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Raw: Not even Rhea could save Dom-Dom

Joseph Casciaro

WWE Raw was live from Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse in Cleveland, Ohio tonight and the return of Logan Paul was being heavily promoted for the show. Paul has not been seen since losing at WrestleMania.

It was actually the man that beat Paul at ‘Mania opening the show, the World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins. He was out to issue an open challenge for his title, but instead, he was attacked from behind by his Money in the Bank challenger, Finn Bálor.

Bálor beat down Rollins, leaving him in a heap of pain, and he finished Rollins off with three Coup de Graces. After a commercial break, Rollins was being assisted backstage when Bálor attacked him again. Bálor choked Rollins out while telling him he has been waiting seven years to beat him for a title. There will be no open challenge tonight and Rollins is definitely not 100% heading into his title defence against Bron Breakker on NXT tomorrow.

The Miz was now in the ring to complain that he was going to accept Rollins’ open challenge, but now he can’t get his title opportunity. So, instead of that Miz decided to issue his own open challenge and out came the returning Tommaso Ciampa! Before Ciampa was hurt about a year ago, he was Miz’s right-hand man, but tonight he walked into the ring and punched the taste out of Miz’s mouth.

Ciampa is back. Credit: WWE

Tommaso Ciampa vs. The Miz

Ciampa demanded the referee ring the bell and he accepted Miz’s challenge, he beat the hell out of Miz even back-body dropping him through the announce table cover. He tried to end the match quickly with a knee, but Miz turned that into a DDT and followed that with a big boot. Miz then attempted a diving axehandle, but he was met in mid-air with a knee from Ciampa. He then hit Miz with a Fairytale Ending and got a big win in his return to Raw.

Winner: Tommaso Ciampa

The Judgement Day was out next, and they were being led by Bálor who said that Rollins’ open challenge is cancelled because of him. He does not want anyone taking the title from Rollins, except himself. Rhea Ripley followed that by saying after Money in the Bank the WWE universe will be bowing at their feet. She said she will still be champion, Bálor will be champion, Priest will be Mr. Money in the Bank and Dom-Dom will beat Cody Rhodes.

Priest said the contract will be his, and that Cody Rhodes needs to keep Dom’s name out of his mouth or J-Day will take him out for good. Dom-Dom then attempted to speak, but the crowd was booing so loud I couldn’t even try to tell you what he said. I did hear Dom issue a challenge to Rhodes though, he said for Cody to find two partners to face himself, Priest and Bálor later tonight.

The Undisputed Tag Team Champions, Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn were given some time backstage. Byron Saxton tried to ask them about The Bloodline imploding, but Owens did not want to talk about them. After Owens’ outburst, Zayn diagnosed Owens as a “rageaholic” and challenged him to not freak out for the rest of the night. I think this was supposed to be funny, but they really missed their mark.

These skits continued throughout the night, someone dropped water on Owens and he had to try so hard not to react. He then bumped into Matt Riddle and came quite close to snapping at Riddle, but instead, he just wished him luck in his match later.

Sonya Deville & Chelsea Green vs. Katana Chance & Kayden Carter

Chance and Carter have been very impressive since their debut, their quickness and high-flying is must-see TV. They made quick work of Deville and Green, hitting an After Party to score the victory.

Winners: Katana Chance & Kayden Carter

Cathy Kelly now interviewed Cody Rhodes, he was giving his response to Dom’s challenge from earlier tonight. Rhodes gave credit to how great J-Day has been recently, well all members except Dom. He said two tag team partners should not be too hard to find and he happily accepts the challenge!

Shelton Benjamin & Cedric Alexander vs. Indus Sher w/Jinder Mahal

Benjamin and Alexander were out for revenge on Indus Sher after two weeks ago, and they were off to a good start. However, that good start lasted all of one minute, as Veer bulldozed through Benjamin to stop the attack. Indus Sher then hit the assisted elbow drop from the second rope to get the win.

Winners: Indus Sher

“The Maverick” Logan Paul has officially returned to WWE, he appeared from the darkness sitting on top of a ladder next to the Money in the Bank briefcase. He worked the crowd, making them think he loved his hometown of Cleveland, but instead saying his favourite thing about Cleveland was leaving the city.

He said people from Cleveland have been losing a lot recently, his brother lost his last boxing match, he lost to Rollins at ‘Mania and The Miz even lost tonight. He then said it is his duty to bring winning back to Cleveland, this led to his announcement that he has officially been added to the Money in the Bank ladder match!

Ricochet then made his way out, he first congratulated Paul, but he then said the only reason Paul got added to this match is that at the Royal Rumble, he made Paul go viral. He also added that despite Paul being in the match, he will still be the one winning the briefcase. Now it was time for more members of the ladder match to make their way out, first Shinsuke Nakamura and then the ever so over, LA Knight!

LA Knight said Ricochet and Nakamura are useless and Paul makes videos for 14-year-old girls for a living. Next to make their way out was Santos Escobar, saying all these men in the ring are making empty promises. The final competitor to come out was Butch, but he wasn’t there to talk he was there to fight. This turned into a brawl, with Paul leaping over the top rope with a tope onto Ricochet and Escobar.

Paul then set up the ladder and climbed to the top to grab the briefcase, not sure how Paul earned this opportunity, but I’m sure he will set up some crazy moments at Money in the Bank.

Matt Riddle vs. Ludwig Kaiser

Riddle has been locked in a feud with Imperium for about a month now, and it was just two weeks ago that Riddle took Giovanni Vinci out of action. Kaiser got the match going quickly as he hit Riddle with a leaping dropkick as he was hung in the ropes. However, Riddle came right back hitting a gut-wrench suplex, a senton and then a running kick on the apron.

Gunther then got involved by distracting Riddle and allowing Kaiser to take him out on the apron. Later in the match, Kaiser tried to go high-risk, but he was met on the top tope by Riddle and hit with a superplex. Riddle sent Kaiser to the outside and springboarded onto him with a Floating Bro, he followed that with a fisherman driver. He then attempted another springboard, but he was caught in mid-air and hit with a slam of some sort.

Kaiser then went to the second rope, but as he dove he was caught in a German suplex from Riddle and then hit Bro Derek for the win.

Winner: Matt Riddle

Riddle down and out. Credit: WWE

After the match, Gunther jumped into the ring and took out Riddle, both members of Imperium then worked together to injure the leg of Riddle. Imperium seemed to get their payback for Riddle injuring Vinci.

Imperium then bumped into Sami and KO backstage, Kaiser threatened them by saying if they don’t watch out they’ll end up just like Riddle. Just as KO was beginning to lose it, Sami received a text message and the tag champs had to rush off to deal with something.

It turned out that message was from Cody Rhodes, and he was asking them to be his tag partners in the main event. They happily accepted Cody’s offer.

Alpha Academy w/Maxxine Dupri vs. The Viking Raiders w/Valhalla

Gable and Erik got the match started, but it was not long before Otis and Ivar were in and this was a battle of two big men. It was Ivar getting the better of Otis until Otis was able to land a suplex and tag back in Gable who came in energized. Gable took out both Viking Raiders and flattened them both with a moonsault from the top rope.

It seemed as though Gable was closing in on the win, but Valhalla got up on the apron to distract him. This led to Maxxine Dupri pulling her off the apron and hitting her with a suplex, finally standing up for herself. However, that whole distraction allowed Erik to hit Gable with his finisher and steal a win.

Winners: The Viking Raiders

Rhea Ripley vs. Natalya

Natalya has been unseen since Night of Champions, where she lost to Rhea Ripley in mere minutes. So, tonight she was looking to regain momentum, but instead, she was attacked before the bell by Ripley. Natalya got thrown into the barricade, the steel steps and the ring apron; Ripley then headbutted her and hit a Riptide. This match did not begin, but Natalya was once again left down and out by the Women’s World Champion.

Winner: No Contest

Money in the Bank qualifying match: Raquel Rodriguez vs. Trish Stratus

Trish is off to MITB. Credit: WWE

Stratus was trying to out-maneuver Rodriguez early on, but she ended up in a bear hug and was being rag-dolled by Rodriguez. It seemed like Stratus could not match up with the strength of Rodriguez, but she then caught her with a tornado DDT. She then caught Rodriguez with a hurricanrana sending her into the turnbuckle and she followed that by locking in a camel clutch.

Rodriguez was able to break the hold, hit a vicious lariat and then a fallaway slam, but then Zoey Stark got involved. So in order to even the odds Becky Lynch took out Stark, but then Stratus went after Lynch. Trish was able to get herself hit by Lynch, causing the match to end in a DQ and sending herself to Money in the Bank.

Winner: Trish Stratus via DQ

Bron Breakker of NXT was now being interviewed on Raw, he was there to address the fact that Rollins may not be able to make it to NXT for his title defence tomorrow after Bálor’s attack. Breakker said he hopes he does not take the easy way out because he what Bálor did to him is nothing compared to what he will do to him tomorrow.

Rollins responded through a video later in the night, he said even with his injuries he will be at NXT tomorrow with the world title on the line. He then sent a message to Bálor saying welcome back to the guy that beat him seven years ago.

Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Bronson Reed

Reed has been on a path of destruction ever since Nakamura beat him to qualify for the Money in the Bank ladder match. His domination continued as this match began and he was overpowering Nakamura utilizing his size. Just as Nakamura got his first bit of offence, Ricochet made his way out to get a closer look at this match.

Despite the company at ringside, Nakamura was able to hit Reed with a diving knee from the second rope. He locked in a triangle next, but Reed lifted him up and power-bombed him into the mat before sending Nakamura to the outside to hit his diving shoulder block. Reed then tried to throw Nakamura into Ricochet, but he avoided that. Ricochet was now in the middle of the action so Reed threw him into the steps, but Ricochet then got up on the apron and collided with Nakamura.

Reed then made his way to the top rope and got his revenge on Nakamura beating him with the Tsunami.

Winner: Bronson Reed

Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn & Cody Rhodes vs. The Judgement Day

Rhodes and Bálor got us started in this six-man main event, and it was The Judgement Day utilizing the teamwork early on with quick tags. However, things started going wrong for J-Day when Dom was tagged in, so Ripley had to interfere to get her man Dom-Dom back on the offence.

After a commercial break, Bálor and Priest were double-teaming Zayn with an assisted sidewalk slam. Even Dom got in on the offence knocking Rhodes off the apron and then tagging back out, but when Bálor was tagged in he was hit by a forearm from Zayn and Owens was tagged in.

Owens came in more energized than ever and he was giving Dom quite the beatdown, superkicking him on the chin and then hitting a cannonball. He was looking for a pop-up powerbomb, but Bálor tagged in and hit Owens with a sling blade. Owens came back from that with a superkick and Cody Rhodes was tagged in.

Rhodes entered the match with Priest and quickly hit a disaster kick, but Rhea then got involved again distracting Cody. With Cody distracted Priest hit him with a South of Heaven, but he managed to kick out and Zayn then took out Dom so Rhea was gone from the match. With the distractions gone, Rhodes hit Priest with a Cody Cutter and then with his cast.

He was looking for the win, but Dom got involved once again. Dom was taken out for good by the tag champs, he was hit with a Helluva Kick followed by a Stunner. Rhodes then hit Priest with a Cross Rhodes and got the big win over The Judgement Day.

Winners: Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn & Cody Rhodes

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