RAW Review 08/29/2016

Hello Misfits, it’s The Wrestling Classic here with this weeks Raw Review. This was a big night for Raw as we know for sure that we would be crowning a new Universal Champion. Either Seth Rollins, Roman Reigns, Big Cass or Kevin Owens would be crowned the second ever Universal Champion. It was also announced earlier in the day that the Fatal Four Way match would be under elimination rules. If there was any reason to watch this Raw it would be because you knew history was going to be made.

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WWE Raw comes to you live on the USA Network from the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas.

The show opens with highlights of last weeks Raw. The Raw stage is the same one as they used last week, therefore I think the stages used to Raw and Smackdown last week are the new official stages for both shows. Im totally cool with that but I hope they still have unique stages each shows PPVs.

1. Opening Segment featuring Rollins, Owens, Reigns & Big Cass
The show kicks off with Corey Graves in the ring with all four competitors of the Universal Championship Fatal Four Way. Graves attempts to intro the group, Rollins cuts him off and says the real reason they are all here is because of him. He forced Finn Bálor to relinquish the title. Rollins says he doesn’t need to be here. He is in a benevolent mood so he is going to donate his mic time to someone who needs it, Kevin Owens. Owens puts on his best “gee, golly” voice and puts over everyone in the ring and say he is excited to be in the match tonight. Graves asks Owens for his thoughts on tonight’s match. Owens notes that he thought the point of this was for everyone to be nice to each other. That must be the point since Graves organized this to be like a group therapy session. Owens says he is going to win tonight because Sami Zayn is out of the picture, he can finally focus on the what is important: The WWE Universal Championship. Owens runs down everyone in the ring. Owens tells Cass he doesn’t belong there because he is just tall, which counts for nothing. Cass tries to speak, but Owens cuts him off and says he is surprised Cass has a voice. He thought Cass had a string on his back and could only speak when that idiot Enzo pilled it. Cass asks Owens if he wrote that or if Jericho wrote it for him. Cass says he knows he is new here and that he has never won a championship. All that said, he has nothing to lose. Cass tells Rollins that no matter what he has been telling himself the past few years, size does matter. Rollins gets upset and says he is taking his mic time back. Rollins says he is going to eliminate Cass, then Owens, then that will just leave Reigns. There are three things that are certain in life: death, taxes, and Rollins beating Reigns. Graves asks Reigns if he has anything to say. Reigns gets up and punches Owens in the face. Rollins attacks Cass. Reigns pulls Rollins off of Cass. Rollins knees Reigns into Cass. Reigns tosses Rollins out of the ring. Cass lunges at Reigns, but Reigns tosses him out of the ring as well. Reigns is left staring at the belt in the ring alone.
My Thoughts:
When this segment opened, I thought it was a bad idea. The moment Rollins cut Graves off and started talking, it was great. This was a great way to let every competitor involved in the match help build their case and the build the match. I loved the jabs at each other. Hell Owens even indirectly roasted Graves. Owens making fun of Cass for having his own voice and saying he’s not worth a title shot just because he’s tall. Cass grilling Owens claiming that Jericho writes all their material and the “size does matter” comment throwing shade at Rollins, which possibly had a connection to some previously leaked photos of Seth. Cass isn’t the best with his delivery on the mic but he got in all his stuff, and his stuff was still good enough that it was effective. I really enjoyed this segment and I think it was a great way to open the show and set the tone for the main event.

2. Chris Jericho def. Neville
There is a bit of history between these two men, which is cool to think about before talking about the actual match. Neville got injured in a MITB qualifying match against Jericho last year. Neville returned and has been doing just fine since. However, last week Neville lost to Owens due to distraction by Chris Jericho which led to this match this week on Raw. This was a really good match. The finish came when Neville missed the red arrow, landed on his feet and rolled through but then Jericho countered a hurricurana into the old school lion tamer for the win.
My Thoughts:
This was a very good match with a very cool finish. I love that Neville is small enough to get locked in the actual lion tamer. Looking back, this kind of reminded me of Jericho’s cruiserweight days in WCW. This was a solid match for Raw and both guys left looking good. Jericho seemed to have a little bit more of a spark in him during this match.

– We get footage from earlier today when the New Day were hanging out and Bayley enters the building. Bayley has a backpack and looks as if she’s going to her first day of grade 1. Bayley starts dancing with the New Day until Dana Brooke arrives. After some back and forth, a match is made where it’s The New Day & Bayley against Dana Brooke, Gallows and Anderson.

3. Nia Jax def. Hyan
Jax dominated at the bell, hitting a lariat and then tossing Hyan around. She hit her sitout side slam deal for the win.
My Thoughts:
It’s nothing against Nia Jax. I’m patiently waiting for her to wrestle for the Womens Championship, but my biggest issue is that what worked at first with these squash matches, is beginning to get old. I’m ready for Nia Jax to take the next step. Who will be the first one to really be competition to Nia Jax. I don’t think I would mind if they weren’t doing the EXACT same thing with Braun, but they are and they’ve both just come off as being filler now rather than something significant.

Doc and Karl did comedy, they aren’t doctors anymore, they are into retirement services. Their services are called OLDFART. This was more focused on the fact that they took out the Dudley’s last week during their retirement speech. Dana Brooke played their nurse. Whatever.

– Seth Rollins video package.

4. Sami Zayn def. Jinder Mahal
This was just a quick match where Mahal did get some offence but in the end Zayn exploder suplexes Mahal into the corner. Zayn hits the Helluva Kick for the win.
My Thoughts:
This match I think was just put on Raw to get Zayn on the show and kill time. This was just WWE’s way to give Zayn a victory after his loss last week. Speaking of last week, Zayn continued to sell the ankle injury from last week which was cool. It’s crazy to think that Zayn was the war against Owens defeating him to cap off their rivalry yet he’s the one that has been losing significance on Raw. Unless you’re a fan of Zayn, which I am, they aren’t giving people any reason to care about him. I still think he should have been on Smackdown along with Cesaro.

5. Sasha Banks injury update
Charlotte is at the announcers table to commentate for the next match, but before that they show an injury update with Sasha Banks first from the Raw Pre-Show. Sasha says that Charlotte can never do anything on her own and always needed her daddy or friend Dana Brooke. Banks claims that when Charlotte didn’t have them to help her she stooped as low as to trying to injure her and end her career. Sasha said her back went out on her but she is focused on making a comeback. Bank ended by saying she’s going to back better than ever and show everyone why she is the boss of the womens division. Charlotte rebuttals by saying that she didnt need anyone and beat Sasha on her own and that Sasha doesnt have an excuse for losing?
My Thoughts:
This wasn’t much of an injury update but rather keeping Sasha and feud with Charlotte relevant until she can come back. It also allowed Sasha to explain her absence instead of like other times in the past when she’s not written for TV for weeks and returns to challenge for the title. I’m as a big of a Sasha Banks mark as you can be, but I feel her mic work as a babyface isn’t that great. Sasha is great when she’s an arrogant and cocky heel but as a babyface she seems to stumble on her words. Its a tough situation because the fans are going to cheer for her regardless….unless she turns on the more lovable Bayley. Charlotte did great playing off Sasha’s comments.

6. Bayley & The New Day def. Dana Brooke & The Club
This was one of the longer matches on the show. Charlotte was still on commentary for this entire match. The finish came with a hot to Bayley who ran wild on Brooke and went for the cover but Karl saved Brooke. The match broke down and Kofi almost died on a dive as he over shot Gallows and ate mostly floor. Brooke tries to roll up Bayley but Bayley kicks out and follows it with a Bayley to belly on Brooke for the victory.
My Thoughts:
The match had a ton of momentum before the break, but coming back from the break, I easily zoned out for the remainder of the match and had to rewind to see the finish. I kind if wish it was Charlotte in this match rather than Dana, but I guess they’re trying to keep Charlotte and Bayley from each other until Clash of Champions. It was awesome seeing Bayley interacting with the New Day since they’re both such colourful and over the top gimmicks. However, I want Gallows and Anderson to catch a break. They should have had a beat down of the babyface after the match. They technically were outnumbered if Charlotte made her way down to the ring.

– Backstage interview with Cesaro where he vows to tie things with Sheamus in this best out of seven series of matches.

– Big Cass video package

7. Best of Seven Series Match: Sheamus [2] def. Cesaro [0]
This was the second match of the best out of seven series and a match I expected to be good because these two work great together. The finish came when Cesaro sits Sheamus on the top rope and dropkicks him off to the outside. Cesaro tries to uppercut Sheamus on the outside, but Sheamus back body drops him into the ring post. Sheamus tosses Cesaro back into the ring and locks in the cloverleaf. Cesaro taps out immediately.
My Thoughts:
This match was great and I expected nothing less. The struggle with having a series of matches is making sure every match is unique in their own way. They did that with this match compared to their match at Summerslam. Sheamus won this match technically without cheating, but more with brutality. Cesaro tapping out so quick when put in the cloverleaf really sold the back body drop into the ring post and the cloverleaf as a submission finish for Sheamus. The concern that Cesaro may have actually been injured still stands though. I do hope he is okay. It just shows how much he’s willing to put his body on the line and give to put on a good show and different match. I’m looking forward to seeing how they make match three unique. As much as I think this best out of seven series for nothing in particular was thrown together just to have the guys doing something on the show, it had been good wrasslin.

– Mr. Fuji tribute video. RIP Mr. Fuji.

– Kevin Owens video package.

8. Braun Stroman def. Americo
Braun Strohmann squashes a cruiserweight. Strowman basically throws the luchador in the air with a flap jack and catches him with a reverse chokeslam. Strowman continues being a badass and takes the lucha wrestlers mask off. If I learnt anything growing up in the 90’s and listening to Mike Tenay on Monday Night’s, thats a big no no.
My Thoughts:
Once again, its not a bad thing but its getting played out mainly because they’re doing the same thing with Nia Jax. It’s almost just becoming filler where you know you can go take a piss or refill of snacks. Braun is over but who’s going to be the actual first threat to the Country Strong beast. Will it be an established star or someone new to build them strong. Whoever it is, I hope it happens soon because its already been established that Strowman kills local talent.

– Cruisweight Classic commercial airs and this time it’s featuring Tomasso Ciampa, Cedric Alexander and Johnny Gargano. September 19th is still the advertised return date.

9. Stephanie McMahon confronts Paul Heyman
Stephanie welcomes everyone to this historic edition of Monday Night Raw. Stephanie says last week Brock Lesnar crossed the line when he put his hands on her brother at SummerSlam. No one puts their hands on a McMahon. Paul Heyman interrupts and asks Stephanie to indulge him. Stephanie says she will not and he needs to get in this ring and apologize. Heyman says when Lesnar beat Randy Orton at SummerSlam it was a victory for Raw. Heyman says when Lesnar crossed the line he tried to protect Shane McMahon. He is out here tonight to pay the $500 fine Stephanie ordered Lesnar to pay. Heyman pulls out a stack of singles. He counts them out by throwing them in the middle of the ring and counting out loud. Stephanie says Lesnar adds something to Raw, but what does Heyman add? There is a storm coming and it is coming Heyman’s way. Heyman says his client, Brock Lesnar is the storm. Heyman says they understand the compromising position they put her in. Heyman adds that Stephanie is the sole heir to the McMahon fortune and this company. Heyman begs Stephanie to accept this as a fine paid, a lessoned learned, and an apology levied. Stephanie accepts the apology and walks away. Heyman keeps his back turned as he laughs that Stephanie bought it.
My Thoughts:
This was an odd segment, which felt out of place since you know Lesnar wasnt there. It seemed like its only purpose was to keep Lesnar in the good graces of Raw management and make it look like she made Lesnar pay for attacking Shane McMahon. Hyman plays mind games and kisses Stephanies ass in a way where it still sounds as if he’s insulting her. How? I don’t know but I’m not shocked because Heyman is a god on the microphone. In that regard, it felt like the same angle repeated because they have to kill time until they bring Lesnar back. This was a filler segment. This was fine delivery from both, but the same content that we’ve seen before because they don’t have solid ways to write Lesnar in and out of the product. Lesnar has done something to get himself in trouble, suspended or what not. It wasn’t bad but didnt necessarily need to be that long or a full bang on segment in the ring. I can’t imagine the live crowd that was there live and most likely on their asses for nearly two hours straight now, sat there anticipating this segment and hanging on every word.  I get it though, they have 3 hours to fill, and this kicked off the final hour. It the lack of segments such as this that makes Smackdown easier to watch and not feel like its dragging on. No disrespect to Stephanie and Heyman, to whom both I admire a lot, but without the presence of Lesnar this segment didn’t need to be what it was.

– Finn Balor injury and surgery update. I can’t wait for him to return.

– Roman Reigns video package

10. Darren Young w/ Bob Backlund def. Titus O’ Neil
O’Neil traps Young into the corner. Young tries to fight out, but O’Neil cuts him off. Young rolls up O’Neil in a crucifix pin for the win.
My Thoughts:
Meh. Two guys who have been on the main roster but on a wrestling match that was embarrassingly bad. It was such a poor performance from two guys who have a ton of potential. The crowd wasnt into it and he match was just boring. I don’t know what else you could have these two doing, but maybe feuding against each other isn’t the answer. Its segments like this that make me anticipate the Cruiserweught division even more.

– Stephanie & Foley are backstage and Foley apologizes that he wasn’t there to back up Stephanie when she was out there with Heyman. They agree to ban all friends from ringside for tonights main event, meaning no Enzor Amore, Chris Jericho and whatever friends Reigns and Rollins have. Rollins shows up and promises to win the title. Rollins brings up the celebrations they used to have when he’d accomplish big things to Stephanie. Stephanie wishes Rollins the best of luck and they hug.

11. Universal Championship: Kevin Owens def. Seth Rollins, Roman Reigns & Big Cass
This match was an elimination fatal four way match. Everyone played their part and got their stuff in. They teased a fight between the two biggest dogs Roman Reigns and Big Cass early on and did it a few times during the match. They did the whole dive after dive spot to the outside before the first commercial break. The opening stretch was good and kept the energy level of the match high. Post break, there is a lot of back and forth action with Big Cass gaining a ton of momentum. Cass picks up Rollins and body slams him. Empire Elbow by Cass. Cass picks up Rollins again, but Reigns Superman punches him. Rollins throws Reigns into the ring post and kicks Cass in the side of the head for another near fall and then Owens hits a frog splash out of nowhere onto Cass which allowed them to finally eliminate Big Cass from the match, around 12-13 minutes into the match. This lead to another break. Post break we got a ton of superman punches, a falcon arrow, super kicks, cannonballs and more superman punches between Owens, Reigns and Rollins. It was high drama stuff with a ton of near falls. Reigns had superman punched Owens to the outside and a spear to Rollins. Reigns was in charge when Triple H showed up from outta nowhere and pedigreed Roman Reigns on the outside. Triple H tosses Reigns back in the ring and helps Rollins back up and rolls him into the ring to pin and eliminate Reigns. Triple H then rolls Owens back into the ring and gets into the ring himself. Triple H is about to attack Owens, but he kicks Rollins in the stomach and grabs him for a Pedigree. Rollins is struggling trying to get out of it, but he can’t. Triple H is staring at Owens and gives him the nod. Owens is in shock and disbelief. Triple H Pedigrees Rollins and Owens crawls over Rollins for the three count while glaring at Triple H in shock. That’s all she wrote. Triple grabbed the title from Foley with force and celebrated with Owens. Raw went off the air with Owens celebrating and the fans chanting “you deserve it!”
My Thoughts: 
Remember when you were a kid and you’d watch wrestling? There were those moments where nothing else matted and you forgot about all you problems and reality because it was just so god damn good and you were living in the moment. That’s exactly what happened during this match and mostly during the finish. I was standing up and I legit jumped (more like hopped) three times in the last 5 minutes of the match. The match was great, I mean it was actually a really good match and all four guys got to show their stuff. Nobody looked weak. Even Big Cass got a lot of time to shine and he didn’t lose to any fluke bullshit. Cass’s elimination was well done as he took the superman punch, super kick and then the frog splash before losing. He wouldn’t have fit in the Triple H finish, therefore it makes sense that he was out first and why this match may have been changed to a elimination match in the first place. It may have been a screwy finish but a screwy finish once in a while to create drama and adrenaline isn’t a bad thing once in a while. This was the kind of Raw finishes we’d get during the Attitude and Ruthless Aggression era’s and thats what made them so great and intense. Plus, it leaves you wanting to tune in next week to see why? Why did Triple H turn on Rollins and help Owens? Whats next for Owens as he’s now the Universal Champion? I’m looking forward to a Triple H/Seth Rollins feud but if they’re going to feud where does Roman Reigns fit in all of this? He got pedigreed too. Did Foley and Stephanie know about all this? It didnt look like it but we could be wrong and Stephanie could have been in cahoots with her husband all along, we’ve seen it before. If you love wrestling for the wrestling and all the drama, then I suggest you watch this entire match and finish. I felt like I was 12 years old again.

Final Thoughts
This episode of Raw really stepped up their game from the previous few weeks. To be honest the opening of the show, Jericho/Neville and the main event were the only real highlights, but all enough to make this show historic, memorable and re-watchable. Plus it built anticipation to make you want to watch next week, which is what the goal of any weekly episodic show should be. Raw is still too long, filled with way too much filler and won’t run as smoothly as Smackdown. Yet they have a stronger and more stacked roster and the time to pull off stuff like they did tonight. The finish of the show and Kevin F’N Owens becoming the Universal Champion really gives this episode of Raw the rating it got. For the first time this Summer, the finish of Raw had me marking out. I could watch the main event and finish again right now, it was a thing of beauty.
Final TWC Rating – 9.5/10
Last Weeks RAW TWC Rating – 7/10

That is it for this weeks Monday Night Raw Review. I hope you guys enjoyed it and leave your feedback, opinions and ideas about Raw below.