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WWE RAW kicked off with the participants for the Money in the Bank Ladder matches in the ring and on top of the ladders placed inside. Baron Corbin was bald, Alexa Bliss' arm was visibly hurting.
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Kurt Angle asked Natalya if she's ready for the MITB ladder match and she responded with a pretty generic promo, stating she'll cash in against Ronda when she inevitably beats Nia. Owens and Roode had a really fun interaction. Bliss and Strowman have an adorable glance at one another. Banks tries to do the same thing with Balor which didn't land.
Everybody talked over one another until Strowman just yelled over them all and said they're going to get these hands.
#1 Alexa Bliss vs. Ember Moon vs. Sasha Banks vs. Natalya - Fatal 4-Way Match
Bliss attempted to use her 'injury' out of a tricky situation early on, but all three women weren't having it. Nattie sent her into the barricade for her troubles. The three babyfaces got in the ring to square off.
Moon got hip tossed by Nattie but landed on her feet, bounced off the ropes and executed a nice dropkick. Plenty of reversals from all three women until Natalya nailed a superkick to take Moon out of the equation for now. Just Nattie and Banks were in the ring.
Moon hit a huge suicide dive on Banks into the barricade and Alexa tried to take advantage of a downed Banks but only got a near fall as we headed for commercials. We returned to see all four women were down. Alexa took Nattie by the knee where she suffered a previous injury. Natalya rolled up Alex in a pin put it was only a two count.
Sasha returned to the ring and took down Alexa with a clothesline and then double knees in the corner. Moon returned and took on Sasha and hit her with a big suplex. Alexa broke the following pin and Moon focused on Bliss. Sasha hit the Meteora on Alexa but the pin was broken yet again. Alexa was on the top rope and went for a splash on Sasha who got her knees up in time as we headed for yet another commercial break.
Sasha hit Alexa with a backstabber and then the Banks Statement but Natalya broke it up before Alexa could tap out. Natalya caught Sasha in the Sharpshooter and Moon now kicked Natalya in the back of the neck to break the hold. Ember Moon hit the Eclipse but Alexa distracted Moon before she could make the pin. Alexa took her down and went for the pin on Natalya herself but Sasha broke it off.
Alexa got rid of Sasha and Natalya caught her from behind in a Sharpshooter making Bliss tap out.
Result: Natalya def. Alexa Bliss, Sasha Banks & Ember Moon
Backstage, Kevin Owens approached Finn Balor asking him to team up with him against Braun Strowman since, as he put it, men should fight monsters together. Balor, however, didn't answer Owen's request and we cut for ads.
#2 Breezango vs. Dolph Ziggler & Drew Mcintyre
Ziggler and Breeze kicked us off and Dolph was in control early on. Breeze hit Dolph with a step up enzugiri; Drew and Fandango were tagged in.
Fandango got some momentum going against Drew, but a distraction by Ziggler gave them the advantage that they needed. Dolph and McIntyre hit the Zigzag and the claymore and picked up a quick victory.
After the match, Ziggler called their loss last week a fluke and told the crowd to deal with it. McIntyre said there's proof: exhibit A and exhibit B (Fandango and Breeze). Dolph said it was a bad move to question this team, and that they weren't just hype. He listed off several teams in the back and put them on notice.
McIntyre said everyone's future lies in their hands. They weren't just there to take over the Raw division, they're here to save it by taking every other team out.
Result: Dolph Ziggler & Drew Mcintyre def. Breezango
Backstage, Roman Reigns reminded us that he's not scared of Jnder who he was facing tonight as well as at Money in the Bank.
#3 Roman Reigns vs. Sunil Singh
Jinder Mahal took to the mic to prove that Reigns is not the top dog that he thinks he is. He said he will deliver Khallas after Khallas on Reigns at Money in the Bank and Roman's music hit as he made his entrance.
Jinder changed the match to have Sunil Singh face Roman Reigns. Jinder was getting Sunil pumped up from ringside and Reigns took him out with a big right hand. Sunil got taken out soon after with a Superman Punch and Reigns delivered a spear to get an early victory.
Just as the match was called, Jinder attacked Roman from behind and hit a Khallas before walking away with Sunil at his side.
Result: Roman Reigns def. Sunil Singh
#4 The B Team vs. Heath Slater & Rhyno
Dallas and Axel controlled the early pace of this match after an initial burst from Slater. Rhyno attempted to get the crowd going to help out Heath which was a smart tactic. A double team neck breaker got the really quick pinfall over Slater.
After the match, Hardy & Wyatt praised The B-Team on the titantron before appearing at the top of the stage. Matt said they're trying to prove themselves as worthy suitors to the Raw Tag Team Championships. Hardy called them obnoxious ants and says they'll eat them and delete them.
Result: The B Team def. Slater & Rhyno
Seth Rollins confronts Elias
Elias made an appearance and performed a song mocking Seth Rollins as well s Arkansas, the venue of our show for the night. The song ended the line, 'Walk with me" and was his best one yet. He showed off a guitar that he apparently got from John Mayer. It was a custom-made Fender acoustic-electric with the word Elias painted on it. He said he will play it when he wins the Intercontinental Championship from Seth Rollins
Rollins made his entrance and Elias went for a DDT but Rollins threw him over the ropes. Elias retreated and Seth challenged him to a match right then. He then went on to take a closer look at Elias' special guitar.
Seth then tries to auction off the guitar to the audience and Elias wants to buy it back himself. Rollins changes his mind and lays the guitar down on the ring mat and proceeds to hit a double stomp on the guitar and the wooden body caves in. Elias was visibly angry as we cut to our next segment.
Backstage, Kevin Owens tries to sell his same strategy of teaming up against Braun Strowman to Bobby Roode. Bobby too was surprised yet intrigued at the request.
#5 Bayley vs. Ruby Riott
Riott took control of the match early but was tossed out of the ring by Bayley. Ruby and her teammates were taking a moment to strategize and Bailey tried to slide through the rope and the apron nut botched it. She instead smashed Riott's head on the apron after recovering as we broke for commercials.
Once back, Bayley was in a hold by Riott and Bayley rose to her feet and smashed Riott into the corner with her back. Bayley went for a high-risk move but missed the elbow as Ruby slid out of the way. Riott went for a pin but only got a two count. Bayley rolled her up shortly after but that too resulted in a near fall.
Morgan and Logan distracted Bayley from either side of the ring and Ruby went for the Riott kick and got the hard-earned pinfall.
The Riott squad caught Bayley after the match, as Ruby drew an R on Bayley's stomach before hitting her in the face.
Result: Ruby Riott def. Bayley
Ronda Rousey and Nia Jax go face-to-face one last time
Jonathan Coachman was in the ring and called in Nia Jax and Ronda Rousey to talk about their upcoming title match at Money in the Bank. Nia said she's been purposely pushing Ronda's buttons in the last few weeks to see how she'd react. Nia also said despite how great she is, she's still very new in WWE.
Ronda replied that she improvises and she's going to improvise her arm off. Coach said she seemed a bit overconfident, Rousey replied that she's earned the right to be confident.
Nia said while Ronda's one match was impressive, it was against a part-time businesswoman. She said she's not Stephanie McMahon, she's Nia Jax - the Raw Women's Champion.
Jax ends with: "You wanna take my arm? I'll take your reputation".
Nia tried to cheap shot Ronda but Rousey grabbed her arm, and Jax nailed her with a headbutt. Then she pulled Ronda's hair, but it was countered into an armbar but she couldn't quite lock it in. Nia was wrestling the hold but ended up tapping out.
#6 Curt Hawkins vs. No way Jose
No Way Jose made his way to the ring with his elaborate entrance and conga line but when Hawkins' music hit, no one could be seen. The referee rang the bell for some reason and Curt appeared from among Jose's conga line in order to perform a sneaky manoeuvre. Hawkins attempted the roll-up but No Way Jose kicks out, elbows him in mid-air, and got a quick pinfall.
Result. No Way Jose def. Curt Hawkins
Sami Zayn's "military obstacle course"
After the match, Sami Zayn introduced us to the 'military style' obstacle course that he challenged Bobby Lashley to, to prove that he really was in the army. Sami is confident that he will beat Lashley easily owing to his smaller size and catlike agility. He said after he won, he would dedicate the victory to the army of Canada.
Zayn refuses to get too close to Lashley during the coin toss which he wins and Bobby takes the first run. Lashley took his run through the obstacle course and Sami attacked him right as he finished. Bobby was out of breath and couldn't defend himself so Sami kept on going till the officials stepped in.
Backstage, KO tells Roode and Balor what the strategy is and Balor said they have agreed to nothing. Braun then made his appearance and asked the three to team up with him before hitting then with a gnarly shout.
#7 Finn Balor vs. Kevin Owens vs. Braun Strowman vs. Bobby Roode - Fatal 4-Way Match
Braun Strowman went straight for KO and Balor and Roode tried to stop him but got thrown out of the ring instead. Braun pretty much dominated the match early on. The other three met ringside and discussed strategy before we broke for ads.
The three contestants had teamed up when we returned and had Strowman in the corner but he managed to get out of it. Kevin Owens retreated the ring after he was the only one standing opposite Strowman. The three took on Strowman together again but Strowman broke free. Owens ran away backstage and Braun followed and dragged him back.
Braun bounced KO's head on the big screens and cleared out the announce table. Roode and Balor teamed up to disarm Braun and set him up on the announce table. KO went up on a ladder that was set up on the stage and delivered a frog splash on Braun through the table as we broke for ads yet again.
Roode and Balor continued fighting in the ring as we returned and KO and Baun were both outside and in pain. Balor hit Roode with the overhead kick causing both men to be wiped out. Roode hit a blockbuster on Balor but it was only a near fall. Balor hit a sling blade, a dropkick and went up for the Coupe de Grace but was interrupted by KO. Roode was about to deliver a superplex to Balor and KO caught him in a powerbomb sending both men flying.
Strowman got up and knocked down Bobby and Finn as he approached KO. Owens tried to run away gain but Strowman caught him and brought him back. Braun ran a lap around the ring taking down all three opponents with shoulder tackles. Balor hit Strowman with a double stomp from the top rope and KO delivered a Superkick to Braun. balor caught Braun in a Coupe de Grace but the pin was broken by Roode who delivered a Glorious DDT on Braun. KO interrupted the pin this time and delivered a frog splash but Braun kicked out at two.
KO brought in a ladder and attacked Strowman who choke slammed KO in return. Strowman hit a running powerslam on KO and got the victory.
Result: Braun Strowman def. Kevin Owens, Finn Balor & Bobby Roode
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