The go-home Raw ahead of Hell In A Cell 2016 came to us from the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The huge night included a Women’s Championship Hell In A Cell match and Brock Lesnar’s return amongst some other great things.
How will the US Championship and Universal Championship scenes look going into Hell In A Cell? There was also a triple threat main-event between Owens, Rollins and Jericho to look forward to.
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RAW opens up tonight with Chris Jericho. Jericho came out and addressed the crowd and told them that someone has stolen “The list of Jericho”. Jericho gets interrupted by his ‘best friend’ Kevin Owens who comes out and tells Jericho to forget about the ‘list’ because they had more important things to take care of.
However, Jericho, still refuses to take part in the triple threat main-event if he didn’t get his list back. Jericho got interrupted Stephanie McMahon who tells Jericho to listen to his best friend and forget about the list.
The trio get interrupted by Seth Rollins who has the list with him. Rollins says that Stephanie and Kevin Owens would be surprised to find out that their names were actually on the list with Owens marked as ‘former best-friend’. Jerico dismisses this as Seth playing mind games ahead of their match later and demands to have his list back.
Rollins promised to beat Owens from pillar to post later in the night before reclaiming his title at Hell In A Cell later in the week. Rollins left with the list still with him, challenging Jericho to come and get it.
Enzo Amore vs Karl Anderson
Enzo and Cass came out next performing their usual routine. Enzo was in the middle of the ring cutting his promo when the mic went out before Gallows and Anderson came out and said that they’d paid off someone in the production truck to turn off Enzo’s mic. Enzo reacted by cutting the promo without the mic, with the crowd joining in much to The Club’s disappointment.
The match started off with Enzo on top somehow repeatedly punching Karl Anderson in the gut. Enzo went for a top-rope axehandle but Anderson caught him in mid-air and delivered a spinebuster.
We came back from the commercial break to see Karl Anderson and top, delivering multiple jumping kicks to Enzo’s head before subduing him with a headlock. Enzo managed to fight out and went for a corner splash but the referee got in the way.
With Cass up on the apron, the referee didn’t notice Anderson roll-up Enzo. Gallows got up on the other side and Cass big-booted Anderson in the face while the referee was busy with Gallows. Enzo covered Anderson for the win. Karl Anderson loses again.
Enzo Amore def. Karl Anderson
Rusev cut a promo saying that Hell In A Cell was only as dangerous as one’s opponent and Rusev was as dangerous as they come. He promised to take his championship back next week and crush Roman inside the cell.
Our WWE Tag-Team Champions, the New Day, were out next. They address the crowd saying that they would have to defend their titles at Hell In A Cell against a team consisting of one of the best athletes they’d ever come up against, Cesaro, and Sheamus.
The trio berated Sheamus and get the crowd to chant “Shame”. They’re followed out by Cesaro, whose entrance get interrupted by Sheamus and the duo bicker on their way to the ring.
Cesaro and Sheamus vs Kofi Kingston and Big E
We get the exact same match as the one scheduled for Hell In A Cell 2016 for some reason even though it’s non-tile.
Kofi and Sheamus started us off with Kingston on top for a long stretch before he tagged in Big E. The duo double-teamed Sheamus before taking the Unicorn Stampede to him before Sheamus rolled out to catch his breath as we went to commercial.
We came back to see Sheamus and Cesaro in control with Kofi in the corner. The duo rotated tag and kept Kingston at bay till Kofi tried a roll-up. Sheamus kicked out and tangled Kingston among the ropes and performed his trademark chops.
Kingston finally managed to tag Big E in and he took it straight to Sheamus, delivering a modified Rock Bottom in the corner before the duo made tandem tags to their partners. Cesaro came in and went for the Cesaro Swing but Kofi rolled him up for the nearfall before delivering a spin kick and went for the tag.
Big E came in gave Cesaro a Bell-to-belly suplex before ducking an attempted Brogue Kick from Sheamus. He followed this by launching Kofi over to top rope towards Cesaro who countered with an uppercut and laid Kofi Kingston out.
Big E then turned around, only to receive a Brogue Kick from Sheamus. The Celtic Warrior went for the cover and pulled off the shocking win.
Cesaro and Sheamus def. The New Day
Dana Brooke cut a promo before her match with Bayley saying that she’d heard the WWE Universe was saying that her defeating Bayley last week was an upset. She went on to say that she’d asked for a rematch and not any ordinary rematch – an arm wrestling match.
Dana Brooke vs Bayley
Bayley and Dana start off with the arm wrestling match as the crowd chant “This is stupid”. Dana won the first match against Bayley but was about to lose the second one when Dana attacked her.
However, a fired-up Bayley hit Dana with a Bayley-To-Bayley and Dana scurried away.
Curtis Axel vs Bo Dallas
Curtis Axel is out next cutting a promo about Bo Dallas. Curtis said he’d actually Bo-lieved in Bo till his former best-friend attacked. Axel said that he was invoking the spirit of his grandfather Larry ‘the axe’ Henning and his father Mr. Perfect and as the hometown boy, vowed to squash Bo Dallas.
Bo looked like he’d reignited the fire in Curtis Axel and delivered an early Perfect-plex for the nearfall before Bo viciously attacked back on the apron. Axel got trapped in a headlock after this but managed to power out and hit back with a clothesline.
With his hometown crowd behind him, Axel delivered straight knees to Bo’s chin but Bo countered with a roll-up. Bo got a hold of Axel’s tights and somehow pulled off the win before running away.
Bo Dallas def. Curtis Axel
We hear from Roman Reigns next and he promises to take Rusev to hell with him. Roman says that Rusev has no idea what it’s like inside a cell and for Rusev, it’ll be a nightmare he won’t wake up from.
The Golden Truth vs The Shining Stars
We get a tag match between The Golden Truth and The Shining Stars next. Goldust and Epico started us off, with Goldie looking might impressive for his age. Whatever you say about The Golden Truth, one thing’s for sure, they always entertain.
This match didn’t really have anything to write home about except a terrible botch by Titus O’ Neil near the end. Mark Henry and Titus were arguing at ringside with Epico up on the top rope when Mark Henry pushed Titus. Titus reacted a little late and he clearly jumped onto the apron into the ropes which cause Epico to fall right off.
Following this, The Golden Truth hit an impressive double-team on them for the win.
The Golden Truth def. The Shining Stars
Sasha Banks and Charlotte’s contract signing
The historic contract signing for Sasha Banks and Charlotte’s Hell In A Cell match is up next. Hell In A Cell legend and Raw GM Mick Foley is in the ring.
Foley greets the champions by telling them that they’ve set the bar to show that women in the WWE can do anything. He tells them that he has the contract ready and all that was left was for the women to sign on the dotted line.
Charlotte demands the contract and verbally berates Mick Foley who responds by warning the women once again by telling them that they didn’t know what they were getting themselves into. He tells them that once the cell descended it was a living, breathing entity that would stop them dead in their tracks.
Charlotte responds by saying that she was ready to win her title back from Sasha, who is a second-rate talent. She promises to take Sasha to hell and back to win her title back and at Hell In A Cell, Sasha would respect the queen.
Sasha responded by telling Charlotte that the WWE had no queen but it had a boss. Charlotte cuts her off by saying that Sasha had been injured for most of the year and she was weak. Sasha replied that while she was injured a lot in recent times, she came back stronger and more legit than ever every time.
Foley once again warns the women about the dangers of the match and looks completely unhinged. He tells Charlotte that he’s known her since she was a little girl and tells Sasha that his children had given him a picture of Eddie Guerrero to give to her before he finally gave them the contract to sign.
Charlotte signed the contract and told Sasha that she’d see her in Boston. In turn, Sasha signed the contract and replied that she’d see Charlotte in hell.
What a segment. Brilliant.
Rich Swann vs Brian Kendrick
TJ Perkins joins Cole, Saxton and Graves on commentary as this match gets underway. Perkins will defend his WWE Cruiserweight Championship against Brian Kendrick at Hell In A Cell this Sunday.
We had a high-flying sequence start us off with Swann and Kendrick at it from the word go. Swann hit Kendrick with a dropkick and followed it up with a modified twisting plancha to the outside as we head into a commercial break.
Kendrick was back in control but Swann tried his best to hit back with punches to the gut. He fought out and hit Kendrick with multiple clotheslines followed by a spin kick. With Kendrick in the corner Swann goes for a splash but Kendrick kicked countered with a kick to the face and headed for the middle-rope. Swann spontaneously hit back with a sweet hurracanrana followed by a Tiger Bomb but he could only get the nearfall.
Kendrick wouldn't be kept down by this however and the former tag-team champion fought and managed to wrestle back control. He then tried to finish Swann off with the Sliced Bread No. 2 but Swann rolled him up and got the surprise win. Rich Swann beats Brian Kendrick a week ahead of Kendrick’s title match at Hell In A Cell. Huge Upset.
Rich Swann def. Brian Kendrick
Braun Strowman vs Sami Zayn
We finally got to see Braun Strowman take on some serious competition this week, even though Strowman cut a promo before the match demeaning Zayn. As Strowman cut a promo addressed at Mick Foley, Zayn hit him from behind before outright slapping him.
Zayn followed the slap by running outside and getting Strowman to chase him. Zayn got back inside the ring and delivered a dropkick as Stroman tried to climb back in. His good start wouldn’t last though as Strowman caught him in midair after this when Zayn tried a Plancha and just threw him into the barricade like a sack of garbage.
Strowman just walked away after this. We’re assuming that Zayn won the match due to count out.
Brock Lesnar and Paul Heyman address Goldberg
Brock Lesnar and Paul Heyman are out next to address Goldberg’s challenge. Heyman said that all the chants in the world won’t be able to glue Golberg back together again after Brock was done with him. Heyman calls Goldberg a wannabe Brock Lesnar before the was a Brock Lesnar as dueling chants of Goldberg and Suplex City break out.
Heyman warns the crowd to stop chanting Goldberg before his client took matters into his own hands and shut them up as the dueling chants just got louder.
Chants of “Goldberg sucks” break out as Brock Lesnar’s music hits and The Beast and Heyman walk away. That was underwhelming after a week of build-up. Other than Heyman warning the crowd to chant at Brock, nothing happened.
Kevin Owens vs Seth Rollins vs Chris Jericho
Owens and Jericho look like they’re on the same page as we begin the match. They try to double-team Rollins but he backs away before charging at Jericho and kicking Owens off the apron. Owens tries to climb back into the ring but he gets thrown out again.
With Rollins on the apron focusing on Jericho, Owens pulled at his foot and dragged him down before sending him crashing into the barricade. Rollins was unfazed and responded by sending Owens into a barricade in return. He followed this up by a flying clothesline to both Owens and Jericho.
With Rollins distracted, Owens finally had Rollins where he wanted him. He got Rollins in the corner but missed with his patented Canonball and Rollins hit back with a flying knee.
Owens went for an early Pedigree after this but Jericho saved his ‘best friend’. Rollins went for another Pedigree but Jericho powered out and went for a Lionsault. Rollins raised the knees and hit Jericho in the gut before going for another Pedigree attempt. Owens saved Jericho this time before the duo viciously attacked Rollins.
The crowd “Let’s go Rollins” as Jericho and Owens continued to assault Seth Rollins with Jericho even taking off his wristband and slapping Rollins with it.
Owens went for the Pop-up Powerbomb but somehow Rollins managed to hold on to the ropes. KO saw this and went for a clothesline but Rollins sent him flying out, Jericho tried to capitalize with a roll-up but Rollins countered it into a Superkick before hitting Owens with a Plancha.
Rollins turned his focus back on Jericho and went for a Frog Splash which he missed. Jericho took advantage and hit Rollins with a Codebreaker which only got a nearfall.
Owens and Jericho then hoisted Rollins up on the top rope for a Superplex but Rollins countered and slammed both of them into the mat, going for a double pin and managed a three-count and he wheeled away as Owens and Jericho looked at each other in disbelief.
Seth Rollins def. Chris Jericho and Kevin Owens
Owens and Jericho viciously attacked Rollins after the match as he celebrated outside the ring. As Owens walked away, Rollins attacked KO once again as security intervened. Owens hit back and sent Rollins face first onto a ring post before Powerbomb-ing him onto the apron!
We fade away as Rollins is laid to waste surrounded by referees.
