20 best photos from WWE television last week - July 23, 2018

AJ STyle
WWE Champion AJ Styles entering the arena on SmackDown Live this week...

As another edition of WWE Extreme Rules is in the books, the focus now shifts towards the second biggest pay per view on the WWE calendar, SummerSlam. We are just at four weeks away from the big event and two matches are penciled in already.

At the time of this writing, we do know that Brock Lesnar will finally defend his WWE Universal Championship against either Roman Reigns or Bobby Lashley, and Ronda Rousey will take on Alexa Bliss for the WWE Raw Women's Championship.

The focus in NXT shifts towards Brooklyn as well as the fourth edition of NXT Takeover will take place the day before SummerSlam. If you read the spoilers, the card is already set and looks amazing, but as for a non-spoiler, only Shayna Baszler v. Kairi Sane for the NXT Women's Championship is set in stone.

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When it was all said and done for WWE television last week, it was a very solid week across the board for Monday Night Raw, SmackDown Live, and NXT. Great shows and great matches all around, but the best match of the week would have to go to the triple threat match to kick off Raw between Finn Balor, Drew McIntyre, and Roman Reigns.

The #20 photo of this week is from that exact match...


#20 - Finn Balor feels the wrath of Roman Reigns' spear

Fin
Finn Balor feels the wrath of a spear from Roman Reigns on Raw this week...

After Raw General Manager Kurt Angle demanded that Brock Lesnar defends his WWE Universal Championship at SummerSlam, two different triple threat matches were set up. The winner of each match will square off on the following Raw to determine the number one contender.

The first of those triple threats saw Finn Balor, Roman Reigns, and Drew McIntyre squaring off in what I would call the best match of the week.

After McIntyre hit the Claymore Kick on Balor, Roman would deliver a Superman Punch to McIntyre and the spear you see above to Balor to get the win.

#19 - Finn Balor takes flight in the triple threat to open Raw

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Finn Balor tries to take out the larger Roman Reigns and Drew McIntyre...

As mentioned on the #20 photo, Finn Balor took part in a triple threat to get one step closer to Brock Lesnar and the WWE Universal Championship. Unfortunately for the first-ever champion, Balor was unable to come out on top even with this impressive dive to the outside.

#18 - Shayna Baszler kicks up her feet as she sees who's next for her

Shayn
Shayna Baszler getting a first-hand look at her next NXT Takeover opponent...

A triple threat match took place last week on NXT to determine who will face NXT Women's Champion Shayna Baszler at NXT Takeover: Brooklyn IV. The competitors were Nikki Cross, Kairi Sane, and Candice LeRae. Sane came out on top for a rematch of the finals of the inaugural Mae Young Classic.

#17 - Air Candice is clear for takeoff

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Candice Wrestling tries to get to the top of the women's division...

As discussed on the previous slide, Kairi Sane defeated Candice LeRae and Nikki Cross to become the number one contender for Shayna Baszler's NXT Women's Championship. The feud with her husband Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa continued to take its toll as Candice was unable to break through.

#16 - Sarah Logan celebrates her first singles win in the WWE

Sarah
Sarah Logan keeps the Riott Squad on track...

Speaking of breaking through, the Riott Squad's Sarah Logan broke through on Monday Night Raw last week as she defeated Ember Moon for her first ever one-on-one victory within the WWE. With Ruby Riott out for a couple of months, Logan and Liv Morgan have stepped up.

#15 - A good illustration of how a chair shot feels

Just ask Drew
Just ask Drew McIntyre, a steel chair to the back doesn't feel good...

The third photo from the triple threat qualifying match on Raw shows just what it is like to get hit in the back with a steel chair. Since it was a triple threat match, the chair was completely legal, but it wasn't enough for Balor to win the match as Roman Reigns came out on top.

#14 - Jeff Hardy gives Shinsuke Nakamura a taste of his own medicine

The vibrations were e
The vibrations were good for Jeff Hardy at this moment against Shinsuke Nakamura...

Shinsuke Nakamura is quickly becoming the King of Low Blows, and he utilized it to capture the WWE United States Championship from Jeff Hardy. In the rematch on SmackDown Live, Hardy returned the favour by delivering Nakamura's own Good Vibrations move to him in the corner.

#13 - The New Day taunting SAnitY in spectacular fashion

Xav
Xavier Woods and Big E taunt Eric Young during his match with Kofi Kingston...

On SmackDown Live last week, SAnitY's Eric Young took on Kofi Kingston in a very solid match. As Young was on the outside, Xavier Woods and Big E decided to taunt these recent foes, but it didn't do any good as Young came out on top.

#12 - Alexa Bliss has to learn to not mess with Ronda Rousey

Alexa, wh
Alexa Bliss being "escorted" to the ring by Ronda Rousey

Though Ronda Rousey was suspended from Monday Night Raw, she decided to go against authority to get her hands on Alexa Bliss and Mickie James. Rousey would "escort" Bliss to the ring and attempt to break her arm before Kurt Angle came out.

#11 - Liv Morgan with a devilish look on her face

Y
You don't want to know what Liv Morgan is thinking...

Liv Morgan was ringside for Sarah Logan's match against Ember Moon last week on Monday Night Raw. Based on this photo, it was probably a moment in the match where Logan had control; which put a devilish grin on Liv's face.

#10 - Drew McIntyre can take flight too

Dr
That's a big man heading Roman's way...

In the triple threat match that kicked off Raw, Drew McIntyre showed everyone that Finn Balor isn't the only high flyer of the match. This amazing photo shows the much larger McIntyre flipping over the top rope onto Roman Reigns.

#9 - A double tranquillo for AJ Styles' troubles

Andr
Andrade and Zelina showing off...

The first contest of SmackDown Live last week saw the undefeated Andrade "Cien" Almas take on the WWE Champion AJ Styles. Almas was a little too confident as seen in the photo above, but Styles was able to come out on top of the non-title match.

#8 - Tye Dillinger goes to sleep courtesy of Samoa Joe

This doesn't loo
This doesn't look comfortable...

Tye Dillinger was trying to get his career back on track, but unfortunately trying to do it against Samoa Joe isn't the way to go. As you can see in this photo, it was time for Tye to take a nap as Joe may be next in line for the WWE Championship at SummerSlam.

#7 - Amazing height from Kairi Sane with her Insane Elbow

The Insa
The Insane Elbow from Kairi Sane

Nikki Cross, Candice LeRae, and Kairi Sane had a chance to become the next #1 contender for Shayna Baszler's NXT Women's Championship last week on NXT. This photo captures the amazing height that Sane gets on her Insane Elbow finishing move, and this exact move is what got her the win.

#6 - Shinsuke Nakamura caught red-handed

Sin
Shinsuke caught red-handed, or armed...

The King of Strong Style has turned into the King of Low Blows and last week on SmackDown Live, Shinsuke Nakamura tried to take the easy way out again by trying to give Jeff Hardy a low blow. Referee Mike Chioda was on top of things and gave Nakamura a stern warning.

#5 - A disturbing display from Randy Orton

This defe
This definitely doesn't look comfortable...

"The Viper" Randy Orton left the WWE Universe with an uneasy feeling in the main event of SmackDown Live this week when he attacked Jeff Hardy. I could have sworn that Orton was going to rip apart Hardy's earlobe right then and there.

#4 - Alexa Bliss and Mickie James trying to run for cover

RUN!
RUN!

As previously mentioned, Ronda Rousey decided to defy authority and get her hands on Alexa Bliss and Mickie James. This photo does a great job of capturing the fear on the faces of Alexa and Mickie.

#3 - Mandy Rose, just because

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The goddess Mandy Rose...

As I've previously said in past best photo articles, there doesn't have to be a reason why Mandy Rose makes the list, she just belongs. Last week on SmackDown Live, she took on the surging Becky Lynch who looks like the next contender for Carmella's WWE SmackDown Women's Championship.

#2 - Paul Heyman realizes that Kurt Angle is not messing around

You don't see thi
You don't see this look on Paul Heyman often...

Raw General Manager Kurt Angle was tired of playing games with Paul Heyman and on last week's edition of Monday Night Raw, Heyman realized it and okay'd a match for Brock Lesnar to return at SummerSlam. The look on Heyman's face said it all.

#1 - Suspension be damned, Ronda Rousey wants revenge

Ronda's not pleas
Ronda's not pleased...

The best photo of the week is this one of Ronda Rousey looking very intimidating. When she was suspended a few weeks back, Ronda told Renee Young that she was going to beat that pink-haired a** after her suspension was up, but she couldn't wait that long.


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Edited by Rohit Nath
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