It’s the last RAW before Battleground. Already announced is a main event six man tag featuring John Cena, Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose vs Randy Orton, Kane and Seth Rollins. And what will happen with Sting, who sent out a tweet last week that read “7.14.14.” Will it just be a video game ad? Or will Sting appear live? Follow along to find out.
The Authority Found The Ambrose Bat Cave
John Cena started the show. Cena said they are six days away from Battleground and to sign up for the WWE Network right now. Cena talked about the main event of Battleground when Roman Reigns interrupted. Cena rambled on about Reigns but Reigns told him to get to the point. Cena suggested taking out The Authority and then getting to Battleground, and said then they could see if Reigns is as good as he thinks he is. Reigns said they should do that, to see if Cena is as good as he really is. Dean Ambrose appeared on screen. He said they needed to stop their testosterone filled arguments and worry about kicking The Authority’s ass tonight. As Ambrose talked, Kane, Orton and Rollins appeared behind him. All three men beat him down. Kane chokeslammed Ambrose on some crates. Ambrose asked if that was all they got. Rollins then hit the Curb Stomp on the crates.
The One Time Sheamus Loses, To This Guy?
Miz vs Sheamus. Miz talked about entering the Intercontinental Title Battle Royal. And a picture of him will also be on the titantron the whole match. Sheamus took down Miz a couple times then bailed to the outside. Miz reversed Sheamus on the outside and tossed him into the barricade. Back in the ring Miz hit an axe handle off the top. Sheamus reversed Miz in the corner and then hit a rolling senton as Miz bailed to the outside into commercial.
Back from break Miz kicked the leg of Sheamus and knocked him off the steps. Miz worked over the leg of Sheamus. He went to kick Sheamus but Sheamus blocked it and started his comeback. Sheamus hit the Beats of the Bowery follwed by a bulldog for two. Sheamus went to the top but Miz knocked him off and hit a DDT for two. Miz went for the Figure Four but Sheamus blocked it then followed up with the Irish Curse backbreaker for two. Sheamus went for a Brouge Kick, but Miz ducked. Sheamus got caught in the ropes and Miz rolled him up to pick up the win.
WINNER: Miz
Kane and Orton argued backstage about who would win Sunday. HHH came in and said they need to trust each other Sunday and tonight, so the WWE Title can come back to The Authority. Steph came in and said she loves how HHH handles himself in these situations, and then they made out.
Dolph Ziggler vs Fandango. Ziggler started with a hip toss. He went for a dropkick but Fandango grabbed the ropes. Fandango gained the upper hand until Summer Rae and Layla appeared on the announce table and started dancing. The distraction eventually allowed Ziggler to hit the ZigZag on Fandango to pick up the win. After the match they both came in the ring and kissed Ziggler on the cheek.
Damien Sandow did a Sonic plug dressed as a Sonic employee. Adam Rose came and took his hot dog. Yeah, not worth getting into more detail.
The Usos made their way to the ring. But Erik Rowan and Luke Harper attacked them. The Wyatts hit their finisher on one of The Usos in the ring. Michael Cole said the two teams would face off in a Best Two out of Three Falls match at Battleground.
If I Can Change, You Can Change, EVERYBODY CAN CHANGE
Lana/Rusev and Jack Swagger/Zeb Colter were in the ring for a detente. Lana said Zeb and America are the same. They use violence to solve their problems. They want to be saviors but they can’t save themselves. Lana called America stupid. The crowd chanted “USA” as Lana screamed at them to shut up. Lana said America is so stupid that after they won their freedom from England they decided to fight each other in a civil war like savages. Lana said America needs to apologize for their mistakes.
Zeb was furious. He said years ago he laid in the mud with bullets flying over his head and he didn’t do it to have them come here and apologize. Zeb said his answer was not “No, but HELL NO!” Lana said his arrogance is the reason the USA is crumbling to pieces. She said the only man that could save them is Vladimir Putin. Zeb said Putin is ugly, and they have a President they elect every 4 years. Zeb then asked Rusev when he was going to step out from behind Lana and accept Swagger’s challenge at Battleground. Rusev said this was war and accepted. Zeb said before they get to Sunday he wanted Lana to teach Rusev three words: We the People. Lana slapped Zeb but then Swagger attacked Rusev. Lana pulled Swagger off and Rusev got the upper hand. Rusev went for his super kick but Swagger caught it and applied the Patriot Lock. Rusev was finally able to escape when he got to the ropes.
This Was A World Title Match Less Than A Year Ago
Rob Van Dam vs Alberto del Rio. Del Rio landed some elbows but RVD recovered and catapulted Del Rio then clotheslined him to the outside. RVD went for a dive over the ropes but Del Rio pulled the ring apron out and RVD got stuck in it. Del Rio landed a kick to the head. Del Rio regained the upper hand in the ring and landed an enziguri kick in the corner. Del Rio missed a kick to the head and RVD started his comeback with a hurricarrana followed by Rolling Thunder. Del Rio moved out of the way of a thrust kick but RVD came back with a spinning heel kick. RVD went for the Five Star Frog Splash but Del Rio got his knees up, then applied the cross armbreaker. RVD tapped out.
WINNER: Alberto del Rio
The WWE aired a promo for the CM Punk DVD documentary airing tomorrow night on the Network.
Nikki Bella came out for a match. Steph appeared on stage and talked about her sister quitting on her and abandoning her job for Daniel Bryan. Cameron and Alicia Fox came out to take on Nikki. Fox and Cameron won. At least Cameron got to team with one of her idols, Alicia Fox.
A WWE2K15 promo aired announcing Sting as a downloadable character this year.
Backstage Orton told HHH that Kane is just a pawn and that Orton is the man they want as Champion.
Please Tell Me Cesaro Isn’t The Next Curtis Axel
Cesaro vs Big E. No Paul Heyman with Cesaro. Big E grabbed a charging Cesaro and slammed him down. Big E tossed Cesaro to the outside. Big E charged at Cesaro on the outside but Cesaro dropped Big E on the barricade. Big E went for a press slam in the ring but Cesaro escaped and hit a clothesline. Big E escaped a headlock by backing him into the corner. Big E hit a couple of belly-to-bellies followed by a big splash. Cesaro went to the outside then dropped Big E’s neck on the ropes. Cesaro threw a chair at Kofi on the ramp then went to use a chair in the ring, but Kofi took it away. Big E then hit the Big Ending for the win.
WINNER: Big E
Chris Jericho came out. He said the WWE is home and he’s seen it all. He went through a long list of things he’s seen and done, including getting knocked out by Bob Barker. Jericho looked in the camera and said he would still fight Barker anytime anywhere. Jericho also said he was a musical chairs champion. Jericho then went on to Bray Wyatt. He said he doesn’t know why Bray is targeting him but said they also have a lot in common. Bray appeared on screen. He asked where Jericho was when we needed him. Bray brought up Jericho supposedly saving us but never doing it. The lights went out and Rowan and Harper appeared in the ring. Jericho escaped up the ramp, only for Bray to attack him and hit Sister Abigail.
AJ beat Eva Marie. After the match, AJ sat on the announce table where Paige was on commentary. Paige congratulated AJ and said her hair was nice today. AJ said the same and that Paige looked to be in good shape. Then she left.
Bo Dallas beat Great Khali via countout when Bo hit the running bo-dog on Khali outside the ring.
Backstage, Seth Rollins talked about him being Plan B. Paul Heyman came in and told Steph and HHH that he likes Plan B, but he has a Plan C if needed.
Ric Flair came out. He picked John Cena to win the Fatal 4 Way Sunday after he hit on Renee Young for a little bit. Roman Reigns came out and shook Flair’s hand before he left.
Standard Go Home Show Booking
Main Event time. No Ambrose. Cena took down Rollins with a quick shoulder tackle. Orton got the tag in. Orton ate an elbow then tagged in Kane. Kane knocked Cena down then Reigns tagged himself in. Both men exchanged right hands then Kane caught Reigns with a knee. Reigns countered with a headbutt then some corner punches. Reigns dropped Kane’s head on the ropes then hit a punch off the top. Reigns knocked Orton off the apron but Kane came back with a clothesline.
Back from break Cena got the hot tag from Reigns but Orton eventually took him out with a neckbreaker. Cena came back with a dropkick but Orton followed with a backbreaker. Kane came in but Cena went for a quick AA, but Cena couldn’t lift Kane’s weight and Kane fell on Cena’s back. Rollins came in and tried to hit the Three Amigos but Cena blocked the third one. Reigns got the hot tag. Reigns hit the dropkick on Orton then the Superman Punch on Kane. Reigns clotheslined Rollins over the top and it looked like Rollins might have legit hurt his knee.
Orton and Kane started to beatdown Reigns so the ref called for the bell. Cena tried making the save but was thwarted. Kane held Cena. Orton moved out of the way of Reigns and Kane threw Cena into Reigns who hit a Spear. Kane chokeslammed Reigns. Orton then hit the RKO on Kane. As Orton’s music played and he posed on the apron, Reigns came in and hit a Spear on Orton to stand tall to close the show.
WHAT I LIKED
Rusev/Lana & Swagger/Zeb: I like this feud for a couple reasons. One is that it finally turned Zeb and Swagger face. Their gimmick wasn’t working as heels and they found the perfect opponent to make them face. (Though I still maintain Swagger would’ve been a great face had he turned on Michael Cole post-Wrestlemania 27.) Another reason I like this feud is because it is just a simple wrestling storyline that works. The American vs The Foreigner. Plus you have two people in Zeb and Lana who can talk on the mic and make the program work. Now its up to Swagger and Rusev to carry their end of the feud in the ring.
Summer Rae and Layla Dancing: I’m struggling for things to put here. It’s better than Eva Marie wrestling.
WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE
Main Event: I thought the end of the show kind of fell flat. The match was okay. But nothing in the main event stood out and made me want to watch Battleground Sunday. It wasn’t a good final hook for the viewers. Battleground actually seems like more of an inconvenience for the WWE. Instead if holding of on Bray/Jericho, AJ/Paige and Ambrose/Rollins til SummerSlam, they have to do these matches here to justify Battleground on the Network. Another case of having too many PPVs.
Miz Over Sheamus: First let me say that I like Sheamus as a wrestler in the ring. But all the opportunities the WWE had to put people over Sheamus in the past and they didn’t. But they let Miz beat Sheamus on RAW? That just doesn’t make any sense to me. Did Miz need the win? People cared about The Miz three years ago but not anymore. I can think back to all the times Bad News Barrett or Cesaro could have gotten a clean win over Sheamus and didn’t. But Miz?
Alberto del Rio vs Rob Van Dam: If the WWE was serious about cutting money, they might want to look at cutting these two contracts. I mean, what have these two done in the last few months to justify their spots? And this is coming from someone who likes Rob Van Dam. But when you have a three hour RAW and two hour Smackdown you need filler matches like this. Nothing we haven’t seen from these two before.
No Heyman With Cesaro: In my WWE Mid-Year Awards column I called Heyman’s Pairing with Cesaro the biggest disappointment of the mid-year. But I was at least expecting some explanation or storyline when these two split. Instead, nothing. Now maybe something will happen from it. But just throwing Cesaro out there with no explanation for the viewing audience is dumb if you ask me. Hopefully the WWE hasn’t cooled on Cesaro.
I wasn’t a fan of this show at all. Nothing worthwhile and you could have honestly skipped it and still be prepared for Battleground Sunday. Show gets a 2 from me.
Until Next Time,
Justin C
Follow Me On Twitter @JCWonka
