Tonight, Monday Night Raw has a huge night planned including big matches and important story development. This week’s episode features Seth Rollins vs. Braun Strowman, The Miz defending the Intercontinental Championship against Roman Reigns, and Enzo Amore addressing the Cruiserweight Division.
Seth Rollins vs. Braun Strowman
Last week, Braun Strowman issued an open challenge after destroying Curt Hawkins and The Lunatic Fringe, Dean Ambrose, accepted and gave the Monster Among Men a good fight. Ambrose failed to defeat Strowman, however, and now Ambrose’s championship partner, Seth Rollins, takes his shot at the big man.
Strowman counters Rollins’ signature knee strike with a lariat, spinning the Architect inside out. Strowman then scoops him up for a powerslam, securing the win. After the match, he lands one more powerslam just for good measure. Winner: Braun Strowman
Strowman looks to even further assault Rollins, but Ambrose attacks him from behind. Ambrose takes too long finishing the job and Strowman lays him out as well. Once Strowman leaves, Sheamus and Cesaro (now with a mouthguard) make their way down to the ring to pick up the pieces.
Titus O’Neil (w/Apollo Crews) vs. Elias Samson
Over the past few weeks, Elias Samson and Apollo Crews have gone to battle and Samson came out on top both times. After Samson’s win over Crews last week, he attacked Titus O’Neil as well. Tonight, the CEO of Titus Worldwide enters the ring on television for the first time since before his Cruiserweight Championship pursuits with Akira Tozawa.
Even with a distraction from Crews at ringside, Samson is able to fight off O’Neil and get the victory with the Drift Away swinging neckbreaker. Before he can think about attacking O’Neil further, Crews intervenes and Samson, well, drifts away. Winner: Elias Samson
Mickie James vs. Nia Jax (w/Alexa Bliss)
Earlier tonight, Mickie James entered her dressing room to find a walker and adult diapers as gifts from Alexa Bliss, who called her an “old lady” last week. James demanded a match against Bliss for tonight, but Jax accepted for her. James is always up for a challenge, so she will fight the much more challenging opponent in her pursuit to capturing her seventh championship.
James manages to chop down the much larger opponent and manages to plant Jax with a tornado DDT from the turnbuckle. Before the referee can count the pin, Bliss enters the ring and breaks up the pin, ending the match. She looks to continue the attack outside the ring, but James counters and lays out the Raw Women’s Champion with the Mick Kick. Winner (via disqualification): Mickie James
While Mickie James is heading backstage, Kurt Angle informs her that her performance has earned her a Raw Women’s Championship match against Alexa Bliss at TLC later this month.
Matt Hardy & Jason Jordan vs. Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson
Since Jeff Hardy is going into surgery tomorrow, Matt Hardy needs to find a new tag team partner for the time being. It just so happens that earlier today, Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson were making fun of Jordan and Hardy stepped in to challenge the Good Brothers to a match tonight. There are still no #1 Contenders to the Raw Tag Team Championships and this match could help fill that gap.
While Hardy and Gallows are the legal men, Jordan is a little too ambitious by attacking Anderson. Anderson counters and throws Jordan into the barricade, then the Good Brothers hit the Magic Killer on Hardy to get an important win. Winners: Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson
The Miz (c) (w/The Miztourage) vs. Roman Reigns – Intercontinental Championship
Last week, Roman Reigns defeated the Miz in a non-title match even with the Miztourage at ringside. Raw General Manager Kurt Angle thought that this was enough to give Reigns a championship opportunity tonight. Reigns makes sure to make this as fair as possible so before the match can officially begin, he demolishes the Miztourage.
Reigns looks to put The Miz away with a spear, but Sheamus and Cesaro attack him from out of nowhere. Miz and The Bar assault Reigns, leaving the Big Dog laid out in the middle of the ring for the second consecutive week. Although Reigns won, the disqualification keeps the title on Miz. Winner (via disqualification): Roman Reigns
To put an exclamation point on the attack, they finish Reigns off with the Shield’s signature Triple Powerbomb, as well as the signature pose.
Sasha Banks & Bayley vs. Emma & Alicia Fox
Now that Mickie James is the #1 Contender to the Raw Women’s Championship, all four women involved in this match are building momentum and climbing the ladder of the division. Sasha Banks and Bayley are known for being good friends, but it seems like Emma found a new friend in Alicia Fox, who has not been on television much outside of being Noam Dar’s girlfriend.
Fox looks to tag out of the match, but Emma decides to take the easy route and walk to the back. It seems like that friendship didn’t last very long. Bayley takes advantage with the Bayley-to-Belly, and there is potentially a new story in the works. Winners: Sasha Banks & Bayley
Announcement
Next week, there will be a special edition of MizTV with the Miz’s special guests being Sheamus and Cesaro.
Enzo Amore Addresses the Cruiserweight Division
Last week, Enzo Amore hosted a Cruiserweight Championship Celebration that ended with the entire division assaulting him, forfeiting any further title opportunity while Muscles Marinara holds the title. Amore comes to the ring and cuts the same promo he did to kick off 205 Live last week before the entire division surrounds the ring in protest.
Amore announces that he has a paper stating that if any members of the Cruiserweight Division lay a hand on him, they will be fired. After Amore insults the entire division individually, Kurt Angle announces that there is a new member of the division that will be Amore’s next challenger: Kalisto. The former United States Champion rushes the ring and attacks the champion, leaving him laid out after the Salida Del Sol. Somehow, this took an entire year of 205 Live’s existence to have happened, but it’s better late than never.
Shield Reunion?
To close the show, the camera pans on Roman Reigns backstage as he recovers from the assault earlier tonight from The Miz, Sheamus, and Cesaro. One by one, Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins walk up to him, they all nod at each other, then the show fades to black.
