With just a couple of weeks to go until the Money in the Bank pay-per-view event, the WWE looked to further ongoing storylines on the RAW brand.
Scheduled for next week we’ll have a Ronda Rousey and Nia Jax staredown and a fatal four-way consisting of Finn Balor, Kevin Owens, Bobby Roode and Braun Strowman.
What happened to result in these bookings for next week?
Read below to find out!
Elias Opens the Show
In his signature concert pose (sitting on a stool in the middle of the ring with guitar in hand) Elias opened up Monday Night RAW.
He strummed his guitar and posed his usual question to the crowd: “Who wants to walk with Elias?”
Elias cut a promo talking about his upcoming Intercontinental championship match with Seth Rollins at the Money in the Bank pay-per-view event.
He continued to brag about what he did to Rollins last week—a good ole guitar shot off his back while he stood on the announce table.
After that, Elias sang a song ripping the home audience with a recap footage of the week prior on the screen during it.
He used a line addressing the Houston Rockets getting beat up by the Golden State Warriors—that popped the crowd.
After that line, Rollins came out.
Rollins circled the ring while Elias held his guitar in hand. The crowd chanted for Rollins while he grabbed a chair from under the ring.
Rollins then got in the ring and both men circled one another, weapons in hand. Both the chair and guitar struck simultaneously with the guitar flying out of Elias’ hands.
As Rollins was about to go after Elias, Jinder Mahal attacked him from behind.
The two went to work on Rollins and then Roman Reigns’ music hit and he helped clear Mahal and Elias out of the ring.
After this altercation, general manager Kurt Angle came out to address the situation.
Angle set up a tag team match with Reigns and Rollins against Mahal and Elias.
And it was set to start “right now.”
Analysis: As a huge fan of Elias, I wish they’d make him a little more imposing. Instead, he’s a guy who does a concert gimmick, gets interrupted and pulls a typical “chicken s***” heel move and cowers away during the segment. As soon as Mahal appeared, you knew Roman would come to Seth’s aid. You knew Angle would come out and make a match. And at this point, you knew it would be “right now” as that is how every show seems to start out. The lack of creativity shows up once again.
Reigns and Rollins vs. Elias and Mahal
Elias and Mahal go over after Elias pins Rollins.
Analysis: Incoming 50/50 booking. They went over this week. Reigns and Rollins will get their comeuppance soon. At least they let Elias go over mostly clean here.
Curt Hawkins Makes An Appearance
The World’s Greatest Jobber made a rare television appearance. He’s booked in a match with another jobber named “James Harden”. Being in Houston, he’s of course named after the Rockets superstar player James Harden.
As Hawkins had the advantage, Baron Corbin came out, attacked Harden with the End of Days, Hawkins lost via disqualification.
Hawkins left the ring and went after Corbin only to get the tacos that rested on a table outside the ring poured on him.
Oh yeah, if Hawkins lost, he offered up tacos to everyone in the arena.
Analysis: Just horrendous. Jeez. Getting heat from tacos? This is embarrassing.
Corbin Backstage with Angle
Angle asks Corbin about what he just did out in the ring. Corbin says he’ll address it later, but says he had a personal conversation with Stephanie McMahon appointing Corbin as the new Constable to help Angle.
Analysis: ???? Where did this come from? Makes no sense. At all.
Ronda Rousey on Commentary, Nia Jax vs. Natalya
Jax wins after Natalya suffers a knee injury. Rousey and Jax have a stare down in the ring after Rousey comes out to check on Natalya.
Analysis: This was just to increase “hype” for the upcoming match.
Bobby Roode Backstage Interview
He talked about how he’ll win Money in the Bank. He’s facing Strowman later in the night.
Analysis: Next.
Strowman vs. Roode
Strowman wins. He broke a ladder in half with his bare hands.
Analysis: Expected.
Kevin Owens Backstage Interview
Owens is seen backstage talking with Charly Caruso about Balor—his opponent later in the night. Caruso brings up Owens interfering last week.
Analysis: Please don’t make me watch this match.
Natalya Backstage with Rousey, Jax Joins
Jax apologizes to Natalya for hurting her knee. Rousey tells Jax to back off. Jax insists they’re friends. Natalya knows it wasn’t on purpose.
Analysis: At least they followed up an injury. For this first time in a while.
Matt Hardy and Bray Wyatt Come to the Ring
The RAW Tag Team Champions cut a promo in the ring talking about their potential opponents for the Money in the Bank event.
The Battle Royal to determine their opponents is later in the evening.
Analysis: Hardy and Wyatt are incredible.
Tag Team Battle Royal
B-Team wins after Heath Slater backs into Rhyno on the ropes, eliminating his own teammate.
Analysis: I wonder if they’ll play into Bo Dallas and Bray Wyatt being brothers here? Probably not. Requires too much work and creativity. Slater knocking Rhyno out did make me laugh, though.
Bobby Lashley In-Ring
Lashley invites Sami Zayn to the ring if he has anything to say to him.
Zayn’s music hits, but he doesn’t come out. Instead, he’s seen in the crowd, away from Lashley.
Zayn has wrapping around his hand after Lashley crushed it last week.
Because of that, Zayn refuses to enter the ring.
Zayn has Lashley’s Instagram account pulled up and mocks his posts.
Analysis: I checked out. Honestly. This was so cringe-worthy and this entire feud is just a joke. Can’t believe Lashley came back for this.
Mahal and Reigns Backstage Interviews
Both men have concurrent interviews with Caruso and Renee Young. The men argue through the interviews, find one another backstage and go at it.
Analysis: What exactly where they talking to each other through? Were they Facetiming?
Alexa Bliss/Sasha Banks/Ember Moon vs. Riott Squad
Bliss was forced to leave the match early due to injury. Bayley came out to assist the tag team, apparently, a part of the team, attacks Sarah Logan and gets the pinfall.
Analysis: Total waste of time. Filler because the show is three hours long.
Corbin Backstage with Angle
It appeared like Corbin was lecturing Angle.
Analysis: Still makes no sense.
Banks, Bayley and Moon Backstage
While criticizing Bliss, Angle comes over and informs the trio the Riott Squad wins by DQ due to Bayley coming out.
Analysis: Who cares in the end. Seriously.
Corbin Reprimands Referee
Just what the headline says. Corbin doesn’t feel the referee was competent enough to call for the DQ in the 6-women’s tag match.
Analysis: OK.
Big Show Out on Stage with Kids
Promoting the Special Olympics.
Analysis: Awesome!
Balor vs. Owens
Balor comes out while Big Show on stage with kids and they throw up their hands with Balor during entrance music.
Balor wins via DQ.
Analysis: These matches are so darn long.
