Wyatt Sicks' Sizzling Debut, Orton Is Perfect Gunther Challenger, More WWE Raw Takes

Hot off an eventful SummerSlam, the August 5 edition of WWE Raw was a wild night that continued the big stories in the company.

The Wyatt Sicks debuted in the ring, with Erick Rowan, Dexter Lumis and Joe Gacy defeating Chad Gable and The Creed Brothers.

Randy Orton confronted Gunther during his World Heavyweight Championship celebration, and the two men agreed to a match at Bash in Berlin on August 31.

Damian Priest and Rhea Ripley fired back at Finn Bálor, Liv Morgan, Dominik Mysterio, JD McDonagh and Carlito. The quintet claimed to be the "new" Judgment Day.

Seth Rollins continued to confront CM Punk alongside Drew McIntyre, but it was Bronson Reed who made the biggest impact when he attacked and injured The Visionary.

This was an important night of action that put WWE on track for an eventful move into the fall.

Wyatt Sicks' In-Ring Debut Was Perfect

The Wyatt Sicks have finally debuted in the ring.

Erick Rowan, Dexter Lumis and Joe Gacy competed at a top level as they delivered a memorable match with Chad Gable and The Creed Brothers.

The presentation of the group was perfect, complete with an entrance that honored Bray Wyatt by carrying on with his theme tune, "Shatter."

Moreover, the action itself highlighted all group members well, showing why this story has legs for years to come. Rowan was also able to further honor his friend, Luke Harper, while competing in his biggest match for many years.

While it would have been ideal for Wyatt Sicks to debut at SummerSlam with this same presentation, everything arrived perfectly Monday night.

Hopefully, each match for the group can land with this much gravity and weight.

Randy Orton is Perfect 1st Challenger for Gunther

As a member of the SmackDown roster, the easy answer for Randy Orton's future was to continue fighting The Bloodline alongside Cody Rhodes and Kevin Owens.

Instead, The Viper made a surprise challenge to Gunther, the world champion of Raw. While the two have history due to a messy result at King and Queen of the Ring, it was a sudden diversion.

This is a contest that is all about Gunther, though. He needs to take the asterisk off his King of the Ring victory, and he needs to beat a challenger who legitimizes his reign.

For much of The Ring General's Intercontinental Championship reign, he was focused on elevating his opponents, fighting rivals who improved through working with him.

His World Heavyweight Championship reign should be about elevating him first. Pit Gunther against former world champions who push him to new heights of brutality.

Orton is one of the all-time greats in WWE. His resume precedes him. Gunther defeating The Viper definitively would further push him to a permanent main event role.

Damian Priest and Rhea Ripley Will Thrive Without The Judgment Day

Damian Priest struggled to sell himself as a major heel with the World Heavyweight Championship, but a face turn will solidify his main event credibility.

While The Archer of Infamy no longer holds a title, the crowd was completely behind him throughout Monday night. He will thrive as the dangerous big man who does not need anyone's help.

By his side, Rhea Ripley is already the top woman on Raw by a wide margin. Liv Morgan may hold the Women's World Championship, but Mami gets the biggest reaction every time.

Priest and Ripley outgrew The Judgment Day before they were ousted. They work so much better only supporting each other rather than holding up lower-level talent.

The pair have established themselves as the present megastars of Raw, next to names such as Drew McIntyre, Seth Rollins and CM Punk. There is no reason to doubt they won't thrive without the group.

Time For Finn Bálor to Prove He's a Main Event Talent

The new-look Judgment Day lost much of its star power in the SummerSlam breakup. The only man with main event credibility is Finn Bálor, but he has not stood at that level for a long time.

The Prince maintained a regular presence on Raw within the group, but he was consistently overshadowed by Damian Priest and Rhea Ripley.

He is now the clear top man in The Judgment Day, though. He has all the power but lacks the star power around him. JD McDonagh is mostly seen as Bálor's understudy, and Carlito is not doing much to move any needles.

Dominik Mysterio and Liv Morgan are telling their own story, hardly interested in the immediate future of the faction.

This is Bálor's chance to be the top guy in WWE. At 43 years old, he is likely on his final contract with the company as a full-time performer. This is his last opportunity.

With a crew closer to comedy acts than top champions around him, the Irishman must be the one who truly steps up.

Seth Rollins Feud is Make-or-Break for Bronson Reed

Bronson Reed has put serious trust in WWE to push him forward over recent years. After an August 2021 release, he found a spot in New Japan Pro-Wrestling where he looked to be on the rise.

Instead, he re-signed with WWE and redebuted in December 2022. While he has worked some quality matches since, he has not gotten a big feud that could push him over the top.

That may be changing finally. His attack on Seth Rollins on Raw made an impact. He came off as a truly dangerous heel, willing to hurt a vulnerable top name to get ahead.

This feud with The Visionary is make-or-break for Reed. If he steps up and delivers a show-stealing performance when it matters most, he can rise to a main event monster heel role in the style of Vader or Yokozuna.

If he can't keep up with Rollins, the 35-year-old will likely return to a midcard role for the rest of his time with WWE.