Written by: Kevin Berge (All Images Courtesy of: WWE.com)
Last night, Payback saw the brand split made official as Kevin Owens lost the United States Championship to Chris Jericho and Bray Wyatt ended his rivalry against Randy Orton with a victory. However, the show was more important for its impact on the brand going forward.
Braun Strowman destroyed and easily defeated an injured Roman Reigns with his assault continuing long after the bell. Bayley lost her championship to Alexa Bliss after a dangerous injury. Seth Rollins barely managed to steal a victory from Samoa Joe. Raw was set to feel the consequences of these results.
Braun Strowman destroyed and easily defeated an injured Roman Reigns with his assault continuing long after the bell. Bayley lost her championship to Alexa Bliss after a dangerous injury. Seth Rollins barely managed to steal a victory from Samoa Joe. Raw was set to feel the consequences of these results.
And Alexa Bliss was still only a few inches taller than Nia Jax.
Alexa Bliss's Coronation Turns Into a Full Scale Brawl; Bayley, Sasha Banks, Mickie James, and Dana Brooke def. Alexa Bliss, Nia Jax, Emma, and Alicia Fox
Overview: Alexa Bliss forced the whole women's division to stand at her side and listen to her mock them for her coronation. She declared the queen dead and said that she was now Raw's goddess. She made fun of Mickie James and Sasha Banks before turning to Bayley, running her down until Bayley knocked her off the podium to set off a brawl.
This match was back and forth with the whole group again almost coming to blows. Bayley finally got into the action late against Bliss with the ring cleared out, last with Alicia Fox dumped by Sasha Banks only for Bliss to rake the eyes of Bayley to set up a DDT for the win.
Highlights:
Analysis: This was a strong use of the division this week, making certain it was clear where every wrestler stood. Bliss ran down the faces with ease, carrying the segment with only glares and unmiced retorts from everyone else. It showcased her role on Raw while allowing Bayley to simmer in her frustration.
The match was nothing too exciting but long enough to be worth the spotlight. Sasha got a solid focus throughout while Bliss was active throughout.
This match was back and forth with the whole group again almost coming to blows. Bayley finally got into the action late against Bliss with the ring cleared out, last with Alicia Fox dumped by Sasha Banks only for Bliss to rake the eyes of Bayley to set up a DDT for the win.
Highlights:
- Mickie grounded Fox and hit her as she sat up with a running single-leg dropkick.
- Sasha dominated Fox with a straitjacket hold then kept her down with a hip toss and running double knee drop.
- Sasha repeatedly fought to get to her feet in the grip of Nia Jax only to be charged into the heel corner by Jax.
- Bliss missed a double knee drop on Sasha to set up a hot tag to Bayley who repeatedly slammed Bliss into the turnbuckle then hit a rope-hung cutter followed by a shoulder tackle in the corner and a side suplex.
Analysis: This was a strong use of the division this week, making certain it was clear where every wrestler stood. Bliss ran down the faces with ease, carrying the segment with only glares and unmiced retorts from everyone else. It showcased her role on Raw while allowing Bayley to simmer in her frustration.
The match was nothing too exciting but long enough to be worth the spotlight. Sasha got a solid focus throughout while Bliss was active throughout.
Luke Gallows shocks many by needing help to defeat Enzo Amore.
Luke Gallows def. Enzo Amore
Overview: Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson assaulted Enzo and Big Cass behind their backs before they finished their entrance but were fought off by the duo. Enzo Amore was largely outmatched by Gallows and tried to sneak victories when the big man was distracted. However, Anderson distracted him on the top rope to set up a fireman's carry flapjack for the win.
Highlights:
Analysis: This was a fine match, better than the tag team matches these duos typically have. Enzo makes for a great crash dummy for big men, and he's also great at making frantic comebacks. This program just continues to run in circles.
Highlights:
- Gallows nearly knocked Enzo out with a close boot to the skull in the corner.
- Enzo hit Gallows with the Field Goal only to quickly take an uppercut.
- Enzo connected with an inverted stomp facebuster on Gallows.
Analysis: This was a fine match, better than the tag team matches these duos typically have. Enzo makes for a great crash dummy for big men, and he's also great at making frantic comebacks. This program just continues to run in circles.
Now let's just quietly forget about Brock Lesnar for a few months.
Dean Ambrose Declares Himself Raw's Top Champion and Sets Up a Match to Crown His New Number One Contender
Overview: Seth Rollins talked about how he had finally exorcised his demons by defeating Samoa Joe and would now turn his focus to Brock Lesnar and the Universal Championship. This brought out Finn Balor who also wanted Lesnar. Dean Ambrose interrupted, saying both should be more focused on the champions who was actually around.
Ambrose was ready to fight either man with the Intercontinental Championship on the line, but The Miz interrupted, trying to insult everyone. Ambrose resolved the issue by calling Kurt Angle in the middle of the ring and getting a triple threat number one contender match for the IC Title made official.
Analysis: This segment was confusing in its construction with it clear that Rollins and Balor had no passion for becoming IC Champ yet were forced into a number one contender match all the same. Ambrose still has not defended his title since WrestleMania, yet he called himself a fighting champion who wanted to defend his title right now.
Ambrose was ready to fight either man with the Intercontinental Championship on the line, but The Miz interrupted, trying to insult everyone. Ambrose resolved the issue by calling Kurt Angle in the middle of the ring and getting a triple threat number one contender match for the IC Title made official.
Analysis: This segment was confusing in its construction with it clear that Rollins and Balor had no passion for becoming IC Champ yet were forced into a number one contender match all the same. Ambrose still has not defended his title since WrestleMania, yet he called himself a fighting champion who wanted to defend his title right now.
Is it bad I still occasionally forget who these guys are?
Jack Gallagher, Akira Tozawa, and Rich Swann def. Tony Nese, The Brian Kendrick, and Noam Dar
Overview: Jack Gallagher made sure his teammates had umbrellas of their own before the match. This was all heels early on as Noam Dar helped isolate Akira Tozawa with The Brian Kendrick then grounding him down. However, the hot tag to Rich Swann quickly shifted the momentum with Gallagher hitting a corner dropkick on Kendrick for the win.
Highlights:
Analysis: This was a fairly solid cruiserweight tag team match especially with its hot finish even if no one did more than they always do. Everyone looked solid early on before the faces just rolled. It is surprising just how long Kendrick vs. Tozawa has been going on. Might be time to actually showcase the feud with a major match on Raw.
Highlights:
- Tony Nese ran down Tozawa with an elbow strike.
- The faces flipped Nese over the top rope onto his partners outside.
- Nese turned a delayed vertical suplex into a slam gut-first onto the top rope.
- Kendrick ran right into the headbutt of Gallagher coming in off the tag.
- Nese was sent outside by another headbutt from Gallagher.
- Tozawa broke up the Captain's Hook on Gallagher with a Shining Wizard.
Analysis: This was a fairly solid cruiserweight tag team match especially with its hot finish even if no one did more than they always do. Everyone looked solid early on before the faces just rolled. It is surprising just how long Kendrick vs. Tozawa has been going on. Might be time to actually showcase the feud with a major match on Raw.
Apparently Sheamus and Cesaro earned their heel jackets last night.
Sheamus and Cesaro Call the Fans Out for Their Nostalgia
Overview: Sheamus and Cesaro talked about why they attacked The Hardy Boyz last night with Sheamus glad to stop caring about the fans but Cesaro needing to see how the fans had abandoned him for a novelty act. The Hardy Boyz came out in response, ready to fight before Sheasaro made a hasty retreat.
Analysis: Sheamus and Cesaro are already fitting perfectly into their heel roles with this feud gaining real momentum. The Hardy Boyz even talked on live mics as well. The tag team division has needed true rivalries like this for a while with Sheamus and Cesaro too good for the division yet desperately needed.
Analysis: Sheamus and Cesaro are already fitting perfectly into their heel roles with this feud gaining real momentum. The Hardy Boyz even talked on live mics as well. The tag team division has needed true rivalries like this for a while with Sheamus and Cesaro too good for the division yet desperately needed.
Titus desperately tries to come up with the proper football rallying speech to convince Apollo Crews he can beat Heath Slater then realizes it's useless.
Apollo Crews def. Heath Slater
Overview: Heath Slater fought valiantly against Apollo Crews, keeping him reeling. However, once Crews got rolling, he was too much for Slater, bouncing right back whenever Slater ducked his best shots to hit them again. Crews finished the match with a spin-out powerbomb then celebrated with Titus O'Neil.
Highlights:
Analysis: With a pre-match video showing a backstage angle between Slater and Crews, this match had a decent story behind it which helped make it a bit more than it normally would have been. Crews' pairing with Titus is smart as it finally feels like the talented athlete is going somewhere even if it is only a low card position.
Highlights:
- Slater caught Crews with an arm drag only to take an arm drag from Crews.
- Slater almost rolled up Crews out of the corner then sent Crews reeling to the outside after Crews kicked out.
- Crews kicked Slater in the gut than hit a low running boot.
- Crews missed his first enzuigiri then connected with the second.
Analysis: With a pre-match video showing a backstage angle between Slater and Crews, this match had a decent story behind it which helped make it a bit more than it normally would have been. Crews' pairing with Titus is smart as it finally feels like the talented athlete is going somewhere even if it is only a low card position.
Kurt Angle was extremely disappointed to find out this wasn't all building to him vs. Bray Wyatt.
Bray Wyatt Warns Kurt Angle to Stay Out of His Way
Overview: Kurt Angle came out to talk about Roman Reigns and Braun Strowman who had suffered serious injuries from their intensely physical encounter. Bray Wyatt interrupted the update, greeting Angle and asking the general manager if he would get in the way of Wyatt's plans. Angle declared Raw as his show only for Wyatt to call this his world.
Analysis: Wyatt has never cut a bad promo, but he often can talk about very little even if it is with great conviction. However, when he had the right setting, he shines as he did here. Wyatt was frightening, basically demanding control of Raw, with Angle selling his unsettled nature facing Wyatt.
Wyatt should always be in contention with the authority figures in WWE given his promises of power greater than all. Because Wyatt's feud with Orton fell through, his next feud will be crucial with this indicating he may play a huge role on Raw soon. Wyatt needs to battle someone major who can elevate him.
Analysis: Wyatt has never cut a bad promo, but he often can talk about very little even if it is with great conviction. However, when he had the right setting, he shines as he did here. Wyatt was frightening, basically demanding control of Raw, with Angle selling his unsettled nature facing Wyatt.
Wyatt should always be in contention with the authority figures in WWE given his promises of power greater than all. Because Wyatt's feud with Orton fell through, his next feud will be crucial with this indicating he may play a huge role on Raw soon. Wyatt needs to battle someone major who can elevate him.
Silly indie midget, don't you know all we want from cruiserweights is flippy nonsense?
Austin Aries def. TJ Perkins
Overview: TJ Perkins managed to isolate Austin Aries' knee early on in this match and leave Aries hobbled, barely able to fight. Aries managed to just barely reverse the Detonation Kick into the Last Chancery for a tapout. Afterward, TJP continued his assault on the knee with vicious stomps and a kneebar that left the winner unable to stand.
Highlights:
Analysis: I have been a fan of Perkins for a while, but his time in WWE has been a mixed bag to date. This was his best match since the Cruiserweight Classic, returning to the technical style that made for so many great matches. His targeted assault coupled with Aries' selling made this a surprisingly great television match.
Highlights:
- TJP tried to bounce out of the corner only to walk into an ear clap.
- TJP tripped Aries in the corner and trapped him in the tree of woe, stomping at the knee of Aries before hitting a running dropkick on the knee.
- TJP locked Aries in a butterfly lock then grounded Aries again with a springboard back elbow when he broke out.
- TJP caught Aries in the corner with a half Boston crab between the ropes until Aries shoved him off to the outside followed by a suicide dive.
- Aries hit the gutbuster/STO/pendulum elbow combo into a snapmare followed by a diving spinning back elbow to the neck of TJP.
- TJP blocked the Discus Fivearm with a kick to the knee then hit an enzuigiri.
Analysis: I have been a fan of Perkins for a while, but his time in WWE has been a mixed bag to date. This was his best match since the Cruiserweight Classic, returning to the technical style that made for so many great matches. His targeted assault coupled with Aries' selling made this a surprisingly great television match.
The Miz was just surprised at the end nobody came out to attack him too as he never goes a week without being attacked.
The Miz def. Finn Balor and Seth Rollins to Become the Number One Contender to the WWE Intercontinental Championship
Overview: The Miz let Seth Rollins and Finn Balor fight it out until they saw through his games and teamed up on the heel. Rollins dominated throughout the match, keeping his focus, only to be blindsided by a uranage from Samoa Joe. Balor then caught Miz with a Slingblade only to be hit with a Sister Abigail by Bray Wyatt to allow Miz the win.
Highlights:
Analysis: What a main event! This match built and built to its final five minutes which were pure insanity. All three men pulled out top level performances with it particularly clear that Balor and Miz were ready to have a top level match after being mostly excluded at Payback.
This was not just the best match of the night with a solid competitor already established but the best match of the week, outshining a fantastic PPV last night. It ended by advancing three separate stories as Joe made clear he wasn't done with Rollins, Wyatt finally targeted Balor, and a spark was finally added to Ambrose vs. Miz.
Highlights:
- Balor blocked Rollins and hit him with an enzuigiri on the apron only for Miz to trip him off the apron with Rollins then hitting a single-leg dropkick on Miz.
- Miz tried to block both men with Maryse before Rollins found an opening with a slingshot senton to the outside onto Miz.
- Rollins hit Miz with a backbreaker only to be thrown off the top rope into the barricade outside by Miz when he went to the top rope.
- Rollins injured himself on a springboard crossbody when Balor only partially ducked the move.
- Miz hit a series of shoot kicks on both Balor and Rollins but missed the roundhouse, thrown into a DDT by Rollins while Balor dropkicked Rollins.
- Balor caught Miz with a soccer kick off the apron then ran around the ring for a dropkick into the barricade by Balor followed the 1916 back in the ring.
- Miz tripped Balor then pulled him crotch-first into the steel post.
- Miz caught Rollins in the figure four leglock only for Balor to run in with a bicycle kick to break it up.
- Rollins landed a double blockbuster on both men then a frog splash on Balor.
- Miz dumped Balor outside and ran to hit a superplex into a Falcon Arrow on Miz.
Analysis: What a main event! This match built and built to its final five minutes which were pure insanity. All three men pulled out top level performances with it particularly clear that Balor and Miz were ready to have a top level match after being mostly excluded at Payback.
This was not just the best match of the night with a solid competitor already established but the best match of the week, outshining a fantastic PPV last night. It ended by advancing three separate stories as Joe made clear he wasn't done with Rollins, Wyatt finally targeted Balor, and a spark was finally added to Ambrose vs. Miz.
Who knew Kurt's master plan to have his best show yet was to not have Strowman on the show at all, therefore not relying on his greatness?
Final Notes: TJ Perkins tried to figure out what was going through Neville's head, but the champion disregarded his question, saying he was protecting "their" championship. The Miz began an interview, talking down his opponents in the main event only to realize Ambrose now had the microphone, causing Miz to walk off in disgust.
Ambrose caught Rollins in the locker room and grilled him about the potential of a clash between them. Ambrose managed to catch Balor just before his match with Balor focused on proving himself. After Balor left, The Drifter drifted past Ambrose, ignoring the champion's Pearl Jam request.
The Golden Truth asked Kurt Angle for a title match against The Hardy Boyz, but Angle refused due to their terrible win-loss record. Goldust convinced Angle to give them a chance, a tag team turmoil match where the winners would become number one contenders.
Conclusion: This show started fairly slow. After a solid opening thirty minutes, the show stalled for an hour before kicking into overdrive. The final hour was fantastic throughout with the best TV match of the year to date from WWE as well as steady advancement of numerous stories for Raw's top characters.
Most Raws would have settled for Aries vs. Perkins as the best match of the night, but the two back-to-back added a fire to this show that it has needed even with steady solid quality over the past month. This was once more proof of just how valuable it is to Raw to have a quality main event with real time and consequences.
The high of the show will wear off with the overall show not quite living up its ending, but this was still one of the better Raws in a long while. Surprisingly, it was so without either Reigns or Strowman, showing how the brand is getting better at utilizing its entire roster.
Ambrose caught Rollins in the locker room and grilled him about the potential of a clash between them. Ambrose managed to catch Balor just before his match with Balor focused on proving himself. After Balor left, The Drifter drifted past Ambrose, ignoring the champion's Pearl Jam request.
The Golden Truth asked Kurt Angle for a title match against The Hardy Boyz, but Angle refused due to their terrible win-loss record. Goldust convinced Angle to give them a chance, a tag team turmoil match where the winners would become number one contenders.
Conclusion: This show started fairly slow. After a solid opening thirty minutes, the show stalled for an hour before kicking into overdrive. The final hour was fantastic throughout with the best TV match of the year to date from WWE as well as steady advancement of numerous stories for Raw's top characters.
Most Raws would have settled for Aries vs. Perkins as the best match of the night, but the two back-to-back added a fire to this show that it has needed even with steady solid quality over the past month. This was once more proof of just how valuable it is to Raw to have a quality main event with real time and consequences.
The high of the show will wear off with the overall show not quite living up its ending, but this was still one of the better Raws in a long while. Surprisingly, it was so without either Reigns or Strowman, showing how the brand is getting better at utilizing its entire roster.