We are in for a major night of wrestling tonight. We have an Intercontinental Title #1 contender’s battle royal (KUDOS WWE), Women’s title match and Reigns/John Cena contract signing. I see a lot of people upset with the WWE “giving away” stuff namely Reigns vs. Cena at No Mercy. So here’s the way I see it, you need subscribers for filler months of the big four. Particularly in the fall when you have football so therefore having Reigns vs. Cena is at No Mercy along with Strowman and Lesnar to help stabilize the network for the fall until Survivor Series. As far as giving away matches tonight it’s to preemptively let everyone know that although football is back you can’t miss Raw. Everything is done from a smart business standpoint in my eyes and is nothing like WCW “giving away matches” back in its heyday. So now we have Miz in the ring so let’s begin our RawView.
Miz is in the ring about to cut a promo when he’s interrupted by Kurt Angle. They banter back in forth about respect and value of the Intercontinental Championship. Kurt Angle says that Miz will have a match next week against the winner of the battle royal. Out first is the Big Show who is completely clean shaven. Next out are the Hardy Boys and what I would pay for a good Jeff Hardy and Miz feud oh my. To a thunderous ovation up next is Finn Balor and this is exactly how you kick-off a Monday Night Raw. A match with high stakes and superstars everyone wants to see. This was a great way to start Raw my only little tweak would have been to have Miz cut a promo and then have Angle cut him off, allow this segment a bit more time rolling into the battle royal.
We come back from break with Jason Jordan making his entrance and I think they have added lyrics to his theme song. Curt Hawkins gets tossed at the beginning by everyone. Everyone now teams up to go after the Big Show. Big Show then throws everyone off of him. Big Show just attempt to put his hand through Kalisto’s body. Kalisto has now been eliminated by the Miztourage. The Hardys now feed different superstars to the corner where Big Show chops them. Anderson, Gallows and Balor eliminate the Big Show and that was just too sweet. Miz is outside coaching the Miztourage in this match and let’s face it this is the best thing either Axel or Dallas has done in years. Karl Anderson has such an awesome neck breaker to go along with his spine buster. Apollo Crews eliminated by Elias during commercial break. Matt Hardy and Anderson are fighting on the apron after Gallows is eliminated. Looks like we are setting up for a Hardys and Club feud and Miz interferes to help Bo Dallas you know because that’s what heels would do. We get an awesome face off with Finn Balor and Jeff Hardy and talk about a dream match. As Balor is about to win the match the lights go out and Wyatt eliminates Finn Balor. Jason Jordan eliminates Elias and the Miztourage, we have Jeff Hardy eliminate Jason Jordan and we have the match I wanted in paragraph one. Kudos to WWE for a fantastic first half hour of Raw.
Next we have a backstage promo with Alexa Bliss and Charley Carusso. Alexa says she is going to win and that Sasha Banks has never defended the title successfully which means you know Sasha is going to defend her title successfully. Up next is the much anticipated cruiserweight debut of Enzo Amore. Noam Darr pokes fun at Enzo’s stupid dance after dropping him early in the match. Neville is in the back looking on and has to be thinking, I wish I was six foot two hundred and twenty pounds. The announcers keep making remarks that Enzo has to keep weight off to make weight to be in the division. Kudos WWE. Enzo hits an awful finisher for the win and Neville is trying to look serious but can’t. Backstage Charley Carusso is putting in work and Neville says he will be champion forever.
I never knew they did sponsors for the social media dominance spot however that one did. Did you catch who it was? We now have the beast who looks absolutely pumped. You ever notice how Heyman’s schtick never gets tiring, it’s because of his delivery and presence. Listen to Heyman put over Braun Strowman on the microphone that says a lot about what Heyman thinks of Strowman. Heyman puts over Lesnar’s toughness and what he overcame to retain his title in a match that included Strowman. Heyman personally invites Braun Strowman to suplex city and does so by calling Braun a B word and it wasn’t Braun.
Rollins is in singles action and he is taking on Cesaro which in itself is a main event network special match. We get a full Cena/Reigns/Joe promo while Rollins is in the ring waiting on Cesaro. I’m really digging the attire and presentation of Sheamus and Cesaro, I know this team has a shelf life however I am really enjoying their work. We start off with some good back and forth with these two and then Ambrose shows his crazy side on the outside. The things Cesaro is able to do with his athleticism and power is absolutely incredible. Rollins and Cesaro are so fluid together everything rolls into the next series of spots and it makes sense. Sheamus attempts to get involved and that rapid lunatic Ambrose blasts him for his efforts. Cesaro hits an uppercut and grabs the pin on Rollins. Sheamus gets on the microphone and challenges Dean Ambrose to a match.
Sheamus and Ambrose has now been added and are off to a bang. These two know how to give a good fight to a crowd. Speaking of the crowd I’m kind of disappointed in the crowd tonight as they are getting a network special level event and don’t really seem to care. Sheamus and Ambrose actually have really good chemistry here as well as they are also rolling one spot easily into the next while making it make sense. There is something inherently likable about Dean Ambrose and I really don’t know what it is. Sheamus and Ambrose are putting on a hell of a match right now. Rollins out smarts the referee and Cesaro and interferes without the referee seeing, Ambrose hits dirty deeds and this match is over. Very cool finish here and good couple of matches on Raw.
Emma is on her phone backstage much like Daniel Bryan and Kurt Angle is backstage. Emma puts over how she was trending even after losing her match last week. Emma and Mickie James tonight in another match that starts while Emma is looking at her cell phone. Burger King is all about their sponsorship of Raw tonight that’s another special segment promoted by them. Emma is out with a new theme song and I guess maybe just possibly she may get a push? Emma gets s sloppy pin fall out of nowhere and we have competition for Enzo for worst segment of the night.
We come back from commercial with the Olympic gold medalist in the ring and oh he sucks. Lots of ghosts in the arena as Angle mentions both Cena and Reigns. Cena is out in full promo mode right now and I can’t tell if Cena respects Reigns yet or not. He has that condescending tone in his voice. Cena breaking the fourth wall a bit talking about protection and how guys don’t get protecting against him. The Big Dog is out to sign his name now and Cena is pacing back and forth almost as if he’s ready to get this over with. Reigns lets Cena know that he doesn’t consider Cena as big a deal as he thinks he is. Cena just went for the first round knockout and landed his punches. Roman now trying his own version of Cena’s promo and unfortunately for him he’s not as good as he is. Reigns is back up now and starts with some jabs of his own and finds his footing in this. John Cena with the verbal knockout saying that Cena is only still around because Reigns can’t do his job. We get interrupted by the Good Brothers after Reigns signs the contract and I have this as a Cena knock out.
Angle makes a match between the Good Brothers and Reigns/Cena in a tag match. The tag match almost feels secondary to the promo we just watched. Reigns working psychology on the apron beautifully. Reigns half assed attempts at reaching his hand out for the tag is great. Cena playing the baby face in peril and Reigns gets the hot tag to a chorus of boos. Reigns is all over the place right now taking out both Good Brothers and everything he is doing is with passion right now. Cena and Reigns both hit their finishers at the same time and Reigns gets the pin. After the match they stare at each other and Cena gives a small golf clap to Reigns.
Elias is out next to play a bit of a tune and find out who wants to walk with Elias. Jerry Lawler interrupts Elias because you know its Memphis. Oh my goodness Pelvis Wesley just debuted on Raw. A major star in South Paw Regional Wrestling he has now made it to the big league and is on Raw. Elias attacks Pelvis Wesley and begin to beat him down.
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Before the main event we have the Miz and his Miztourage along with him and he is complaining that Jeff Hardy only had to win one match. Sasha Banks gets some promo time before her match and the crowd boos. I do love how they now do the formal announcements for the title matches it adds a bit to the presentation. The announcers put over how these two women don’t’ like each other and I must admit that they bring a certain amount of dislike to their matches. I absolutely love the double knees spot as a signature for Sasha Banks and it always looks so good. The ladies are getting extra time tonight as we go past the eleven o’clock hour. That sunset flip bomb that Alexa Bliss does always looks so good, and I love how she throws a fit when she thinks she should win. I think what people loves about Alexa is she feels true to her character and you feel it’s real. Sasha Banks and the bank statement is absolutely perfect for her and she has so many ways to lock it in. Alexa Bliss hits the DDT and regains the Women’s title and Sasha Banks continues to not be able to defend her title. After the match Nia Jax comes down to celebrate with Alexa Bliss and she attacks Sasha Banks. NIA TURNS ON BLISS. The crowd seems ok with this as Nia Jax holds up the title and the show goes off. Goodnight ladies and gentlemen and until next time be awesome.