Tonight, Monday Night Raw hosts its last Pay-Per-View before SummerSlam: Great Balls of Fire. It is a huge night with five title defenses, a battle between former best friends, and an Ambulance Match. This event has a chance to shake up the landscape of Monday Night Raw.
Neville (c) vs. Akira Tozawa (w/Titus O’Neil) – WWE Cruiserweight Championship
Akira Tozawa never won a #1 Contender’s match to become the newest challenger for the Cruiserweight Championship, but instead, his partnership with Titus Worldwide got him a deal. O’Neil gave Tozawa an all-expense paid trip to Japan so he could train further for this match and against one of the most dominant champions WWE has had in a while, every bit of help counts.
Neville hangs Tozawa up on the top rope and kicks the rope to essentially hit Tozawa with a low blow. This leaves Tozawa completely vulnerable for the pinfall. Winner, and STILL Cruiserweight Champion: Neville
Predicted Winner: Akira Tozawa (0/1)
Seth Rollins vs. Bray Wyatt
A few weeks ago in an interview, Seth Rollins called Bray Wyatt a “coward” and a “false prophet.” Wyatt took offense and decided to make Rollins his next target. After a few weeks of arguing over whether or not Wyatt is a God, the two finally go head-to-head.
While the referee isn’t looking at Wyatt, Wyatt pokes Rollins in the eye. While Rollins is blinded, Wyatt hits him with Sister Abigail to pick up the surprising victory. Winner: Bray Wyatt
Predicted Winner: Seth Rollins (0/2)
Enzo Amore vs. Big Cass
This is a battle between two men who had considered each other brothers. A few weeks ago, Cass revealed himself as Enzo Amore’s backstage attacker. Cass got tired of Amore “running his mouth” while he provided the muscle. After being together for three years without winning any championships, Cass had enough of Smacktalker Skywalker. Before the match begins, Amore cuts a promo while quoting Frank Sinatra’s song, “That’s Life.”
Cass throws Amore out of the ring, and Amore barely gets himself into the ring before the referee counts to ten. After a minute of Amore trying to get up, Cass hits him with a big boot for the win. Winner: Big Cass
Predicted Winner: Big Cass (1/3)
Sheamus & Cesaro vs. The Hardy Boyz – Raw Tag Team Championships (Iron Man Match)
At Extreme Rules, Sheamus and Cesaro captured the Raw Tag Team Championships from the Hardy Boyz in a Steel Cage match. In the Hardys’ rematch in a 2 Out of 3 Falls Match, the third fall was a double count-out that resulted in a draw. To prevent a draw, they will compete in the very rare Tag Team Iron Man Match.
As soon as the match starts, Sheamus and Cesaro confuse Matt Hardy as to who is the legal man and Hardy immediately gets hit with a Brogue Kick. Score: Sheamus & Cesaro (1) | The Hardy Boyz (0)
Sheamus kicks Matt Hardy off of the ring apron to set up for the double team on Jeff Hardy. After the assisted White Noise, the champions increase their lead. Score: Sheamus & Cesaro (2) | The Hardy Boyz (0)
The Hardys come back to knock Sheamus off of the apron and they hit several high-impact moves on Cesaro to try to close the gap. Score: Sheamus & Cesaro (2) | The Hardy Boys (1)
While Sheamus is in the ring recovering from an assault outside the ring, Cesaro prevents Matt Hardy from getting back into the ring to get their two-fall lead back. Score: Sheamus & Cesaro (3) | The Hardy Boys (1)
With seven minutes left, the Hardy Boyz use their unique wrestling style to get a cover on Cesaro, then with only two minutes left, Matt Hardy manages to hit a Twist of Fate from the top rope on Sheamus. Score: Sheamus & Cesaro (3) | The Hardy Boyz (3)
Jeff Hardy hits Sheamus with the Swanton Bomb, but he doesn’t realize that Cesaro tagged himself in. Cesaro cradles Hardy for the pin, then runs out the remaining seconds. Winners, and STILL Raw Tag Team Champions: Sheamus & Cesaro
Predicted Winners: Sheamus & Cesaro (2/4)
Alexa Bliss (c) vs. Sasha Banks – Raw Women’s Championship
Other than Charlotte, Alexa Bliss and Sasha Banks are the two most dominant women in the last year. Banks is a former three-time Raw Women’s Champion who made history throughout all of 2016. Bliss made history of her own, though, by being the first two-time SmackDown Women’s Champion as well as the first (and only) woman to have held the Raw and SmackDown Women’s Championships.
Both women brawl at ringside, and the referee starts his count-out. Banks gets back into the ring, while Bliss sits at ringside with a big smile on her face. Because she lost by count-out, she is still the champion. Winner (via count-out): Sasha Banks
While Bliss is walking away, a frustrated Banks attacks her. Banks jumps from the announce table and hits the double knees on Bliss, who is down near the entrance ramp.
Predicted Winner: Alexa Bliss (2/5)
The Miz (c) (w/The Miztourage) vs. Dean Ambrose – Intercontinental Championship
Ever since The Miz captured his seventh Intercontinental Championship, Dean Ambrose (who the Miz won it from) has been antagonizing him. This led to Miz getting himself some backup in the form of Curtis Axel and Bo Dallas, known as the Miztourage. Along with Maryse, the champion has a 4-on-1 advantage against someone he has beaten in a one-on-one scenario.
The numbers game of the Miztourage comes into play, and The Miz takes advantage of Ambrose’s divided attention to deliver the Skull Crushing Finale. Winner, and STILL Intercontinental Champion: The Miz
Predicted Winner: The Miz (3/6)
Braun Strowman vs. Roman Reigns – Ambulance Match
For pretty much all of 2017, Braun Strowman and Roman Reigns have had a violent rivalry. Strowman returned to Raw from an elbow injury with Reigns in his sights. Based on their previous fights, Strowman challenged Reigns to an Ambulance Match. The rules are simple: get your opponent in the ambulance and close the back doors.
Strowman is leaning up against the ambulance when Reigns attempts to hit him with a spear. Strowman dodges Reigns’ jump and Reigns goes right into the ambulance. Strowman closes the door and wins the match. Winner: Braun Strowman
While Storwman celebrates, Reigns gets back out of the ambulance and hits Strowman with a huge spear. He throws strowman in the ambulance, drives it to the parking lot, and drives full speed in reverse into a semi-truck with Strowman crunched inside.
Predicted Winner: Braun Strowman (4/7)
Heath Slater vs. Curt Hawkins
While Kurt Angle and officials try to get Braun Strowman outside of the ambulance, an impromptu match is put together. Hawkins has been on the losing end of every match since returning to WWE, while Slater (a former SmackDown Tag Team Champion) competed for the Intercontinental Championship last week.
The feed switches to the parking lot while the match finishes and Heath Slater is declared the winner. Winner: Heath Slater
The Dallas Fire Department pries the ambulance door open and Strowman stumbles out. Medical personnel tries to get him on a stretcher but he refuses medical attention and walks away.
Brock Lesnar (c) vs. Samoa Joe – WWE Universal Championship
At Extreme Rules, Samoa Joe became the new #1 Contender for the Universal Championship by defeated Finn Balor, Bray Wyatt, Roman Reigns, and Seth Rollins in a Fatal Five-Way Match. Since then, Joe antagonized Lesnar, attacking him from behind at every opportunity. If the match is anything like their brawls, Joe could be the new champion.
Joe attacks Lesnar before the match starts, giving him the advantage for a good portion of the match. However, Lesnar manages to escape the Coquina Clutch, turning it into an F5 that kept Joe down for the count. Winner, and STILL WWE Universal Champion: Brock Lesnar
Predicted Winner: Brock Lesnar (5/8)
