Welcome to Monday Night Raw! Tonight we are live from Baltimore. Remember to click the blue links to view match highlights courtesy of the WWE's YouTube channel!
The show begins by re-capping last weeks events on Raw between the Shield and the reforming Evolution.
We then go live as the WWE World Champion Daniel Bryan is making his way to the ring to join Brie Bella who is already in the ring. The two embrace, as Stephanie McMahon then makes her way to the ring. Stephanie says she wants to congratulate Bryan & Brie and says she wanted to give Bryan a present and tells him that at Extreme Rules he will be defending his title against Kane. Kane's music hits, but Stephanie calls out on the mic to say now is not the right place, Bryan & Brie exit the ring but Kane appears through the crowd and begins to attack Bryan, delivering a tombstone to the ground & then another one on the steel steps. The paramedics try to help Bryan and put him on the stretcher but Kane comes back & attacks Bryan further, before eventually delivering another tombstone to him on the announce table. All the while whilst Stephanie is shouting at him to stop. The paramedics then begin to attend to Bryan again as we head to a break, after which we return to find the paramedics still attending to Bryan and escorting him out on the stretcher accompanied by Brie. Stephanie calls for a round of applause for Daniel Bryan as they leave the ringside area.
We then look at the brackets for the Intercontinental Title #1 contenders tournament and are reminded tonight we will see the semi-finals take place as Cesaro faces Rob Van Dam and Sheamus vs Bad News Barrett - a match which is up next.
Intercontinental Title #1 Contenders Tournament Semi Final
Sheamus begins the match on the offensive & shows how determined he is to win this match between the two british wrestlers. A very physical match continues as Sheamus comes close to victory, however Barrett hits Sheamus with the Bull Hammer and gets the victory to advance to the final!
Winner via pinfall: Bad News Barrett - 7/10
What a superb match between two great performers, they never fail to have a bad match, I hope Barrett goes on to win this tournament and the title and we see a feud between Barrett & Sheamus. They could put on a great series of matches. I also really hope this tournament begins the re-emergence of the Intercontinental title as an important title and that genuine feuds are built around the title itself rather than the title just being used as an object to put someone over.
We return from the break to see another promo video for Bo Dallas.
We then look back to 2011 when Hugh Jackman appeared on Raw and got involved and helped Zack Ryder defeat Dolph Ziggler, we are then told that Jackman will be on Raw next week.
Michael Cole then reveals that the WWE Universe get to vote on John Cena's opponent tonight, his choices are: Luke Harper, Luke Harper & Erick Rowan or all 3 members of the Wyatt Family.
The Wyatt Family then appear on the stage. Bray begins by promising change & declares that tonight is a good night for change and says that the WWE universe have their chance to vote on their own free will and says the truth is that they will stand against John Cena, he declares that the WWE Universe doesn't love John Cena anymore. Bray says that at Extreme Rules he promises to take care of him inside the steel cage.
Los Matadores & El Torito vs Jinder Mahal, Drew McIntyre of 3MB & Hornswoggle (with Heath Slater)
El Torito & Hornswoggle start the match, before McIntyre is tagged in, before Diego & Fernando assit El Torito, allowing him to get the pinfall.
Winners via pinfall: Los Matadores & El Torito - 3/10
What a waste of a match, I'm happy with a little bit of fun with El Torito & Hornswoggle but both 3MB & Los Matadores deserve better than this & can have a decent match on their own and certainly need that if they are wanting to look like genuine contenders to the tag titles.
Backstage we see a limousine pull up as Evolution arrive.
We return from the break as Evolution make their way to the ring. Triple H begins by talking about the Shield thought they were the top dogs in the WWE, but they ended humiliated by Evolution. A video then airs to highlight the past of Evolution. Batista then tells us that the Shield have no idea what they have got theirselves into, at which point the Shields music hits and they make their way to the ring. Evolution retreat from the ring as the Shield enter. Dean Ambrose grabs the mic & tells Evolution that last week wasn't the first beating they have had and it won't be the last. Seth Rollins adds that they have every idea what they are getting into. Rollins then adds to put an abrupt end to Evolutions brief reunion. Roman Reigns then grabs the mic and issues Evolution an ultimatum, either resulting in a fight, as The Shield head towards Evolution, but a number of Superstars including Rybaxel, Alexander Rusev & Titus O'Neil come out in support of Evolution as the Shield stop in their tracks.
We then re-cap what happened at the beginning of Raw between Daniel Bryan & Kane.
Rybaxel join the commentary team for the next match.
WWE Tag Team Champions The Usos vs The Rhodes Brothers
A good match between the champs and the former champs, as Jimmy gets the pinfall over Cody Rhodes.
Winners via pinfall: The Usos - 5/10
After the match a little dissension goes on between Cody & Goldust as Cody storms off as Goldust chases after him, Rybaxel then jump the Usos & attack them in the ring.
Layla (with Fandango) vs Emma (with Santino Marella)
Emma gains the victory over Layla as she gets the 3-count
Winner via pinfall: Emma - 3/10
I really rate Emma & Layla & their in-ring ability but I am bored of this feud between them with Santino etc. Fandango deserves better as does Layla & Emma. I've grown a little tired with Santino & his whole Cobra thing. I hope this feud comes to an end soon.
Backstage we join Renee Young who is with John Cena. Renee asks about the possibility of his matches tonight. Cena says that if the WWE Universe votes from him to face all 3 members of the Wyatt Family, then that is what he will have to face up to & that he should never be counted out.
Cesaro & Paul Heyman come out to the ring ahead of Cesaro's match with Rob Van Dam
Before the match starts Heyman talks about Cesaro being the next Intercontinental Champion & he reminds us that Brock Lesnar defeated the Undertakers streak at WrestleMania. Before RVD makes his way to the ring
Intercontinental Title #1 Contenders Tournament Semi Final
Cesaro (with Paul Heyman) vs Rob Van Dam
Despite a rusty start between the two, the match comes to life, both have a couple of near falls and as Cesaro is about to go for a Cesaro swing, Jack Swagger & Zeb Colter enter the ringside area. Swagger distracts Cesaro, & pushes him into the steel ring post which eventually causes Cesaro to be counted out & allow RVD to advance to the final to face Bad News Barrett.
Winner via count out: Rob Van Dam - 6/10
After the match Cesaro & Swagger do battle in the ring briefly as Cesaro & Heyman are both annoyed at Cesaro being out of the tournament.
Backstage Renee Young is with RVD as she congratulates him on advancing to the final of the Intercontinental title #1 contender tournament, at which point Heyman & Cesaro appear, still angry at Cesaro's loss, however RVD advises Cesaro to steer clear of Heyman if he wants to go somewhere.
Aksana vs WWE Divas Champion Paige
Aksana offers good competition for the Champ but Paige is too strong in the end as she gets Aksana to tap out.
Winner via submission: Paige - 5/10
Michael Cole then reveals breaking news, Cesaro & Jack Swagger will go head to head on Smackdown on Friday.
Lana is then introduced and makes her way to the stage as she in turn introduces Alexander Rusev.
Alexander Rusev (with Lana) vs Sin Cara
Sin Cara offers Rusev perhaps his most toughest test yet but it's all to no avail as Rusev gets Sin Cara to tap out.
Winner via submission: Alexander Rusev - 5/10
John Cena makes his way to the ring for his impending match against one, some or all of the Wyatt Family, depending on how the WWE Universe have voted, we now find out the results and they have voted for John Cena to face: All 3 members of the Wyatt Family
The Wyatt Family go to work on Cena, as they pretty much dominate the match, despite little flurries of momentum from Cena at various points. However, unsurprisingly Cena gains momentum and hits the Attitude Adjustment and goes for the pin but is stopped by Rowan & Harper, at which point the referee calls for the bell (how is that a DQ?)
Winner via DQ: John Cena - 6/10
After the match the Wyatt Family attack Cena again as Bray leads us through another rendition of the "Whole world in his hands" as Raw comes to a close.
Overall comments: A fairly decent edition of Raw. This weeks show was always going to somewhat of a comedown compared to the last few weeks, but it still had it's good points. The IC title playing prominence is good and I hope it remains that way. The build between Evolution & The Shield was just about right. Unsure how I feel about Daniel Bryan/Kane at the moment, think the match needs a very good gimmick, particularly being at Extreme Rules. The downsides tonight was the waste of a match with Los Matadores/3MB. If they want to make the focus on El Torito/Hornswoggle then do that, but don't use 2 potentially good tag teams to do that. Both deserve better. Also I have grown so tired of Santino & his whole Cobra think, it's a sock, that's all it is, a sock. Fandango deserves a better feud, Emma and Layla are great performers of the Divas division and they could both do better than be involved in what is basically a comic feud. The whole storyline is going nowhere and the match wasn't even worth putting on, if they want to fill a show with matches that's fine, just have someone like Titus O'Neil & Kofi Kingston have a match for example, that's far more enjoyable than what is for all intense and purpose, a comedy sketch, a comedy sketch that isn't funny mainly because we've all grown tired so seeing a sock become a finishing move. Anyway that's me nit-picking. I did enjoy Raw, it was decent enough as we build to Extreme Rules.
Overall Show Rating: 7/10
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