WWE RAW is live tonight from Valley View Casino Center in San Diego. Here is the latest from WWE to get you ready for the show:
Advertised angles for the show include Seth Rollins trying to regain the Intercontinental Championship after dropping the belt last week to Dolph Ziggler, more in the Roman Reigns-Bobby Lashley buildup to their match at Extreme Rules to earn the right to face Brock Lesnar for the Universal title at SummerSlam, RAW Women’s Champion Alexa Bliss renewing her rivalry with Nia Jax and the dissolving friendship between Sasha Banks and Bayley.
RAW Opening Segment
Tonight’s WWE RAW opens up with a graphic in memory of former World Heavyweight Champion Vader, who passed away last Monday at the age of 63.
Kurt Angle is in the ring with Constable Corbin. Corbin demands to be announced as Stephanie McMahon’s personally appointed Constable of Raw.
Kurt says that last week he made his announcement about the person that would face Brock Lesnar next would be the person that would win the multi-man match at Extreme Rules. However, Paul Heyman over the weekend has brought doubt to the match due to complications with Brock Lesnar’s status with the company. Angle wants to set the record straight as he wants to guar….
And out comes The Big Dog, Roman Reigns. Reigns comes out to the ring and gets in the face of Baron Corbin. Roman says to not mind him, he just wants to hear whatever explanation that Kurt has to give face to face. Kurt tries to talk again, but he is interrupted again, this time by Bobby Lashley. Lashley says that he deserves to hear the news too. Lashley says that Roman has had three years of repeated chances, and the only thing that he can’t beat Brock Lesnar, and he should finally walk away.
Roman says that he should walk away like Lashley did 10 years ago. He went to MMA, and clearly he didn’t make an impact there. Lashley tells Roman to not question his background. He says that he will face two guys, three guys, four guys, or as many guys as he needs to.
Kurt cuts him off and he informs the two men that there will no longer be a multi-man match at Extreme Rules. Brock Lesnar pulled out of the deal and will no longer be defending his championship to the winner of that match. Roman says it’s like always and Brock does whatever he wants. Lashley says that maybe he is like the people and sick of seeing Roman across the ring from Brock all the time. Everyone is sick of Roman and Brock just wants a real challenger. Roman tells Lashley that now that they both don’t have matches at Extreme Rules, maybe they should just go one on one now.
Kurt stops them and says that they can face off at Extreme Rules, but before it goes any further, the Revival comes out again, just like last week. And just like last week, they talk about how the two biggest egos get all the opportunities again. And just like last week, they challenge Roman and Lashley to a match, and just like last week, the match is made.
The Revival vs. Roman Reigns & Bobby Lashley
Lashley & Reigns hit two big back body drops on Dash & Dawson, sending them up and down, and then out of the ring. They double team Scott Dawson, but Dash Wilder comes back in and sends Roman out of the ring. Dawson comes back and starts to take it to Lashley. He tags in Wilder and Dawson drops WIlder onto Lashley.
WIlder pushes Lashley into his corner, and he and Dawson start to hit punches on Lashley and then hit a double suplex. Wilder goes for the pin, but Lashley kicks out at two. Lashley gets up and hits a clothesline out of nowhere! Wilder tags in Dawson, but Reigns is tagged in as well. Roman takes it to The Revival for a few seconds before setting up for his Superman Punch. Dash and Dawson run to the outside to avoid Roman, but Roman follows and hits a drive by onto The Revival.
Back from commercial, Reigns is locked down with a reverse chinlock. Dumping him to the apron, kicks and punches, Wilder gets a cheap shot or two in and Dawson puts boots to the Big Dog. Whip to the corner, Scott charges into a boot and tags Dash to cut Roman off. Putting boots to him, locking a grounded cobra clutch on and tossing him aside as soon as he shows signs of breaking free.
Dawson tags back in, stomps to the head, front chancery to back him into the corner and a whip is reversed. Flair Flip, Samoan drop… tags made! Lashley takes the Revival out with elbows, lariats, and belly-to-belly suplexes! Big thrust spinebuster on Scott, Wilder up for the delayed vertical and it connects! Bob lies in wait, Reigns with the blind tag and he hits the Superman Punch!
The Big Dog gets ready to howl but jaws at Lashley when he looks as if he’s gonna go for a tag, spear on Dawson, Wilder slips over and gets the schoolboy pin on Reigns.
Winners: The Revival
Reigns and Lashley have a face-off and Bob insists that if he’s tagged, he should be allowed to finish.
We go backstage with Matt Hardy, who calls out the B-Team, saying their parody last week was wonderful and the last time he saw a performance like that, his vessel was sharing an almond tart in the Globe Theatre with his dear friend Bill Shakespeare. Bray Wyatt says their eyes tell the true story, and glory breeds consequence, and the B-Team are so fixated on their prize that they don’t realize they’re being lead into the lion’s den.
Hardy says they have no idea what they’ve gotten themselves into and the tag champs blow the lantern out.
They make their entrance and we go to break.
Back from commercial in time for the B-Team to do another parody video on the tron.
Curtis Axel is being Matt Hardy and says theirs is an eternal conflict unbound by time and space, and Bo Dallas, dressed as Bray Wyatt, says they may be entering a lion’s den, but the tag champs are entering a beehive, buzz. Bo starts coughing from the smoke and they finish up promptly.
“Woken” Matt Hardy vs. Curtis Axel
Hardy in with a vengeance, smashing Axel’s face into the turnbuckles, but Curtis catches a boot and fires back with strikes of his own. Whip to the corner, boot up, Matt sets him up top and punches away before climbing up, they jockey for position and Axel reverses a superplex with a crossbody to get the pin.
Winner: Curtis Axel
The two teams square off against each other and Hardy declares Axel’s resilience wonderful.
Commentary recaps the interactions between Bayley and Sasha Banks from last week and we cut to see Sasha arguing with Kurt Angle backstage.
The Authors of Pain are walking backsage when Akam shoves a crew member into some stuff and they roll up on Titus Worldwide. Titus O’Neil scolds them for attacking crew and the Authors thank him for the advice… but no thanks.
We go to break.
Back from commercial, Bayley is hanging out with Alicia Fox, who is back apparently.
Kurt Angle rolls up to tell Bayley she has to team with Sasha Banks tonight, with Ember Moon against the Riott Squad. Bayley protests, but Kurt insists.
Authors of Pain vs. Rich & Rex Gibson
Rezar with a boot to Rex’s face, scooping him up and slamming him to the floor by way of the apron! Bieling Rich into the ring, tag to Akam, getting Rex back in the ring… BLU-RAY! Setting him up for the Last Chapter and a squash win for AOP.
Winners: Authors of Pain
Not finished with the Gibsons, the Authors carry on beating them down after the match when Titus Worldwide make the save!
In Kurt Angle’s office, he’s complaining to Baron Corbin and Corbin criticizes him for trying to see how many tag teams he can implode. Finn Balor rolls up to talk about the multi-man that got canceled and Baron says he should be thankful because he’d just embarass himself. Finn fires back with a crack about his vest and Braun Strowman rolls up. He thinks he’s been rough on Kevin Owens lately and wants to team with him tonight.
Angle asks him what opponents he wants and Braun suggests the other two men in the room and Kurt makes it happen to send us to break.
Alexa Bliss Segment
Back from commercial, Alexa Bliss makes her entrance with Mickie James at her side.
We get a recap of her segment from last week and Mickie introduces the Raw Women’s Champion. Alexa thanks her for the intro and James says she deserves it after how her celebration last week got ruined. Bliss runs down Ronda Rousey as a spoiled brat who doesn’t even know the rules of WWE because everything she did at Money in the Bank is 100% legal.
Mickie says it could go down as one of the greatest cash-ins ever, and Alexa gladly accepts the praise before complaining that she has to defend the title against Nia Jax again, depending on how her arm is. Bliss gloats that of the three of them, she’s the only one here and says as long as she’s known Nia, she’s had an ability to paint herself as the victim every time.
Jax thinks her story had a happy ending at WrestleMania and Backlash was the sequel, the “different” girl overcame the mean, pretty, popular girl but Alexa says that only works in the movies, and in real life, she’s the real here. She’s overcome every obstacle put in her way, including the other women in the Money in the Bank ladder match, Nia, and Ronda.
Boo her all you want, she’s still the champion.
Enter Natalya. Meow she says the countdown is on, 23 days until her friend and training partner Ronda Rousey comes back and makes her regret what she’s done. Bliss mocks her and is suprised she left her vacation in Lake Tahoe with the cast of Total Divas to come confront her, and how can she know this? Because Nattie posts her entire life on social media, and you don’t have to do that.
She dismisses Neidhart but Nattie says she talked to Kurt Angle and he made a match between them right here, right now! And she didn’t come back alone, either… Nia Jax is here!
We go to break before the match can begin.
RAW Women’s Champ Alexa Bliss vs. Natalya
Bliss has a bodyscissors in on Natalya, shifting to a guillotine choke, Neidhart posts to her feet, sunset flip, get out, pick the legs, setep through but Alexa gets to the ropes and blocks the Sharpshooter. Leg kick and a headkick from the mat, a cover for two, and back to the bodyscissors. Roll into a pin, back to the bodyscissors, to the guillotine again and Nattie reverses to a Michinoku Driver!
Slow to capitalize, Bliss catches her with a mat slam and Insault to Injury… NOPE! Neidhart rolls towards the ropes and Alexa stomps her back in before stomping at her head, another cover for two, covering again and again but she can’t keep her down for the count. Goozle, Natalya reverses, lariat, lariat, snap suplex, Russian legsweep, the running neck stomp, Mickie runs interference and Bliss gets a nearfall!
Hard elbow, Nia Jax trips Alexa up and she turns around into the discus lariat! Picking the legs and locking in a Sharpshooter for the submission victory.
Winner: Natalya
Seth Rollins is interviewed backstage and has no excuses for last week. He’s had seven days to let that loss drive him, and he’s dedicated to being better. The Seth Rollins that Dolph Ziggler’s gonna get tonight is like nothing he’s ever seen, and Drew McIntyre’s gonna have the best seat in the house as he reclaims his title.
Backstage, Jinder Mahal and Sunil Singh are in the middle of a photoshoot when the Riott Squad roll up. Ruby Riott takes the camera and snaps a few shots before smashing it on the ground! Jinder leads a gesture of peace and they walk off.
We go to break on a Special Olympics video package featuring Mojo Rawley and Becky Lynch handing out promotional material with a bunch of athletes.
Sasha Banks, Bayley & Ember Moon vs. The Riott Squad
Bayley starts with Sarah Logan and quickly tags in Ember Moon. Moon tags Banks, and she hits a double-team suplex with Bayley. Banks hits Logan with a meteora for a two count. Moon tags back in, but Logan powers her to her corner. Liv Morgan tags in and bends under a clothesline. Moon elbows her and hits a leg sweep. Moon hits a reverse STO, the second one of the night, and Morgan rolls to ringside. Ruby Riott and Sarah Logan run in, but Bayley and Banks take them out. Moon then hits Morgan and Riott with a suicide dive.
We come back from the break to see Banks tagged in, and she runs wild on Ruby Riott. Banks hits her with double knee before Logan attacks her. Riott gets the better of her, but Bayley makes the save. Logan takes Bayley out. Moon pulls Logan out of the ring and kills her with an elbow. Morgan then hits Moon with a hurricanrana on the floor. Banks pins Riott for a two count. Morgan gets on the apron and distracts Banks. Riott then rolls her up for the win.
Winners: The Riott Squad
Bayley immediately gets in the ring and punches away at Banks out of nowhere. The crowd likes that. Bayley stomps away at Banks and punches her down. A “YES” chant fires up. Bayley pulls her up by the hair, so Banks starts fighting. Bayley quickly stops her and slams her face off the middle turnbuckle. Bayley leaves the ring looking remorseful before pulling Banks out of the ring and slamming her on the floor. A “We want tables” chant picks up. Bayley then whips her twice into the ring steps. Bayley stands over her and yells in her face. Something she says gets censored. Bayley then walks off.
Mojo Rawley vs. No Way Jose
No Way Jose and his conga line make their entrance, he’ll be in action against Mojo Rawley after the break.
Mojo Rawley comes out and says he’s embarrassed to be here in the first place, because of the conga line.
You have to earn the right to walk down the ramp here in WWE, and they haven’t earned that, and neither has Jose. Mojo intervies a man in a hamburger costume. His name is Todd and he’s aware of how he’s dressed, but uncertain on if he’s making his mother proud or going to earn a WWE contract. He informs Todd that he will, in fact, not ever be earning a contract and No Way isn’t getting his rematch, either.
Jose jumps out of the ring and asks why, and Rawley clocks him across the face for his trouble!
Bayley is backstage with Kurt Angle, who’s sending her to mandatory counseling next week.
Braun Strowman makes his entrance, his tag team match will begin after the break.
Result: No Contest
Braun Strowman & Kevin Owens vs. Finn Balor & Constable Baron Corbin
Owens and Balor to start but Corbin tags himself right in. KO with a side headlock, shot off, shoulder block, back to the headlock, shot off again, shoulder block puts him down this time! Charging in, boot up, tag to Finn, arm wringer… and Baron tags himself right back in. Whip reverse, chokebreaker blocked and Owens tags Strowman in! Collar and elbow, Braun shoves Corbin away and flexes!
Collar and elbow, this time Baron slips away and shoves Strowman before jawing at him. Test of strength was a ruse, kick to the leg, off the ropes and Braun drops him with a shove and a wicked right! Tags made, Kev takes it to Finn, putting boots to him in the corner, backing off at referee Rod Zapata’s insistence before going right back to it and grabbing the reverse chinlock.
Throwing Balor in the corner, clearing Corbin from the apron, boot when he tries to run in and Braun coordinates offense! Stereo cannonball and Stinger splash sends us to break!
Back from commercial, Balor’s in control with a kneeling armbar on Owens. Inverted headlock elbow drop when he gets out but Braun breaks it up! Corbin in, whip to the corner, pass to the floor, slide back in, KO tags Strowman in and he knocks Baron down before giving him These Hands! Stinger splash, Corbin with a boot up and he tags Finn in.
Braun drags him in and clubs him down before clotheslining Baron to the floor. Everybody on the floor, Strowman does what comes natural… Pounce! And one for Corbin, too! He tells Owens to do it, too… KO obliges! Finn down… Corbin runs him over with a lariat! Braun takes care of Baron and throws him into the barricade, but the Constable sidesteps and Strowman takes the post hard.
Back in, Sling Blade from Finn and he’s fired up when Corbin tags himself in. Finn tags back in, dumps KO to the floor but Baron picks him out of the ring and they get to fighting on the ramp! Big knee lift from Baron into stomps as referee Rod Zapata counts, Kevin and Braun standing next to him. KO and The Monster Among Men win by count out.
Winner: Kevin Owens & Braun Strowman
Owens offers a handshake after but Braun just stares and KO heads for the hills. Strowman chases after him!
We cut backstage where Owens shuts himself in a locker room and Braun comes along yelling and asking crew members where he went. He walks past the room KO went into and we go to break.
Backstage, Kevin Owens sneaks out of the room he was hiding in and gets a pair of crew members to watch his back as he leaves up the ramp and accosts the valet for his keys. The valet says he doesn’t have the keys… Braun does. Strowman throws the keys at him and says he hopes he has insurance, because his car is over there.
KO slowly turns… and there’s a car upside down and smoking. Braun walks off, mission accomplished.
We get our entrances for our Intercontinental Championship match and go to break.
Intercontinental Champion Dolph Ziggler vs. Seth Rollins
Rollins in with a dropkick at the jump, putting boots to Ziggler! Out for a breather and back in, a little light grappling, test of strength and Dolph cuts him off with a boot before launching into punches. Seth returns with punches and chops, arm drag into a kneeling armbar, Ziggler stands up and backs Rollins against the ropes, breaking dirty.
Smashing the Architect’s face into the turnbuckles, elbow drop follows, hammerlock to a side headlock, takeover, Seth to his feet and trying to shoot him off but Dolph blocks. Another headlock takeover, a third, trapping the arm this time as he wrenches it in. Rollins shoots him off, drop down, leapfrog, hip toss, big dropkick sends him to the floor. Rollins comes around, Drew gets between them and he and Seth jaw at each other as we go to break.
Back from commercial, Ziggler is taking Rollins’ knee out, stomping at it before putting him into the corner to beat on him. Snapmare to an elbow drop, only two, sleeper hold applied, Seth posts up, Dolph throws hands but the Architect whips the champion chest-first into the turnbuckles hard! Charging in, Ziggler manages to back body drop his challenger to the floor!
Back in, drawing him up, punch to the face, another one, getting cocky, strutting around the ring and Rollins gets a knee in. Falcon Arrow countered into the sleeper hold, that countered with a back suplex, Dolph lands on his feet and goes back to the sleeper! Snapmare, duck a lariat, double crossbody and both men are down and out! Rising to their feet, trading chops, whip revered, Seth gets a boot up, to the second, up and over, Sling Blade connects!
Clothesline puts Ziggler to the floor, the Architect regains his poise, hits the ropes… and McIntyre hits the cheap shot! Dolph comes from behind him with a northern lariat and referee John Cone’s had enough, he’s sending Drew to the back! Ziggler begs, Seth with a schoolboy… NOPE! Enzuigiri sends Dolph to the floor, suicide dive lands true, he heads up top but Ziggler cuts him off and gets a nearfall off the impact as we go to break.
Back from the break and Rollins nails the Ripcord knee, sending them both back down. Rollins crawls over and makes a close 2 count as Ziggler gets his boot on the bottom rope. McIntyre is no longer at ringside. Rollins has Ziggler on the apron now, preparing for a powerbomb. Ziggler slides out and sends Rollins to the floor. Rollins comes back to the apron but Ziggler catches him and drops him with a DDT. Rollins falls to the floor and the referee starts counting. Rollins makes it back into the ring, right at the 9 count as the crowd goes wild.
Fans chant “this is awesome” now. Ziggler cranks up for the superkick. Rollins gets up and blocks it. Rollins nails the Buckle Bomb and a kick to the face for a very close 2 count. Rollins and the crowd can’t believe it. Rollins goes to the top but Ziggler runs up and meets him. Rollins sends him down with a headbutt but Ziggler comes right back to the second rope and they tangle. Rollins sends Ziggler back to the mat again. Rollins nails the Frogsplash but Ziggler kicks out at 2. Rollins gets up and cranks for The Stomp. Fans chant “burn it down!” as he drops Ziggler but misses The Stomp. Rollins counters the Zig Zag. Rollins with a roll-up for a close 2 count. Ziggler with a 2 count and a handful of tights. Rollins with a 2 count. Ziggler ends up hitting the Zig Zag for another close 2 count.
Both Superstars are down now. Ziggler gets up first and pushes Rollins into the corner. Ziggler takes Rollins to the top but he’s slow to climb up with him. Rollins blocks the superplex attempts from Ziggler. Rollins fights back and goes for a superplex while standing on the other side of the second rope. Ziggler blocks that. Rollins re-positions on the top rope and nails a big superplex. He rolls through and hits the Falcon Arrow for a close 2 count as McIntyre runs down and pulls the referee out of the ring for the disqualification.
Winner: Seth Rollins By Disqualification; Ziggler retains IC Title
After the bell, McIntyre enters the ring and mounts Rollins with strikes as fans boo. McIntyre stomps Rollins in the face. McIntyre helps Ziggler get up to assist him with the double team. The music hits before they can do further damage and out comes Roman Reigns to a loud but mixed reaction. Ziggler leaves the ring to meet Reigns at ringside but Reigns hits a huge Spear on the floor. Reigns and McIntyre stare each other down. Reigns enters the ring and they brawl. Drew with a big headbutt. Reigns sends McIntyre out of the ring with a Superman Punch. McIntyre clutches his jaw and helps Ziggler up at ringside. JoJo confirms Rollins won by DQ and his music hits. We go to replays as Reigns and Rollins stand together in the ring. JoJo then confirms that Ziggler retained and his music starts up. McIntyre and Ziggler look on from the stage as Ziggler raises the title. RAW goes off the air with Reigns talking to Rollins in the ring.