Notable Superstars Missing from the Card
Note 1: This is not a full list of everyone on the roster who is not scheduled for the show. It excludes some people who wouldn’t have normally been expected to appear on the show for some fashion, such as some jobbers, injured talent, etc.
Note 2: Some people have no official spot on the card, but could very well be ringside or show up in some other fashion. This includes, but is not limited to, Nia Jax and Reginald, Bray Wyatt, etc.
The Raw Tag Team Scene (AJ Styles and Omos, New Day, RK-Bro, Lucha House Party, Viking Raiders, Mace and T-Bar, The Miz and John Morrison) = After The Viking Raiders won a No. 1 contenders match, why are they not facing AJ Styles and Omos? I can understand the others having to wait and not participate on this card, but that match should absolutely be on the lineup.
Roman Reigns, The Usos / Rey Mysterio, Dominik Mysterio = For whatever reason, whether it’s to try to bump the TV rating or something else, WWE decided to rush this Mysterio/Reigns feud out of nowhere and then, do it on SmackDown, rather than the pay-per-view. Insanity. That means all these parties likely won’t have a presence on the card at all, even though it would have made perfect sense to do a tag team title match and book Reigns against someone completely different.
King Baron Corbin / Shinsuke Nakamura and Rick Boogs = The blowoff for this match was taken off this card and put on SmackDown, instead. This is the era we’re in, where some of the matches with the most build don’t take place on the pay-per-views, as those are sold more on one or two marquee matches and that’s it. Granted, this isn’t the hottest feud in the world, but this could have been for the crown at the event, rather than just Friday night on TV.
Carmella / Liv Morgan = Not important enough to do a third one of these.
Sheamus, Humberto Carrillo, Ricochet = If Sheamus weren’t injured, I’d assume he would have dispatched both of these guys by now on Raw, rather than for this to be on the pay-per-view. Carrillo and, sadly, even Ricochet, aren’t high enough up on the hierarchy at the moment to feel like they were needed for the special show.
Mansoor and Mustafa Ali = This is only just really getting started.
Raw Leftovers = Cedric Alexander seems like he’s put Shelton Benjamin in the past and has moved on to Jeff Hardy, who isn’t feuding with Jinder Mahal anymore. Angel Garza and Drew Gulak have stopped working together. Where have Akira Tozawa and R-Truth been?
Elias / Jaxson Ryker = Just because Elias got counted out twice doesn’t mean it’s worth dedicating time on a pay-per-view to this match. It’s fine on Raw.
Damian Priest = WWE has yet to give Priest a new feud to spin into following his program with The Miz and John Morrison.
Dana Brooke and Mandy Rose vs Natalya and Tamina = Why is this not on the card?
Eva Marie and Piper Niven = They just had their resurgence. It’s okay for them not to be on the card.
Asuka, Naomi, Nikki Cross = The Empress of Tomorrow has taken a backseat to Nikki Cross randomly being inserted into the title picture without being granted a title shot. Naomi’s just there. WWE is clearly just killing time until the draft, even though there are over two months left to take care of. Yeesh.
Apollo Crews, Commander Azeez / Big E = Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn are having their millionth match, but even though Crews and Big E have had what feels like 100 this year, the Intercontinental Championship isn’t on the card. They can’t be bothered to…I don’t know…maybe think of another feud for these guys?
The SmackDown Tag Team Scene = Alpha Academy vs The Street Profits isn’t important enough to be on the card. Dirty Dawgs are just there. I still think The Usos against The Mysterios would have made more sense than Rey against Roman, but since that’s not happening, there just isn’t any room for anything else in this division.
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