Opening Segment – Kevin Owens kicks off RAW
After making his return this past Friday on Smackdown to join the team taking on The Bloodline at WWE Survivor Series, Kevin Owens made his return to RAW. Kevin Owens made sure to let the crowd know that he is not interested in this match because of his friend, Sami Zayn. He is interested in the match because he wants to go after Roman Reigns. It seems as if that might be the direction they will head after WWE Survivor Series.
At this point, Owens was joined by The Brawling Brutes and Drew McIntyre, his teammates for the upcoming match. This is a really fun group of wrestlers. They were quickly interrupted by The Judgement Day, setting up a 6 man tag team match.
The Judgement Day v The Brawling Brutes
This was a pretty fun match to kick off RAW. Kevin Owens joined the commentary team for the match. Owens is great at commentary, which makes you think he might end up doing it when he retires. Sheamus ended up picking up the win for his team by hitting Dominik Mysterio with a Brogue Kick. A huge brawl broke out after the match but Kevin Owens and company stood tall.
Johnny Gargano v Omos
This match was supposed to be Johnny Gargano v The Miz, but The Miz said he has an injury making him unable to compete. He got Omos to take his place in the match against Garagano. This was the first time we have seen Omos since WWE Crown jewel. This was honestly a really solid match. They 2 men used their different skill sets to help one another. Omos ended up getting the victory here, but it was not a squash match.
Seth Rollins Interview
Before this interview, it was announced that there would be a Triple Threat match for the WWE United States Championship at WWE Survivor Series. Seth Rollins will be defending against Bobby Lashley and Austin Theory. Rollins quickly lets everyone know that he is the one who asked for this match. Rollins is putting out amazing work right now and this was no different. It seems he is pandering to the crowd a bit more now too. It feels safe to say Seth Rollins is the babyface in this storyline.
Austin Theory v Mustafa Ali
This was a really solid match. Ali was working an injury going into it which helped him not look weak when eventually picking up the loss. Austin Theory has been putting out his best work to date over this last few weeks. He was incredibly aggressive one again and losing the Money in the Bank briefcase actually may have been a blessing. After the match, Bobby Lashley appeared on the screen and said he was going to talk to theory right now.
After the break, Lashley made his way to the ring. The 2 men went back and forth both looking really strong on the microphone here. This may have been Austin Theory’s best promo to date. He was clear and purposeful in every word he said. It felt much more real than the Theory we have gotten used to.
The two wrestlers began having an all out brawl that ended up going backstage. Theory threw Ali into Lashley while running away backstage and Lashley decided to just take out all his fury on Ali. Ali has been intertwined in this story every single week. It will be interesting to see if he comes into play during their match at WWE Survivor Series.
Alpha Academy v Elias & Matt Riddle
This was a really solid match. It was set up over the last few weeks in singles matches. Elias and Riddle got the win here. It will be interesting to see where they go next with this storyline. Alpha Academy consistently put out great work in the ring and on the microphone. I would love for them to get a proper push soon.
Baron Corbin v Drew McIntyre
This match was set up a little earlier in the night backstage. Drew got the win from a distraction by Akira Tazowa. This was a solid match, but Corbin needs to figure out what he is. It seems like the only thing that changed about him is hanging out with JBL. He has the same gimmick, gear, and music. He needs a refresh soon, time is running out on Baron Corbin.
The OC interview
The interview was quickly interrupted by The Judgement Day. Finn Balor called himself the devil, which could have been a shot at the current AEW World Champion, MJF. Not many words were exchanged before a fight broke out. They are definitely trying to show that these teams really do not like each other.
Rhea Ripley v Asuka: War Games Advantage Match
The main event of WWE Monday Night RAW this week was Rhea Ripley taking on Asuka. The winner of this match would gain advantage for their team in the War Games match at WWE Survivor Series. Before the match, Bianca Belair announced that their 5th team member would be revealed on WWE Friday Night Smackdown this week.
This was a really entertaining match. Rhea Ripley ended up getting the win and gaining advantage for her team. It is really obvious WWE is trying to push Rhea Ripley and rightfully so. Since her joining of The Judgement Day, she has been the most impressive female on the roster. I would not be surprised if she ended up pinning the RAW Women’s Champion in the War Games match.
