WWE Raw live results: John Cena appears
Date: July 19, 2021
Location: American Airlines Center in Dallas, TX
The Big Takeaway —
The live crowd did not save Raw.
Show Recap —
John Cena entered to another big reaction. Cena noticed fans were still getting to their seats and encouraged everyone to get in quickly. He also shouted out a young fan who was celebrating his birthday. Cena missed the fans and missed being there.
He always said that the biggest superstar in WWE was the fans and they were proving it tonight. He joked that he might wear his Peacemaker outfit to the Suicide Squad premiere.
He came back last night, and ruined Roman Reigns’ championship celebration, because of the fans. It was because of them but it was also because of Reigns. The crowd booed Reigns. Cena wanted a Universal Champion match at SummerSlam in Las Vegas.
Cena wanted to explain why he wanted that match. It wasn’t because of the magnitude of SummerSlam or because it would be title win number seventeen — it was because Roman Reigns was an asshole and he needs to be knocked down a peg. The pathetic Reigns experience has gone on long enough.
He called Reigns an arrogant, self-absorbed, over-hyped, over-protected gimmick who wasn’t as “over” as he thinks he is, “and that’s coming from me.” He said if you were good, you tell everyone how good you were. But if you were great, the fans tell you. Cena also announced that he planned on showing up to Smackdown on Friday.
Cena said it was time to get this show started which brought out Riddle. Cena was caught off-guard by Riddle’s fireworks. (The crowd chanted “bro” during his entrance.) Cena and Riddle said “bro” a bunch of times. Cena hugged Riddle and left.
Cena was very good here, of course.
Bobby Lashley is issuing a WWE title open challenge tonight. Charlotte Flair will have a championship celebration.
6-man tag team match: Riddle & The Viking Raiders defeated John Morrison & Raw Tag Team Champions AJ Styles & Omos (12:06)
Erik and Ivar squished Morrison on the outside. As they celebrated with Riddle, Omos launched Styles onto all three of them.
After a break, Omos was in control of Riddle. Riddle fought off offense by Morrison and Styles to tag in Erik. Styles and Erik had a nice strike exchange until Erik wiped out Styles with a running knee. Erik hit another knee strike but Styles came back with a Pelé kick.
Morrison and Ivar tagged in and they exchanged counters until Ivar hit a clothesline. Ivar went for a moonsault but Morrison moved. Morrison went for Starship Pain but Ivar moved.
Riddle sprayed Omos from behind with the drip stick. Omos turned around and assumed it was Miz (which the crowd laughed at), so he went after Miz as he slowly backed away on his wheelchair.
Morrison tried to save his friend but Omos chucked him back in the ring. Erik and Ivar gave Morrison a Viking Experience for the pinfall win.
The crowd wasn’t super into this but they popped for the finish and were happy to cheer along with the babyfaces when they celebrated.
Jaxson Ryker said he planned on doing bad things to Elias tonight.
They plugged next year’s WrestleMania in Dallas. They still aren’t putting a number in the logo.
Elias was in the ring. He got the crowd to yell “walk with Elias.” Before he could say more, Ryker appeared on the screen. He said everyone was sick of his schtick and after tonight, we’d never hear Elias say, “hello, I am Elias” again.
Symphony of Destruction match: Jaxson Ryker defeated Elias (12:44)
There were musical instruments all around the ring and this match is apparently falls count anywhere. I learned this after Ryker hit Elias with a keyboard and pinned him outside the ring for two. Elias hit a flying knee for two but Ryker smashed a guitar across his back… which led to break.
They continued fighting for a while and there was a spot where Ryker tossed Elias onto a piano for two. Elias hit Ryker twice with a big ass cello for two. The match finally came to an end when Ryker suplexed Elias from the turnbuckles to the outside through a table for the pinfall win, which did look good.
The crowd was quiet for the first half but got into it once they started using the piano. I thought this match was about 12 minutes too long.
Mansoor was with Adam Pearce and Sonya Deville in the back. Mustafa Ali showed up and Deville informed him that they’ve approved their request to be a team. Ali was surprised to learn this. Mansoor explained that if Ali wanted him to learn, it made sense for them to team. Ali didn’t like it but agreed to do it for one night.
Sheamus showed up and argued with Deville and Pearce. He wasn’t happy about having to face Humberto Carrillo again. Deville said Carrillo deserved a fair shot. Sheamus threatened to smash Carrillo’s face in. (They piped in some booing when he said that.)
[Second hour]
Charlotte Flair’s championship celebration
Charlotte got a big mixed reaction. She said it felt good to be standing there as their women’s champion. She said Rhea Ripley tried to take a page from her book, but she’s the one who created the book. The crowd chanted for Becky Lynch. Charlotte let them know that Lynch was at home breastfeeding.
She ran down her accolades and called herself the only 11-time women’s champion in history. (I guess they aren’t counting NXT anymore because she specifically mentioned being a 1-time Divas champion, 5-time Raw champion, and 5-time Smackdown champion.)
Charlotte said she could beat Ripley any day of the week. Ripley interrupted and challenged her to a rematch. Charlotte mocked her and mentioned Ripley whining about her hurt knee last night. Charlotte declined.
Pearce and Deville entered. Deville congratulated Charlotte on winning the title, however, she did just say she can beat Ripley any day of the week. Pearce agreed and made the title match official for tonight. The crowd cheered.
Charlotte kicked her shoe at Ripley before kicking her leg out of her leg. Ripley went down and Charlotte left the ring.
They recapped Nikki ASH winning the Money in the Bank contract.
Tag Team Champions Natalya & Tamina defeated Shayna Baszler & Nia Jax (w/Reginald)
Baszler and Jax didn’t get an entrance and the match was underway after a break. (Only Riddle and Morrison got entrances earlier for the 6-man match.)
Tamina won quickly by pinfall after superkicking Baszler thanks to some Reginald shenanigans.
After the match, Baszler seemed to have enough. She said (off mic) that they were unstoppable until Reginald showed up. The crowd chanted for Shayna. Jax hugged Reginald before headbutting him. Jax left with Baszler. Reginald was alone in the ring and a few people chanted “Reggie sucks.”
Akira Tozawa was chased down to the ring by the 24/7 crew. Reginald knocked him down and pinned him to win the title. The other wrestlers went after him but he leaped over the steel steps and bailed. The crowd changed their minds and applauded Reginald.
Karrion Kross debuts tonight. The crowd popped when they saw the graphic. (Scarlett was not in the graphic.)
US Champion Sheamus defeated Humberto Carrillo in a non-title match (10:13)
This went through a break and Sheamus was in control when they returned. Carrillo eventually fought back after biting Sheamus’ finger and following with a series of kicks. Carrillo brought Sheamus down off the top with a hurricanrana and followed with a suicide dive and missile dropkick for a nearfall.
Carrillo hurt his hand after punching Sheamus’ steel facemask. Sheamus headbutted Carrillo with said facemask and hit a Brogue kick for the pinfall win.
Bobby Lashley / MVP promo
Lashley and MVP entered for Lashley’s open challenge. Lashley said he did all the talking he needed to last night when he destroyed Kofi Kingston. He was done talking.
MVP said the fans were lucky to be in Lashley’s presence. He said the Dallas fans resented the champ because they were Cowboys fans and haven’t had a winner in decades. MVP realized that Kofi Kingston was right but his words lit a fire under the champion. (The crowd chanted “what” at MVP but he ignored them. The same happened with Cena earlier.)
MVP said maybe Lashley was vulnerable a few weeks ago but that window has closed and no one would be able to take his championship now. No more women, champagne or fun and games to distract him. No more bullshit. Tonight, we’d get to witness the most dominant champion in history. Lashley grabbed the mic and asked who was accepting his open challenge.
Keith Lee entered. Lee and Lashley stared down as they went to break.
(Corey Graves said it was a title match but the graphic made it seem like Lee would earn a future title match if he won.)
[Third hour]
Graves clarified that this was a “championship contenders” match. Meaning non-title. Jimmy Smith said the crowd chanted “welcome back” for Lee during the break.
WWE Champion Bobby Lashley defeated Keith Lee in a non-title match (5:50)
Lee shined early by driving Lashley repeatedly into the corner and knocking him down with a running crossbody. Lee went for a Spirit Bomb but Lashley countered into a flatliner. Lashley tried hoisting Lee on his shoulders outside the ring but Lee was too heavy and they stumbled back into the barricade (fortunately for the fans, Lee did not fall over it).
Lee shoved Lashley into the post but became distracted by MVP, so Lashley knocked him down and hit a running spear. (Graves overreacted and said the ref should stop the match to save Lee.)
Lashley tried applying the Hurt Lock but Lee was once again too big. Before Lee could do anything, Lashley gave him a spinebuster and followed with a spear for the decisive pinfall win.
Goldberg entered. The crowd cheered and chanted his name. Goldberg got right in Lashley’s face, laughed and yelled “I’m next.” MVP backed off Lashley who was not happy.
Kevin Patrick approached Lashley and MVP in the back for an interview. MVP said Goldberg disrespected the champion and they didn’t plan on responding.
Jinder Mahal promo
Mahal announced that today was his birthday (which received a tepid response). Even better than that, he said, Drew McIntyre was not Mr. Money in the Bank. Mahal recapped recent events by showing three different videos. Mahal was happy that McIntyre wouldn’t be getting a title match as long as Lashley was champion.
Mahal handed the mic to Shanky so he could sing happy birthday. As Shanky sang, McIntyre entered the ring and hit Mahal and Veer with a chair. Veer helped Mahal out of the ring so McIntyre hit Shanky with the chair about ten times.
The crowd chanted “one more time,” but the chair was busted so McIntyre got a new one and hit Shanky with it 20 more times as the crowd gleefully counted along. (Shanky wore a tank top but you could still see bruises and some blood thanks to the chair shots.)
There was a Karrion Kross video. “Doomsday is coming.”
Kross entered. He entered wearing his NXT title belt. No Scarlett.
Jeff Hardy defeated NXT Champion Karrion Kross in a non-title match (1:42)
Hardy got a big reaction. He entered to his “No More Words” theme song.
Kross suplexed Hardy around but Hardy caught him with a Twist of Fate. Kross dodged a Swanton Bomb but Hardy stacked him up and pinned him with his feet on the ropes for the pinfall win. Hardy picks up the surprise win. Kross was stunned.
Patrick asked Kross about losing in his Raw debut. Kross said Hardy just made the biggest mistake of his life because in the end everyone will fall and pray.
The crowd did not care at all about Kross.
Alexa’s Playground
This was awful. Worse than I could even describe.
Bliss spoke to Lilly for a moment until Eva Marie and Doudrop busted in. Bliss ignored Marie but was again happy to see Doudrop (despite Doudrop attacking her last week). Bliss warned them that it was not a good idea to say anything bad about Lilly. Bliss also didn’t want to put her in timeout again.
Marie was annoyed. Bliss wanted to see what Marie could do without any help. Marie decided to leave but she “tripped” over nothing. Presumably, Bliss or Lilly caused her to fall. Marie scrambled away and Bliss laughed.
AJ Styles and Omos defend their tag titles against the Viking Raiders again next week.
Raw Women’s Championship: Rhea Ripley defeated Charlotte Flair via DQ — Charlotte retains the title
Ripley was doing fine until Charlotte targeted her knee. Charlotte chop-blocked Ripley and the referee stopped her from doing worse so he could check on Ripley (and because he knew they were going to break).
Charlotte worked over Ripley’s knee after the break. Ripley fought back and hit a back suplex. They traded right hands until Ripley hit a series of short-arm clotheslines and a Northern Lights suplex (while still selling her leg) for two. Charlotte came right back with a big boot.
Charlotte tried a moonsault but Ripley got her knees up (which barely grazed Charlotte). Ripley applied a Figure Four but Charlotte reversed it. Ripley hit a thrust kick and a Riptide.
My feed cut out at that moment so I didn’t see the end of the match, but Charlotte appeared to get herself disqualified to retain the title.
Ripley attacked Charlotte after the match and gave her a Riptide outside the ring.
Nikki ASH’s music hit and she sprinted down and told the referee she was cashing in her contract.
Nikki A.S.H. defeated Charlotte Flair to win the Raw Women’s Championship
Nikki went to the top and hit a flying crossbody as soon as Charlotte got to her feet to win the title. The crowd popped big for the cash-in and the win.
This was a fun ending to an otherwise disappointing Raw show.