Extreme Rules is on Sunday so tonight’s RAW is all about the build up. Seth Rollins and Becky Lynch are teaming up again, this time against Andrade and Zelina Vega. Roman Reigns plus a mystery partner take on Shane McMahon and Drew McIntyre. The twist is, Shane McMahon gets to choose the partner and, if The Undertaker shows up, he’s out of the match. R-Truth wants his 24/7 Championship ‘baby’ back. Rey Mysterio is due back on RAW. We should get an update on Braun Strowman after last week’s incident. And now The Club are reunited, we should find out their plan for domination.
I’m Amanda and this is the RAW review.
Match Results
Becky Lynch & Seth Rollins def. Andrade & Zelina Vega
The Miz & The Usos def. The Revival & Elias
Bobby Lashley def. Rey Mysterio
Cesaro def. No Way Jose
The Viking Raiders vs Colin & Devin Justin
Ricochet def. Luke Gallows
Ricochet def. Karl Anderson
Nikki Cross def. Dana Brooke faster than Bayley def. Sarah Logan to allow Alexa Bliss to pick the Extreme Rules stipulation
Shane McMahon & Drew McIntyre def. Roman Reigns & Gary Garbutt
The Key Bits
» The show opened with a match, which is always a good start. Becky Lynch & Seth Rollins vs Zelina Vega & Andrade was an elimination mixed tag. Lynch and Vega got things underway but, despite holding her own, Vega tagged out to bring the guys in. Rollins and Andrade is the sort of match we need to see more of on RAW. Seth Rollins tagged Becky Lynch back in just before he took out Andrade with a suicide dive and she quickly had Vega tapping out to a Dis-Arm-Her. That eliminated Vega and Rollins and Andrade picked it up after the break. Lacey Evans appeared in the crowd after the elimination and Lynch went straight for her. Rollins had to pull her away.
Rollins vs Andrade was great. Zelina Vega got involved when Andrade shoved Rollins to the outside from the turnbuckle and spiked Rollins head into the floor. Becky Lynch made her pay, but she got hurt when she shoved Rollins out of the way of Andrade’s charge. Rollins stopped to check on her and Andrade took advantage and sent him crashing into the barricade and back into the ring. Rollins caught Vega on her next interference attempt and Lynch dropkicked her. Again, Andrade tried to take advantage of Rollins distraction, but his attempted suicide dive was met with a kick in the head and he got Stomped for the win.
Baron Corbin and Lacey Evans attacked Rollins and Lynch on the stage. Corbin attacked Rollins first, the Evans got lynch when she went after Corbin. The Champs were left laying and Paul Heyman came out and strolled past them while they were still picking themselves up.
There was a self-congratulatory interview with Corbin and Evans afterwards where they speculated on how Rollins and Lynch will cope with losing each other’s titles.
Becky Lynch and Seth Rollins were interviewed later by Corey Graves. He asked them how their relationship will affect their match at Extreme Rules, how it will affect them if one of them loses the other one’s title. Becky Lynch explained how and why that’s not going to happen and threw in a couple of insults at Graves. Rollins just said, ‘what she said’.
» Paul Heyman said this Sunday’s PPV is Extreme Rules and he knows a lot about extreme. This Sunday Brock Lesnar WILL cash in against either Seth Rollins or Kofi Kingston. That’s not a prediction, it’s a spoiler and he hasn’t violated a spoiler since before WrestleMania 30, so he’s built his credibility enough that this would be the time for him to lie. So, he’s either given us the heads up on a historic event happening this Sunday, or he’s screwing with Rollins and Kingston. And only he and Lesnar know which.
» Braun Strowman and Bobby Lashley have a Last Man Standing match at Extreme Rules, so they’re both clearly fine after last week.
» Elias & The Revival vs The Miz & The Usos was an odd combination. I guess Elias and The Revival have been associated through Shane McMahon’s little ass-kissers’ club, but Miz and The Usos aren’t a combination that immediately jumps out. Another two out of three falls match, to account for an ad break. It all broke down when The Miz started beating up Elias brawling on the outside. Elias ran through the ring to escape and ran off up the ramp but, in the confusion, The Revival got the first fall with a Shatter machine on Jimmy Uso.
Elias didn’t come back after the break, leaving The Revival in a three on two situation. They had Jimmy Uso isolated for a long time but he eventually got to his brother. By the time Scott Dawson to the better of Jey Uso, there was no one in his corner to tag. Miz was back just in time for Jey to make a break for it, and a Skull Crushing Finale to Dawson secured the second fall. Jimmy Uso tagged himself in as Miz was being thrown out of the ring and double superkicks from The Usos put Dawson down. Jimmy Uso flew over the top rope to keep Wilder down and Jey delivered the splash for the win.
» Before Ricochet vs Luke Gallows started, Ricochet spoke. He said, when AJ Styles first challenged him, he looked up to him and looked forward to the chance to prove himself. And last week he did. But before he could celebrate, The Club gave him one of the biggest beatings of his life. He’s got AJ Styles for the United States Championship on Sunday, but tonight we all know what’s going to happen. Gallows isn’t coming alone, he’s bringing Karl Anderson and AJ Styles. So, what he’s trying to say is, he’ll have to fight all three.
Ricochet wasn’t wrong. Styles did some psyching out of Ricochet when they arrived, complete with footage from last week. Gallows absolutely brutalised Ricochet, but Ricochet struggled down from his shoulder and rolled him up for the three count.
AJ Styles wasn’t happy. He challenged Ricochet to take on Karl Anderson next. Ricochet vs Karl Anderson started after the break. Ricochet was clearly not at one hundred percent but he was going well until a distraction by Styles, then Karl Anderson had the match his own way for quite a while. He couldn’t keep Ricochet down though. Styles got involved by grabbing Ricochet’s leg, Ricochet responded by launching himself off the top rope onto Gallows then off the apron onto Styles. With them down, he got Karl Anderson into position and won the match with the 630.
As soon as his music hit, he got the Club beatdown he’d been expecting all along. Styles set Ricochet up for the Styles Clash from the second turnbuckle but said he’d leave a little bit of him left, as long as he stayed down, so he didn’t have any excuses at Extreme Rules. As the left, Ricochet got up so they got back into the ring and Gallows & Anderson held Ricochet still for a Phenomenal Forearm.
» Bayley and Nikki Cross had an interview and a Beat the Clock Challenge. Nikki was standing in for Alexa Bliss who was not at RAW. The winner of the Beat the Clock Challenge – one match each – whoever wins fastest picks the stipulation.
Michael Cole asked Cross about the pressure of having to win for Bliss to get her choice of stipulation.
Nikki Cross said she feels like the whole world is on her shoulders, she owes everything to Alexa and she doesn’t know where she’d be without her.
Bayley said, ‘Seriously, Nikki?’ and tried to explain that Bliss is using her. She implored Nikki Cross to figure it out, but Cross got angry and accused Bayley of being jealous.
Cole revealed that Bayley will face Sarah Logan and Nikki Cross will face Dana Brooke. Bayley said she hopes Logan brings everything she’s got because she is the SmackDown Live Women’s Champion. Cross said she knows Dana Brooke is bigger and stronger than her but she isn’t tougher and she’ll do anything for Alexa Bliss.
Bayley vs Sarah Logan was decent. Bayley tried to finish it quickly, but caught a headbutt from Logan and was kicked out of the ring. Logan had a few good chances to pin Bayley, and a half chance to submit her which ended in Bayley getting to the ropes. In fact, Sarah Logan looked great. Bayley sunset bombed her into the corner and pinned her at with 4:32 on the clock.
Nikki Cross vs Dana Brooke counted down from 4:32. Brooke immediately went to the outside to waste some time but Cross got increasingly agitated, which probably didn’t work in Brooke’s favour. Next Brooke tried keeping Cross out of the ring, but that didn’t work either. Cross was determined and despite Dana Brooke’s best efforts, a swinging neckbreaker finished the match with 1:50 left on the clock.
After the match, Cross asked Bayley to come into the ring so she could say something to her face. She did and Cross said that for the last few weeks Bayley has been trying to convince her that Bliss isn’t her friend, but the problem is Bayley doesn’t understand what real friendship means. But Cross is going to show her at Extreme Rules because the match is now a two on one handicap match. Cross advised Bayley to find a friend of her own, someone as loyal and honest as Alexa Bliss. Someone who would slap some sense into her. Bayley slapped Cross and delivered a Bayley to Belly and an elbow drop.
» Drew McIntyre and Shane McMahon approached one of the backstage staff members, who was emptying bins at the time, and asked if he’d like to be Roman Reigns’ partner. They told him they’d come back to him. It was the start of a pattern of them approaching random backstage staff.
Roman Reigns & ‘Gary Garbutt’ vs Shane McMahon & Drew McIntyre closed out the show. Before the match, McMahon and McIntyre did a lot of talking before bringing out the janitor they’d offered five thousand pounds to, limping and in a mask.
There was an accidental tag when Reigns was shoved into Gary Garbutt before being thrown into the ringpost and out of the ring. Garbutt turned out to be a great wrestler, flying over the top rope and everything. Unfortunately, he caught a Claymore kick and got pinned.
After the match, Roman Reigns hit Drew McIntyre with a Superman punch, and Gary Garbutt’s mask was removed to reveal Cedric Alexander.
The Other Bits
» Rey Mysterio returned from injury to issue an open challenge. Before the match, he said he stood in the ring six weeks ago with his arm in the sling and surrendered the United States Championship. It was one of the hardest things he’s ever had to do. The doctors said he’d be out for a long time, but he worked hard and beat their predictions and he’s back. The challenge was answered by Bobby Lashley. Mysterio pounced on him as soon as he got to the ring and Rey Mysterio vs Bobby Lashley got underway. It was all Rey Mysterio until Lashley slammed him into the mat. One spear later, Bobby Lashley won. Probably not the return Rey Mysterio was looking for, especially considering Lashley threw him out of the ring after the match, then dragged him up the ramp by his mask. On the stage, it looked like he was going to throw Mysterio through the backboards, but he chucked him at three officials instead. Finally, Lashley grabbed a mic and vowed to be the Last Man Standing on Sunday.
» No Way Jose vs Cesaro actually happened this week. It was supposed to last week, but it was interrupted by 24/7 shenanigans and No Way Jose took a Neutralizer at ringside. No Way Jose attacked Cesaro outside the ring before the match, but they got back in the ring and got started. Jose hadn’t beaten Cesaro up enough at ringside because he got dominated, swung, and submitted with a Sharpshooter.
» Street Profits were backstage at RAW again. They praised Cesaro and plugged Extreme Rules on WWE Network. In a second segment, they made some Extreme Rules predictions.
» Mike and Maria Kanellis had a backstage segment. He gave her flowers and apologised. They were all loved up, then she sent him off for ice cream and pickles. After he left she said, ‘What kind of man taps out to a woman’.
When he returned with the ice cream later in the show, she yelled at him and revealed she’s not sure if he’s the father of her unborn baby.
» We got to see some footage of Drake Maverick’s honeymoon before he climbed out of a crate backstage. His wife is still not amused. And they still haven’t consummated their marriage. He was chased off by the locker room shortly after that revelation.
R-Truth and Carmella were shown searching for Drake Maverick. Truth wants his ‘baby’ back. Maverick ran past him, screaming, pursued by the chasing pack. R-Truth put Carmella on his back and ran off in the opposite direction.
The Viking Raiders vs Colin & Devin Justin was a completely pointless squash match. Is there anyone who doesn’t know that The Viking Raiders are big and strong and scary with athleticism that belies their size? No. Then, what was it supposed to achieve?
The 24/7 pack arrived at the end of the match, caused a disturbance, put R-Truth in front of Erik and Ivar briefly, then left again.
Drake Maverick thought he’d survived, but R-Truth and a ref popped up out of the packing crate his wife was sitting on. Carmella appeared out of the next one and told R-Truth to get him. Maverick ran off with his wife, Truth followed with the ref on his back.
» There is an indie show on WWE network on Saturday… sort of. It’s the Evolve 10th Anniversary Celebration. It should be great. It’s definitely worth checking out.
This was a strong go-home show for Extreme Rules, right up until the final match, which was just silly. Hopefully, Sunday will be the end of this feud. Enjoy Extreme Rules and I’ll see you next week with the fallout.