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Things were tense on RAW a week removed from the siege by SmackDown Live.
The RAW roster gets put on notice
Kurt Angle was in the ring, more tense than usual. The entire RAW roster was on the ramp and before he could really start with his announcement, none other than commissioner Stephanie McMahon made her return.
She began by trying to get the energy of the arena up. She praised Kurt Angle for his role as GM through a lot of tough times, including the Jason Jordan fiasco, the virus spreading on the roster and Braun Strowman getting destroyed in a trash compactor. She wasn't able to deal with what happened the previous week, however.
She then began her classic berating of people when she blasted Kurt for being responsible for what happened in the siege after she also criticised Shane McMahon for being manipulative.
Stephanie then named Kurt Angle as the captain of Team RAW, giving him another chance. However, she did say that if he didn't lead the team to victory, then he would be fired.
Backstage, Kurt Angle was apologising to Stephanie, who was just about to leave. She told him to remember what happened with Mick Foley.
Right after she left, The Miz came in "fashionably late" as he put it. The Miz was furious when he learnt that Angle was named team captain of RAW. When he went on a rant, Angle told him to shut up and blasted him for not being there to help RAW during the siege. He told The Miz that he would be defending the Intercontinental title against an opponent who he'd find out about when he's out in the ring.
Bayley vs Alicia Fox
Bayley entered first and when Alicia Fox entered, she cut a cringe-inducing promo pretending to be a sailor, because she's captain of Team RAW. She told Bayley that after Stephanie putting the roster on notice, she wouldn't be able to compete. She then introduced her new opponent: the returning Nia Jax.
Bayley vs Nia Jax
The two had a fairly good match with Nia obviously dominating. Bayley did have a few moments where she stunned Nia on the top rope and almost pinned her with a stunner on the ropes and also a guillotine, but it wasn't enough to take out RAW's female powerhouse.
Nia Jax would ultimately get the better Bayley and finish her off for the win.
Nia Jax defeated Bayley
After the match, Alicia Fox named Nia Jax as the second member of team RAW's female team. As Nia Jax walked away, Samoa Joe's music hit! What was Samoa Joe doing here? He walked past the women into the ring and he was ready for a fight! What a return!
Samoa Joe was back and ready for a fight. Samoa Joe said that judging by the response he got, they missed him. He says that he didn't miss them and called them out for not indicating that they missed him prior. He said that he will use their disrespect to fuel what he will do to his opponent and that he would be pretending that he's beating up all of them.
Samoa Joe vs Apollo Crews(with Titus O' Neil)
Apollo started off with a headlock against Joe but The Destroyer began with his stiff style of chops and kicks. Joe got a near-fall with his rapid scoop-slam. He even spat his gum on Titus O' Neil
Apollo was able to catch Joe with an enziguri, but it didn't do much as Joe still landed the coquina clutch for the win.
Samoa Joe defeated Apollo Crews
After the match, Titus O' Neil tries to confront Joe and threatens him, but he makes the mistake of turning his back to check on Crews. He gets caught by a Coquina clutch and gets choked out.
The Miz(c) vs Matt Hardy - Intercontinental Championship match
Matt Hardy was the surprise opponent for The Miz' IC title defence. Matt Hardy started off with a roll-up but was unsuccessful.
After a while, The Miz began taking control, even landing a neckbreaker from the top turnbuckle onto Hardy. The match was fairly slow paced at this point but the crowd in Baltimore was still well behind Matt Hardy, going all out with the "Delete!" chants.
Hardy did eventually hit the side effect, but the champion kicked out in a brilliant near-fall. Makes you realise how underrated The Miz really is.
Following this, Matt Hardy hit a picture-perfect moonsault onto Miz, but it was another near-fall! It's not every day you see Matt Hardy do that. Miz gained a little control after this but Matt got a major advantage when he hit the Twist of Fate. However, the champion rolled out to the apron. When Matt brought him back to the ring, he stunned the tag team legend and hit the skull-crushing finale for the win.
The Miz defeated Matt Hardy to retain the Intercontinental Championship
Backstage, Alexa Bliss congratulated Kurt Angle for being RAW team captain. Alexa said that she could help Angle and asked him to cut some of the dead weight off the RAW roster like Mickie James and replace her with Mae Young Classic talent instead, even joking that they could dig up Mae Young.
Kurt said that he liked the idea of bringing in new talent, but not at the expense of Mickie James. He criticised Alexa for not helping during the siege last week and told her that she'd have to defend the RAW Women's Championship against Mickie James in the main event!
Asuka vs Stacie Cullen
Asuka started off with a running spinning back fist and stated stomping aggressively. She followed up with Muay Thai knees and then shoved Cullen into the second turnbuckles. She followed up with a series of strikes with her leg and then struck her with her hands. She finished her with an Asuka lock in no time. RIP Cullen
Asuka defeated Stacie Cullen
Kurt Angle meets Daniel Bryan
After the match, Kurt Angle was backstage texting on his phone and then took his walkie-talkie and shouted: "They're here, it's happening". It was Daniel Bryan in his office, and Kurt asked what the hell he was doing there. It cut into commercial break right then.
After the break, Bryan said that he himself was taking the risk coming to RAW. Angle was seething and said he didn't believe Bryan. Bryan did understand Angle's point of view. He told him that even Shane didn't even know that Bryan was coming to RAW.
Angle said that he could send Bryan to the ring and have him chewed out by RAW superstars, but instead, he would keep him in the room and send him back to Shane McMahon, telling him exactly what message to send to the SmackDown Live commissioner
A preview of Brock Lesnar vs Jinder Mahal was shown and it cut back to the room where Bryan was in. He was on the phone, saying that his presence there didn't help SmackDown Live's cause at all. The lights suddenly went off in the room.
After the commercial break, Bryan was furious about the lights going off and the entire situation, being locked in the room. He was suddenly choked by none other than Kane and was hit with a chokeslam.
Finn Balor vs Cesaro
The two technically gifted athletes started off with headlocks on each other. Cesaro showed off his cockiness. Cesaro started off the early going fairly dominant as well
Right before the break, Sheamus caused a distraction for Cesaro to shove Balor out of the ring. After the break, Balor dropped Cesaro with an overhead take. Sheamus caused yet another distraction and Cesaro hit a pop-up uppercut on Balor for a two-count.
After this, Cesaro hit a super-plex onto Balor all the way from the apron outside, again getting a two-count. Cesaro countered submission into submission, but Finn finally counted with a roll-away and a double stomp on Cesaro's mid-section.
Balor hit a running slingblade and then a dropkick. As he went for the coup-de-grace, Sheamus distracted him and he took The Celtic Warrior out. The distraction wasn't enough this time for Cesaro, as he flung Cesaro outside the ring over the top ropes. He hit an over-the-top-rope dive onto The Bar and threw Cesaro back in the ring. He then hit a double stomp from the top rope to the back of Cesaro's neck, winning the match.
Finn Balor defeated Cesaro
After the match, Finn Balor was walking away and Kane entered the arena. Balor looked frightened and tried attacking Kane but was met with a big boot and then a tombstone onto the stage. Kane destroys Balor...again.
Kane vs Seth Rollins
What a transition from match to match. Rollins & Ambrose came through the crowd. Rollins started with a right hand. Outside the ring, Kane tried throwing Rollins into the steel steps, but Rollins' agility was his advantage. For some reason, Cesaro & Sheamus were outside the ring watching.
Kane dominated his former rival. Rollins took a while to gain the advantage but struggled to take The Big Red Machine off his feet with sequential suicide dives. None of this was enough to take out Kane for long.
Back in the ring, Rollins was distracted by Cesaro & Sheamus going after Ambrose and was met with a chokeslam. Kane's monstrous booking continues.
Kane defeated Seth Rollins
After the ring, Kane went for another chokeslam but was met with a dirty deeds by Ambrose. However, Kane got right back up and The Bar overpowered them with the numbers. Kane hit a tombstone onto both Ambrose and Rollins.
Daniel Bryan was unconscious, being pulled away on a stretcher.
Backstage, The Miz was with The Miztourage inside their locker room. They found a garbage bag and Miz feared that Braun Strowman was back. The Miztourage gave their assurances, but Miz wasn't convinced.
The Miz spotted Kane backstage and was praising him for his destruction of Rollins, Ambrose & Bryan. Miz asked him if he thought there was any chance of Braun Strowman returning. Kane told Miz that if Strowman was there, he knew where to find him. The Miz was relieved and told Kane he was glad they were on the same side. Kane laughed and told The Miz that he was on his own.
Heath Slater & Rhyno vs Anderson & Gallows - Trick or Street Fight
The babyfaces were dressed as Santa and the good brothers were dressed as Chad 2 Badd & Tex(Sex) Ferguson from Southpaw Regional Wrestling.
The heels started of with shoving Slater into a can of apples. Rhyno placed a pumpkin over Gallows' head and Slater did the same to Anderson. They then knocked their heads against each other
Gallows & Anderson put the pumpkin guts onto Slater's head. Gallows tried to send Anderson onto Slater but Slater moved away and Anderson was caught on the turnbuckles. Rhyno then came into action and he managed to throw a pumpkin pie onto Gallows' face.
The good brothers once again took control, setting up the table. Slater then unleashed a Candy Corn cane onto the former tag team champions but the heels would then make their comeback fast.
Anderson placed a Jack O' Lantern over his head and tried to jump on Rhyno but got caught and sent through the table, getting pinned.
Heath Slater & Rhyno defeated Gallows & Anderson
Gallows had also placed a Jack O' lantern over his head for some weird reason and thought that his team was victorious. He was of course taken by surprise when he heard the babyfaces' music after the pin.
Backstage, The Miz was talking to The Bar, who reassured The Miz that Strowman couldn't recover in one week. They told him to take a deep breath. The Miz then said he was glad to be part of such a team, and they told him what Kane told him "He's on his own".
They walked away and The Miz called Curtis Axel and told him to pack their bags. He was out of there!
Elias sings the ballad of Jason Jordan
Elias started mocking his guitar smash on Jason Jordan the prior week and it didn't take long for Kurt Angle's son to come out. He cleared the ring and then picked up Elias' guitar. He placed it on the turnbuckle and started stomping the guitar.
Drew Gulak vs Kalisto
Drew Gulak gave himself a hilarious introduction. Enzo Amore trashed Kurt Angle for handing out title shots like Halloween candy. Gulak tried to do the "SAWFT" but said "SOFT" instead. That was hilarious.
Kalisto then came out and began his match. He dominated Gulak and won the match. As soon as Kalisto pinned Gulak, Enzo entered the ring and came out and then poured salt on the wound by doing that annoying dance of his.
Kalisto defeated Drew Gulak
The Miz was frustrated backstage at what transpired with Kurt Angle. He told Axel to call the limo driver so they could leave as soon as RAW ended.
Alexa Bliss(c) vs Mickie James - RAW Women's Championship
Mickie James started dominant against The Goddess Of WWE. After the break, an aggressive Alexa was in control of the Seven-Time Women's champion.
Mickie began gaining some momentum and Alexa got back at the legend hard when she flung her down from the top turnbuckles. Bliss then made a long climb to the top apron and was met with a kick. Alexa fell pretty hard onto the mat.
Mickie then jumped on her from the top rope. Mickie had an answer for almost everything Alexa put out, giving it everything she had. Alexa just suddenly hit a right hand out of nowhere and pinned her clean. What a weird finish.
Alexa Bliss defeated Mickie James to retain the RAW Women's Championship
The Miz and The Miztourage get foiled by a monster
The Miz was seen backstage quickly trying to exit the arena. The Miztourage entered the limo relieved. The Limo then suddenly halted. Right in front was a garbage truck. The Miz and the Miztourage was trying to exit the limo but were locked. The garbage was being flung out of the truck and Braun Strowman made a comical but awesome entrance.
Strowman was then running after them at full pace.
Back in the ring, Alexa bliss was still celebrating, but Miz an Axel ran out to the ramp. Bo Dallas was flung away and he started assaulting The Miz & The Miztourage, absolutely decimating them. He made sure that absolutely none of them got away with it, including The Miz.
The action went into the ring and Strowman continued laying waste to The Miztourage. He hit Axel with the running powerslam and the crowd chanted "One more time". The Monster Among Men gladly obliged. The crowd was going bonkers for Strowman and he hit a third running powerslam. He went for #4 right after.
Miz & Bo ran away and Strowman picked him up, setting him up in position for another powerslam. He ran and slammed him through the commentary table. What.a.finish! Strowman stands tall to end the show!
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