Tonight on RAW, we get the fallout from last night’s Night of Champions PPV. We all saw the fast count that landed Daniel Bryan the WWE Title. Will HHH strip Bryan of the Title?
Dusty Rhodes also accepted Stephanie McMahon’s invitation to appear on RAW and discuss his son Cody’s job status. How will she bury the Rhodes Family this week? Follow along to find out!
But What Do We Do With The Sideplates Now?
RAW started with Daniel Bryan coming out to a pretty good ovation. Bryan says there are a lot of things he would like to say right now, but the best way to say it would be YES. After a handful of those, Triple H came out. He said before Bryan got too far, he wanted to talk about the fast count from last night. Triple H said the victory was tainted, and he wanted to bring Ref Scott Armstrong out. Triple H showed Scott Armstrong’s normal cadence when he counts, then the cadence for his final count from last night. Scott Armstrong said he made a mistake and he was sorry. Triple H said he was a senior official and mistakes don’t happen. Triple H said he doesn’t think Armstrong is telling him everything. Armstrong whispered to Bryan “They got us.” HHH questioned Armstrong and told him to leave.
Bryan questioned Armstrong the entire time. Triple H berated him for being in collusion with a WWE official and held the Title up for the time being. He said the Title won’t go back to Orton and he will investigate matters. Triple H asked him to hand over the belt or he will take it from him. HHH said he thought Shawn taught him better. Randy Orton came out. Triple H told him to calm down. He asked Bryan to hand over the belt again. Bryan screamed NO in HHH’s face, but Orton came in and hit Bryan with an RKO. Triple H left with the belt.
Backstage, Randy Orton demanded HHH to give him his Title back. But Stephanie McMahon told him to back off and that he deserved to lose last night. She said it might be time to find a new face of the WWE.
That Isn’t the Dolph Jobbler I Know
Dean Ambrose vs Dolph Ziggler. After a brief lock-up Ziggler landed some punches followed by a crossbody. Ziggler clotheslined Ambrose over the top and both men went to the outside. Back in the ring Ziggler applied a sleeper. Ambrose escaped and applied a sleeper of his own, but Ziggler escaped with a jawbreaker. Ambrose reversed Ziggler and sent him hard into the corner, with him landing on the outside.
Back from break Ambrose had control and connected on a suplex off the top. Ziggler fought out of an armbar with some headbutts, but Ambrose immediately caught him with a knee. Ambrose immediately landed some punches in the ropes, but Ziggler came back quickly with a DDT and dropkick. He landed some corner punches then a running clothesline. Ziggler landed his ten elbows for a two count. Ambrose ducked a clothesline and hit a spinebuster for two. Ambrose went for a neckbreaker but Dolph countered with a back slide for two. Ambrose knocked Dolph off the top rope. Ambrose went for his finisher, but Dolph pushed him away and hit the ZigZag for the win.
Backstage, Triple H told Brad Maddox he wanted Roman Reigns to face Daniel Bryan. Stephanie McMahon told Big Show to stay in the office tonight unless she calls for him.
All Dancing, All The Time
R-Truth vs Fandango. They exchanged dance moves then Truth hit a punch and hip toss, followed by a leg drop. Truth clotheslined Fandango to the outside, but Fandango kicked Truth immediately upon re-entering the ring. Fandango tossed Truth hard into two corners then applied a headlock. Truth fought out and started a comeback with some clotheslines then a neckbreaker for two. Truth tossed Fandango onto the apron but Fandango then caught him with a kick. Fandango hit his top rope leg drop for the win.
#SadShow
Dusty Rhodes came out to a nice pop. Dusty said he wanted the McMahons to listen to what he had to say. He said he’s been down that dark road, wondering where the next dollar is going to come from. But you reach down for the love of your children and you find a way to do it. He said this isn’t about him, it is about Cody’s job. Triple H thought Cody losing his job was what was best for business. He said having two sons whom you love is what’s best for business. Dusty said he wanted Cody to earn his job back. He said whatever that proposal was, he wanted Stephanie to come out so he could hear it.
Stephanie said she heard the wedding was this weekend and got a gift, a gift card to Bed Bath and Beyond. Stephanie said that they wanted to give Cody his job back, or give it to his older son. Dusty said she wasn’t going to catch him like this. Stephanie said she could give the job to his recently married son or to the one he neglected all of those years when he was on the road. Dusty asked if she picks favorites with her daughters in the morning. Stephanie said this was typical Dusty, always making it about himself. She hoped her sons could forgive him. Dusty told Steph to go to hell. She said she’s sorry he feels that way.
The Shield came out. Steph said this didn’t seem fair and invited the Big Show out. Steph said since Dusty couldn’t make a decision, he could choose to have Big Show knock him out or be dismantled by The Shield. He wouldn’t chose, so Steph told Show to knock him out. Show refused. Steph told The Shield to attack and they grabbed chairs. Show told them to stop. Show, of course, cried and told Dusty he was sorry. He punched Dusty and grabbed him after.
Naomi, Cameron and Brie Bella beat Aksana, Alicia Fox, and Layla. A.J. and Natalya were on commentary.
Mr. Jobber in the Bank
Damien Sandow vs Rob Van Dam. Sandow went to work early on RVD, landing multiple kicks and punches. He hit a quick side Russian leg sweep and Elbow of Disdain. Sandow applied a headlock which RVD fought out of. He hit a crossbody for two. He went for Rolling Thunder but Sandow got his knees up. RVD caught Sandow with a kick to the head then a springboard kick off the ropes. RVD hit the Five Star Frog Splash for the win.
Backstage, Triple H told Scott Armstrong that he was fired. He promised to take care of him.
Was The Miz Just Involved In A GOOD Segment???
Randy Orton vs Miz. While Miz was hugging his mom, Orton sneak attacked him and threw him into the steps. The refs pulled Orton off Miz as they checked on him. Back from break, the refs were trying to tell Miz to not fight and go to the back and check a doctor. Miz refused and the match started. Miz jumped Orton and landed multiple punches. Orton threw him off and landed some punches of his own in the corner. Miz tossed Orton over the ropes onto the apron then dropped his neck on the ropes. Miz threw Orton into the barricade and apron. As Miz recovered Orton threw him into the ringpost. The ref called for the bell as Orton tossed Miz over the announce table. Miz fought back and they fought in front of Miz’s parents. Miz clotheslined Orton over the barricade but Orton fought back and DDT’d Miz off the barricade in front of his parents. Orton tossed Miz back in the ring and put his head in a chair. Orton landed a kneedrop on the chair.
Ryback: The Anti-Bully
Paul Heyman came out in a wheelchair with Curtis Axel on Ryback. Heyman said he was the best in the world. Heyman said that the people in Cleveland can’t compare anything they’ve done to what he did in his lifetime. Like the fact that Heyman pinned CM Punk. And he can say it over and over again and every time he says it it’s the truth. He said the first time the record books show Paul Heyman and CM Punk fighting, the winner was Paul Heyman. Heyman said there was no master plan. Punk had him dead to rights and delivered a beating so bad that he is in a wheelchair. Heyman said it’s a miracle he’s not in a nursing home somewhere. Heyman said it was because of one man that stood up that he is here tonight. Heyman said that he owes his life to Ryback.
Ryback said if there is one thing he can’t stand, it’s a bully. Ryback couldn’t stand for what Punk did to Heyman last night. Ryback said he is here to stop CM Punk and that Paul Heyman will never have to worry about Punk putting his hands on him again. Heyman kissed Ryback on the cheek.
Who Will Job to the Shield Next Match
Triple Threat #1 Contender’s Tag Team Elimination Match. Everyone got involved in the action early landing some spots. Tensai held Cesaro in the air for about 20 seconds then dropped him down. One of the Usos came in, but Cesaro later made a blind tag and rolled up Tensai, eliminating Tons of Funk. Back from break, they showed Cesaro doing the Big Swing on the APP. Cesaro and Swagger dominated until the Usos made the hot tag. Jimmy hit a Samoan Drop on Swagger but Cesaro broke up the pin. The Usos then hit a double dive to the outside. Back in the ring, Swagger applied the Patriot Lock but Jimmy escaped and hit a crescent kick. Swagger suplexed Jimmy off the top, but Jey made the blind tag and hit the splash for the win.
A Bray Wyatt promo aired where he talked about putting down the wounded animals he comes across.
So Here’s The Vote of No Confidence!
Before the main event started, Randy Orton came to ringside. Reigns powered Bryan into the corner but Bryan escaped and landed some kicks. Bryan hit a leg drag then worked over the leg of Reigns. Bryan continued to work over the leg of Reigns. Reigns was finally able to get the upper hand after he reversed Bryan into the corner and hit a punch to the back of the head. Bryan fought out of a headlock and caught Reigns with a running knee. Bryan went back to the work on the leg of Reigns. Reigns escaped another submission and regained the upper hand. Reigns hit a suplex then went back to a headlock. Reigns tossed Bryan into the corner but Bryan moved and dropped Reigns on the ropes. Bryan kicked the ropes into Reigns then hit a missile dropkick off the top. Bryan went for his dive but Reigns caught him and backed him into the apron.
Reigns still had control back from break. He put Bryan on the top but Bryan pushed him off. Bryan went for the diving headbutt but Reigns moved. Bryan went for a crossbody but Reigns hit a modified black hole slam for two. Reigns threw Bryan into the corner but he jumped over Reigns and hit a flying clothesline. Bryan landed a handful of kicks but missed the last one, allowing Reigns to hit a Samoan Drop for two. Reigns went for a powerbomb but Bryan countered into a roll up for two. Bryan landed a kick for two. Reigns tried to regroup on the outside but Bryan drop kicked Rollins into the table. He hit a dive into Reigns in the corner and then knocked Ambrose off the apron with a dropkick. Reigns hit a clothesline out of the corner. But Reigns took his time and Bryan applied the YES Lock. Orton broke it up, causing the DQ. Bryan then applied the YES Lock on Orton but The Shield broke it up.
Orton got a chair and was about to do the same thing to Bryan that he did to Miz, but a handful of faces came out to stop it. They cleared the ring of The Shield as Orton ran off. The Prime Time Players, The Usos, R-Truth, Kofi Kingston, Dolph Ziggler, Rob Van Dam, Justin Gabriel and Zack Ryder were all out there. The PTPs held Bryan on their shoulders as the entire crowd joined in on the YES Chant to close the show.
WHAT I LIKED
Ziggler/Ambrose: The match was a bit longer than the one on the PPV and I enjoyed it more. I don’t like seeing Dolph in the US Title picture just as much as you do, but I can’t deny that he had a good match with Ambrose here. I don’t think Dolph is taking the Title from him, but I could watch these two fight any day.
Miz/Orton: As much as we have all hated Miz now, there’s no denying that a lot of us liked him during his main event heel run. A lot of people had hopes for him when he turned face too. But the WWE screwed that up. Honestly, they should have done something like they did tonight to start his feud. They did a good job of adding sympathy to the Miz’s character, even though his dad no sold that beatdown.
Bryan/Reigns: The match as itself was good. Lots of smart psychology early on with Bryan working over the legs of Reigns. And Reigns held his own as well during the match. I’m sure the WWE has high hopes for Reigns given his overall look, and this was a strong showing in the main event of RAW working with Daniel Bryan.
The Locker Room Revolt: It was something everyone was waiting to see. I might have done it a little differently, but it was done well enough for my liking. The crowd was solidly behind it, and it gives some lower card guys like Zack Ryder and Justin Gabriel a chance to get some TV time. Now this angle gets into second gear.
Paul Heyman Promo: Ryback wouldn’t have been my first choice, but Heyman did a great job during his promo sticking up for Ryback. And associating Ryback with Heyman will be enough to get some of his heat back. I also didn’t mind no CM Punk on the show. At least one face sells his injuries from the previous night. *cough*John Cena*cough*
WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE
Opening Promo: I was debating back and forth on this one, but I ultimately decided to put this one here. Triple H taking the Title is one thing, but the whole reason behind it I didn’t like. Scott Armstrong blamed Bryan? Does he think that would save him his job? I would have been happier if they went with an injury angle with Armstrong instead.
Sad Show: I didn’t want to put this segment down here, but Big Show killed it for me. There’s only so much crying I can take from him. I liked the little exchange Dusty and Steph had, but Big Show just brought that whole segment down. Hopefully that angle picks up now that the locker room revolt took place.
Damien Sandow Jobbing: I never got the whole “job the MITB guy” theory. Why not build him up to make him seem like a threat to cash in? If you’re going to do MITB contracts, you have to have something for those guys to do before they cash in.
I thought the show had its ups and downs. I think there was slightly more good than bad, so I’m giving it a 6.
Until Next Time,
Justin C
Follow Me On Twitter @JCWonka
