The Bloodline machine is running over everyone
If you caught the July 20 episode of Raw, you probably witnessed Jacob Fatu doing exactly what he does best: making guys look like they got hit by a freight train. Seeing him stand across the ring from LA Knight felt like a genuine shift in the power dynamic. The guy is essentially a walking hazard on the roster.
Knight brought his usual energy, but Fatu moves with a speed that shouldn't be physically possible for someone his size. Fans on social media are split right down the middle about the booking. Some are obsessed with the inevitable push for Fatu, while others worry that Knight is becoming the perennial gatekeeper who takes the pin to build up the next big heel.
The internet is actually on fire
Check the forums and you will see the full spectrum of rage and fanboyism. One side argues that Fatu is the only person who can keep The Bloodline story fresh long after the Roman Reigns era peaked. They see him as the missing piece who brings actual danger back to the group.
Then you have the skeptical contingent who think the writing is leaning too heavily on old tropes. They point toward how stale some segments felt, especially if you compare current storytelling to the classic eras fans were reminiscing about earlier this week, as noted in the recent PWTorch look-back at 2011. You can’t ignore that some viewers are tired of the same power-struggle dynamics regardless of who is wearing the vest.
Was the rest of the card worth your time?
Beyond the main event, the tag team matches felt like filler to many viewers. It is hard to get excited about the mid-card when the main event is burning down the house. We need more substance in these other slots if we aren't going to treat Raw like a three-hour highlight reel for one or two feuds.
As Wrestling Inc reported, the show prioritized Fatu’s trajectory over anything resembling logical progression for the tag division. Some fans noted that the lack of stakes made the undercard matches slide by without much significance. When you have top-tier talent like Fatu, the guys down the card need to step up or they just look like scenery.
The verdict on the booking
My take? Fatu is a monster, no question. But treating him like the only person on the show is a recipe for a burnout. If they want to keep this momentum, they need to give Knight a win that actually matters, not just another spot where he takes the loss after a decent showing. Pushing the same buttons eventually wears down the remote.
It is worth watching the RAW highlights from last night to see the sheer impact of the finish. The crowd was clearly split between the YEAH! chants and the sheer fear of whatever Fatu might do next. That friction is what saves a show from being entirely predictable.
Ultimately, this was a night that carried the weight of the company on one guy’s shoulders. Whether that is a brilliant move or a massive oversight will depend on how they follow up next week. It was a 7/10 episode that would have been a 9/10 if the undercard had any actual fire behind it.
