We open straight into the HHH and HBK entrances after the main event of Super Show-Down ended with both being attacked by the Brothers of Destruction. HHH looks great in his leather jacket, not his suit. HBK looks his usual gruff self in his cowboy hat.
HHH talks about mountains and avalanches, then we get a video package of the weekend in Australia.
Trips talks about respect and mentions how HBK has stuck to his guns in his retirement thanks to the respect he has for Undertaker.
HBK points out the trip home from Australia was a long one and gave him time to realise he has honoured his word out of respect for Taker... a respect that never existed at all from the dead man. When they touched down... HHH asked HBK... ARE. YOU. READY?
HHH then says are the Brothers of Destruction ready at The Crown Jewel?
If they aren't HBK says they have two words for them... and the crowds chants SUCK IT! Wow. DX are officially back! Crotch chops and new DX shirts are revealed.
So there we have it. It's official. DX v Brothers of Destruction at Crown Jewel.
We all know the real reason for HBK's return, but it's happening now so let's just enjoy it. This was a good promo from two pros and the hype starts now... I think a tag works better than a singles between any of the four men involved, so I think this will be better than last weekend.
BOBBY LASHLEY (W/LIO RUSH) v KEVIN OWENS
- Hype man Lio Rush has a mic in his hand and is giving out advice and analysis. He's great.
- Lashley is in control from the off, showing off his insane athleticism.
- The cocky Rush telling fans to cheer for Lashley is having the opposite effect and Owens is the one being cheered.
- Owens hits a cannonball over the top rope onto Lashley, much against the idea that he 'isn't an athlete' as Ruch proclaims on the mic.
- Lashley strikes on the outside, with each blow being met with boos from the universe.
- He then misses the spear, crashing into the barricade alone! The slow-mo looked savage on that.
- Back from break Owens goes after Rush who is continuing to commentate on the match with his brilliantly annoying critique and support of 'his man' Lashley. The crowd eat it up before Bobby makes the save.
- Lashley DESTROYS Owens with a devastating spinebuster.
- Rush is yelling KO doesn't have a chance as Lashley hits his delayed suplex finisher.
- OWENS KICKS OUT at two!
- OMG Owens hits a stunner!
- TWO!
- Owens goes to the top rope but Rush distracts him and he is knocked off by Lashers.
- Lashley gets more vicious in his demeanour and moveset with strikes to Owens' knee and puts him away with a new move.
- Rush continues his 'Lashley' chant as Bobby makes the ref lift his hand in victory.
- Lashley goes back into the ring with a chop block and then wraps the knee around the ringpost multiple times.
- That was great. It was leftfield, but this heel turn makes sense as he simply wasn't catching on as a face - even with his armed forces background. Rush and Lashley as heels are now a whole new act to enjoy, whilst potentially we get to see Owens as a face for the first time in WWE. Loved this.
The WWE World Cup tournament at Crown Jewel is announced with John Cena confirmed as the first entrant whilst there will be a battle royal tonight to find our second.
BAYLEY & BALOR INTERVIEW
They get asked about their upcoming Mixed Match Challenge match this week and are all white teeth and smiles before getting interrupted by Lashley and Rush. Lashley says why would you be talking about hugs when you could be talking to him, who took Owens apart tonight. Rush adds that with his words and with Lashley's power, they are simply TOO SWEET.
That was great, it reminded people that the MMC is taking place still, got Lashley and Rush over as jerks once again and popped the internet nerds with the too sweet jibe at Balor. I will be all over a potential Balor v Lashley feud whilst Owens recuperates.
ELIAS GIG
- Elias is a legend.
- WWE stands for Walk With Elias.
- He has written a song about what went wrong in Australia...
- "I was distracted by so many things... most of all John Cena's hair."
- "The Cubs won't be in the World Series."
- Joan Jett and Ronda Rousey interrupt!
- Man, Elias has his act down. He's such a better wrestler for hardly being in the ring.
RONDA ROUSEY & THE BELLAS v THE RIOTT SQUAD
- Commentary read out a Rousey tweet thanking Australia and the Bellas for having her back on the weekend.
- Brie and Liv to start. Ooooooh this could be interesting after the concussion Brie gave Liv last week! The crowd don't seem that invested during the stare down though, which is a shame.
- Liv slaps Brie!
- Straight to the Yes! Kicks?! Liv ducks to avoid near death...
- Both grapple to the outside and need to be pulled apart by their partners.
- Rousey and Logan tag in.
- Ronda throws Logan around like a rag doll and we get a stand-off to go to break.
- Back from break and Nikki hits Riott with a spinebuster and a sick kick before tagging in Brie.
- Brie immediately on the back foot as she gets an STO on the outside.
- Quick tags between The Riott Squad who work over Brie.
- Brie fights them off and hits a middle rope dropkick on Riott to tag in Rousey.
- Some great exchanges between Rousey and Riott who appear to have great chemistry.
- ARMBAR! Riott taps!
- The faces celebrate but then Nikki blindsides Rousey before The Bellas get beasted by Rousey single-handedly.
- Rousey gets double-teamed outside though and takes a ringpost, stair and barricade shot as The Bellas get booed.
- She is then thrown back into the ring as The Bellas put their feet on her and brag to the crowd who chant 'You Suck'.
- The match itself was your usual fare of timing issues and mild botches with the women involved (Rousey and Riott aside), and featured another heel turn! This time it was The Bellas, which I sort of predicted in my post this weekend. I am somewhat surprised that Brie turned as well as she has been a big part of Bryan's storyline with Miz. It will be interesting to see how they address that on Smackdown.
BAYLEY & FINN BALOR v ALICIA FOX & JINDER MAHAL
- Sunil Singh and Alicia Fox fighting over Jinder Mahal is funny.
- Mahal goes straight into a headlock for 30 seconds. Bloody hell!
- Balor assists Bayley on some dropkicks, who then head scissors' Mahal!
- Mahal is furious and leaves the ring as we go to break.
- Fox is in control as we come back, before getting sent to the outside twice.
- Balor back in and he hits his exciting move-set which gets the crowd going.
- Fox makes the save for her team.
- Nothing can save Mahal from the Coup de Grace, though as Balor pins him!
- Bayley and Balor are doing very little at the moment so this Mixed Match Challenge is giving them something to get their teeth into and the crowd is into their act. Potential winners for sure. Mahal and Fox are playing their parts as losers very well, whilst the dynamic with Sunil and Fox adds a bit of fun to their act too.
DOGS OF WAR BACKSTAGE SEGMENT
Dolph Ziggler is giving a pep talk to Braun and Drew before being reminded that he was the weak link again last weekend and lost the match to The Shield. Maybe it's time he started pulling his own weight before worrying about Braun and himself says Drew. Braun then sets out their mission is to back him up in his quest to become Universal champion. If they can't do that and continue bickering, they won't be able to put The Shield down for good tonight. He doesn't want to hear any more excuses!
I loved this as it shows the cracks between the tag of Dolph and Drew and the lack of belief Braun has in both. I firmly see Drew becoming a face soon against Dolph and AOP becoming Braun's new henchmen.
HEATH SLATER BACKSTAGE SEGMENT
Heath Slater stops Constable Corbin in the corridor and asks to be part of the battle royal as it would be an honour to represent West Virginia at The Crown Jewel. Baron says everyone wants to be part of it but Slater's just not very good.
This shows Corbin being a douche and also puts sympathy on Slater. I wonder where they are going with this? Slater hasn't been a part of RAW for bloody ages!
WORLD CUP QUALIFIER BATTLE ROYAL
- There are a bunch of jobbers in the ring - is Slater in a mask in order to gain a spot?
- Baron Corbin arrives and says he can't believe he is being booed.
- He is going to prove himself against the best wrestlers in the world and win this battle royal. Haha this is gold.
- 'The most star-studded battle royal ever assembled.'
- Corbin runs down the entrants including The Sultan of Shawarma and Franck The Belgian Waffler!
- The Conquistador is hit outside but isn't eliminated, so just chills by the apron.
- Corbin goes through the jobbers until it's seemingly just him and Thunder Montgomery left. Luxembourg's own gets the claw on Corbin!
- Corbin eliminates him too and celebrates...
- He says ring the bell, but The Conquistador still remains outside.
- The Conquistador does a naff dance and then hits german suplexes!
- Corey Graves 'I thought he was Spanish'.
- ANGLE SLAM!
- Clothesline over the top and The Conquistador wins!
- The Conquistador unmasks and it's not Heath Slater... but Kurt Angle!
- Corbin looks dumbfounded.
- Kurt Angle is headed to The Crown Jewel to be part of The WWE World Cup!
- Baron Corbin was great here, loads of the jobbers were fun and Kurt Angle played it to perfection. Loved this. Good laugh. So that's two Americans out of eight at the World Cup. They really don't get stuff do they?
KURT ANGLE BACKSTAGE INTERVIEW
Charly Caruso congratulates Kurt on being in the WWE World Cup. He jokes that he is technically still on vacation and gives her a creepy wink. Kurt's wife tweeted this out and commented 'You said you were only nipping out to get milk'. Awesome.
EMBER MOON v NIA JAX
- Ember Moon is already in the ring
- Trying to remember if Nia is face or heel at present is always difficult.
- Jax stays on her feet despite attempts to knock her down.
- Wow. Amazing sell from Moon on a hair throw. Looked great in slo-mo.
- Moon finally gets Jax down with a hurricanrana.
- Suicide dive to the outside doesn't budge Jax.
- Jax DESTROYS herself by running into the apron as Moon moves back into the ring for a count-out win.
- Jax raises Moon's hand in a show of friendship and respect.
-This was super short but told a good story of David v Goliath. It protects Jax from a pinfall loss and Moon gets a victory. Some of the spots here looked great, but the crowd didn't seem to care for either act.
TRISH STRATUS IN-RING PROMO
Trish hypes WWE Evolution at the end of the month. She says last week's moment of bliss sounded like a moment of BS. She gets interrupted by Mickie James and Alexa Bliss who calls the crowd dullards, but Trish responds by making fun of her math from last week. "Maths ain't the only place you come up short."
Bliss insincerely says she had goosebumps to be out with Stratus and runs through Trish's accomplishments, before changing her tact and saying 'You sucked and you're lucky I wasn't around when you were a wrestler."
Trish invites her into the ring to find out, but Mickie stops a physical interaction, saying the fans in Chicago don't deserve it. Trish says fine, protect your bestie, because she knows what it is like to be in the ring with Stratus and will take care of business... just like that followed a fingersnap and head tilt.
James then says she wants in on this at Evolution and to make it a tag match. That leaves Trish to decide upon a tag partner... how about this person right here? LITA'S MUSIC PLAYS! Lita arrives and as Bliss powders out of the ring Stratus and Lita 2 on 1 James. Stratus hits two odd looking kicks and then looks to hit the moonsault before being saved by Alexa Bliss.
We know the reason behind this match change is Alexa's injury and I am all for the tag between these four. It was a bit jarring seeing the face resort to short jokes and a 2 on 1 attack, but the crowd enjoyed the segment and the Lita return was a good moment.
THE SHIELD BACKSTAGE PROMO
We get an old school Shield promo complete with fuzzy grey gradient. We aren't friends, we're a brotherhood. We don't bend, we don't break we are the only constant. We are the hounds of Justice. We are the shield. All the nostalgia.
BOBBY ROODE & CHAD GABLE v THE ASCENSION
- The Ascension actually get an entrance! When was the last time that happened. AND A PROMO. Wow.
- Konnor says he has beaten them both separately and now as a team they will send Roode and Gable straight to the Wasteland... for good.
- Konnor shows his strength against Roode with power moves.
- Viktor hits a huge spiral uppercut.
- We get CM Punk chants... snooze.
- Heat segment on Gable.
- Tag to Roode who hits chops and a blockbuster on Viktor.
- Glorious DDT reversed.
- Gable blind tags Roode and hits the Chaos Theory for the win on Viktor.
- Roode seems upset with the way that went down.
- AOP arrive for some destruction.
- Double shoulder tackle to Konnor. Massive clotheslines to Gable and Roode. Powerbomb neckbreaker combo to Roode. Super Collider on Gable and Viktor.
- AOP chants.
- Drake Maverick celebrates with his guys.
- I like that they are trying to do something with The Ascension, they teased the fraction between Gable and Roode and AOP destroyed folk. Missions accomplished.
PAUL HEYMAN PROMO
I'm here to see a fight as The Shield rematch with the Dogs of War. They beat the crap out of each other in Australia. They travelled half the way around the world. They are going to do it all again to put smiles on the faces of the WWE Universe.
Meanwhile tonight in Suplex City, Brock is sleeping in his own bed, training in his own training camp for the specific purpose to become the first ever WWE and UFC champion at the same time. The Shield and The Dogs of War are a team, Brock is his own man, which is why Brock will once again be the reigning, defending, undisputed, Universal heavyweight champion.
THE SHIELD v THE DOGS of WAR
- WWE have dropped Dogs of War but I love that name so I am keeping it. Hopefully AOP and Braun use it when they become a team?
- The Shield come through the crowd.
- Seth Rollins is ticklish sign in the crowd. Fantastic oddness.
- Crowd are hot for the Braun and Roman interactions.
- McIntyre and Ziggler are dumped out the ring.
- Braun says get your crap together!
- Duelling suicide dives by Rollins and Ambrose.
- Swan dive over the top rope by Reigns!
- Ziggler and McIntyre fail to stop a tag from looking likely so Braun destroys Reigns and Ambrose on the outside.
- That's how you carry your weight!
- Ziggler gets choked by Braun and Drew and Braun stare off.
- Rollins knees Drew into Braun.
- Seth drags himself to tag in Ambrose.
- I'm enjoying Ambrose's new moveset.
- Dirty deeds reversed.
- Reigns saves Ambrose.
- Rollins saves Ambrose.
- BROTHERHOOD!
- We get the Danny Jones & Mike Bird suplex outside the ring spot with Rollins and Ziggler. Never forget that match, lads.
- Reigns gets ringposted by Braun.
- Ambrose hits a suicide dive into a DDT on the outside on Braun!
- SPEAR to Braun on the outside.
- Claymore kick! McIntyre pins Ambrose!
- Dogs of War celebrate as The Shield look downtrodden.
- Ambrose walks off leaving Reigns and Rollins in the ring.
- Another great match between these six men. I enjoy the story of Ambrose losing and doubting the brotherhood stuff, and also enjoy the thin line between Braun and his lackies. It makes for a combustible outcome every time these teams meet.
I thought that RAW was good fun this week. We got two heel turns, three matches set for upcoming shows, a fantastic Baron Corbin performance and a brilliant main event. Enjoyable stuff.
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