Randy Orton Elevating Gunther, Former Red-Hot Star Needs Reboot, More WWE Raw Takes

As Bash in Berlin approaches, the August 19 edition of WWE Raw continued to sell the key match for the premium live event.

Randy Orton made a statement by defeating Ludwig Kaiser and continuing to fight Gunther man-to-man.

Sheamus stole the show in a physical and personal battle with Pete Dunne that ended with The Celtic Warrior on top.

Jey Uso called his shot to challenge intercontinental champion Bron Breakker, promising to finally capture his first singles title.

Alba Fyre and Isla Dawn managed to retain the WWE Women's Tag Team Championship in a competitive battle with Damage CTRL and Pure Fusion Collective.

While it wasn't the most exciting week for the red brand, key moments shined a light on a bright future for WWE.

Randy Orton Proving to Be Perfect First Rival for World Champion Gunther

Randy Orton again got the better of Gunther this week, putting The Ring General on the back foot heading into Bash in Berlin on Aug. 31.

Fans have rarely seen the Austrian struggle like this in WWE. The Viper is pushing him to prove himself as world champion while selling himself as a genuine threat.

There is no reason why Orton should defeat Gunther, but it's important for the challenger to look like a true credible threat. If fans can believe that The Viper might pull it off, the champion's win will mean so much more.

This feud is proving why The Ring General needed to work with a veteran such as Orton: He is rising to the level of one of WWE's all-time greats.

Sheamus Quietly Putting Together Wrestler of the Year Resume

Cody Rhodes, Roman Reigns, Gunther and Sami Zayn are just a few names in the WWE Wrestler of the Year conversation. Each has multiple matches on a major stage on their resume.

Sheamus has not gotten the same attention, but his in-ring performance may exceed all of the names above, purely from his work on Raw.

His promise in 2024 has been to deliver "banger after banger," and he has done just that. His opponents include:

• Ilja Dragunov and Drew McIntyre
  
• Ludwig Kaiser
• Bron Breakker
• Gunther
• Pete Dunne
  
• Shinsuke Nakamura
  
• Bronson Reed
  
• Ivar
  

What is holding The Celtic Warrior back is a major platform for his work. He and Gunther remain great rivals, and the Irishman could add another banger to the rivalry around the time of Bad Blood or Crown Jewel in the fall.

If the opportunity does not arise, Breakker and Sheamus looked great together on Raw, and The Celtic Warrior would help solidify the reign of the intercontinental champion.

That spotlight may not be enough to push him over the top, but it would help his case. Moreover, Sheamus deserves that chance again.

Jey Uso and Sami Zayn Must Be Reunited as a Tag Team

Jey Uso might be a nice filler challenger for Bron Breakker, but he is again stuck in a story where he is not the focal point.

With each passing week, Jey's popularity is waning. Fans have little reason to believe that he is valued.

At this point, a reset is needed. And luckily, the easiest answer is the obvious one: He should work with Sami Zayn.

They have credibility as a tag team but have not been overused in the role. They would stand out as challengers to world tag team champions Finn Bálor and JD McDonagh. They have a better chance of winning tag team gold than a singles title any time soon.

Pairing the two could also set up the return of Jimmy Uso and a reunion with Roman Reigns at the right time.

Rejoining the Bloodline story might allow Jey to regain his popularity and chase singles gold again in 2025.

WWE Must Go All-In on Alba Fyre and Isla Dawn

The easiest way to make a star is to show they can hang with the established acts. In recent weeks, Alba Fyre and Isla Dawn have stood up against top competitors and kept the WWE Women's Tag Team Championship.

The Unholy Union lacked credibility when they won the gold at Clash at the Castle in their native Scotland. It came off as a temporary move for a crowd pop.

Two months later, though, Dawn and Fyre still hold the gold and have defended it three times on air.

Each successful defense raises the status of the current champions and the title.

It's important to keep this momentum. The Unholy Union must keep defending the gold successfully, even overcoming teams of the caliber of Bianca Belair and Jade Cargill.

If Dawn and Fyre successfully defend the titles through to the end of the year, it will mean so much more when someone does defeat them.

The women's tag team division needs champions with that credibility.

WWE Finally Makes The Judgment Day Look Good Without Rhea Ripley and Damian Priest

The Judgment Day has relied heavily on two names for a long time: Rhea Ripley and Damian Priest.

Turning on both was a dangerous choice for WWE.

However, Finn Bálor and Liv Morgan led an impactful beatdown that finally made the new-look group appear as though they could stand apart from Mami and The Archer of Infamy.

It will still be difficult for Bálor to regain his credibility, but he is taking the proper path to sell himself as a threat right now.

Morgan is also still building her reputation. She will need to stand out beyond Ripley to thrive, but she has had the number of her rival lately.

Dominik Mysterio, JD McDonagh and Carlito may all be treated as lackeys to Bálor and Morgan, but for the first time since they joined forces, they looked dangerous together.

WWE needs to keep this momentum and find more ways to build credibility for the trio of Mysterio, McDonagh and Carlito particularly.