What WWE Must Avoid With Cody Rhodes and Jey Uso as Tag Team Champs, More Raw Takes

The October 9 edition of WWE Raw was a heated show, building off the successes from Fastlane.

Cody Rhodes and Jey Uso stand atop the men's tag team division, defeating Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens in an epic 20-minute main event to successfully defend the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championships.

Seth Rollins met his next challenger, Drew McIntyre, who set their match for Crown Jewel on November 4.

Rhea Ripley put a premature end to the Raquel Rodriguez-Nia Jax match. She hoped to make a statement, but it was Shayna Baszler who stood tall in the end after laying out the women's world champion.

Thanks to an attack from Shinsuke Nakamura on Ricochet, Bronson Reed won a Triple Threat that also included Chad Gable to become the No. 1 contender to Gunther's intercontinental title.

Raw has a chance to build a strong base for an exciting fall season, and this week's show began to set the scene.

Cody Rhodes and Jey Uso Need to Branch Out From Judgment Day Drama

Cody Rhodes and Jey Uso pulled off a shocking victory at Fastlane, setting the stage for a busy run as the undisputed WWE tag team champions.

They have earned the respect of former titleholders Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn on Monday night, and they can put Damian Priest and Finn Bálor behind them next week on Raw.

While the end goal may be to pit Rhodes and Jey against Solo Sikoa and Jimmy Uso of The Bloodline, the tag team division is deep with underutilized talent.

This is the time to elevate that talent. Matches with Alpha Academy, The Street Profits, DIY, Brawling Brutes, Pretty Deadly, The O.C. and LWO are all enticing propositions.

As fun as The Judgment Day have been to watch, their control of Raw has kept many out of the spotlight. The future can be much brighter with the tag team titles out of the group's reach.

Avoid Fatal 4-Way Temptation; Stick With Rhea Ripley vs. Shayna Baszler Title Match

The Raw women's division is focused on a battle of the baddest. Rhea Ripley, Nia Jax, Raquel Rodriguez and Shayna Baszler are in constant conflict.

This sets up a likely Fatal 4-Way match for the Women's World Championship at Crown Jewel or Survivor Series. However, only two names stand out who need to be fighting.

Ripley has controlled the women's division with pure dominance since she was drafted to the brand in April. No one seems to be at her level. While Mami and Jax have history to settle, Baszler is the most legitimate threat to her title reign.

WWE needs to keep this story evolving, developing serious challengers for the Australian. And The Queen of Spades and Ripley had a memorable match in NXT in December 2019.

They will revisit that contest on next week's Raw, but the true goal should be a singles rivalry between the two most dangerous women in WWE. It will give the show a foundational story that could be the best angle on the red brand.

Seth Rollins vs. Drew McIntyre is Next Lengthy Feud For World Heavyweight Champion

Seth Rollins has struggled to stand out as a world champion lately. His World Heavyweight Championship has been overshadowed by Gunther's intercontinental title and everything related to The Judgment Day.

Eventually, Damian Priest will cash in his Money in the Bank briefcase, but until then, the goal should be to elevate The Visionary above just about everyone. Only Rhea Ripley has a claim to greater importance on Raw.

Drew McIntyre can be a fantastic challenger for Rollins. The two have proven chemistry dating back to 2018, especially highlighted by their physical battle at Money in the Bank in 2020.

Especially carried by the slow heel turn of The Scottish Warrior, this can be the biggest angle on Raw for the rest of 2023. WWE should avoid making this a one-and-done at Crown Jewel.

Hopefully, this can also push Rollins into the main event on the red brand again and elevate his standing as champion.

Bronson Reed's Match with Gunther Will Define His Future

Bronson Reed has won the biggest opportunity of his WWE career after earning a chance to dethrone Gunther as intercontinental champion.

It's hard to imagine anyone defeating The Ring General at this moment, but Mr. Nice Guy presents a unique challenge to the Austrian. He has been protected by a powerhouse, and no one has kicked out of his Tsunami.

What matters even more than the finish is what Reed will do with this opportunity. Can he get over as Chad Gable did before him as a challenger to Gunther?

If the stars align for Reed in this title match, he could become a staple heel for years to come. But if the contest makes no serious impact, he may find himself quickly overshadowed by younger stars.

This match will be all or nothing for Reed.