Raw Review 08/10/2020

RAW REVIEW 08/10/2020

After the debut of Raw Underground last week what will happen when it returns this week? Also, we saw the debut of the group known as Retribution who set fire on Raw and then went on and wreaked havoc on SmackDown. This week, what will this group have in store after they’ve already caused so much damage? Plus, will Kevin Owens walk out of Raw tonight or will he become another victim to Randy Orton as the two go one on one? Then, can Asuka defeat Bayley and earn herself a Raw Women’s Championship Match at SummerSlam? Finally, what will be next in the saga of Seth Rollins and Dominik Mysterio as Dominik prepares for his first match against Rollins at SummerSlam?

Raw comes to us from the WWE Performance Center.

Raw kicks off with us being introduced by Tom Phillips, Byron Saxton, and Samoa Joe.

In-Ring Segment: Contract Signing For (Seth Rollins vs Dominik Mysterio)
Hosted By Samoa Joe
Samoa Joe welcomes everyone to Raw and reminds that SummerSlam is only 2 weeks away. Joe says this contract will put together one of the most personal matches. He tells how there are two contracts for one of the participants as the one contract will make that person an official WWE SuperStar. Joe then says the first person to be brought out is the Goliath in the story. He talks about the problems he has had with this person before bringing out the Monday Night Messiah Seth Rollins. We are then told if Joe wants to keep his job he can not get physical with Seth Rollins. Joe then introduces Dominik Mysterio saying he has a babyface but he is a grown-ass man and he is the son of the greatest luchador ever!
Rollins tells Dominik he doesn’t look like a man to him, he looks like a coward and a scared little boy. Joe says it will be much safer with him. Rollins asks Joe if this is funny to him. Joe tells him he thinks this whole thing is sad. Joe tells him he should be seeing Seth Fricken Rollins, possibly the greatest SuperStar in his generation. He says instead he sees a man who got caught up in his feelings and used it for justification for the horrible things he’s done. Joe says it’s sad Seth Fricken Rollins is given someone with little to no experience in the ring no choice but to face him. Rollins says he has given him a choice and gave his father a choice. He then tells Joe it might go the same way for him if he makes the wrong choice. Rollins then says he is the one who had no choice and he has been forced into this situation. He says he tried to be Mr. Burn It Down but he was crapped on it. He says he had no choice but to make sacrifices for the greater good. Rollins asks when is it going to be enough for everyone. Dominik then tells him it is never going to be enough. Dominik says Rollins makes excuses for the awful things he does.
He tells how Aleister isn’t the same and his father’s confidence isn’t the same. He says Rollins uses the greater good just to do this for himself. Rollins tells Dominik he is on the cusp of being a WWE SuperStar because of him, he says he will live out his dream because of him. Dominik says this was his dream but his dream now is to kick Rollins ass at SummerSlam. Rollins tells Dominik he wouldn’t last 10 seconds in a standard wrestling match with him. He then reiterates he is the best wrestler of his generation. Rollins then tells Dominik he will do him a favor and offers Dominik to be able to bring the kendo stick. He then says Dominik can use anything he wants so everything is at his disposal so Dominik and his family have no excuse when he ends his career before it even begins. The contracts are then signed. Rollins says let’s give a round of applause for newest WWE SuperStar Dominik Mysterio. He then tells Dominik to get out of his ring because he has a match with his buddy Humberto Carrillo next. He then tells him to pay his dues, sit at ringside, and get ready for what he is forcing him to do at SummerSlam.
My Opinion:
This should be interesting to see how this match plays out. This is Dominik’s first match but I do think Rollins and him will have a match to remember. The match is even set up fair but we will see how many weapons Dominik is able to use throughout this match. This Seth Rollins saga has been going on for a long time now and I feel like after this is all said and done it might make more sense to what this has all been for. Throughout this, we have had some incredible matches and this is an amazing opportunity for Dominik to make an impactful debut.

Match 1: Seth Rollins w/ Murphy vs Humberto Carrillo
The two lock up and Carrillo backs Rollins into the corner. Rollins turns it around and is able to beat down Carrillo. Rollins keeps control but here comes Carrillo. Carrillo takes Rollins down and then goes after him on the outside. Rollins fights back and sends Carrillo into the barricade. Murphy looks to beat on Carrillo after Rollins gets in the ring and distracts the ref but Dominik stops him.
Back in the ring, Carrillo fights back and gets Rollins in the corner. He climbs up looking to hit Rollins but Rollins knocks him down. Rollins now meets him up there and looks for a belly to back suplex. Carrillo fights back and knocks Rollins down to the mat. Carrillo looks for a moonsault but here comes Murphy on the apron. Dominik then knocks Murphy off. Carrillo is hit with a kick as he flies. Rollins then hits him with a powerbomb. Rollins hits the stomp and gets the 1 2 3 on the cover.
*** After the match, Murphy beats Dominik down on the floor. Murphy then brings Dominik in the ring. Rollins tells Dominik to take notes of the master at work. Dominik fights off Murphy and then stops Rollins before he can hit the stomp on Carrillo. Murphy gets back into the mix and beats down Dominik. Murphy then hands the kendo stick to Rollins. Rollins uses it to beat down Dominik as he hits him again and again. Rollins then tells Murphy to rip off the shirt of Dominik. Rollins then continues to hit Dominik.
Rollins then gets Dominik tied up in the ropes and hits him again with the kendo stick. Rollins then mocks Rey as he continues to hit Dominik. He tells Rey to beg for mercy for his son. Murphy now goes to the outside and grabs more kendo sticks. Rollins then hands one to Murphy and tells him the kids got to pay his dues. Murphy then hits Dominik in the back as Rollins hits him in the front. They beat Dominik down until he is free from the ropes. Dominik is still down and they get another shot in on him. Rollins then goes to hit him with a stomp but Dominik collapses. Rollins then says to be continued, Rey.
Winner: Seth Rollins
My Opinion:
A decent match between Carrillo and Rollins given how quick it was. I thought we’d see a longer one between these two but Rollins really made quick work of him and showed he is focused right now when it comes to bell to bell action. The bigger story is Dominik took an absolute beating. I couldn’t believe how long Rollins and then Murphy hit him and no one even came to Dominik’s rescue. I guess that is truly one way to pay some quick dues as that had to bring him immense pain. Dominik is going to have to heal and learn how to fight back more real quick or SummerSlam could be the time Rollins really does put him out before his career begins. This seems like it’s going to be one crazy conclusion in two weeks but I can’t wait for it!

In-Ring Segment: Zelina Vega w/ Andrade & Angel Garza
Zelina tells how she has been accused all week of poisoning Montez Ford but she is innocent until proven guilty. She says she had nothing to do with this and asks what kind of a manager she would be if she jeopardized her men’s biggest opportunity. She then brings up Bianca Belair and says she could learn from her by keeping her men in line. She continues on about Belair before saying they want the smoke anytime. She says she wasn’t responsible for what happened to Montez Ford but Garza and Andrade will be responsible for taking the Street Profits tag titles at SummerSlam.

Match 2: Andrade w/ Zelina Vega & Angel Garza vs Angelo Dawkins
The match begins and Dawkins trades big strikes with Andrade. Dawkins gets the advantage and hammers on Dawkins. Dawkins sends him off the ropes and hits a dropkick. Andrade now rolls to the outside for a breather. Andrade gets back in the ring but then goes back to the outside. Andrade then takes a cheap shot on Dawkins before getting in the ring and beating him down. Andrade now hits Dawkins with a big dropkick. Andrade now gets Dawkins in a chin lock. Dawkins fights to his feet and fights out of the hold. He now hits Andrade with big strikes.
Dawkins now hits him with a big clothesline. He comes off the ropes and lands a huge elbow strike on Andrade. Dawkins connects with the suplex. He misses on the splash in the corner. Andrade catches him and hits him with a series of elbows. Andrade then hits double knees. He covers but Dawkins kicks out. Dawkins fights back and takes down Andrade. He goes to cover but Vega distracts the ref. Bianca Belair now comes to ringside and takes down Vega. Dawkins hits Cash Out and gets the 1 2 3 on the pin. Belair then gets Vega in the ring and is fired up for their match, next!
Winner: Angelo Dawkins
My Opinion:
Dawkins gets a big win here but I don’t think it was his best showing. Andrade worked really fast and exposed a weakness of Dawkins which seems to be that it takes a while for him to get going. Ultimately this didn’t matter and he did get the win but it just seemed like he was wrestling to relax instead of putting some fire onto what he was doing. I know Dawkins can do better than this but even with a win it just seemed like an off night.

Match 3: Bianca Belair w/ Angelo Dawkins vs Zelina Vega w/ Andrade & Angel Garza
As Raw returns, Belair is in control working Vega in the corner. Vega now jumps on her back and tries to wear her down. Belair is able to throw her off. Belair escapes Vega and now grabs her hair. Vega hits her in the foot and then in the midsection. Vega now works a triangle choke. Belair stays with it and is able to break the hold. She pulls Vega up from the mat and drives her face-first into the mat. Belair then throws her into the corner before unloading with a series of strikes. Vega takes a cheap shot to the eye as the ref tries to back off Belair. Vega takes Belair down and goes for the cover but Belair kicks out. Vega now tries to throw her in the corner but Belair stops her. Belair is pushed into the corner. Vega now hits her on the side of the face. Vega hits the double knees. She covers but again Belair kicks out.
Vega now grabs the hair of Belair and taunts her. Belair creates separation. She looks for the KOD but Vega escapes. Belair now hits an elbow. Vega fights back and uses the middle ropes to her advantage to take down Belair. Vega misses on the crossbody. Belair then presses her and slams her to the mat. Belair unloads on Vega and tosses her across the ring. She then does this again. Belair looks for a spear in the corner but Vega moves and Belair crashes into the ring post. Vega now beats on her in the corner. Belair fights back with a powerbomb. She then throws Vega face-first into the top turnbuckle. Belair gets Vega up and she hits her with the KOD. She covers and gets the 1 2 3.
*** After the match, Charly congratulates Bianca on the victory. She then tells how Zelina continues to deny the accusations against her. Belair says Vega messed with Montez’s business and now she is getting whooped by the EST of WWE. Dawkins then jumps in and asks Garza and Andrade if they think Tez will miss the biggest party of the summer. He says they are bringing the red cups, they are up and they want the smoke.
Winner: Bianca Belair
My Opinion:
A slow-paced match but a decent one between these yow as there were a lot of smart strategies used between these two and it really could have gone either way. I was impressed with how well Vega used the ring to her advantage and it almost seemed like she could pull off the upset. For Belair though she was able to use her unmatched strength and dominate Vega by the tail end of the match. I’m not sure if this is enough retribution for Montez being poisoned but it’s a start.

Backstage Segment: MVP & Bobby Lashley & Shelton Benjamin
The hurt Business talks things over before MVP hosts an investigative edition of the MVP Lounge, Next!

In-Ring Segment: VIP Lounge Hosted By MVP w/ The Hurt Business (Bobby Lashley, Shelton Benjamin)
MVP says he isn’t in a celebratory mood and the only thing he would like to pop is someone in the mouth. He says he and the Hurt Business would like to pop tendons and ligaments. He then says there is a conspiracy against him and goes over the screwy events from last week with the lights and generator being burned. He then says Apollo didn’t beat him, the lights did. He then asks where Apollo is. Apollo comes out and says here we go with MVP making excuses for how everything is always someone else’s fault. MVP then calls out Apollo for being out with his neck injury.
Apollo says your boy hurt me not you. He then says his neck isn’t hurting anymore. He then laughs at MVP as he now holds the new title MVP has made. MVP tells Apollo he is a bad decision maker just like coming out here against the three of them. Apollo says he is allowed to make bad decisions because he is a bad man. Apollo then brings up how MVP says he didn’t care about his family or his kids. Apollo says he doesn’t care about Shelton or Bobby but he cares about MVP he then gets in the ring and hits MVP. The three of them then get out of the ring. Apollo then takes the couch and throws it to the floor.
My Opinion:
Apollo was not messing around tonight and got his point across. I did like that he had some aggression in his voice and dropped being so happy go lucky. He should be mad after getting called out and being once again overlooked by someone like MVP. MVP has made Apollo even better than he was before and now MVP may have started something he can’t finish. Apollo is showing what he can do in the ring and he is showing he is a fighting champion. I’m glad he is getting his opportunity and I hope he continues to shine.

Match 4: Apollo Crews vs Shelton Benjamin w/ The Hurt Business (MVP & Bobby Lashley)
Crews and Benjamin are locked up as Raw returns, Crews looks for the advantage but can’t get one against Benjamin. Crews is finally able to take down Benjamin but it’s not enough to put him away. Benjamin lights him up with a big kick to the midsection. He then hits a powerbomb but Crews kicks out of the cover. Benjamin now works the neck of Crews. He stays in control and sends him to the floor. MVP and Lashley taunt Crews as he is on the floor. Benjamin goes out there and grabs Crews. He continues to keep hitting him before bringing him back into the ring.
Benjamin now goes to a chin lock and keeps Crews on the mat. Crews gets to his feet and fights out of the hold. Crews comes off the ropes and hits a big crossbody. Crews now hits a big enziguri. Crews grabs Benjamin and drives him into the corner. He then drives his shoulder into his midsection. Crews knocks him down. He looks for the toss powerbomb but can’t connect. Crews then hits a power slam and then a standing moonsault. He covers bur Benjamin kicks out. Lashley tries to trip up Crews but is met with a kick for his efforts. Benjamin works a cover and gets the 1 2 3 after the surprise pin.
Lashley gets in the ring and looks for the full nelson but MVP stops him. He then says he needs to have Crews healthy for SummerSlam as he didn’t make it last time. He then tells Crews see I’m just looking out for you. Crews now gets away from Lashley and hits MVP with a knee to the neck before leaving the ring. He then tells MVP he is not taking this from him at SummerSlam.
Winner: Shelton Benjamin
My Opinion:
I was hoping for a faster-paced match between these two but we got to see more of a technical wrestling match which turned out to be good too. Benjamin gets this surprise win but Crews got the last laugh. Even with the lost Crews has to have all the confidence in the world. He got in one shot on MVP and dropped him. Crews better lay low though so he does make it to SummerSlam in one piece as we do have one more week until we get there.

Backstage Segment: Retribution
Retribution is shown outside of the Performance Center. A staff member runs up and tries to tell them to get away from here. They don’t listen and instead break a window with a cinder block.

Backstage Segment: Mickie James
Sara welcomes Mickie James and says she got word she has a big announcement for the WWE Universe. Mickie says she is glad to be back and glad to lead the Women’s locker room but she is here for gold. Lana and Natalya come up. Lana asks how she will be a leader without a TikTok. She then says Natalya is the leader and she is the best of all time #BOAT. Natalya then calls herself the Serena Williams of WWE. Mickie then tells Natalya she would expect more from her given her family’s history. She then tells Lana that boats sink.

Backstage Segment Ivar & Demi Burnett
Ivar talks to Demi Burnett and tells her how he dunked a basketball. Erik, Cedric Alexander, and Ricochet come up to Ivar. Erik says they have been looking for him and their match is up next. Ivar says he is sorry but he was busy. Demi then says Ivar is cute but Erik, not so much.

Match 5: The Viking Raiders (Erik & Ivar) & Cedric Alexander & Ricochet vs Akira Tozawa & The Ninjas
Ricochet starts with one of the ninjas and hits him with a big kick. Alexander tags in and they work a double team. He then takes out another ninja. Ivar tags in and he and Erik now double team a ninja. Tozawa tells one of the ninjas to get in the rig but he won’t he won’t do it. Ivar and Erik hits the Viking Experience on one of the ninjas and Ivar pins him for the 1 2 3.
After the match, one of the ninjas rolls up Tozawa and pins him for the 1 2 3. We then find out R-Truth is the man behind the mask and he is now a 38-Time 24/7 Champion.
Winners: The Viking Raiders (Erik & Ivar) & Cedric Alexander & Ricochet
My Opinion:
A very quick match that obviously was just meant to get Truth the title back. I do wish The Viking Raiders and Cedric and Alexander would be in a better position but this is what we got for now. Hopefully, they will be able to be used better in the future. For Truth, he gets his title and I’m sure we will see more stuff like this in the future.

Backstage Segment: Drew McIntyre
Charly welcomes Drew McIntyre. She asks him if he stands by the words he said about Randy Orton and then asks if he will have a close eye on his match. McIntyre says he would only say it if he means it. He then says Randy holds back knowledge from people for self-preservation. He says Orton ripped the torch away from Mick Foley, he now has the torch and won’t let go. McIntyre says at SummerSlam he will rip the torch from Randy’s hand, kick him as hard as he can in the head and Randy will realize evolution just passed him by. Charly then asks Drew what if Kevin Owens rips it from Randy tonight? McIntyre says he guesses he and Kevin will be having a long talk about the future of Monday Night Raw.

Match 6: Liv Morgan w/ Liv Morgan vs Peyton Royce w/ Billie Kay
Morgan gets the early advantage and tees off on Royce. She stays on her but here comes Royce fighting back with a big kick. Royce is able to send Morgan to the floor. She then goes out there after her. Morgan gets in control and bounces her off of the apron. Royce is brought back into the ring. Morgan gets back in but she is hit with a big spin kick. Morgan now fights back. She covers but Royce kicks out. Royce is able to knock her down. Royce goes to hit her in the corner but Morgan fights her off. Ruby now tries to stop Billie from getting involved. The ref now looks at Ruby as if she was the one who started it. Morgan now looks displeased with Ruby. Royce now hits the deja-vu. She covers and gets the 1 2 3. After the match is over Liv is still upset with Ruby.
Winner: Peyton Royce
My Opinion:
A tough loss for Liv tonight over something that wasn’t her fault and wasn’t Ruby’s fault either. I hope this gets back on track and we keep getting to see Ruby and Liv together. There is a ton that they can do and I really think they add more value to the division as an until rather than apart. It should be interesting to see how this one plays out.

Backstage Segment: Shane McMahon
We now see the bodyguard outside of the Raw Underground room. Shane asks him if there have been any problems and he is told no. Shane says perfect and says Raw Underground is about to begin.

Raw Underground:
As Raw Underground begins we see Riddick Moss in there as he is the first fight. Neither he nor his opponent gets an advantage and they fight to the floor. The fight continues and they fight back to the ring. Riddick now hits him in the eye. He gets his opponent down and he unloads with strikes. Shane then calls for the match to be stopped. Shane then asks what is going to happen next on Raw Underground?

Match 7: Asuka vs Bayley w/ Sasha Banks:
If Asuka Wins She Gets a Raw Women’s Championship Match at SummerSlam
Asuka takes down Bayley in the corner as the match begins. Asuka then is able to hit the hip attack. Asuka hits the snap mare. She covers but Bayley kicks out. Asuka stays on the attack. On the floor now, Asuka stays on Bayley and hits her with a kick. Back in the ring, Bayley stops Asuka as she goes up top. Bayley now drives Asuka into the mat. She covers but Asuka kicks out. Bayley now hits a huge suplex. She overs but again Asuka kicks out. Bayley tries again but still, she can’t keep Asuka down. Bayley now works a chin lock. Asuka gets to her feet but she is thrown into the corner.
Asuka tries to fight back but she is driven down to the mat and hit with an elbow. Asuka is still able to stay in this one. Asuka fights back and works a backslide but Bayley kicks out. Asuka now hits a huge kick after fighting off Bayley. Asuka hits a release German suplex. Asuka hits the hip attack which drops Bayley. She covers but again Bayley kicks out. Bayley fights back and sends Asuka hard into the corner. Bayley now misses on the knee strike. Asuka now hits her in the back. She tries a cover but Bayley kicks out as Raw goes to break.
As Raw returns, Asuka tries for a cover but Bayley kicks out. Asuka now hits Bayley with a big kick. She stays on the attack but then gets distracted by Sasha. Bayley counters Asuka and works an ankle lock. Asuka scratches and claws and gets to the bottom rope. Bayley now stays on the injured leg of Asuka. She tries a cover but Asuka kicks out. Bayley now goes back to the leg. Bayley distracts the ref and Sasha attacks the leg of Asuka. Bayley covers but again Asuka kicks out. Asuka fights back into this one. She works a cover but Bayley kicks out. Asuka now works a submission of her own. Bayley fights out but Asuka now works an armbar. Bayley tries to pin her but Asuka kicks out.
Bayley now works an Indian deathlock. Sasha now taunts Asuka. Asuka fights back and transitions into a kneebar. Bayley tries to fight out but again Asuka goes to a submission. Bayley continues to try and fight but she is taken down by Asuka. Asuka now hits her with double knees. She covers but Bayley kicks out. Bayley blocks the spinning back fist. Asuka stays with it and connects with a knee. Asuka now gets her in the corner and positions her on the top rope. Bayley hits her on the back and knocks her down. Bayley goes up and hits the elbow drop. She covers but Asuka just kicks out. Bayley now hits a spinning back fist. She then hits a sunset bomb into the turnbuckles. Asuka fights back and works the Asuka Lock. Bayley taps out. Asuka is going to SummerSlam.
Winner: Asuka: Will Face Sasha Banks At SummerSlam
My Opinion:
A huge win for Asuka tonight, this now secures her spot at SummerSlam and I think she will have a good shot at winning the title back. Asuka was definitely tested in this one but I felt Bayley got overconfident and should have stayed on the attack more when she had the chance. Every time someone gives Asuka an opening she runs with it and normally wins. Sasha is going to have to come up with some game plan because she has not proven she can beat Asuka clean. Asuka seems to have Bayley and Sasha’s numbers but we will see if things change come SummerSlam.

Raw Underground:
Arturo Ruas starts his fight and comes off with huge kicks out his opponent. He takes him down and hammers on him. Arturo now hits him with hammer fists. Arturo works the legs but lets go and lets his opponent get to his feet. Arturo now hits him with a huge spinning kick and knocks out his opponent as Raw goes to break.
As Raw returns, we see Dabba-Kato in action. Dabba manhandles his opponent and hits him with vicious knee strikes. Daba then grabs him in the groin area and wrenches on the grip. Dabba then gives him a big punch and knocks him down. Shayna Baszler now gets in the ring. Shane asks who will take on Shayna. Shayna goes outside and hits a woman right in the face. She brings her in the ring and continues to pound on her. Someone tries to stop it but Shayna takes her down as well. A third woman now gets in the ring and Shayna stays on the attack. Three of them now try to gang up but Shayna fights them off and shows a devastating right hand accompanied by the power of her slams and submissions.
My Opinion:
This week’s edition still had a cool feel to it and I liked that they slowed things down more and didn’t give us too much. Obviously we are seeing quick fights but if they stick with this we could see some really entertaining ones. There is so much that can be done with this but it all depends on how serious they want to take this. I’m curious to see where it goes and I hope next week there is some more excitement. The one question I have is whether these debuting guys have actually matches and been a part of the rosters or will they only be used here?

Backstage Segment: Retribution
We are shown Retribution around a car they tipped over. They continue beating on the car and then run away.

Match 8: Randy Orton w/ Ric Flair vs Kevin Owens
Owens and Orton lock up. Orton takes the advantage and backs Owens into the corner. Orton is backed out but now works a side headlock. Owens fights back and hits Orton sending him to the outside. Orton now pulls him out but Owens fires away with big right hands. Orton stops him with a thumb to the eyes. He now sends him into the barricade. Owens fights back after Orton tries to use the announcer’s table to beat down Owens. Owens instead bounces Orton off the table. In the ring, Owens goes after Orton. Orton fights back and takes control. Owens misses on a Stunner and Orton misses on an RKO. Owens fights back with a superkick. He then hits two cannonballs in the corner before Raw goes to break.
As Raw returns, Orton takes control and sends Owens into the steps on the floor. Orton then sends Owens into the barricade. Orton resets the count and continues the punishment on the floor. Orton again sends Owens into the steel steps. Owens somehow gets back in the ring and beats the count. Orton now goes around the body of Owens and stomps his body parts into the mat. Orton now goes to a chin lock. Owens gets to his feet and he is able to break the hold. Owens and Orton exchange holds. Owens hits a kick. A clothesline and now a senton. Owens goes to send Orton off the ropes but hangs on. On the floor now Orton dumps Owens off the announce desk. In the ring, Orton goes for the cover but Orton kicks out. Orton goes over to Owens in the corner and places him on the top turnbuckle. Orton meets him up there but Owens fights back. Orton and Owens now trade shots. Owens hits a big headbutt and sends him to the mat. Owens now hits a senton. He goes for the cover but Orton kicks out. Owens now goes for the Stunner but Orton turns it into the RKO. He covers and gets the 1 2 3.
After the match, Orton celebrates with Flair. Orton then grabs a mic and tells Flair not to go anywhere just yet. He then asks Flair to stay put because there is something they need to talk about and celebrate. Raw then goes to break.
Winner: Randy Orton
My Opinion:
Loved the hard-hitting match between these two. Owens looked really good and tested Orton who seemed untouchable as of late. Orton showed once again though he will strike out of nowhere and even when you think you have him beat you can never be sure. This is exactly what Drew McIntyre will have to look out for and he will have to put Orton out and be sure of it if he wants to win. This is also a great match for McIntyre to study as it was similar to how his match with Orton will be.

In-Ring Segment: Randy Orton & Ric Flair
Orton tells Flair he has every right to be upset with him but he just can’t be angry at him. He tells Flair this match with Owens wasn’t necessary and it was Flair’s ego that got him into this. He says again he just can’t be mad at him as he is the Nature Boy and he has been by his side teaching him everything he knows. Randy brings up a situation from 2002 and tells how Flair was there to bail him out. He says he respected and loved Flair after that.
He then tells Flair he doesn’t love or respect him anymore because he is a liability to his career. He then says he knows Flair took him under his wing because he wished he was the son he never had. He then asks Flair to cry and tells him to sob like a baby. He tells Flair this isn’t the guy he once knew. He tells Flair he is a junkie for the spotlight and he has changed and he is not the same. Orton tells him in a short few weeks he has the opportunity to take the WWE Championship for the 14th time but instead, Flair was worried about himself. Flair says he is taking this personal and he hears him.
Flair tells Orton the Ric Flair he came to see in 2001 he isn’t here anymore. Flair says he wants to be a part of the spotlight. He says he is 71 and he is on Raw. He says he has guys like Hogan calling him and he tells him it’s the greatest feeling in the world. He tells Orton he wants to be there for Orton’s 14, 15, 16, and 17th world title win. He tells Orton he wants him to break his record not John Cena’s record. He tells Orton he loves him because he understands what he’s gone through because of his dad. Flair says after his coma he wanted to tell everyone he loved how he felt.
Flair says he is Charlotte’s dad and he just wants to be a part of Randy Orton’s life. Flair says he wants to be there for Orton to break the record and that’s all he wants. Orton then drops the mic and hugs Flair. Orton then hits him with a low blow. Orton then looks to hit him with the punt kick. The lights go out and Orton hits the punt kick. The lights come on and Flair is knocked out. McIntyre then comes down to the ring to get Orton away. McIntyre calls him an evil son of a bitch. Orton smiles as he stands on the ramp. McIntyre then stares down Orton. McIntyre tells Orton he is going to hurt him at SummerSlam and once again calls him an evil son of a bitch. Raw then goes off the air.
My Opinion:
There was no farther Randy could go besides doing this to Flair to make him even eviler than he was. Orton showed his true colors and I love that the true Legend Killer is back. This is the perfect story and I’m so intrigued by it. McIntyre could be this hero or Orton could be one of the greatest heels of all time. McIntyre is going to have to bring one heck of a fight because it is clear Randy will do anything and everything that he wants. It’ll be interesting to see how this one rounds out next week and SummerSlam should bring us one heck of a match!

Final Thoughts:
This wasn’t a bad Raw tonight and we saw some good story development throughout. There weren’t any crazy matches tonight or anything too memorable but it was a safe night as we head into the Go-Home week for SummerSlam. I really liked the progression in Seth Rollins and Dominik’s story. I think Rollins came off even more destructive and more sinister than before. This is going to be a big mountain for Dominik to climb but this is set up for him to shine and I hope we see a good fight in his debut in a couple of weeks. I liked Raw Underground again and enjoyed the fact that we saw fewer fights but they made them participants look better.
Hopefully, they continue to up the bar with this and it gets more exciting each week. Also, I’m very interested in this Retribution group. Although some of what they have done has just seemed ridiculous they obviously are meant to be important so the question only is who are they. We know they are here to take over but is this a debut or a return? It seems maybe we are seeing a reboot of what Nexus did many years ago but I hope they don’t mess this one up. As for Randy and Drew this is getting better and better by the week. Randy is as good as he ever was right now. He is the perfect heel and I hope Drew will rise above and get some retribution for everyone that Randy has hurt. This is going to be one heck of a fight and I can’t wait for it!Overall it was an okay week for Raw as we continue on ahead to SummerSlam. As always I hope everyone stays safe and healthy this week and enjoys NXT and SmackDown!
Overall Rating: 5/10