The Bella Twins are back in action tonight and Shawn Michaels is popping in to talk about Triple H versus the Undertake at Super Show-Down. Renee Young is back on commentary for the night, which really should be permanent. There’s also a tag title match, more from Alexa Bliss and Ronda Rousey, and an interesting development for Braun Strowman.

I’m Amanda, and I’m here to make sure you get the important bits from RAW.

Match Results

The Bella Twins def. The Riott Squad via pinfall

Bobby Roode and Chad Gable def. The Ascension via pinfall

Alexa Bliss def. Natalya via submission

Drew McIntyre and Dolph Ziggler def. The B-Team via pinfall – TITLE CHANGE

AOP def. Keith Thompson and Jimmy James via pinfall

Sasha Banks and Bayley def. Dana Brooke and Ember Moon via pinfall

Braun Strowman def. Finn Balor via pinfall

The Best Bits

– The show started with Braun Strowman, Dolph Ziggler, and Drew McIntyre, and recaps of their interactions with The Shield. Strowman said he’d told Reigns he would look him in the eye when he cashed in his contract. All Reigns had to do was take his beating an accept his fate. But Reigns runs in a pack and his brothers had to come and save him and form a shield around him and Roman knows that without them the title would be his, but he knows that with them it never would be. He’s got a pack of his own now and he’s going to show Reigns it’s his yard. When they’re locked in Hell in a Cell he’s going to dismantle him. He’s going to break his body and his spirit and take home the Universal Championship.

Drew McIntyre told everyone to take a moment and look at them then said The Shield had their time but it’s over. They’re the new kings of the jungle and they are going to feast on their bloody carcasses.

Dolph Ziggler said they will be the most dominant force in WWE history. More dominant than the Nation of Domination, De-Generation X and The Shield. And when The Shield are laying embarrassed and decimated they should remember they started it, but Ziggler, McIntyre and Strowman will end it.

The Shield arrived through the crowd at that point and Baron Corbin sent superstars down the ramp to intercept. There was carnage at ringside as they took out all of Corbin’s extras, and the next group he sent. The Shield entered the ring and Corbin sent yet more people to break it up. What looked like the entire men’s locker room ended up in the ring trying to separate the six men.

Strowman, McIntyre and Ziggler were manhandled to the back while The Shield were kept at ringside. They made a break for it and all three Shield members charged backstage in pursuit of Strowman and company, with the rest of the roster chasing them.

After the break, Ambrose, Reigns, and Rollins were shown being loaded into the back of a police van in handcuffs and driven away.

In updates through the show, it was revealed that The Shield had been processed and fingerprinted. Then that they had been charged with inciting a riot, criminal damage, and disorderly conduct. In the final update, we were told they had been released on bail.

– Shawn Michaels played up to the crowd and advertised his new shirt and WWE network before getting to talk about Triple H versus The Undertaker at Super Show-Down. He said it’s going to be so incredible that he’s getting on a plane and going to see it live. He said he was surprised to see how many of his contemporaries picked the Undertaker to win. He would have understood if the streak was still in place, but not now. Michaels admitted he’s biased because Triple H is his best friend, but he just thinks he’s got more left in the tank.

Undertaker’s music hit at that point and the roof nearly came off the arena. When ‘Taker got to the ring he said he thinks this just got personal. For 20 years he took the best Triple H and Shawn Michaels had and he put them both down. In the process, he took part of their souls and their egos can’t accept it. Michaels chose Triple H because Undertaker took the one thing most important to him, his career.

Shawn Michaels asked if he really thought that was what it was all about. Other people have retired and come back, but he has stayed away and stayed retired because he’s a man of honour and integrity. He did it out of respect for the system and the fans, but mostly out of respect for the Undertaker. The crowd chanted ‘one more match’ and Michaels said he heard that all the time, every year he’d turned down a comeback. But he’s stayed retired out of respect for the Undertaker.

Undertaker asked if it was respect or fear. Because if he had ever chosen to come out of retirement the only person he could have come for was him and he’d have put him down all over again. And in Melbourne, he’s going to put Triple H down again.

– Finn Balor asked for a rematch against Corbin match early in the show and initially got it by goading Corbin into it. Later, Corbin called the match off and told Balor he would be facing Strowman instead.

Just before Finn Balor vs Braun Strowman started it was announced that The Shield had been released. Strowman was accompanied by Ziggler and McIntyre, and we can see where this is going.

Balor isn’t intimidated by bigger competition, but there is bigger then there is Braun Strowman. He had a brief period of control early on after he low-bridged Strowman and delivered a baseball slide that looked to catch Strowman in the eye then double stomped him on the back of the neck, but Strowman was dominating by the time we came back from the break. After taking a lot of punishment, a slingblade on the outside gave him some respite. The respite didn’t last long, but Balor didn’t just keep getting up, he kept going on the offensive.

He got another break when he dodged Strowman in the corner and sent Strowman shoulder first into the ringpost. Moments later he launched himself over the top rope and skittled Strowman McIntyre and Ziggler.

Strowman plucked him off the top turnbuckle when he went up for Coup de Grace and Balor tried to turn it into a triangle. Strowman picked him up, slammed him into the mat then scoped him up for a powerslam and the pin.

After the match, Ziggler and McIntyre joined Strowman to continue punishing Balor. They were about to do the Shield triple powerbomb onto the steps when sirens wailed through the arena and The Shield backed the police van into the arena.

Roman Reigns let Ambrose and Rollins out of the back and they started to walk approach the ring. They were jumped by a dozen or so superstars, led by Kevin Owens, and thoroughly beaten up. Roman Reigns was smashed in the face twice with the steps by Braun Strowman. Ziggler directed the group who threw Seth Rollins from the stage into the side of the van. The glass broke, and Rollins was bleeding quite badly from his arm. Dean Ambrose was beaten up on the announce desk and stage by McIntyre and helpers. The three Shield members were dragged to lay next to each other at ringside while Ziggler, Strowman, and McIntyre stood in the ring and posed.

Some Other Bits

– The Bella Twins vs The Riott Squad – There was a lot of talk about ring-rust because it was the Bellas first match together for three years, and there was some in evidence of it from Brie Bella. Long match for a return as well. Brie Bella’s suicide dive didn’t really work, but sort of took out Ruby Riott and Sarah Logan. Nikki Bella delivered the Rack Attack 2.0 to Liv Morgan to secure the win.

The Bella Twins will team with Ronda Rousey, against the Riott Squad, at Super Show-Down.

– Elias was once again interrupted by the women’s division while insulting someone’s hometown. This time it was Alexa Bliss, with Alicia Fox and Mickie James. She started off getting the crowd on her side, then turned on them and agreed with everything he’d said and added some insults of her own. Bliss asked Elias to play his song because she wants to ‘walk with Elias’. As soon as he started, Ronda Rousey’s music started up and she came out, followed closely by Natalya, who was scheduled for a match with Bliss.

Natalya vs Alexa Bliss – This obviously wasn’t really about the match, although it was good. Alicia Fox and Mickie James attacked Natalya when the ref wasn’t looking. Bliss won with an armbar.

After the match, Rousey had to get in the ring to make Bliss let go. Bliss tried a sneak attack but Rousey was too quick. Alicia Fox got involved and was dealt with. Bliss’ second attack was more successful and Rousey was left holding her ribs after being thrown into the steps. She still fought Bliss off though.

– Braun Strowman, Dolph Ziggler, and Drew McIntyre demanded competition. Ziggler said he and McIntyre should have tag title matches. Corbin said The B-Team already had a title match against The Revival. They asked what Corbin would do if The Revival couldn’t compete and left when Corbin said he’d have to make other arrangements.

Straight after that, The Revival had a backstage interview. To no-one’s surprise, Ziggler and McIntyre attacked them and threw them around enough to make sure they couldn’t compete.

Dolph Ziggler and Drew McIntyre replaced The Revival in the title match. The B-Team vs Dolph Ziggler and Drew McIntyre started with McIntyre cheap-shotting Bo Dallas off the apron before he started on Curtis Axel. It looked like it might be a quick title change, but by some combination of good luck and good judgement, The B-Team were suddenly back in it.

Realistically, with the way Ziggler and McIntyre have been performing recently, there was only going to be one result. After an entertaining match, Curtis Axel took the Claymore kick/Zigzag combination, and we have new RAW tag team champions.

As for the stuff that wouldn’t fit anywhere else, Bayley and Sasha Banks versus Dana Brooke and Ember Moon happened. It was fine but it was mainly a device to split Brooke from Titus Worldwide. She got pinned by Sasha Banks after being distracted by Titus O’Neil and Apollo Crews shouting conflicting advice at her and told them she was done after the match.

Bobby Lashley was attacked by Kevin Owens while having a compulsory in-ring meditation session with Jinder Mahal. Yep, you read that right.

Some additional developments for the tag division this week. Bobby Roode and Chad Gable vs The Ascension. Roode and Gable are now a very enthusiastic tag team. The match was fine. Gable won it for them. It’s weird but neither of them are involved in anything as singles competitors, so why not.

205 Live manager Drake Maverick is now managing AOP (he used the abbreviation, as did commentary, I guess that’s a thing now). He’s apparently going to make them tag team champions. AOP vs Keith Thompson and Jimmy James followed. A short squash match finished with the Super-Collider. Good to see AOP relaunched with a mouthpiece. They have seemed a bit lost in the shuffle recently.

With Hell in a Cell, Super Show-Down, and Evolution all coming up, there is a lot for WWE to build. It makes for chaotic but interesting shows. Speaking of Evolution, Lita versus Mickie James is the latest match confirmed for the show. Next week, we’re getting Ronda Rousey and Natalya versus Alexa Bliss and Alicia Fox. We’re also due appearances from Triple H and Mick Foley.

All pics courtesy of WWE.com