Fighting Talk: WWE RAW cutting out the chat is a winner
FT is not a fan of the format which for years now has dictated a protracted "interview" segment to kick things off.
The segment is intended to set the scene for a three-hour television show – no mean feat – but habitually feels drawn out in order to fill that time and little more.
This week, we got a typical example, but crucially got the match quality to back it up. The focus was on the wrestling and the performers thrived on it.
Approaching the end of 2017, there is a strong case to be made for Sheamus and Cesaro as the WWE tag team of the year.
Their competition at this point are New Day and the Usos as our old friends the Shield simply haven't been back together long enough. Enigma The 20-minute main event between Rollins and Ambrose and "The Bar" tells us why.
The combined experience of the Irishman and the Swiss has now fully blossomed; it remains something of an enigma that Sheamus has had his run at the top as a singles star, yet Cesaro has not.
The former Claudio Castagnoli is doing his chances no harm with his current work. Good luck to him.
The returning Paige could not have asked for more from opponent Sasha Banks, who rolled out her absurdly generous Michaels-esque bumping routine to welcome her old friend back to the fold. FT almost hid behind the sofa on more than one occasion.
In addition, the former champion could hardly have asked for more from WWE, who gave her plenty of time to remind everyone of her considerable talent between the ropes after a long absence.
Jason Jordan, buried by Triple H in the lead-up to Survivor Series, finally got an opportunity to shine in his Intercontinental Championship match with the much-maligned Roman Reigns.
The perfect antidote to a difficult storyline – and that's putting it politely – is a chance to show what you can do in the ring.
A penny for the advice Reigns might have shared with the former American Alpha standout on managing the crowd reaction without breaking ranks – and breaking gimmick.
Jordan didn't look out of place and delivered a compelling encounter, set up well by the opening verbal segment with an emphasis on playing to their strengths. Simple, effective, basics and good timing.
It was a real pleasure to see Jordan get his redemption of sorts and FT wishes him all the best in the lead-up to the Rumble, where he could prove a pivotal player.
Honourable mention to the brooding menace of Samoa Joe, back from an injury lay-off and to the maniacal combination of Bray Wyatt and "Woken" Matt Hardy.
Let's hope that's not another case of two similar gimmicks diluting each other as in the case of Finn Balor in recent times. And if we're talking about match quality, the cruiserweight encounter promises much for the future.
Three hours is a long time to fill with good stuff, so much so that you hardly expect it these days. But credit where it's due this week – well done one and all.
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