WWE Raw: How They Have Improved the 3-Hour Format in a Short Time

When WWE announced that Raw was going to be extended to three hours, the decision was immediately met with criticism.

Their token three-hour shows tended to drag as it was, but three hours every week seemed like a death sentence.

In a short time, WWE has gone from not knowing how to fill their new, longer time slot to having solid shows that are well-paced and entertaining.

There have been certain factors which have contributed to the growth of the show in a short time.

CM Punk

The way CM Punk has been booked recently has been very entertaining and is a good sign of WWE knowing how to use the talent he has.

This week's show shocked a lot of people when Paul Heyman showed up at the end to drive CM Punk away from a beaten John Cena.

The encounters with Lawler certainly helped push the heel persona Punk is going to move forward with, and the fact that he still has plenty of fans is a good sign in this era of WWE crowds being split more often than not.

He is being given just the right amount of mic time, and his matches are always top-tier performances. CM Punk has cemented himself at the top of the company as one of the most reliable talents they have on their payroll.

Just the Right Amount of Social Media

WWE has scaled back on the number of mentions they give to social media sites, and the flow they have right now feels just right.

They do not overload us with tweets and touts like they had been doing during the two-hour show towards the end.

We see just a few videos each week now, and the number of times Michael Cole plugs Twitter has gone down significantly.

Making the Most of Non-Wrestling Segments

The recent anger-management videos, as well as the other ways WWE has been using their non-wrestling time, have made WWE a much more enjoyable experience.

The anger-management videos were key to making the last two shows entertaining, and the fact that WWE decided not to push the gimmick too far and end it after two weeks shows that they recognize how a cool idea can get old quickly.

AJ has also contributed well in the GM role, as her character has bounced from stern authoritarian to unhinged with great ease.

Using the right talents in the right places is going to be a major factor in the success of the extended format of the show.

Using More Wrestlers on Commentary to Further Feuds

Even though The Miz was a major highlight to this week's show on commentary, he is not the main reason for this point.

WWE has increased how often wrestlers sit in on commentary during matches, and it has helped to make feuds go for longer periods of time without putting the people in said feuds in too many matches.

The Miz did a great job as Michael Cole's right-hand man during Raw with his quick wit and clear knowledge of the sport from all angles.

He was on point during matches, made funny comments and appeared to really enjoy his time at the table with his biggest fan, Michael Cole.

John Cena Is No Longer the Main Character on an Ensemble Show

The way John Cena has been booked in recent months has been perfect, because we are not getting the high level of Cena screen time we had in the past.

He still gives promos every few weeks, but he no longer opens every show with a long talking head like we were seeing in 2010 and 2011.

Making him into a more human character is helping. He is not winning every match he is in, and he is starting to look more like an equal to guys like Punk than someone who will always be on top of the ladder they all share.

When John Cena does eventually win back the WWE title in the future, it will be interesting to see how he is used.

Surprises Are Always Welcome

Paul Heyman and CM Punk have been two names people have always liked due to the hardcore nature of CM Punk's character and his respect for the ECW product, not to mention that Heyman was one of Punk's biggest supporters early in his WWE career.

Their appearance at the end of Raw was a welcome surprise to those of us who did not know Heyman was in Chicago on Monday, and the possibilities are endless for how they can proceed from here.

Paul Heyman is a valuable talent, even without Brock Lesnar as his main client. Heyman will probably never return to WWE on a full-time basis, but the involvement he will have will no doubt leave a lasting impression.

Pairing Up the Right People for Matches

Raw has featured some great matches in recent weeks, which is always the top reason a show is thought of as above-average.

Randy Orton vs. Dolph Ziggler was a highlight, especially after the match they had the previous week and the matches ZIggler has had with Chris Jericho before that.

WWE is also putting Sin Cara and Rey Mysterio in the same places to boost Sin Cara's standing as a major player in WWE, and it seems to be working.

The tandem had a good tag match on Raw, and WWE would be wise to continue their partnership for a bit longer.

The mid-card titles are getting some decent attention, and the tag-team division seems to be getting better each week.

Things are looking up for WWE, and the booking and creative team deserve credit for being able to put together some fresh matches we are not burnt out on already.

What Does the Future Hold?

WWE has turned the three-hour show into one that is not only watchable, but entertaining—but can they keep it up?

We have seen highs like this before, and WWE usually falls back down just as fast, but sometimes they keep going in the right direction.

Perhaps it is the talents being more vocal about their roles in WWE that is helping. Whatever it is, we do know that we are seeing the result of a lot of combined efforts to make the shows worth watching.

We are always quick to jump on the creative team when something goes wrong, so let's give them credit when things go right for a change.

WWE is doing a good job with their current product, and hopefully things get better from here.