Welcome to the recap of RAW’s go home show for Money in the Bank. There were two fatal four-way’s announced last week, featuring the Money in the Bank ladder match competitors, and a face to face meeting for Nia Jax and Ronda Rousey. During the week Roman Reigns accepted Jinder Mahal’s challenge to a match tonight, despite the fact they have one on Sunday. The final preview item is an ominous hint that ‘Constable Corbin’ will make his presence felt.

I’m Amanda, and I’m here to guide you through RAW.

The Opening Segment

RAW started with Braun Strowman, Finn Balor, Kevin Owens, Bobby Roode, Sasha Banks, Alexa Bliss, Ember Moon and Natalya, in the ring on ladders. Kurt Angle came out and explained the ladder match rules and implications, then got interrupted by Baron Corbin who has shaved his head. They talked about wanting the contracts to come back to RAW. Angle was encouraging, Corbin warned how ‘disappointed’ Stephanie McMahon would be if they failed.

Alexa Bliss said, even though she’s still hurting, she’s ready to bring the contract back to RAW. Sasha Banks asked Bliss where she was hurting. Bliss incorrectly guessed her shoulder. Ember Moon chipped in to say she’s going to win. Angle asked Natalya if she’s sure she’s ready for the match (she’s been cleared). She said she was, and she’s going to get the contract for a match against the soon to be RAW women’s champion, her friend, Ronda Rousey.

Kevin Owens said it’s not fair because Braun Strowman is so much taller than everyone else. He thinks the briefcase should be raised when Strowman climbs the ladder.

Bobby Roode asked him if he wants the case lowered down to him and Owens said that was a great idea.

Kevin Owens complemented Constable Corbin on his haircut and told him he had to do something about it. Strowman argued with Owens then they all started to argue.

Alexa Bliss screamed until everyone shut up and told them they sounded like the real housewives of WWE. She knows who’s going to win, her Mixed Match Challenge partner, Braun Strowman.

Banks said it would be her partner, Finn Balor. Balor said she was his pick for the women’s match.

They all argued until Strowman roared at them and said that ‘this Sunday someone is going to get these hands’.

Sasha Banks vs Ember Moon vs Natalya vs Alexa Bliss

Great match, and it was given plenty of time to play out. With everyone out to prove they’re the favourite for Sunday, even comprehensive highspots and highlights would be prohibitively long.

As with most four-ways, there was almost always at least one competitor temporarily out of the match to reduce the chaos. Natalya was thrown out by Bliss. Bliss went outside the ring and backed into Natalya who threw her into the barricade.

Ember Moon’s suicide dive drove Sasha Banks into the barricade so hard she nearly went through it. Alexa Bliss punched Moon so hard she nearly ended up under the ring.

They got the compulsory ‘tower of doom’ spot in with Natalya slamming Moon and Banks to the canvas but Bliss managing to hold on to the turnbuckle.

Natalya broke up a Bank Statement on Alexa Bliss, but looked like her knee was hurting. She managed to get the Sharpshooter on Banks, but Moon broke that up.

Moon hit the Eclipse on Natalya, but Bliss pulled her out of the ring before she could cover her and flung her into the steps. Bliss tried to pin Natalya, who was still down, but Banks broke that up.

Natalya got the Sharpshooter back on Bliss, and Bliss tapped out. So much went on this was definitely the match of the night.

The Other Stuff

– Kevin Owens sought out Finn Balor in the locker room, tried to convince Balor to team up with him in the fatal four-way to take Braun Strowman out of Sunday’s match, and suggested they get Roode involved as well. He left Balor to think about it.

– Breezango vs Dolph Ziggler and Drew McIntyre – Short match. Tyler Breeze took most of the punishment. McIntyre caught Breeze in mid-air and slammed him onto Fandango. Fandango took the Zig-Zag/Claymore combo. After the match Ziggler and McIntyre said they’re not just here to take over the division they’re here to save it, by taking every other team out.

– Roman Reigns was asked if he was surprised that Mahal had challenged him to a match six days before Money in the Bank. He said no, Mahal is an idiot. Jinder Mahal is the reason he isn’t in the ladder match, so Jinder has earned the ass-whooping he’s going to get.

– Jinder Mahal vs Roman Reigns – Before the match, Jinder Mahal said he’d challenged Reigns to prove he’s not nearly as indestructible as he thinks. Yes, Reigns is a multiple time champion, but… well, essentially, he’s going to beat him. When Reigns arrived Mahal revealed that he was not his opponent, Sunil Singh was – although they did tease Great Khali. Reigns slapped Mahal off the apron, Superman punched Singh, speared him, pinned him and got attacked from behind by Mahal. Jinder Mahal delivered the Khallas then helped Singh leave.

– The B-Team vs Heath Slater and Rhyno – Rhyno never even got into the match. Heath Slater got close to tagging him once, but Bo Dallas smashed Rhyno into the turnbuckle and off the apron. After the match, the Defeaters of Worlds appeared and talked a lot. According to Matt Hardy, they are going to eat and then delete the B-Team.

– Elias’ song was about Seth Rollins. He picked on his nicknames and taglines and called him devoid of talent. Walking with Elias is apparently the only thing Rollins should fear. He showed off a customised guitar, given to him by John Mayer, and said he would play it next week as Intercontinental Champion. Rollins sprinted down to the ring. Elias escaped but left his new guitar behind. After calling Elias a coward, and saying the sad thing is he really wants to like him, Rollins spotted the guitar in the corner. Elias begged him to leave it alone, but he picked it up, teased auctioning it for charity, then stomped on it with the crowd egging him on.

– Kevin Owens approached Bobby Roode with the same idea he’d touted to Finn Balor. Again, he left Roode to think about it.

– Bayley vs Ruby Riott – Pre-match, the Riott Squad were shown trashing the backstage area and cutting a guy’s tie in half. Good match, so much potential in this pairing. Riott won following a distraction by Sarah Logan. After the match, Logan and Morgan held Bayley’s arms while Ruby Riott drew on her face and put an R on her stomach in black lipstick, then punched her.

– Ronda Rousey and Nia Jax, face to face – Natalya gave Rousey a warning backstage not to take her eyes off Jax. Coach hosted. There was a lot of talk, but it boiled down to Jax thinks Rousey isn’t ready, Rousey says she was born ready. At the end, they faced off, Jax struck first, Rousey got her arm, Jax headbutted her. Rousey got Jax in the armbar and Jax tried to pick her up and slam her, but couldn’t. Nia Jax tapped.

– Curt Hawkins vs No Way Jose – Hawkins dressed as a member of the conga line and ambushed Jose from behind while he was being counted out as a no-show. He took a pop-up punch and got pinned. He’s now lost 201 in a row.

– Finn Balor and Bobby Roode talked about Owens plan backstage. Roode suggested they listen to Owens but keep one eye on him. Balor said he’d keep one eye on Owens and the other on Roode.

– Nice feature on Katie Millar a power-lifter due to compete in the Special Olympics.

– Another Sami Zayn and Bobby Lashley segment. Zayn had an obstacle course set up around the ring for them to compete on because… something about proving Lashley was never in the army, or something like that. Lashley aced it. Zayn attacked him from behind when he finished. Zayn didn’t do the course.

– Final backstage segment with Balor, Owens, and Roode. Owens was strategizing, and Balor was arguing. Braun Strowman appeared, suggested that the three of them team up against him, roared, and walked off.

The Final Segment – Braun Strowman vs Kevin Owens vs Bobby Roode vs Finn Balor

Strowman threw everyone around a bit at the start of the match and we went to the ads with the other three on the outside and Owens pleading with them to work together.

We came back to them doing just that action. It worked for a while, they kept Strowman in the corner and took turns hitting him. When Strowman had had enough he levelled Roode and Balor, and Owens tried to back up the ramp. Strowman followed and they all piled on him again until he sent them flying. Strowman chased Owens backstage then threw him back out. When Roode and Balor caught up he flattened them, threw Owens into the screen and cleared the announce table.

Strowman ended up on the table courtesy of Balor and Roode battering ramming him with a ladder, Kevin Owens jumped off the top of the ladder to put Strowman through the table.

When we came back from the final break, Strowman and Owens were still down and Roode and Balor were back in the ring.

Eventually, Owens came back, punching Balor off the turnbuckle as he was going for Coup de Grace. Owens climbed up, Balor punched him to the floor, then Roode crotched Balor on the turnbuckle.

The compulsory ‘tower of doom’ spot was Owens slamming Roode and Balor.

Braun Strowman got to his feet and made it to the ring. Owens looked terrified. Balor went to intercept him and got floored, so did Roode.

Kevin Owens ran away but slipped and Strowman caught him and chopped him to the floor. Strowman ran around the ring shoulder tackling everyone, but he was holding clearly damaged ribs.

Roode saved Owens from the running powerslam and they both got splashed in the corner. Balor had a go at getting Strowman down and Owens saved him from the powerslam.

The shaky alliance dissolved when Owens tried to pin Roode. Balor almost pinned Strowman with the Coup de Grace, but Roode broke it up. Roode almost pinned Strowman off the Glorious DDT but Owens broke it up. Strowman kicked out of Owens’ frog splash.

Owens hit Strowman with a ladder twice, which just annoyed Strowman, he was still apologising when Strowman choke-slammed him. Braun Strowman followed up with a running powerslam on the ladder and pinned Owens for the win.

Busy go home show, no real surprises or developments. Sunday’s Money in the Bank should be great, but get the snacks and caffeinated drinks in because it’s going to be a long one. And, of course, join us here next week for all the fallout.