It is the go home show for WWE Evolution on the RAW side, so we are sure to get plenty of hype and promo for Sunday's show... plus we will get the latest fallout from the Dogs of War v The Shield which has dominated this brand for the past few weeks. Let's get to it!
ROMAN REIGNS PROMO
Roman Reigns' music hits to start the show which garners the usual boos from the WWE Universe. He is in streetwear, sporting a blinging gold watch and neck chain and he has his hair in a man bun. That's new! He has a slow, methodical demeanour about him tonight, something seems different. He smirks as the crowd boo once his music stops and takes an age to say anything, taking it in.
Oh my God. He says that he has come out in the past and said he would be a fighting champion and be here week in and week out but unfortunately that is a lie. His real name is Joe and he has been fighting leukemia for 11 years and has to relinquish the WWE Universal Championship because it is back.
When he was 22 years old he was diagnosed with the condition but he fought his way to remission. Football was done with him, and he had a baby on the way and it was WWE that gave him a chance.
He thanks the fans for cheering him, for booing him and reacting to him as that is the most important thing. 'Thank You Roman' chants from the crowd. He says life isn't fair and the best thing for him to do now is be at home and whoop leukemia's ass for the second time to prove to his wife and kids he will always swing for the fences when faced with tough tasks.
I will beat this and I will be back very, very soon. He then leaves the WWE Universal title in the middle of the ring and leaves as the crowd chant 'Thank You, Roman.' Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose come out to the ramp and embrace him. They cry together and do the Shield fist bump pose.
- This blog is called wrestling should be fun and that was the absolute opposite. An absolutely devastating piece of television which showed amazing conviction and courage from Roman to deliver. The fact they did not play on him beating leukemia in my opinion had to have been Roman's call and wow, that is some decision. He could have easily used it as a card but wanted to sink or swim on his own. For all of these years he has battled to get over as a babyface and didn't once use it. Get well soon, Joe.
Commentary do a piece to camera where Michael Cole says that as WWE colleagues and fans, we live in an alternate universe, but tonight reality hit us hard. They all wish Roman the best in his fight. We do too...
FINN BALOR v BOBBY LASHLEY (W/ LIO RUSH)
Corey Graves says that Finn isn't happy with his career trajectory and wants to get back to his past glories. Hear, hear. Lio Rush comes out and hypes 'his man' Lashley.
LASHLEY! LASHLEY! LASHLEY!
- Lashley manhandles Balor as Rush narrates in his annoying style.
- Rush interferes and causes Balor to run after him where Lashley is waiting with a lariat!
- Lashley continues to dominate with Lashley flexing his muscles to taunt the crowd.
- Basement dropkick from Balor!
- Lashley catches Balor's crossbody and hits a Samoan Drop!
- Balor wriggles out of the delayed suplex from Lashley...
- Lashley stops him in his tracks again with another lariat.
- Lashley lifts Balor up for a dominator but Balor escapes with a rollup for the win!
- BALOR WINS!
- Balor, despite winning, looks in physical pain whilst Lashley looks unhurt but paces the ring in rage.
- This was a short match but shows they have decent chemistry. Balor wins which is huge for him, and also keeps Lashley looking strong with his selling after the match and the fact it was a surprise roll-up victory. I think they are capable of putting on a great match with more time.
SASHA BANKS (W/ NATALYA & BAYLEY) v RUBY RIOTT (W/ SARAH LOGAN & LIV MORGAN)
The Riott Squad get a VT Promo where Liv says she dreams of a world full of unbearable pain and suffering and Logan dreams of stalking and tormenting her prey. Riott concludes that at Evolution they turn their oppositions dreams into nightmares, because when they win, they riot. Those are some heavy words - but anything is better than the condiment squirting of last week!
- Sasha Banks has control until The Riott Squad attempt to get involved and Riott gets a cheap shot.
- Lucha arm drag by Banks.
- Knee to Riott sends her outside.
- Banks attempts a baseball slide but the Riott Squad move Ruby away from harm.
- Back in the ring and Riott hits a nice STO.
- Banks fights out if a cravat and hits a MASSIVE knee on the bridge of Riott's nose!
- Double knees and then a meteora off the ropes by Banks!
- BANK STATEMENT!
- Logan comes in just like last week for the DQ but Bayley intervenes.
- Banks goes outside to so save Bayley and Natalya from their scraps outside the ring.
- Once sorted, she heads back in but Riott kicks her into the turnbuckle!
- RIOTT KICK!
- Ruby Riott wins!
- The Squad gloat as their opposition look to re-group in the ring.
- Commentary plug Evolution on Sunday featuring the six woman tag between these teams.
- I enjoyed this, Banks has a bit of ring rust but that is expected and they kept the crowd invested which is testing after the Reigns news.
BROTHERS OF DESTRUCTION PROMO
We get a re-run of last week's promo from RAW. I liked it then, but not enough to see a condensed version on SmackDown Live and now the full version again on Raw this week! With the Reigns news this may well have been a bumper however, so I am giving them a pass as they have more time to fill without Roman.
DX PROMO
HHH says fear is the reason that The Brothers of Destruction think DX haven't fought them. Then he says it will take more than going to instill fear in them than going on a lunch hour, taking a go-pro, stepping into a civic hall, going into the boiler room, throwing on your mask and making idle threats. Neither of them are running from mayor.
HBK Says another word was nostalgia. That's a polite way of saying old. HHH points out that the nostalgic Halloween film out now is breaking records and at Super Show-Down they sold out a huge arena in Australia. Maybe nostalgia means we're better?
When it comes to better, the X in DX may well be in the past, but another X that says we're better and that is very much the future... and guess what we're running that too. The crowd smatter NXT chants. Proof there that the casual fans don't watch that product.
Here's the thing, Brothers of Destruction, DX aren't coming to Crown Jewel for nostalgia or to make you laugh, but to kick your ass...
BONG!
We get a VT of a graveyard where Kane and Undertaker are stood over a grave. Pride goes before a fall and at Crown Jewel bring your dreams because we are bringing our contempt and despair. Triple H should have stayed away, HBK should have stayed retired, you can't outrun the reaper and you can't survive the brothers of destruction. Gravestones of both HBK and HHH are shown with their death dates at Crown Jewel on November 2nd 2018.
We will lay your bodies to rest, we will own your broken souls and you will be made to tormented by your failure in the deepest pits of hell. And you will never rest in peace...
- Well that was mental! DX broke the fourth wall a few times and were playing that kind of Kevin Nash line of being a cool heel, whilst Taker and Kane went full horror movie villain! Surely they are trying to set them up as the heel team here? A return to the sadistic Ministry style Taker was in full swing. The Brothers are cold hearted savages in this story and it shows they mean business. It makes sense as HHH was mocking them for being faux scary - but in terms of the threats here - there was nothing idle about them. They'll probably get cheered in Saudi Arabia.
BREAKING NEWS
It is announced that Brock Lesnar and Braun Strowman will face off at Crown Jewel for the vacant WWE Universal Championship.
- Reports were that Braun worked as a face during house shows last week - are we getting a face Braun as champ?
PAUL HEYMAN PROMO
A visibly shaken Paul Heyman stands in the ring and he says his thoughts and prayers are with a champion of a man we know as Roman Reigns. It is humbling to be in the dressing room with a man of such courage and greatness.
What he wants his children to know is that what happened tonight was sacrifice, because he couldn't fulfill his obligations and the WWE Universal Championship should be held by someone who is the best the industry has.
Until 8pm WWE could do that but the show must go on and at Crown Jewel either Braun or Brock carry on the legacy of Roman Reigns - and that sure as hell ain't Braun Strowman - it's Brock Lesnar.
Braun isn't in Brock's league - he's not even the same species. BRAUN arrives and says he's kicking Brock's ass and bringing the title back to Raw - not just when he wants, but every Monday!
When Roman beats leukemia in a few years, he will be first in line with a title opportunity, but before then brock is gonna GET THESE HANDS!
Outta nowhere, Drew McIntyre runs down the ramp and hits a BRUTAL claymore kick!
- Well I guess that answers the question on where they are going with Braun. I can see him helping The Shield win the titles later tonight to turn him tonight.
DREW & DOLPH BACKSTAGE
Dolph Ziggler bigs up Drew saying you have just stood up to Braun, something no one else would do. Charly Caruso asks are you not afraid of repercussions? Drew says no. That's the problem with half the roster here, they aren't willing to do what it takes to get the job done. Braun just got a swift kick of reality and knows he needed them and now its for what really matters - defending their tag team championships.
- Drew came off awesome here, he is killing it in the ring and on the mic.
ELIAS v APOLLO CREWS
Last week Apollo Crews interrupted him and tonight Elias is going to sing a song about him... until Apollo interrupts again!
- Forward flip and a dropkick from Crews!
- Moonsault off the apron on Elias and Crews lands on his feet!
- Chinlock from Elias. Crowd are not buying this. Random chants begin.
- Crews powers out
- Step-up enziguri and a scream from Crews to the crowd who respond with boos.
- Standing shooting star press by Crews!!
- Fallaway slam by Crews!
- Jumping knee by Elias!
- DRIFT AWAY!
- Elias wins!
- Last week, we saw some personality from Crews, but here he got no mic time and wrestled very well to his usual lukewarm response from a crowd. They need to do something drastic with him, because this WWE audience isn't buying him.
205 Live would be a great opportunity for him if he can cut weight - or even send him back to the UK - where he was much loved as Uhaa Nation. A future heel run on Raw is basically his last chance at main roster success. Elias continues to entertain and will be face by next year in my eyes.
ELIAS GIG
Elias says that he was so pleased with his win it is time for a conclusion to his gig. Baron Corbin interrupts and says there is no time for his gig on the rest of this show. He brings up Stephanie and Elias says that she wants to walk with Elias.
Corbin says he says its lucky she likes him as if it was up to him, he would fire Elias. Get off the stage! No chants from the crowd!
Elias said he wrote a song in his head whilst Baron was sucking the entertainment out of the arena and he is going to sing it. He sings about Baron being a puppet for Stephanie until Corbin cuts his mic off.
Baron sends Elias off stage only for him to come out seconds later and hit his guitar over the shoulder blades of the General Manager! Well, I thought it was coming by next year and they pulled the trigger minutes later - Elias is now a face! The crowd eat it up!
- This has been coming for a while as Elias is too entertaining to remain a heel. Can't say I am too enthused about a match-up between this pairing, though! I think Crews may turn soon now.
CONTRACT SIGNING
The Bellas powder out of the ring as soon as Rousey seps between the ropes and start trashing the town they are in which gets plenty of boos. They say that Rousey has come to fight and they won't get in the ring as this is a contract signing.
Rousey says that she is saving the physical stuff for Sunday and to come into the ring. Unlike them, her word is a promise. She says that if she had her arms tied behind her back and The Bellas could hurt her, her mother would be ashamed of her.
The Bellas step in the ring and say did she give her mother her word she would win an Olympic gold or never get hurt in the octagon? Your mum is already ashamed of you... imagine what she will think when a 'diva' beats you for your title?
Ronda hands Nikki the pen. She signs and slaps Ronda! Rousey laughs it off and signs too. Come Sunday, she will end Nikki - she gives her her word.
Michael Cole questions why you would incite Ronda Rousey... Corey Graves suggests it is mind games from the longest running Divas champion of all time.
- That was a lot less heated than last week but I am glad that as a super face, Ronda did not break her word here. The Bellas are great at being heels and you have to assume that if they don't have a trick up their sleeve (Shayna Baszler anyone) then this is going to be a cakewalk for Rousey.
SETH AND DEAN BACKSTAGE
Charly Caruso asks can they put tonight's emotions into words? Dean says that The Shield have been on incredible highs and lows together and when there are no words you just gotta do what you always do - and what they always do is win. Seth adds that they are going to win the Tag Titles for Roman. They love ya, brother. Believe that.
- Man this was good. Genuine emotion. Surely they have to win the titles tonight and probably push through the Braun face turn?
NIA JAX v DANA BROOKE v TAMINA v EMBER MOON
These four had a tag match last week that degenerated into a battle royal. With all four entered in the battle royal at Evolution tonight they face off in a fatal four-way.
- Tamina and Jax dominate the smaller wrestlers.
- Dana tries to steal one with a rollup.
- Jax hits a rolling cannonball on Brooke!
- Tamina and Jax hoss it up.
- Tamina superkicks Jax!
- Ember Moon hits the eclipse on Tamina!
- Ember Moon wins!
- Well that was bloody quick! I thought the revolution ended the 30 second women's matches?! Ember Moon's winning streak continues and she looks a frontrunner to win the battle royal.
TRISH & LITA BACKSTAGE
Trish and Lita are talking about how they bring the best out of each other when Alicia Fox springs onto the screen saying they will get embarrassed on Sunday by Alexa and Mickie. As she appears to be their messenger, Trish is about to give her rebuttal to Fox but gets attacked by Mickie James from behind. Fox joins in and it appears they will have the upper hand going into Sunday, but Trish and Lita fight back standing tall, ending by saying 'See you Sunday.'
- There are rumours that Rousey broke Bliss' nose over the weekend and that would explain her not being here and possibly even Fox taking her place at the PPV.
DREW & ZIGGLER v AMBROSE & ROLLINS
- The Shield clear the ring and get the crowd going as we head to break.
- Fameasser for 2 by Ziggler!
- Double teams on Rollins.
- Rollins misses the hot tag to Ambrose after he is pulled from the apron by Ziggler.
- Reverse alabama slam for 2 by McIntyre!
- Frog splash for 2 by Rollins!
- Suicide dives by Ambrose!
- This is awesome chants by the crowd.
- German suplex off the top rope on Rollins!!!
- Superplex and Falcon arrow combo for 2 by Rollins!
- Claymore kick to Ambrose!
- Zigzag for 2 by Dolph!
- BRAUN'S music hits!
- Seth accidentally hits the ref.
- Double clothesline!
- Drew and Braun stare down and get at it!
- Braun and Drew brawl to the crowd and then backstage leaving it two to one.
- Dolph attempts to use his title on Seth but Ambrose intercepts.
- CURB STOMP!
- Ambrose throws the ref back in
- NEW CHAMPS!
- Crazy feel good moment as they celebrate in the ring.
- AMBROSE GIVES ROLLINS THE DIRTY DEEDS!
- He seems upset by his actions...
- Ambrose starts hitting the floor in frustration.
- The crowd is almost silent, stunned.
- Ambrose continues the attack, with vicious strikes saying 'say it again'.
- 'You watch your damn mouth'.
- Ambrose pulls the padding on the outside up.
- DIRTY DEEDS ON THE EXPOSED FLOOR!
- Some great shots of crowd members looking shocked and upset.
- He takes off his Shield vest and walks out through the crowd.
- WOW. So I saw the crowning of new champs and the Braun turn coming but NOT THIS. For me this was brilliant TV. Doing this here was shocking, no one expected it because of the Reigns news - everyone was expecting a happy ending. I think its clear that Rollins called him a lunatic again and that set him off here - with the new heel character playing off that. The lunatic fringe was a jovial lunatic you had cool stories about. Shaved head Ambrose is the lunatic you cross the street to avoid.
First off, there is only one true story tonight and that is the terrible news about Roman Reigns. Get well soon. Raw has completely re-shuffled in the last few shows with many face and heel turns and it is time for Braun to carry the ball!
I absolutely loved the ending, it was gripping TV that you didn't see coming. The Shield has never been a two person team and with Reigns out indefinitely for the time being, it makes sense to break them up as soon as possible. Wow. What an episode.
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