With SummerSlam in the rear view mirror, Monday Night RAW enters the ThunderDome, looking toward the next pay per view, Payback. Which is, (checks notes), this Sunday. It’s not like WWE hasn’t waited until the last minute to build for a show before. This does put the show in a weird position of dealing with the fall out from SummerSlam, while trying to fill out the card for Payback. That’s a pretty high degree of difficulty, can they pull it off? And they are doing it live.
Drew McIntyre kicks off the show after successfully defending his WWE title against Randy Orton. McIntyre tells the WWE Universe that he was able to win because he was hungrier and worked harder. The champ addresses Orton directly, pointing out that he won with a wrestling move over the man that won the “Greatest Wrestling Match of All-time.” McIntyre is open to a rematch with Orton, because he wants to kick his head off.
McIntyre walks up the ramp, only to get attacked by Orton from behind. They fight into the backstage area. The champ is slammed into the wall and Orton punts him in the skull. Twice. After the break, McIntyre is able to stagger to his feet and refuses help.
Sarah Schreiber wants to know what Nia Jax is doing backstage. Jax claims she has been reinstated after she apologized. Shayna Baszler is counting down until Jax gets suspended again.
Bayley w/Sasha Banks vs. Shayna Baszler – Non-Title Match
Nia Jax walks out on stage before the match starts. Baszler takes control early, going after the shoulder of Bayley. The two trade mat wrestling holds. Baszler connects with a pump knee strike. She transitions into a triangle choke. Sasha feigns jumping in, causing Shayna to break the hold. Bayley takes advantage, striking Baszler in the head. Bayley tosses her out of the ring. Jax runs down and yanks Baszler off the apron as she tries to reenter the ring. The ref calls for the bell.
Winner via disqualification: Shayna Baszler
Baszler is able to take down Jax and the two brawl, as Sasha and Bayley cheer them on. Jax turns her attention to the Golden Role Models and Shayna joins her. They stare the tag team champs down and I smell a title match coming.
Kevin Owens is looking for Aleister Black’s room. I wouldn’t go knocking on that door. KO wants to know if he is coming on his show. Sounds like it’s a deal.
The KO Show
Owens loves the Thuderdome. Aleister Black walks to the ring, wearing an eye patch. He is very hesitant to use the ring steps, opting to roll into the ring. Owens asks how the eye injury is doing. Black wants to show the footage of Murphy ramming his eye into the corner of the steps. Black starts to fall out of his chair, while clutching his injured ye. Owens tries to help, only to have Black elbow him in the head and connect with the Black Mass kick.
Sasha Banks tells Charly Caruso that she is winning back her RAW title tonight. Bayley adds after that they will take care of Jax and Baszler.
Shelton Benjamin (champion) vs. Akira Tozawa (challenger) W/ninjas vs. Cedric Alexander (challenger) vs. R Truth (challenger) – Fatal Four Way 24/7 Championship Match
The are near falls to start, Alexander takes the fight to Benjamin, but a knee strike sends Cedric to the floor. Truth misses an ax kick on Shelton. Tozawa gets caught in mid-air. Benjamin tosses him out of the ring, but the ninjas catch him. Shelton is dumped out of the ring by Truth, and the ninjas restrain him. Tozawa rolls up Truth and gets the pin.
Winner … and new 24/7 Champion … via pinfall: Akira Tozawa
After the bell, Benjamin destroys the ninjas but it gives Akira time to run off.
Randy Orton makes his way to the ring to give an explanation of his actions tonight. Orton is not pleased that he did not do what he said he would. He failed to RKO Drew McIntyre and take his title. Orton kicked Drew in the skull twice because he was offered a rematch our of pity. He is the Legend Killer.
Bask in his glory! Orton is interrupted by Keith Lee, the newest addition to RAW. Lee notices Orton is a little perplexed, so he officially introduces himself. He is here to offer an opportunity to bask in his glory. Lee challenges Orton to a match, right here, right now. Orton leaves the ring; maybe later.
Charly Caruso notices Zelina Vega is arguing with Angel Garza, who is with Demi Burnett. She wants Vega to admit she poisoned Montez Ford. Garza tries to smooth things over, admitting that Zelina got caught. Garza invites Demi to ringside for his match.
Angel Garza w/Andrade and Demi Burnett vs. Montez Ford w/Angelo Dawkins
It may be the ThunderDome, but it’s raining red solo cups! Ford with two leap frogs and then takes down Garza with a drop kick. He goes up top, but Garza drop kicks him out of mid air. Ford is hung in the tree of woe and Garza drills him with a running knee. Ivar walks to ringside and he has something for Demi. Awwwww, it’s a turkey leg. She leaves with the viking. Garza is yelling from the ropes. Ford kicks him in the chest, but then gets caught on the top turnbuckle. Ford knocks Garza to the mat and hits a huge frog splash. He go some height on that. Ford covers and gets the pin.
Winner via pinfall: Montez Ford
Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler are reluctantly teaming up to take on the tag team champs. They can’t even get through their first team meeting without pushing each other around. Shayna ends it with a slap and walks off.
Ruby Riott, Liv Morgan and Bianca Belair vs. The IIconics and Zelina Vega – Six Woman Tag Team Match
Bianca has to wait to get her hands on Zelina, but when she does, it’s worth it. She nails Vega with a double chicken wing facebuster, an homage Beth Phoenix, and follows with a moonsault. She covers, but the IIconics break the pin. Ruby and Liv take them out with step up enziguris. Vega tries for a sneaky roll up, but Belair kicks out. Bianca drops Vega with the KOD and covers to get the pin.
Winners via pinfall: Bianca Belair, Ruby Riott and Liv Morgan
Backstage, Ricochet and Cedric Alexander are playing with the arm wrestling table. Mark Henry takes it. MVP rolls up and wants to know why Cedric is messing around instead of going after the 24/7 title. MVP gives Alexander the hard sell on joining the Hurt Business, pointing out that Ricochet calls himself the one and only.
Mark Henry introduces Bobby Lashley and Apollo Crews for the arm wrestling match. He has asked everyone to stay away from the competition. Lashley knows he will win and then beat up Apollo, but not so bad that he can’t compete this Sunday. Crews vows to beat him here and on Sunday.
Lashley pulls away before they can lock hands. He just needed to take off his sport coat. Lashley shoves his foot under the table, so Crews stomps on it and gets the quick pin. Lashley flips the table and tries to appeal. Crews avoids the attack, knocking Lashley to the floor. The United States champ takes out the rest of the Hurt Business with a plancha before running up the ramp.
Charly Caruso interviews the Mysterio family. Rey says he is proud of his son, no matter what happens tonight. In his first match ever, Dominik performed well, despite being terrified. He credits his family for giving him the strength to compete. Rey is looking forward to sharing the ring with his son and won’t let Seth Rollins ruin it.
Natalya and Lana are in the ring to honor a very special woman, Mickie James. Nattie says she is a trailblazer, but tonight her trail ends. They are going to retire her tonight. Nattie put together a highlight package, but turns out it’s a joke. James hits the ring. She shoves Natalya and takes out Lana with the Chick Kick.
So RAW Underground, (ThunderGround???) is still a thing. Lashley is down there wrecking dudes. Ziggler wants a shot, despite taking on Ivar later tonight. Dolph locks in the sleeper, but Lashley tosses him off and throws him off the ring. MVP rolls some poor dude into the ring. Lashley takes him out with one kick.
Randy Orton vs. Keith Lee
The two lock up in the middle of the ring. Orton with a head lock. Lee powers out and then leap frogs Orton. He takes down the Viper with a shoulder block. Lee catches a punch, crushing Orton’s hand. He hits a standing overhead belly to belly and Orton rolls to the floor. Lee picks Orton up, but Randy slips out, shoving Lee into the ring post. The Viper stomps away and covers. Lee with a powerful kick out at one. Orton tries to lock in a sleeper. Lee crushes him into the turnbuckle. He drops the Viper with a cross body. A shoulder block launches Orton to the floor.
Orton catches Lee coming back into the ring and hits the draping DDT. Orton stalks Lee. Drew McIntyre yanks Orton out of the ring and attacks. Orton escapes and takes off through the virtual crowd.
Winner via disqualification: Randy Orton
Charly Caruso catches up with Drew McIntyre, who doesn’t feel good. He apologizes to Keith Lee for ruining his debut, but he doesn’t need anyone to fight his battles. Once again, he is attacked by Orton, who punts him in the head.
After a commercial break, Caruso is outside the trainer’s room and things are not good. Trainers are afraid that Drew has a fractured skull.
Asuka (champion) vs. Sasha Banks (challenger) w/Bayley – RAW Women’s Championship Lumberjack Match
Sasha Banks is tossed out of the ring. Bayley comes to her aid, fending off the lumberjacks. After an early break, Banks pulls Asuka out of the ring by her hair. She holds Asuka, so Bayley can hit her. Banks runs into a kick in the corner and Asuka with a DDT off the turnbuckle. The champ applies an ankle lock. Banks flips out of the hold, sending Asuka to the floor. Banks misses Asuka with a clothesline off the apron, connecting with Ruby Riott and Liv Morgan instead. Asuka nails Banks with a sliding knee on the apron. The champ goes after Bayley, cutting down lumberjacks. Billie Kay with a kick, that allows Sasha to hit her from behind. Banks with an elbow drop from the top turnbuckle, but can’t get the pin.
Bayley grabs a chair, only to get attacked by Shayna Baszler. With Banks distracted, the champ locks in the Asuka lock. Banks taps out.
Winner … and still RAW Women’s Champion … via submission: Asuka
Drew McIntyre is being transported to a local medical facility. Charly asks Keith Lee what he is thinking. He just watched his friend get taken away in an ambulance, but he knows Drew will be okay. Randy Orton, not so much.
The Hurt Business is dominating RAW Underground.
Rey and Dominik Mysterio vs. Seth Rollins and Murphy
Rey and Dominik don’t wait, attacking Seth and Murphy on the ramp. They quickly lose the advantage, with Rey getting tossed over the announce table and Dominik getting tossed into the ring. The bell rings, but Dom is holding his own versus Murphy, who retreats to the floor. Dominik sends Rollins into the barricade with a kick through the ropes. Rey and Dom double team Seth in the ring. They look for the 619, but Murphy pulls him out of the ring. Dom takes flight off the top turnbuckle taking out both Rollins and Murphy. We go to commercial.
After the break, Rey kicks out of a pin from Rollins. The Monday Night Messiah taunts him to make a tag and then blasts Dominik off the apron. Rey kicks Murphy of the apron and hits Seth with a bulldog. Rey can’t get the tag as Murphy comes in. Dominik finally gets the tag and takes down Murphy with a clothesline. He follows with springboard cross body. Murphy runs into a boot. Dom sends him into the ring post and drops him with a DDT. Rollins breaks up the pin.
Dominic pays too much attention to Rollins on the apron and Murphy hits a chop block. Dominic fights his way off of Seth and Rey is abel to make a tag. Seth crashes into the ropes, but is able to get free before Rey can hit the 619. Murphy tags in and gets dropped into the ropes. Rey and Dom hit a double 619. Rey wants Dom to go up top. The lights flicker and Dom is pushed off to the mat.
Retribution hits the ring and Dominik is left all alone. Rey tries to protect his son, but the Mysterios get beaten down by the black clad gang. Rollins and Murphy laugh from the stage.
No Contest
Rey gets tossed into the ring post as Dominik is beaten on the floor. Retribution poses above the Mysterios on the ring apron as the show goes off the air. See you next week from the ThunderDome.
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