Extreme Rules is only six days away, and every Superstar needs to build their momentum going into Sunday’s Pay-Per-View. Tonight on Monday Night Raw, we will find out more regarding the championship feuds, headlined by the WWE World Heavyweight Championship feud between Roman Reigns and AJ Styles.
Opening Segment
AJ Styles comes down to the ring to tell the audience that he doesn’t need Luke Gallows or Karl Anderson to win the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. While he is telling the audience this, he is interrupted by his opponent at Extreme Rules, Roman Reigns. Reigns says that none of Styles’s championships matter since he hasn’t won the “big championship” in the WWE. Later tonight, the Usos will face Anderson and Gallows, and Styles and Reigns will be in their allies’ corners. The Usos and “The Club” come down to the ring, and The Club holds Styles back, preventing a huge brawl.
Sami Zayn vs. Cesaro
Before the match starts, both Kevin Owens and The Miz (along with Maryse) join the commentary team. This Sunday at Extreme Rules, Zayn, Cesaro, Owens, and the Miz will all be in a fatal four-way match for the Intercontinental Championship. Tonight, we get a little taste at what might happen at Extreme Rules.
Sami Zayn and Cesaro had a series of matches in NXT, which included a 2-out-of-3 falls match that put Sami Zayn on the map.
During the match, Owens starts to leave the commentary booth, but instead, he brawls with the Miz. The brawl goes into the ring, and starts involving Zayn and Cesaro to end the match. Result: No Contest
Since this is the “New Era,” Shane McMahon comes to the stage in full Teddy Long mode to set up a tag team match: Zayn and Cesaro against Owens and the Miz. Before things get underway, Stephanie McMahon comes to the stage to change things up.
Cesaro & The Miz (w/Maryse) vs. Sami Zayn & Kevin Owens
After Stephanie McMahon announced this unusual tag team match, she announced a stipulation for Kevin Owens. If Owens walks out on Zayn (like he has done multiple times with his previous partners), he will not be allowed to compete for the Intercontinental Championship at Extreme Rules.
The Miz throws Cesaro out of the ring, leading to Cesaro returning to hit the Skull Crushing Finale on the Miz. Sami Zayn takes advantage to hit the Helluva Kick on the Miz for the win. Winners: Sami Zayn & Kevin Owens
After the match, Kevin Owens immediately ruins Zayn’s celebration by hitting him with a superkick to lay him out.
The Shining Stars (Primo & Epico) vs. Bryan Kennedy & Scott Jackson
For the last several weeks, we have seen vignettes featuring the Shining Stars focusing on how great Puerto Rico is. Formerly known as Los Matadores, Primo and Epico are ready to show a bit of their “Puerto Rican paradise” on the local indie wrestlers.
Primo and Epico hit the Shining Star (spinning heel kick combined with a sweep) on Bryan Kennedy for the win. Winners: The Shining Stars
In-ring Segment
Dean Ambrose comes down to the ring to call out Chris Jericho. After the death of Mitch the potted plant and the destruction of Chris Jericho’s $15,000 light-up jacket, along with Jericho putting Ambrose in a straight jacket on Smackdown, anything can happen when these two meet. Jericho appears at the stage and demands an apology (along with $15,000) from Ambrose.
Ambrose refuses to apologize to Jericho, and instead challenges him to a match at Extreme Rules, to which Jericho accepts. Ambrose is allowed to have any match he wants, so he chooses the first ever “Asylum Match.” It is essentially a cage match with weapons at the top.
Becky Lynch vs. Dana Brooke
As reported earlier today, Emma has suffered from a back injury and will be out of action indefinitely, so it looks like Dana Brooke will be taking her place in the feud with Becky Lynch. Brooke and Lynch squared off on Smackdown, which resulted in Brooke winning with the help of Emma poking Lynch in the eye.
Becky Lynch attempts a pin that Dana Brooke counters into a pin of her own, picking up the victory in her Monday Night Raw debut. Winner: Dana Brooke
Golden Truth vs. Breezango
After months of Golden Truth updates, it is finally happening. On Smackdown, Goldango (Goldust & Fandango) faces Gorgeous Truth (R-Truth & Tyler Breeze), and both Fandango and Breeze turned on their respective partners. Tonight, Truth and Goldust have a chance to get revenge on their former partners.
Tyler Breeze dodges a spinning heel kick from R-Truth, and Truth hits Goldust instead. Breeze takes advantage and pin Goldust for the win. Winners: Breezango
In-ring Segment
The New Day go through a “time machine” to the Bygone Era, and the Vaudevillains ruin their fun by attacking them from behind.
The Usos (w/Roman Reigns) vs. Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson (w/AJ Styles)
This is defnitely not the first, and probably not the last, time that these two teams will face each other. As long as Styles is feuding with Reigns, the Usos and “The Club” will do the dirty work. The Usos and The Club have faced each other so many times in the last month that it has lost its excitement by now.
The Usos’s teamwork ends with an emphatic splash on Karl Anderson for the win. Winners: The Usos
After the match, Gallows attacks Reigns from behind but the Usos neutralize the Club. Reigns and Styles fight in the ring, which ends with Styles hitting the Styles Clash on Reigns onto a steel chair, hinting at what could happen at Extreme Rules.
D-Von Dudley (w/Bubba Ray Dudley) vs. Big Cass
This match went by so quickly that there is anything to say about it. After a big boot to Bubba Ray Dudley on the apron, Big Cass hits the East River Crossing on D-Von Dudley for an emphatic win. Winner:Big Cass
Kalisto vs. Alberto Del Rio
Alberto Del Rio and Kalisto had a feud over the United States Championship that lasted for several months, and Kalisto would come out of the feud with the US title. Since then, Alberto Del Rio joined the League of Nations and has had an unsuccessful run since. A win over the United States Champion would benefit Del Rio as well as Rusev, who challenges Kalisto for the US title this Sunday.
During the match, we see Sin Cara watching on a backstage monitor when he is attacked from behind by Rusev. During this assault, Del Rio forces Kalisto to watch it by pressing him against the ropes. Rusev then eventually drags Sin Cara to ringside to continue the assault. This provides enough of a distraction for Del Rio to hit the Backstabber on Kalisto for the win. Winner: Alberto Del Rio
Contract Signing (WWE Women’s Championship)
At Extreme Rules, Charlotte will defend her WWE Women’s Championship against Natalya in a submission match with Ric Flair banned from ringside. Tonight, they will sign the contract to make the match official. Like all televised contract signings, this is probably not going to go smoothly.
When giving Charlotte the contract, Shane McMahon announces an added stipulation: If Ric Flair comes down to the ring at all during the match, Charlotte will automatically forfeit her championship. After Ric Flair gets escorted from the ring, Natalya locks in the Sharpshooter on Charlotte, hinting at the possibility that we might have a new Women’s Champion this Sunday at Extreme Rules.
