{"id":329471,"date":"2026-05-05T09:31:48","date_gmt":"2026-05-05T04:01:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/?p=329471"},"modified":"2026-05-05T09:31:48","modified_gmt":"2026-05-05T04:01:48","slug":"3-things-we-hated-3-things-we-loved","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/2026\/05\/05\/3-things-we-hated-3-things-we-loved\/","title":{"rendered":"3 Things We Hated & 3 Things We Loved"},"content":{"rendered":"
Welcome to Wrestling Inc.’s weekly review of “WWE Raw,” the show that after again ended with Jacob Fatu punking Roman Reigns ahead of their World Heavyweight Championship match at Backlash! The WINC staff has some thoughts on that principal event segment, in addition to a ton of stuff that preceded it, from Sol Ruca clashing with Becky Lynch to Oba Femi kicking off his open challenge by tossing Alpha Academy’s Otis around like he was Rey Mysterio.<\/p>\n
As all the time, we’re not covering all the things on this column \u2014 for a comprehensive and unbiased take a look at all the things that went down in Omaha on Monday night, try our 5\/4\/26 “Raw” results page. What we are able to offer you here is our opinions in regards to the parts of the show that stood out to us essentially the most, whether in a positive or a negative way.\u00a0So without further ado, listed below are three things we hated and three things we loved in regards to the 5\/4\/26 episode of “WWE Raw!”<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
\n
Hated: Deja vu (yet in some way worse than the primary time)<\/h2>\n
This week saw the rematch of the match nobody ever asked for between JD McDonagh and Finn Balor, with all of the milquetoast accoutrements of a Judgment Day member’s match.\u00a0<\/p>\n
McDonagh is a very good wrestler despite the *gestures at him* and the in-ring portion was all the time going to be quite good, because it was during last week’s show. But there was zero reason for them to return at it just per week later apart from TKO releasing everyone else on the roster because they’re\u00a0really<\/em>\u00a0cash-strapped for the time being.\u00a0<\/p>\n
There was a vaguely interesting thread beforehand, with Liv Morgan asking why Roxanne Perez didn’t tell her about her little impromptu meeting with Balor backtage last week. She then made Perez promise she would never let anyone get between the family, and sure enough Perez emerged through the match to deliver a bit of little bit of jeopardy in that regard. She was eventually joined by Morgan as the whole lot of Judgment Day ultimately wound up at ringside, with Michael Cole floating the concept that Morgan was there to keep watch over Perez and be certain her loyalties were true. But then eventually all was clear in its most mundane way.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Dominik Mysterio tried to interfere one too persistently and got caught by the referee, who opted to throw just\u00a0<\/em>Mysterio out relatively then disqualifying McDonagh. Raquel Rodriguez, Morgan, and Perez remained at ringside. And, predictably, as Balor went to complete the match off, Morgan climbed up onto the apron, entered a staring contest with the referee, threw a bell hammer to Perez behind her who then ran over to the opposite apron and struck Balor with it to cost him the match.\u00a0<\/p>\n
To be clear, the referee was staring right at Morgan as she struggled to tug the weapon from her sleeve, threw it to Perez in full view of the referee, and Perez ran to the opposite side while, again, in full view of the referee. It has been years of finishes like this in the case of Judgment Day, all the time a screwy finish that insults the intelligence of everyone involved. It’s sickeningly boring. And McDonagh won, which implies we at the moment are probably doomed to a 3rd edition of the match we never asked for on the very least.<\/p>\n
Written by Max Everett<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
\n
Loved: Sol Ruca heads toward Intercontinental title match<\/h2>\n
When Sol Ruca told Becky Lynch that she came upon that Lynch is precisely who people say she is during their segment tonight, my first thought was, “Yes, good, people often say that Lynch is desperate to help put talent over” and I absolutely love that for Ruca. She debuted in a giant way a pair weeks ago, even in a loss to Women’s World Champion Liv Morgan, and it might be nice to see her go over Lynch and win the Women’s Intercontinental Championship so early into her principal roster run.<\/p>\n
After General Manager Adam Pearce introduced Ruca, following a brief and sweet video package about all her accomplishments in “WWE NXT,” in addition to her incredible Royal Rumble performance this yr, and after Ruca had her “Raw” contract in hand, Lynch’s music hit. She said she had the timeslot for a celebration for herself, which Ruca immediately shut down. Sure, she’s not the strongest on the mic just yet, especially up against a powerhouse like Lynch, but she’s making a valiant effort and it really shows.<\/p>\n
She said everyone thinks, and now she knows, that Lynch is a “rude, big-headed b****” and “it is not just me saying it,” which was a pleasant touch. Lynch went to deck her one, but by accident hit Pearce as a substitute of Ruca. I also liked that aspect. Since Pearce is already beyond fed up with Lynch, this is simply going to work more in Ruca’s favor, and I’m sure he’s just going handy her a title match. I do not know if she’ll win it off her first try, but I’m greater than willing to observe just a few matches between these two women.<\/p>\n
At the top of the segment, Ruca went to hit her Sol Snatcher. She slipped a bit of on the ropes, but I didn’t even mind that. She recovered rather well and hit the move, which is all the time going to look off if the camera angle is not only right, and moved on. That is something I actually really like about Ruca \u2014 she’s incredible within the ring, but when she slips up in promos or slips on the ropes, she just recovers so well and you do not see it in her face in any respect. She commits to all the things and tries hard, and I’m just such a fan of hers. She got a terrific crowd response tonight up against Lynch, and I feel WWE should pull the trigger and provides her the title.<\/p>\n
Written by\u00a0Daisy Ruth<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
I’m not going to take up an excessive amount of of your time here, because my argument is pretty easy: It’s unacceptable to run an episode of wrestling television in 2026 with out a women’s match, and every time I see it, I’m going to call it out.<\/p>\n
Now, did the ladies of “WWE Raw” do stuff on the show? Yes. Sol Ruca got into it with Becky Lynch, the ladies of The Judgment Day (which is largely a female stable with some honorary male members at this point) got to loaf around ringside and featured in multiple backstage segments, and there was a cinematic sit-down between Asuka and IYO SKY. So I’m not arguing that ladies were ignored on this system.<\/p>\n
That said, that is wrestling, and these women are wrestlers. They need to get to wrestle, and on two-plus hours of wrestling programming, there ought to be AT LEAST one women’s match. Not simply because equality is a very good thing but because (cover your eyes now, snowflakes) women like SKY,\u00a0Roxanne Perez, Lyra Valkyria and Bayley are higher wrestlers than Joe Hendry, Austin Theory, and any of the six white men who placed on luchador masks tonight. So yeah, I’d relatively see them get TV matches, not simply because they’re women, but because they rule. Parking all of them on the bench for even one week ought to be considered criminal behavior \u2014 or on the very least, it doesn’t make for a very good wrestling show.<\/p>\n
Written by Miles Schneiderman<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
\n
Loved: A stellar tag team match<\/h2>\n
\n
For a tag team match that I didn’t really care that much about or wasn’t particularly looking forward to going into it, Ethan Page, Rusev, Je’Von Evans, and Penta really captured my attention by putting on considered one of my two favorite things to come back out of this edition of “Raw” (with the opposite being Sol Ruca’s confrontation with Becky Lynch).<\/p>\n
From start to complete, the motion throughout this contest kept me engaged with its fast pacing, high flying nature, and the talent of all 4 men who were involved in it. I discovered that it in some way just kept recuperating with all the things that every one 4 men did, and was really fun to observe play out. I appreciated that there was actually some story behind this match relatively than being some random tag match, because it worked to assist add to my interest in all the things.<\/p>\n
Having Page be the one to pin Penta was a terrific move, because it sets up Page to be a legitimate threat to Penta’s Intercontinental Championship should WWE decide to have a title match between the pair down the road. It’s a straightforward way for WWE to present Page a reason for why he should challenge without having to do an excessive amount of, and makes him look good as someone who continues to be newer to many fans and the “Raw” roster. I also didn’t mind Rusev cheating by sending Penta crashing into the announce desk, because it suits consistent with Page and Rusev’s heel characters to make for a reasonably compelling ending to a implausible match.<\/p>\n
Written by Olivia Quinlan<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
While Oba Femi looked impressive as heck during his match within the “Oba Femi Open Challenge” against Otis tonight, throwing his fellow big man around prefer it was nothing and even in some way getting him up for the Fall From Grace, I can not help but query where the heck WWE goes with Femi. This open challenge would have made sense ahead of his WWE WrestleMania 42 match against Brock Lesnar, to prove some extent before taking up “The Beast Incarnate,” but immediately, it just feels directionless.<\/p>\n
And that is something that Femi kind of just about admitted to in his promo last week, when he noted that there have been others already tied up in the highest title scene. While I’m all for saying the quiet part out loud to at the very least acknowledge it, and I’m definitely all for Femi being on TV every week, I simply can’t help but dislike it. I suppose tonight we at the very least got Otis within the ring with “The Ruler” as a substitute of Akira Tozawa, nevertheless it’s hard to assume where we go from here.<\/p>\n
There are many other mid-card stars from each brands who would have been effective opponents for Femi (Damian Priest involves mind immediately, for whatever reason), but I suppose squash matches are what creative is trying to perform here. I’m just wondering what number of guys Femi has to run through, and the way long that is actually sustainable before it starts getting ridiculous, before someone like a Priest or LA Knight steps as much as him. His win streak going from Lesnar, to Otis, to whoever else, like a Tozawa, seems a bit silly.<\/p>\n
I suppose I ought to be joyful that on the very least, Femi beat Lesnar and I’m not currently apprehensive about what he will do now coming off after a giant loss like that. The Oba Femi Open Challenge to me immediately is a giant shrug and “I suppose it could all the time be worse,” and I just want more for this mega star, and I’m sure a variety of fans agree.<\/p>\n
Written by Daisy Ruth<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
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Loved: Jacob Fatu and Roman Reigns get personal<\/h2>\n
Contract signings almost all the time go the identical way: talk a bit of, someone signs the contract, more trash talk, things get physical. Occasionally it is a brawl, sometimes it’s some fisticuffs, and sometimes someone goes through a table. Through the signing for Roman Reigns and Jacob Fatu, I expected at the very least one. I got greater than that.<\/p>\n
What stood out essentially the most (well, besides Reigns gasping for breath and slobbering when the show went off the air) was the promos. The “OTC” is great on the mic, especially when he’s gaslighting a member of the family. Fatu is sweet on the mic too. Reigns was furious with Fatu for using the Tongan Death Grip. He explained to Fatu that you simply only use it while you’re desperate and never<\/em> on your loved ones. Fatu said that he looks like it’s just him on his own and his back is against the wall. He promised to beat Reigns and put “this game in a chokehold and squeeze out every dollar and each cent just the way in which this company has been doing our family for many years.”<\/p>\n
Reigns retorted that he’s been “grinding for over a decade for multiple households. You are apprehensive about seven kids? I’m apprehensive about 170 kids that fill our family. You are apprehensive about education? I’m apprehensive about generation after generation of upper education because I can do this. This company desires to do business with me<\/em>.” It was an intriguing approach to mix real life family dynamics right into a storyline that is stretched over years and thru multiple relations. Fatu is eager to prove himself and to earn a title that he thinks he must have equal power.<\/p>\n
Fatu locked within the Tongan Death Grip again and Reigns was the desperate one. He was struggling to breathe and wildly grabbing at Adam Pearce for help. Fatu put Reigns through a table that did not break and he went sliding off. Fans weren’t chanting for his or her Tribal Chief that they acknowledged earlier within the segment, but for Fatu. Fatu did something that is hard to do with Reigns by making him look weakened \u2014 and more importantly, beatable.<\/p>\n
Written by Samantha Schipman<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/article><\/div>\n
WWE Welcome to Wrestling Inc.’s weekly review of “WWE Raw,” the show that after again ended with Jacob Fatu punking Roman Reigns ahead of their World Heavyweight Championship match at Backlash! The WINC staff has some thoughts on that principal event segment, in addition to a ton of stuff that preceded it, from Sol Ruca […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":329472,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[338],"tags":[12513,8818],"class_list":["post-329471","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sports","tag-hated","tag-loved"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/329471","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=329471"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/329471\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":329474,"href":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/329471\/revisions\/329474"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/329472"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=329471"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=329471"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=329471"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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![\"Sol](\"https:\/\/www.wrestlinginc.com\/img\/gallery\/wwe-raw-542026-3-things-we-hated-3-things-we-loved\/loved-sol-ruca-heads-toward-intercontinental-title-match-1777953031.jpg\")
![\"Asuka](\"https:\/\/www.wrestlinginc.com\/img\/gallery\/wwe-raw-542026-3-things-we-hated-3-things-we-loved\/hated-simply-unacceptable-1777953031.jpg\")
![\"Referee](\"https:\/\/www.wrestlinginc.com\/img\/gallery\/wwe-raw-542026-3-things-we-hated-3-things-we-loved\/hated-lack-of-direction-for-oba-femi-1777953032.jpg\")
![\"Jacob](\"https:\/\/www.wrestlinginc.com\/img\/gallery\/wwe-raw-542026-3-things-we-hated-3-things-we-loved\/loved-jacob-fatu-and-roman-reigns-get-personal-1777953032.jpg\")