This was a fun Raw with a lot of exciting things happening. First we had Bianca Belair defeating Iyo Sky in the opening contest. Followed by some hijinx involving the Miz’ security team and Dexter Lumis dressed in Edmonton Oilers goalie gear. Along with an excellent showing from Johnny Gargano and Kevin Owens against Alpha Academy. We also got a few returns tonight. Candice LaRae is back in WWE and she picked up the victory against Nikki ASH in her first match back. After the main event, Edge made his return and challenged Finn Balor to an I Quit match. Speaking of that main event, Matt Riddle and Damian Priest put on a good one. It was back and forth the whole way and the crowd was really into it throughout. Despite that, Sami Zayn and AJ Styles put on the match of the night in my eyes, it was so well done and worth a watch if you haven’t seen it yet. Oh yeah, Seth Rollins debuted a Peruvian Necktie that might come in handy inside the Fight Pit at Extreme Rules.
Monday Night Raw is in Edmonton this week and there are some exciting matches on tap tonight. Kevin Owens and Johnny Gargano will team up against Alpha Academy, Sami Zayn takes on AJ Styles and in the main event Damian Priest will face Matt Riddle. All that and more.
GOOD Bianca Belair, Asuka and Alexa Bliss Promo:
Bianca immediately addresses Bayley to start things off but is interrupted by Damage CNTRL very quickly after a replay of last week’s beatdown. Bayley has the crowd booing for sure but this isn’t about her and Bianca this week, and we end up with a match booked between Iyo Sky and Belair up next.
Clark Taylor’s WR Star Rating – 3.25 Stars
GOOD Bianca Belair vs. Iyo Sky:
This was a solidly contested match. Belair showed why she’s the champion but it never felt like Iyo Sky was out of it given the numbers game played by Damage CTRL and that made things more exciting. Despite multiple distractions and interference attempts, Belair was able to score the victory by KOD.
Result: Bianca Belair by Pinfall via KOD
Clark Taylor’s WR Star Rating – 3.00 Stars
GOOD Seth Rollins Promo:
Seth is here to speak about the Fight Pit Match he has coming up against Matt Riddle. He runs down a list of his own accomplishments before dropping his final punchline. It is a very good promo but it felt more like a reason to announce the match Rollins is about to have with Rey Mysterio who he calls, “Father of the year.”
Clark Taylor’s WR Star Rating – 3.00 Stars
GOOD Seth Rollins vs. Rey Mysterio:
Rey fights valiantly as he always does but this is Seth Rollins match. He isn’t exactly dominant throughout, but he is clearly in control. Dominik and Rhea Ripley create a distraction that causes Rey to take the loss in the end, violently and it looks like Seth might be the favorite headed to the fight pit with Riddle. First a Stomp from Rollins and then a Peruvian Necktie submission on the already unconscious Mysterio is enough to earn him the submission victory.
Result: Seth Rollins by Submission via Peruvian Necktie
Clark Taylor’s WR Star Rating – 3.25 Stars
GREAT Kevin Owens and Johnny Gargano vs. Alpha Academy:
KO and Johnny Gargano are a formidable team without question and it will be exciting to see what they can do in the tag team division. These two teams had another exciting match. Gable is on a roll bell to bell of late, while there have been more losses than wins he has put on only quality matches. The crowd loves Kevin Owens and he’s clearly having fun of late too. Byron Saxton actually makes a Panda Express reference at one point when Gargano and Owens hit a tandem senton on Gable. Late in the match there is an especially big pop for Owens locking in the sharpshooter on Gable, and then again as he drops an elbow on Otis through the announce table. Johnny Gargano hits the One Final Beat even after Theory tries to interfere with his Money in The Bank Briefcase.
Result: Johnny Gargano by Pinfall via One Final Beat
Clark Taylor’s WR Star Rating – 3.75 Stars
SQUASH Omos vs. Local Wrestlers:
I was unfortunately unable to find the names of the two competitors but they are worked over pretty quickly by Omos. This is a Squash. Omos wins with his double chokeslam.
Result: Omos by Pinfall via Two Handed Chokeslam
Clark Taylor’s WR Star Rating – SQUASH
GREAT Miz Backstage Segment:
Miz is backstage again and there is someone in full Oilers gear in a room full of all laid out security guards. The crowd goes absolutely crazy when Dexter Lumis is revealed under the Oilers mask. They chant for the hometown team after Lumis breaks a hockey stick over Miz’ back and then chokes him out.
Clark Taylor’s WR Star Rating – 3.75 Stars
GOOD Candice LaRae vs. Nikki ASH:
Candice LaRae makes her return to a big pop and she will take on the Almost Superhero. The match starts quickly with a lock up and Nikki ASH takes early control. LaRae fights valiantly though and with chops and right hands swings the momentum back in her favor. She is able to hit a Diving Swinging Neckbreaker from the second rope to pick up the victory. After the match Nikki ASH removes her mask and cries in the corner of the ring.
Result: Candice LaRae by pinfall via diving swinging neckbreaker
Clark Taylor’s WR Star Rating – 3.00 Stars
AMAZING Sami Zayn vs. AJ Styles:
Sami Zayn is accompanied to the ring by Solo Sikoa and the crowd loves Sami. They play the replay of the Sami T-shirt segment from last week which was hilarious, and then AJ Styles makes his entrance. This match is really fun, as AJ looks good early but is nailed by an elbow off the top rope. Solo Sikoa is right next to them when the action spills to the outside but has yet to try to interfere in this one. Sami springboards off the top rope to the outside with a moonsault and sometimes it’s easy to forget about the depth of Sami’s moveset. Styles is able to turn the momentum in his favor with a knee to the back of Sami’s neck. He looks to follow with a Styles Clash but Zayn has it scouted. Styles is able to knock him outside the ring though as we head to a commercial. The Honorary Uce is nearly caught by a Phenomenal Forearm but once again Sami gets out of the way. Sami throws Styles into the ring post and then tries to get AJ counted out. He recovers in time at the count of 9, and nearly wins by rolling Zayn up. Sami gives one of the best sells on the Pele Kick I’ve ever seen in my life. It is so perfect. After a long but very exciting match Sami distracts the referee while Solo Sikoa lands a Uranagi on the apron. That allows Sami to hit the Helluva Kick and pick up the win. After the match Judgment Day enters the ring and Finn Balor offers Styles the old hand gesture. Styles flips him off and the Judgement Day beat him down to end the segment.
Result: Sami Zayn by Pinfall via Helluva Kick
Clark Taylor’s WR Star Rating – 4.0 Stars
GREAT Matt Riddle vs. Damian Priest:
The crowd goes wild for Matt Riddle’s entrance and he rides his scooter down to the ring. Riddle and Priest circle each other cautiously before finally locking up. The Original Bro tries for a kimura but Priest is able to power out of that but Riddle still transitions into a sleeper. So far this has been an extremely submission centric match. Priest lands a huge roundhouse kick though and the striking game is now in play. Riddle throws Priest over the top rope and then accidentally catches Finn Balor with a running kick along the apron. The distraction allows Damian Priest to slam riddle over the guardrail as we head to a commercial break. Out of the break Priest is working on Riddle’s back in the middle of the ring. This is a long and back and forth match and the chemistry is really good, all the spots are very clean. For a second time in the match Priest slams Riddle into the barricade as we head to a break. Out of the break Damian is still very much in control of the action. Riddle catches him up on the top rope taking too much time however and hits a beautiful superplex for a near fall. They trade strikes in the middle of the ring and after a really cool back and forth, Riddle hits Bro-Derek. Priest kicks out at two. Riddle tries to go up top but Rhea Ripley distracts him and he’s hit with a clothesline and then a flatliner but this time it’s Riddle who kicks out at 2. Priest looks for The Reckoning but Riddle has it scouted and he uses an inside cradle to win the match. The Judgement Day swarms Riddle after the match and Priest hits The South of Heaven. Edge’s music hits and he’s back, spearing Priest and Finn Balor while staring at Dominik Mysterio. He grabs a microphone and he challenges Finn Balor to an I Quit match at Extreme Rules.
Result: Matt Riddle by Pinfall via inside cradle
Clark Taylor’s WR Star Rating – 3.75 Stars
Overall: This was a fun Raw with a lot of exciting things happening. First we had Bianca Belair defeating Iyo Sky in the opening contest. Followed by some hijinx involving the Miz’ security team and Dexter Lumis dressed in Edmonton Oilers goalie gear. Along with an excellent showing from Johnny Gargano and Kevin Owens against Alpha Academy. We also got a few returns tonight. Candice LaRae is back in WWE and she picked up the victory against Nikki ASH in her first match back. After the main event, Edge made his return and challenged Finn Balor to an I Quit match. Speaking of that main event, Matt Riddle and Damian Priest put on a good one. It was back and forth the whole way and the crowd was really into it throughout. Despite that, Sami Zayn and AJ Styles put on the match of the night in my eyes, it was so well done and worth a watch if you haven’t seen it yet. Oh yeah, Seth Rollins debuted a Peruvian Necktie that might come in handy inside the Fight Pit at Extreme Rules.
Matches: 0.50/1 Stars
Show Structure: 0.75/1 Stars
Atmosphere: 0.75/1 Stars
Storytelling: 0.75/1 Stars
Production/Theme: 0.75/1 Stars
Overall Rating. 3.50/5 Stars
Photo Credit: WWE.com
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