WWE Raw Results: Biggest Winners, Losers and Moments from May 1

The May 1 episode of Raw should have represented the beginning of fresh new storylines and brought with it an energy that inspired excitement for the future of the brand. While new rivalries were introduced and several talented Superstars were spotlighted, there was far too much not to like about the show.

The Intercontinental Championship was prominently featured but not in a way that put it over as anything but a secondary title.

Cesaro and Sheamus explained their heel turn at Payback but did so in a manner that hurt them right out of the gate.

Then there was Bray Wyatt, whose activities Monday night may have inspired hope for a sustained main event push but, in reality, only served to set up audiences for disappointment in the future.

TJ Perkins and Alexa Bliss stood out as the night's most significant winners, but unfortunately for them, it was not enough to erase what was a puzzling, disappointing post-pay-per-view offering from WWE.

In the wake of the WWE Creative misstep, relive Monday's broadcast and find out why the Superstars, titles and idea that sparked both good and bad vibes did so en route to status as biggest winners or losers.

Loser: The WWE Intercontinental Championship

Some will look at Monday's Raw and the Triple Threat main event between Finn Balor, The Miz and Seth Rollins to determine the No. 1 contender to Dean Ambrose's Intercontinental Championship as some sort of elevation of the secondary title.

Fans making that claim will conveniently forget that both Rollins and Balor expressed a desire to challenge for the Universal Championship and were only added to that marquee bout at the insistence of Kurt Angle. They settled for that title, not because they wanted to but because the real object of their affection was nowhere to be found.

In no way does that heighten the significance of the IC title. Instead, it reminds fans that it is the second-most-important title on the brand and one that Superstars only seek because Brock Lesnar is not around every week to defend his bigger, bolder and more important strap.

That the title has revolved around Ambrose and The Miz for the better part of two years—and will continue to do so—does not help matters.

What could have been a big night for the title was, instead, another not-so-subtle reminder that it is, was and forever will be inferior to the major singles title.

Winner: TJ Perkins

For too long, TJ Perkins was presented as the obnoxious nerd you meet at Zumiez in your local mall. He was the kid wearing the obscure anime shirt with a pound of hair gel maintaining his ridiculous hairstyle. Worst of all, he was presented as a babyface despite being the exact opposite of what a majority of wrestling fans can relate to.

That changed recently with his alignment with Neville. Yet despite the heel turn, he continued to lack the aggression and intensity that catapults most heels to the next level.

That ended Monday night when a frustrated Perkins attacked Austin Aries following a loss and left him writhing in pain following the kneebar. For the first time in his WWE career, he exhibited traits that suggested he could be more than the sarcastic millennial whose knack for dabbing makes the WWE Universe want to punch him in the throat. 

Perkins will benefit exponentially from discovering that side of himself, even if he remains essentially the same character. It adds a dimension to him that he was missing and will help him evolve into a better worker in the coming weeks and months, especially as he works with an increasingly angry Aries, who is looking to dethrone Neville and avenge the beatdown from TJP Monday night.

Losers: Cesaro and Sheamus

One night after an inspired heel turn that saw Cesaro and Sheamus brutally attack and lay out The Hardy Boyz, fans eagerly awaited the explanation for their actions. Instead of literally anything else, the devious duo took to the squared circle and told the world the reason for their shocking change in attitude: The fans made them do it.

Yes, the tired old assignment of blame for a heel turn.

Sheamus and Cesaro cited the WWE Universe's reaction for Matt and Jeff Hardy at WrestleMania and the fact that they stole the important moment out from underneath the Swiss Superstar and Celtic Warrior in the process.

It was the fans' fault, they reasoned, that they had to drop sportsmanship and do what they did Sunday night at Payback.

Of all of the potential reasons for turning heel, it was the laziest imaginable and killed heat for the heels. Sure, it works momentarily, but in the grand scheme of things, the two are bad guys only because the fans hurt their feelings.

It is weak, ineffective and comically bad. Moreover, it will do nothing to help elevate the tandem in terms of credibility or legitimacy.

There is still time to correct the mistake, but for now, Monday's Raw will be remembered for the massive blunder WWE Creative made with the booking of its new lead heel tag team.

Winner: Alexa Bliss

Alexa Bliss and her Five Feet of Fury took over Raw from the outset Monday night as she arrived for her championship coronation. Immediately, she took shots at Charlotte, Mickie James, Sasha Banks and Bayley, setting up a brawl that led to a huge eight-woman tag team match.

Once the action started, Bliss was once again spotlighted, raking the eyes of former champion Bayley and delivering a DDT to pick up the win for the heels.

Little Miss Bliss was presented to the WWE Universe as the lead heel in the women's division, a Superstar the likes of which WWE Creative is prepared to build the entire female roster around on Monday nights. Rightfully so. Her character work has been phenomenal. Her mic skills were highlighted on Raw, proof of her ability to carry the division aside from her in-ring contributions. 

Bliss may not be the most experienced wrestler of the current crop of Raw women, but she has something they do not: an on-screen personality that will more than make up for weaknesses elsewhere in her presentation.

She demonstrated as much Monday night, leading to her status as one of the night's biggest winners.

Losers: Bray Wyatt Fans

Bray Wyatt fans: You think The Reaper of Souls is finally going to get that headlining push that sees him achieve sustained main event success at the top of WWE's flagship show, don't you?

"Oh, he's so good at promos, and his character is so unique," you say. You finish up supporting your argument by pointing to his exchange with Kurt Angle Monday night and his interference in the main event, where he laid out Finn Balor and jumpstarted a rivalry with the leader of the Balor Club, but you miss the most significant point: This is but another tease of greatness in a long line of them.

You finish up supporting your argument by pointing to his exchange with Kurt Angle Monday night and his interference in the main event, where he laid out Finn Balor and jumpstarted a rivalry with the leader of the Balor Club, but you miss the most significant point: This is but another tease of greatness in a long line of them.

Wyatt's career to this point has been defined by red-hot pushes that end in ice-cold demotions. He is heated up in order to work with a brand's top babyfaces, gets beat in the blowoff match or wins via convoluted methods, and is no better than he was entering the program.

Wyatt fans have watched the pattern play out countless times yet still feel this sense of excitement every time it appears as though he is in line for another massive push.

Face facts, fans: It is not happening. His program with Balor is being set up to push The Demon at the expense of Wyatt, and it will end exactly as all of the others do. Balor will excel and ascend. Wyatt will lose, and his status on Raw will be no better, probably worse, than it was before.