This week’s RAW emanated from Tennessee and it it was arguably one of the most anticipated ones of the year all thanks to Kurt Angle’s big revelation that he had an illegitimate son. A high profile no.1 contender's match, the aforementioned announcement and the possibility of a Shield reunion – WWE picked up the pace as SummerSlam approached.
So without further adieu, let’s delve in:
Opening Segment: A brutal throwback
The RAW of 17th July began with a flashback of the Kurt Angle mystery caller storyline. Angle would finally reveal the mystery caller and the mystery story. Angle was going to 'come clean' tonight! Dean Ambrose was the first to make his way to the ring and he was carrying a steel chair with him! He looked and meant business!!
Ambrose called his chair 'Steely Dan' (alluding to the name of the band!) The Lunatic Fringe invited The Miz and the Miztourage to the ring, and challenged them to come out. Ambrose demanded anyone and everyone from Miz's entourage to come out and said that he'll take on anyone!ring, and challenged them to come out. Ambrose demanded anyone and everyone from Miz's entourage to come out and said that he'll take on anyone!
The music played but Miz didn’t come out... this is his former Shield member, Seth Rollins. Rollins asked Ambrose why he was picking a fight he can't finish on his own. Rollins aseds his former Shield member to calm down and get a better plan.
Ambrose said that he just went where his mood took him and that he didn’t 'plan' things like Rollins. Rollins said he was in the ring to ask him a question, and asked Ambrose if he would stand by his side when he took on The Miz and his entourage.
WAS THIS A SHIELD REUNION?
The Architect asked Ambrose what it'll take for him to move on from their past disagreements and feud. Ambrose said that he didn’t hear anything coming out of Rollins' mouth. Rollins demanded Ambrose hit him with the chair and get retribution for what The Architect did to The Shield. Ambrose threw the chair out of the ring and didn't look like he'll hit him. A reunion could be on the cards but they were interrupted by The Miz.
The Miz said that the apology by Rollins was not going to work, that too in the wrestling business. The Miz also said that Ambrose didn’t have the technical ability or the talent to defeat him. The Miz and the Miztourage surrounded the ring with chairs and the two former Shield members were stuck like a deer between headlights...
The Miz and Miztourage went after the two with chairs. The Miz ran Ambrose on the steel steps and they went to work on Rollins with the chair. The Miz attacked Rollins with a skull crushing finale into a steel chair! Rollins was out.
The Miz and the Miztourage walked out with their chairs held high. The Miz was sending a message to Ambrose and Rollins - 'don't mess with me'.
In a backstage segment, The Miz was asked about something and he says he's done with the two former Shield members and looked in a hurry while leaving the venue.
Alexa Bliss vs. Bayley
Bliss started off the proceedings with the slap which incited Bayley who threw Bliss onto the turnbuckle and then multiple punches to her face. What's this! Nia Jax made her way to the ring to possibly protect Bliss.
Bliss had her in a submission hold and was working on her arms but Bayley fought back with punches to the Champ. Bliss recovered and went for the cover... 1...2... but Bayley kicked out...
Bliss stomped on Bayley's neck but Bayley turned around and tried to through her out of the ring, but Bliss held on. Bayley seemed to have injured her left arm. But she had taken the momentum and went to the top rope and landed an elbow.
Bayley was totally in control... a suplex and the elbow drop from the second rope. Bliss moved out of the ring to get a breather, Bayley followed but was stopped by Jax. Bliss got a cheap shot on Bayley... Sasha Banks was in the ring and attacks Jax... She was the leveler. Bayley hit a Bayley-to-Belly Suplex and got the three count.
Bayley def. Alexa Bliss
A vignette of the no.1 contender’ s match between Roman Reigns and Samoa Joe aired followed by backstage segment between Kurt Angle and Corey Graves. Angle seemed to be having second thoughts about coming out in the open with his announcement and said that such scandalous info on himself shouldn’t be out in a public forum.
Graves convinced Angle to go ahead with it and as a response, the GM thanked Graves for being such a good friend and human being.
Gentleman Jack Gallagher & Mustafa Ali vs. Brian Kendrick & Drew Gulak
The tag team match kicked off with Gallagher and Kendrick – two men who are currently feuding – facing off in the middle of the ring. Kendrick bailed out and tagged Gulak in. Gallagher took control of the match and started working on Gulak’s knees, however, the momentum shifted after Gulak caught Jack with a strike.
The short match ended when Gallagher created separation when he headbutted Kendrick and tagged Ali in, who executed the inverted 450 splash and picked up the win for his team.
Gentleman Jack Gallagher & Mustafa Ali def. Brian Kendrick & Drew Gulak
Big Cass makes a big statement
Enzo Amore was out next to reveal what the future holds for him. He got a great pop and started off his promo by declaring himself the greatest on the microphone currently in the WWE. Enzo said that he knew his words and actions had repercussions, and then went on to address his severed ties with Big Cass.
He spoke about how despite being used as a weapon whenever he was tossed onto opponents by Big Cass, the duo never won the tag titles in the WWE despite Cass claiming to be 7-foot tall. Enzo continued to talk about his relationship with Cass and dropped a few quirky one-liners before Cass himself came out to interrupt his former partner.
Cass began his promo by blaming Graves for whatever had happened. He then focussed his attention on Enzo and said that he was about to knock some sense into the loud-mouthed star, as he hadn’t learned anything from his loss at Great Balls of Fire.
Enzo taunted Cass and snaked out of the ring just as Cass entered. Enzo went into the crowd and said that he would sit there with a fan and watch a star beat Cass down after which he would have come and uttered the three infamous words in his face – How You Doin’?
Big Show’s music hit and out came the giant. Cass and Show brawled at ringside with Show getting the early advantage after he slammed Cass into the mat. Cass shifted the scales in his favor when he shoved Show face first into the steel ring post. Cass began kicking the living daylights out of Show in the middle of the ring before Enzo tried to interrupt but to no avail.
The segment ended with Cass standing tall over the lifeless bodies of Show and Amore.
Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins are seen bickering backstage over what happened earlier in the night and Angle walks in on their conversation to cool things down. He set up a match, pitting the two former Sheild brothers against all three members of the Miztourage. Why all three members you ask? That was the Lunatic Fringe’ s idea.
P.S: This would be the first time Rollins and Ambrose will be tagging together in RAW in 3 years.
Elias Samson vs. Finn Balor
Elias Samson and Finn Balor start the proceedings. Balor had Samson in a hold on his arm but Samson countered and hit a bodyslam. Balor seemed like he was hurting. Samson went to work on Balor with kicks and punches and hit Balor's face on the apron.
Balor got choked on the ropes by Samson as Samson toyed with the Demon. Samson had a Full Nelson hold on Balor but Balor got a kick on Samson and multiple knockdowns and sliding baseball kicks. Samson held Balor up in the air and power bombed him. Impressive move right there.
Samson hit a backbreaker on Balor and went to cover, and again, Balor kicked out on two. Balor was taking the initiative now... Hit Samson with a baseball slide on the outside and a dropkick. Samson picked up the guitar and smashed Balor straight to the head with the guitar.
Finn Balor def. Elias Samson via DQ
The lights go out as the medics attend to a busted up Balor. It was the Eater of Worlds on the big screen and what followed was a typical Wyatt promo. He claimed he wanted to satisfy his soul by seeing Balor in agony. He went on to say that he would enjoy every moment of the pain he inflicts on Balor.
The Demon vs. The Face of Fear at SummerSlam unofficially got confirmed after the interaction.
Kurt Angle booked a no.1 contender’ s match for the WWE RAW Women’ s Championship between Sasha Banks and Bayley for next week’ s RAW after the two come arguing to the GM about a title shot and he deserved it more.
Akira Tozawa vs. Ariya Daivari
Tozawa tried to take the initiative but it looks like Tozawa has injured his left shoulder. Daivari went to work on the injured left shoulder and had him on a lock; Tozawa cried in pain, but fought back with punches to the sternum. Daivari got a knee and then threw his opponent into the turnbuckle and then 1...2... Tozawa broke out.
The match ended abruptly after Titus O’Neil got up to the apron and asked for the referee to end the match.
Ariya Daivari def. Tozawa via referee stoppage
A visibly frustrated Tozawa seemed to be done with Titus Worldwide after this loss.
Kurt Angle finally comes clean
Kurt Angle’s announcement was finally up next as the Olympic medalist came out amidst voracious ‘You Suck’ chants. Angle started off by saying that he's a little nervous. He said that all things have consequences and that this consequence has changed his life.
Angle said that his family is 100% behind him and that the WWE is 100% behind him. Angle said that he dated a lady in college and that the lady gave birth 9 months after his first date and that she gave birth to a baby boy who was given up for adoption.
Angle spoke about his illegitimate son who was an athlete and a wrestler, who also pursued his dream of becoming a WWE Superstar. Angle introduced the newest member of RAW and introduced his son, JASON JORDAN! WHAT A BOMBSHELL!
The Hardy Boyz vs. The Revival
Frenzied start to the match as all four men go at it, with the Hardys clearing the as the fans chanted Brother Nero in unison. Dash and Matt started off before Dawson got tagged in. Matt throws his opponent into the turnbuckle, and the Hardys took turns kicking Dawson. Jeff tagged in and clotheslines Dawson before the tag was made.
The duo threw Dawson into the turnbuckle and got him into a headlock. Dawson tagged in Wilder and Matt got a few punches and a kick into the midsection before Dawson tagged in again.
Matt and Dawson exchanged blows. Matt put Dawson's head into the turnbuckle multiple times and the crowd were chanting 'Delete'. The match was dominated by the heels for the most part as Dawson and Dash worked on Matt. They worked on the partially broken one’s leg. After taking a lot of damage, Matt was successful in making the tag to Jeff, who came in hot and takes both men out with a series of kicks. He hits a splash from the top rope for a near fall.
Jeff got a roll-up cover and then the Twist of Fate, but Dawson kicked out. Matt cleared Wilder out of the ring. Jeff got a Whisper in the Wind and went for the Swanton but is pulled down. Dawson pinned Jeff and pulled Jeff's tights and got the three count.
The Revival def. The Hardy Boyz via pinfall
Roman Reigns vs. Samoa Joe (No.1 Contender’s Match for The Universal Title)
Both men make their entrances as the commentators focus on the fact that Reigns has been unable to beat Joe in the three encounters the two have had. It was a big fight feel as Michael Cole mentioned and the bout kicked off with both men jockeying for position.
Joe was top of Reigns as RAW returned from the commercial break as he clotheslined the Big Dog and connected with the enziguiri in the corner. Joe shot down Reigns' attempts of assuming control of the match with a couple of slaps to the back. Joe slowed the pace of the match and started working on Reigns’ neck by twisting the latter's neck. Reigns somehow got to one knee, but Joe had him scouted and hit a perfect suplex for a 2-count.
Joe continued the onslaught on Reigns’ neck before Reigns got some relief with a flying clothesline that yielded him a near fall. Reigns began sizing up Joe for a superman punch, but Joe was well aware of his surroundings and rolled out of the ring. Reigns followed him and both men collided outside the ring, and as a result, were laid out at ringside as Raw went to another commercial.
Back from the commercial again, Reigns got a nearfall with a Samoan Drop and a well-timed big boot to the face of Joe. Joe, though, wasn’t ready to give up just yet as he took Reigns out with a Senton. Another near fall! This was enough for this is awesome chants to break out.
Reigns the caught Joe off guard and hit the Superman Punch out of nowhere. 1-2...kickout!
Just when you expected the match to have a conclusive ending, out came Braun Strowman to interrupt the proceedings. Strowman marched towards the ring as Reigns looked on in pure shock as he didn’t expect The Monster Among Men to return after the near-death-experience at Great Balls of Fire.
Strowman first attacked Joe at ringside before shifting his attention to Reigns. Reigns hit Strowman with a right hand and then a boot; Strowman fought back and threw Reigns into the barricade and then into the ring like a ragdoll.
Samoa Joe and Strowman saw eye-to-eye, before going at it , Joe tried to push Strowman, but the Monster Among Men clotheslined him; Strowman got into the ring and tortured Reigns and then toyed with Joe.
Reigns fought back with a right hand. Joe climbed up the ring and caught Strowman with a Coquina Clutch. Reigns hit Strowman with a Superman Punch. The big man was down, and Reigns tried to take advantage but Strowman catches Reigns in the air and hit a spine buster. ‘This is Awesome’ reverberated around the arena!
Strowman looked to leave the ring but returned and grabbed Reigns. Security had arrived to the ring to stop Strowman but he was not paying heed to anyone. Strowman left the ring leaving the corpses of Reigns and Joe, and at the same time, sending a strong message to Brock Lesnar.
The title picture just got brutally inetersting. Who will face Lesnar at Summerslam? Did you like this week’s RAW and are you happy with Kurt Angle’s revelation?
Sound off in the comments!
One of Samoa Joe's colleagues had harsh words for him HERE
