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RAW took place in Pittsburgh, PA this week – the hometown of RAW GM Kurt Angle and also Corey Graves. The packed show was main-evented by a triple threat match between Braun Strowman, Roman Reigns and Samoa Joe.
The show also featured a Miz TV segment with Jason Jordan and a huge showdown between Big Cass and Big Show.
Kurt Angle kicks off WWE RAW
The show kicked off with Kurt Angle returning home to Pittsburgh. Angle thanked the fans for their support over the years before announcing a match between Big Show and Big Cass as well as the Miz TV segment with his ‘son’ Jason Jordan. He also reminded the fans of the triple threat main-event between Braun Strowman, Roman Reigns and Samoa Joe.
As Angle went to leave, Brock Lesnar’s music hit. Brock made a surprise appearance with Paul Heyman by their side and the duo made their way to the ring. Heyman announced that he had realized what game Kurt Angle was playing. He accused Angle of trying to the the WWE Universal Championship off Lesnar, which is why he had booked a Fatal-4-Way match at SummerSlam.
Heyman then promised that Brock Lesnar would leave WWE if he failed to retain his championship at SummerSlam and Heyman would be leaving with him.
The Hardy Boyz vs Gallows and Anderson
Karl Anderson and Matt Hardy started the match off as the legal men. Matt took control early and the Hardys repeatedly traded tags as they took control of Anderson. They followed it up with a Poetry In Motion to Luke Gallows as we headed to our first commercial.
When we came back from the break, the wily Gallows and Anderson had taken back control only for Jeff to hit a really strange Twist of Fate as both Jeff and Gallows went down. Both men made tags as Matt Hardy came in off the hot tag and send Anderson headfirst into the post before hitting a bulldog.
Matt continued the assault but only managed a 2-count. With Matt distracted, Gallows him him with a high kick from behind. Gallows and Anderson then went for the Magic Killer but Jeff intervened to stop it.
Matt then hit Gallows with the Twist of Fate and tagged in Jeff who hit the Swanton Bomb for the win.
The Hardy Boyz def. Gallows and Anderson
The Hardys brawled with The Revival, who were on commentary, on the entrance map with Anderson and Gallows soon joining the fray. The Hardys took out their opponents and stood tall.
Renee Young was backstage with Dean Ambrose. She asked him what he thought about teaming up with Seth Rollins last week. Rollins appeared out of nowhere and said it felt like old times when they defeated the Miztourage last week.
Ambrose replied that he got burned by Rollins once and it wouldn’t happen again.
Sheamus and Cesaro confronted Seth Rollins backstage. They called Seth out for turning on Dean Ambrose and breaking his trust, which caused Dean to never trust him again.
This led to Seth challenging Sheamus to a match later in the evening.
Rich Swann, Cedric Alexander and Akira Tozawa vs TJP, Tony Nese and Ariya Daivari
Cedric Alexander and Ariya Daivari started the match. Cedric hit an incredible head scissors before tagging in Rich Swann. Swann flipped around showing impressive speed, avoiding Daivari’s offence and taking him down before tagging in Tozawa. Daivari took Tozawa down, working on his arm, as we headed to commercial.
We came back from commercial to see Daivari back in control of Tozawa, after an onslaught from Nese during the break. Daivari worked on Tozawa’s arm before Tozawa tagged in Swann as Daivari tagged in TJP.
Swann came in fired up and took down TJP. Tony Nese came in and Alexander took him out with a springboard clothesline. With TJP and Nese at ringside, Swann and Alexander hit a tandem tope codheiro/moonsault. Tozawa then hit Daivari with a suicide dive.
Back in the ring, Rich Swann hit TJP with a Rich Kick before tagging in Tozawa. Tozawa hit a Senton from the top rope for the win.
Rich Swann, Cedric Alexander and Akira Tozawa def. TJP, Tony Nese and Ariya Daivari
Miz TV with special guest Jason Jordan
Miz started off by saying how much he hated Pittsburgh. He then went on to call out Jason Jordan, who incidentally came out to a new theme song.
Miz asked Jordan how he felt about some fans booing him, which he replied to by saying Miz was the expert on boos.
Miz then said that he was impressed by Jason Jordan, before offering to guide his career. He added than Jordan had the talent that his father – Kurt Angle – had before asking him once again to join the Miztourage.
Jordan politely declined Miz’s proposal. Miz replied that Jordan was being handed opportunities by his father, which Jordan refuted. Miz then called Kurt Angle a “washed up old jock” who was handed the GM’s job because of pity. Miz then said that Angle was a lot like Pittsburgh – sad, broken down and pining for glory days that will never come back.
Jordan stood up as Bo Dallas and Curtis Axel got up to protect The Miz. Jordan hit Miz with a belly-to-belly suplex that sent Miz flying into Dallas and Axel.
Sheamus vs Seth Rollins
The two former MITB winners faced off with Rollins doing well early and taking the fight to the larger Sheamus. The Celtic Warrior fought back briefly but got dumped out of the ring following a single-legged dropkick. One distraction later, Sheamus had successfully caught Rollins with a nasty forearm as we headed to a break.
We came back from commercial to see Sheamus hit a rolling senton from them rope. He couldn’t believe it when Rollins kicked out. Sheamus then went for the 10-count chops against the ropes but Rollins hit a guillotine. Seth looked to follow it up with a springboard knee but Sheamus caught him in midair and hit a backbreaker.
Sheamus looked to follow it up with a flying clothesline but Rollins dodged it and sent Sheamus face-first into the turnbuckle. He followed it up with an enzeguiri and a suicide dive, driving Sheamus into the barricade.
Rollins headed to the top rope as Cesaro got on the apron for the distraction. Seth took Cesaro out before rolling Sheamus up for the win.
Seth Rollins def. Sheamus
Cesaro attacked Seth from behind as soon as the match ended. Sheamus and Cesaro then beat Rollins down before hitting their double-team White Noise.
They continued the beating when Dean Ambrose came out. However, he got overwhelmed by the numbers and ate a Brogue Kick for his troubles.
Bray Wyatt’s message for Finn Balor
The ‘Eater of Worlds’ came out and said there was no escape, especially for Finn Balor. He added that no mortal man could escape the darkness.
Wyatt then called Balor an ordinary man who’s done extraordinary things. He berated the Balor Club for rejoicing every time Finn got back up from the ashes. He then asked fans how it felt when he took Balor out last week, claiming that he had turned Balor into a mangled heap of broken promises before adding that there was no escape from Bray Wyatt.
Balor’s music hit as Wyatt stood in the ring. When the lights came on, Balor was behind Wyatt with his back turned to Wyatt. When Wyatt walked up to him, Balor hit him with a Pelle Kick, sending him crashing out of the ring. He followed it up with a running dropkick at ringside, that sent Wyatt tumbling over the barricade.
Samoa Joe vs Braun Strowman vs Roman Reigns
Braun Strowman started the match in complete control hitting both Roman and Joe with running clotheslines in the corner before dumping both men unceremoniously out of the ring as we headed to commercial.
Reigns and Joe were all over Strowman when we came back from commercial, dumping Strowman out f the ring. The two stallions then traded strikes as Joe countered a clothesline into a side armbar.
Strowman was back up as Roman and Strowman brawled among the fans. Roman was sent face first into a table before Joe came from out of nowhere and locked in a standing Coquina Clutch at ringside. Joe turned his attention to Roman after this and sent Roman into the barricade before hitting an enzeguiri.
The two then headed to the ring. Joe attempted an Uranage but Roman broke out of it thanks to a flurry of elbow strikes. Roman then looked to set up the Superman Punch but Joe rolled out of the ring to regroup. Roman followed him out and his an unsuspecting Joe with a Superman Punch.
Roman then went to spear Strowman but the big man caught him with a boot across the face and floored him. Strowman followed it up by clotheslining Joe and flooring him. He then turned his attentions back to Roman and sent him crashing into the steel steps. Strowman then lifted Roman and tossed him into the ring through the middle rope. He then threw one of the steel steps into the ring.
Joe caught Strowman off guard and hit him with a senton before getting into the ring and hitting Roman with a senton as well. Joe then set the steel steps against one of the corners. Joe looked to lock in a Coquina Clutch but Strowman came back in and hit Joe with the running powerslam. He went for the cover but Roman broke up the count at 2.
Strowman picked the steel steps up as he waited Roman to get back to his feet. Roman, however, caught Strowman with a Superman Punch before hitting him with the steel steps. He followed it up with a spear to Samoa Joe to pin him.
Roman Reigns def. Samoa Joe and Braun Strowman
Elias vs Kalisto
Elias Samson berated the folks of his native Pittsburgh before Kalisto came out to face him.
Kalisto had the advantage in speed while Elias had the size. Kalisto was on top early on, making good use of his speed. However, Elias caught Kalisto during an attempted head-scissors and ragdolled him into the middle rope as we headed to commercial.
Elias was in complete control as we came back from the break. He had a modified Crossface locked in before driving his knee into Kalisto’s spine. Kalisto looked to create an opening with a jawbreaker but Elias took him down with a nasty boot to the face.
Elias followed it up with a vertical suplex for a 2-count. Kalisto looked to fight back once again with a nasty spinning heel kick followed by an enzeguiri and a springboard seated senton but that was all the offence Kalisto would get in.
Elias hit Kalisto with the Drift Away for the win.
Elias def. Kalisto
Bayley vs Nia Jax
Nia Jax and Bayely faced off once again on RAW. Nia used her size advantage once again to get on top of Bayley. She was in complete control as she tossed Bayley out of the ring as we headed to a commercial break.
Jax was still in control when we came back from commercial. Bayley maneuvered out of a bodyslam and Irish Whipped Nia into the corner. Nia caught her in midair and slammed Bayley face-first into the mat. Bayley rolled out to ringside.
Bayley looked like she had an injured shoulder as she fought back, hitting Nia with a Bulldog before hitting a running dropkick. She followed it up with a stunner against the middle rope and a running knee, which caused Nia rolled out to ringside. Bayley then hit Nia with a crossbody from the apron.
Alexa Bliss looked to blindside Bayley and Bayley took her out. Nia used the distraction to try and ram Bayley down but Bayley sidestepped her and she crashed into the steel steps.
Bayley then entered the ring as the referee finished his 10-count, winning my countout.
Bayley def. Nia Jax (by countout)
Big Show vs Big Cass
Show started the match on top, clearly remembering the beating he received last week.. Show took him down and hit an elbow drop but it was only for a 2-count.
Cass was in control after a little bit and he hit Big Show with a hige boot to the face. With Big Show down, Enzo intervened and grabbed hold of Cass which caused a DQ.
Big Cass wins by DQ
Cass hit Enzo with a big boot for his troubles. When he turned around, Show hit him with a KO punch.
