In six days, Monday Night Raw hosts the Great Balls of Fire Pay-Per-View. Tonight’s episode should round out the card for this Sunday while providing more build for already established matches like the Universal Championship Match between Brock Lesnar and Samoa Joe.
Opening Segment
To kick off the show, Enzo Amore comes straight to the ring and addresses his former partner, Big Cass. Right before he starts his anger-filled promo, it is announced that Amore will face Cass at the Great Balls of Fire Pay-Per-View this Sunday. Amore’s promo shows how much of a wordsmith he is and gets the entire WWE Universe behind him before storming out.
Big Cass is being interviewed and he fires a shot back, saying that he has never heard someone say so much without saying anything at all. As he continues his interview, Enzo Amore jumps from out of nowhere and hits him with some sort of a bulldog. They continue the brawl until officials have to separate them.
Sasha Banks & Bayley vs. Nia Jax & Alexa Bliss
Last week, Nia Jax dominated in a Gauntlet Match that determined the new #1 Contender for Alexa Bliss’ Raw Women’s Championship. Jax would defeat Bayley and three other women before losing to Sasha Banks due to exhaustion. Banks challenges for the Women’s Title in just six days and this win could help her gain a ton of momentum.
Nia Jax attacks Bayley at ringside while she isn’t the legal woman in the match, leaving Sasha Banks to compete in a handicap match. However, Banks is able to lock Alexa Bliss in the Bank Statement and force the champion to tap out. Winners (via submission): Sasha Banks & Bayley
Cedric Alexander vs. Noam Dar (w/Alicia Fox)
Before the match starts, Cedric Alexander grabs a microphone to address Noam Dar. Alexander has been trying to move on from Dar and Alicia Fox for weeks, but the couple keeps antagonizing him. Fox has been away recovering from a neck injury, but she returns tonight to be in her boyfriend’s corner.
Fox gets on the ring apron to distract Alexander and Dar goes for a roll-up, but Alexander immediately kicks out. He then picks up the Scottish Supernova for a brutal Lumbar Check, picking up the victory. Winner: Cedric Alexander
MizTV
After insulting Lavar Ball for the disastrous episode of MizTV last week, The Miz comes to the ring with Maryse and his Miztourage (Curtis Axel and Bo Dallas) to call Dean Ambrose a joke and Ambrose joins the segment in response. Ambrose wants his Intercontinental Championship rematch, but Heath Slater interrupts. Slater was technically the last Superstar to pin The Miz, he believes he deserves the opportunity.
Of course, General Manager Kurt Angle enters the conversation to set things straight. Since The Miz takes things to far by mentioning Angle’s private conversations with Corey Graves, Angle schedules two championship matches. The Miz will defend the title against Heath Slater tonight, and whoever leaves that match as champion will defend the gold against Dean Ambrose at Great Balls of Fire.
The Miz (c) (w/Maryse, Curtis Axel, & Bo Dallas) vs. Heath Slater (w/Rhyno) – Intercontinental Championship
For the first time in Heath Slater’s eight-year long WWE career, he has an opportunity at a singles championship. A couple weeks ago in a very unusual tag team match, Dean Ambrose (dressed as a bear) helped Heath Slater pin The Miz, giving the former SmackDown Tag Team Champion this opportunity.
The Miztourage attacks Rhyno, and Heath Slater makes the mistake of turning his attention away from the match. While Slater is looking away, the Miz hits the One Man Southern Rock Band with the Skull Crushing Finale. The Miztourage attacks Slater after the match, and while Ambrose tries to attack the Miz, they attack Ambrose as well. Winner, and STILL Intercontinental Champion: The Miz
The Shattered Truth
When Goldust attacked R-Truth last week, he decided to make it a short film. The film is nothing more than a stylized version of the attack with Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy” playing in the background. R-Truth sneaks behind Goldust and attacks his former partner, sending him reeling to the back.
Seth Rollins vs. Curt Hawkins
Last week, Curt Hawkins lost to Seth Rollins, but he blames the loss on the Los Angeles crowd not believing in him enough. Hawkins asks the Phoenix crowd if they believe in him, but they boo him as well.
As soon as the match starts, Rollins hits him with the jumping knee for the win before grabbing a microphone and turning his attention to Bray Wyatt. Winner: Seth Rollins
Backstage Segment
Samoa Joe and Brock Lesnar are set up in two different rooms while they go back and forth about who is going to walk out of Great Balls of Fire as the Universal Champion. Joe has enough of the talking, and he storms off to find the room that Lesnar is in. Once he finds it, Joe is dragged away by security officials.
Neville vs. Mustafa Ali
This match features the most prominently featured Cruiserweights of the last month. Neville, of course, is the Cruiserweight Champion and has ruled the entire division since January. His next challenger is Akira Tozawa, who is the newest member of Titus Worldwide. Mustafa Ali has been competing against Drew Gulak week in and week out because Gulak has been trying to stop Ali’s high-flying, risk-taking style.
Ali looks to go for his roll-up neckbreaker when Neville counters into an impactful lariat. With Ali laid out in the middle of the ring, Neville locks in the Rings of Saturn submission to pick up the win. Winner (via submission): Neville
Finn Balor vs. Cesaro (w/Sheamus)
Last week, Finn Balor teamed up with The Hardy Boyz and defeated Sheamus, Cesaro, and Elias Samson with Balor scoring the pin over Cesaro. Sheamus and Cesaro are defending their Raw Tag Team Championships against the Hardys in a very rare 30-Minute Iron Man Tag Team Match, and in order to warm up, Cesaro asked for this match against Balor.
Elias Samson comes down to ringside and The Hardys leave the commentary team to fight Samson and Sheamus. After the brawl ends, Finn Balor rolls Cesaro in the ring to set up for the Coup de Grace. Winner: Finn Balor
Braun Strowman vs. Apollo Crews (w/Titus O’Neil)
Since Roman Reigns isn’t at Raw tonight, he issued an open challenge in the hopes of some competition. Titus O’Neil decided to jump at this opportunity, which has a [slim] chance of being the biggest breakthrough Titus Worldwide could ask for.
Strowman almost breaks Apollo Crews’ neck (thankfully he doesn’t) before hitting him with three powerslams for the win. Even though he lost, Crews put up a good fight against the Monster Among Men. Titus O’Neil tries to fight Strowman in the honor of his client, but he gets laid out as well. Winner: Braun Strowman
Strowman puts Crews in the ambulance, but it doesn’t drive away. He opens the driver’s side door and immediately gets hit in the mouth by Roman Reigns. Reigns pushes Strowman into the LED board followed by a spear, sending both men off of the stage and through nearby tables.
