Tonight’s show is in tribute to Connor’s Cure, and in honor of Connor, many of the wrestlers tonight are sporting shirts which have the logo and “Keep on Crushing.” Man, sometimes things tributes make me want to cry.
RAW kicks off with a match between John Cena and Jason Jordan. Billed as a nod to when Cena had his open invitation bout with Kurt Angle. Match starts off slow, with some amateur takedowns, but quickly heats up. Really good match. Just love it when Jordan goes for those rolling Northern Lights suplexes.
Post-match, Roman Reigns ruins everything with a repetitive slandering. Cena fires back with awesome banter like “we know thinking isn’t your strong suit.” Reigns struggles to come back with witty banter. Cena wins this promo segment. Easily. Reigns tries, he does. But not as good as last week.
Cena gives nods to Jordan, Chad Gable, and the Miz. Reigns is ugly when he smiles.
Cesaro and Sheamus defeated Heath Slater and Rhyno
RAW Tag Team Champions Two-Thirds Shield are at commentary. Short match, nothing special.
Backstage: The Hardy Boyz continue their teasing ways of “Woken/Broken” as Jeff challenges The Miz for the Intercontinental Championship.
The Miz defeats Jeff Hardy in a pretty darn good match. Jeff took some sick bumps. Just goes to show how Jeff still has it and Miz will put on a good show, and continue pissing off the live audience so well.
Backstage: Nia Jax wants a title match. Emma interrupts with some twitter nonsense. Kurt pulls a Teddy Long, making a tag match between Jax and Emma against Banks and Bliss. If Jax and Emma win, the title match at No Mercy becomes a Fatal Four Way, otherwise it will be another rematch between Banks and Bliss.
Tonight, Steel Cage match between Braun Strowman and The Big Show. They really love replaying the ring demolition spot.
Tony Nese, Noam Dar, and a clean shaven Drew Gulak take on Cedric Alexander, Gran Metalik, and Enzo Amore in a rematch from 205Live. It is weird seeing Enzo with the cruiserweights. He fits in, sorta. I guess he’s there to push 205Live? His nickname for Nese is pretty awesome, and then just calls Gulak as Captain Underpants. The match is good, with the underlying theme of Enzo somehow being able to showboat and steal the victory. Possible heel turn? Too early to tell.
Backstage: Bliss and Banks argue about tonight.
Finn Balor proclaims Omaha as Balor Club. A “Too Sweet” chant breaks which he acknowledges. He’s out to continue his feud with Bray Wyatt. It’s a good feud. It keeps them busy until something opens up for Balor. This is also part of what I fear, an overcrowded roster and too many wrestlers in prolonged feuds just because there isn’t much else to do.
They are hyping up Randy Orton vs. Shinsuke Nakamura. Nakamura’s sell of the RKO was the best one I’ve seen in years.
Nia Jax and Emma defeated Sasha Banks and Alexa Bliss
Another good match, when Jax gets in the ring and Bliss shrieks like it’s a horror film when she realizes she’s toast. Emma gets the sneak pinfall after Jax legdrops Bliss. But that’s fine, because Jax plasters Emma post-match. Things are being pushed in Jax’s direction, but I wouldn’t be shocked if this fatal-four way is a ruse to keep the belt on Bliss.
Two-Thirds Shield defeated Gallows and Anderson. Long match, Sheamus and Cesaro at ringside. The former champs get involved, but it backfires, allowing Rollins to earn the pinfall. A noticeable “Too Sweet” chant is heard as Cesaro and Sheamus turn their attention to the ring and a brawl breaks out. Ambrose and Rollins walk away laughing. It’s a good feud, and I’m glad The Club are getting some time involved and not just considered an afterthought.
A wonderful promo package airs to promote awareness of Pediatric Cancer and the Connor’s Cure foundation. WWE gets a lot of credit for getting this off the ground and raising money for this cause.
Backstage: Enzo, Cedric, and Metalik are chatting backstage when Neville spoils it. He informs the trio they are in a fatal-five on 205Live to become number one contender for the Cruiserweight Championship.
Backstage: Referee for tonight’s match is interviewed, who was the same who officiated the last ring-shattering encounter. He plans on staying out of the way.
Backstage: The Big Show. He gives a big warning to Strowman, in 23 years there has never been anyone to slay the giant. Well… That’s a setup for tonight.
It’s a cage match. Something has to happen. This match doesn’t further any storyline, it just gives Big Show a marquee match and Strowman the opportunity to enhance his stock value in becoming a believable challenger for Brock Lesnar. Truth is, he already has.
Braun Strowman defeats Big Show by pinfall
Big Show drops a top rope elbow. We got a top rope superplex, no ring break. Really good match, props to Show. Props to Strowman. Not as much carnage as I expected. A couple of avalanche splashes into the cell wall. Post-match, Strowman sends Brock a message, his reign as Universal Champion is coming to an end. He takes Big Show, and throws him through a cage wall. It looked impressive, even though we’ve seen it before.
Man, I guess this might be it for Big Show.
Overall, well done and well paced episode of RAW.
