The show opens up with a video package recapping last week’s Intercontinental Championship Match between Roman Reins and Elias followed by Samoa Joe’s attack to Roman Reigns after the match.
We are welcomed to the show by Michael Cole. He is joined by Corey Graves and Booker T.
We are live in the arena where Kurt Angle makes his way down to the ring. He welcomes us to the show and hypes up the show, talking about the Tag Team Title Match and the Intercontinental Championship Match that will happen later on tonight. He goes to introduce Roman Reigns’ opponent and Jason Jordan interrupts. Jordan gets in the ring and asks him to hold on, which gets him boos. He says he wants Roman and his dad says he can’t be serious, with his knee still taped up.
Jason protests and says that he is fine, and ever since he came to RAW he has wrestled Reigns, John Cena, Braun Strowman, Kane, The Miz, and he has held his own with every last one of them. Roman’s issued an open challenge to anyone who wants to step up and take it, and he’s ready to step up, because he knows he can beat him, he just needs a chance. Kurt thinks about it for a second.
Roman Reigns’ music hits and he makes his way down to the ring. He gets in the ring and sizes Jordan up before saying that he’s a fighting champion and he picks who he fights. It’s not Angle’s son he wants, he wants Samoa Joe. To Jason he says if he wants an opportunity, don’t run to your daddy, step up and take it. Jordan laughs at him and is incredulous that Roman would talk to him about earning opportunities when he’s the poster boy for everything WWE management wants.
Reigns says that he’s right about one thing, he’s been on a lot of posters and he’s been on a lot of chairs because he has main-evented a lot of shows, but he wasn’t given it. He grinded for it, worked hard for seven years straight and again, if Jordan wants something, he needs to step up and take it. They face off and Angle gets between them.
Samoa Joe’s music hits and he makes his way down to the ring. He says that as much as he would like to sit in the back and watch them pretend to talk tough, his patience has worn thin. If Roman’s done patronizing the kid, he’ll accept his challenge and because at times he’s merciful, he’ll give him a little reprieve, five seconds to withdraw his challenge because he knows he can’t beat him.
Jason busts in with a “Hey Joe” and says that he doesn’t have to come out here and talk tough, because he is tough, and he doesn’t have to attack people from behind to issue a challenge, just like he challenged Roman and how he’ll challenge Joe right now. Reigns says the five seconds are done and Jason comes from behind with a belly-to-belly suplex.
Roman tells Joe that he can wait for later tonight, but Jordan’s getting it right now, and he orders Kurt to make the match. Angle calls for a referee and it’s on.
The match will start right after the commercial break.
Roman Reigns vs. Jason Jordan: The Intercontinental Title is on the line in this one. Joe is sitting on a chair on the stage watching. The two men go right at it right off the opening bell. Reigns starts taking control with strikes and a hard whip into the corner. Reigns takes the fight out to ringside and slams Jordan into the apron. Reigns throws Jordan into the barricade, then the ring steps. Reigns beats down Jordan some more, then hits the Drive By dropkick. Back in the ring, Reigns continues the offense until Jordan finally gets in a shot and turns things around. Jordan repeatedly rams Reigns into the opposite corners of the ring. Jordan goes for a spear but Reigns moves. Reigns goes to spear Jordan, but Jordan moves and sends Reigns crashing into the ring post.
Jordan controls the next few moments of the match until Reigns fires back with a running big boot. Joe is still sitting on the stage watching, and he’s not happy. Reigns looks for the Superman punch, but Jordan blocks it with a dropkick to the face. Jordan pins Reigns for a two count. Jordan picks up Reigns but Reigns fights out of it with elbow shots to Jordan’s head. Reigns uppercuts Jordan and Jordan falls out to ringside. Reigns comes leaping off the ring steps for a Superman punch on Jordan, but Jordan catches him in mid-air and slams him into the ring steps. Jordan rams Reigns into the ring steps again, then rolls him back inside for another two count. Reigns goes for a Superman punch and Jordan avoids it again, and he comes back with a suplex. Jordan covers for another two count.
Jordan appears to re-injure his knee, and Reigns starts focusing in on it. Reigns locks Jordan in a half Boston crab in the middle of the ring. Jordan reverses into a pin, but Reigns kicks out and comes back with a Superman punch for a two count of his own. Reigns goes for a spear, but Jordan blocks it with a knee to the face. Jordan hits a Northern Lights Suplex, then rolls through and hits a second Northern Lights Suplex, but Reigns kicks out at two. Jordan is still selling the bad knee as he circles Reigns now. Jordan goes for a back suplex, but Reigns escapes and fires back with a Superman punch. Reigns follows up with a spear for the three count. Winner & still Intercontinental Champion: Roman Reigns
After the match, Joe gets on the mic and says that it looks like Jordan wore out Reigns. He says that it looks like Reigns made a bad decision because he’s tired now, and now Joe is going to come put him to sleep. Joe runs into the ring and starts brawling with Reigns. Joe locks Reigns in the Coquina Clutch, but Jason Jordan makes the save and suplexes Joe. Reigns then runs up behind Jordan and hits a Superman punch on him. Joe heads to the back, then Jordan recovers and heads to the back too, while Reigns stands in the ring with his Intercontinental Title belt.
Commentary hypes up the tag team title match for later tonight and the match between Sasha Banks and Paige for right after the commercial break.
Back from the commercial break, we get a recap of what we just saw from the previous segment between Roman Reigns, Jason Jordan & Samoa Joe.
We head backstage in Kurt Angle’s office where we see Kurt Angle making excuses to Stephanie McMahon on the phone when Jason Jordan shows up to beg for a rematch for next week. Jordan says but first, Angle has to give him a match against Samoa Joe tonight. Angle asks him who he is to demand all these things and the last thing he needs is anyone thinking he’s playing favorites. Jason begs some more and Kurt tells him he’ll take it under advisement but he needs to leave and cool off.
Samoa Joe shows up and attacks Jason Jordan. He wipes Jordan out hard and trash talks both Angle & Jordan before leaving and making his statement.
We now get a video package on Absolution.
Absolution makes their way down to the ring, but Paige’s match will take place right after the commercial break.
Back from the commercial break, we see that Alexa Bliss has joined the commentary table.
Sasha Banks makes her way to the ring, but she is accompanied by Mickie James and Bayley to even up the numbers.
Paige vs. Sasha Banks: The opening bell rings and Sasha stares down Paige. They take their time and finally lock up. They back each other into the ropes, then Paige slaps Sasha and Sasha nails her back. Paige hits a head-butt and takes control briefly. Sasha ends up tackling Paige off the ropes and mocks her. She tosses Paige across the ring a few times then stomps on her in the corner. The referee pulls of Sasha and Paige nails her. Paige puts the boots to Sasha then slams her down and hits a knee to the face for a two count. Paige controls the next few moments of the match until Sasha connects with a kick to the face.
Sasha hits a hurricanrana, then a crossbody off the top for a two count. Sasha connects with some knees and works on keeping Paige grounded. Deville and Rose distract Sasha from ringside, leading to Paige hitting a double leg takedown. Paige and Sasha trade strikes now and go back-and-forth for the next few moments. Paige goes up to the top rope, but she takes too long and Sasha climbs up and they fight on the corner. Paige hits a sunset flip powerbomb for a two count, and Sasha is selling her neck. They trade blows now and Paige blocks a Banks Statement. Banks blocks a RamPaige, and successfully applies the Banks Statement now. Paige reaches the rope to break the hold, then rolls out to the floor. She rolls back in the ring, and then at ringside Deville and Rose start brawling with Bayley and Mickie. The distraction leads to Paige hitting a kick on Sasha, and following up with the RamPaige for the three count. Winner: Paige
After the match, Deville and Rose joins Paige in the ring. They take out Sasha once again as Bliss makes her exit to the back without getting involved. Absolution stands tall over Sasha as we go to replays.
We head backstage where we see Kurt Angle is texting someone when a guitar starts playing and Elias shows up. He asks Angle to put his phone away and hold his applause until he’s done, and Kurt asks what he wants. Elias says that he wants another shot at Roman and tells Angle that he’s blatantly playing favorites and the City of Angels wants to walk with Elias. But since there are no good opponents left, a musical performance is all they’re gonna get.
Elias then tells him that some by sin rise, and some by virtue fall, and that’s a warning that his bastard son might be the end of him. Angle says that the WWE Universe does deserve better and he promises to find Elias a worthy opponent.
Commentary promises a look between the feud of Kane and Braun Strowman and we go to a commercial break.
Back from the commercial break, we are shown a man that Kevin Owens once power-bombed off the stage in the front row.
Commentary then sends us to the promised video package about the feud between Kane and Braun Strowman.
We head backstage where we see Enzo Amore addressing the Zo Train, talking about how Tony Nese and Drew Gulak have the opportunity of a lifetime tonight and they better seize it. He asks if Noam Dar and Ariya Daivari realize that they let Rich Swann beat them last week, and they’re all a direct reflection of him, and he’s a winner and not a loser. Enzo says that a lot of things happen on the Zo Train, but two things they don’t do are lose and lose again.
He tells Gulak and Nese to go out there and get the job done and all four men leave fired up when he turns around to face a smiling Nia Jax. She asks him how he’s doin’ and leaves as he reflects on what just happened and we go to a commercial break.
Back from the commercial break, we are just in time for a recap and the opening bell of the next match.
Cedric Alexander vs. Mustafa Ali vs. Tony Nese vs. Drew Gulak: This is a Qualifying Match for next week’s # 1 Contender’s Match against Rich Swann for the WWE Cruiserweight Championship. The opening bell sounds and Nese attacks Ali, while Gulak goes after Alexander. Cedric and Ali clean house, then start fighting each other. Cedric hits a suicide dive onto both Gulak and Nese on the floor, then starts brawling with Gulak. Nese helps Gulak beat down Cedric, but then they start arguing with each other. Ali runs in and takes them both out. Ali makes a few pin attempts for two counts. Gulak and Nese now double team Ali in the corner until Cedric runs over and unloads on them. Cedric and Ali now deck Nese with a double superkick, then start fighting each other again. Ali stuns Cedric with shot to the face, and Cedric comes back with one of his own for a two count. Nese runs in now and Cedric rocks him with a right hand. Nese comes back with a palm strike, and the three are now fighting in the corner. Cedric knocks down Nese, then Ali hits a huge springboard Spanish Fly on Cedric. Ali covers, but Gulak breaks the pin. Fans chant “This is Awesome” as Ali and Gulak slowly get up. Gulak hits a jawbreaker then attempts a suplex, but fails. Ali drops Gulak in the corner and climbs up. Nese pulls Gulak away to safety, then knees Ali in the head on the turnbuckle. Cedric hits a Lumbar Check on Nese, then he hits it on Ali. Gulak runs in and hits Cedric with a knee to the face, then steals the pin on Ali for the win. Winner: Drew Gulak
After the match, Gulak celebrates as we go to replays. Gulak vs. Swann is now set for next week’s RAW with the winner facing Enzo the following week. Charly Caruso enters the ring and interviews Gulak, asking if he’s conflicted about possibly facing the leader of The Zo Train. Gulak calls it a hard-hitting question that can only be answered in a hard-hitting way like his PowerPoint Presentation. Graves says that we’re out of time and that we won’t get to see the presentation because the Raw theme starts playing and we see Elias walking backstage on the tron.
Commentary sends us to a preview of the new episode of Total Divas featuring Lana & Rusev and we go to a commercial break.
Back from the commercial break, it’s time for us to walk with Elias as he is already in the middle of the ring.
He does his usual introductory spiel and runs Los Angeles down, saying that he is beyond celebrity, he is talent, fame, music, the air we breathe, everything. He picks out a member of the crowd to mock for not being famous and reminds us that Kurt Angle promised him competition, but for now he has a song to sing. Predictably it’s about how much the people in LA suck.
Braun Strowman’s music hits and he makes his way down to the ring.
Elias runs away until Braun poses for the crowd and gets attacked from behind. This ends poorly as Strowman attacks right back. Elias gets his boots up against the barricade and manages to put Braun into the ring-post before breaking his guitar over Strowman’s back to no effect. Braun runs him over with a lariat.
Braun tosses Elias back inside, scoops him up and hits a Running Powerslam. The monster among men throws both halves of the steel steps into the ring. But before he can enact whatever evil intentions are on his mind, Kane’s music hits and he turns to stare the entry down. Kane appears in the smoke-filled room and tells Braun that he’s been a monster among men for so long that perhaps he’s forgotten what it’s like to be a monster among monsters.
Kane delights in pain, horror, and next week he’ll delight as they step into the ring again, and together they’ll descend into the abyss, but only one monster will emerge. He backs away laughing.
Commentary recaps what transpired between Jason Jordan, Roman Reigns & Samoa Joe from earlier in the night.
We head backstage in the locker room where we see Roman Reigns saying that he did his part and it’s time for them to do theirs, and the camera reveals his Shield teammates. Seth Rollins says that every time it’s them and the Bar, they get the job done. Dean Ambrose is confused that the rematch is tonight and Rollins asks if he has a cell phone before Dean reveals that it was a joke and he’s been thinking about it all day and visualizing how it’s gonna be when they win.
In fact, he can smell it, and it smells like gold. Fist bumps all around and they depart.
Asuka will be in action right after the commercial break.
Back from the commercial break, commentary plugs some of John Cena’s media appearances to promote his new movie.
We get a picture-in-picture promo of Alicia Fox claiming that she will do better than Dana Brooke did because she was captain of Team Raw and she got a t-shirt.
Alicia Fox vs. Asuka: Fox strikes first off the opening bell, but Asuka comes back quickly and hits the hip attack. They trade kicks, and Asuka gets frustrated and hits a big kick on Fox. Asuka blocks a scissors kick attempt and hits another kick, then takes down Fox with the cross armbar for the win. Winner: Asuka
After the match, Asuka stands tall as her music hits. Paige’s music hits and out she comes with Mandy Rose and Sonya Deville. Absolution once again surrounds Asuka while she’s in the ring, staring her down. Asuka backs out of the ring without fighting, just like last week. Asuka is all smiles as she backs up the ramp. Paige takes the mic and addresses Fox, telling her to relax. Paige enters the ring and says from the bottom of her heart, she’s not here to hurt Foxy. Paige says Fox is actually her friend and the only one to like her a year ago. Paige says Fox is her best friend and she loves Fox. Paige loves Fox, she just doesn’t think Sonya and Mandy feel the same way. Paige looks at both of them and they enter the ring with Paige and Fox now. Fox starts fighting as Mandy and Sonya attack her. Paige watches. Sonya whips Fox into a kick from Mandy. Deville floors her with a big knee next. Absolution stands tall as Paige steps over Fox. Paige yells that they are Absolution as her music hits while they stand tall with their arms in the air.
We see Finn Balor walking backstage, he will have a match after the commercial break.
Back from the commercial break, commentary hypes up the Psych movie and sends us to a sneak peek based around Charlotte Flair’s guest appearance.
Finn Balor vs. Bo Dallas: Bo takes control early on after Curtis Axel distracts Finn from ringside. Bo works over Balor and talks trash to him. Bo hits some knee shots for a two count. Dallas works on keeping Balor grounded and hits more knee strikes for another two count. Dallas sends Balor into the corner, but Balor fires back with a boot to the face. Balor starts firing up and hits the double foot stomp. Balor continues the offense and hits the Sling-blade, then dropkicks Dallas into the corner. Balor goes up top and hits the Coup De Grace for the three count. Winner: Finn Balor
After the match, Balor stands tall as JoJo announces him as the winner. We go to replays.
Commentary hypes up Matt Hardy’s awakening and we go to a commercial break.
Back from the commercial break, commentary shows us the breakdown of Matt Hardy from last week and a few of Matt Hardy’s recent “Woken” Tweets.
Bray Wyatt’s usual sound hits. Bray Wyatt is in a smoky room and he says that he doesn’t think Matt Hardy knows who he is. Matt Hardy cuts him and talks about how his soul has been lost. Back to Wyatt and he says that Matt has no idea what is real. Back to Matt and he says that he has studied at the Library of Alexandria, fought alongside Genghis Khan, and taught symposiums with Plato.
Back to Wyatt and he says that the ramblings of a madman are dangerous. Back to Matt and he says that he has lied dormant in this vessel but he has been “Woken.” Back to Wyatt and he says that last week wasn’t Hardy’s breaking point, it was his, and he feels alive again. There’s a fire in him that’s only growing stronger, and his fire will not cleanse or save you, it will make sure all of you burn. Back to Matt and he says that Bray has left him with no choice, but to sentence him to deletion.
Matt and Wyatt trade evil laughs to end the segment as the announcers chant “Delete.” The announcers try to make sense of what they just saw.
Two thirds of the Shield makes their way down to the ring for their title match and we go to a commercial break.
Back from the commercial break, we are in time for The Bar to make their way down to the ring.
The Bar (Cesaro & Sheamus) vs. The Shield (Dean Ambrose & Seth Rollins): The RAW Tag Team Titles are on the line in this one. Cesaro and Ambrose start off trading holds, then Sheamus tags in early. Ambrose gets the upper hand until Cesaro distracts him by pulling Rollins off the apron. Sheamus capitalizes with a clothesline on Ambrose, then he sends Ambrose into the corner for some double team punishment. The Bar continues to take turns working over Ambrose in the corner and using frequent tags to control him. Sheamus hits a running big boot and really puts the boots of Ambrose now as the referee warns him to back off. Sheamus takes Ambrose to the ropes and Cesaro hits a cheap shot. More beating from Sheamus on the Lunatic Fringe. Ambrose finally breaks free and tags in Rollins. Rollins starts going at it with Sheamus, then hits a Blockbuster off the middle rope. Rollins follows up with the Sling-blade for a two count. The fight ends up spilling out to ringside where Rollins has to fight off Cesaro, allowing Sheamus to drop Rollins from behind.
Back in the ring, The Bar remains in control, this time taking turns beating on Rollins. Rollins manages to drop Sheamus, but Cesaro pulls Ambrose off the apron so he can’t get the tag. Rollins tries to fight off both Sheamus and Cesaro, but he gets dropped by a European Uppercut. Rollins continues to be beat down as he looks for the tag, but Ambrose is still down at ringside. Rollins finally hits a superkick that knocks Sheamus out of the ring and gives him a breather. Ambrose and Cesaro tag in and start going at it. Ambrose dumps Cesaro outside, then knocks Sheamus outside. Cesaro comes back in and hits an uppercut then goes for a cross body, but Ambrose catches him and rolls through for a two count. Ambrose escapes a Cesaro Swing, but then misses a Dirty Deeds. Ambrose avoids a Brogue Kick, then sends Sheamus back out to the floor. Sheamus comes right back in and hits a knee to Ambrose’s face while Cesaro distracts the referee. The Bar beats on Ambrose until he escapes a super powerbomb and starts fighting back. He gets the tag to Rollins who comes in for a big superplex on Sheamus. Rollins follows up with a Falcon Arrow for a two count as Cesaro breaks up the pin. Cesaro goes for a Neutralizer, but Rollins escapes and hits a forearm shot to the face. Cesaro comes back with an uppercut, but Rollins shuts him down with knee to the face. Sheamus runs in and stomps on Rollins as the referee warns him. Ambrose runs in but Sheamus knees him in the face, then goes back to stomping on Rollins. The referee tries to get Sheamus to stomp stomping on Rollins, but he won’t, so the referee calls for the bell and disqualifies Sheamus for not listening to him. Winners via DQ: The Shield (Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose)
After the match, Kurt Angle comes out and tells The Bar that they aren’t getting off that easy, and he’s going to give them a chance to prove they really are The bar. Kurt re-starts the match, but this time it’s a no DQ match. It’s true, it’s damn true.
The Bar (Cesaro & Sheamus) vs. The Shield (Dean Ambrose & Seth Rollins): The Tag Titles are once again on the line and this time it is a No DQ Match. Rollins and Ambrose immediately take control. Cesaro fires back with uppercuts, but Ambrose shuts him down with a lariat. Rollins drops Cesaro and Ambrose covers for a two count. They can’t believe he kicked out, and as they wait for Cesaro to get up, Samoa Joe hits the ring. Joe takes out Ambrose and Rollins. Roman Reigns runs in and chases out Joe. Joe runs out through the crowd, but Reigns doesn’t follow. Reigns delivers a Superman punch to Cesaro, while Sheamus hits a Brogue Kick on Ambrose in the ring. They cover Ambrose for the win to retain the Tag Titles. Winners and still RAW Tag Team Champions: The Bar (Sheamus and Cesaro)
After the bell, The Bar takes the Tag Team titles and runs through the crowd to leave with Joe. Rollins, Reigns and Ambrose recover in the ring as RAW goes off the air.