Rollins and AJ
- Seth Rollins comes out and cuts a promo about battling obstacles and slaying the beast.
- This is more of a prediction than anything, but I can't see Seth Rollins staying over without some real edge of some sort. I get it, he's a traditional babyface, but I don't know if that works considering this is the tamest version of him we've ever seen.
- AJ Styles comes out with the OC and says he wants to prove he's a better champion than Rollins.
- Rollins says that he doesn't respect AJ Styles anymore, but he'll teach him a lesson tonight anyway.
Backstage STUFFS
- WWE running King of the Ring next week is a great idea for Raw. It'd be a great idea for a live event special, it's a good idea for about anything. It's a special attraction. I'm all about it.
- Steve Austin does an interview about Seth Rollins and promotes his show. Cool.
- Becky Lynch does an interview where she shows respect to Natalya, but says she's coming for everyone who wronged her.
Samoa Joe defeated Sami Zayn
SQUASH
- Sami Zayn scolds Street Profits backstage after Angelo Dawkins says he's dehydrated by I agree with Zayn on Rollins pandering and being gritty before. Zayn says everyone, even Samoa Joe gets manufactured and neutered.
- Joe is going to give Sami a chance to back up his words and not just be Owens' water boy. This was a great way to set up a match.
- Samoa Joe immediately chokes out Sami Zayn. That's a wrap.
- Joe grabs a mic and heels the crowd. They were chanting for him. What the HECK.
- The hilarity of Sami Zayn talking about how manufactured everyone was to set up a match with Samoa Joe, who then organically gets a monster face reaction, and has to heel the crowd.
The Miz defeated Dolph Ziggler
5.25/10 (short)
- The Miz comes out, followed by Ziggler.
- Ziggler isn't dressed to compete, and calls Miz a coward for doing what he did.
- Ziggler isn't medically cleared to compete, so no match for the Miz.
- Dolph attacks Miz, and this is happening, but we go to commercial.
- Miz gets knees in the corner and goes after the Yes Kicks.
- Ziggler is wrestling in street clothes. Miz does a nice Codebreaker to Ziggler's leg.
- I really liked that Codebreaker Miz did to Dolph Ziggler's leg. I'm a fan of seeing things that I don't usually see, and that did it.
- Miz taps out Ziggler with a Figure Four. Ziggler fought it a while.
- Ziggler calls Miz a coward and says Maryse is the best wrestler in his family.
- Miz hits Skull Crushing Finale.
Ricochet defeated Elias
4/10
- Elias is in the ring and Graves pleads for the audience to not change the channel.
- Elias counts down whoever is going to interrupt him. I'm glad he knows, in character.
- The crowd is happy about the lack of interruption.
- Ricochet then interrupts, without his full body gear.
- Ricochet gets a couple of good dropkicks and takes one of the craziest back body drops ever.
- These two are WAY OFF THE SAME PAGE on a running headscissors, that sucked.
- The crowd comes back when Ricochet misses a somersault tope suicida.
- Ricochet lands a good hook kick, but Ricochet pins Elias with the latter's shoulder up.
- This just wasn't a good match, whether or not the finish was planned.
2 out of 3 Falls
Andrade (w/ Zelina) defeated Rey Mysterio 2-0
4.75/10
- Immediately, Rey Mysterio is tripped and pinned by Andrade with his foot on the ropes and Zelina's help. Okay, lol.
- Rey does a diving huracanrana from the top rope to the apron, to the outside.
- Obligatory Andrade elbow tweet.
- A big, nasty botch on Andrade's head and neck with a sunset flip whatthefudge driver.
- Knees up on a Rey splash, and Andrade wins with the Hammerlock DDT.
- This was rushed. Very rarely do you see two WWE matches with issues like these back-to-back
- Rey is pretty upset about losing the match backstage.
- Street Profits narrate it.
Drew McIntyre defeated Cedric Alexander
7/10
- Cedric slips on a spot, and Drew capitalizes with a Crucifix Buckle Bomb. That was amazing.
- Drew throws Cedric across the ring with a tossplex.
- Cedric enters on a running DDT from a cutter position. I don't have an idea if that was intentional, but WOW.
- Drew one ups him with a second rope Gunnslinger. Drew has been going above and beyond to do new stuff.
- Alexander does a Lumbar Check on the floor, which Cedric wisely sells as well. This was really good. This is the most innovative Raw match in a while.
- Drew catches Cedric and suplexes him on the ramp.
- Alexander can't even stand up to eat the Claymore, but was playing possum. This leads to a big Spanish Fly.
- Alexander counters the Alabamaslam, but not the Claymore. Drew wins.
- This ruled.
Bobby Roode defeated No Way Jose
SQUASH
- When Jose came up, I thought he'd be at least kept in a spot where he could open live events. There was NO REASON to call him up.
- Roode wins with a Glorious DDT.
- Jose needs to be back in NXT. Give someone else a turn not being used.
The Revival vs. Lucha House Party
N/A
WWE 24/7 Championship
The Revival defeated R-Truth (c) to become co-champions
R-Truth (w/ Carmella) defeated The Revival (c) to become champion
Elias defeated R-Truth (c) to become champion
- This has been reminiscent of a late 90s Raw in that a lot of people are getting on the show, even if they're not used heavily.
- The work is solid here, but it's interrupted.
- R-Truth and Carmella run out, as does Drake and the usual suspects.
- THE REVIVAL WIN THE 24/7 Title with a Hart Attack.
- Kalisto hits a SDS, and Carmella puts Truth on a member of Revival to win the title back.
- Truth escapes backstage.
- Elias cracks Truth with a guitar and wins the title!
THE BOSS.
- Natalya comes out and starts a promo that nobody cares much about.
- Ban "could it be? it is" from WWE vernacular.
- SASHA BANKS returns and kicks the shit out of Natalya.
- She has blue hair.
- Ban "could it be? it is" from WWE vernacular.
- Sasha is really beating Natalya's ass to "thank you Sasha" chants.
- Becky Lynch makes the save, but Sasha beats the shit out of Natalya with a chair.
- This was a damn good return, and Raw needed this big time.
Viking Raiders crushed Jobbers
SQUASH
- Hey cool, Sebastian Suave on Raw. I interviewed him at length in the Fightful Studios!
- Well, he died.
- Viking Raiders win.
WWE Women's Tag Team Titles
Alexa Bliss & Nikki Cross (c) defeated Kabuki Warriors
5.75/10
- Nikki doesn't want to let go of the titles, which is kind of cool. It's good to see the division get a little footing.
- Asuka has some great kicks and does a good handicap clothesline/bulldog.
- Kairi doing the Alabamaslam on Nikki is impressive.
- Kairi gets the Insane Elbow, but it's broken up.
- Asuka kicks the post on accident. Alexa and Nikki work together great as a team.
- The Purge and Twisted Bliss wins.
- This was fun and the camera man wiped out.
Seth Rollins defeated AJ Styles (w/ The OC) via DQ
5.5/10
- There's a great back suplex that Seth Rollins lands chest first on outside.
- After a commercial, Rollins scores a great rolling elbow.
- Gallows interferes and pushes Rollins off the top. The attack continues and it's a DQ.
- Ricochet makes the save, but he gets jumped, too.
- BRAUN STROWMAN also makes the save.
- Strowman grabs the Universal title and hands it to Rollins after the match.
- A little break from Braun was a good thing, but he needs to be kept top tier from now on
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. Don't take them too seriously, and have (and share) your own!
Get exclusive pro wrestling content on Fightful Select, our premium news service! Click here to learn more.
