Intro
- Drew McIntyre explains last week and how he got ambushed.
- Drew McIntyre is doing his best to make sense of the fact that Seth Rollins is being put in the title picture off a loss, but no bueno for me. "I know I said I wanted people who deserved it, but he won a bunch before he lost so!"
- He makes a challenge for Money in the Bank because Seth Rollins is so decorated, instead of making him jump through hoops. So why even say he'll defend it against people who deserve it.
- Zelina comes out with her faction, and Andrade tries to jump Drew but eats a Claymore.
- Zelina tries to send Theory and Garza after him, but they don't want it.
- Rollins is shown in a video saying he can relate to Drew McIntyre, and accepts his challenge. He says he'll make sacrifices and lead the WWE Universe.
Money in the Bank Qualifier
Aleister Black defeated Austin Theory
6/10
- Aleister Black is in control until Zelina distracts him.
- Back from the break, Theory does some great Rack Snake Eye spots. This is probably his best performance I've seen on WWE TV.
- Black gets some good offense, but Theory hits a nice cross legged neckbreaker across his knee.
- Black's strikes look and sound even better without an audience.
- German Suplex sets up a Black Mass attempt. A duck, then a connection. That's a wrap.
- This was good. Zelina was good on commentary too.
- Aleister Black wants to turn every floor of MITB into a personal hell for his opponents.
Shayna Baszler defeated Indi Hartwell
SQUASH
- Shayna says she didn't break any rules last week, she just broke Logan's arm.
- Shayna Baszler's gut wrench is one of my favorite moves in wrestling.
- Hartwell counters one elbow stomp but gets kneed, Baszler stomps her out.
- I'm really liking the booking of Baszler so far. She kicks Indi's arm in a chair.
- This booking adds a level of viciousness to Baszler without opening her up to some of the pace criticisms that some of those who watched NXT produced.
Cedric Alexander & Ricochet defeated Shane Thorne & Brendan Vink
5.5/10
- Brendan Vink will never win until he gets elbow pads or wrist tape. That's the rule. He got some offense though.
- Thorne and Vink keep a really good pace.
- Highlight of this for me is Ricochet's kneeling springboard senton, and Cedric doing an Au Revoir all by himself.
- Cedric is like "Gallows and Anderson gone? I'm just doing the Magic Killer by myself!"
- Cedric win with a Recoil into a Lumbar Check.
Nia Jax defeated Kairi Sane
5/10
- Nia Jax tosses Kairi Sane all over the place.
- One of the tosses looks NASTY, a choke toss into the bottom rope. Fortunately Sane is okay.
- Sane goes to work on the knee.
- A great sliding elbow and a backfist for Sane, but Jax hits her Samoan Drop for the win.
Other Stuff
- What...........the hell.........did they have Viking Raiders do? Carpool Karaoke? Okay. Ivar was eating a turkey leg. Okay
- Bobby Lashley is at the WWE PC flipping tires.
- Another week with no Brock Lesnar, AJ Styles, Randy Orton, Edge, Samoa Joe, Kevin Owens.
Money in the Bank Qualifier
Apollo Crews defeated MVP
4.75/10
- MVP is name dropping during this beatdown, and this is a very 2008 WWE match. I wouldn't consider that a good thing after the performance Crews had against Black.
- Bless MVP for keeping the Overdrive so nobody else would bother to do it. He can't land it, though. He eventually does.
- Crews hits a great press slam, moonsault, standing star press before the Tossing Powerbomb.
- Long overdue. Miss me with the "WHAT HAS HE SHOWN BESIDES" shit. WWE's fault. Not his.
Liv Morgan defeated Ruby Riott
5/10
- They have referenced Sarah Logan like four times on this show. Ruby Riott says she had to get shoulder surgery from carrying both of them.
- They really lay it in there for the brief match.
- Liv Morgan hits the Flatliner off the ropes. Please don't 50/50 this. Someone has to get over.
- Sarah Logan got more exposure on the first 90 minutes on the Raw after she was fired than she has in months.
Money in the Bank Qualifier
Rey Mysterio defeated Buddy Murphy
5.25/10
- There's a lot of counters here until some stiff Mysterio strikes. Murphy then stomps Mysterio into the diamond plates.
- I'm glad they're still using the Disciple nickname for Buddy Murphy.
- Rey Mysterio is one of those performers that I think works a lot better with a crowd, no matter how good his work is.
- He hits a good huracanrana into the diamond plates and a tilt-a-whirl DDT.
- Mysterio sends Murphy into the barricades with a sliding headscissors.
- Murphy has a great trifecta. Ushigoroshi, huge knee and a brainbuster.
- Rey Mysterio connects with a Destroyer, 619 and Frog Splash.
Charlotte Flair defeated Kayden Carter
5/10
- Charlotte comes in cocky, and Kayden gets some good offense.
- Carter applies a Black Widow out of a crucifix. Charlotte has to struggle to the ropes.
- Spear and a Figure Four.
- This was a good deviation from the squash match. Carter almost surprised her.
Andrade (w/ Zelina) defeated Akira Tozawa
5.5/10
- Tozawa vs. Andrade is a nice matchup we haven't seen a hundred times.
- Tozawa has taken over and is beating Andrade's ass. That senton that Tozawa hit was awesome. The Octopus is next.
- This is a great showing for Tozawa, which is good considering he's in the Cruiserweight tourney.
- Zelina's facial reactions to Tozawa beating Andrade's ass are helping make this match.
- A Hammerlock DDT hanging from the top rope gets the win for Andrade.
- Street Profits interrupt as Andrade celebrates.
Bianca Belair defeated Santana Garrett
SQUASH
- A little surprised Santana got on TV after a couple of her matches that have made TV.
- Bianca is laughing off everything Santana does.
- Street Profits are on commentary as Bianca dominates. I don't know that Santana Garrett is the best person to have in this spot.
- Garrett shouldn't have got any offense in this match. Bianca cuts off a handspring with a boot, though.
- KOD wins it.
- Santana is not good.
Drew McIntyre defeated Angel Garza (w/ Zelina, Andrade & Austin Theory)
5.25/10
- Angel Garza having Charly Caruso enamored is so great.
- Drew is beating Angel's ass.
- I will forever remember this era of Raw as the workhorse era of Garza, Theory, Zelina and Andrade helping keep the show glued together.
- Drew McIntyre controls this outside of distractions. A rare occasion where the zoom helps out a wrestler on that top rope jump by Drew.
- Zelina is great, again.
- Drew rips off Angel Garza's pants, dives onto the pile, tosses Andrade over the barricade, Claymores Theory.
- Claymore to Garza. Win.
Rating Guide
10- Perfect, 9- MOTY Territory, 8- Excellent, 7- Great, 6- Good, 5- Average to above average, 4- Slightly below average, 3 or below: Poor
Each match starts at a 5 and slides up and down based on entertainment, execution, time, environment, reaction and stakes. The ratings are in no way an indication of a "star rating," which is a completely different system. A standard, non-offensive "TV match" lands at a 5. The gap between 5.75-6 is generally the largest, with anything reaching 6 being recommended viewing.
These are opinions, and incredibly inconsistent ones that may change upon a second viewing, or sitting on the match for a period of time. Don't take them too seriously, and have (and share) your own!
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