We’re still a few weeks away from the Raw-exclusive Pay-Per-View Fastlane, but this episode of Monday Night Raw is far from filler content. Along with the usual build for a big event, we have the Festival of Friendship with Chris Jericho and Kevin Owens, and the main event of Charlotte defending the Raw Women’s Championship against Bayley.
Roman Reigns vs. Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson
To start the show, Roman Reigns interrupted Stephanie McMahon’s opening segment in the ring to demand a match against Braun Strowman tonight. Reigns faces Strowman at Fastlane, but it seems like he will still have to wait. For some reason, Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson interrupted to stop Reigns’ “disrespect” of McMahon. The Raw Tag Team Champions suggest a 2-on-1 handicap match, and the Commissioner gives it to them.
Gallows and Anderson start a beatdown on Reigns in the middle of the match, and the referee calls for the bell. They try to assault Reigns further, but the former WWE World Champion fights out and sends the champs retreating. Winner (via disqualification): Roman Reigns
Kofi Kingston (w/Big E & Xavier Woods) vs. Bo Dallas
The New Day come down to the ring touting that they have plans for New Day ice cream. Bo Dallas rips up the blueprints to their “ice cream machine” during the match, and Kofi Kingston puts the former Social Outcast away with the S.O.S. Winner: Bo Dallas
Following his teammate’s victory, Big E pours Booty O’s all over unconscious Bo Dallas.
Jack Gallagher vs. Noam Dar (w/Alicia Fox)
Last week on 205 Live, Jack Gallagher became the #1 Contender to Neville’s Cruiserweight Championship by defeating Noam Dar, along with TJ Perkins, Cedric Alexander, and Mustafa Ali in an Elimination Fatal Five-Way Match. Tonight, Gallagher faces Dar in singles competition with hopes of building momentum towards Fastlane.
Following a headbutt to Noam Dar’s chest, Gentleman Jack Gallagher picks up the victory with a running dropkick in the corner. Winner: Jack Gallagher
The Premiere of Emmalina… Sorta
After 17 weeks, Emma finally returns to Monday Night Raw, giving herself a makeover and calling herself “Emmalina.” She appears on the stage, tells the audience to get prepared for another makeover, from “Emmalina” back to “Emma.”
Braun Strowman vs. Mark Henry
Braun Strowman has undoubtedly been on a roll as of late, destroying everything and everyone in his path. Mark Henry has known to do the same thing during his Hall of Pain run, but this seems like a way to make Strowman seem even more impressive. Henry’s last appearance in a WWE ring was in the Royal Rumble match, where he gave a good showing but wouldn’t last very long.
Strowman counters the World’s Strongest Slam by shifting his weight, and takes advantage to pick up the 399-pound Mark Henry for a powerslam. Roman Reigns comes down to the ring after the match to fight Strowman, and Reigns suffers the same fate as Henry. Winner: Braun Strowman
Sami Zayn vs. Rusev (w/Lana)
Last week, Sami Zayn almost became the United States Champion when he took on Chris Jericho. Zayn seemed to have the match under control, but Kevin Owens interfered in the match to help give Y2J the win. Tonight, Zayn takes on a former United States Champion in Rusev. The Bulgarian Brute is still sporting a protective mask because of a broken nose he suffered a few weeks ago.
Rusev hits Zayn with a clothesline outside of the ring, and rolls the Underdog from the Underground back into the ring. Rusev takes too long getting back in the ring, and Zayn immediately hits him with a Helluva Kick for a surprise victory. Winner: Sami Zayn
Samoa Joe gave an interview earlier in the night, mentioning that he isn’t a Sami Zayn, implying that he is better than Zayn. Zayn, in a post-match interview, took offense to Joe’s comments, and the Samoan Submission Machine blindsides Zayn. After running him into the stage wall, Joe locks in the Coquina Clutch and leaves Zayn laid out.
Akira Tozawa vs. Ariya Daivari
Akira Tozawa debuted on the main roster a couple weeks ago, defeating Aaron Solow and Drew Gulak in his first matches for WWE outside of the Cruiserweight Classic. Tozawa has caught the eye of many, especially Brian Kendrick, who joins commentary for this match and claims to be Tozawa’s mentor.
Tozawa dodges several strikes from Ariya Daivari, and hits a snap German suplex to swiftly Daivari away. Winner: Akira Tozawa
Festival of Friendship
To make up for setting up a match between Kevin Owens and Goldberg for the Universal Championship, Chris Jericho decided to put on a Festival of Friendship. To express the friendship between Owens and Jericho, Y2J gets his best friend art, a magician, and a plethora of gifts. One of Jericho’s gifts was calling out Goldberg, which ended up being Gillberg (WWE’s parody of Goldberg in the Attitude Era).
Owens had one gift for Jericho: a new list. However, Jericho realizes that his name is on the list, and that it’s actually the List of KO. Immediately after this realization, Kevin Owens assaults his now former best friend, laying Y2J out in the middle of the ring. When Raw returns from the commercial break, Jericho is loaded into an ambulance.
Enzo Amore (w/Big Cass) vs. Cesaro (w/Sheamus)
Cesaro and Sheamus cashed in their rematch for the Raw Tag Team Championships last week, while Enzo Amore and Big Cass scouted the match from ringside. Luke Gallows would kick Amore, and Big Cass interfered in the match by hitting Gallows with a big boot of his own. Since Enzo and Cass cost Sheamus and Cesaro the chance to recapture tag team gold, the former champs look to get some retaliation.
Enzo Amore gets a little too confident after hitting a DDT, and Cesaro hits Smacktalker Skywalker with a launching pop-up European uppercut. Winner: Cesaro
Charlotte (c) vs. Bayley – Raw Women’s Championship
Bayley picked up a couple non-title victories over Charlotte, which led to her unsuccessful Raw Women’s Championship match at the Royal Rumble. Fortunately, Bayley pinned the champion again in mixed tag team action, which earner the hug aficionado another title opportunity.
Dana Brooke shows up after being gone for weeks, and tries to help Charlotte steal the victory. However, Sasha Banks comes down to the ring and evens the odds. Bayley takes advantage of the situation to hit the Bayley-to-Belly on Charlotte, and to become the Raw Women’s Champion. Winner, and NEW Raw Women’s Champion: Bayley
