Monday Night Raw heads to the world-famous Staples Center tonight. This venue is home to the Los Angeles Lakers and Clippers as well as the home for several SummerSlam's over the years. The WWE also announced it would be the home of the 2018 Survivor Series.
Last night the Raw roster headed 45 minutes down the road from Los Angeles to the Honda Center in Anaheim, California for a WWE Live event. According to Wrestling Inc. reader Brian Reed-Baiotto, there were roughly 4,000 people in attendance and were really loud for the entire eight-match card.
Unlike the recent SmackDown WWE Live event in Lima, Peru, there weren't as many title matches on this card. Only one to be exact as Enzo Amore defended his WWE Cruiserweight Championship.
Just because there were not many championship matches didn't mean the Anaheim show was short on excitement as they were able to see The Shield in action, two former Bullet Club members going at it, and the continuous transformation of Matt Hardy.
Continue on to see the first match of the evening...
Matt Hardy v. Bray Wyatt
The first match of the evening in Anaheim was a rematch from last Monday's edition of Raw when "The Eater of Worlds" Bray Wyatt took on Matt Hardy who is looking more and more broken as the days go on.
The downfall of Hardy continued as he fell to Sister Abigail, and much like on Monday Night Raw last week, and the WWE Live event in Salt Lake City after, his "woken" condition worsened.
Bray Wyatt def. Matt Hardy
Rhyno, Heath Slater, & Apollo Crews v. Curtis Axel, Dash Wilder, & Curt Hawkins
Curt Hawkins has the reverse-Goldberg streak going as he approaches 150 straight losses. This makes me wonder why anyone would agree to be in a tag team with him, but Dash Wilder is missing his buddy Scott Dawson. Curtis Axel is also missing his buddy The Miz as he films The Marine 6: Close Quarters.
They would take on the former WWE Smackdown Tag Team Champions Rhyno and Heath Slater who teamed with Apollo Crews. As expected a team with Hawkins on it would lose as Rhyno GORES Wilder for a win for the good guys.
Heath Slater, Rhyno and Apollo Crews def. Dash Wilder, Curtis Axel and Curt Hawkins
Match #3: Asuka v. Alicia Fox
The Empress of Tomorrow entertained the Anaheim fans next as Asuka would take on the unstable Alicia Fox in the third match of the evening.
According to the report, Asuka received a great ovation from the crowd in attendance, and to nobody's surprise she made quick work of Foxy in about five minutes.
RESULT - ASUKA d. ALICIA FOX
Jason Jordan v. Elias
The lights went out in Anaheim as Jojo would introduce Elias. He would sing Under The Bridge by the Red Hot Chili Peppers to the jeers of the crowd. Elias would then change his tune to an original song about how the people of Orange County suck.
Jason Jordan interrupted Elias to what was described as a surprisingly positive reaction, but Elias would take advantage of Jordan's injured knee and get the victory.
Elias def. Jason Jordan
The night wasn't over for Jordan though as after the match Kane's music hit and he would chokeslam Jordan to follow-up the beating he gave Jordan on Raw last week. Though the Anaheim crowd was positive on Jordan coming to the ring, they would chant "thank you Kane" after the attack.
Finn Balor v. Karl Anderson
Next up, Finn Balor made his entrance to a massive pop from the Anaheim crowd. He would take on his "good brother" from the Bullet Club days Karl Anderson; with his tag team partner, Luke Gallows, joining him to the ring.
Balor would take out Anderson with the Coup de Grace and then shake the hands of the WWE Universe and pose for pictures as he exited ringside.
Finn Balor def. Karl Anderson
Bayley & Sasha Banks v. Nia Jax & Alexa Bliss (Mickie James special guest referee)
The next match of the night was a women's tag team contest featuring "The Boss" Sasha Banks and "The Hugger" Bayley taking on the best friends of Nia Jax and the WWE Raw Women's Champion Alexa Bliss. Before the match started, there was this interesting handshake between Jax and Bliss...
Mickie James would be announced as the special guest referee of this match that would end with Banks applying the Bank Statement on Bliss to make her tap.
Sasha Banks and Bayley def. Alexa Bliss and Nia Kax
Match #7: Enzo Amore v. Kalisto for the WWE Cruiserweight Championship
The second-to-last match of the evening was also the only title match as the WWE Cruiserweight Champion Enzo Amore took on the high-flying Kalisto. Enzo would come to the ring doing his usual routine on the microphone with a few funny lines mixed in. One of the best lines was that he understood why Anaheim would bo Enzo, because they don't have the success in life to live in Hollywood or San Diego.
The match had good back and forth action, but Enzo would escape Anaheim with the Cruiserweight Championship thanks to a cheap win.
Enzo Amore def. Kalisto
After the match, as Enzo was walking back up the ramp, he noticed a LUCHA! LUCHA! sign that a kid was holding in the crowd. He took the sign and acted liked he was wiping his butt with it to get more heel heat.
The Shield v. Sheamus, Cesaro, & Samoa Joe
One night before Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins attempt to take the WWE Raw Tag Team Championships away from Cesaro and Sheamus, they would team with WWE Intercontinental Champion Roman Reigns to form The Shield to take on the tag teams and Samoa Joe.
Samoa Joe received a huge pop as he is from the California area, but The Shield reaction was extremely loud and described as "the place erupted."
The main event was a No Holds Barred Match that lasted nearly 15 minutes. The Shield would get the victory when Ambrose and Rollins would hold Cesaro up and allow Reigns to spear him through the table.
The Shield def. Sheamus, Cesaro and Samoa Joe
After the main event The Shield would shake hands and pose for pictures with the WWE Universe of Anaheim.