Cole is back for Raw due to Tom Phillips being off for the week. Randy Orton starts the show to a sea of canned boos. He talks about taking Drew out and if Drew can’t face him at the one show every title has to be on the line at, you hand him the title. Drew DRIVES THE AMBULANCE INTO THE THUNDERDOME and claymores Orton after Drew comes down to his theme. The Hurt Business threatens a guy backstage earlier with Lashley wearing an amazing velvet suit. Drew tells Adam Pearce, who is just a nameless official who apparently has some power, that he’ll just leave. The Hurt Business jump Cedric before a six-man tag with Cedric, Ricochet, and Apollo Crews. Cedric beats up Ricochet and Lumbar Checks Apollo to the same chorus of empty boos that every heels gets.
Dominik vs. Murphy is hyped up with Murphy now an ex-disciple of Seth. Boy that Disciple shirt is an even worse idea since it was only relevant for a week. Byron talks about having his swag card when the Street Profits come out and instead of pyro, they get machine-propelled Solo cups. Okay, that’s a cute touch. They face Andrade and Angel before Angel leaves and Ford gets the five star frog splash for the win. Ford fake-kicking Andrade to the floor is tremendous. Cesaro and Nakamura come down as part of the inter-brand invitational thing that’s a thing again. Nakamura has fun with a Solo cup while Cesaro makes sure his suit matches his belt.
The Profits say they’re family and they’re better than The Bar 2.0 and he has so many partners, he may want an STD test. Next weeks show is champs vs. champs, so that’s just a TV show gimmick. Truth shows Little Jimmy his 24/7 Title highlights at a restaurant before a ninja takes the place of his food and Truth says he didn’t order a ninja. Truth escapes the ninja brigade in the poorly-dressed backstage area, complete with EXIT sign next to an open area in the building. Peyton Royce gets an empowering, but generic theme as she faces “The Femme Fatale” Billie Kay in a very sloppy match. Billie misses an elbow by a mile when Peyton moves long before she starts falling and we get a chinlock because every WWE match has to have one. Peyton hits a jumping kick and the spinning brainbuster to win before they hug.
The Mysterio-Seth saga is shown before Rey comes out with his entire family and he talks strategy against Murphy tonight. Murphy wants to up the ante and wants a street fight and he wants his family to be there because it will be the last time they see him. The Riott Squad faces Shayna and then Nia faces the Riott Squad in handicap matches for…some reason. Shayna is confused by all this and Adam Pearce says that it’s due to Nia saying Shayna could take them both out and he didn’t want to leave Nia out. Drew chats with him and he says he was just returning the ambulance and he’s really leaving now. Asuka and Mickie face Lana and Nattie. The faces exchange tags by slapping each other’s asses with Mickie tagging herself in when Asuka misses a rope-assisted hip attack and Asuka tagging in when Mickie climbs up top for the seated senton. Lana taps to the Asuka lock while Mickie takes out Nattie on the floor.
Cedric chats with the Hurt Business about the VIP Lounge later and Shelton tells him that he’d have better have come to his senses because if it’s a game, he’ll teach him why they’re the Hurt Business. Cedric says that his wallet was running broke running with Apollo and Ricochet and MVP was right about Ricochet being selfish. The Viking Raiders come out to face them with Ricochet and Apollo before Ivar hits a suicide dive and lands wrong and he makes his own X frantically. Cedric hits a Michinoku driver for 2.5, but it gets 3 because they have to go to a finish. Well, Cedric gets a win on day one and he looks great in the black and gold Black Panther/Hurt Business gear – so this has a better chance of working than him as an aimless babyface.
Drew talks about grabbing the wrong phone and he can’t return the ambulance, and he can’t find the exit. He’s talking quite well for a guy with a broken jaw. KO meets with Shane about facing Aleister tonight and KO insults Shane for being a jackass still. Is it really wise to insult a guy before you step into his personal fight club? The bouncer also wonders about that. Orton faces Keith Lee, who gets a nice corner forearm charge and a spinning powerslam. Orton of course gets his chinlock. Lee goes for a spirit bomb, but eats an RKO before Drew lands another claymore to Orton and tells him Orton will see him in his nightmares before headbutting him. Drew has a nice little edge to him with all this, but Keith Lee looked terrible with this. His buddy Drew saved him from losing. Adam Pearce tells Drew he’s putting himself at risk and Cole talks about the fractured jaw of Drew.
Aleister beats up dudes before KO arrives and slams him into the ring frame and on the floor. This is a non-finish as Orton is busy cutting a promo on Adam Pearce. Shayna’s handicap match sees Nia talk smack to Shayna as she loses to a sunset flip by Liv Morgan. Back in the pit, KO takes down Black, but gets put in a triangle armbar and more brawls break out. Nia faces the Riott Squad, but can’t beat them due to a Samoan drop being nixed by lights. The Riott Kick hits as do Liv’s knees, but we get a non-finish due to THE GROUP THAT CALLS THEMSELVES RETRIBUTION. They exposit terrible dialogue makes references to being left to fend for themselves. Cole talks about THE GROUP THAT CALLS THEMSELVES RETRIBUTION before adding in that they’re here to attack the Superstars and WWE Universe. Cole is excited about what this evil group has in store for them. Yeah, that’s what made the NWO so great in the summer of ’96 – the announcers talking about how great it was the company was being overthrown by outsiders.
Rey cuts a promo with Dom about not being scared. Aleister and KO keep fighting until Babakato jumps in and beats both guys up and takes Black out with a uranage. Drew brawls with Orton backstage before they fight into the backstage interview ring and he hits a third claymore. Okay, Orton is definitely winning the title at the PPV – they’re going HARD in letting you know that Drew is the man. Joe picks Balor to win the NXT Title tomorrow. Dominik faces Murphy, who dominates and traps him in the ropes. But as he goes to get a weapon, Angie and Aaliyah free him and he sunset bombs him through a table and a big splash gets 2. Dom ties him to the ropes and now both Rey and Dom hit him with kendo sticks and Rey cuts a great promo while his kid kicks ass. THEN AALIYAH JOINS IN WITH ANGIE. Okay, this was great.
