Live from San Diego, California, Monday Night RAW had to follow up what was an overall solid show for the first time in a while a week prior.
As we quickly approach Extreme Rules, did WWE further storylines and create adequate heat on the heels among other things?
Read the recap below to find out!
Kurt Angle and Baron Corbin Kick Off The Show
Kicking off the show, we’re introduced to RAW general manager Kurt Angle and “Constable” Baron Corbin. Angle informs the audience that Paul Heyman wrote a message on Facebook detailing Brock Lesnar’s next title defense and how it opposed Angle’s current plans for the upcoming pay-per-view. Angle said he was out in the ring to set the record straight.
However, Roman Reigns came out and interrupted him during the promo.
The commentators mentioned that Heyman said in the post that he was not interested in Reigns getting a shot because of his failed attempts.
Reigns tells Angle to continue on, but as he goes to continue, Bobby Lashley came out, too.
Lashley comes to the ring and says he’s out there to hear what Angle is going to say in person. Lashley tells Reigns to back off since he had his chance. He tells him to move on.
Reigns interrupts Lashley and tells him that he moved on 10 years ago to do MMA and asked him how that went and said he made an impact sarcastically, of course. He mentions how he’s main evented Wrestlemania for many years in a row.
Lashley fires back and talks about how he’ll take on the other guys in the multi-man match and proceed to take on Lesnar.
However, Angle informs them both that there is no multi-man match. That there was a snag in the contractual agreements and Lesnar backed out.
Lashley doesn’t know what Angle is talking about, but Reigns lets Lashley know that Lesnar “does whatever he wants” and it’s about the money and he doesn’t respect anyone.
Lashley said that maybe Lesnar would be more willing to compete if he had someone better to go up against. Lashley said Lesnar is sick of seeing Reigns’ face like all the fans in the audience, to which they applauded. Lashley speculated that maybe Lesnar would face him.
Reigns says since neither of them have a match for Extreme Rules that they should fight right now.
Angle breaks it up and says that he’ll take their potential match under advisement.
Then The Revival came out to talk smack to Reigns and Lashley and challenges them. Again.
Corbin grabs the mic from Angle’s hand and agrees. Angle reluctantly says to get a referee to the ring.
Analysis: There were some nice promos cut here, but The Revival coming out made me laugh. It’s so ridiculous. They’re a useless talent at this point and should be back in NXT. Makes no sense storyline wise.
Lashley and Reigns vs. The Revival
The Revival win after Reigns and Lashley have issues tagging one another in. Scott Dawson ran into Lashley, Reigns speared him and Dash Wilder rolled up Reigns for the win.
After the match, Lashley has strong words toward Reigns, telling him to let him get the job done.
Analysis: Clearly a way to build up The Revival again while trying to demonstrate Lashley and Reigns can’t co-exist. Just a huge waste of time, though. No one believes The Revival is anything special. Losing on a roll-up is stupid.
Deleters of Worlds Vignette/In-Ring
In their initial promo, the Deleters of Worlds talk about their feud with The B-Team.
After, both Matt Hardy and Bray Wyatt come to the ring.
However, The B-Team mock Hardy and Wyatt with their imitation of them, dressed up as both guys with Curtis Axel talking like Hardy and Bo Dallas dressed up as Wyatt and coughing with the smoke around them that Wyatt has when he comes out to the ring and during their vignettes.
Analysis: The parodies are actually funny.
Matt Hardy vs. Curtis Axel
This match ended quite quickly with a weird finish. It legitimately looked like Axel smashed his face on the ring. Not sure if that’s how the match was supposed to end, but it resulted in Axel beating Hardy.
After the match, Hardy and Wyatt said their win was “wonderful” and The B-Team celebrates storming out of the ring.
Analysis: I’m curious if that’s how the ending was booked. That didn’t look right.
Backstage with Sasha Banks, Kurt Angle, Authors of Pain and Titus Worldwide
After the Axel and Hardy match, we go backstage and see Angle and Sasha Banks exchanging words with no audio.
However, we then shift to the Authors of Pain who haven’t been around for a while. They’re walking backstage and push some random guy into some metal barricades of some kind.
Then, Titus Worldwide approaches the tag team. Titus tells the Author of Pain to show respect to the guys backstage.
Analysis: I guess they’re just randomly back?
Angle Backstage with Bayley, featuring Alicia Fox
Bayley welcomes back Alicia Fox after she’s been gone for a few months.
Angle comes in and asks to talk to Bayley. She says she’s teaming up with Banks and Ember Moon to take on The Riott Squad.
Bayley does not want to compete with Sasha.
Analysis: Just enough already with this.
Authors of Pain vs. Rich and Rex Gibson
Authors of Pain absolutely squash them. After the match, they continue to assault the jobbers.
Titus Worldwide comes out and the Authors of Pain back down and leave the ring.
Analysis: Re-introducing them to the fans. Where did they go, though? And why the hell would they cower from Titus and Apollo Crews? Makes no sense.
Angle and Corbin Backstage
The two men initially argue about Angle booking tag team matches and imploding tag teams.
They’re interrupted by Finn Balor who makes fun of Corbin’s vest after Corbin says Balor would embarrass himself in the multi-man match if it were still on, saying it looks like it’s from a TGIFriday’s employee.
Then Braun Strowman enters the affair. He says that he has been hard on Kevin Owens and feels bad and wants to team with him against Balor and Corbin.
Analysis: Makes absolutely no sense. Ridiculous. Why is Strowman feeling bad about anything?
Alexa Bliss and Mickie James In-Ring
Their in-ring starts with Mickie James introducing Bliss.
They chat about Rousey and talk down about her, calling her a brat.
Bliss puts over what she did at Money in the Bank as perfectly legal.
James says it was one of the best cash-in’s ever.
Bliss is upset she needs to defend her title against Nia Jax at Extreme Rules.
Bliss then goes in on Jax talking about her trying to portray herself as the victim.
As they continue on and on about Jax, they eventually are greeted by Natalya.
Natalya comes out to remind the audience that in 23 days Ronda Rousey will be back.
Bliss then says that Natalya left her resort in Lake Tahoe on the set of Total Divas and says she posts her entire life on social media.
Natalya informs Bliss that they have a match “right here, right now.”
She then says she didn’t come back from Tahoe alone. Jax then comes out.
Analysis: They really want to put over the fact that WWE and UFC are different. Like no one knew that. This segment went long and I lost interest quick. Don’t care about the match.
Natalya vs. Alexa Bliss
Natalya beats Bliss after Bliss is tripped by Jax and then Natalya applied the sharpshooter.
Analysis: Moving on…
Seth Rollins Interview Backstage
Rollins just talks about how Dolph Ziggler is going to get a better form of Rollins this week because he’s had a week to get his mind right.
Analysis: Whatever
Jinder Mahal Photo-shoot Backstage with Riott Squad
Jinder Mahal is backstage having a photo-shoot when the Riott Squad interrupt them, take the camera and smash it on the ground prior to their 6-Woman Tag Team Match against Moon, Bayley and Banks.
Analysis: OK.
Ember Moon, Sasha Banks and Bayley vs. Riott Squad
Riott Squad win. After the match, Bayley attacks Banks after frustration during the match.
Analysis: So is Bayley the heel now?
Angle, Owens and Referee Backstage
Angle tells the referee to find Bayley.
After that, Owens comes into the frame. He says that he cannot be partnered with Strowman because he knows it’s not legitimate.
Angle says he can’t change the booking of the match and Owens eventually walks away.
Analysis: OK.
No Way Jose vs. Mojo Rawley
Prior to the match, Rawley goes after the conga line and says they’re all essentially useless and mocks their outfits.
He goes after a guy named Todd and says that his appearance in the conga line is the pinnacle of his existence.
Rawley then says he’s not going to face No Way Jose again.
No Way Jose then comes out of the ring and asks why not and Rawley hits him with a cheap shot.
Analysis: Once again. OK.
Angle and Bayley Backstage
An argument ensues.
Angle tells Bayley she needs counseling. Bayley doesn’t want to go, but Angle says if she doesn’t she’s fired.
Analysis: These segments are just getting worse as the night goes on. Tired of just saying “OK”.
Strowman and Owens vs. Balor and Corbin
Owens and Strowman win via count out. Corbin and Balor got into a fight outside the ring that culminated in the count out.
After the match was over, Strowman stared down Owens and chased him to the back.
Owens then hides in a locker room and Strowman looks for him backstage.
He asks a random guy backstage where he is and describes Owens as “the guy that looks like he has a bowling ball under his shirt.”
Analysis: The fat joke popped me, but don’t really understand the point of this at the moment.
Owens and Strowman Backstage Continued
Returning from the commercial break, Owens leaves the locker room and heads to get his car.
However, the valet doesn’t have them. Strowman does.
Strowman also tipped over Owens’ car, too, which can be seen in the parking lot.
Analysis: At least they did stuff outside of the ring. Solid effort.
Seth Rollins vs. Dolph Ziggler (c) for Intercontinental Championship
Ziggler retains the title following a disqualification after Drew McIntyre interferes and attacks Rollins.
After that, both men go after Rollins, but then Reigns comes out to help Rollins.
Analysis: So ridiculous. Eat up all that time and end it in a way in which they could have right when the match began. Keeping the title on a DQ never made sense to me.
