Last night, Monday Night Raw and SmackDown Live hosted SummerSlam and now, Raw has to look forward to its next Pay-Per-View, No Mercy. Tonight’s episode features an appearance from Brock Lesnar, Enzo vs. Big Cass in a Brooklyn Street Fight, and the return of John Cena to Monday Nights.
Opening Segment
After successfully defending the WWE Universal Championship against Braun Strowman, Samoa Joe, and Roman Reigns at SummerSlam last night, a delighted Brock Lesnar heads down to the ring alongside Paul Heyman. Heyman cuts a lengthy promo celebrating the win and just as he finishes up, Braun Strowman joins the conversation.
Instead of talking, Strowman immediately attacks the Universal Champion. Strowman hits Lesnar with not one, but two powerslams before the Monster Among Men holds the Universal title up high and walks to the back. Just like last night, Strowman easily manhandled the Beast Incarnate.
Enzo Amore vs. Big Cass – Brooklyn Street Fight
For those wondering, a Brooklyn Street Fight is a normal Street Fight that happens to take place in Brooklyn, NY. At SummerSlam last night, Big Cass defeated the Big Show while Enzo Amore was suspended above the ring in a shark cage. Near the end of the match, Amore actually slipped out of the cage and safely landed on the ring canvas, but he ended up immediately eating a big boot from Cass.
Amore dodges a clothesline and Cass tumbles over the top rope, landing awkwardly on his knee. He gets some offense in, but when he attempts the Empire Elbow, his knee buckles. Cass can’t continue the match and Amore picks up a victory due to injury. Winner (via injury): Enzo Amore
Emma vs. Nia Jax
Before the match, Emma continues her trend of complaining before trash-talking Nia Jax, her upcoming opponent, in front of Dana Brooke. Jax appears behind Emma during her rant and warns Emma that her “Give Emma a Chance” hashtag will turn into “#GiveEmmaCPR.” Over the past two weeks, both Emma and Nia Jax lost to Sasha Banks while Banks went on to defeat Alexa Bliss for the Raw Women’s Championship.
In a pretty short match, Jax hits Emma with a Samoan Drop to pick up a dominant victory. Winner: Nia Jax
Elias Samson vs. R-Truth
Last week, R-Truth interrupted Elias Samson’s song and they brawled before a match could get underway. This week, R-Truth interrupts a song yet again, but they wait to fight until the referee rings the bell.
In yet another short match, Samson puts R-Truth away with the swinging fisherman neckbreaker. Winner: Elias Samson
John Cena Comes to Raw
Earlier today on social media, Raw General Manager Kurt Angle announced that a “celebrated Superstar” would be coming to Raw, and that Superstar is none other than the 16-time World Champion John Cena. He has been waiting for “a long time” to go face-to-face with a certain WWE Superstar, and out comes Roman Reigns.
The Miz interrupts things demanding a moment of his own, saying that he has been working hard for an opportunity while Cena and Reigns can just waltz in and get whatever they want. Cena suggests a moments for Miz, proposing a tag team match with Cena and Reigns taking on Miz and Bo Dallas/Curtis Axel. Samoa Joe then interrupts and after addressing Reigns, he starts punching Cena. Reigns and Cena clear the ring and after commercial, Kurt Angle makes the tag team main event official: The Miz & Samoa Joe vs. John Cena & Roman Reigns.
Gran Metalik, Mustafa Ali, Cedric Alexander, & Rich Swann vs. Drew Gulak, Tony Nese, Noam Dar, & Ariya Daivari
This match is essentially an advertisement for 205 Live, WWE’s weekly hour-long show featuring the Cruiserweight Division. During a match features eight of the best athletes WWE has to offer, the Brooklyn crowd does the wave because they’re terrible.
After Gran Metalik takes out Drew Gulak outside the ring, Cedric Alexander pins Tony Nese in the center of the ring with the Lumbar Check. Winners: Gran Metalik, Mustafa Ali, Cedric Alexander, & Rich Swann
Interview w/Neville
While Neville is bragging to Charly Caruso about reclaiming the Cruiserweight Championship from Akira Tozawa, Tozawa and Titus O’Neil interrupt the King of the Cruiserweights with an important announcement. Tomorrow night on 205 Live, Tozawa will get his contractually obligated rematch for the Cruiserweight Championship.
Dean Ambrose & Seth Rollins vs. The Hardy Boyz
While Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins celebrate their Raw Tag Team Championship victory over Sheamus and Cesaro, The Hardy Boyz join them in the ring to congratulate them. The former champions are also here to challenge Ambrose and Rollins to a match and of course, they accept.
Jeff Hardy attempts the Swanton Bomb, but Dean Ambrose counters by putting his knees up. After tagging in Rollins, the champions combine their finishing moves to put Jeff Hardy away and to pick up the victory. Winners: Dean Ambrose & Seth Rollins
Announcement
Because of the opening segment tonight, Kurt Angle has decided that at No Mercy (Raw’s next Pay-Per-View), Brock Lesnar will defend the Universal Championship against Braun Strowman.
In-ring Segment
Since there were so many championship victories last night, there is another celebration with Sasha Banks holding the Raw Women’s Championship. Before her boasting can go further, Alexa Bliss (the former champion) interrupts. Banks wants Bliss to cash in her title rematch tonight, but Bliss wants to compete for the title next week instead.
Jason Jordan vs. Finn Balor
Earlier tonight, Jason Jordan approached Kurt Angle (his father) about getting some competition tonight. Jordan ate a pin in a six-man tag team match loss alongside the Hardy Boyz to the Miztourage and wants to redeem himself, so he asked for a match against Finn Balor. Balor “unleashed the Demon” last night in a victory against Bray Wyatt, and now he is just back to being “James Dean cool and John Wayne tough.”
Jordan gives Balor a pretty competitive match, but after the Coup de Grace, Balor picks up his second win in two nights. Winner: Finn Balor
The Miz & Samoa Joe (w/Curtis Axel, Bo Dallas, & Maryse) vs. John Cena & Roman Reigns
This is John Cena’s first match on Monday Night Raw in over a year and it’s a big one. Cena teams with Roman Reigns, a man he has never faced one-on-one, against the very unusual team of the Miz (the current Intercontinental Champion) and Samoa Joe.
Miz tries to take advantage of a miscommunication between Reigns and Cena by hitting the Skull Crushing Finale, but Cena counters into an Attitude Adjustment to pick up a victory. Winners: John Cena & Roman Reigns
