Judgment Day Primed for Gold, Where Is Royal Rumble Build?, More WWE Raw Takes

The January 9 edition of WWE Raw continued to build toward the Royal Rumble, but it did not do so with the spark that is expected this close to The Road to WrestleMania.

Finn Bálor and Damian Priest are the new No. 1 contenders to the Raw Tag Team Championships, thanks to a timely assist from Dominik Mysterio.

The Hurt Business seem ready to reform. MVP has brought Shelton Benjamin and Cedric Alexander together again, and they just need some time to get back to title contention with or without Bobby Lashley.

Mia Yim could not beat Bayley on Monday night, but she is pushing for more screen time each week, even without Becky Lynch being around to back her up.

WWE has rising talent and a roster ready to grow into the most important time of the wrestling year. Raw must continue to push the stars who deserve that opportunity.

The Judgment Day have been through quite the evolution over the past year. From Edge's protection to Finn Bálor's rise to fame to Dominik Mysterio's testing ground, they have evolved into a fascinating crew.

They have also grown more comedic over time. Mysterio particularly is finding success by fully leaning into the comedy act. However, that can work in the group's favor, making everyone more likable.

Follow up on that likability with great performances in the ring, and no one is going to doubt them. Bálor, Damian Priest and Rhea Ripley already proved themselves before the group came together, and fans know what they can do.

That gives them credibility, even while promoting the unproven Mysterio. This is the perfect crew to rise up the ranks, beginning with a win over The Usos.

Jimmy and Jey Uso have looked unstoppable, but The Judgment Day have the numbers to challenge The Bloodline and tell a compelling story.

This does not have to lead to The Usos losing all the gold. Instead, this is the perfect chance to get the Raw Tag Team Championships off them and leave The Bloodline focused on SmackDown. The red brand will benefit massively.

Since returning to WWE in early November, Mia Yim has had a larger spotlight than she ever got in her first run. She has been utilized like a future top contender, although she hasn't had a chance to back up that build with big performances.

She and Bayley had a solid match Monday that lacked suspense. It is not yet the right time for Michin to look like a real challenger to The Role Model, but she could get there.

The WWE women's division is uneven. Raw has too many top names while SmackDown lacks competitors who can work at a championship level. In the next draft, Yim can be one of those sent to the blue brand to balance things out.

First, though, the 33-year-old needs to prove herself against the top names. Working with Becky Lynch will help, while facing Bayley, Dakota Kai and Iyo Sky can also show off what she does best.

Michin has shown outside of WWE that she can put on major matches, but she must now do it on the biggest stage. If she delivers performances that get people talking, she already has the character and personality to shine.

Yim could become one of WWE's best recent signings. The company needs more talent to step up just as Bianca Belair and Rhea Ripley have.

Shelton Benjamin is one of WWE's longest-tenured stars and has deserved more than he gets. He has been stuck on Main Event too long, but he has been the rare name⁠—alongside Mustafa Ali⁠—to get people talking about that show.

Meanwhile, Cedric Alexander was one of the brightest stars to come out of WWE's brief 205 Live experiment. While Ali and Buddy Murphy were more highly regarded, he has the best chance to prove himself now.

The Hurt Business are starting to come back together, and that should mean more Benjamin and Alexander on television. This is important for Raw and the two talented underused stars.

While they only had a short run in Monday's Tag Team Turmoil match, it was a step in the right direction. There is no excuse for these two talented wrestlers to be left on Main Event instead of Raw.

The Royal Rumble matches are some of the most important each year in WWE. The winners define The Road to WrestleMania, and it's a chance to build new stars or solidify current acts.

Considering how valuable this time can be, it's a perfect opportunity to give a fresh spotlight to those names with little else going on. Every wrestler should want a spot in the men's or women's Rumble match come January 28.

Everyone should be talking about those contests at this time of year, and qualifying matches should be a common part of Raw and SmackDown in the weeks leading up to the event.

Dolph Ziggler vs. Solo Sikoa could have been booked as a qualifier this week along with Candice LeRae vs. Rhea Ripley. While the Tag Team Turmoil match was a good way to use the final hour of Raw, The Judgment Day got the focus while everyone else was forgotten.

WWE needs to make these January weeks count. Raw is not doing that just yet.