I hope everyone enjoyed their Memorial Day holiday weekend. Tonight on RAW, The Shield and Evolution sign a contract for their match at Extreme Rules. And what will happen with the WWE Championship? Will Daniel Bryan surrender the Title? Will he be stripped of it? Or will he keep it? Follow along to find out.
Imagine If This Is How The WWE Really Fires People
Triple H and Stephanie McMahon came out to start the show. Steph said she feels great about tonight, because tonight is about choices. She talked about Daniel Bryan making the right choice and that he should surrender the WWE Championship. She said despite Daniel Bryan doing all the right things, his body is a B+ and he can’t physically defend the Title in the ring.
Triple H then talked about how every generation has superstars. Some wash out, but others become legends and remain on top because they adapt. The ones that last live on forever, and that is Evolution. Triple H said this Sunday The Shield will find out that you cannot stop Evolution.
Steph then brought up Brad Maddox and asked him to come out. Triple H talked about last week’s Seth Rollins vs Batista match and how he banned anyone that wasn’t there in an official capacity at ringside. He said Maddox made the choice to make Ambrose and Reigns guest commentators. HHH asked him to explain. Maddox said they forced him too. Steph said she knows he had no choice, but Steph said that her and HHH don’t have a choice either. Kane’s music hit as HHH punched Maddox. Kane circled Maddox then picked him up and hit a chokeslam and Tombstone. Afterwards, Steph fired Maddox.
Repeating Singles Matches Like This Is Proof RAW Needs To Drop An Hour
Before RVD vs Cesaro, Bad News Barrett delivered the bad news that our bathing suits won’t fit because we put on so much weight. The match started and RVD took out Cesaro wit a spinning heel kick. Cesaro recovered and hit a gut wrench slam. Cesaro caught RVD with an uppercut in the corner. RVD caught a charging Cesaro with an elbow then a thrust kick. He clotheslined Cesaro over the top and went for a standing moonsault off the apron but Cesaro caught him and threw him into the barricade into commercial.
Back from break Cesaro hit a press slam on RVD then went to a headlock. RVD fought out and both men exchanged punches before RVD connected on a kick. RVD hit another kick to the chin then hit Rolling Thunder. RVD hit a senton off the top for two. Cesaro went to the outside and RVD connected on a splash over the top. Bad News Barrett got up from the commentary spot but ate a superkick from RVD. Back in the ring, RVD hit a split leg moonsault for two. RVD ducked an uppercut from Cesaro and hit a spinning heel kick. Barrett got back on the apron but RVD knocked him off. The distraction, however, allowed Cesaro to hit a German suplex and win with the pin.
WINNER: Cesaro
After the match Sheamus came out and hit a Brogue Kick on Cesaro.
Eva Marie beat Summer Rae. Fandango and Layla came out on stage and made out, distracting Summer Rae. This allowed Eva Marie to roll up Summer Rae to pick up the win.
Cody Rhodes and Goldust came into HHH’s office where Randy Orton and Batista were. They wanted a match so Cody challenged “RK-Blows and The Skinny Jean Sellout” to a tag match. HHH came in and made a tag match for later.
El Torito defeated Drew McIntyre after he pulled Drew’s leg off the ropes and he hit his head on the turnbuckle. After the match, Hornswoggle yanked the tail off El Torito.
And The Jerry Lawler Card Comes Out
The Wyatt Family came out. Bray said that he truly does have the whole world in his hands. He said he wants what is best for all of us. Bray said sometimes that isn’t the easiest path, because it requires sacrifices. Bray asked if he was the snake or the cure. He said he is the evil this world badly needs. Bray said his brothers and sisters will stand by him and his enemies will fall. He said Cena is their enemy and he will fall. Bray said he knows Cena is king and he has to go through all his pawns. Bray then said he wanted to have a word with Jerry Lawler. Lawler refused so Rowan and Harper came to the announce table. JBL got up but was taken out by Harper with a clothesline.
Lawler was then brought to the ring and sat in a chair. Bray talked about Lawler helping Cena get where he is by talking about how he is such a great man and all the wonders that he has done. Bray asked if Lawler feels remorse for spewing all these lies and helping Cena’s message spiral out of control. Bray said he was sorry Lawler had to be the victim. They were ready to attack Lawler before Cena came out. Rowan and Harper got the upper hand and just as Bray was ready to deliver Sister Abigail to Lawler, The Usos made the save.
Cena said enough was enough. He said Bray has crossed the line. He got all of this power and it made him sick. He said attacking someone because they don’t think the same way as him makes Bray sick. Cena said he stands by who he is. He said at Payback he brings justice, and payback will be a bitch.
Rusev made quick work of Zack Ryder. When Rusev wouldn’t release the Accolade, Big E came out and made the save.
Someone Get This Info To Justin Roberts Sooner!
It’s The Rhodes Brothers vs Batista and Orton. Cody started with some quick kicks then an uppercut. Goldust came in but Batista quickly backed him into their corner and tagged in Orton. Goldust hit a scoop slam then tagged in Cody who hit an elbow off the top. Cody escaped some rope punches and landed some punches and kicks in the corner, but Orton escaped and hit a running knee. Batista came in and caught Cody with an elbow. Batista worked over Cody for a bit but Cody escaped a powerslam and tagged in Goldust. Goldust hit a couple clotheslines and an uppercut but Orton kneed Goldust from behind and Batista hit a spinebuster.
Batista had control over Goldust back from break. Goldust caught Batista with an elbow off the second rope and made the hot tag to Cody. Cody landed some punches followed by a missile drop kick. Cody escaped a backdrop and hit a Disaster Kick on Batista. Cody went for a Disaster Kick on Orton but went right into an RKO. Orton circled Cody and hit another RKO on Cody to pin him.
Justin Roberts announced that he was just informed this was an elimination match, and it is now Goldust vs Orton and Batista in a No Holds Barred Match. Orton and Batista surrounded Goldust on the outside. They backdropped Goldust on the barricade. Orton went for his middle rope DDT but Goldust tossed him on the apron. But he then walked right into a Spear. Orton hit the RKO. Batista hit a Batista Bomb and scored the pin for the win.
WINNERS: Randy Orton and Batista
Do You Bo-Lieve?
Bo Dallas vs Sin Cara. Bo hit a takedown then ran outside the ring to high five some fans. Sin Cara hit him with a dropkick then a hurricarrana. Back in the ring Bo put Sin Cara into the turnbuckle then hit a suplex and knee drop. Sin Cara came back with an enziguri kick. Sin Cara hit a springboard moonsault then elbow. Bo caught Sin Cara with an elbow then hit a “Bo-Dog” for the win.
WINNER: Bo Dallas
After the match Bo Dallas did a victory lap around the ring. He said you get satisfaction not just from victory, but from giving 100% effort. He then went over and hugged Sin Cara and shook his hand.
Oh I’m Sure Steph Has Heard The Word No Before
Steph came out and asked Daniel Bryan to come to the ring. Steph said it was nice to see Daniel Bryan looking well. She said the fans need to hear from him how important it is to have an active Champion and epic Championship matches, and why he needs to do the right thing for them and surrender the WWE Championship. Bryan said becoming WWE Champion was the greatest achievement of his life. But his injury is worse than he thought thanks to Kane, who Steph lied about having no control over. Bryan said Steph is trying to put this on him. But it is on her because she has been trying to strip him of the Title since he beat her husband and won it. Bryan said that if he handed the Titles back right now it would be throwing the Titles right back in everyone’s face. Bryan said he is going to tell Stephanie something that she hasn’t heard since she was a kid, and that was NO.
Steph said she didn’t want to bring this up, but two weeks ago Brie put her hands on her. She showed Brie shoving Steph. She said at Payback Daniel Bryan has one last chance to make the right choice. Either hand over the WWE Title, or Brie is fired.
“Stone Cold” Alicia Fox
Emma vs Alicia Fox. Emma started with a short clothesline. She then applied the DilEmma and hit the Emma Sandwich. Alicia said she was out of here so Emma chased her but Alicia Fox caught her with a boot. Emma hit the floor hard. Emma went for another boot in the corner but Emma moved and rolled up Alicia to pick up the win.
WINNER: Emma
Alicia Fox grabbed Emma and threw her into the barricade. Fox then barely connected on a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker and tossed Emma to the outside. She then went crazy again. She rang the bell multiple times, pushed over a ring crew guy and gave him a wedgie, then grabbed some soda and drank it a la Stone Cold. All while saying she wasn’t a loser.
Adam Rose defeated Damien “Davy Crockett” Sandow in a quick match. Swagger tried to distract Rose by coming out and holding one of the rose buds dressed as a lemon hostage but ti didn’t work. Swagger attacked Rose after the match but Rose ended up getting the better of Swagger.
Del Rio Has To Be Counting The Days Until His Contract Expires
It’s Sheamus vs Alberto del Rio. Sheamus landed some early blows followed by a rolling senton and knee drop. Sheamus hit his rope punches then slammed Del Rio onto the announce table. Back in the ring, Del Rio caught Sheamus with a kick to the face, sending him to the outside. Back from break Sheamus attempted a comeback but went right into the ringpost. Del Rio landed a kick to the head. Del Rio landed some slaps to the head the hit but Sheamus popped up and hit the Irish Curse backbreaker. Sheamus hit White Noise followed by a powerslam. He readied for a Brogue Kick but Sheamus sold being weary from the kicks to the head. Del Rio hit an enziguri kick followed by another kick to the head for two. Del Rio went for the cross armbreaker but Sheamus countered and hit the Brouge Kick for the win.
WINNER: Sheamus
After the match Paul Heyman took the mic. He said that victory meant nothing because he didn’t beat a Paul Heyman guy. While Heyman talked, Cesaro came from behind and kicked him in the face and landed multiple blows. He ended it after hitting the Neutralizer.
Can We Just Once Have A Normal Contract Signing???
The Shield came out. Ambrose said this Sunday one group is gone for good. Rollins said that they are way past all of this as Reigns threw all the chairs and table out of the ring. Evolution came out. Triple H said by signing the contract this was the last time you would see The Shield on RAW. Triple H said he is a good evaluator of talent as evidence by the guys next to him. HHH said he remembers thinking The Shield were the next big things, but they threw it all away and after Payback they go back into obscurity. HHH asked them if they really did want to sign that contract. Both teams signed the contract. HHH started talking again but Reigns said to shut up and get in the ring and fight.
A fight started. The Shield gained the upper hand early. Rollins hit a senton to the outside. Reigns hit a Superman Punch then went after HHH but he had grabbed the sledgehammer and used it on Reigns. Evolution took out all of The Shield then hit a Triple Powerbomb on Reigns, sending him through the announce table. Evolution stood tall to close the show.
WHAT I LIKED
Alicia Fox: Hopefully I’m not the only one but I’m loving this new crazy character Alicia Fox is playing. She’s almost pulling it off better than AJ, depending on how you look at it. The Divas Division was just a bunch of women with no characters before this, and now Fox is adding something different. She’s giving the Divas Division a meaningful storyline, something it has been lacking for quite some time.
Cody Rhodes/Goldust vs Batista/Randy Orton: There are a couple of reasons I liked this. One is that the match was the best of the night. Two, it is what is missing from RAW nowadays. Every match seems like it is repeated because of all the TV time the WWE has. Here are two guys in Cody and Goldust just looking for a fight and throwing out a challenge. That is what old RAWs used to be like. Let the mid-carders go out and have a competitive match with the main eventers. It happened here and it worked.
Cesaro/Sheamus Build: The match was made less than a week ago and I thought the WWE did a good job making it seem important here. First Sheamus jumps Cesaro for what happened last week. Then Cesaro retaliates and adds to the injury Sheamus suffered during the match. With the concussion, the WWE gives Sheamus an out if he loses at Payback. The match seems less thrown together like Barrett/RVD does.
Hornswoggle/El Torito Feud: I may be in the minority but I am liking this little feud they have going on. And I like the idea of a “Hair vs Mask” match. The lower card needs feuds too and I like this one.
WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE
Cena/Bray Final Sell: You just know that the WWE is grasping at straws here when they have to pull the Jerry Lawler card for the go home show. That is a sign of desperation and a “Please Boo Bray” tactic that is not going to work. There is just no way they can stretch this out any further. It’s been almost the same segment week in and week out.
Daniel Bryan WWE Title Status: Once again the WWE did the bait and switch tactic. I didn’t like that, and I also don’t like bringing Brie into the picture as well. I was worried she would play too much into the storylines with Bryan going forward and needless to say, it is happening. Part of me thinks the WWE is stretching this out as long as possible just to keep Bryan on TV while hurt. Something needs to be done soon though, and hopefully this is resolved by Money in the Bank.
Damien “Davy Crockett” Sandow: A couple weeks ago people were wondering if Sandow “speaking out” was going somewhere. I guess it looks like we got our answer. I just don’t get what the WWE is doing here. Credit to Sandow for being a team player but the guy is just being wasted.
I didn’t include The Shield/Evolution brawl because I’m just meh on it. I don’t hate it because of the people involved, and it is still more interesting than Cena/Bray, but hopefully this ends at Payback as well. But what would everyone move on to?
This RAW felt like the second to last chapter in a long book. We’ve all been waiting for the book to end and we all hope that conclusion comes this Sunday. The WWE is in need of a big shake-up. Everyone needs fresh storylines but you have to wonder where those stories are going after Payback. And we still don’t know what is happening with the WWE Title. While some of the mid-card stuff was fun, the main event stories have all been drawn out. Plus there was very little wrestling on the show. I’m giving this RAW a 3.
Until Next Time,
Justin C
Follow Me On Twitter @JCWonka
