"The Phantom Title Change"
By Dennis DuBay
We're a few hours removed from The Raw After MITB and I did the due diligence and watched the condensed version of Raw on Hulu and I'm just left with annoyance, really.
Let's back track to the day before. Money In The Bank. One of the non-big four ppv's that has great stand alone history of it's own. This year's event was unique in many ways. Another event sans fan and a MITB match that was far different from it's predecessors. I thought it was quite entertaining watching our wrestling superheros fight through Titan Towers all for the chance of winning a suitcase that would give them the chance to wrestle the champion of their choice, whenever they wanted.
Well, except, that wasn't the case. It was actually for the Women's Raw Championship, for the women's MITB match. However, those who were at home watching weren't told that until the next night.
Which brings us to Becky Lynch's announcement. And before I go any further and the WWE Stans get all bunched up in the front of their pants, I'm super happy for Becky Lynch. I'm a Becky Lynch supporter. While 55% of the WWE fans were clamoring for her to lose the title until she announced her pregnancy, I wanted more of The Man's reign. She's done so much to bring some prestige to that title.
Only for that prestige to take a hit last night.
Lynch revealed to MITB winner Asuka that she didn't win a chance for the title, she had in fact won the title last night. How anticlimactic to such a fun show.
I'm not saying Asuka isn't worthy of the title. She is. But she and the title deserve more than just a "Here, you actually won it last night," moment.
I get that WWE wanted to send Becky off into the next chapter of her career in a really cool way, but waiting to do it on Raw was just a ratings move that alienated all the hard work Becky had put into the the title in the first place.
Just another instance of WWE getting in it's own way as it always does.