It’s the RAW after a pretty forgettable Battleground PPV. What will Paul Heyman’s Plan C be? (Hint: It isn’t CM Punk.) The Road to SummerSlam starts tonight. Oh, and Flo Rida is going to be on the show. At least we know what the lowest rated segment will be.
HHH Is Trolling Us
Triple H came out to start the show. He said no one backstage wants to look him in the eye because they are scared he will blow a gasket after what happened last night. HHH said that he has options, and then he said he is going to tweet or instagram or vine about it. He said he is going to threaten to stop watching if him and his friend Mark don’t get what they want. HHH said it doesn’t matter, because he can guaran-damn-tee that John Cena will not be WWE Champion after SummerSlam.
Randy Orton came out and said that he is still waiting for his one-on-one match that he didn’t get after Wrestlemania. HHH said that right now Orton is at the top of the list, but he is going to have the opportunity to prove himself tonight. Just like everyone else on the roster will. Orton said if Kane had done his job then he would be standing there WWE Champion tonight. Kane came out and said that he hopes he is being considered to face John Cena. He said he can bring the WWE Title back to The Authority if he doesn’t have to be Orton’s personal protector and he is done baby-sitting.
Roman Reigns came out. He said if they are going to have a conversation about the WWE Championship, he should be in it. He said no one wants to see Kane/Cena or Orton/Cena again. He said everyone wants to see Reigns/Cena. Reigns then took out Kane with a Superman Punch as Orton backed away. HHH then made a 2-on-1 handicap with Reigns taking on Orton and Kane.
The match started back from break. Reigns took down Orton with a headbutt then landed some punches in the corner. Reigns telegraphed a backdrop and Orton threw him down. Kane landed some shots to the back but Reigns came back with a Samoan Drop. Orton tagged in and took Reigns out with a knee to the gut followed by the Orton stomp. Kane tagged in and hit a sit down dropkick. Kane hit a clothesline in the corner but Reigns got his boot up when he went to hit another. Reigns hit an axe handle off the top. He went to grab Kane but instead Kane tossed him through the ropes to the outside. Outside, however, Reigns reversed Kane and tossed him into the steps.
Back from break Orton got out of a headlock but Orton caught him with an elbow. Both men took turns working over Reigns. Reigns took out Orton with a Samoan Drop. Kane tagged in but Reigns started his comeback with some clotheslines followed by his apron dropkick. Reigns knocked Orton off the apron with a punch. Kane escaped a Samoan Drop and hit a boot. Kane went to tag Orton but Orton refused. Kane said Orton should have been there for him yesterday. Kane grabbed Orton but Reigns took out Kane with a Superman Punch, and followed it up with a Spear for the win.
WINNER: Roman Reigns
Orton teased coming to the ring after the match but he instead backed away.
The Greatest Heel Team Of All Time
Nikki Bella came out for a 4-on-1 handicap match against Alicia Fox, Rosa Mendes, Eva Marie and Cameron. Brie Bella was front row and Nikki went over and hugged her. Stephanie McMahon came out and called Brie a quitter and said she abandoned her for her husband. Brie called Steph a bitch. Brie took the mic and said that she was doing this out of spite because she left her hand print on Steph’s face. Brie called Steph a vindictive bitch. Steph slaped her and Brie tried jumping at her but security stopped her. The match started and the heels won in quick fashion. Steph said this was Brie’s fault and sooner or later, Nikki will quit just like her.
Damien Sandow came out in a LeBron James Heat jersey. Bo Dallas was in the ring and he told Bo that if he was smart, he would do what he did and leave. Bo clotheslined Sandow over the top but Sandow caught him with an elbow back in the ring. Sandow connected on an elbow followed by a running knee. Sandow missed the Elbow of Disdain and Bo hit the Bo-Dog for the win.
Bray Is Coming To Steal The Jeritron 5000 For His Cabin
Bray Wyatt came out for the Highlight Reel. Chris Jericho, however, was attacked backstage by the Wyatts before hand on the App. Bray asked where their savior Chris Jericho was. Bray said Jericho wasn’t there for you, but he is. He said he has been here every day for us. Bray said that everyone thinks since Chris Jericho won that he is a better man than him. Bray said a loss in the battle means nothing to him, because he knows it’s winning the war that counts. Bray said he is ever bit the monster that everyone thinks he is. Bray said you can’t measure him by normal standards. Abgail once told him to be careful chasing vengeance because it would result in digging two graves, one for Jericho and one for himself. Bray then said that he is forever.
A Good Miz Match?
It’s Miz vs Dolph Ziggler. Miz bailed from the ring early and Dolph chased him around. Dolph hit a Lou Thesz Press and Miz bailed again. Dolph tossed Miz into the barricade. Back in the ring Dolph hit a hip toss followed by his elbows. Miz tried escaping again but this time surprised Dolph with an elbow. Miz tried catapulting Dolph over the top but Ziggler skinned the cat. Miz knocked Dolph off the apron into commercial.
Back from break Miz connected on a suplex. Miz dominated a bit longer before Dolph moved out of the way of a corner clothesline. Dolph hit a splash in the corner followed by a backbreaker. Miz went connected on a backbreaker followed by a neckbreaker for two. Miz tried going for the Figure Four but Dolph kicked him away, allowing himself to get up and hit a DDT for two. Miz kicked Dolph in the knee and hit his short DDT for two. Miz landed some kicks to the knee of Dolph. Dolph tried a quick roll up but only got two. Miz recovered and applied the Figure Four but Dolph got to the ropes. Dolph recovered and hit the Fameasser for two. Dolph went for the ZigZag but Miz stopped himself in the ropes. Miz caught Dolph with a boot to the face. Dolph escaped the Skull Crushing Finale and went to punch Miz in the face but Miz turned around. This allowed Dolph to hit the ZigZag for the win.
WINNER: Dolph Ziggler
Seth Rollins was with HHH backstage. HHH told him he didn’t need to face Cena at SummerSlam because he is Mr. Money in the Bank. Rollins said Ambrose needs to be stopped. Cesaro came in and said he is no longer a Paul Heyman guy, he wants to be a HHH guy. HHH said that he should take care of Dean Ambrose tonight, then they could talk.
The Frenemies EXPLODE
It’s AJ and Paige vs Emma and Natalya. AJ caught Emma with an elbow then tagged in Paige. Emma immediately applied the Delemma. Natalya tagged in and hit a German suplex then applied the Sharpshooter. Paige got to AJ and she tagged in. AJ hit the Shining Wizard, and followed it up with the Black Widow for the win. After the match as they were celebrating their win, Paige pulled down AJ and hit some headbutts. Paige tossed AJ to the outside then into the barricade and ringpost. She then threw AJ over the announce table as she said this was her house. Paige skipped away.
Zack Ryder beat Fandango after Layla pushed Fandango’s foot off the ropes. After the match, Ryder looked around shocked and said “I won?”
Flo Rida performed. And no one cared. Steph was in the ring during his performance.
Two police officers then came to the ring and stopped Steph. They showed her their badges and said they were there to arrest Steph for battery on Brie Bella. Brie came out again and told her this is what she deserved. Steph was handcuffed and taken away as the crowd chanted YES. HHH tried to get the cops to stop backstage but they refused. Steph was put in the back of the car and taken away.
Backstage, Joey Mercury told HHH they should go. Mercury asked HHH about his decision on who to face Cena. HHH paused. He said it would probably take a little bit to process her, and the lawyers are going there now. HHH said to put the car on standby for now.
Big E and Kofi vs Rybaxel. Rybaxel took control of Big E early on. Ryback hit a belly to belly where it looked like Big E landed on his neck. Ryback went for the Meathook but Big E took him out and taggged in Kofi. Kofi hit the SOS and crossbody off the top, but Ryback rolled through and scored the pinfall victory. Xaiver Woods then came out and said they can’t get forward in life by kissing babies and hugs. He said now is there time to take what is theres. It seemed very much like a heel turn/Nation of Domination tease.
Rusev defeated Great Khali.
All The Chairs
Dean Ambrose vs Cesaro. Both men landed early blows before Cesaro tossed Ambrose into the ringpost. Cesaro then suplexed Ambrose to the outside. Cesaro applied an armbar back in the ring. Ambrose fought out but Cesaro caught him with a right hand. Ambrose backed into the corner then jumped out and attacked. Cesaro was sent to the outside. Ambrose went for a crossbody to the outside but Cesaro caught him with an uppercut.
Cesaro hit Ambrose with a German suplex back from break. They went to the top but Ambrose head butted Cesaro off and hit a missile dropkick. Ambrose hit a crossbody. He caught Cesaro with an elbow then hit a tornado DDT off the second rope for two. Ambrose tossed Cesaro to the outside then hit a suicide dive through the ropes. Cesaro shoved Ambrose into the ropes but Ambrose bounced off and hit a clothesline for two. Cesaro ducked a clothesline then hit one of his own. Cesaro crotched Ambrose on the ropes then landed some boots to the face. Ambrose got out then tossed Cesaro into the ringpost shoulder first three times. Ambrose then took a chair and smashed it into Cesaro’s arm, causing a DQ.
WINNER via DQ: Cesaro
One Nation, Under Paul Heyman
HHH came out to introduce Cena’s opponent and Randy Orton came out. Roman Reigns attacked him before he could get tot the ring and they brawled through the crowd. Paul Heyman came onto the stage. Heyman said Plan A of Randy Orton isn’t working with Roman Reigns round. And he likes Plan B in Seth Rollins but that won’t work with Dean Ambrose around. Heyman said that means HHH has to go to the more dangerous choice of Plan C. Brock Lesnar came out. They came into the ring. HHH then shook the hands of Paul Heyman and Brock Lesnar. Heyman said he officially announces his client’s intentions to conquer John Cena and take the WWE Title at SummerSlam. Heyman said he knows there is a divide when it comes to Cena. Heyman said his client doesn’t care, because the Doctor of Thuganomics is in for the beating of a lifetime. Heyman than showed a video package of Lesnar beating Taker at Wrestlemania. Heyman said Cena cannot escape the beating that is coming to him. Heyman said Lesnar will punch Cena’s face in and injure John Cena. Heyman said then and only then will Brock Lesnar become WWE Champion. Heyman said Cena being the greatest WWE Champion is a myth. Heyman said he pledges allegiance to the conqueror before him, but Cenation is now a nation that is dividable and about to be conquered. And at SummerSlam, Brock Lesnar is leaving WWE Champion.
WHAT I LIKED
Paul Heyman Promo: My recap doesn’t do it justice. I was so enthralled by that promo that I probably missed a couple things here or there. But it was great. I was already looking forward to Lesnar/Cena, but Heyman’s promo just took everything to another level. The match should be just as good as their Extreme Rules match and will definitely have a big fight feel to it. (Except if you are FDSwayze, who will probably stop watching once the match starts.)
Stephanie McMahon/Brie Bella: Who would have thought this would have a pretty good build up? They had a couple of entertaining segments. It helps that Stephanie does such a GREAT job in her role as a heel. She can’t be praised enough for it. The fans want to see her get what is coming to her. Brie wasn’t bad in her role too. The arrest of Steph got the biggest pop of the night. Can they top this segment in the next few weeks? It’ll be tough.
Miz/Dolph Ziggler: SOLID TV match. This is the kind of match that should be happening once or twice a show when RAW is three hours. Let these guys go out there and wrestle for 15 minutes. They had the crowd invested which is what counts. It was Miz’s best match since god knows when. And you know Dolph will have the crowd behind him no matter what. Good performance from both men. And while I may not like The Miz, he isn’t doing a bad job with his new heel role. He should have been doing this role earlier in his career.
Roman Reigns vs Randy Orton/Kane: Good start to RAW. First we had HHH trolling the IWC, then we had this good match. Reigns continues to improve as a performer in the ring. The crowd is behind him and he held his own in the ring here. Reigns offense will stay over because of how he delivers it. Reigns also has more of an “it” factor to me than Cena does or ever did. Something just stands out about him.
The Frenemies EXPLODE: We don’t normally see things like this for Divas feuds. Paige should come off better as a heel. She always had a more aggressive side in the ring and it was always better suited for a heel role. Hopefully these two can have a better match than they had at Battleground.
A New Nation of Domination?: I called for something similar to this awhile ago. Kofi is someone who has been in desperate need for a character change. Big E has lost all his momentum since his debut. So why not give them a heel turn and see where it goes? It’s better than what their stale characters have been up to the last year. Maybe add Mark Henry or Titus O’Neil and you are set. My guess is someone on the writing team saw the new Purge movie and also got the idea from that.
WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE
Bray Wyatt Promo: There’s really only one reason this is here: It’s the same thing Bray has done before. The same type of promo he had when he was up against Daniel Bryan and John Cena. And while his act is still over, he needs to start expanding on his material a bit more. Sooner or later, a lot of fans will catch on to this and his act won’t stay as hot as it is.
Flo Rida Performance: Music concerts should not take place on RAW. Especially when you know it’s more than likely that said act is lip-syncing.
I really liked this episode of RAW. We had a couple of really good matches, a great Paul Heyman promo, and a surprisingly entertaining Stephanie McMahon/Brie Bella segment. Most of the filler wasn’t bad either. I’m going to give the show an 8. Good start on the Road to SummerSlam.
Until Next Time,
Justin C
Follow Me On Twitter @JCWonka
