WWE Raw live results: Fallout from Backlash
The Big Takeaway: Kurt Angle announced there would be two Money in the Bank matches this year. Braun Strowman and Finn Balor qualified for the men’s MITB match. Ember Moon qualified for the Women’s MITB match. It appears until Lesnar’s comes back, Roman Reigns has been entered into a program with Jinder Mahal, who interfered in the main event. Seth Rollins has started an open challenge for the Intercontinental Championship, defeating Mojo Rawley this week.
Show Recap:
Kurt Angle started the show. There were ladders on the ramp to start the buildup for Money in the Bank. Angle announced two Money in the Bank ladder matches, one for the men and one for the women. Tonight, there would be two qualifying matches for Money in the Bank. The first would be a triple-threat match between Ruby Riott vs. Amber Moon vs. Sasha Banks. The other match would also be a triple threat match with Sami Zayn vs. Roman Reigns vs. Finn Balor.
Braun Strowman came out to ‘get these hands” chants. Strowman said when he was a kid, he watched as some of his friends built a treehouse without ever asking him for help. So he watched them build this treehouse while he sat idly by for weeks. He asked Angle if he knew what happened? Angle said “You destroyed the treehouse?” Strowman said “Even better. I waited until all the people went into the tree house, then a smashed it down with them inside.” This was Strowman’s way of trying to get into the Money in the Bank match.
Angle said if anyone deserves a chance for Money in the Bank, it was Strowman. Kevin Owens walked out and said if anyone deserves to be in the ladder match, it’s him. Owens said Angle can’t deny he’s Raw MVP. He claimed to have arenas across the world chanting his name and he respects the rules. Owens said Strowman pinned the wrong man in their tag team match last night and he deserves to be in the ladder match. Owens said Strowman deserves to be in his own corner in Time Out because he’s been a bad monster and bellowed “bad monster, Strowman!”
Angle said Strowman will have a qualifying match tonight for Money in the Bank. Owens demanded that Angle treat him fairly so Angle had a decision to make. Owens demanded to be the first Raw superstar entered into the Money in the Bank match. Angle said Strowman would face Owens in a qualifying match right now.
Braun Strowman defeated Kevin Owens in a Money in the Bank Qualifying Match (13:43)
Owens knocked the referee down while selling a back elbow in the opening seconds, which wasn’t planned at all. The referee worked out some kinks in his right shoulder but appeared to be fine. After Owens got knocked to the floor, Strowman ran Owens down. Owens jumped over the guardrail, but Strowman grabbed him by the throat. As Strowman attempted a chokeslam, Owens gave him a Tornado DDT on the floor. Owens tried a countout finish, but Strowman rolled in at 8. Strowman hit a clothesline, only to take the weekly shoulder bump into the post for another countout tease. Owens went for a cannonball, but Strowman grabbed him by the throat. Then Strowman missed a charge into the corner and Owens nailed a bullfrog splash for a two count. Owens got the Superkick and attempted Pop-Up Power Bomb, but Strowman walloped him with a clothesline. Owens rolled out of the ring, leading to Strowman doing his monster wind sprint shoulder check into the dasherboards. That spot is getting so over, Strowman did it again. Then they did it again. Strowman pinned Owens after the running powerslam.
Mike Rome did an interview with Reigns in his locker room. Rome said Reigns handled his business against Joe last night. Reigns said he was the uncrowned Universal Champion, but WWE management doesn’t agree with that. Reigns said he can’t control what happens with backstage politics. He proves his doubters wrong night after night and he wouldn’t want to be Zayn or Balor tonight. He will control his yard tonight and then he will be in control of his destiny.
Bayley did a cell phone promo saying she wanted to wrap her arms around the briefcase. Fandango and Tyler Breeze said they’ve been briefed on a new case. Breeze corrected him and said it was a new briefcase.
Backstage, Goldust met with Angle. Goldust said he wanted to qualify for the Money in the Bank match. Jinder Mahal and Sunil Singh walked in. Mahal complained about not being in the Triple Threat match but Reigns is. Angle said Mahal hasn’t won a match since he came to wrong. Angle said Mahal is facing Chad Gable tonight and if Mahal puts on a good show, he will consider putting him in Money in the Bank. Goldust said “Fasten your seatbelt, it’s going to be a bumpy night” and said that was a movie from “All About Eve” from 1950.
Baron Corbin and the Revival defeated Titus Worldwide and No Way Jose (w/ Dana Brooke) (4:57)
Scott Dawson put Titus O’Neil in an abdominal stretch. O’Neil made a comeback with an enziugiri to make the hot tag to No Way Jose, who hit a rolling fireman’s carry on Dawson before Dash Wilder made the save. Apollo Crews hit Wilder with a clothesline, but Corbin low-bridged Crews to the floor. Baron Corbin made a blind tag off of Dawson. After Jose gave Dawson the Fastball Punch, Corbin pinned Jose with the End of Days.
Ember Moon pinned Ruby Riott (w/ Sarahl Logan & Liv Morgan) in a Triple Threat match that also included Sasha Banks in a Money in the Bank Qualifying match (10:32)
Riott gave Moon an STO after Sarah Logan interfered. Riott simuletaneously gave Banks a Downward Spiral and Moon a DDT. Banks mostly was kept at ringside while Riott got the heat on Moon. Banks ran in for the comeback on Riott, but Moon gave Banks a crossbody block. Moon hit a butterfly suplex and a float over DDT on Banks. Later, Banks jumped off the apron with double knees on Logan and Liv Morgan. Riott jumped off the apron with a dropkick on Banks. Then Moon came back with a tope on Riott. Crowd was distracted by something going in the upper deck and turned their backs to the ring. Logan interfered again as Moon climbed the top rope. Riott gave Banks a huracanrana off the top rope, but Banks reversed it into a sunset flip. Logan and Morgan ran in to attack Banks, which is legal since its a no-DQ match. Bayley ran out to help Banks, knocking down Morgan and Logan with forearms. No pop at all for Bayley. Banks set up Riott for the Bank Statement, but Moon came off the top rope for the Eclipse to pin Riott.
Charly Caruso did an interview with Moon about what some may consider an “underdog victory.” She said she’s over the moon and she’s going to rise and grab that money in the bank contract.
They ran a profile piece on Bobby Lashley, who was largely the same piece that ran in 2006 during his first program with Fit Finley. They put over his amatuer background and how Angle was instrumental in Lashley signing in the WWE. They showed him beating JBL for the U.S. Championship and mentioned his MMA record being 15-2. This led to Lashley doing a sit-down interview with Renee Young. Lashley said he was blessed to be back in the WWE for the first time in ten years. He said he was tied up in the woods by his three sisters and his oldest sister would chase him around the house with a broom. Lashley told her she should hop on that broom and fly off on it. Lashley said another sister, Jessica, carried a white towel which grew dirty over time. One day, she went to school with the towel and a bully took the towel from her. That’s when he stepped in and got the towel back and stuffed it down his throat. His third sister was in the military and carried her helmet around with her. One day, he tried to steal that helmet but she smashed him with it. He said hello to his three sisters.
Zayn and Owens were backstage. Zayn said he felt there was a cloud of conspiracy following them. Owens was mad about Zayn slapping him in the face last night. Zayn said that was last night and apologized, but now they need to focus on becoming Universal Champion. Tonight, Zayn said he had a Triple Threat match, which means anything goes. Zayn asked Owens if Owens was with him. With some reluctance, Owens said yes. Zayn asked “Don’t you mean yep?” Owens said “I mean yeah.” Zayn looked upset.
Jinder Mahal (w/ Sunil Singh) defeated Chad Gable (4:12)
Gable took a hard face-first bump on the floor after Mahal delivered a shoulder block to the midsection. Jonathan Coachman said that would be a penalty next season in the NFL. Corey Graves laughed at Coachman for that line. Gable started his comeback with the Minoru Suzuki armbar while upside down in the ropes. Gable got several near falls with various schoolboy cradles. Mahal came back with the big boot and pinned him with the Khallas.
Postmatch, Sunil Singh pointed his finger in Gable’s face. Gable pushed him down. Mahal beat up on Gable some more, suplexing him across the top rope and kicking him out of the ring.
Alexa Bliss did a cellphone interview saying she will win the Money in the Bank contract to become someone that girls who have been bullied can look up to. The Ascension did an interview saying they will rise and turn Raw into the Wasteland.
Zack Ryder was next in line trying to talk himself into the Money in the Bank match. Mahal demanded to be put in tonight’s Triple Threat match and make it a Fatal Fourway. Angle shot him down and said “Woo, woo, woo.”
Drew McIntyre & Dolph Ziggler defeated Rhyno and Heath Slater (2:37)
When Drew McIntyre tagged in and faced Heath Slater, they crowd chanted “3MB.” The announcers never made any mention of that gimmick or the past that he and Slater shared. McIntyre held Slater upside down in the corner while Dolph Ziggler hit a superkick. McIntyre pinned Slater after the Zig Zag and Claymore combination.
Elias was out. He said he is on another planet than everyone else. Last night, he was interrupted by pancakes and Bobby Roode. Tonight, they were in Long Island, the home of Billy Joel. So it’s no surprise that the fans would worship a talentless, boring hack. Elias said he would be happy to rip out Roode’s vocal chords. Crowd chanted for “Rusev Day.” Elias said Long Isalnders can bring the Islanders back but this place will always suck. After selling that he couldn’t breathe last week, Roode wasn’t selling a thing this week.
Bobby Roode defeated Elias (10:24)
Elias put on a crossface, which Roode struggled with for a while before Roode escaped with a cradle. Roode started his comeback with the spinebuster. Elias caught a Billy Robinson backbreaker for a two count. Elias nailed a power bomb for a two count. Elias teased the same finish as last week by ramming Roode’s throat into the turnbuckle, but Roode blocked it. They screwed up a spot where Roode was supposed to lift Elias across his shoulders, but Elias collapsed. Roode got the pin abruptly with the Glorious DDT. Not many matches on Raw nowadays can be described as bad, but this was one of them.
Caruso did an interview with Roode saying after his win tonight, he hopes to be next in line for a Money in the Bank qualifying match. He said beating Elias is great, but winning the Money in the Bank would be glorious. Crowd didn’t respond to Roode’s catchphrase, or catchword, in this case.
Rollins came out to a big reaction. He admitted the Miz took him to the limit last night, but in the end he stomped on his chance to set the record for most Intercontinental Championship reigns and he’s still Intercontinental Champion. Rollins said there is one thing he can learn from the Miz and that’s what kind of champion not to be. He wants to be a champion that’s here every week. He’s going to be a fighting champion. He said all the attention is on Money in the Bank and he knows a thing or two about that. But that isn’t his focus right now. His focus is on making the Intercontinental Championship THE Championship on Raw. He issued an open challenge for the Intercontinental Championship.
Mojo Rawley came out to light boos. Rawley said this is the Raw debut that he deserves because when opportunity comes knocking, Rawley knocks people down. Crowd chanted for Ryder. Rawley said he was going to knock Rollins down just like he did Ryder, take Rollins’ championship and win the Money in the Bank contract. He said from now on this is Monday Night Rawley.
Intercontinental Champion Seth Rollins defeated Mojo Rawley to retain the Intercontinental Championship (10:56)
Rawley hit a running shoulder block on the floor. Rollins made his comeback with a downward spiral into the corner and an enzugiri, followed by a clothesline to the floor. Rollins hit a tope and followed with another, then caught a blockbuster for a two count. Rollins attempted a springboard knee, but Rawley ran under it and nailed a spinebuster for a two count. Rawley teased the Hyper Drive, but Rollins got out and landed two superkicks for a near fall. Rollins went for the Stomp, but Rawley got the Hyper Drive. Rollins kicked out of the finisher. Rawley pulled off the Pounce Period, then made another charge but Rollins caught a superkick, followed by the Rainmaker Knee and the Stomp for the pin.
Crutis Axel and Bo Dallas did a prom saying their new team name could be the Leading Men because they’re no longer supporting actors under the Miz.
Raw Tag Team Champions the Deletor of Worlds defeated Curtis Axel & Bo Dallas in a nontitle match (2:58)
Matt Hardy gave Dallas the Side Effect and made the hot tag to Bray Wyatt. Hardy pinned Axel after a double Sister Abigail.
Natalya and Corbin did cell phone interviews about Money in the Bank. Natalya said it was a pleasure competing in the first female Money in the Bank match.
Finn Balor pinned Sami Zayn in a Triple Threat bout that also included Roman Reigns in a Money in the Bank Qualifying match (15:24)
About six minutes into the match, Zayn and Balor ganged up on Reigns. Of course, that made them instant babyfaces. Zayn and Balor brawled around ringside and into the technical area. Zayn caught the Helluva kick on Reigns. Balor jumped off the dasherboards with a Coup de Grace onto Reigns. Zayn immediately jumped on Balor and took him back to the ring as Reigns was left behind on the floor. Zayn hit the Blue Thunder Bomb for a two count. Balor and Zayn traded blows until Balor connected with the overhead kick. Balor hit the Final Cut on Zayn, but Zayn pulled Balor’s trunks and threw him out of the ring. Zayn ran around ringside, but Balor caught him with a Sling Blade. Balor went for the Woo Dropkick, but Zayn countered with a big boot. Meanwhile, Reigns arose and jumped over the barricade to basically spear Zayn, followed by the Drive-By. Zayn hit an Exploder Suplex into the corner and teased the Helluva Kick, but Reigns hit a Superman Punch to massive boos. Reigns went for the spear, but Balor gave him a Sling Blade, the Woo Dropkick. Balor went for the Coup de Grace, but Reigns got up and gave him a Superman punch. Reigns went for the spear, but Mahal ran out of the crowd and grabbed Reigns leg, tripping him. Zayn hit Reigns from behind with a Helluva Kick. Balor hit Zayn with a Sling Blade, the Woo Dropkick and got the victory with the Coup de Grace.