Rhea Ripley and Nikki Cross Rising, Kevin Owens Missed, More WWE Raw Takes

WWE Raw continued the build toward Crown Jewel, and hopefully the action was a good indicator for the future as Monday's episode was particularly strong for its in-ring work.

Two women made a particular impression: Rhea Ripley pulled off an impressive body slam on Luke Gallows that had everyone talking, and Nikki Cross made her long-awaited return by taking out Bianca Belair and Bayley in the main event.

Elias had a great bout with Chad Gable, though it was more of the same from Alpha Academy without any payoff. On a show featuring Seth Rollins, Mustafa Ali, Austin Theory, Baron Corbin, Johnny Gargano and more, Kevin Owens stood out as a man missing.

The wrestling remains a selling point each week for Raw, and the stars are starting to align. However, the red brand is still lacking for big stories to rival The Bloodline, The Brawling Brutes and Imperium on SmackDown.

Rhea Ripley has been the linchpin of The Judgment Day since the group was fully formed. While she was getting healthier, she became the most interesting and animated member of the stable.

Now that The Eradicator can get physical, she is making a lasting impression. It always helps when WWE is comfortable letting a woman get shots in on the men, but she has also made it look completely convincing.

Triple H is familiar with what made Chyna one of the biggest names in the Attitude Era. At one point, she even looked poised to win the WWE Championship.

Ripley could well rise to that level in time. She is carrying The Judgment Day even alongside top names such as Finn Bálor and Damian Priest. She has elevated Dominik Mysterio beyond his standing by merely teasing a relationship with him.

If WWE fully commits to her as a true physical catalyst of the top stable on Raw, it won't be long before she could be seen wrestling top names on the red brand. From there, she can be a star to rival Seth Rollins and even Becky Lynch.

Elias is fully back in WWE. After his first concert last week, he put on a great show with Chad Gable on Monday. They looked fantastic together in the most memorable battle of the night.

This wasn't the first time Gable has had the match of the night recently, but he has always done so with a great dance partner. Elias put himself in the same conversation as Kevin Owens, Johnny Gargano and Matt Riddle with his performance.

WWE previously shied away from The Living Truth wrestling, often focusing on his entertainment factor. However, he stepped up when given the opportunity. At Money in the Bank in 2018, he and Seth Rollins put on one of the best matches of the year.

Now that Elias has put Ezekiel behind him, he has a chance to commit to his potential. The crowd likes him, and he has the talent to shoot for the stars.

Hopefully, this new era of WWE will highlight him more clearly. He can be a United States or intercontinental champion within a year, and with the right build, he could be challenging for the world title in 2023.

Nikki Cross is finally back. She has reverted to her previous name and her distinctive attitude. Raw has needed her chaotic energy, and the whole division should benefit.

While Nikki A.S.H. became Raw women's champion in 2021, she only held the title for 33 days to add some variety to Charlotte Flair's dominant reign for WWE. She was not treated as a true champion.

However, Cross has a chance to be much more than a transitional titleholder. She made her mark immediately by attacking Bianca Belair and Damage CTRL, and she can get the crowd back behind her quickly.

The time isn't right for the 33-year-old to immediately capture the Raw Women's Championship, but she would be one of the most intriguing challengers to step up next year.

The women's division needs her as a fresh element in a division that has been far too limited lately in its focus on Damage CTRL.

Raw lacks a male world champion. Roman Reigns is the titleholder, but he rarely works the red brand. Seth Rollins may be the United States champion, but that title does not have the same prestige.

While Raw can survive without The Head of the Table, the brand does need top talent. The Monday Night Messiah is the most popular star on Raw to the point that he is outshining his competition in terms of fan reaction.

Beyond him, no one else can draw that same excitement in the men's division, except Kevin Owens. Before his unexplained disappearance from television, The Prizefighter was the hottest act on Raw and looked poised to go after the world title.

No one else has the same fire to cut passionate promos every week. No one can put on unique physical performances in the ring. No one makes everything matter quite like KO.

Owens appeared on NXT last week, so he is available. Hopefully, he will be available for the red brand too as well. Otherwise, WWE will continue to wait for someone to step up as a main event act.