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RAW took place on Colombus, Ohio tonight – the hometown of new RAW Superstar Alexa Bliss. We learnt before the show that Dash Wilder of The Revival had suffered from a broken jaw at a NXT house show and would be out until around July which will come as a big blow to both The Revival and to RAW’s tag-team division.
In other news, Finn Balor returned to action this week after allegedly suffering a concussion last week on RAW. Roman Reigns was all set to miss this episode after the epic beatdown he received from Strowman last week.
Without futher ado, let’s get straight to the results.
DISCLAIMER: Photos and videos will be added as available
Braun Strowman addresses the WWE Universe
RAW kicked off with Braun Strowman who came out to address fans after his vicious attack on Roman Reigns. Needless to say, Braun received a massive pop from the fans as he came out.
Braun came out and said that he was proud to say that he had broken Roman Reigns in half and had to leave the arena last week in an ambulance. Braun threatened to continue his rampage this week when RAW GM Kurt Angle came out.
Angle told Braun that in lieu of his actions last week, Roman Reigns had asked for a match with him and Angle was booking it for WWE Payback. Strowman was not entirely happy and demanded a match later in the night. Angle reacted by saying that Braun should be suspended.
Strowman warned Angle of what happens when he doesn’t have competition before walking out of the ring.
Samoa Joe vs Chris Jericho
Samoa Joe charged at Jericho as soon as the bell rang, driving him into a corner before hitting him with a flurry of fists and knees. Jericho hit back with a dropkick before hitting a lateral press, forcing Jericho to roll out of the ring and following it up with a springboard dropkick as we headed to commercial.
We came back from commercial to see Samoa Joe in control as he hit Jericho with a running back-elbow. Jericho hit back with a double axe-handle with a top-rope but Joe hit back with a powerslam. Jericho hit back with a Lionsault before locking in the Walls of Jericho as the crowd exploded.
Joe used his leg-strength to break free before attempting to lock in the Coquina Clutch. Jericho tried to fight out of it but Joe took him to the ground and made Jericho tap out.
Samoa Joe def. Seth Rollins
After the match, Joe took to the mic to address Rollins who had been on commentary. He told Rollins that the first sounds he’d heard on the main roster was Rollins knee and ligaments tearing. Joe then promised Rollins that he was out to satisfy his client Triple H and after what Rollins did to Triple H and his wife Stephanie, there would be hell to pay.
We were backstage as we saw The Club and the Golden Truth walking out for their match. Braun Strowman came in and attacked both Goldust and R-Truth, sending Goldust through a steel barricade before taking out Truth. It was broken up by backstage officials.
The Club vs Enzo & Cass
The Club were in the middle of the ring with a mic. They announced that they’d left Japan for two reasons – to be mean and to earn green. Gallows then asked Kurt Angle to provide them with some competition after which Enzo & Cass’ music hit.
Enzo and Cass came out and cut one of their usual promos before the match began.
Cass and Anderson started us off with Cass all over his much smaller opponent in the early stages. Cass drove Anderson out of the ring and as The Club regrouped, he tossed his own tag-team partner into them at ringside before we headed to a break.
We came back from commercial to see Gallows in control of Enzo in the corner as he tagged in Anderson who hit Enzo with a running boot to the head. Gallows then came back in and worked on the left arm of Enzo Amore. Enzo tried his best to make it back to his feet but Gallows drove him into the corner and tagged Anderson in again.
Anderson hit Enzo with a jumping knee to his arm before locking in a side-armbar. Enzo hit back with a DDT and tried to make a tag but Anderson recovered and went for another running boot. Enzo dodged it and tagged in the equalizer – Big Cass.
Cass came in and hit the Empire Elbow before taking Anderson out with a big boot. Cass then clotheslined Gallows out of the ring, leaving only Enzo and Anderson in the ring.
Enzo with for a leaping DDT from the top rope but Anderson caught him in mid-air and spiked him against the top turnbuckle before pinning him.
The Club def. Enzo & Cass
Miz TV with Dean Ambrose
Miz TV returned to RAW for the first time since last year’s brand split. Miz started off by announcing how he and his gorgeous wife Maryse shocked everyone last week by showing up on RAW.
Ambrose’s music hit almost immediately. Ambrose came in and sat down on one of the chairs which only irked The Miz more than he already was. Miz blamed Ambrose for ruining Miz TV and their segment last week. Ambrose replied by making fun of the maroon suit Miz was wearing.
Miz replied by telling Ambrose that people like him were dragging down WWE Superstars and making them looking “wrasslers” before telling him that they were dragging them back 30 years.
Miz then said that Ambrose was the first pick in the WWE Draft and he also held the WWE Championship at SummerSlam but then wasted it and was put on the WrestleMania pre-show. Miz then accused Ambrose of being lazy.
Ambrose replied by saying that Miz was too busy looking after his image and what people thought of them. Meanwhile, he was busy fighting every night and doing what he loved before adding that Miz should know that since he beat Miz for the title.
Maryse took the mic at this point and said that it was the man that made the championship, not the championship that made the man. Miz started cutting a promo on Ambrose at this point as Ambrose took off his jacket and tackled The Miz. Maryse then distracted Ambrose from behind and Miz tried to capitalize with the Skull Crushing Finale. Ambrose broke free and tried to hit the Dirty Deeds but Miz rolled out of the ring and fled.
We cut to Braun Strowman who was backstage. He dragged Kalisto across the ground before dumping him in the trash. At this point, Big Show tackled Strowman from behind before asking him to pick on someone his own size.
TJ Perkins vs ‘Gentleman’ Jack Gallagher
Both Neville and Austin Aries came out before the match and sat down at ringside.
Gallagher took down the newly-heel TJ Perkins with a side-headlock. Perkins reversed it and locked in an armbar. Gallagher manoeuvred out of it and locked in one of the most unique pinning combinations that I’ve ever seen. TJP kicked out and took Gallagher down with the head-scissors before Gallagher took his down with a body-scissors.
Gallagher then dabbed to taunt Perkins. TJP replied y tossing William the Third, Gallagher’s trusty umbrella, off the apron. Perkins then did his trademark pose on the ropes before dodging an incoming Jack Gallagher who crashed outside the ring as we headed to commercial.
We came back from commercial to see Jack Gallagher fighting back with a series of European uppercuts before TJP took him down with a springboard forearm. Gallagher hit back with a nasty headbutt that sent Perkins rolling out to ringside. Gallagher then picked up his trusted umbrella and headed to the top rope and hit the Mary Poppins on TJ Perkins.
Gallagher then looked to capitalised but Perkins pushed him into Austin Aries. As Aries looked to get involved in the match and got up onto the apron, Neville swept his feet out from under him and sent him crashing onto the floor.
With the referee distracted, Perkins kicked the middle rope into Gallagher’s face as he looked to get back into the ring. He then hit Gallagher with the Detonation Kick to pin him.
TJ Perkins def. Jack Gallagher
Sasha Banks vs Alexa Bliss vs Mickie James vs Nia Jax (#1 Contender’s match for the RAW Women’s Championship)
Nia Jax looked like the favourite in the beginning as she took out her much smaller competitors. She tried an early pin on Mickie James but Alexa Bliss broke it up before slapping Nia across the face. Mickie blindsided Nia from behind as she tried to drag Alexa back into the ring and sent her crashing to ringside.
This left Sasha and Mickie in the ring as they Mickie hit Sasha with a hurracanrana, followed by a neckbreaker. As she went for a cover, Nia Jax dragged her out. Sasha took the opportunity to hit a suicide dive to take out Nia and Mickie as we headed to commercial.
We came back from commercial to see Nia Jax bodyslam both Alexa Bliss and Sasha Banks. Nia Jax then slammed Mickie James onto Alexa Bliss before locking in a vicious sleeper hold. She then tossed Mickie into the turnbuckle before charging into her in the corner.
Nia then tossed Alexa across the ring before locking in a bear hug on Sasha Banks, looking to restrict her breathing. Sasha looked to convert the bear hug into a guillotine but Nia hit her with a release vertical suplex before Mickie James broke up the cover.
Mickie James then locked in an armbar on Nia Jax but Nia powered out of it. Nia then turned around and saw Alexa Bliss on the top rope. She saw Nia and just got down.
Nia Jax then looked to hit a corner spear into Mickie James and Sasha Banks but crashed into the turnbuckle. Alexa tried to pin Mickie James but Sasha came in and set Alexa up on the corner before driving her knees into Alexa’s mid-section. She went for the cover but Nia pulled her out of the ring.
Mickie then took out Nia Jax while Sasha hit the Backstabber to Alexa before locking in the Banks Statement. Mickie James broke it up before she and Sasha traded right hands.
Mickie then planted Sasha onto the mat before heading to the top rope. Sasha met her on the tope rope before Nia Jax came in and knocked Mickie James out of the ring before hitting Sasha Banks with the Samoan Drop. Alexa Bliss came in and hit Nia Jax with a dropkick to pin Sasha and steal the win.
Alexa wins in her hometown and will now face Bayley at WWE Payback.
Alexa Bliss def. Sasha Banks, Mickie James and Nia Jax
Curt Hawkins vs Finn Balor
Curt Hawkins was in the middle of the ring cutting a promo. He challenged someone from the back to come out and face him. His challenge was answered by former WWE Universal Champion Finn Balor.
Finn Balor immediately hit the Slingblade as the match started. He then hit Hawkins with a running dropkick that sent him crashing into the turnbuckle. Balor then headed to the top rope and hit the Coup De Grace to pin Hawkins.
That match finished almost as soon as it began.
Finn Balor def. Curt Hawkins
Chris Jericho was backstage. He spoke about his loss to Samoa Joe, saying that he lost because he was distracted because of his upcoming match against Kevin Owens.
Jericho then added that wherever he goes – whether it’s Velocity, Heat or Nitro – his fans follow him around. Elias Samson then passed by as Jericho was talking to the announcer. Jericho added him to the list and got a massive pop from the fans.
Bray Wyatt’s message for Randy Orton
Jeff Hardy vs Cesaro
Chants of ‘Brother Nero’ broke out as the match started. The fight spilt to ringside as Jeff dived on Cesaro from the apron. Cesaro returned the favour soon enough as he hit Jeff with a running uppercut against the barricade.
As the action returned to the ring, Jeff Hardy hit Cesaro with his trademark Jawbreaker which forced Cesaro to regroup at ringside as we headed to commercial.
We came back from commercial to see Cesaro sending Jeff crashing out of the ring. Cesaro dragged Jeff back into the ring and covered him for a 2-count. Cesaro followed Jeff into the corner when the Charismatic Enigma hit back with a dropkick.
Jeff then went to hit the Twist Of Fate but Cesaro reversed it into an uppercut. He followed it with a Springboard Corkscrew Uppercut. Cesaro then went to hit the Cesaro Swing but Jeff managed to kick Cesaro in the face.
Jeff then headed to the top rope but Cesaro then met him there with an uppercut. Cesaro then joined Jeff on the top rope but Jeff knocked him off the turnbuckle and sent him crashing to the outside. Jeff followed it up with a modified Whisper In The Wind to Cesaro from the middle rope for a nearfall.
Jeff followed it up with a dropkick in the corner. Cesaro then attempted to hit a Neutralizer but Hardy reversed it and hit a Twist Of Fate. Hardy then headed to the top rope and hit a Swanton Bomb before covering Cesaro to pick up a well-deserved win.
Jeff Hardy def. Cesaro
Big Show vs Braun Strowman
These two giants collided even before both men were in the ring. They traded blows at the edge on the entrance ramp before Big Show sent Strowman crashing into the barricade.
They finally entered the ring as Big Show looked to hit Strowman with a chokeslam but Strowman broke free. Show then sent Strowman toppling over the top rope before sending him crashing into the steel steps at ringside.
Strowman came back into the ring and hit Big Show with a massive running dropkick. Big Show had Strowman’s arm in a hammerlock but Strowman kipped up before hitting Big Show with multiple armdrags.
Just when it looked like Strowman had Big Show where he wanted him, Show hit him with a bodyslam. Show then went for a chokeslam but Strowman just smacked his hand away before hitting Big Show with a massive vertical suplex.
Strowman then picked up Big Show for the running Powerslam but Big Show broke free and sent Strowman crashing into the turnbuckle. The two men then headed to the turnbuckle before Strowman sent Show crashing back down. Strowman then leapt off the top rope but Show hit him with a chokeslam for the nearfall.
Big Show then went for the KO punch but Strowman dodged it and hit a running Powerslam on Big Show. He went for the cover but to his shock, Big Show kicked out.
The two men headed to the top turnbuckle once again after this and Strowman knocked Big Show off the apron once more. Strowman leapt off the top rope once again and this time Big Show met him with the KO punch. Show went for the cover and Strowman kicked out once again.
The two men then headed to the top rope for a third time. Strowman hit Big Show with a massive Superplex and the ring broke with the impact of the two men, sending the referee flying out of the ring. The first time I saw this happening was when Big Show faced Brock Lesnar on SmackDown all those years ago. It happened during Big Show vs Mark Henry a few years ago for the second time.
Chants of “Yes” filled the arena as Braun Strowman somehow got back on his feet.
Match ends in no contest after the ring break
