WWE RAW Openr:
We are in Providence, Rhode Island and your announcers are Michael Cole, John Layfield, and Byron Saxton.
We go right to the ring as RAW Commissioner Stephanie McMahon makes her way out.
Stephanie welcomes us but is quickly interrupted by the music as SmackDown Commissioner Shane McMahon makes his way out.
Stephanie mentions that this will be Shane’s last night on RAW as he was named Comissioner of SmackDown. She will not miss working with him and he says the feeling is mutual. Shane says she wakes up every morning wishing she was born with testicles but she wasn’t. He says if she was his brother, that slap last week would have had consequences. Stephanie says lady balls are bigger than testicles and he can do nothing about her slap, like he will do nothing on SmackDown. Stephanie goes on to announce that they will be launching a new cruiserweight division and it will be exclusive to Monday nights, due to the success of the Cruiserweight Classic. She then announces the new RAW General Manager – WWE Hall of Famer Mick Foley and out he comes.
Mick thanks everyone for the great response and he thanks Stephanie for the opportunity to be the general manager of Raw in Providence, Rhode Island. He says that being part of a new era reminds him of the Attitude Era. The climate reminds him of the Monday Night Wars. Raw entertaining in the name of competition and survival. He says a little ember grew inside of him and then he got the job offer and it became a five alarm fire. Mick says they were going to take Raw to new heights when they put the final nail in the coffin of WCW. The ruthless behavior he showed as a wrestler, he will show as the General Manager.
Shane congratulates Mick and gives Stephanie kudos for naming Mick Foley as the Raw General Manager. Shane says he will be intrigued to watch Raw instead of seeing Stephanie draw it into the ground.
Shane wants someone who can break glass ceilings and the underdog. He wants someone who was given an opportunity to succeed. Who can be better and more popular than Mick Foley? The Smackdown General Manager is… Daniel Bryan!
Daniel asks if the people missed him. He says you haven’t missed him as much as he missed them.
Stephanie tries to interrupt.
Daniel says that Stephanie does not know the meaning of pandering because no one ever cheered for her. Daniel says he did not know if he would ever be able to come back because he loved wrestling too much. Then Shane called him and told him about his new ideas for Smackdown. About putting the Superstars first, not management. It was going to make Smackdown great for the WWE Universe. He says there is a huge fight between the shows and they are the underdogs. Then Daniel says he knew he could come back. He needs to come back because Smackdown is the underdog. Just like he was the underdog.
Daniel says that when he beat Stephanie’s husband at Wrestlemania 30, he did not do it alone. When he won the WWE Title at Wrestlemania 30, we all did it. If they join together, they will beat Raw every single week because we have beaten the Authority before and they will do it again.
Stephanie says the underdogs never end up on top. They are all losers. That is why they cheer him. For one night, you made everyone feel like winners. Stephanie says it is fitting because we have a B+ Player for a B+ Show.
Shane says two things will be the same. Stephanie will be his little sister and you had to marry a WWE Superstar to remain relevant. The segment ends with Bryan and Shane getting a “yes!” chant going.
– Still to come, Seth Rollins vs. Dean Ambrose with the WWE Title on the line. Also, John Cena, The New Day, Enzo Amore and Big Cass vs. The Wyatt Family and The Club. Next, Sami Zayn and Cesaro vs. Kevin Owens and Chris Jericho. Back to commercial.
– We are back and Sami Zayn is in the Goldman Box and he says that this will be the biggest match they have had in their rivalry. With the draft, it might be the last time they are in the ring together. It is his chance to shut up Kevin and to end this once and for all.
Sami Zayn and Cesaro vs. Kevin Owens and Chris Jericho
Cesaro and Jericho start things off and they lock up. Cesaro with a waist lock and float over into a Naito pose and then he picks up Jericho with a deadlift side salto for a near fall. Jericho with chops but Cesaro with European uppercuts. Zayn tags in and punches Jericho. Zayn with chops but Jericho with a kick and side head lock. Jericho with a shoulder tackle but Zayn with arm drags and a satellite arm drag into an arm bar. Zayn leaps over Jericho and then he backs up as Jericho follows and goes over the top rope to the floor. Zayn goes for a move to the floor but Owens stands on teh apron and distracts Zayn. Jericho hits Zayn from behind and Owens tags in and he punches and kicks Zayn and follows with a neck breaker to the knee and we go to commercial.
We are back and Jericho kicks Zayn in the head. Jericho with a head butt and chop to Zayn and he chokes him in the ropes. Jericho talks to the referee and Owens gets in a shot on Zayn and he poses for those with flash photography. Jericho with forearms but Zayn with a kick. Jericho keeps Zayn from making the tag and then he sends Zayn to the floor. Owens misses a short arm clothesline on the floor and Zayn sends Owens into the ringside barrier. Zayn avoids a baseball slide and he hits a clothesline on Jericho.
Zayn crawls across the ring and tags in Cesaro. Cesaro with an avalanche of European uppercuts to Jericho and then he Irish whips Jericho and hits a running European uppercut. Owens tries to interfere on number two and Cesaro drop kicks Owens. Cesaro with European uppercuts to Jericho and Owens as he goes across the ring. Cesaro with one more for Jericho and he gets a near fall. Jericho with a rollup to counter the Giant Swing and Jericho gets a near fall. Cesaro with a springboard corkscrew European uppercut for a near fall. Jericho with an enzuigiri and both men are down.
Owens and Zayn tag in and they exchange punches as if they were in the Bell Centre. Owens with a knee and clothesline into the corner. Zayn with a drop kick to counter the pop up power bomb. Jericho tags in and he stops Zayn. Cesaro tags in and hits a cross body for a near fall. Jericho tries for a back slide and Cesaro rolls through. Jericho tries for the Walls of Jericho but Cesaro blocks it and he gets Jericho in the Giant Swing but Owens stops Cesaro. Zayn tags in and Zayn with a wrist lock tornado DDT. Jericho wtih a rollup for a near fall but Zayn gets the three count with a rollup.
Winners: Sami Zayn and Cesaro
Backstage:
Daniel Bryan is in the back with R Truth and Goldust. They try to sell their wares to Daniel. Titus O’Neil and Jack Swagger stop Daniel in the back. Stephanie tells Daniel she is surprised to see him back because of everything he has been doing since he retired. Daniel says he is back with a vengeance. Stephanie says that Daniel is like the doll from Chucky who can’t go away. She says that Daniel is annoying. Daniel prefers Chucky to Goat Face. He is impressed that Stephanie has learned new insults. We go to commercial.
– We are back and Miz and Maryse are at the announce table for the next match.
Alberto Del Rio vs. Darren Young (with Bob Backlund)
They lock up and Young with a waist lock and Del Rio backs Young into the corner. Del Rio with a kick and he sends Young into the turnbuckles as he works on the shoulder. Del Rio wtih a DDT and then Del Rio with an arm bar. Young with forearms and he works on Del Rio’s arm. Del Rio with a clothesline for a near fall. Del Rio misses the step up enzuigiri and Young with punches. Young with clotheslines and an overhead belly-to-belly throw. Young with an atomic drop and punch.
Miz gets on the apron and Young punches Miz. Del Rio with a rollup but Miz distracts the referee. Young pushes Del Rio into Miz and Young with a rollup and Backlund Bridge for the three count.
Winner: Darren Young
– Shane McMahon, Daniel Bryan, and Big Show talk in the back. We go to commercial.
In the Arena:
We are back and John Cena makes his way to the ring. He says that he is fired up. He mentions that we have the draft tomorrow night on Smackdown. On Sunday, on the WWE Network, we have Battleground. This Sunday, the Club, they’re going to try to beat up John Cena. They’re about to realize they can’t see him beacuse he got the Certified Gs.
Enzo Amore and Colin Cassady make their way down the ramp and they do their intros.
Enzo tells John he has something to say. The term ‘do not take this the wrong way’ has a zero percent success rate. The Club, don’t take this the wrong way but you are just a bunch of blurbs of insecurity. Enzo says he would not read a book. Without the ugly, there is no beauty so thank you Luke Gallows for your service. The only time a woman opens their mouth for you is when they yawn. Enzo says that AJ has a haircut like a soccer mom. He says Karl is like Times New Roman font because he is so generic. The only time you three are beating them is on the 35th of neverary. Enzo says he pulls no punches on the microphone. He tells them if they want sympathy, open a dictionary and look between spit and syphillis.
Colin says they are the best trio there ever was. They are like the Three Musketeers, the Three Tenors, Nirvana, Destiny’s Child, Run DMC, or the Wu-Tang Clan.
John tells them they need to be serious. Colin says they like to have fun with the people, but when push comes to shove, they can get serious and that is what they are going to do on Sunday. He says there is only one word to describe them and he is going to spell it out.
AJ Styles’ music plays and he says John is setting himself up for failure, but you made that choice. He is going to give John a taste of what they are going to get at Battleground. Karl asks them if they have chemistry. The Club… chemistry. Him and his hot Asian wife… chemistry. When did you three even meet? A few weeks ago over a bowl of candy in catering. Luke says that the Club has spilled blood and sold out arenas all over the world. They have had their backs since day one.
AJ says they are a well oiled machine and a team, unlike you scabs. Karl says they have some squad goals tonight. In addition to being able to BEAT UP JOHN CENA, they get to BEAT UP ENZO. They get to BEAT UP CASS. They also get to BEAT UP THE NEW DAY.
Speaking of the New Day, they make their way to the ring.
Kofi says that is typical Club. They talk about things they like to beat. Big E says speaking of jerks, they had their hands full at the Wyatt Compound.
AJ asks them if they are suppposed to be hiding under their beds. They try to scare Xavier.
Xavier says they saw what the Wyatt Family is capable of, so they should be scared. That would break any normal men. However, the New Day are not normal men. On Sunday at Battleground, they will show the Wyatts why they are your WWE World Tag Team Champions. Kofi asks Cena how he couldn’t understand the ‘How You Doin’ thing. Xavier asks to try it out. He says he is a Level 21 Pokemon Go Trainer. Team Balor for Life. He mentions different Pokemon and we get a cascade of ‘How You Doin’. John speaks and Big E interrupts with New Day Rocks.
The Wyatts show up as we go to commercial.
Enzo & Cass, John Cena and The New Day vs. AJ Styles, Karl Anderson, Luke Gallows and The Wyatt Family
The match is joined in progress and Rowan tags in to face Cena. Cena with a flying shoulder tackle and Gallows tags in. Gallows misses a clothesline and Cena bounces off Gallows on a flying shoulder tackle. Big E tags in and he does a Sexy Party and follows with a belly-to-belly suplex.
Strowman tags in and connects with a shoulder tackle. Enzo makes the tag and he shuffles like Shane McMahon as Xavier plays along. Strowman sends Enzo to the mat and Colin tags in. Colin and Strowman go face to face and then Strowman slaps Cena and everyone battles in the ring. It breaks down to Colin and Strowman again as everyone else is on the floor.
Colin with punches and a boot to the head but Strowman stays on his feet. Kofi tags in and he comes off the turnbuckles but Strowman catches Kofi and hits a running power slam. We go to commercial.
We are back and Bray with a uranage to Kofi for a near fall. Bray with an Irish whip and Bray runs into a pendulum kick. Cena tags in and he hits two flying shoulder tackles followed by a Blue Thunder Bomb and he sets for the Five Knuckle Shuffle but Bray bridges up and it freaks out Cena. Wyatt punches Cena and Strowman tags in and head butts Cena and sends him into the corner for a series of shoulders. Rowan tags in and kicks Cena and gets a near fall. Rowan with a double atomic noogie on Cena but Cena gets to his feet and he powers out of the hold. Rowan wtih a drop kick.
Styles tags in and he punches Cena in the head. Styles punches Cena. Cena with punches but Styles with a Ushigoroshi and he gets a near fall. Anderson tags in and he punches Cena. Anderson gets a near fall. Gallows tags in and he gets a near fall. Gallows with an uppercut but he misses a splash when Cena moves out of the way. We go to commercial.
We are back and Wyatt stands over Cena and he stomps on the chest. Wyatt misses a back senton when Cena moves. Styles and Cassady tag in and Colin with shoulder tackles but Styles with a kick. Colin with a slam and elbow drop followed by a splash into the corner. Strowman hits Colin from behind and then he takes care of Kofi. Kofi with a kick to Strowman and Big E takes care of Strowman. Rowan with a spinning heel kick. Wyatt with a uranage to Kofi but Woods with a missile drop kick and a flip dive onto the Wyatt Family. Styles leaps over Colin and Colin clotheslines Styles. Gallows stops the Rocket Launcher. Styles with an Attitude Adjustment to Gallows. Anderson with a spinebuster to Anderson.
Enzo comes off the turnbuckles with a DDT. The New Day and Wyatts fight to the back. Styles with forearms and kicks. Styles goes for the Styles Clash on Enzo but Enzo escapes and he hits Cena by accident. Styles with the Styles Clash to Enzo for the three count.
Winners: AJ Styles, Karl Anderson, Luke Gallows and The Wyatt Family
– We see Stephanie and Mick talking to Apollo Crews in the back. We go to commercial.
Earlier Today:
We are back and we get comments from Seth Rollins recorded earlier today.
Seth walks into the arena and he says night after night he walked down the stairs with Roman and Dean, thinking they would rule the world. They were just pawns on his way to becoming WWE Champion. He stayed two steps ahead. He kept Dean around to take the beatings and he kept Roman around to dish out the beatings. Then he became the champion and then his knee gave out carrying the company. Roman stepped in and took over. How will the people react to Roman? He will never be the same again
Dean Ambrose is a thief and a coward. He fought harder than anyone to get back to the top. He won the title back and then Dean came up from behind and stole the title from him. Seth says he always wanted to push Dean and Roman from behind. Tonight, he gets to put an end to Dean’s fairy tale dream as champion. When he tumbles and falls as far as he can go, Seth will pick up the title belt and walk into Battleground and show everyone that he was always the man.
– Michael reminds us about the announcements of the new General Managers.
Backstage:
Fandango and Tyler Breeze are in the back and Mick Foley stops by but Shane wants to speak to Foley so they leave. Shane asks Mick why would he want to work with Stephanie. Shane says there were two reasons Stephanie hired him. It was the way he connects with the crowd as well as the way that Stephanie can manipulate him. Mick says he had a front row seat to see Stephanie’s rise to power. He says he sees passion and drive in Stephanie and he thinks he can better himself. Shane tells Mick to have a nice day. We go to commercial.
Sin Cara vs. Baron Corbin
Back from the break and Baron Corbin is out as Sin Cara looks on. Cara turns it around after being beat down in the corner. Cara kicks Corbin to the floor and dives out, sending him into the barrier.
They come back in and Cara comes off the top but Corbin floors him. Corbin nails End of Days for the win.
Winner: Baron Corbin
After the match, Corbin keeps stomping until the music hits and out comes Kalisto to make the save, even though The Lucha Dragons are splitting up for the WWE Draft. Kalisto checks on Cara but Corbin pulls him out of the ring from behind and leaves him laying.
– We see Dana Brooke and WWE Women’s Champion Charlotte walking backstage. Cole leads us to a Batman vs. Superman DVD plug as we go back to break.
Sasha Banks and Becky Lynch vs. Dana Brooke and Charlotte
We go to the ring and out first comes Sasha Banks followed by Becky Lynch. Dana Brooke and WWE Women’s Champion Charlotte are out next. The two teams have words before the bell.
Sasha and Charlotte start things off, but we know that she is not going to get involved so Dana tags in and Dana runs into an elbow from Sasha and Sasha sends her into the turnbuckles. Becky tags in and they hit a double hip toss and Becky with arm drags into an arm bar. Becky with arm wringers to Dana. Dana with a knee but Becky with a drop kick and snap leg drop followed by another leg drop and a corkscrew leg drop for a near fall. Sasha tags in and she works on the arm and Irish whips Dana. Sasha with a forearm to Dana and a kick to Charlotte.
Natalya attacks Becky and sends her into the ring post and ringside barrier. The referee calls for the bell.
Winners: Sasha Banks and Becky Lynch (by disqualification)
After the match, Dana and Charlotte work over Sasha and Charlotte with Natural Selection.
– Daniel Bryan and Shane McMahon talk to Kane.
Backstage:
We go old school Shield and Dean Ambrose has a shaky camera. He says he told everyone to watch the Shield and their path of destruction and they would change the course of history. Dean says he did it when he cashed in the briefcase. Will he retain tonight? Will he retain on Sunday? His brother Roman Reigns will be back and he will be a monster when he returns. Seth will continue to be a slimy bastard. Dean says he will be champion tonight and on Sunday. We go to commercial.
– We are back and Lana is in the ring to introduce the Greatest American Hero and current United States Champion, Rusev.
Rusev and Sheamus vs. Dolph Ziggler and Zack Ryder
Sheamus and Ryder start things off and they lock up. Sheamus with a side head lock take down. Sheamus with punches to Ryder followed by a European uppercut. Sheamus goes for a slam but Ryder escapes and connects with forearms. Ryder sets for the Broski Boot but Rusev interferes. Rusev sends Ryder into the ringside barrier. Sheamus with a Finlay Slam on the floor. Sheamus rolls Ryder back into the ring and he kicks Ryder in the ribs. Sheamus wtih a suplex throw to Ryder. Sheamus with a reverse chin lock on Ryder.
Ryder with punches but Sheamus with a knee. Sheamus goes for a suplex but Ryder lands on his feet and hits a neck breaker. Rusev tells Sheamus to tag him in and Sheamus does it but Ziggler tags in and Ziggler with a flying clothesline and splash into the corner. Ziggler misses the neck breaker but Ziggler hits a Fameasser for a near fall. Ziggler with a rollup but Rusev with a hot shot and jumping thrust kick to the back. Rusev with the Accolade and Ziggler taps out.
Winners: Rusev and Sheamus
– We are back with a look at the ESPYs.
– We have a Randy Orton video package. Back to commercial.
Backstage:
Mick Foley is in the back and The Ascension try to sell their wares and Daniel Bryan wants to talk to Mick.
Daniel says he wants to have a good relationship and not make it petty. Daniel says that he hopes Mick doesn’t mind when Smackdown has better ratings than Raw. He says that he respects Mick and knows that Mick will keep the WWE Universe in mind. He says it is like looking at a mirror, if he was looking at a fun house mirror. Mick says when Daniel took on the Authority, it was like looking through the wrong end of binoculars. He says they married out of their leagues. Mick tells Daniel that he is standing in his way. Daniel says they never fought in the ring but they are going to fight now.
WWE Title Match: Seth Rollins vs. Dean Ambrose
We go to the ring for tonight’s main event as WWE Champion Dean Ambrose makes his way to the ring. Back to commercial.
Back from the break and out comes Seth Rollins. We get formal ring introductions from Lilian Garcia. Stephanie McMahon and Mick Foley sit in front of the English Announce Table while Shane McMahon and Daniel Bryan sit in front of the Spanish Announce Table.
They lock up and Rollins with a waist lock and hammer lock. Dean with a drop toe hold and snap mare for a near fall. Rollins goes to the apron. Rollins returns to the ring and Ambrose with a wrist lock but Rollins reverses. Ambrose with a hammer lock into a side head lock take down. Rollins with a top wrist lock into a side head lock. Rollins with a shoulder tackle but Ambrose with arm drags and Rollins goes to the floor.
Rollins gets back into the ring and he kicks and punches Ambrose. Rollins with kicks in the corner. Ambrose wtih a cross body but Rollins with a kick. Rollins with a kick and Ambrose clotheslines Rollins over the top rope to the floor. Ambrose goes to the floor and he hits a side Russian leg sweep into the ringside barrrier. Rollins with a kick and he tries to send Dean back into the ring but Dean spins on the apron and hits a clothesline. Ambrose with an elbow off the apron as we go to commercial.
We are back and Rollins with punches and a hard Irish whip. Rollins with a snap mare and kick to the back followed by a knee. Rollins with a reverse chin lock and body scissors. Ambrose with an arm drag but Rollins sends Ambrose into the turnbuckles and he gets a near fall. Rollins chokes Ambrose in the ropes and he punches Ambrose, which appears to please Stephanie, but not excite Shane. Ambrose with a rollup for a near fall. Rollins with Slingblade for a near fall. Rollins with a Million Dollar Dream and then both men go for cross body presses and both men go down.
Ambrose wtih punches and chops followed by running forearms. Ambrose with a clothesline and fisherman’s suplex for a near fall. Ambrose with chops and a sunset flip for a near fall. We go back and forth with near falls. Rollins misses a round kick and Ambrose hits a neck breaker for a near fall. Ambrose runs into a single leg drop kick and then Ambrose blocks a Pedigree and hits a back body drop. Ambrose with a forearm to stop Rollins and then Ambrose clotheslines Rollins over the top rope. Ambrose with a suicide dive onto Rollins.
Rollins ties to send Ambrose back into the ring and Ambrose spins on the apron and Ambrose misses a clothesline. Rollins power bombs Ambrose into the ringside barrier and Rollins with a frog splash for a near fall. We go to commercial.
We are back and Rollins tries for the buckle bomb but he takes too long and Ambrose is able to hit a rana. Ambrose tries for the double underhook DDT but Rollins escapes. Rollins is catapulted to the ropes and he hits a springboard knee from the apron. Rollins misses a frog splash and both men are down.
Rollins runs Ambrose into the corner and hits a running forearm and a second one. Ambrose wtih a running forearm but Rollins with a kick and Kawada kicks. Ambrose with punches and chops but Rollins with an enzuigiri. Ambrose goes for the rebound clothesline but Rollins moves. Rollins with a buckle bomb and Ambrose with a double underhook DDT and Rollins gets his foot on the ropes and then Rollins rolls to the floor.
Ambrose rearranges the furniture at ringside and he puts Rollins on the announce table. Ambrose goes onto the ringside barrier but Rollins recovers and goes back into the ring. Rollins with a kick and he tries for a Pedigree on the apron but Dean with head butts and a clothesline that sends Rollins back into the ring. Ambrose comes off the turnbuckles and Rollins with a kick and Pedigree for a near fall.
Rollins goes for another Pedigree but Ambrose with a jackknife cover and a rebound clothesline. Ambrose goes up top but Rollins leaps to the turnbuckles. Ambrose pushes Rollins off the turnbuckles and he knocks out the referee. Rollins goes back up top and he hits a superplex and both men’s shoulders are down and the referee makes the three count.
Winner: ??????
There is some confusion since the referee has not made a call. Stephanie celebratse with Seth while Shane holds Dean back.
Stephanie takes the mic and announces that Seth Rollins is the winner.
We go to credits.
After Raw ended, the referee reviewed the replay and both men’s shoulders were down so the match is declared a draw. Dean Ambrose is still the WWE Champion.
Ambrose and Rollins argue and then Dean celebrates his victory. Rollins hits Dean from behind with a knee and he stands over Ambrose holding the title belt. Seth leaves the ring with the title belt. Seth returns to the ring and Dean hits a double underhook DDT.
