Fixing Bobby Lashley and Lio Rush: Tweaks to Ensure Successful Run on WWE Raw

Bobby Lashley and Lio Rush have the potential to be a top heel act on WWE Raw, though it will take some tweaking to ensure they are as successful as they can be.

The two formed their alliance back in September when Rush approached Lashley about being both his manager and his mouthpiece. It was a welcome change for the Lashley character, who had been floundering as a face since returning to WWE earlier in the year.

Meanwhile, it was the perfect opportunity for the extremely talented Rush to shine on a bigger stage than just 205 Live. Lashley and Rush hit it off immediately and it was clear they could go far as unit.

Despite being miscast as babyfaces in the beginning, Lashley and Rush eventually settled into their roles as heels. Rush was already portraying an arrogant villain on 205 Live, whereas Lashley was bland as a babyface and therefore needed to develop more of an aggressive edge.

That was the first step in cementing them as a dominant duo. Lashley received a ton of heat from the crowd on the night he attacked Kevin Owens and put him on the shelf, giving fans a taste of what made him such an entertaining heel in IMPACT Wrestling.

With Rush playing up his client's impressive physique and ordering to annihilate everyone in his path, he has proved to be exactly what Lashley needed to get him the right track to superstardom.

However, a few more things about the act need to be altered in order for them to be taken seriously as a force to be reckoned with on Raw.

Soon after Lashley and Rush paired up, The Man of the Hour began using a live mic during Lashley's matches. Although it was an easy way for him to generate heat from the audience, the shtick quickly became annoying and was more of a hindrance for Lashley than a help.

Thankfully, Rush's live mic gimmick was scrapped starting at Crown Jewel and his promo time was reduced to before and after Lashley's matches. WWE still has a way to go with them, though, including establishing a reason for why they're together and giving them a meaningful feud with someone from the Raw roster.

Credit: WWE.com

For the past month, Lashley and Rush have been at odds with Finn Balor, though Lashley and Balor have shown zero chemistry together in their matches. Lashley defeated the first-ever Universal champion this past week on Raw, hopefully putting a decisive end to their recent rivalry.

At this point, Lashley should continue to climb up the ranks on Raw by setting his sights on the Intercontinental Championship. He and Seth Rollins contested a decent match at Crown Jewel, and if it isn't Dean Ambrose who takes the title from Rollins, Lashley would be a fine candidate as well.

Lashley and Rush are primed for big things on WWE if management can stay the course with them, but first, they must address the issues that have so far held them back from being more than they are.

Graham Mirmina, aka Graham "GSM" Matthews, is an Endicott College alumnus and aspiring journalist. Visit his website, Next Era Wrestling, and "like" his official Facebook page to continue the conversation on all things wrestling.