, in the column this week, we are going to at least touch on almost everything that happened in the three-hour episode. Not EVERYTHING everything — if you want EVERYTHING everything, go straight to our "Raw" results page, do not pass GO, do not collect $200. But we got some fairly long matches and some storylines running through the entire episode this week, and if nothing else we were able to make the same point about multiple segments, allowing us to rope in some of the stragglers. In this column, for once, you can rest assured that somebody here at WINC had strong feelings about nearly everything this week, which is a rare surprise!

Anyway, did we approve of the wrestlers the red brand is sending to the King & Queen of the Ring finals in Jeddah on Saturday? Do we find ourselves compelled by the story of Alpha Academy, and the widening rift between Chad Gable and Sami Zayn? And most importantly, did Bron Breakker really need to kill that guy so slowly? He could have killed him a little quicker, right? Regardless, here are three things we hated and three things we loved about the 5/20/24 episode of "WWE Raw."

Lyra Valkyria is in the finals of the Queen of the Ring tournament this weekend, and I find that absolutely fantastic. I loved Valkyria in "NXT," and I think she was a solid, yet somewhat surprising, addition to the main roster. She proved herself against Becky Lynch down in the company's developmental brand, winning the NXT Women's Championship from her, so putting her in the tournament up against some heavy hitting "Raw" stars seemed like a no-brainer to me. I was hoping she'd come out against IYO SKY victorious tonight, but I wasn't convinced that she would, so seeing her hand raised at the end of the match was a pleasant surprise to me.

SKY has had her time in the spotlight, and she's so good, it's certain to come around again. Her putting over a new star like Valkyria didn't make SKY seem weak in the slightest, to me. Honestly, I'll probably soon forget who she toppled to get in to the final in Jeddah, and that's not necessarily a bad thing. The two former "NXT" stars had a great match, one of my favorites of the night, that absolutely deserves to be applauded. Valkyria pulled out a few newer moves – like a wicked submission – that I don't think I've seen before, so I was even more impressed with her work in her biggest main roster match to date.

Valkyria is now set to face one of two powerhouses from "SmackDown" in the tournament final, either Bianca Belair or Nia Jax. If we're speculating here, I personally hope she's fighting Belair, but Jax has improved so much in her return to WWE, I wouldn't mind seeing Valkyria face either, either. Between either "SmackDown" competitor, I don't think Valkyria is destined to win it all and wear the crown, but I think she's had a hell of a showing thus far. For anyone who wasn't familiar with her work on "NXT," the Queen of the Ring tournament has been a fantastic showing for her.

I also love the fact Valkyria won on the women's side of things, because Carmelo Hayes and Ilja Dragunov, also both "NXT" call-ups in the 2024 Draft, didn't advance to even the semi-final of the tournament. While I love both Hayes and Dragunov, I was certain he'd be the one to defeat Jey Uso and go on to face GUNTHER in a huge match, but that wasn't the case. I think many of us were expecting that, and for one of the "NXT" guys to be the star of the tournaments, so it's all the sweeter for a huge fan of women's wrestling to see Valkyria come out as the surprise from the developmental brand.

All in all, even if she's not going to win the Queen of the Ring crown, though we may very well be surprised once again, I think the tournament has been nothing but good for this young star. With Lynch still putting her over in backstage segments, as well, I don't think there's a limit to how bright Valkyria's star can shine in the weeks, months, and years to come.

Written by Daisy Ruth

A little over a year ago, the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship changed hands in the main event of WrestleMania. Now that the titles have been split, you'd be hard-pressed to find any "Raw" segment as consistently uninteresting as a tag team championship match, and it's not any better for the women.

Splitting the men's tag titles up again was a positive move in a vacuum, and it should theoretically be leading to more teams getting opportunities. But you can't do any of that if you don't give anybody in the division an actual storyline. On "SmackDown," champions Austin Theory and Grayson Waller are barely there and have defended their titles just once since winning them at WrestleMania almost three months ago. On "Raw," we have the opposite problem — The Miz and R-Truth are overexposed, they have three successful defenses under their belts (plus a trios win alongside John Cena), and the feel-good WrestleMania moment that was R-Truth becoming a champion as a reward for his amazing work with The Judgment Day has rapidly transformed into "why have these guys not lost the titles to a real team yet?"

All you really need to know to understand what I'm saying is this: Monday night, Awesome Truth defended their titles against The Judgment Day, represented by Finn Balor and JD McDonagh. None of their history together mattered, though — the only stories happening here were the one about Carlito trying to join Judgment Day, which is bad and repetitive, and the recurring gag of Truth mistaking current wrestlers for old legends. And because Awesome Truth's over-long entrance routine gets great crowd reactions (and because there just aren't very many established heel teams on "Raw" for them to feud with; maybe it's about time to do that Creed Brothers turn?) there doesn't seem to be much hope of their reign ending any time soon.

Meanwhile, over in the women's tag team division, Jade Cargill and Bianca Belair were roped into the Queen of the Ring tournament immediately after winning the women's tag titles, ironically the exact kind of creative decision that caused Sasha Banks and Naomi to walk out of the company two years ago (almost to the day), leaving those same belts behind them. We're now witnessing the reason Banks and Naomi found the choice so objectionable — it makes the tag titles, and therefore the division, feel unimportant, because the champions don't even care about wrestling as a tag team. So yeah, Shayna Baszler and Zoey Stark won a No. 1 contender's match on "Raw." Who cares? Are they going to win? No. Is there going to be some kind of story involving them? Highly doubtful, as Cargill is probably feuding with Nia Jax now and Belair remains the favorite, in my eyes, to win Queen of the Ring. Having two massive stars holding the tag straps is great if you're actually going to book them as a tag team and use them to elevate the division. If they turn to singles pursuits, the titles become an ornament, and there's no reason to be invested in who's challenging for them.

I'm not saying this can't be turned around, because obviously it can, but at the moment things are bleak in WWE tag team land, which is really something I had hoped to not be saying with Vince McMahon put out to pasture. Do better, Paul.

Written by Miles Schneiderman

I have never been a fan of storylines that involve bullying (as anyone who frequently reads these knows by now) considering that it's 2024 and they feel extremely outdated to me. That being said, something about this Chad Gable and Alpha Academy seems to click and is something I am actually surprisingly excited to see play out.

The developments between Chad Gable and the rest of Alpha Academy on "Raw" were very interesting to see play out, as there are multiple possibilities as to how things could play out. Storylines with clear endings are fun to watch play out, but are predictable and can take away from things. The element of the unknown with Otis helping Gable in his match against Sami Zayn and inviting him to stand in his corner Saturday at WWE King & Queen Of The Ring while Maxxine Dupri and Akira Tozawa refusing to do so allows for fans to wonder what comes next whether that be Otis officially alleging with Gable, turning his back on him, or Dupri and/or Tozawa alleging with Gable in a surprise twist, cerating intrigue with things.

Playing a bully is not an easy role and can go sideways very quickly, but Chad Gable understands his character and his motivations which in turn allows for him to have a portrayal as authentically as possible. It makes all the difference in this storyline and adds to the intrigue and interest of everything. The same can be said for Otis, Dupri, and Tozawa, who are nothing to sleep on and doing excellent jobs in their roles as well.

Written by Olivia Quinlan

Bron Breakker is upset he's not in the King of the Ring tournament, and frankly, I don't blame him. But I also don't blame Adam Pearce's reasoning that he hasn't proven himself on the main roster, *but* that's in part, because he hasn't been given a real chance. Breakker was called up to the main roster (albeit, on "WWE SmackDown") even before the draft, but he's been booked in mostly, if not entirely, squash matches, as compared to "real" competitors. Tonight, Breakker was booked against Kale Dixon, who, after a quick Google search, I found is indeed signed to "WWE NXT." Even his name sounds generic, so I think all of us knew Breakker was going to make quick work of him in yet another squash match tonight.

Breakker didn't even seem to want to make quick work of this guy to start off the match, kind of rolling his eyes in the corner before hitting Dixon with a spear. He also didn't care in the slightest when the referee said the "NXT" talent couldn't continue, Breakker hit him with yet another spear, then a vicious hit with a steel chair while Dixon's head was against the ring steps. Brutal, yet Breakker just didn't care. I know that's how this entire thing was written, to show Breakker's frustrations, but if he's not caring who he decimates, and I don't even know who they are, why should I bother?

I think Breakker is such a great talent, and while I wouldn't go as far as to say he's being mis-used on the main roster, I just think there could be something better for him. Maybe, that's Money in the Bank when that time rolls around next month. I also wouldn't want to see him lose in the King of the Ring tournament, which is absolutely where that would go, but at least he could have a good, strong showing, up against a legitimate talent and bigger name on "Raw." While this may sound like a slight nick-pit on "Raw," I found it rather funny that Breakker is now being booked to disregard his own squash matches, much like the rest of the audience and live crowd. He definitely deserves better, and I truly think he's going to get it, but for now, I hate Breakker seemingly have to beg Pearce to get a legitimate match against a "real," for lack of a better term, talent, on his own level.

Written by Daisy Ruth

Since it was the go-home episode of "Raw," they needed to do a segment with the Women's World Champion and her challenger. Instead of doing a contract signing, they cut a promo with Becky Lynch in the ring and Liv Morgan on the ramp.

WWE was thrown into this situation due to Rhea Ripley's injury, since Morgan seemed to be in line to beat Ripley for the title and thus completing the "Liv Morgan Revenge Tour." Morgan still plans to complete the tour by becoming Women's World Champion; unfortunately, Lynch and Morgan don't seem to have much chemistry. This "battle on the mic," as WWE's social media put it, wasn't much of a battle. Lynch yelled into the mic, attempting to paint her opponent as a chicken because she wouldn't help defend her when Damage CTRL jumped her. Morgan pointed out that it wasn't her business to get involved. Morgan had a solid line when responding to the annoying "what?!" chants by saying they couldn't hear her because "you all have your heads shoved up Becky's ass right now," but Lynch's retort was weak and kind of confusing. And of course, when Lynch attempted to bait Morgan into getting physical right then and there, Morgan declined.

Instead of making me hype for their match, this segment made me glad that it's about to be over with. Assuming Lynch is retaining, she needs to move on to another opponent quickly. No rematch necessary, at least right now. Morgan seems to have her eyes set on Lynch's mentee, Lyra Valkyria, beating her up in the hallway before coming to confront Lynch. If Lynch can find opponents she has better chemistry with, it will make her title reign more interesting.

Written by Samantha Schipman

Following his record-setting, 666-day reign as Intercontinental Champion, we knew huge things were coming soon for GUNTHER and the King of the Ring Tournament made perfect sense as a next step, the star-making event it has always had the potential to be. And when you split a guy from his longtime tag team partner (let alone his twin brother), then literally give him the nickname "Main Event," it's long seemed as though next level stuff has been in store for Jey Uso as well. While the result didn't go his way, Uso's earned that nickname through and through. As for GUNTHER, it sure seems like he's about to adopt a brand new one, as mentioned by Pat McAfee, in "The King General," now poised to secure the crown after chopping his way to victory tonight.

I had my eye on The Bloodline story being furthered at King and Queen of the Ring this weekend with the possibility of an Uso/Tama Tonga final but the win for GUNTHER tells me I likely had both sides of that wrong (as now I would think Randy Orton advances on the "SmackDown" side of things). GUNTHER over a legend like Orton there carries a ton of equity to be transferred to a guy who has built up so much for himself these past few years, rocket-shotting him into the main event picture instantly. My only concern here is the possibility of Uso topping out as an almost top-level guy, though I think there is plenty of creative opportunity out there with him in the form of unfinished business with his brothers (and cousins) and everything else Bloodline-related, and once he makes his way through all that, he's shown he can perform a the top of the card of late, so he could theoretically be plugged right back in anytime there is a need.

And GUNTHER? If my (several times now) amended pick is correct, a King of the Ring win puts him right there at the top and I see him wearing a top-tier title before the end of the year.

Written by Jon Jordan