WWE Raw live results: Seth Rollins vs. Dolph Ziggler
Date: June 25, 2018
Location: Valley View Casino Centre in San Diego, CA
The Big Takeaway —
A great main event ended in a DQ after Drew McIntyre saved Dolph Ziggler from losing his IC title to Seth Rollins. They beat up Rollins after the match until Roman Reigns made the save.
Outside of that, the story of the show was teams that couldn’t get along. Bayley attacked Sasha Banks and laid her out after their team lost to the Riott Squad. Bayley destroyed Banks and the crowd cheered her for it.
The Revival beat Roman Reigns and Bobby Lashley (with Dash Wilder pinning Reigns) because the latter two couldn’t stay on the same page. Finn Balor and Baron Corbin couldn’t get along as a team either and lost via count-out. Kevin Owens and Braun Strowman won that match, but Strowman ended up flipping Owen’s car.
They aired a graphic for Vader but did not show a tribute video or do anything else.
Show Recap —
A graphic aired in memory of “Vader” Leon White (1955-2018). RIP.
Kurt Angle and Baron Corbin were in the ring to start the show. JoJo only introduced Angle, so Corbin demanded she introduce him, too, which is only fair. He was booed. Angle referenced Paul Heyman’s lengthy Facebook post, which started rumours around Brock Lesnar’s status. Angle wanted to clear things up, but Roman Reigns interrupted.
Reigns took his time to get to the ring and told Angle he wanted to hear this face-to-face. Of course, Bobby Lashley came out next because he wanted to hear it too. He also reminded Reigns that he’s just proven over the past three years that he can’t beat Brock. Reigns thought it was funny that Lashley wanted him to move on because that’s what he did ten years ago.
Reigns said Lashley main evented WrestleMania but wanted to be a star in MMA, which didn’t exactly work out. And while Lashley was doing nothing, Reigns main evented Mania four years in a row–and wants to make it five. Lashley said he was the only one who had legit tools to beat Lesnar.
Angle said there was no match at Extreme Rules anymore. Lesnar backed out of the deal. Lashley was confused, so Reigns informed him this is what Lesnar does. He was about to swear but Angle stopped him. Lashley said Lesnar might be interested in working if he could face anyone but Reigns. He said Lesnar was tired of Reigns, just like the people were. They cheered.
Reigns challenged Lashley to a match at Extreme Rules now that they were free. Angle said he would consider it. The Revival interrupted. They wanted a rematch. They asked Angle, but Corbin accepted on his behalf.
They plugged Jeff Hardy defending the US Title against Shinsuke Nakamura for Smackdown.
The Revival defeated Roman Reigns & Bobby Lashley (13:00)
The Revival worked over Lashley for a bit until he made the tag to Reigns, who hit Scott Dawson with clotheslines and a big boot. Dash Wilder pulled Dawson out of the ring, so Reigns gave Wilder the drive-by. Dawson sold it like he was hit too, but he wasn’t.
After a break, Revival were in control of Reigns. After a while, Reigns gave Dawson a Samoan drop and made the hot tag to Lashley, who nailed back elbows and suplexes to both guys. He gave Wilder the delayed vertical then sized him up for a spear. Reigns tagged himself in, though, and hit a superman punch. Lashley feigned a blind tag, but Reigns backed away.
Dawson tried to attack, so Reigns side-stepped and launched him into Lashley, who fell off the apron. Reigns gave Dawson a spear, but Wilder was the legal man and used a schoolboy on Reigns, holding the tights, for the pinfall win.
Lashley mockingly clapped for Reigns then told him to let him finish it next time. Reigns was sad.
Matt Hardy said the B-Team’s performance last week was wonderful, and the best he has seen since being at the Globe Theatre with his friend Bill Shakespeare. Bray Wyatt warned them that they were entering the lion’s den. After a break, the B-Team did another parody video of Hardy and Wyatt.
They aired a promo for Rey Mysterio as an unlockable character in WWE 2K19. It also made it seem like he was returning, though they never outright said it. It was a cool promo. They had different wrestlers pulling off a Mysterio mask, with each making a comment about him, finally ending with Mysterio himself.
Curtis Axel (w/Bo Dallas) defeated Matt Hardy (w/Bray Wyatt) (0:54)
Hardy set up for a superplex but Axel turned it into a crossbody for the surprisingly quick pinfall win. They tried to make it seem like Hardy slipped, but that’s not really what happened and they didn’t show a replay. Afterwards, Hardy said Axel’s methods were wonderful and led the crowd in an ovation for the B-Team.
They recapped what happened last week between Sasha Banks and Bayley, then Banks was shown speaking with Angle backstage. Banks wasn’t happy with whatever he was saying.
Authors of Pain walked through the back and shoved down a stagehand. The crowd cheered upon seeing them. They bumped into Apollo Crews, Titus O’Neil and Dana Brooke. O’Neil told them to show some respect for the hard-working crew. AOP said thanks but no thanks for the advice.
Bayley welcomed back Alicia Fox and hugged her. Angle told Bayley she would be teaming with Banks again tonight (along with Ember Moon) and Bayley wasn’t happy.
Authors of Pain defeated Rich & Rex Gibson (1:02)
AOP killed two jobbers and won with the Last Chapter. AOP attacked them after the match until O’Neil and Crews ran out. AOP left.
Finn Balor approached Angle and Corbin backstage, and got a pretty big pop when he appeared. Balor wanted to know why Lesnar cancelled the match. Corbin thought Balor would just come up “short” again anyway, just like last week when Corbin pinned him. Balor asked Corbin if his manager at TGI Fridays knew that he stole the vest he was wearing. The crowd laughed.
Braun Strowman showed up and said he felt bad about throwing Kevin Owens through walls and tables considering Owens still wanted to be his friend. Strowman wanted to give it a shot and asked Angle to make them a team tonight. Strowman thought Balor and Corbin would make good opponents and Angle agreed. Balor made another crack about Corbin looking like a waiter.
Alexa Bliss and Mickie James came out for a promo. James introduced Bliss as a three-time Raw Women’s Champion and the crowd booed. They talked about Ronda Rousey and said she deserved to be suspended. The crowd chanted “we want Rousey.” Bliss thought she deserved a better reward than having to defend her title against Nia Jax.
She claimed Jax was still in therapy after what Rousey did to her. She said Jax thought her feel-good story came to an end at WrestleMania, but really, Bliss was the hero of this story. The crowd started booing through her promo, the way they would to Vickie Guerrero or Stephanie McMahon. This was followed by “you suck” chants.
Natalya interrupted. She said it would be just 23 days until her friend Ronda returned to deal with Bliss. Bliss was surprised that Natalya left her five-star vacation with the cast of Total Divas and told her she didn’t have to post everything she does on social media.
Natalya let her know that Angle put them in a match tonight. Natalya also had backup, which brought out Nia Jax, who appears to be a babyface again.
Natalya (w/Nia Jax) defeated Women’s Champion Alexa Bliss (w/Mickie James) in a non-title match
Bliss gained control after kicking Natalya’s leg out of her leg, but Natalya responded with a Michinoku Driver. Bliss then did her Insult to Injury spot but basically whiffed. Natalya made a comeback but was distracted by James, allowing Bliss to hit a forearm. The referee yelled at James, which allowed Jax to trip Bliss. Natalya then applied the Sharpshooter and Bliss tapped.
As Natalya and Jax celebrated, James cradled Bliss like a baby for a moment before they walked away.
Seth Rollins told Charly Caruso that Drew McIntyre would have the best seat in the house to watch him beat Dolph Ziggler and take back his Intercontinental title.
Elsewhere, Jinder Mahal was doing a photo shoot when the Riott Squad showed up to smash the camera. Mahal was unperturbed, because he’s all about peace now. The Riott Squad appeared nonplussed and left.
The Riott Squad defeated Sasha Banks, Bayley & Ember Moon (7:01)
Michael Cole stressed that this was the final opportunity for Banks and Bayley to “get along,” even though it’s not something either of them wanted anyway. Ember nailed Ruby Riott and Liv Morgan with a suicide dive and they cut to commercial 90 seconds into the match.
The teams went back and forth until Ruby picked up the win with a small package on Banks.
Immediately afterwards, Bayley jumped in the ring and wildly attacked Banks. The crowd popped huge even though it was presumably a heel turn. They kept cheering as Bayley continued the attack. She twice tossed Banks into the steps and the crowd chanted Bayley’s name.
Bayley yelled in Banks’ face. When Bayley was done, her happy theme music played, which was unintentionally amusing. Officials ran down to check on Banks as Bayley stormed off.
Angle told a referee to let him know as soon as he finds Bayley. Owens approached Angle and pleaded with him not to pair him with Strowman. Owens reminded Angle about Strowman running him over and tossing him off a “40-foot ladder.” He also thought Strowman wanted to eat him. Angle thought they could be friends. (He thought this about Banks and Bayley, too.)
No Way Jose vs. Mojo Rawley
The match never happened. Rawley cut a promo saying Jose’s conga line didn’t deserve to walk down a WWE ramp, and neither did Jose. He got in one of their faces and asked his name. He answered, “Todd” and the crowd loudly chanted for Todd.
Rawley was embarrassed for Todd, who dressed as a cheeseburger. Rawley refused the rematch with Jose. Jose confronted Rawley, so Rawley punched him in the face and walked away. Jose got up but didn’t go after Rawley for some reason. The crowd chanted, “we want Todd.” Rawley came off well here. Jose did not.
Angle accused Bayley of not caring about Raw or the “women’s evolution.” Angle told her she had to go to counselling next week. Bayley thought it was absurd she had to do that and not Banks. Angle said she put Banks in the trainer’s room. Bayley refused, but Angle said she had to or she was fired. The crowd booed.
Braun Strowman & Kevin Owens defeated Finn Balor & Baron Corbin via count-out (11:40)
The story early on was Strowman and Owens getting along, mostly at the behest of Strowman. After a break, Owens made an overly dramatic tag to Strowman who ran wild on Corbin and Balor. He ran around the ring and ran over both guys. He then tagged in Owens and told him to do the same. Owens tackled Balor but Corbin knocked him down with a clothesline.
Strowman went to save Owens but ran into the post. Balor gave Owens a sling blade, then Corbin tagged himself in by slapping Balor in the back of the head. Balor kicked him off the apron, then Corbin yanked him out of the ring. They brawled up the ramp as Owens, Strowman and the referee counted them out. Strowman and Owens won. The crowd didn’t seem to know how to react to the match.
Afterwards, Owens offered a handshake. Strowman just stared at him so Owens left the ring and sprinted up the ramp, which was funny. Strowman grabbed his briefcase and left the ring, so Owens ran to the back and Strowman chased after.
They cut to the back and Owens hid in the San Diego Gulls coaches room. Strowman asked a concessions guy where Kevin Owens went, but the guy didn’t know who that was. Strowman said he looks like he has a bowling ball under his shirt, then Strowman marched off in the wrong direction.
After a break, Owens tried leaving but the valet guy didn’t have his car keys. Strowman did. Strowman tossed Owens his keys and said he hoped he had insurance. Owens turned around and saw his car was flipped over. Strowman chuckled and walked away.
Seth Rollins defeated Dolph Ziggler (w/Drew McIntyre) via DQ in an Intercontinental Title match (27:47)
About 14 minutes into the match, Rollins was about to do a suicide dive but McIntyre clubbed him from behind as the referee was distracted by Ziggler. The ref figured out what happened and tossed McIntyre from ringside but he wouldn’t leave.
Rollins rolled up Ziggler and had the match won but the ref was distracted by McIntyre this time. Rollins gave Ziggler an enziguri then took out both guys with a suicide dive. Ziggler then tripped Rollins off the top rope and tried a pin for a two count.
After a break, Rollins slipped out of a sleeper and hit a ripcord knee for a nearfall. The crowd chanted for Rollins. McIntyre was gone from ringside. Ziggler gave Rollins a jumping DDT on the apron, which was nuts. Rollins just barely made it back in the ring before a ten count. “This is awesome” chants.
Ziggler went for a superkick but Rollins grabbed him, hit the buckle bomb and a superkick for a nearfall. Rollins followed with a frog splash for another nearfall. Ziggler avoided a stomp, then Rollins slipped out of a Zig Zag. They traded roll-ups, then Ziggler hit a Zig Zag for a nearfall.
Rollins nailed the superplex and falcon arrow but the referee was pulled out of the ring by McIntyre. McIntyre attacked Rollins and the referee called for the bell.
Ziggler and McIntyre continued the attack until Roman Reigns came out to make the save. He speared Ziggler and gave McIntyre a superman punch. JoJo announced Rollins the winner, but Ziggler is still the champion. The match was excellent until the finish.