Shawn Michaels, Road Dogg and X-Pac were in Gorilla Position in DX gear asking each other if they were ready. They then pointed off-screen to Triple H to ask if he was ready. The camera panned to Hunter who was wearing a suit and had a headset on.
Hunter told them to have fun but to be careful because they can’t do what they used to. He warned them not to swear too. They took turns swearing, some of which were censored. Michaels asked who left out four cocks. They cut to four toy roosters. Michaels, Road Dogg, and X-Pac left, so I guess the reunion is later.
Corey Graves welcomed us to Raw and introduced our new play-by-play announcer, Kevin Patrick. They ran down Raw and said we would relive the return of Bray Wyatt last night (so he may not necessarily be appearing tonight).
The Bloodline segment
Roman Reigns and the Bloodline entered. Reigns said you’re always looking ahead when you’re the greatest of all time. His dad always taught him that the loudest in the room was always the weakest in the room. Sami Zayn suddenly looked concerned but Reigns actually singled out Jey Uso.
Zayn interrupted and the crowd chanted for him. Zayn wanted to handle Jey on Reigns’ behalf. Reigns chuckled and said, “he really is the honourary Uce.” Reigns gladly allowed him to continue.
Zayn spoke to Jey who did his best to ignore him. Zayn told Jey that his behaviour of late hasn’t been very “Us-y.” The crowd chanted “Us-y” and Jimmy Uso was amused. Zayn got the crowd to chant for Jimmy and Solo Sikoa. Jimmy was having fun with it but Sikoa remained stoic. Zayn told Jey he needs to be cool like the rest of them.
Jey looked through Zayn and asked Reigns if he was ribbing him. Reigns basically blew him off because this was Zayn’s segment.
Matt Riddle interrupted. Riddle let us know that he beat Seth Rollins in the fight pit. He knew that there was a stipulation that he couldn’t fight Reigns again for the title but his argument for a title match was “come on, bro.” He got the crowd into it. Reigns said no.
Riddle said maybe another member of the Bloodline should fight him. The crowd chanted for Sami so Jey told him he should do it. They got into a petty argument until Zayn challenged Riddle and he accepted.
(Zayn was good here but this wasn’t much of a segment.)
There was an Extreme Rules recap video where they showed quick highlights from every match. They often show video packages, of course, but this was something a little bit different. (They didn’t show Wyatt’s return.)
Johnny Gargano defeated Austin Theory (8:50)
***
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Theory controlled through an early break after suplexing Gargano onto the apron. Theory applied the Gargano Escape but Gargano escaped and applied the Gargano Escape but Theory escaped and hit a superkick. Gargano came back with his own superkick and a suicide dive into a DDT followed by One Final Beat for the pinfall win.
Uli Latukefu from ‘Young Rock’ was shown at ringside.
Rey Mysterio defeated Chad Gable (w/Otis) (7:47)
***
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Rey and Gable could have a killer match but this was just meant to give Rey a decisive win.
Rey took control just in time for Rhea Ripley and Dominik Mysterio to enter ahead of a commercial break. (Ripley wore a makeshift “BETH” armband as if Beth Phoenix was dead.) Rey went for a dive which was caught by Otis but Rey slipped away and drove him into the ring post. Rey then gave Gable a 619 and springboard splash for the pinfall win.
After the match, Dominik wanted Rey to hit him. Rey instead fought off the rest of Judgment Day. Rey went for a 619 (on Damian Priest, I think) but Dom clotheslined him.
Dom once again implored Rey to hit him. Rey went to leave so Dom shoved him from behind. Ripley held Rey against the ropes so that Dom could hit a 619. Dom stood over Rey as they abruptly went to break.
[SECOND HOUR]
After a break, they showed a video of Rey crying on the apron as Dom looked on.
Judgment Day segment
They bragged about Finn Bálor’s win over Edge at Extreme Rules. Bálor said he pissed on our parade and had other members of Judgment Day remind us that he got Edge to say “I quit.” Bálor wanted to remind us what happened so they played a very long video package of the match. Dom tried to speak but he basically gets the Vickie Guerrero treatment.
Bálor moved on to AJ Styles but didn’t speak long until Styles interrupted. Styles couldn’t believe their long friendship was coming down to this. Bálor was about to speak but Styles told him he wasn’t there to argue. Styles said Bálor was right. Everything he needed was right in front of him. He knew that what he need were friends and family.
Styles got to a knee in front of Bálor before they hugged. Bálor was thrilled. Styles told him, “I wasn’t talking about you.”
Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows entered. They joined with Styles. The crowd chanted, “holy shit.” Gallows punched Dominik and the two sides brawled. Styles, Gallows and Anderson almost got Bálor to themselves but he managed to escape.
(I don’t know if it’s just me or the crowd mixing, but it’s hard to get a gauge of this crowd so far. Dom legitimately did get good heat and the crowd popped for Styles. They also seemed happy that Gallows and Anderson returned with Styles. But there’s been some weird noise otherwise.)
Byron Saxton had a sit-down interview with Damage CTRL. He asked Bayley a question but Dakota Kai answered instead. Kai told Saxton that she was at rock bottom before Bayley lifted her up. IYO SKY said something in Kai’s ear. Kai said they would do anything for Bayley and she would get the gold she deserved. Bayley said she would kick Candice LaRae’s ass tonight.
Reigns, Heyman and Sikoa were about to leave the arena before Jey approached Reigns because he wanted to discuss something with him. Reigns basically said there was nothing to discuss because he wanted to explore New York and it was Jey’s job to make sure Zayn won tonight. Jey wondered about Sikoa but Reigns said Sikoa was with him tonight. Reigns, Heyman and Sikoa left in the car together. Jey seemed annoyed.
Candice LeRae defeated Bayley (6:08)
***
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They had a normal match that went through a break and LeRae picked up the sudden surprise win with a rollup.
— Kai and SKI ran out after to attack LeRae so Bianca Belair ran out to make the save but the numbers game was too much and Damage CTRL laid them out. Bayley gave Belair an elbow drop onto Belair’s title belt.
(There seemed to be a lot of fake booing here.)
Maryse gave Miz a birthday gift. It was a baseball bat.
The Miz’s birthday party
Miz was excited upon realizing his baseball bat was signed by the best home run hitter in baseball, José Ramírez — not Aaron Judge. There was a table set up with gifts so Maryse told him to grab one. He did, but when he lifted it off the table, Dexter Lumis’s head popped up through the table.
Miz put the gift box over Lumis’ head but Lumis appeared in the ring anyway moments later. Lumis tried to choke out Miz but Miz escaped, after accidentally pushing Maryse into the cake. Miz and Maryse both escaped before Lumis used a knife to grab a piece of cake.
This felt like a complete waste of time.
Michaels, Road Dogg, and X-Pac hyped up two jobbers in the back before they were approached by Miz and Maryse who complained about Lumis. Road Dogg suggested Miz face Lumis next week and if he loses, Lumis would get his balls. Miz accepted. (I don’t think the balls thing was an official stipulation.)
1-on-2 handicap match: Omos (w/MVP) defeated two jobbers (1:18)
**
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Omos beat two guys and laid them out afterwards with tree slams.
[THIRD HOUR]
They replayed the entire Bray Wyatt return segment from Extreme Rules.
Bobby Lashley entered for his title match. Lashley reminded us that he’s beaten Drew McIntyre, Roman Reigns, and Brock Lesnar. He was ready for Seth Rollins and called him out.
Brock Lesnar return
Lesnar entered instead of Rollins. Lesnar wore blue jeans and a jean jacket. Lesnar was in a good mood and seemed happy to see Lashley. That was before he suplexed Lashley and gave him consecutive F5s. The crowd chanted, “welcome back.” Lesnar put Lashley in a Kimura before letting go. Lesnar put his cowboy hat on and left.
Seth Rollins entered after a break as officials checked on Lashley. Rollins’ midsection was taped up. Rollins got on the mic and tried to egg Lashley on. The line that got him was when Rollins said, “I thought you were supposed to be a soldier.” Lashley limped back toward the ring and told them to start the match.
Seth Rollins defeated Bobby Lashley to win the United States Championship (2:30)
***
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Lashley went for a spear immediately but Rollins countered into a Pedigree for a nearfall. Rollins followed with a frog splash for a nearfall. Lashley hit a spear but was too hurt to capitalize. Rollins hit a series of strikes and a stomp for the pinfall win. Rollins celebrated with his belt as they quickly went to break.
— Saxton approached Lashley for an interview after the break. Lashley was pissed. He challenged Lesnar to show up on Raw next week to prove he was nothing but a bitch.
There was a spooky Bray Wyatt video, so they aren’t done teasing stuff. (There was also an ad teasing him for Friday’s Smackdown but it didn’t explicitly say he would be there.)
Elias returns next week.
Matt Riddle defeated Sami Zayn (w/The Usos) (16:15)
***1/4
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After ten minutes and a break, Jey tried to get involved but Zayn told him not to which led to Riddle getting the upper hand ahead of another break.
They wrestled back and forth following the break until Riddle hit an RKO for the pinfall win. (Jey prevented Jimmy from getting involved moments before this.)
As Riddle exited, DX entered with about seven minutes left in the show.
D-Generation X anniversary celebration
Road Dogg did his usual intro (while referring to them as “geriatric-X”) and had the crowd sing Billy Gunn’s part. Corey Graves said the other guy (Gunn) was doing something with office supplies (scissors) at the moment.
Triple H wondered who was with them 25 years ago when they started and a significant portion of the crowd applauded. Hunter and Michaels did their usual schtick and Michaels implored the crowd to put them out of their misery if they were doing this in another 25 years. He led the crowd in a “you suck” cheer and that was that.
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(I'm kinda glad I didn't buy a $150 ticket, take $4 30 min train ride from Queens, New York to Brooklyn, New York to be at the live taping at the Barclay's Center. Good show with an anti-climatic ending)
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