Okay, so the word ‘live’ might not be apt here but whatever… Jordan Huie of the Overtimer here to give you a play-by-play of WWE Raw!
Becky Lynch opens the show,with a smaller smoke show than usual but it’s still there. Says the Man is back in Manchester. Mentions visiting here as a three-year-old kid, and now she’s the WWE Raw Women’s Champion. But she’s in the most dangerous time of her career. The list of people looking to take her out is getting longer. But to that she says bring them on. Because it’s not lost on her that while she’s been crisscrossing the world, the savages have been resting or training or getting even better and to that she says; bring them on. Chant for “Becky”.
Says if Shayna Baszler or Bayley or the Kabuki Warriors think they can get by her, they haven’t been paying attention. She’ll never stop running her mouth or slapping heads and she’ll never stop making you better. The only thing she fears in life is not being the greatest. Suggests that tonight she regain her legacy of being Becky Two Belts by beating the Kabuki Warriors, becoming Women’s Tag Champs right here in Manchester! Charlotte Flair emerges. And we’re going right to the match.
WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships: The Kabuki Warriors (c) vs. Becky Lynch & Charlotte
Asuka and Becky start, lock-up, Asuka with a hair trip, cover, Becky bridges out of it. Taunts her with a show of two fingers. Asuka catches a clothesline, arm drag. Becky grabs a wristlock, but takes a knee to the gut. Asuka with kicks to the face. Hits the ropes, Becky hits them as well, Asuka turns around into a shoulder block. Asuka reverses a whip into the corner, Becky with a floatover, Asuka evades and gets a kick to the gut out of mid-air. Tag to Kairi, Asuka goes up top, Kairi drives Becky’s face into her backside. Drives Becky into neutral corners, Becky blocks one, sends her into it instead, couple of arm drags, into a deep armbar.
Kairi avoids a corner charge, stomps her into the turnbuckles. Does her little strut, Sliding D avoided, Becky with a vertical suplex. Tag to Charlotte, wicked chops ensue. Kairi ducks oe, gives some chest chops of her own but Charlotte no sells. Kairi hits the ropes, gets chopped out of her shoes. Charlotte hoists Kairi up onto her shoulders, pretty notable size difference here. Kairi counters with a Sleeper/Body Scissor, Charlotte drives her into the corner. Takes her out, Figure Four Headscissor, slams Kairi’s face into the mat time and again, throws her around the canvas with her legs.
Just lets her make the tag to Asuka, who comes in with leg kicks, side headlock. Hip toss, headlock on the mat, Charlotte attempts for headscissors, blocked a couple of attempts but eventually she gets one and escapes. Gets to her feet, but Asuka keeps on her with a headlock, Charlotte shoots her off, shoulder block. Leap frog from Charlotte, Asuka with a waistlock but eats an elbow! And as she sells this, Shayna Baszler emerges out of nowhere from the crowd, standing at ringside! Loud chant of “NXT” as we go to commercial.
We come back to see Asuka battering Charlotte, whips her to the corner, Charlotte escapes to the apron, hits her away, comes in for a roll-up, kickout at 2. Fallaway Slam to Asuka. Kairi tries to come in for a cheap shot but eats a big boot. Asuka with a drop toe hold takes Charlotte into the corner, kicking and stomping her into the mat. Charlotte fights back, chopping her into the ropes, low bridge takes her to the floor. Kairi out to rain down stomps as Asuka distracts the ref and Shayna watches on from a few feet away. Charlotte thrown back into the ring, Asuka tags Kairi, isolation commences. Double whip, roundhouse kick from Asuka, Axe Kick from Kairi, Kairi with a running dropkick! Cover, Charlotte kicks out quick.
Straitjacket hold, Charlotte fights up, hip toss counter, but Kairi catches her with a quick kick for a 1 count. Tag to Asuka, double suplex, she still kicks out at 1! Asuka escapes off a suplex attempt, Octopus Stretch locked in! Cinched in pretty deep! Charlotte trying to power out, gets her onto her shoulders! But Asuka with a Crucifix Bomb for a nearfall! Asuka with roundhouse kicks to the chest, Charlotte blocks one to the head, gets up but eats a spin kick to the gut. Charlotte with forearms and elbows to escape the corner, but Asuka with a Crossarmbreaker! Tries to turn it into an Asuka Lock, Charlotte blocks, turned back into the Crossarmbreaker! Charlotte shows her strength, countering into a powerbomb! Cover, Kairi breaks up the pin. Drags Asuka to her corner, makes the tag.
Comes in, axe kick to the head! Pummels her in the corner, charges, Charlotte with a back body drop taking her to the apron, Kairi fights back. Up top, Charlotte tries to clip her but she hops off over her arm. Charlotte drives her headfirst into the buckle, Becky begging for a tag now. Simultaneous tags, Becky with axe handles and clotheslines. Big running forearm. Pummels her in the corner, Kairi runs in but gets taken into the corner as well, springboard kick to both of them. Bexploder to Kairi, roundhouse kick to Asuka, Becky up top, dropkick takes out both of them! Shayna onto the apron… Bayley pops up from behind to whip her down! She sends hands, but Shayna clotheslines her, Asuka rolls up Becky for the win.
Winners: Kabuki Warriors
Pretty good match, but distraction finish is never really gonna be that good. Afterwards Becky tries to bicker at the departing Shayna, but Bayley cuts her off, throws Bex into the barrier.
We then see Ricochet and Randy Orton talking backstage, some sort of disagreement. OC bicker with Humberto until Ricochet steps in front of him. They mock Ricochet, call him Mr. Superhero. They challenge them to a match but says no one in WWE management is gonna allow that. Already got Randy Orton to deal with anyhow, call themselves worse than vipers. OC ask if they want a piece of them, scour the locker room and find someone who wants to partner up with them. Tells him they ain’t go no friends… and then Randy gets in AJ’s face. Says something tells him they won’t have to look all that far. Makes the challenge official.
Sin Cara vs. Drew McIntyre
Lock-up, Drew takes him to the corner, chops and shots. Back elbow. Pulls him up, tosses him with a vertical suplex. Big right hand, Sin Cara low bridges him to the floor, tope suicida! Sin Cara up top, moonsault to the floor takes Drew down! Throws him into the ring, pin for a 1 count. Kicks and chops, springboard crossbody but McIntyre catches him out of the air with a headbutt! McIntyre pulls him up by the throat, pummels against the corner. Short-arm clothesline, quick cover and kickout. McIntyre with a cravate. Clubbering shot to the back. Wants another short-arm, Sin Cara escapes, leg kicks, dropkick. Drew charges into a boot to the face, Sin Cara hits the ropes, Spinning Headscissors takes McIntyre to the outside! Wants a tope rana, but Drew catches him, just furiously powerbombs him onto the floor and he seemingly lands on his head! Yikes. Drew throws him into the ring. Stalks, Claymore Kick, that’s that.
Winner: Drew McIntyre
Quick win, once again making Drew look like a mauler.
Erick Rowan backstage, we see him through a cage. He pokes at it, says daddy’s gonna have a good day today. “Who loves you? You’re so cute…” He’s talking to some kind of pet.
R-Truth out now. Apparently we have a handicap match, him vs the Singhs with the 24/7 title on the line up next.
24/7 Championship Handicap: R-Truth vs. The Singh Brothers (c)
Truth in there with both bros, back elbow to Sunil. Whips Samir, but Sunil grabs Truth’s ankle and they both pummel and double team. They then pose and gyrate. Samir charges, Truth evades and sends him into the post. Hip tosses to Sunil, charging clothesline in the corner, Lie Detector nailed. Samir drags Sunil out of the ring to avoid a pin though. Grabs up the 24/7 title and the two bailing. Truth chases them all around the ring. Eventually they flee up the ramp and WWE wants us to think this gets big heat.
It’s 24/7 title so the match isn’t over, we see Truth chase them through the hallway. Singh Bros dash into the Women’s Locker Room, of course. Eventually they get kicked out and have to duck into a different locker room. They sigh in relief of losing Truth, only to run into Erick Rowan. He tosses them both into the wall, then picks up a leather sofa and assaults them both with it. Truth comes in to see this… Singhs ask for help. Truth says “Y’all need privacy” and turns the light off, closes the door.
Winners: absolutely no one anywhere
In a different part of backstage Seth Rollins is WALKING.
Still showing packages of specifically the initial invasion of SmackDown since nothing they’ve followed up with since has really been worth showing.
Rollins is out now, he’s reacting like he’s getting a loud reaction of boos but we hear very little. After a long quiet pause he talks about how after losing to the Fiend, he didn’t know what was next. Mentions Triple H planting the NXT flag into the canvas here, suggesting he look into his past to see his future, it worked for Finn Balor. Rollins said ‘what the hell?’ and challenged Adam Cole, but by the end he showed his true colors. Points at the Raw logo on the tron and says “This is my show, these are my colors, this is Monday Night Rollins”. Says NXT started this war but his gang is gonna finish it. They allow some “NXT” chants.
Rollins points out that Survivor Series is in a few weeks, as for Manchester… it’s no secret he thinks that he’s the best wrestler in the world. So he challenges the United Kingdom’s best to come face him. And Imperium’s theme hits! All four of them are here, WALTER with his WWE UK Championship. WALTER introduces himself as the Ring General, accent thicker than ever. Says they’re Imperium and here to restore the honor of their sport. Says the mat that Rollins is standing on with his dirty feet is sacred. And just because you’re not in the United States doesn’t make you safe from an NXT takeover. Rollins accepts their challenge and tells them to get their ass down there so he can burn it down.
We’re getting Rollins vs. WALTER next!
WALTER vs. Seth Rollins (Non-title)
Walter with an immediate hip toss sends Rollins flying! Another one, very sound technique. Rollins with a waistlock, forces him off, shoulder block. Rollins with a leap frog, chops, knee to the gut, kick to the face. Slingblade! Walter bails. Rollins hits the ropes, Walter walks to avoid a dive, Rollins stops short. Pursues, gets him into the ring, Walter with a huge German Suplex! Rollins just exploded off of that. Walter grabs him by the hair, scoop slam, elbow drop, cover for a 1 count. Walter grinds him in a snug side headlock. Walter forces him up to his feet, aggressive chop gets him down. Single leg boston crab locked in.
Rollins rolls out, kicks him away, but eats a running boot to the face! Walter hooks Rollins’ arms in the top rope, club to the chest. Hits a second, Rollins catches the third. Avoids a big boot, enziguri kick from Rollins! Springboard knee takes Walter to a knee. Walter side steps a kick, Rollins lands on his feet off a German, Avada Kedavras commence! He starts a stomping for the Burn It Down chants, when the rest of Imperium rush into the ring and pummel Rollins.
Winner: Seth Rollins (by DQ)
Street Profits out to make the save! Imperium still have the numbers advantage though, until Kevin Owens’ music hits! He comes out and they clear the ring!
After commercial, eight man tag is now on!
Imperium vs. Seth Rollins, Kevin Owens & The Street Profits
Rollins starts with Wolfe, but a low bridge takes him out of the ring, Marcel rams him into the steps! The two sides both bicker on the outside, “Kevin Owens” chant starts, Walter with a european uppercut to Rollins, drops him spinefirst onto the apron! Walter keeps Rollins down in the ring as Wolfe with a stomp to Rollins’ face. Wolfe with a chinlock cinched in. Rollins punches his way up, but Wolfe ducks a clothesline, crisp German Suplex, bridge for 2! Tags in Marcel Bartel, who rams Rollins’ face into the turnbuckle, pummels him in the corner. Grinds his boot into his face.
Tag to Aichner, Spinebuster from Aicher, PK from Marcel, cover for a nearfall. Aichner tries to pin again and again. Walter tagged back in, Rollins tries to chop him but gets taken into a sleeper. Rollins with shots to the rest of Imperium, but Walter with a huge running dropkick sends Rollins into the buckle! Fierce powerbomb, stacks him up but Owens breaks up the count! Walter takes Owens and Street Profits off the apron, goes up top, Rollins hops up to him, superplex! Not quite bold enough to wanna try his deadlift falcon arrow on Walter though I see! Tag to Wolfe, Rollins evades some folks, tags to Owens, big running cannonball off the apron to Aicher! Superkicks to all three of the others, goes up top, Swanton to Wolfe! Cover, Walter breaks them up, Street Profits in to take him out of the ring. Rollins with a suicide dive to Walter, then Ford with a big flip tope taking him onto the commentary table! Owens hits a Stunner on Marcel taking him to the floor, Rollins rolls up Wolfe into a Curbstomp for the pin!
Winners: Seth Rollins, Kevin Owens & The Street Profits
Not sure when Rollins tagged in at the end there but hey. Good stuff. Main roster had to win one in this invasion eventually.
Cedric Alexander vs. Andrade (w/ Zelina Vega)
Lock-up, no clean break with a kick out of the ropes from Andrade. Cedric flips to try and escape a wristlock, but eats a forearm. Big chop in the corner, whips him to the opposite corner, Cedric with handsprings to avoid shots, big dropkick takes him to the floor. Andrade taken back in, slips under, takes him down, tranquilo pose. Cedric wants the Lumbar Check, Andrade escapes, but takes a hip toss, dropkick to the face. Cedric checks a kick, spinning elbow to the face! Andrade bails, quickly eats a suicide dive! Cedric throws him in, springboard Flatliner for a nearfall!
Cedric signalling for the Lumbar Check, Andrade escapes, distracts the ref, Zelina grabs Cedric by the ankle, big back elbow to Cedric, Hammerlock DDT gets the win.
Winner: Andrade
Good as would be expected, but a little sad to see guys this good get such a short match.
Aleister Black backstage talks about speaking in riddles, but asks if he’s talked about secrets. Secrets of a man not so well kept and the sins that it brought him. Hear him now as he speaks. He knows who you are and what you have done. So knock on his door and pick a fight with him.
Tribute to America’s veterans.
Lana and Lashley seem to be arguing backstage but commentary talks over it so we don’t know what’s being said.
After a commercial break, Lana comes out to the ring. Says she’s here to confess her sins. Her loving, hot, beautiful boyfriend who’s the love of her life Bobby Lashley didn’t want her to come out here. But she explained to Bobby that she had to tell the truth. The truth is sometimes all she has. Sure she’s ravishing but she’s not perfect. Admits to cheating on Rusev, doesn’t appreciate the boos, asserts that Rusev cheated on her first. Says that seven weeks ago, she had sex with Lashley for the first time. Says it was seven weeks to the day, sexiversary, gushes about how good it was. Notes that she believes in monogamy, before talking about how Ricochet knocked Lashley into her last week and she fell. Chides people for not understanding the embarrassment for falling in front of the world.
Says this led to her getting checked out by the doctor, who said that she’s fine, a healthy woman who is… nine weeks pregnant. Because she and really WWE thinks we’re stupid she explains that means the baby is Rusev, calling it a little Machka brat he put inside her. She just knew something wasn’t right, Rusev’s theme hits. He emerges, chant of “Rusev Day”. “Daddy’s Home” chant follows after Lana calls him the father of her unborn child. Rusev deadpans, “You’re pregnant”. Lana unleashes into another tirade calling him a sex addict, even wanting to have sex in the tank back at their WrestleMania entrance.
Lana asks if she’s calling him a liar. Rusev thinks she’s trying to manipulate the situation again, Lana says she’s the mother of his child and starts slapping him. Lashley’s theme hits as Lana jumps up onto Rusev’s shoulders. Lashley into the ring, clotheslines him down. Flatliner. Lashley forces him up, chokeslam.
As they trek back to the stage, Lana says “I can’t believe you thought I was pregnant…”
Rowan walking backstage now, carrying a covered up cage.
Soner Dursun vs. Erick Rowan
Before the bell, Rowan brings his covered up cage onto the broadcast table. In the ring, Dursun throws a punch and gets clotheslined to the mat. Rowan yells “What’s the matter with you?! Don’t you know who I am?!” Catches a kick, tosses him over the top rope. Pursues to the floor, running crossbody takes him to the floor. Iron Claw Slam, that’s all.
Winner: Erick Rowan
Afterwards he takes up the cage and yells at the commentators who swear they didn’t touch it or look inside.
The Viking Raiders vs. Flash Morgan Webster & Mark Andrews (Non-title)
Morgan takes Ivar to the floor, goes for a suicide dive, Ivar catches him, but Andrews with another dive takes him down! Erik sidestepped and taken to the floor as well, stereo topes! Andrews tagged in and goes for a Headscissors DDT, Ivar tries to counter with a deadlift suplex, but it gets turned into Stundog Millionaire! Ivar with a big forearm, takes Morgan and Andrews both up, overhead belly to belly to both at once! Erik tagged in, suicide dive to both men! Running dropkicks take both down in the corners, Ivar drives Erik into Webster. Andrews trips for chops, no effect. Ducks a double clothesline, hits a pele to each, hits the ropes only to run into the Viking Experience.
Winners: The Viking Raiders
Would’ve liked to see that one go longer but good stuff anyway.
Ricochet wants to talk with Orton backstage. Asks if he thinks that he’s stupid? First chance he gets, he knows Orton will RKO him outta nowhere. Orton says that he should relax. Last thing he should do right now… is let him get in his head.
They’ve confirmed another triple threat, North American Champ Roderick Strong vs. IC Champ Shinsuke Nakamura vs. US Champ AJ Styles.
And through a simple graphic we see that Team Raw is made up of Seth Rollins, Ricochet, Randy Orton, Kevin Owens and Drew McIntyre.
Six-man tag up next, Ricochet has an extraordinarily flashy entrance now, the smoke real thick in the ring.
Randy Orton, Ricochet & Humberto Carrillo vs. The OC
Ricochet starts with Karl Anderson. Ricochet bounces off his back, handspring headscissor, dropkick. Arm wringer, taken to the corner, Orton blind tags in. Ricochet keeps an eye on him as he gets to the apron, Orton continues the arm wringer. Tags Humberto in, who attacks the arm. Facehook, but Anderson bullies Humberto into the OC corner, AJ tags in and grabs hold of him, Humberto flips out of the wristlock, springs up for a very high flying lucha arm drag. AJ charges into another, arm wringer. Ricochet tags in, still attacking the arm. AJ charges, Ricochet avoids him, AJ knocks into Orton instead! Ricochet takes AJ down but Orton jumps into the ring to stare down Ricochet, Humberto stands between them as we go to commercial.
We come back to see Ricochet take AJ down with a springboard shot, Humberto tags in, AJ whips him, Humberto hops to the rope rope and hits a twisting crossbody. AJ rips him to the mat off another springboard, tags in Gallows. Grinds him down, gets some shots in, isolation starts. AJ tagged in, chinlock. Humberto tries to elbow his way up but forced back down. Tag to Anderson, double whip, Humberto with kicks to the face, clothesline ducked, Anderson wants a back suplex, Humberto escapes and tags to Ricochet who is a house of fire. Big spinning headscissor takes Anderson to the corner. On the apron he gets a kick to Gallows, superkick to AJ, springboard, Anderson ducks, Ricochet on a roll peeks at Orton for just a split second before turning and dashing into a Spinebuster. Ricochet has to roll to the outside.
Whipped back in, cover for 2. Side headlock. Keeps him against the mat for a while, tag to Gallows, vertical suplex. Pounds him against the corner, whip to the opposite side, Ricochet just slamming into the buckles. Gallows with a scoop slam. Leg drop, 2 count. Driving elbows to Ricochet’s chest. Mean headlock wrenched in. Ricochet with body shots on his way up, Gallows clubbers him. Turns and gets a cheap shot on Orton. Ricochet with a standing enziguri, wants to tag, but AJ’s tagged in first, grabs the ankle, ducks a reverse enziguri but the second lands! Tag to Humberto, running double axe handles, springboard kick, handspring moonsault for 2. Goes up top, moonsault, but AJ rolls out of the way. Orton tags in now!
Ducks a shot, snap powerslam! Takes him to the apron, Draping DDT! Stalks, but Anderson rushes in for an uppercut, Ricochet takes him out, Gallows dispatches him, Humberto with a second rope dropkick to Gallows. Triangle moonsault takes out both Gallows and Anderson! Orton now eyeing both AJ and Ricochet as he wants his RKO… approaches Ricochet. AJ rises behind him. Orton whips Ricochet around, then nails the RKO on AJ Styles! Tag to Carrillo, moonsault off the top for the win!
Winners: Randy Orton, Ricochet & Humberto Carrillo
Fun match, great finish honestly.
Afterwards, Orton makes a sudden start towards Ricochet and the music fades. Orton tells him to remember; he does what he wants, when he wants, to whomever he wants.
And that’s all for tonight.
(Refresh the page for up-to-the-minute updates!)
