Keith Lee, Randy Orton on Repeat, Murphy Deserves Better, More WWE Raw Fallout

The September 7 edition of WWE Raw was a show on repeat. The same feuds continued on with the matches fans have seen week in and week out. It felt like a throwaway event beyond a few big moments.

Randy Orton and Keith Lee continued to fight without conclusion, as the true focus is The Viper vs. Drew McIntyre. The sooner The Limitless One can escape this angle and venture out on his own, the better he will manage.

Cedric Alexander did the unthinkable. Finally pushed over the edge by events, he turned against Ricochet and Apollo Crews and joined The Hurt Business. After perhaps his best spot since debuting four years ago, he has a chance to rebuild with this opportunity.

Retribution spoke up for the first time. The anarchy group spoke their minds, calling out WWE for discarding them all as cogs in the wheel. It was a necessary step, but the group needs to make more of an impact.

Murphy got a chance to compete solo in the main event, and he had a great showing against Dominik Mysterio. In the end, though, he was once again embarrassed. This will only stop if he goes off on his own away from Seth Rollins.

While much of the show remained too similar, Raw did push forward these key stories, showcasing what the future could hold beyond these overdone angles.

Keith Lee Must Escape the Drew McIntyre vs. Randy Orton Feud to Thrive

Keith Lee vs. Randy Orton was booked once more on Raw. However, after The Limitless One refused to go down to the RKO, Drew McIntyre got involved. This mirrored their first match together but with little added.

Obviously, WWE has big plans for Lee. He fought The Viper three times and was never pinned or submitted. However, these repeated matches are going to bore fans before the newcomer has a chance to prove his worth on the main roster.

The Limitless One has a bright future ahead of him that should be focused on him. He cannot be a sidekick in a WWE Championship feud. So many stars are currently waiting to be used. It's time to consider who else should be feuding with Lee.

The former NXT champion has a built-in feud already set with Dolph Ziggler. Andrade and Angel Garza need to escape The Street Profits. Mustafa Ali could use an actual story, even if the face vs. face dynamic could be tricky.

The longer Lee is stuck defending McIntyre, the worse it looks for all involved. If Orton cannot defeat him but can stop McIntyre, does this guarantee The Limitless One a title shot? It is unlikely the championship would switch hands twice in a matter of months, so Lee would have to lose in the end.

Anyone could be losing to boost The Viper's credibility. Break this party up before someone loses for the sake of Lee.

Cedric Alexander Adds Necessary Youth to The Hurt Business

Cedric Alexander had repeatedly rebuffed the advances of MVP. The Hurt Business wanted him, but it would mean abandoning his friends.

This week, he chose success over his friendship. He beat down Ricochet and Apollo Crews to allow the heels to win a six-man tag team match.

Later, Alexander answered the lingering question. He told the world that he felt like the odd man out. Crews got every title opportunity while he got nothing, and Ricochet made him feel lesser at every turn. The Hurt Business wanted to help him and not keep him down.

This was the perfect move, even if the timing felt off. Alexander's turn and explanation should have been spread out over two weeks. The turn should have meant more, perhaps setting up Crews' loss to Bobby Lashley.

This is the right spotlight for Alexander, who has needed a firmer pedestal to stand on. The Hurt Business also needed him, given the relative age of the stable. At 31 years old, Alexander is younger than the group's next youngest member by 13 years.

He can grow working with this group of dominant performers, hopefully gaining the respect his talent deserves. Hopefully, Ricochet, Crews and even the forgotten Mustafa Ali can get a rub before this story is over.

Retribution Finally Speaks but Still Needs Direction

Retribution took over the broadcast as two men spoke for the stable. They explained that the Thunderdome changed nothing: WWE was still the same soulless promotion that destroyed careers. The group were looking to destroy the foundations.

It was good to finally hear the mantra of the faction. The anarchic group has mostly played as cowardly hooligans to this point. A voice behind the chaos gives some clarity to a story that has lacked purpose.

The problem with Retribution has been a lack of consistency. WWE needs to decide how much power they have and what they want. This is the first step, but the pace must speed up to reach a true turning point.

It is easy to forget Retribution even exists anymore. Once a constant threat on all shows, the crew only appears occasionally on Raw. Before long, it may go the same way as the SmackDown hacker.

This is make or break. If WWE delivers in the next few weeks, many new faces get a major rub. If Retribution continue to make empty promises and break a few windows, it will be too late.

Murphy Can Only Thrive Outside the Shadow of Seth Rollins

Murphy faced the Mysterio family in the main event. Dominik was flanked by his father, Rey, mum Angie and sister Aalyah. The family beat down the Australian together, attacking him until the show went off the air.

Few men have done more with less than Murphy. He slimmed up to compete in 205 Live and shocked everyone. He earned his way to top honors in the cruiserweight division. He came to Raw with major hype, but it mostly fizzled out despite some great performances.

Pairing him with Seth Rollins kept Murphy relevant. However, the lonely disciple has been embarrassed in the place of The Monday Night Messiah for months. He is always the scapegoat.

This latest match was a prime example of what he can do. He brought out the best in Dominik, yet he was ultimately the victim of an angle more than a match. This was never about Murphy. It was a chance to promote how angry the Mysterios have become.

He has too much talent to keep losing every week. He needs to escape the shadow of Rollins. He may not get the same level of attention, but at least Murphy might get a few wins now and again.