Personal note: as a french citizen, I was deeply touched by the prayers coming from all over the world when Paris was attacked in 2015. Today, the whole country of France, and I, of course, are praying for Manchester. As the whole teams of VultureHound and SteelChairmag… And surely every wrestling fan around the world… 

Last week, Extreme Rules main event was set. Finn Balor, Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins, Samoa Joe and Bray Wyatt will compete in a Fatal 5 Way match to determine who’s going to be the #1 contender for the Universal Championship and square off with the Beast Incarnate on July 9 at Great Balls of Fire PPV. Tonight every opponent had a chance to prove he was better than the other.

I’m Steph, your Doctor Frenchy, and I watched Monday Night Raw for you last night. And it was a night where everybody stuck his nose where they supposed they did belong to.

The show begins with Bray Wyatt in the middle of the ring. The Eater of the Worlds says he will soon rip open the chest of The Beast and feast on his heart and the 4 other men will suffer at Extreme Rules in the Fatal 5 Way Match. Roman Reigns interrupts him. Wyatt is in his Yard, he’s not the only one able to beat Lesnar. Reigns will beat the 4 other guys at Extreme Rules but for the moment he wants Wyatt out his Yard. A wish quickly made by General Manager Kurt Angle who makes Reigns vs. Wyatt for right now.

HERE IS SOME OTHER SHIT THAT HAPPENED:

– Reigns vs. Wyatt ended with a win by DQ for Reigns as Samoa Joe came to the ring to attack Reigns. Seth Rollins came to save his former SHIELD friend as he was attacked by both Joe and Wyatt. Backstage, Reigns told Rollins he didn’t need his help, but Rollins was there for Joe. Kurt Angle appeared to make the main event of the night, Rollins and Reigns vs. Joe and Wyatt. As Elias Samson appears too, Angle gave him his first RAW match tonight against Dean Ambrose.

– Akira Tozawa defeated Ariya Daivari in a Cruiserweight match. Brian Kendrick was backstage scrutinising and commenting Tozawa’s work because he’s the teacher and Tozawa is the student.

– Elias Samson won his first match on Raw by DQ against Intercontinental champion Dean Ambrose thanks to The Miz and Maryse’s intervention. Samson was in control during most of the match, Miz came to the ring when Ambrose was about to finish the match and Samson. As Miz applauded the result of the match, Ambrose chased and his hands on him but Samson attacked him from behind with the snap swinging neckbreaker. Seems like The Miz found a new friend…

– Backstage Big Cass is upset as Enzo Amore was attacked and laid out unconscious. Medics are taking care of him, Enzo didn’t remember anything of the attack.

– Finn Balor is in the middle of the ring to talk about Extreme Rules. Balor is focused, even if Karl Anderson is on his way tonight. Here comes Heyman who’s there scouting his client’s future victims. Heyman gives props to Balor, saying the other contenders may see him as the underdog in the match but Heyman sees him coming. For him, he’s in fact, the most talented in-ring performer in WWE today (Heyman’s personal opinion…) but Balor doesn’t look at Heyman’s client as he really is, a gigantic Beast. Heyman claims he’s looking forward to seeing Balor vs. Lesnar out of all the other possibilities, on behalf of his client. He wishes him good luck and the two shake hands. Balor then gives a message to Heyman for his client, he will win the Fatal 5 Way, then he will go on to face Lesnar for the title that he never lost and he will beat him.

– Finn Balor defeated his former best friend Karl Anderson. Gallows tried to interfere many times (wasn’t it the match I saw in Lille live event ?).

– Sasha Banks defeated Alicia Fox even if Noam Dar distracted Banks in the beginning of the match. As Sasha was celebrating, Dar came to be quickly dropped by Banks. Fox attacked her from behind and hit Sasha with the scissors kick. Dar and Fox then kissed above Banks’ laying body.

– Backstage Kalisto and Apollo Crews are talking about Titus O’Neil influence. Kalisto wonders if Crews is not the man who attacked Enzo Amore. A match between the two is set.

– Goldust makes the apology of gold in a “Shattered Dreams Production” video and notes R-Truth’s lack of lustre. The Golden Age is back, welcome back to 1995…

– Backstage Alexa Bliss claims the sound of bamboo on the flesh of Bayley makes her salivate. At Extreme Rules, she will make sure Bayley’s body to be tattooed with welts from the Kendo stick.

– Kalisto defeated Apollo Crews thanks to Titus O’Neil yelling at ringside. Crews had control of almost all the match until O’Neil distracted him and Kalisto hit the Salida del Sol.

– Matt Hardy defeated Sheamus to choose the stipulation of the Hardys’ title defence at Extreme Rules against Cesaro & Sheamus. After the match, Matt Hardy announced he would lock them up to tear them down in a Steel Cage match. Sheamus and Cesaro looked upset.

– Austin Aries defeated Neville’s protégé, Tony Nese. Nese attacked Aries’ injured knee straight in the match. Aries prevailed with the Last Chancery. Good match between the two, maybe the best of the night. After the match, Aries told Neville he was coming for the title. A nervous Neville then attacked Nese as Aries applauded from the ramp.

– Alexa Bliss defeated former friend Mickie James. After the match, she attacked James with a Kendo stick. Bayley ran to save James, took the stick off Bliss’ hands. Alexa fled before Bayley could use it on her.

In the main event, Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins take on Bray Wyatt and Samoa Joe. Reigns was in control of Wyatt but at the same time, Joe was taking care of Rollins, sending him into the barrier face first. As Wyatt was going fiercely at Rollins, Reigns got the tag. Thanks to a distraction by Joe, Wyatt took advantage and sent Reigns outside the ring, in order to let Joe throw him into the barrier. Reigns and Rollins fought hard but Wyatt was bale to hit Reigns with Sister Abigail outside the ring as Joe was applying the Coquina Clutch to Rollins in the ring for the win.

After the match, as Wyatt and Joe were enjoying their victory and Rollins was left alone by Reigns, Finn Balor approached Kurt Angle and asked for a match for next week against Wyatt or Joe. Angle gave him the two in a Triple Threat match. Angle also made Rollins vs. Reigns for next week’s main event.

TO SUM UP:

Disqualifications, noses stuck where they don’t belong to, matches already seen before, well nothing new under the Red sky… Maybe one thing, Finn Balor seems to be the new sheriff in town as he’s Paul Heyman’s favourite, Kurt Angle’s favourite and, of course, the fans’ favourite. Good news?

Set for next week: Finn Balor vs. Bray Wyatt vs. Samoa Joe in a Triple Threat Match, Roman Reigns vs. Seth Rollins

Updated Extreme Rules card:

Fatal 5 Way to Crown #1 Contender to WWE Universal Champion Brock Lesnar
Seth Rollins vs. Samoa Joe vs. Finn Balor vs. Bray Wyatt vs. Roman Reigns

RAW Women’s Title – “Kendo Stick on a Pole” Match
Bayley vs. Alexa Bliss

WWE Intercontinental Title Match (title can change hands on a disqualification)
The Miz vs. Dean Ambrose

WWE Cruiserweight Title – Submission Match
Austin Aries vs. Neville

RAW Tag Team Titles – Steel Cage Match
Cesaro & Sheamus vs. The Hardys

All images courtesy of WWE.com