WWE Raw Results: Braun Strowman Turns Heel and Top Takeaways

Hailing from Toronto this week, WWE Raw featured a heavy amount of wrestling and several surprises along the way. In particular, this was the first full night with The Shield back together since Dean Ambrose's injury in December.

Roman Reigns opened the show to challenge Braun Strowman face-to-face, but The Monster Among Men had a different plan. After officially announcing he would challenge the universal champion at Hell in a Cell on September 16, he allied with Drew McIntyre and Dolph Ziggler to even the odds.

The Shield's fighting spirit was a big factor on the show as a whole as Seth Rollins once more set up an open challenge that was answered by Kevin Owens. After a fantastic match, The Architect won and KO did the unthinkable by quitting the company.

Elsewhere on the program, Baron Corbin abused his power in his first night as acting general manager by cheating his way to a win against Finn Balor, proving these next few weeks with The Lone Wolf in control could be terrible for the Irishman.

Trish Stratus also returned but in a somewhat mediocre appearance that did not do a great job building up her match with Alexa Bliss at Evolution in October.

These were the biggest moments of a night that may have changed the whole brand, leading to some interesting takeaways on where Raw could be heading in the near future.

WWE Turns Braun Strowman Heel for the Sake of Roman Reigns

When The Shield assaulted Strowman on Raw last week, it left him wondering who could have his back. The answer came at the end of Raw when The Monster Among Men aligned with Ziggler and McIntyre to assault The Big Dog, catching a weary and fatigued Ambrose and Rollins off guard and unable to even the odds.

The teaming of Strowman, Ziggler and McIntyre on paper is a powerhouse that works well to combat The Shield. In stature, they look more imposing than their more accomplished rivals. The problem is The Monster in the Bank should not be a heel.

Similar to the last heel turn in WWE by Becky Lynch, fans were all behind Strowman while they have always been mixed on Reigns. The company should rally behind face talent that is universally accepted as it is always much harder to get over as a face than a heel.

It could be argued Strowman is in the right here. He needed help because he saw Reigns' Shield alliance as an unfair advantage, and he found two men more than willing to support him. He could even turn face again once he wins the title, denouncing their actions.

However, this whole situation reeks of WWE meddling. Strowman could have found allies to work with him who were not heinous villains. He had two clear friends in the back who would have fit the role perfectly in Balor and Bobby Lashley, even if they are currently busy with Corbin.

Acting General Manager Baron Corbin Will Stall Finn Balor's Run

Corbin did not waste time abusing his power on Raw, booking himself in a match with Balor only to change the rules on the fly.

After he realized he could not win, he struck The Extraordinary Man with a steel chair and restarted the bout as No Disqualification match for an easy End of Days pinfall victory.

The acting general manager is a young heel, who is also actively competing on the roster. It makes complete sense he would use his power to promote himself as much as possible. This angle with Corbin is a refreshing but hopefully only temporary use of the GM role.

While it would just get frustrating over time, it would be even worse if it went too long for Balor. The former universal champion seemed to get his momentum back last week, but there's no way he will be allowed to pick up wins with his rival in control.

The Constable had to win here because it wouldn't make sense otherwise, but the Irishman needs to keep getting victories if he is to return to title contention. Sure, he took Reigns to his limit last week, but that won't mean much if no one sees him as a winner especially without The Demon.

Lashley may also suffer under this new regime, but he has the benefit of being more physically impressive in stature, as proved by his quick dismantling of both members of The Ascension in his supposedly unfair Handicap match.

Kevin Owens Quits WWE Out of Frustration

Owens put on one of the most impressive athletic performances of his WWE career against Rollins, only to still lose. He then quit the company. It was the culmination of months of embarrassment at the hands of Strowman.

KO looked great against the intercontinental champion in easily the best match of the night. The two went all out in a contest that could have fit right at the top of SummerSlam. It was a reminder of just how good The Prizefighter can be.

However, he has spent too many months getting embarrassed by The Monster Among Men, playing a largely comedic role on the brand. When he was squashed at SummerSlam, it left him without momentum and impossible to take seriously.

Quitting is the story he needs to quickly return to the spotlight. Raw lacks top heels, and the current version of Owens is not cutting it. When KO comes back, he needs to bring a more serious edge to his actions.

When Owens debuted in NXT, he immediately became the destroyer that made him a household name outside of the major promotion. It is the role he is best at playing, but he fell out of it because he's a naturally entertaining performer. Hopefully he can return to his roots once more.

Seth Rollins (and Reigns) Are Changing Raw with Frequent Open Challenges

Credit: WWE.com

When The Shield reformed last week, it seemed like Reigns, Rollins and Ambrose were creating an unstoppable alliance to keep the championships in their hands. However, it seems more likely that Reigns and Rollins will lose their titles soon with their frequent open challenges.

Last time Rollins held the WWE Intercontinental Championship, he defended it almost every week until it caught up to him with Ziggler taking the title. This week, he started over, defending his title against Owens and barely emerging victorious.

Reigns has also promised open challenges for his belt going forward, allowing Balor and Strowman the first shots at his world title. Open challenges have become more common in recent years, and they often are the right move to make WWE television more exciting.

Reigns vs. Balor was a fantastic clash in the main event last week, and Rollins vs. KO followed suit as a showstealer on a wrestling-heavy night. If one member of The Shield is having a top-notch Raw match every week, it will be much easier to enjoy the show.

While Reigns will likely be entirely focused on The Monster Among Men for the time being, Rollins' plate is clear for all challengers, and he can keep putting on great matches every week if he gets the chance—as long as he's not preoccupied with his duties as a member of The Shield.

Trish Stratus' Return Showcases a Lack of Foresight by WWE

With Raw in Toronto, Trish Stratus made her hometown return to a WWE ring to begin tuning up for WWE Evolution on October 28. However, her first concern was not her opponent, Bliss, but rather Elias. She slapped The Drifter and sent him running after the musical icon made multiple sexist comments.

While Stratus stayed for the Alicia Fox vs. Natalya match that followed and sent The Goddess and a now-healthy Mickie James backing up into the crowd to make the fight fair, this was an odd use of Canada's Greatest Export in building toward Evolution.

If the plan was always for the WWE Hall of Famer to return in her home city, it would have made a ton of sense to have this week's Raw be the moment she and Bliss announced their match. It would have been a huge moment rather than the flat double segment she had on the actual show.

The build to Evolution has been slow, and Stratus' appearance should have jump-started that momentum. Instead, it felt like a wasted opportunity.