Hello everyone, and welcome to this week’s RAW Review. I’m filling in for CB this week for my first RAW Review but anyways, let’s get right into the review.
The Big Dawg
RAW was kicked off with Roman Reigns who was greeted by a warm reception from the Philadelphia crowd. Reigns started his speech by proclaiming that he was going to reclaim ‘our yard’ and to mark his return to the top he needs to go through one man, Seth Rollins. Rollins comes to the ring with a massive burn it down before raising the microphone. Rollins goes on to talk about how happy he is to hear of Reigns’ cancer being in remission and that he is going to fuel that fire all the way to WrestleMania where he aims to slay the best and win the Universal Championship. After Rollins’ speech, Reigns announces that he wants to get the band back together (referring to The Shield), displeasing Rollins to say the least. The two go back and forth about The Shield for a bit before Rollins eventually agrees to bring The Shield back together. Rollins and Reigns call out Ambrose who stands at the ramp ready to make a speech before Elias swings a guitar into Ambrose’s back. Reigns and Rollins run down to the ramp to accompany a hurt Ambrose who runs backstage before confronting his Shield brothers.
Finn Balor, Braun Strowman & Kurt Angle vs Bobby Lashley, Baron Corbin & Drew McIntyre
This match was kicked off with long time rivals Corbin and Strowman squaring off. Strowman sends Corbin outside early before getting to full pace and nailing him into the barricade. Corbin tags in McIntyre who gets charged into a corner by Strowman, Strowman beats him up a little before tagging in Balor for a double axe handle from the top rope. Balor tries gaining some momentum which is stunted by a huge knee to the midsection from McIntyre and a subsequent tag to Lashley. Lashley hits Balor with a few shots and tags in Corbin. McIntyre, Lashley & Corbin are all thrown to the outside by Balor who runs back looking for a tope con hilo but Lashley’s hypeman, Lio Rush pulls out the leg of Balor, allowing all three men to recover. Corbin rolls back in the ring and Balor goes for a slingblade only to be caught by a DEEP SIX! 1, 2, kickout by Balor. Corbin decimates Balor for the next minute or two before tagging in McIntyre. McIntyre displays his strength with a deadlift suplex and he continues to wear Balor down for a while longer. Balor seems out of it but he manages to get out of the corner, evade some strikes from McIntyre and tag in Angle. Angle comes in hot with a trio of German suplexes and he proceeds to lock in the ANGLE LOCK on McIntyre, Lashley comes in but receives a German suplex as well for his efforts. As McIntyre gets back to his feet, he nails Angle with a huge headbutt and tags in Corbin. After Corbin is in control for a while, Angle manages to tag in Braun Strowman who causes havoc as he takes out everyone in and outside the ring. After a splash in the corner, Strowman lifts up Corbin and connects with a RUNNING POWERSLAM! Strowman tags in Balor who hits Corbin with the COUP DE GRACE for the 1, 2, no! Lio Rush pulls Balor off of Corbin to break up the pin. Balor chases Lio Rush but he gets caught and rammed into the ring post but Lashley. Strowman comes from around the corner and sprints towards Lashley but Rush shoves Lashley out of the way and takes one for the team as Strowman takes himself and Rush out as both men go through the barricade into the time keeper’s area. McIntyre and Lashley throw Balor into the ring and Lashley folds Balor in half with a massive spear. 1, 2, 3 (@14:55). Lashley, Corbin & McIntyre are victorious. This match was pretty good actually, I quite enjoyed it. Lashley, Corbin & McIntyre continue to inflict damage to their opponents, throwing Angle head first into the steel steps and decimating Balor. McIntyre nails Balor with a claymore before Corbin & Lashley hit a huge double chokeslam onto the steel steps, adding insult to injury and making it a really, really bad day for Balor. Lashley, Corbin & McInytre stand in the middle of the ring, victorious and happy with their handiwork. As I was saying before, this match was quite entertaining. There wasn’t really any great wrestling or sequences but overall, everything flowed nicely together and there were some really close calls throughout. Lashley, Corbin & McIntyre look like absolute machines and it’s only a matter of time before one of them enters the world title picture.
Natalya vs Ruby Riott
Again… I know. Riott starts off with some vicious punches and kicks before locking in a side headlock. Natalya escapes, attempts a discus lariat but gets caught, Natalya somehow manages to transition a really stupid looking botched spot into a release fisherman suplex. Natalya follows it up with a discus lariat before locking in the sharpshooter. Riott manages to escape but Natalya gets the small package for a 1, 2, 3 in an extremely short match (@2:15). Um… er… After Natalya’s win, Lacey Evans comes out, walks the catwalk, heads back and this very confusing match and segment combination is done, I’m still not sure why WWE is mistreating Riott & Natalya like this. Next.
The Game & The Animal
Next up, The Game, The Cerebral Assassin, the shovel bearer, the COO of WWE, Triple H comes to the ring. He is interrupted by Dave Batista who’s rocking a pretty snazzy new nose ring who has a few things to say. He greets Triple H, says he really couldn’t be bothered rocking up at RAW as he really just doesn’t like Philly (no offence), he also really doesn’t like Pittsburgh (no offence), and he wants to play The Game by his rules (Dave was really happy with that one) and that The Game is over. Triple H then goes on to roast Dave for being a quitter and telling him he needs to get some balls. Triple H proceeds to cut a pretty mean promo where he says that Dave has gained his attention. This segment was bloody fantastic. I absolutely loved this, I don’t know why, but I loved this (no offence). For those who don’t get the repetition of (no offence), Dave seems to hate every city before following it up with a (no offence). It’s pretty fantastic really. Triple H’s promo was pretty fantastic as well. No offence.
Tag Team Gauntlet Match
First up, Heavy Machinery dispatches of B-Team. Nothing notable here really, sad how they’ve just buried some former tag champs. Ah well. Next up, Otis Dozovic delivers a splash to Viktor to continue on in the gauntlet match. Otis Dozovic then hits the caterpillar elbow drop to eliminate Zack Ryder & Curt Hawkins. Heavy Machinery wins (@5:55). Throwaway match really, pretty tragic.
A bunch of segments later and Elias roasting everyone in Philadelphia and their mothers (this wasn’t a joke, he called every Philly mother googly-eyed slop), we’re onto our next match.
Elias vs Dean Ambrose
After some back and forth action, some brawling on the outside and an old school by Elias, we get to the point where Ambrose is in control. After some clotheslines in the corner, Ambrose goes for a bulldog but gets driven into the corner by Elias. Elias stomps away and inflicts some damage on Ambrose. Ambrose manages to get a small package in… 1, 2, kickout. Ambrose connects with a neckbreaker and goes for a lunatic elbow from the middle rope before getting caught with a high knee from Elias. One drift away later and Elias is victorious (@8:12). This was good, lots of brawling on the outside but the match itself was entertaining and had some good moments. The length of the match was just right and made for some enjoyable action. It might not be much but for a relatively throwaway singles match, I thoroughly enjoyed this.
Echo, Lima, Delta… The Shield
After the match for what I believe was now the 4th time in the night, Rollins & Reigns unsuccessfully get Ambrose to join The Shield again. Ambrose storms out of the ring and Baron Corbin’s theme hits. Corbin is joined by McIntyre & Lashley as the three men proceed to start a brawl with Reigns and Rollins. Just as Rollins & Reigns seemed out of it, Ambrose joins them and The Shield get rid of Lashley, Corbin & McIntyre. The Shield touch firsts and they are reunited… again. After this albeit generic reunion moment, The Shield vs Lashley, Corbin & McIntyre is announced for Fastlane. Whilst I’m not overly pumped for this match, I am happy to see Reigns back in action.
Sasha Banks vs Tamina Snuka
We have been graced by the presence of the single greatest superstar of all time, the daughter of ‘Superfly’ Jimmy Snuka, Tamina Snuka. With elegance, grace and a bit of inte… Nia Jax, Tamina Snuka rose to the occasion as she dominated Banks & defeated her with her own original, non-generic finisher, the Superkick (@3:15). What can I say, Tamina Snuka carried Sasha Banks in this excellent display of style and grace.
Ricochet & Aleister Black vs The Revival (c) for the RAW Tag Team Championships
Kick, flip, roll-up, backslide, elbow, double-team, near-fall, repeat. These 4 men put on a great match until Bobby Roode & Chad Gable attacked and dropped Dash Wilder & Scott Dawson, costing Ricochet & Black the titles. The attack led to an immediate disqualification giving The Revival the victory (@6:52). An understandably pissed off Ricochet & Black exchange blows with Roode & Gable before knocking them out of the ring and hitting their signature flips and handsprings back in the ring. Whilst they may not have won the titles tonight, Ricochet & Black are the last men left standing.
Becky Lynch & Charlotte Flair Contract Signing
After a very boring encounter, Rousey comes to the ring, takes her title & Stephanie McMahon gets roasted (very poorly at that) by a now heel Ronda Rousey who assaults Becky Lynch, probably breaks her arm and continues to pummel Lynch as Charlotte Flair looks on. A heel Rousey grabs her title & poses with it as we transition into the end credits.
Conclusion
So, my rating of this episode is a 5/10.
This episode was gross. Probably the wrong word for this but erghhh…
The opening segment, opening match, Elias vs Ambrose & the 6 minutes of the main event we saw were all good. Everything else was pretty terrible. Pretty bad go home show before Fastlane but I’m happy there was a match or 2 that was actually worth my time. It’s not all bad so as far as an episode of RAW goes, that’s pretty good.
