Raw Review 05/22/2017

Last week we heard the huge announcement that at Extreme Rules Bray Wyatt, Seth Rollins, Finn Balor, Roman Reigns, and Samoa Joe will all do battle to determine the #1 Contender for the Universal Championship. We also found out that Bayley will get her #1 Contender’s Match against Alexa Bliss and it will be a kendo stick on a pole match. The question remains if Bayley can get Extreme enough to regain her title. Plus Dean Ambrose will have to defend the Intercontinental Title against The Miz, the catch is if Dean is disqualified then he will lose the title. Can Ambrose compose himself and stay within the rules?

Raw is live tonight from the Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, MI.

Raw kicks off with us being welcomed to the show by Michael Cole, Corey Graves & Booker T.

In Ring Segment: Bray Wyatt
Wyatt repeats to the crowd to stand up. He tells them to stand up for their one true savior. He says the beats ives in each and everyone. He tells that the beast in coming, but he is in control and he will soon feast on his black heart. He states that the beats will die a one true death at his hands. He claims that four men will suffer at Extreme Rules and he will start his quest to slay the beast. He tells that he is the only one who can protect you. Wyatt claims to have sacrificed Rollins. He goes onto Samoa Joe and says he sacrificed him too. He states that at the end of this even the Demon himself will see the truth that only Bray Wyatt can slay the beast. He then brings up Roman Reigns and asks what does one yard mean to a man that owns the world. Out comes Roman Reigns.
Roman tells Wyatt to run his mouth to his face. Wyatt tells Reigns that nothing has changed and he still lets his temper get the best of him. Wyatt states that he is the only one who can beat Brock Lesnar. Roman rejects his statement and says he will be the one. Roman then steps to Wyatt and out comes Kurt Angle.
Kurt says the match at Extreme Rules could be one of the most important of the new era. He says he wants to find out who will have the momentum going into the event. He tells Roman and Wyatt that will face off right now.
My Opinion:
Wyatt is always does well with promos. Tonight the whole segment just felt plain to me. It was nothing we hadn’t heard before and I know there’s only so much to say, but I think they could’ve been a little change up. I don’t hate on Roman, but he needs to say more than just this is his yard. Everything even to Kurt just felt obvious and unneeded. I felt that the night could’ve just started with the match and we would have gotten the idea of why.

Match 1: Roman Reigns vs Bray Wyatt
The two lock up and neither gain an advantage early. Reigns is able to get a side headlock in, but Wyatt takes him to the ropes and breaks it. Reigns gets Wyatt in the corner, but Wyatt uses his mind games to counter. Reigns counters a Sister Abigail attempt and kicks Wyatt in the face sending him to the outside. Reigns goes to the outside and the two battle upon making their way back in the ring. Wyatt comes in the ring hot he takes it to Reigns targeting his ribs. Reigns is able to explode out of the corner and catch him with a clothesline. Reigns fights to his feet and clotheslines Wyatt repeatedly in the corner. Wyatt comes out of the corner and hurls his body to catch Reigns. Out comes Samoa Joe.
Joe gets in the ring tells Wyatt to get up. Joe turns his attention to Reigns and lock in the Cocida Clutch. Wyatt takes the pickings and assaults Reigns. Joe then gets the clutch on Wyatt. Out comes Rollins
Rollins and Joe trade shots. Joe ducks to the outside. Reigns comes in and hits a Superman Punch on Wyatt. Reigns and Rollins stand in the ring together.
Winner: Roman Reigns via DQ
My Opinion:
I felt jipped in the match. It was a good match, but I felt it never really picked up steam until it was too late and the match was interrupted. I think it’s a good thing though as we have to see the working components of the match not just a select two. Keeping the tension between the four with help them empathise the every man for themselves.

Backstage Segment:
Reigns tells Rollins he didn’t need his help. Rollins says he was out there for Joe. Angle comes and informs them that they team up tonight to face Samoa Joe and Bray Wyatt.

Match 2: Akira Tozawa vs Ariya Daivari
Daivari starts off hot pounding Tozawa with shots. Tozawa comes back with his quick offense. He goes for a quick cover but Daivari kicks out. Daivari comes back and stomps on Tozawa. Tozawa is able to land a big reverse Daivari. He hits a big suplex and sets him up for a senton. Tozawa hits the senton and picks up the win.
Winner: Akira Tozawa
My Opinion:
If you watch 205 Live and are into then this whole segment would have been meaningful. If you don’t watch it then you don’t really understand the connection between Tozawa and Kendrick and the whole thing is meaningless. Waste of time to me.

Backstage Segment:
Charly asks Sasha about Alicia. Sasha says tonight she will get rid of alicia for good. Alicia and Noam interject and tell her that she is alone and that she is not the boss.

Match 3: Dean Ambrose vs Elias Samson
Samson is able to get a headlock on Ambrose. Ambrose sends him off the rope and hits a couple quick arm drags. Samson comes right back and sends him to the mat. Samson hits him with a big right hand. Ambrose hits the corner and Samson battles with more punches. Samson hits a big kick to Ambrose as Raw goes to break.
As Raw returns Samson is still in control. He has him grounded with a headlock and sends Ambrose back to the mat as he attempted to get to his feet. Ambrose finally gets to his feet and tries to battle. Samson sends him back to the mat again. He goes for a cover, but Ambrose is out. Samson gets an armbar in on Ambrose. Ambrose battles back with a couple forearms. A hits a boot the face and hits Samson with a neckbreaker. Ambrose hits Samson with punches and kicks to the mid-section. Ambrose goes to the top and flies, but Samson connects with a knee to the jaw. Samson hits with a boot, but Ambrose comes right back with a clothesline. Miz comes to the ring and hits Elias Samson.
*** After the match Ambrose chases Miz. Miz is able to get away thanks to Samson and Samson hits Ambrose with a swinging neckbreaker.
Winner: Elias Samson
My Opinion:
A great debut for Elias. I really like what he brings to the table and think he will be a great addition. They really put him over tonight, but I believe he can live up to the expectations. Miz coming in and ruining the match was perfect. It was nothing special, but it continues to heat up the rivalry and that’s what you want heading into a ppv.

Backstage Segment:
Enzo is laid out in the back. Cass is irate and asks who did this. He tells the refs to go get some help.

Backstage Segment:
Cass asks Kurt if he’s found out who’s attack Enzo. Angle says he doesn’t and Cass tells that Kurt better find out before he does.

In Ring Segment:
*** Before the match Finn talks with the crowd and says he can tell the Balor Club is in the house. He tells that he is ready for tonight’s match. Out comes Paul Heyman.
Heyman says some may say he is out here to scout talent. He tells that Lesnar will paint Wyatt as a victim. He goes on to say that Rollins to will be a victim faced with Lesnar. He tells that Samoa Joe would also be a victim. He brings up Roman Reigns and calls him the odds on favorite. He tells that if Roman faces Lesnar he will be a victim. Heyman tells Balor that he is nobody’s victim. He tells Balor that he is no underdog. Heyman tells Balor that he believes that he is the most talented person in the WWE today. Heyman says he believes Balor will take his opponents to the extreme. Heyman claims to fear that if Balor faces Lesnar then Lesnar will be his victim. Heyman says he is most intrigued by Balor and wishes him luck. Balor tells Heyman to Lesnar that he will win at Extreme Rules and he will face Lesnar for the title he never lost and he will beat him.

Match 4: Finn Balor vs Karl Anderson
Balor is able to get on the offensive. He lands a nice drop kick and stomps on Anderson. Anderson uses a distraction to land a huge elbow on Balor. He wrenches on Balor’s face and then pounds on him. A quick cover, but Balor kicked out. Anderson wrenches on Balor on the mat with a side headlock. Balor battles back, but Anderson hits a knee to the spine. Back to the side headlock Anderson goes. Balor is able to fight back with elbows. Anderson with an uppercut and Balor comes with an overhead kick. Balor hits a dropkick and wipes Anderson in the corner followed with a chop. Balor catches him with an enzuigiri. Anderson tries to capitalize on a distraction by Gallows, But Balor lands a back elbow. Anderson fights back and tries to finish the match, but Balor kicks out. Balor lands a shot to the ribs and is able to send Anderson to the floor. He takes out both members of The Club with a DIVE! Balor hits the Slingblade and the Coupe de Grace.
Winner: Finn Balor
My Opinion:
I liked this match up a lot. These two are best friends and it showed. A very smooth and good paced. Balor to me is the best on Raw in terms of wrestling. I think Balor is the one who should go fight for the title. Even if he loses they have to get the chip off his shoulder. Right now he is the returning Finn Balor and they need to make him the guy. Top names like Cena have come back from injury and hit full stride, Balor deserves the same respect.

Match 5: Sasha Banks vs Alicia Fox
Sasha is able to gain the edge early. She lands a nice drop toe hold. But Alicia makes it to the ropes and heads to the outside. Sasha takes her out with a baseball slide. Dar distarcts Sasha adn alcia takes advantage with a kick. Sasha is able to catch Alicia and send her face first. Sasha is sent face first off the middle turnbuckle. Sasha quickly turns it around and hits double knees to pick up the win.
Winner: Sasha Banks
My Opinion:
This match was okay, but very similar to what we have seen before. Alicia and Sasha are both great and it is nice to see more storylines in the women’s division. I feel though that SmackDown’s women have it more together. You put any of them against each other and there’s a story to it. The Raw girls just seem so divided and the rankings show.

Backstage Segment:
Kalisto asks Apollo what’s wrong with him. He asks him is he attacked Enzo tonight. Apollo tells him that he wouldn’t do that. Apollo says it’s all about the connections and he is keeping his options open. Titus comes up and asks Kalisto if he is trying to be in the Titus Brand. He tells Kalisto that Apollo will teach him a lesson in respect.

Backstage Segment:
Goldust tells that he is the director. He says he no longer will allow anyone to write his movie. H states that he will control how this script ends.

Backstage Segment:
Alexa says that she wants to hit Bayley again. She says that at Extreme Rules she wants Bayley’s body to be covered in welts. She tells that Bayley is incapable of getting Extreme. She claims she will take Bayley’s dreams and turn them into nightmares.

Match 6: Kalisto vs Apollo Crews
Crews tosses Kalisto. Kalisto battles back with striking kicks. Apollo goes to the outside to catch a breath. Kalisto looks to fly to the outside and Apollo stops that with a drop kick. Apollo grounds Kalisto and tries to keep the front face lock in. Kalisto runs at Apollo, but Apollo catches him with a knee. Kalisto rolls through Apollo, but can’t get the win. Kalisto hits Salida del Sol for the win.
My Opinion:
There wasn’t much to this match. What it did show was Apollo has gotten jipped since being here. He could very much be a great mid-card guy and instead he gets this. I also don’t get how Kalisto isn’t in the Cruiserweight Division, yet Aries and Neville are.

Match 7: Matt Hardy vs Sheamus:
Winner’s team will decide the stipulation for Extreme Rules
The two trade series of lck up’s before Sheamus backs him to the ropes. Matt gets a side headlock and takes Sheamus to the ground. Sheamus gets back up and tries to slam Matt, but he rolls through. Sheamus slows the pace with a big shoulder tackle. Sheamus wrestles Matt to the mat and stays in control. Matt hits a kick to the mid-section and Sheamus goes to the outside. Sheamus drives him into the apron and takes it to him. Sheamus hits ten beats of the bodhran. Matt is blasted off the apron by Sheamus. Sheamus brings it back into the ring and hits a clothesline from the top rope. Matt catches Sheamus and rolls him up, but he is able to kick out. Sheamus backs him in the corner. Matt is able to side step. He use the turnbuckles to his advantage, but is caught by Sheamus and slammed to the mat.
As Raw returns Sheamus is in control. Matt fights back, but is stopped by a kick. Sheamus hits white noise, but only gets a two count on the pin attempt. He bounces Matt of the top turnbuckle. Matt is able to hit a tornado ddt off a distraction from Jeff. Matt fires away with right hands. Matt is able to hit the side effect and picks up another near fall. Sheamus hits Matt with a running knee. Matt uses the ropes to the break the count on the pin. Jeff takes Cesaro out on the outside. Sheamus takes out jeff with a boot. Matt takes advantage and hits the twist of fate to pick up the win.
Winner: Matt Hardy
The Hardy’s select a steel cage for the match stipulation
My Opinion:
I would have seen the Hardy’s picking TLC for this one, but still not bad. It will be interesting to see how everything mixes with all four of them in the ring at once. It’s not something will see all the time, so maybe we will get a fresh match finish with this steel cage.

Match 8: Tony Nese vs Austin Aries
Nese drives Aries into the corner. Nese goes after the knee of Aries. Aries is able to flip Nese over his knee. He hits an elbow and gets a near fall on the pin. Aries grounds Nese and continues to use submission moves. Aries rolls up Nese, but another near fall. Nese goes to the outside and Aries flies to take him out. Nese goes after the knee of Aries and take him to the ground. He hammers down on Aries and continues to pound on the knee. Nese drops Aries to his knee. Aries goes to the corner and puts a boot up to catch Aries. Aries goes to fly and Nese catches him in mid-air. Nese picks up Aries and Aries fights out. Aries locks in a guillotine. Nese uses the power to slam Aries, but Aries hangs on and locks in the last chancellor. Nese taps.
Winner: Austin Aries
My Opinion:
A great match. Tony Nese is very underrated and he showed his talent tonight. I loved all the mat wrestling. It’s awesome to see power moves, but it’s really great to see guys who know how to wrestler like that. I’m actually excited for the submission match as it isn’t a very common stipulation and it brings out the best wrestling.

Match 9: Alexa Bliss vs Mickie James
Mickie and Alexa trade lock ups. Alexa goes to the ropes to get Micie off of her. Mickie and Alexa lock up again. Alexa gets the advantage and stomps on Mickie in the corner. Mickie fires back and lands her own big kicks. She is able to fly and take down Alexa. She hits a neckbreaker and goes for the cover, but gets a two count. Mickie uses wicked crossfaces to stay on the offensive. Another landed kicked and Alexa retreats to the corner. Mickie hits her with an elbow. Alexa lands a right hand and knocks down Mickie. She hits a ddt and picks up the win.
*** After the match Alexa grabs a kendo stick and strikes Mickie. Bayley comes out and grabs a kendo stick. Alexa retreats up the ramp.
Winner: Alexa Bliss
My Opinion:
Mickie shined tonight. She really proved that she’s still got it. Her versus Alexa could be a great rivalry. Even Mickie and Bayley would be great. I think it’s too bad we didn’t get to see a rivalry between Charlotte and Mickie. Overall though Alexa still proved why she is on top. She can win with a few moves and always leaves with that heel reception. I also liked that they didn’t show their cards yet if Bayley will be extreme. I think that’s something you old off until the event and then show if she can be extreme enough or not.

Match 8: Samoa Joe & Bray Wyatt vs Seth Rollins & Roman Reigns
Rollins hits Wyatt and throws him to the outside. Rollins comes to the outside and goes right after Joe. Joe distracts Rollins and Wyatt sends him off the apron onto the barricade as Raw goes to break.
Rollins and Wyatt are back in the ring as Raw returns. Rollins is able to tag Reigns. He comes in hot and goes after Wyatt. A series of clotheslines and Reigns is on top. He is able to hit a release samoan drop. Wyatt goes back to his mind games. Joe distract Reigns and Wyatt takes over. He throws Reigns to the outside. Joe drives Reigns into the barricade. Joe then lands huge shots to Reigns. Joe now legal continues to take it to Reigns in the ring. Joe works the neck of Reigns. He continues to push down on his neck. Reigns fires up and fights off Joe. Joe is able to reverse Reigns and send him into the corner. He lands a splash and then a huge kick to Reigns. Wyatt gets the tag and continues the assault on reigns. He attacks the injured shoulder of Reigns. Wyatt wrenches on Reigns neck. Wyatt again throws Reigns to the outside. Joe tries again to take advantage, but Reigns turns it around and drive him into the post. Reigns gets back in the ring and throws Wyatt out. Wyatt tags Joe and reigns tags Rollins. Rollins comes in hot. He hits the blockbuster on Joe. He flies to the outside and takes out Rollins. He comes back in and hits the slingblade. Joe is sent to the outside and Rollins takes out Wyatt and Joe on the outside with a suicide dive. Joe is able to regain the advantage as Rollins tries to go to the top. Rollins fights off Joe and Wyatt and takes them out with a double crossbody. Reigns comes into even the odds. He sends Wyatt to the outside. Reigns looks for a Superman Punch, but Joe ducts and Reigns hits Rollins. Wyatt pulls Reigns out of the ring. Joe locks in the Cocida Clutch and Seth passes out.
Winners: Samoa Joe & Bray Wyatt
My Opinion:
A very good main event. I think each man showed they are capable of winning at Extreme Rules. Matches like this are awesome as it gives us a look as too what we might see when they all lock up at once. I like that Joe and Wyatt went over. They need it. Everyone needs momentum and everyone has to be even odds of winning heading in.

Backstage segment:
Finn tells Kurt that he wants one of those four men next week. Kurt says Finn will face Joe and Wyatt in a triple threat, as well as Rollins will face Reigns.

Final Thoughts:
Not to bad of a Raw. I think all the points that needed to be hit did get hit. The main event tonight was awesome. I like that this is a very even playing field for the fatal five way. I don’t want to have an idea of who is walking out. At this point I could see any of them. To me though Finn should be the one to win. Finn has put in the work and deserves it. Alexa was awesome tonight as well. Her and Bayley are doing such great jobs at their roles. I also loved that Alexa can go out there, do a few moves and win. I like that Extreme Rules has unique stipulations. You have submission, kendo stick on a pole, fatal five way, and steel cage as the top ones. I like that the steel cage is a tag team because that really can be interesting and give us something different. The Cruiserweights also have my attention because a submission match really shows how truly great a wrestler is and I can’t wait for that.
Overall Rating: 7/10