Don’t take the fact that I’m choosing to single out a backstage segment as what I loved from this episode to mean that I didn’t like all the rest of it. This was a good episode of “WWE Raw” overall to me, as indicated but the fact that it flew by. Instead, let’s just celebrate wrestlers clearly having fun in a segment that was, well, fun! At the same time, it advanced a few stories at once and involved six talents, including the one and only Akira Tozawa, once again doing his best to make the most out of anything (and any time) he’s given. Actually, for a segment that lasted maybe 90 seconds or so, everyone involved got all they could out of it.

Alpha Academy is a case study in taking what you’re given and running with it. Chad Gable’s ability has never been questioned, but since Jason Jordan’s career-ending injury put a halt to whatever American Alpha was going to be on the main roster, Gable’s had to endure a lot just to get to the place he’s in today. (We do not talk about “Shorty G.”) And Otis(e) has found a niche as the comedic big man with an uncanny knack for the ladies that he was never going to have alongside Tucker in Heavy Machinery. Throw in Maxxine Dupri after her defection from Maximum Male Models, and the group has really thrived, up to and including Dupri’s in-ring improvements, thanks (in storyline) to “Coach” Gable’s tutelage.

This segment touched on a lot, as Dupri coached the group on elongating their muscled through a series of Pilates moves. Gable blew his whistle and gave a tagalong Tozawa conflicting feedback for a quick giggle (“Tozawa, that was terrible! Keep it up, buddy!”) before having Otis give him a chop. As he declared that it was for GUNTHER, holding onto his plans to capture the Intercontinental Championship, Gable also stated that the Academy was eyeballing tag team gold. This drew the attention of The New Day, with Xavier Woods clarifying that anything tag title-related simply has to include them, while doing that whole gyrating thing they do. Otis took exception, wiggling his own hips (much to Dupri’s approval), and ultimately, we have a first-ever match between these two teams next week, which was met with Tozawa’s boisterous “Arigato!” before he continued his oddball workout in the background.

Fun, and productive! Nothing wrong with that.