I’m Jordan Huie and as has become a staple for the Overtimer, I’m here with a live recap of tonight’s edition of Monday Night Raw!
After a recap video of the Fiend’s show-ending attack last week plays, WWE Universal Champion Seth Rollins opens the show. Seth says that he’s seen a lot in his career but he’s never seen anything like what happened last week. He speaks of having a living nightmare right in his face. And it’s all he can do to just close his eyes and hope it’s a bad dream he’ll wake up from. But it’s not. He has to defend his title in Hell In A Cell against Bray Wyatt. The Cell is already career-shortening as it is, but he has to step in there with the Fiend… what does he do?
He says that what he does is survive and prevail! At SummerSlam against Lesnar nobody gave him a chance in hell, but he survived and he prevailed. Braun Strowman beat the hell out of him at Clash of Champions but in the end, he survived and he prevailed. And inside the Cell, it doesn’t matter what mind games Bray comes at him with, he will survive and prevail. He’s not saying it’s gonna be easy- but he’s then cutoff by Strowman!
Braun takes up the mic as the crowd chants “Get These Hands”. Braun says if Seth has something to say about him, he’d prefer he say it to his face. Because unlike Seth’s opponent, Braun doesn’t run around dressed like Mr. Rogers playing with puppets. Seth starts to speak but Braun tells him he’s not done talking. Braun says not only did Seth lose their tag titles but he said he’s glad he won’t be getting another shot at him. Seth reiterates that he was glad he didn’t have to face him again, but with the way he’s talking, he’s kinda wanting to fight him! Braun takes that as a challenge and says ‘Get These Hands’.
It’s brought up that not only does Seth have Bray and now Braun to deal with, he’ll also be facing the winner of tonight’s Fatal Five-Way next week. In something of a send-off to the wildcard, AJ Styles, Shinsuke Nakamura, Robert Roode, Ricochet and Rey Mysterio will be vying for the shot. Plus a rematch of the KOTR finals will see Baron Corbin vs. Chad Gable.
The Viking Raiders vs. The OC
AJ and Cedric with a run-in, both being ejected before a commercial break, during which the OC began getting the heat on the Raiders. Ivar fights out of the corner isolation with a senton, tags to Erik and Anderson, Erik is a large house of fire. Ignores a forearm, huge combination finishing with a spinning forearm of his own, exploder to Gallows, reverse hip toss into knee strike. Buisaku Knee takes Anderson to the corner, cannonball follows for 2. They go for the Viking Experience, but Gallows clips Ivar sending him to the floor, Anderson catches Erik with a spinebuster for 2! They hoist Erik up for the Boot of Doom, nearfall! Look for Magic Killer but Erik kicks Anderson away to escape, tag to Ivar, cartwheel to avoid a clothesline and lands one of his own. Viking Experience to Anderson, Erik caps off with a suicide dive to Gallows as Ivar gets the pin!
Winners: The Viking Raiders
Cool match, and this feud appears to be getting the Raiders over as baby faces fairly well. No matter how dumb you make them look, it’s very hard not to respond to their offense.
Interviewer Girl #1 with half-braids comes to talk to Robert Roode. Roode says he pinned Seth Rollins on the same night that himself and Ziggler won the tag titles. And with the Universal title on the line, the result will be… glorious.
Interview with Becky Lynch who says that Sasha Banks came back to try and end her. At Hell In A Cell she’d best get the job done or else Becky will do it first.
Rusev vs. EC3
Chant of “We Want Lana” starts up at the bell. EC3 ducks a few clothesline attempts and comes at him with a crossbody but gets reversed into a Black Hole Slam. Fallaway slam, vertical suplex, Rusev just having his way. Stomps the mat, Matchka Kick takes EC3 down. Rolls him around, stomps the spine and gets him into the Accolade for the quick tap-out.
Winner: Rusev
Was nice seeing EC3 for a bit. Please draft him back to NXT.
Rey Mysterio with a promo, saying it’s crazy to think he was considering retirement weeks ago. It was a moment of serious self-doubt. But thanks to his son he didn’t retire and now, he has a chance to get a Universal title match. He dedicates tonight’s match to Dominik. So I guess his odds of winning are pretty slim!
Sasha Banks vs. Nikki Cross
Sasha and Nikki tie up, Sasha wins out and takes her to the corner, big slap to the face. Nikki gets angry and throws hands, gets whipped to the ropes but Nikki counters with a shoulder block. Monkey flip, running dropkick. Sasha bails, taking her time getting back in the ring. Catches a running Nikki with a hair whip. Goes onto her and throws hands. Cole calls Sasha “the vetern” which is what he says when he wants to say ‘veteran’; Nikki has been wrestling for two years longer. Anyway, gets her with a couple of arm drags, arm wringers, goes for crucifix and Oklahoma roll pins but Sasha keeps kicking out, Nikki has her under control though. This feels oddly like a heat segment.
Banks gets to her feet, whips Nikki, Nikki ducks a clothesline and gets her with a crossbody, Sasha bails again. This time Nikki follows, piggyback sleeper! Sasha walks with her for a bit before just dropping onto her back, taking Nikki onto the ramp! Commercial break. We come back to see Nikki fighting out of the straitjacket lock from Sasha, gets taken to the corner where she gets varying forms of double knees. Nikki fights out of another hold, Sasha pays for three straight idiot charges and Nikki with a series of forearms. Clothesline into bulldog out of the corner for a quick pin, Sasha kicks out at 2. Sasha goes to the ropes to cut off the assault, then dragon screws Nikki’s leg on the middle rope, and now she’s selling the knee. Sasha gets her to the mat and works a Spinning Toe Hold. The crowd is painfully silent right now, but she’s doing some effective work. Nikki tries to grab for the hair to escape before kicking her away.
Headbutt to the stomach, Nikki still struggling to get out of Sasha’s grasp. Forward roll sends Sasha into the post and to the outside. Baseball Slide takes Sasha to the ground, running crossbody off the apron takes her down! Cross is firing up, takes Sasha into the ring and follows, Sasha tries to get her with a shoulder block but eats a knee, hotshot onto the middle rope. Goes in, neckbreaker gets 2. Nikki picks Sasha up, Sasha gets her with a kick to the shin, setting up for a running dropkick to the head for 2! Low dropkick to the ribs takes Nikki out of the ring, looks for a baseball slide but Nikki catches her in the apron skirt and pummels her! Goes up top, tries to catch Sasha with a Tornado DDT but gets tossed away, Sasha wants a Backstabber but Nikki counters with a neckbreaker. Bayley goes up for the distraction but Alexa takes her down, tosses her into a leather chair! Meanwhile Nikki goes up top again, crossbody but Sasha rolls through smoothly into the Bank Statement! Nikki taps.
Winner: Sasha Banks
Not poorly done but in general women aren’t allowed to go quite as hard on Raw or SmackDown as they did in NXT and Nikki in particular really seems to have suffered in the ring from that, nothing she does looks painful aside from her finish, which is pretty rough going for a brawler.
Sasha gets Alexa in the Banks Statement afterwards. Banks and Bayley stand tall.
Backstage the OC are furious. AJ asks when are they gonna learn that they’re not in his league? They call Cedric a cheap-shot artist and say he’s good, but he’s not in his league, nor is anyone else in the five-way. It doesn’t matter who you are; AJ is phenomenal and nothing will get in his way of taking that Universal Championship.
Brock Lesnar is being advertised to appear next week. It’s his only Raw booking known as of now so it might be his last Raw appearance for a while; he seems set to be a SmackDown attraction going forward.
Street Profits with another hype segment, talking up the participants of tonight’s Fatal Five-Way. Dawkins makes fun of Ricochet’s face when he thought he was Maria’s baby daddy. In comes the Miz who announces the birth of his and Maryse’s baby girl. And unlike Mike Kanellis, we actually know who the father is! He announces a MizTV next week with Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair. Montez then kindly cues up the production folks to play a replay of Lesnar and Heyman confronting Kofi last week.
Firefly Funhouse segment is next!
…After, whatever Lacey Evans is doing. That may have been a misprinted graphic.
Lacey Evans vs. Ember Moon
Ember catches Lacey flush with a swift singleleg dropkick to the face! Ember reverses an arm drag and mocks her ladylike taunt. Springboard crossbody gets a quick 2 count. Some nice replays of that opening dropkick, in slo-mo caught her right in the chin. Ember gets Lacey on the apron, Lacey slips inside as Ember tries to slide beneath her, rope-hung dropkick takes Ember to the floor. Lacey forces her back into the ring as Natalya watches backstage; Lacey gets Ember in a chinlock. Ember tries to fight back but a nice arm wringer takedown into an immediate kneedrop to the elbow keeps her grounded. Rope-hung senton in the corner gets a 2 count. Ember fights up in a chinlock, gets Lacey with a Samoan Drop to break!
Woman’s Right, but Ember catches it, short-arm clothesline, series of kicks ending with an enziguri! Ember goes to the apron, catches Lacey with a solid right hand but a legsweep takes Ember onto the apron. Lacey goes for a running dropkick, but in a crazy counter, Ember avoids this letting Lacey fall to the floor, hangs herself by the feet on the bottom rope, grabs Lacey by the end and springs off the apron into a stunner! Insane. In the ring, this gets a 2. Ember goes up top, Lacey cuts her off, nails her with the Woman’s Right to take her to the mat. Lacey hooks Ember into the Sharpshooter… and almost loses it after tripping but does manage to keep it in, Ember taps.
Winner: Lacey Evans
Seeing Lacey beat Ember is very personally distressing but that was a pretty good match.
Interviewer Girl #3 talks to Natalya who claims that Lacey hasn’t mastered the sharpshooter yet.
Firefly Funhouse! A portrait of Kane has been blacked out now and Bray puts up a portrait with nothing in it. “There’s always room for one more!” he says before turning to see Huskus and Ramblin’ Rabbit fighting over a Seth Rollins action figure. They’ve become huge fans. Bray says sharing isn’t easy but it’s never too good to get too attached to something. Because if you love someone, it makes you weak. It becomes too easy to suffer from things like disappointment… he knows what it’s like to be abandoned by those you care about most. Ramblin’ rabbit doesn’t want the Fiend to hurt Seth Rollins. Bray thinks the Fiend can protect him! He then tears the Rollins figure in half. “Yowie-wowie, sharing is caring!”
He puts on a menacing face and we zoom in slowly for a while, flash of the Fiend… “See you in Hell!”
R-Truth and Carmella rush down the ramp and into the ring. No one actually seems to be chasing them this week… nope, they’re just late. Drake Maverick leads the Lucha House Party, Zack Ryder, Curt Hawkins, Mojo Rawley and a referee to the ring. Carmella begs everyone to stop chasing them, they can’t take this anymore. They’ve been trying to keep hold of and regain this title for four months. Truth suggests a hot air balloon ride to escape but Carmella says no, seriously, she’s exhausted, she can’t do it anymore. She gets in close to beg Truth off… but then takes the oppurtunity to roll Truth up! 1-2-3 and she’s the champ, they finally did it. Truth raises her hand to celebrate… but now a host of women are coming out there to go after ‘Mella! Carmella piggyback rides on Truth as they make a mad dash and are chased away.
Meanwhile the usual 24/7 crew is left just standing there wondering what to do.
Cut to Sasha and Bayley. They say Becky is rambling about a cat and mouse game, as though Sasha’s the one cornered. Becky may call herself a man but she will never be a legit boss, because after Hell In A Cell she will be the only woman standing.
Backstage Sami Zayn is psyching up Shinsuke Nakamura and tells him he’s got this. Shinsuke pops up and says something. Sami continues hyping him up, but does so quietly.
King Corbin vs. Chad Gable
King Corbin, complete with a new King Edgelord attire says that he’s not here to make fun of anyone and notes that this match, well, it’ll be… short. And after this match, he decrees that he will no longer have to compete against anyone under the height of 5’5. Baron takes his time getting his kingly attire off, ala Tetsuya Naito. Bell rings. Gable ducks a clothesline and gets him with a shot to the face. Corbin gets Gable into the corner, Gable reverses and gets some blows in. Gable with a go behind, ducks an elbow attempt, Gable fakes him out on the mat, gets another waistlock but Baron simply wills him out of the ring. Gable back in, Corbin with a body block. Keylock follows.
Baron throws Gable to the corner. Grinds him against the ropes. Slam to the opposite corner. Leapfrog, Gable with a lucha arm drag, dropkick to the knee. Flipping neckbreaker! Corbin rolls out of the ring to avoid a pin attempt. Gable tries to follow, Baron pulls him out but Gable gets a shot in. Baron nontheless slams him into the steps. And then he throws him over the barricade where he lands into a couple members of security. Definitely not planned, nope, no siree.
Back from commercials, ring-around-the-ringpost leads to a huge clothesline for a nearfall. Clubbering elbows and half-nelson wears Gable down. Corbin with a power whip smashes Gable against the corner. Corbin takes Gable up on the corner, Gable flips over him, ducks a clothesline, goes to the middle rope for a flying crossbody. Elbows and knees as Gable fights back, ducks a clothesline, back kick to the knee staggers Baron, but a charge is met with a big boot for a nearfall. Chant of “Gable”, Baron with an avalanche against the corner, listens for a cacophony of boos. Baron tells the world they will bow down. Idiot charge, Gable takes him to the floor, ring-around-the-ringpost but Gable kicks up the Rolling Liger Kicks! The third bounces him off the corner to the mat! Crowd rises to their feet as Gable goes up top, but Corbin catches him and simply drops him against the mat for a cover. Gable kicks out and Baron is arguing with the ref.
Gable with leg kicks, Corbin wants a chokeslam but Gable counters with a sunset flip, Corbin kicks out, plants him with a chokeslam, nearfall! Corbin quells a rally with an elbow. Comes off the middle rope but Gable avoids him and he hotshots himself, into a release German Suplex! Gable goes up top, beautiful moonsault; Baron just barely kicks out! This match is legit the hottest the crowd has been all night. Not throughout mind, but they’ve gotten hooked a time or two. Loud chants for “Gable” as they both raise, Gable breaks a chokeslam attempt, avoids the End of Days, picks the leg for the Ankle Lock! Baron struggles across the mat for the ropes… grabs the scepter and nails Gable in the face with it for the DQ.
Winner: Chad Gable (by DQ)
More attacks with the scepter afterwards. Pulls him up to his feet, big smash to the back of the head. Baron stands tall amidst a growing chorus of jeers.
We hear from AOP who again claim the division is soft. “Who is AOP? We will show you.” They make their way out of the set into the backstage area and jump some fools. Casually back to the set. “And now you know why no one will fight the AOP.”
Huh, Fatal Five Way occurring earlier than I figured, and it’s evidently elimination! Might be in for the long haul here…
Here’s a promo with the only participant who hasn’t spoken yet, Ricochet. He tells Interviewer Girl #2 that their comes a time in one’s life where they get a chance to soar. Winning tonight will not only grant him a shot at the Universal title, but it will prove that superheroes can be real… and that his time has come.
Rey Mysterio vs. AJ Styles vs. Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Robert Roode vs. Ricochet
AJ starts fighting with Rey, Ricochet with Shinsuke as Roode bails. Headscissors and dropkicks from Ricochet and Rey take their opponents out. Mysterio tries a roll-up but Ricochet kicks out. Roode comes in, caught with forearms and dropkicks. Ricochet tries to back body drop Rey to the apron, Mysterio with an Asai Moonsault taking out Roode, Ricochet then gets a running tope to take out Nakamura and AJ! Commercial break.
Shockingly no eliminations during the break. Ricochet with some flipping kicks to take Nakamura down, springboard dropkick gets AJ off the apron, Roode tries to catch him with a German but Ricochet elbows his way out of that, goes over to AJ on the floor but is waylayed with a clothesline. Roode grabs Rey, tosses him out to the floor where he basically is forced to splash Ricochet. AJ and Roode double team Ricochet until Roode shoves AJ. “TNA” chant starts up and the double team continues. AJ then puts a stop to that with a Pele Kick to Roode. Shinsuke springs up, a running knee to AJ as he’s caught up on the apron. Into the ring, facefirst suplex to Ricochet, and a series of grounded knees.
Shinsuke takes Ricochet up top, gets him with the running knee to the gut, takes him out for a reverse Exploder but Ricochet lands on his feet, gets him with an enziguri. Shinsuke staggers, Rey catches him with a West Coast Pop! Rey and Ricochet face-to-face! Rey with a springboard moonsault, Ricochet catches him, Rey tries to spin into a Tornado DDT but Ricochet reverses with a deadlift Northern Lights for 2! AJ then rushes in to take it to Ricochet, who catches him with a rolling dropkick! Roode tries to clip him, eats a jawbreaker. Ricochet to the apron, pummels Roode, springboard clothesline! Recoil and Roode explodes, but Shinsuke comes out of nowhere to get Ricochet with the Kinsasha! Pin, and Ricochet is eliminated.
Probably should’ve let him pin Roode first but hey. Commercial break. We come back to see Shinsuke get a high kick on Rey who was on the top rope. Nakamura goes up with him, as does AJ… Roode gets the double powerbomb to complete the tower spot, all three of his opponents laid out! Roode tries to pin Rey, who kicks out… pin on AJ who kicks out, pin on Shinsuke who kicks out. Always works out like that. Roode throws AJ to the floor. Takes Nak to the corner and gets him punches and vicious knife edge chops. Whip to the corner, Nak avoids the charge and gets him with a roundhouse to the back of the head. Nak to the middle rope, flying knee to Roode for 2! Roode rolls away as AJ starts his combo, but Nak ducks the rolling elbow and gets AJ with a dragon whip! Sliding knee for a 2 count. Nakamura poses in the corner, starts the run but AJ sidesteps, looks for the Styles Clash, Nak gets AJ on his shoulders but AJ escapes to the floor, Rey with a springboard crossbody to Nakamura! Rana takes Shinsuke to the ropes, Rey nails the 619! Wants to follow-up but AJ cuts him off, brutal vertical suplex onto the apron!
Nakamura ties up Roode as AJ springboard, Roode bails and AJ instead hits Nakamura with the Phenomenal Forearm! Pins him, Nakamura is eliminated! And then just he stands, Roode gets AJ with the Glorious DDT and AJ Styles is eliminated!
Rey is still laid out on the floor. Roode goes out and takes him into the ring. Poses for another Glorious DDT, milking it… he hoists Rey to his feet, Rey counters with a roll-up, Roode kicks out, headscissors takes Roode into the ropes! Looks for the 619 but Roode cuts him off with a spinebuster for a nearfall! Rey gets him with a headscissors again, 619 and Springboard Frog Splash finish the match!
Winner: Rey Mysterio
Absolutely great stuff, Rey/Rollins sounds real fun.
Interviewer Girl #1 talks to Rollins who praises Mysterio for winning and says that was a hell of a match. He’s not thrilled about having to defend against him next week, Bray at the PPV or Braun here tonight, but when you’re the champ you gotta deal with everybody coming after you. So he’s gonna beat Braun next, and next week he’ll retain his title against Rey Mysterio and inside Hell In A Cell, he’ll survive, prevail and burn it down.
Seth Rollins vs. Braun Strowman (Non-title)
Seth starts off with leg kicks. Braun catches one, flips him onto his feet, right hand to the face. Runs through him and Rollins flips onto his face time and again. Rollins evades a charge in the corner, gets up in a piggyback sleeper, Braun counters with a snapmare. Final Cut clubbing blow to the chest takes Rollins to the floor. Commercial break. Rollins fights back out of a tree choke, running low dropkick clips the legs. Seth wants the Pedigree but Braun back body drops him out of this. Seth goes out to the floor. Braun pursues, runs around ringside gaining steam, Seth parkours over the barrier to avoid it, tries to leap over it onto Braun but gets caught with a headbutt. Taken into the ring, Braun works Seth over in the corner, one Idiot Charge meets the double boots, another lands him shoulderfirst into the post, Seth proceeds to get him with a chop block to take him down. Slams his leg into the post a few times but Braun kicks him away.
Braun limps his way to his feet as Rollins goes up, springboard knee to the back of the head takes him down, Avada Kedavra lands flush, but the pin only gets a 1 count. Yet another Idiot Charge is stopped with a superkick, setting up a top rope blockbuster from Rollins! Cover barely gets 2. Rollins goes up top, gets his gorgeous frog splash, then to the opposite corner for a second one! Nearfall, Braun tosses Seth off of him. Seth runs in for the Stomp, Braun counters by hoisting him up for the Powerslam but Rollins escapes, shoves him to the floor, suicide dive uno, suicide dive dos… Rollins rallies the crowd before Suicide Dive tres but Rollins staggers a bit on his way – to give Braun time to get himself ready – and Braun catches him on the dive for a chokeslam onto the apron! Braun runs all around ringside for a huge shoulder block exploding Rollins. And another body block as he gets up! Oof and a brutal powerslam onto the floor for good measure!
Braun whips Rollins into the ring and Seth looks entirely out. Braun gets him onto his shoulders… and the lights slowly lower. Next thing you know, the Fiend has the Mandible Claw on Braun, strangling him to the mat! He turns his gaze to Rollins who once more looks petrified. Braun fights his way up as the Fiend just looks like a preying animal… he leaps onto him to put the Claw on again! Braun is out. Fiend glares at Rollins once more and Seth wants none of this. Close up of the Fiend’s face… lights go out. Bray’s laugh loops. And that is all for the show.
I do believe that is a No contest.
Good show!
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