As we continue on the road to SummerSlam, tonight on RAW we hear John Cena’s response to Paul Heyman and Brock Lesnar. Also, Stephanie McMahon has invited Brie Bella to RAW. Is Steph traumatized for life following her prison stint? Follow along to find out.
With All This Talk of Victimizing, Someone Better Call Detective Benson
After a recap of last week’s important events, John Cena came out. Cena said normally he would share in the crowd’s enthusiasm, but last week Plan C was what he hoped it wouldn’t be, and that is Brock Lesnar. Cena said that The Authority wants the WWE Title off of him so badly that they hired a mercenary to take it off him. Cena said there were boos and cheers, because quite frankly some of the WWE Universe wants to see Brock Lesnar beat the hell out of him. Cena said Brock Lesnar is the most devastating force in the WWE. He destroys who he wants, when he wants. Cena said Paul Heyman was right about something: At SummerSlam, he will get the beating of a lifetime. He’s going to get his ass kicked. But he won’t lay down. He will fight, and go to SummerSlam and beat Brock Lesnar just like he did in 2012. Cena said he doesn’t want to know what happens to the WWE Title if Brock gets it. Brock does what he wants, when he wants. And he doesn’t know who else can stop him.
Paul Heyman came out. He said at SummerSlam, his client will conquer John Cena and take the WWE Championship. Heyman said Cena spoke some might big words for a man that is about to be turned into a victim. Heyman said Cena has taken beatings before, but he’s never been victimized. Heyman said Cena should ask The Undertaker, but no one has seen or heard from him since Wrestlemania. Heyman said Cena is on the defensive, but his client is on the offensive. Heyman said after SummerSlam, Cena is going to be conquered.
Cena brought up passion. He said this is life, just like ECW was Heyman’s life. Cena said he loves this place and what it represents. Cena said Lesnar has no passion for anyone but himself. But what separates him from Lesnar is heart. Cena said Lesnar is going to have to beat every last ounce of it out of him if he wants to take the WWE Title away from him.
Cesaro came out. He said that even though him and Heyman have gone their separate ways, he will not let him insult his friend. Cesaro said Cena is a walking billboard. He said Cena must get his shoes from k-mart and you can’t wrestle in those, but Cena also just can’t wrestle. Cesaro challenged him to a match and Cena accepted.
Yes, Another Good Cena Match
The match started back from break. Cena took down Cesaro and went to a headlock. Cesaro escaped and went to a headlock of his own. Cesaro caught Cena mid air and hit a tilt-a-whirl backdrop. Cena escaped a bodyslam and hit a hurricarrana, but then caught an elbow from Cesaro in the corner. Cesaro landed some punches on Cena then knocked him off the apron with a shoulder to the gut. Cena charged back in the ring and landed some punches. He went for a bulldog but Cesaro threw him away.
Back from break, Cena went into CENA MODE. But Cesaro countered the slam with a DDT for two. Cesaro went for the Swing but Cena pulled himself up and went for a pin that got two. He followed it up with a powerbomb. Cena went to the top but Cesaro knocked him off and caught him with a boot to the face. Cesaro then hit his suplex from the apron to the inside. Cena caught Cesaro with an elbow in the corner and went for a DDT but Cesaro countered into the Swing. Cesaro applied a version of an ankle lock but Cena countered into the STF. Cena then hit a fisherman suplex and Five Knuckle Shuffle. Cena went for the AA but Cesaro held the ropes. Cena then lifted him to the top. Cesaro knocked him off and went for a crossbody but Cena rolled through and went for the AA. Cesaro landed on his feet and connected on a boot to the arm of Cena, then tossed Cena in the air and hit an uppercut but only got two. Cesaro went for the Neutralizer but Cena countered. Cesaro hit a boot, then Cena, then Cesaro to knock Cena down. Cesaro went to the top, but Cena met him up there and hit the AA off the second rope for the win.
WINNER: John Cena
Backstage Steph told HHH she doesn’t think she can get the smell of prison out of her nose. And she doesn’t know if she can do what she can go out there tonight. Randy Orton came in and complained about not getting the Title shot at SummerSlam. HHH said that as long as Roman Reigns is in the picture, he won’t get it. Orton said he would take out Reigns tonight. HHH said Reigns is facing Kane. Orton said he has a problem with Kane, and now he has a problem with HHH.
Why Do I Feel Like Most Women Are Like This In Real Life
Paige came out. She said sometimes her emotions get the best of her. She still considers AJ her best friend in the whole wide world. What she did last week was deplorable. Paige said she saw someone who took her Title. But she will never do that again. AJ came out. She asked if she thinks anyone is buying what she said. AJ said she knows why she is mad. AJ said she doesn’t play little girl games. If she has a problem with someone, she will let them know to her face. Like a real woman. Paige said she is her friend, and if she doesn’t believe her she is crazy. AJ asked what she called her. Paige said she didn’t mean to call her that, or make fun of her mental health. AJ said she misposke and it happens to the best of us. AJ attacked Paige and tossed her to the outside, then ran her into the barricade. Paige jumped over the stairs as AJ stared on from inside the ring.
No, This Isn’t A RAW Replay
HHH and Stephanie McMahon came out. The crowd chanted “jailbird” at Steph. HHH said they have been through good times. But he said he was disappointed and disgusted at the WWE Universe last week when they laughed at his wife for being arrested last week. HHH said he can’t believe they laughed at her being handcuffed and thrown into a cop car like a common criminal. HHH said he will never forgive us. HHH said Brie Bella antagonized his wife and that she was asking for it. But it was all a simple mis-understanding. HHH said the charges were dropped except the assault and battery charge, which Brie Bella refuses to let go. HHH said they asked Brie here tonight to put this all behind us. Steph asked Brie to come out and instead got Chris Jericho.
Jericho came out and said he wanted to let Steph know how bad he felt, via a song. Jericho started singing the Cops theme and then the crowd finished it. Jericho said it is okay to be a jailbird nowadays. He said this is why the WWE Network was created, to watch her get arrested over and over. Jericho said HHH has stood buy his little flower’s side through and through. But he asked why HHH didn’t leave the arena with her. He said HHH must have found out what Jericho has known for years, that Steph is a no good, bottom feeding, trash bag and then HHH cut him off. HHH said Jericho should focus on Bray Wyatt. Jericho said he is, and he wants Bray Wyatt now. HHH said Jericho will have to wait til SummerSlam. Seth Rollins then came out and attacked Jericho with the MITB briefcase. HHH said that was his opponent for tonight.
Didn’t Rybaxel Break-Up?
It’s The Usos and Dolph Ziggler vs Rybaxel and The Miz. Dolph went after Miz early but Ryback tagged in. He hit a splash on Ziggler and tagged in Axel. Axel hit a dropkick then went to a headlock. Ziggler escaped and Axel missed a splash. An Uso tagged in and the action spilled to the outside. Where The Usos took out Rybaxel, then Miz ran away because he didn’t want to take a shot to his moneymaker. Back from break the heels were working over one of the Usos. Eventually Jimmy escaped from Miz and tagged in Ziggler. Ziggler hit a neckbreaker on Ryback followed by an elbow. Ziggler planted Ryback with a DDT but Miz broke up the pin. One Uso took out Axel. Miz dropped the other Uso on the ropes. Miz tried to distract Ziggler, but Ziggler escaped a powerbomb and hit the ZigZag on Ryback for the win. Xaiver Woods, Kofi Kingston and Big E watched on.
WINNERS: The Usos and Dolph Ziggler
Bo Dallas came out and told R-Truth that he can never be undefeated like him, and that he’s lost a lot of matches. But Truth can one day win in life, if he BO-lieves. Bo took down R-Truth then did a victory lap. Bo came back in and Truth rolled him up to pick up the win. Bo congratulated Truth but then attacked him and landed multiple hard punches. Bo finished it off with a DDT.
Rusev and Lana came out. She talked about the flag being a symbol of our dominance. She said it is now just a faded symbol of our once great nation. She ripped on Obama and Bush before Jack Swagger and Zeb came out. Zeb said the American Flag is a real flag. He said it represents many things for our nation. But most of all it represents all the men and women that fought and died for our freedom. After a “We the People” Swagger charged the ring and went after Rusev. Rusev eventually took control and tossed Swagger into the barricade. Rusev went for the Accolade back in the ring but Swagger applied the ankle lock then knocked Rusev to the outside.
Adam Rose made quick work of Damien Sandow, who was dressed in a spacesuit.
No Kane Match As Advertised? Yeah Okay I’ll Live
As Roman Reigns made his way to the ring to fight Kane, Randy Orton attacked him in the crowd. Reigns took him out then hit a Samoan Drop on Kane in the ring. Orton came back in but ate a Superman Punch. Kane then hit a chokeslam on Reigns and left the ring. Orton then went to work on Reigns. He landed multiple kicks in the ropes. Orton tossed Reigns into the steps a couple times. Orton then hit a DDT off the barricade. Orton slammed the head of Reigns into the steps. Orton then took apart the announce table and hit the RKO. It didn’t break the first time, so Orton hit a second one and it did break.
Diego beat Fandango. El Torito, Summer Rae and Layla distracted Fandango.
Naomi and Natalya defeated Cameron and Alicia Fox.
Who Didn’t See This Coming?
Chris Jericho vs Seth Rollins. Both men brawled to the outside before Jericho regained control in the ring. Jericho hit a suplex. Jericho then caught Rollins with an enziguri kick to the head followed by a kick to the gut. Rollins recovered with a dropkick. He went for another but Jericho caught himself in the ropes. Jericho tossed Rollins to the apron then hit a shoulder tackle from the second rope to the outside.
Rollins had control back from break. He hit a splash in the corner. He went for another but Jericho moved. Jericho hit some some shoulder tackles followed by an axe handl off the top. Rollins countered and game back with a neckbreaker. Rollins hit some headbutts followed by sending Jericho into the turnbuckle. Rollins went to the top but Jericho crotched him. Jericho back body dropped Rollins off the top rope then hit a crossbody for two. Both men exchanged punches before Rollins connected on a kick to the gut. Jericho came back with an elbow but missed the Lionsault. Rollins hit the corner powerbomb. Jericho moved out of the way of the Curb Stomp and got a roll up for two. Jericho went for the Walls but Rollins got to the ropes then hit an enziguri kick. Rollins went for a springboard but Jericho caught him and hit a Codebreaker.
The lights then went out and The Wyatts then appeared in the ring. After a beatdown Bray hit Sister Abigail on Jericho.
A Prison Rules Match At SummerSlam?
Steph came out and said getting arrested is a life altering experience. She said all of her business partners and shareholders can’t look her in the eye and they can’t think of her as nothing more than a common criminal. Her children are getting teased at camp and can’t have play dates anymore. Brie came through the crowd and said she had heard enough and wanted to get to the point. Steph said she asked her here to ask Brie to drop all the charges. Steph said no one deserves this. Brie said as far as she is concerned, Steph can go to hell. Steph promised to treat Nikki fairly going forward. Steph said she would give Nikki a raise. Brie said she would accept that as long as she agreed to her demands too. Brie wanted her job back. Steph asked if she would drop all the charges if she did that. Steph agreed.
Brie said she wanted one more thing, a match at SummerSlam. Steph agreed and asked what kind of match. Brie said a match against her. Steph said she hasn’t competed in over 10 years. Steph said she will give her any match except against her. Brie said she would see her in court. Steph said this was all ridiculous and started to break down. She said she couldn’t stoop that level. Steph finally broke down crying and agreed. Steph then slapped Brie off the apron and said that at SummerSlam, she would make Brie her bitch. Steph celebrated but Brie came back in the ring and attacked Steph. Finlay, Jamie Noble, Joey Mercury and HHH came out to break it up.
WHAT I LIKED
Opening Segment, Cena/Cesaro: The opening Cena wasn’t bad Cena, it wasn’t great Cena but I thought he did a good job of sounding serious during his promo. He didn’t resort to corny and stupid jokes, and sold the seriousness of his match with Brock Lesnar at SummerSlam. Paul Heyman again brought the goods. And the Cena/Cesaro match was very good. They did a good job protecting Cesaro, essentially making a “Super AA” be the reason that he lost. Cena was no slouch in the match either. A good opening 40 minutes of the show.
Paige/AJ Segment: This gets a hit because I like that they are letting these two develop some kind of feud. Paige is starting to develop a little bit of character. And seeing both women hand out some physical beatings two weeks in a row is different for the Divas Division. Maybe a No DQ match at SummerSlam? If any two Divas could pull this off, it would be these two. I like that the WWE is actually giving two really good Divas some time to develop a really feud.
Roman Reigns/Randy Orton: The WWE did a good job of here of making people care about Orton/Reigns. Orton’s beatdown of Reigns was a good way for him to get some more heat heading into their match at SummerSlam. Sometimes you have to make the top guy look weak and vulnerable to sell a match, and they did that here with Reigns. It’s something they haven’t done with Cena, which is why people don’t like him.
Chris Jericho/Seth Rollins: The two were having a good match before the ending. Pretty much everyone saw the ending coming from a mile away, so it kind of took away from my full enjoyment of the match. Maybe I would have liked it a bit more, but it kind of seemed like they didn’t fully get out of second gear during the match. It was still enjoyable, but not as good as you might expect from these two.
WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE
Bo Dallas Losing: Part of me thinks the WWE did this just so Bo Dallas didn’t pass The Undertaker in terms of wins in a row. Hell, you could even argue this was a worse decision than having Undertaker lose at Wrestlemania. Let someone that matters beat Bo. An R-Truth win over Bo will mean nothing in the end. Let Bo keep growing as a character, then have him snap over someone that matters more when he loses.
I don’t know where to put the Stephanie McMahon/Brie Bella segment. I didn’t like that it was the last thing on RAW. And I thought some of Brie’s acting was awkward. But it is tough to deny that this doesn’t have some heat behind it. And once again, Stephanie McMahon played her role great. I think that is why I’m actually enjoying some of this angle.
I thought this was another good show. It had a couple of good matches and did a good job of building to a lot of matches at SummerSlam. I’m giving the show a 6.
Until Next Time,
Justin C
Follow Me On Twitter @JCWonka
