This week’s episode of WWE RAW aired live on the USA Network from the Sprint Center Arena in Kansas City, Missouri.
– RAW opens up with Stephanie McMahon in the back planning Kevin Owens’ celebration tonight. Mick Foley approaches her in the back and questions her about her knowledge of Triple H’s involvement in the Universal Title match last week. Stephanie says she had no knowledge, and was embarrassed by her husband. Foley says if she’s lying that makes her a really bad person.
– After the RAW intro video, Owens is welcomed to the ring by Mick and Stephanie as balloons fall from the ceiling. Owens cuts a promo on the crowd, trashing them for chanting “You deserve it.” He says the crowd is just trying to steal his moment and feel special, and he is already well aware that he deserves it. Owens says all Triple H did last week was give him a little nudge after he did all the work, and that RAW is now officially known as The Kevin Owens Show. Seth Rollins interrupts and tells Owens to shut up, then asks Stephanie how she could do this to him. Stephanie says she has no idea her husband would do that, but Rollins isn’t buying it. Rollins gets in Foley’s face and questions him too. Rollins says Owens was Triple H’s chosen one all along and his hand was held through NXT. Owens says Rollins has been a failure since his return from injury, and Rollins decks him. Owens leaves the ring, and Stephanie suspends Rollins indefinitely. Foley interrupts and says “no he’s not” suspended. Foley says this calls for a rematch instead of a suspension, and it’ll happen at Clash Of The Champions.
– Backstage, Stephanie says Foley will be fired if he ever usurps her authority again. Owens walks on screen and cuts a promo on Foley for rewarding Rollins with a title match. Foley books Owens in a match tonight against Sami Zayn, then Chris Jericho walks in and yells at Foley for disrespecting his friend. Jericho says Rollins must be a “Holy Foley mark” to get that rematch and calls Foley a stupid idiot. Foley books Jericho against Rollins later, and tells him to have a nice day.
– Bayley def. Charlotte: Dana Brooke is at ringside for this non-title match. After going back and forth in the opening moments with Bayley getting the upper hand, Charlotte takes things to the floor at ringside and takes control of the match. Back in the ring, Charlotte keeps Bayley grounded with a choke hold, but Bayley comes back with a cross body for a two count. Bayley hits Charlotte with a big boot but isn’t able to capitalize on it and Charlotte starts working on Bayley’s right knee. Charlotte works the knee for a couple minutes before hitting her with some chops to the chest. Bayley comes back with an elbow off the middle turnbuckle. Bayley goes for splash in the corner but Dana pulls Charlotte out of the way. Bayley knocks Dana off the apron and Charlotte rolls her up from behind for two. When Bayley kicks out, she sends Charlotte flying into Dana and knocking her down again. Charlotte turns around into a belly to belly suplex from Bayley for the 3 count.
– Backstage, Charlotte yells at Dana for messing up her match. Dana says she’ll do better next time and make it up to her. Charlotte slaps her across the face and walks away.
– Bo Dallas def. Kyle Roberts: Bo Dallas comes out with a “Believe In Bo” sign. Dallas cuts a brief promo on his jobber before the match, then drops him with a clothesline and hits several knee drops. Bo picks Roberts up and hits several more knee strikes before hitting a spinning reverse DDT for the win.
– Jericho and Owens are in the back talking about Foley, Stephanie and Rollins disrespecting him. Jericho says Owens is the longest reigning Universal Champion in history, and he’s going to beat down Rollins for him tonight. He says Owens is his best friend and they hug.
– Seth Rollins def. Chris Jericho: Rollins starts things off on the offensive with a series of kicks and chops, then stomps a mudhole in Jericho in the corner. Jericho rolls outside then Rollins hits a suicide dive and beats down Jericho around ringside. Back in the ring, Jericho hits a series of kicks on Rollins and takes control of the match. Rollins starts mounting a comeback, but Jericho hits a springboard dropkick that sends Seth down to the floor. Jericho stays on the offensive back in the ring, but Rollins comes back with a facebuster that plants Jericho on the middle turnbuckle. They exchange right hands then Rollins hits the Slingblade for a near-fall. Rollins hits some running forearms in the corner then a Blockbuster off the middle rope for another near-fall. Jericho escapes a Pedigree attempt and goes for the Walls of Jericho, but Rollins gets out and hits a running knee to the head. Rollins misses a springboard splash and Jericho gets him in the Walls. Rollins reaches the ropes to break the hold, then hits a couple kicks to the head of Jericho. Rollins misses a frogsplash off the top rope and Jericho capitalizes with a Lionsault for a near-fall. They trade kicks until Rollins ducks one and pulls out a Pedigree out of nowhere for the win.
– Sheamus def. Cesaro: Cesaro’s back is all taped up for this one. Cesaro starts off with a bang and quickly hits a springboard elbow off the middle rope for a near-fall. Sheamus comes back and hits a series of Irish Curse backbreakers on Cesaro, and Cesaro is really selling his back. Sheamus continues working Cesaro’s back, and eventually hits the Celtic Cross onto his knee for the win.
– The Shining Stars def. Enzo & Cass: Big Cass sends both members of the Stars out of the ring down to the floor early on, then tags in Enzo for the follow-up suicide dive onto them. Back in the ring, Epico hits a series of suplexes on Enzo after a distraction by Primo. Primo gets the tag and misses a splash in the corner. Epico and Big Cass get the hot tags and Cass clears the ring. Cass slams Epico and hits the Empire Elbow, then follows up with a splash in the corner and a big boot. He tags Enzo and goes to do their double team finisher, but Primo pulls Cass’ foot from the ringside floor. Cass goes outside and chases Primo into the ring, and Enzo hits a splash off the top on Primo. Epico is still the legal man, and quickly rolls up Enzo from behind for the win.
– Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens exchange words briefly in the back about their match tonight, and Zayn says they will probably never resolve their issues.
– Nia Jax def. Ann Esposito: Nia throws Ann into the turnbuckle and follows up with a splash. Ann hits some elbows and a kick then goes for a sleeper. Nia slams her down and hits a series of butt bumps in the corner. Nia gets Ann up in the fireman’s carry then drops her with a slam for the win in a quick squash match.
– Gallows and Anderson come out to the ring to say they are going to retire The New Day just like they retired the Dudleys. They bring out three actors impersonating what The New Day might look like in the future in a retirement home. The actors in grey wigs with canes and walkers get microphones and say that Gallows and Anderson beat the power of positivity out of them. The real New Day comes out and trashes Gallows and Anderson. The New Day decides to beat up Gallows and Anderson and they hit the ring, but the Club members roll out and retreat up the ramp. The New Day directs their attention towards their “future selves” after one of them hits the real Big E with their cane. The New Day lays out the actors portraying them, and they hit the Midnight Hour on the “future Big E.”
– Darren Young def. Jinder Mahal: Titus O’Neil is on commentary cutting a promo on Young. Young hits a swinging neckbreaker in the opening moments for a near-fall early on. Jinder comes back with a powerslam and some boots to Young. Young comes back with a clothesline and a belly to belly overhead suplex. Titus makes his way down to ringside to distract Darren, but Darren still hits the Gut Check on Jinder for the win. After the bell, Young and O’Neil brawl all over ringside. Darren takes one of Titus’ shoes and throws it at him, then referees separate them. Titus heads to the back as Young and Bob Backlund celebrate in the ring.
– Nia Jax and Alicia Fox get in each others’ faces backstage. Alicia starts freaking out and throwing things off of a nearby table, and accidentally hits Nia in the face with something. Nia shoves Alicia onto the table and walks away as Alicia yells at her.
– Braun Strowman def. Sin Cara: Sin Cara kicks things off with a dropkick that sends Strowman stumbling into the corner. Strowman quickly takes control of the match and keeps Sin Cara grounded. Strowman takes things to the floor at ringside and Sin Cara comes back with a series of kicks and a dropkick off the ring steps onto Strowman. Sin Cara goes to get back in the ring, but Strowman grabs him by the legs and flings him into the fan barricade. Strowman rolls back in the ring and Sin Cara gets counted out. Strowman beats down Sin Cara on the floor after the match.
– Sasha Banks comes out to the ring and cuts a promo about the women’s revolution in WWE. Sasha says she has an update on her condition, and has some bad news. Before she gets to her announcement, Dana Brooke interrupts and hits the ring. Dana throws the mirophone at her but Sasha immediately comes back with the Banks Statement. Sasha says the bad news wasn’t about herself but was for Charlotte, and she’s going to get her Women’s Title back.
– Kevin Owens def. Sami Zayn: Owens’ Universal Title is not on the line in this one. Owens gets in the majority of the offense early on until Zayn comes back with a spinning heel kick. Owens pulls Zany to the outside and Zayn jumps off the fan barricade with a moonsault on Owens. Back in the ring, Owens keeps Zayn grounded and hits a Senton bomb for a 2 count. Owens slaps Zayn across the face and that wakes him up. Zayn throws Owens to the outside and hits a suicide dive over the top rope onto Owens on the floor. Zayn throws Owens back in the ring and Owens rolls out the other side, so Zayn hits another dive over the top onto Owens on the floor. He throws Owens back in the ring and hits the Blue Thunder Bomb for a near-fall. Owens escapes a suplex attempt and goes for a cannonball in the corner, but Zayn pops up and hits a t-bone suplex into the turnbuckle. Owens comes back with a big clothesline and this time successfully hits the cannonball. Zayn escapes a Pop Up Powerbomb and hits another t-bone suplex for a two count. Zayn starts selling his right ankle. On the floor, Zayn hits a half-nelson suplex on Owens. Back in the ring, Zayn is unable to hit a big boot due to his ankle injury and Owens comes back with a superkick and a powerbomb for the win.
– After the match, Roman Reigns’ music hits and he makes his way out to the ring. Reigns steps in through the ropes and Owens steps out to the apron. Chris Jericho comes out to help his best friend Owens. Mick Foley comes out to the stage before things get out of hand. Foley says next week Reigns will get a shot at Owens, and if Reigns wins he’ll be able to take part in the Universal Title match between Owens and Rollins at Clash Of The Champions. Owens starts walking to the back and Jericho tries to ambush Reigns from behind, but Reigns turns around and spears Jericho.
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