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It has become an unfortunate trend over the past few years since the launch of the WWE Network, with the company not as dependent upon individual pay-per-view sales, for the go-home episode to lack excitement or a significant advancement of storylines.  

Monday's episode of Raw was no different.  

From an underwhelming dumpster match between Braun Strowman and Kalisto to an overall lack of buzz over three hours of programming, Raw largely relied on recycled jokes and sustained teases just six days out from Payback.  

When the show did attempt to surprise in the closing minutes, with The Miz's mystery tag team partner revealing himself to be Bray Wyatt -- leading to an attack on Dean Ambrose and Chris Jericho -- the storyline made no sense at all.  

It's frustrating just how lacking WWE has been in terms of attention to detail in the weeks since WrestleMania 33, leaving far too many confusing questions entering Sunday's Raw-exclusive show.  

WWE Raw results 

Chris Jericho's Highlight Reel / Miz TV / Ambrose Asylum: Jericho was quickly interrupted by The Miz and Maryse, who ordered the ring crew to transform the set into Miz TV. Dean Ambrose then arrived to do the same thing, ordering an instant facelift to the Ambrose Asylum. Ambrose acknowledged his checkered past with Jericho but made good by presenting him with a light-up jacket (this one featuring Christmas lights glued to the front of a sport coat) to make up for the one he ripped up in 2016. After Miz objected, saying he should be the one receiving a gift, Ambrose dropped him with Dirty Deeds and walked off. Jericho then put Maryse on The List for marrying "a stupid idiot."

The brief glimpse of chemistry between The Miz and a babyface Jericho (who gratuitously played his catchphrase hits to humorous cheap pops) quickly exposed why running back Miz-Ambrose so quickly wasn't the best idea. Fun segment nonetheless thanks to Jericho.

Matt Hardy def. Sheamus via pinfall: A late distraction from Jeff Hardy on the ring apron cost Sheamus this two-segment match, allowing Matt Hardy to land a Twist of Fate. After the match, Sheamus and Cesaro offered to shake hands for the second straight week in a show of sportsmanship and stuck to their word, with Sheamus raising Matt Hardy's hand in victory.  

Backstage -- Kurt Angle, The Miz and Maryse: The Raw general manager's phone call (presumably to commissioner Stephanie McMahon) was interrupted by the angry couple, who called the action of Jericho and Ambrose unacceptable. Angle solved the problem by booking a tag team match for later in the night, telling Miz to find a partner. Maryse told Angle off in French before the GM responded, "Well, yeah? Right back at you."   

Jack Gallagher & Austin Aries def. Neville & TJ Perkins via pinfall: A hot tag to Aries cleaned house inside the ring after a slow start. Neville interrupted Aries' Last Chancery submission attempt on TJP and received a stiff head butt from Gallagher for his troubles. Aries then landed his Discus Fivearm on Perkins to set up the pin.  

A tame cruiserweight tag team match capped a very slow and stale opening hour. Such has become the norm for go-home Raw episodes in recent memory ahead of pay-per-view cards where there are a lot of dirty looks between combatants but very little action or storyline development.  

Kalisto def. Braun Strowman in a Dumpster Match: After a scolding promo from Strowman, calling everyone in the arena "nothing more than trash," Kalisto received a backstage pep talk from Angle. Debuting his new music and ring attire, Kalisto fought off multiple attempts by Strowman to throw him in the dumpster. In the end, Kalisto caught himself on the ropes and surprised Strowman by kicking him off the apron and straight into the dumpster. After the match, an angry Strowman delivered a series of pick-up chokeslams before throwing Kalisto into the dumpster, pushing it up the ramp, cinching it shut and tossing it a few feet off the stage. 

Despite the big build-up, this was an incredibly unsatisfying match. Not only was the finish weak and Strowman's reaction predictable, he took far too long in setting up the obvious climax of pushing the dumpster off the stage. It was also hard not to notice that the fall from the stage was only a couple feet. To make matters worse, showing Kalisto in an ambulance without having Strowman flip it over (as he did to Reigns two weeks earlier) felt incomplete. WWE missed a chance to have Strowman further sell his viciousness by commandeering the vehicle.

On the TitanTron -- Bray Wyatt: "Some wounds never truly heal," Wyatt said to WWE champion Randy Orton. "They fester, they linger, they infect your mind. And the same pain and suffering Randy, it awaits you in my House of Horrors."  

Dana Brooke def. Alicia Fox via pinfall: With Emma watching from ringside, Brooke closed out her brief match with a sloppy Michinoku Driver finisher for the pinfall. Afterwards, Emma delivered an awkward hug before walking away.  

Not only did this entire sequence make little sense, Brooke just about dropped Fox on her head accidentally. It's hard to take any push for Emma seriously considering how badly her Emmalina relaunch was botched and abandoned before one complete appearance.

Seth Rollins, Big Cass & Finn Balor def. Samoa Joe, Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson via pinfall: Before their six-man tag match could start, the three heels emerged from the crowd to attack Enzo and Cass with Gallows and Anderson landing a Magic Killer on Amore that left him unable to compete. Angle came out to announce Balor as his replacement and a brawl ensued before Finn could make it to the ring. In the end, Rollins sent a message to Triple H by bluffing on a Pedigree before hitting Anderson with a knee to the face to set up the pin.

It felt inconsistent to see Rollins and Balor so willingly teamed up on the babyface side despite the fact that it was a heel Rollins who cost Balor his universal championship run following SummerSlam by injuring his shoulder. Hopefully this was by design and the groundwork for a future heel turn from Balor, teaming him up with former New Japan co-horts Anderson and Gallows in the Balor Club.

In the ring -- Alexa Bliss, Bayley and Sasha Banks: Bliss' promo on the overly sentimental Raw women was interrupted by Bayley, who played up her backstory as a superfan living the dream and talked about defending her title in front of her hometown on Sunday. After Bliss called Bayley "a pathetic, sheltered child" and asked her if she has ever even kissed a boy, Banks came out and eventually floored Bliss with a stiff right hand.  
 
Sasha Banks def. Alexa Bliss via countout: Bliss willingly took defeat after a hot start from Banks, walking up the ramp saying, "I don't need this." After the 10 count, Bayley left the commentary desk and was unsuccessful in her attempt to drag Bliss back to the ring. Bliss then emerged from backstage to blindside Bayley before running away as Banks came to the rescue.  

Bliss worked hard to keep afloat an awkward dialogue segment, including a successful stiff arm of annoying "What!" chants from the crowd. Her believably defiant heel ways also rescued the post-match fallout.

Backstage -- Dean Ambrose and Chris Jericho: Ambrose asked Jericho to take him off The List, to which Jericho reluctantly agreed (despite referencing the 69 tacks he removed from his flesh after their 2016 Asylum Match). After a pumped up Ambrose patted him on the back too hard before leaving, Jericho added him back on and smiled.

Apollo Crews def. Curt Hawkins via pinfall: Crews accepted the open invitation to join "the Curt Hawkins Star Factory" and showcased his athleticism well in this squash match. After a spin-out powerbomb finisher to get the pin, Crews was interrupted by Titus O'Neil, who snapped a selfie with him and continued his recruitment of Crews to the Titus Brand.

Dean Ambrose & Chris Jericho vs. The Miz ends in a no contest: The Miz's mystery partner was a no-show for most of the match, leaving him to contend 2-on-1. Unable to gain the upper hand, Miz eventually left the ring but was attacked by Ambrose, who set him up for Dirty Deeds on top of the announce table. The lights suddenly went off and Wyatt appeared in Miz's place, delivering Sister Abigal to Ambrose on the ramp before joining Miz in attacking Jericho. The action spilled into the ring where Wyatt hit his finisher on Jericho. After Miz attempted to pose with Wyatt over Jericho's body, "The Eater of Worlds" gave him a Sister Abigail to boot.  

Where does one even begin on why this finish made no sense? While the close of Wyatt comically taking out Miz was a nice touch, it didn't save the overall confusion of why Wyatt, who is currently feuding with Orton in a storyline that already lacks cohesion, would be thrust into other people's business. To that end, Raw's finish felt more like a dark match main event where events unfold between good and bad guys that are independent of current feuds.