WWE.com Stephanie McMahon
The latest episode of Monday Night RAW is airing tonight on the USA Network at 8:00 p.m. EST. Here’s a rundown of what’s happened so far:
11:00 – Reigns wins. He will face Brock Lesnar at SummerSlam.
10:45 – Both men trade huge blows, but Reigns has the advantage. He recovers from a hit by Lashley with a vicious right hook. He eventually nails a Superman Punch as Lashley heads towards him. He finishes him off with a spear for the win.
Bobby Lashley vs. Roman Reigns
10:45 – Moon wins. She stands tall as replays of the match play behind her.
10:42 – A relatively short match. Morgan downs Moon and attempts to go for the suplex, but Moon recovers and drops her face-first on the mat. She stands up and gets an easy pin.
Ember Moon vs. Liv Morgan
10:40 – Backstage, Charley Caruso interviews Bobby Lashley. He says he’s at his best in big matches like this, and that Roman Reigns has already lost to Brock Lesnar twice, so he isn’t worried.
10:35 – Balor & Rollins win. Rollins pins a battered Ziggler.
10:33 – A brutal display on both sides. The momentum of the match is unclear up until its final moments, when Ziggler superkicks Rollins in the face and hits him with a close two count. Rollins is able to quickly recover and he pays Ziggler back by sending him through the ropes to the floor.
Finn Balor & Seth Rollins vs. Drew McIntyre & Dolph Ziggler
10:20 – Balor wins via DQ. After the crotch hit, the win automatically goes to Balor. After the bell, however, Seth Rollins appears and unloads on McIntyre, who is suddenly joined by Dolph Ziggler.
10:15 – Elias tries one more time to promote his album, but Ziggler interrupts him again. Once the match begins, McIntyre keeps control, hitting Balor with a close two count. Balor attempts a comeback, but he can’t keep from succumbing to brutal crotch hit from a frustrated McIntyre.
Finn Balor vs. Drew McIntyre
10:05 – Rawley wins. He stands tall to celebrate while the referee checks a floored Breeze.
10:00 – The announcers are joined by Booby Roode for this one. Breeze appears to get the upper hand early with a kick, but Rawley sticks him hard, and makes him pay for the rest of the match. Rawley eventually nails a sit-down Alabama Slam for the pin.
Mojo Rawley vs. Tyler Breeze
9:55 – Kurt Angle comes out onto the stage with Stephanie McMahon. Baron Corbin and Kevin Owens also walk up. Owens says he wants to face Strowman at SummerSlam with the Money in the Bank briefcase on the line. Angle balks, but Stephanie likes the idea, and gives Owens his wish.
9:50 – After a commercial break, Elias is back onstage, trying to promote his new album. This time he’s interrupted by the Authors of Pain, however, who are quickly joined in the ring by Titus Worldwide. They talk smack to one another, but before anything physical happens, they are forced to clear the ring.
9:40 – James wins. With a little help from Bliss, she’s able to pin Natalya down.
9:35 – James gets Natalya down quickly, while RAW Women’s Champion Alexa Bliss advises her from the sidelines. Natalya recovers and hits her with a suplex, but James regains control and takes her out with a clothesline pin.
Mickie James vs. Natalya
9:23 – Mahal and Sunil Singh enter the ring. Mahal begins to taunt Strowman for being unable to do the breathing exercises he showed him, and the two big men get in each other’s faces. Strowman tosses Singh across the ring and raises his briefcase. Mahal retreats backstage.
9:20 – Corbin reminds Strowman that his actions towards Owens at Extreme Rules were legal, and how he’s also tried to help Strowman with his connections. Once more, an announcement is cut short by music. This time, it belongs to Jinder Mahal.
9:15 – Strowman gets into the ring and starts talking about tonight’s match between Bobby Lashley and Roman Reigns. Strowman raises the briefcase, but then Kevin Owens walks out. Owens is visibly upset, and says that he tried to befriend Strowman, but that he rejected him, and took away his dignity in the ring. Before he can finish his outburst, Corbin also comes out.
9:05 – Back from commercial break, and Elias is onstage. He announces that his debut album is now available for purchase, but he gets interrupted by Braun Strowman’s walkout music. Strowman comes out wielding his Money in the Bank case.
9:00 – Banks & Bayley win. They hug in the middle of the ring after their match is over.
8:55 – Bayley immediately takes control. After taking Simon and Lundy with some quick work, she tags Banks in to apply some double team action. Bayley delivers a knee to knock out her opponent and Banks applies the Banks Statement for the win.
Sasha Banks & Bayley vs. Samantha Simon & Karen Lundy
8:50 – Charly Caruso interviews Bayley and Sasha Banks. Caruso asks if they’re ready to work as a team again and Bayley says they their differences are what make them such an effective duo. They also talk about “Evolution,” and Banks says they are more than ready to be on the same stage.
8:45 – We cut to Finn Balor and Chad Gable backstage. They are talking about the “Evolution” PPV when someone walks up to Balor and tells him that Constable Baron Corbin has relocated his locker. The guy walks Balor over to a plastic playhouse for kids that’s decorated with one of Balor’s shirts. Balor shrugs off the slight, however, and a frustrated Corbin shows up before storming off.
8:40 – The B-Team wins. Axel rolls Hardy and Wyatt for an easy pin. After the match Axel and Dallas celebrate backstage, but their opponents attack them and leave them battered on the floor.
8:35 – Hardy and Wyatt come out looking strong, but the B-Team is able to regain control of the match after Bo Dallas manages to break a pin from Hardy. Wyatt tries to attack Dallas, but Dallas dodges the move and Wyatt accidentally falls onto Hardy.
Matt Hardy & Bray Wyatt vs. The B-Team
8:15 – The announcers reveal that the event will be held at the Nassau Coliseum on Long Island, and will feature the finals of the 2018 Mae Young Classic plus three additional title matches: the RAW Women’s Title, the SmackDown Women’s Title, and the NXT Women’s Title. They then turn their attention to the matches set for tonight.
8:10 – Triple H talks about how important nights like these can be to the sport, and asks that the female wrestlers in the ring step forward. Stephanie goes on to announce the “Evolution” event for October 28th, which will be the first ever all-women’s PPV event. Stephanie indicates that all 50 women on the roster will be involved, and the event will also include talent from the past. Everyone is given a standing ovation.
8:00 – The episode opens with the entire WWE roster onstage. Vince McMahon is in the ring, and he introduces RAW commissioner Stephanie McMahon and Triple H. They come out to the ring to make their highly anticipated announcement.
Preview
Brock Lesnar is scheduled for a Universal Title defense at SummerSlam. His challenger will be Roman Reigns or Bobby Lashley, both of whom have won a Triple Threat to stand out from a group of other contenders. It remains to be seen whether Reigns or Lashley will have the last laugh in terms of booking that Universal Title match, but the two will square off tonight in a match that is sure to be among the episode’s most exciting events.
We can also assume that the dynamic between Sasha Banks and Bayley will get more air time, especially after the breakthrough they seemingly incurred at the end of last week’s episode. Banks told Bayley that her animosity stems from her love of her best friend’s giving spirit and emotional vulnerability. She added that she wouldn’t allow anybody to beat up Bayley besides her. Tonight’s episode will be crucial in either mending their friendship or splintering it for good and establishing the two as sworn enemies.
Ronda Rousey’s suspension was originally up tonight, and she would have been allowed to play a bigger role in promoting the upcoming match set between her and Alexa Bliss at SummerSlam, but Rousey violated her suspension last week. RAW general manager Kurt Angle told Rousey that the only way she would get that title shot is if she would serve an additional week of suspension. Bliss is known for being a manipulative wrestler, however, so its possible that she might try to goad Rousey into the ring tonight, in the hopes of squashing Rousey’s chances at SummerSlam.
Meanwhile, the B-Team will have to face down “Woken” Matt Hardy & Bray Wyatt, since the duo have has called in its rematch clause. The B-Team have been on a roll of late, but there is a healthy amount of skepticism from fans that they may not have what it takes to beat Hardy and Wyatt a second time. Whatever the outcome, tonight’s match will be a crucial one for the B-Team.
The episode’s biggest story, however, would be the return of RAW commissioner Stephanie McMahon. WWE announced through Twitter that McMahon to make a historic announcement. Some have speculated that her announcement could be about the Brock Lesnar Universal Champion or possibly the introduction of the Women’s tag team Title, which was teased back before Money In the Bank.
Given that Baron Corbin has been reporting to McMahon behind Kurt Angle’s back, we can assume that he will play a pivotal role in the announcement itself.