The Problem with CM Punk vs. Jey Uso Feud, Wasting LA Knight, More WWE Raw Fallout

The October 27 edition of Raw on Netflix from the Honda Center in Anaheim, California featured major faceoffs and action ahead of Saturday Night's Main Event.

CM Punk and Jey Uso exchanged their final words ahead of their match for the World Heavyweight Championship at Saturday Night's Main Event.

Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss again successfully defended the Women's Tag Team Championships against Bayley and Lyra Valkyria. Afterward, Asuka and Kairi Sane attacked the titleholders.

After claiming they were next up for a world title shot, Bron Breakker and LA Knight fought, ending in a Spear by The Badass.

Roxanne Perez defeated Nikki Bella, before Stephanie Vaquer stepped up to protect the Hall of Famer from Raquel Rodriguez and side with Bella in the ongoing battle with The Judgment Day.

This was an important night before SNME, setting the stage for major title matches to come.

WWE Has Set Up CM Punk and Jey Uso to Fail

There will be a new world champion at the end of Saturday Night's Main Event this weekend, yet the hype is noticeably lacking for the upcoming clash.

CM Punk vs. Jey Uso does not feel like a long-awaited collision of top stars or a chance to crown a deserving rising star. Instead, it feels like two reliable hands hoping for a chance to carry the torch for a while.

The story between these two is subpar, hampered by an anticlimactic win for Uso last week and a lackluster face-to-face to start Raw this week.

On one hand, Punk's revenge has been stalled, and winning the World Heavyweight Championship again would happen in spite of Seth Rollins rather than by beating him.

On the other, Jey is running on back-up Roman Reigns hype, fueled by the repeated statement that he is simply trying to be like The OTC.

The Best in the World does not have the same edge he carried during and right after his feud with Drew McIntyre.

Jey is still popular but not nearly the company-carrying babyface he was on the road to WrestleMania. It does not help that Main Event's title reign was short-lived and forgettable.

When two faces fight for the same gold, the question should be: Who should I root for? It shouldn't be: Why should I root for either?

It does not help that both Bron Breakker and LA Knight are waiting in the wings, never getting a chance at a top title reign, and both could have easily been involved in this angle instead.

WWE Devalues LA Knight Again

How does WWE create true top stars? The recipe begins with fan investment. Highlight the talent while finding something people can latch onto.

It could be a crowd chant or motion, flashy actions in the ring, a unique look or presentation, even just a flashy promo style.

Once a name has caught on with the crowd, the goal should be to put them in a position to utilize their talents and prove their upside. From there, it takes just one big opportunity to make or break a star.

LA Knight is one of those guys who has caught on in multiple ways. He is charismatic with a catchy style and in-ring flair that invests audiences. At this point, he has delivered enough in key spots to have earned a shot to work at the highest level.

So, why is The Megastar losing a one-off TV match without build when he is supposedly on the hunt for the world title?

Bron Breakker is a higher priority than Knight, but both could have benefited from an opportunity near the top of the card while Rollins is out.

Instead, WWE has failed to capitalize on Knight's popularity time and again, and even the best stars fall out of favor when WWE is repeatedly telling fans to no longer care.

Knight is already fourth in the pecking order for world title opportunities, maybe even fifth. His loss to Breakker solidified how unlikely it is he will win gold any time soon.

Stephanie Vaquer Doesn't Need Nikki Bella's Help

Nikki Bella has found a reliable role on Raw as a veteran who can lose to rising stars to help elevate their stock.

She did so on Raw, falling to Roxanne Perez in a solid match that made clear how good The Prodigy truly is.

The only problem is that WWE insists on also pairing Nikki with Stephanie Vaquer as her veteran support. While Nikki as a mentor and manager is a solid concept, she and Vaquer do not make much sense together.

La Primera and Raquel Rodriguez had a memorable staredown, teasing a Women's World Championship match to come, only to be interrupted by Bella.

This feels like the inevitable trend to come as long as Vaquer and Bella work together, and it only hurts La Primera.

She can stand on her own two feet and has gained consistent crowd support without the help of any veterans of the past.

WWE should try pairing Bella with talent that need a boost more like Maxxine Dupri, Candice LeRae, B-Fab or Michin.

Vaquer is better off as the unrelenting threat to the women's division who does not need help to succeed.

Women's Tag Division Finally Showing Life Again

No division has struggled more in WWE since its inception than the women's tag team division.

Despite some moderate highs, the company has rarely taken the Women's Tag Team Championships seriously. At best, they have been props to push talent toward the top world titles.

However, that viewpoint may be shifting since Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss captured the gold.

The two are delivering in the ring against a variety of opponents, regularly defending the gold on multiple shows.

The main event may have been the best title defense yet for The Queen and The Goddess, capped off by the most dangerous threat yet for the gold.

Asuka and Kairi Sane are the talk of Raw at present, and they are former two-time tag team champions. It is the perfect time to get them chasing the champions.

The Kabuki Warriors can pursue Charlotte and Bliss between brands, hunting for a title shot while telling their story with more names in the mix.

This is a recipe for success, especially with Bayley and Lyra Valkyria also showing their value as a tandem in their title match.

The division is coming together and could use more main event title defense spots to keep this momentum rolling.