RAW Review 08/22/2016

Hello Misfits, it’s The Wrestling Classic here with last weeks Raw Review. I know I’m late but, better late than never. It’s the night following Summerslam and plans have already changed due to unfortunate circumstances, less than 24 hours since the event. Finn Balor was crowned the new Universal Champion at Summerslam, but suffered a shoulder injury during the match. As soon as the rise of the Demon King began, it was put to an immediate halt. I’m also this threw all the creative plans that Raw had out the window and they knew they had to reboot their main event picture. Let’s see exactly how they did that.

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WWE Raw comes to you live on the USA Network from the Barclays Centre in Brooklyn, New York.

The show opens with highlights of Summerslam. Following the highlights we are taken to the announcers desk where Graves, Cole and Saxton inform us about Finn Balors injury.

1. Finn Balor relinquishes the Universal Champion
Stephanie and Mick Foley are in the ring and they introduce Finn Balor. Balor comes out with his arm in a sling but still holding the Universal Title on his other shoulder. Finn says he adores his fans and it’ll about 6 months until he can return. Finn Balors shares with us what happened with his shoulder popping out but finishing the match and then vows that he’ll be back to retain his championship. Foley takes the belt away from Balor and Balor leaves the ring. As Balor is leaving Rollins music hits, and they have a brief stare down on the ramp as Rollins is laughing. Rollins claims that he should be awarded the Universal Champion since he won the war against Balor and put him out of action. As Rollins is stating his claim to the title, a bevy of superstars make their way out to the ring, which included Sami Zayn, Kevin Owens, Chris Jericho, Roman Reigns, Enzo and Cass who all thought they deserve a shot at Raw’s top prize. Rollins demands the title be handed to him but Stephanie and Foley have other plans. There will be a series of matches to determine who’ll get a shot at the new championship. Rollins and Zayn are ordered to battle first.
My Thoughts:
It was very unfortunate that just as soon as Balor won the championship he had to forfeit it. I was intrigued to see how Balor was going to do on the main roster and I feel like he was finally really getting over with the casual fans who don’t watch NXT. The match he had with Rollins the night before was amazing. Finn Balor had the potential of being Raw’s top babyface. Watching Finn walk down the ramp smiling, you could tell how exciting it was for him, it must of hit Finn hard when he headed back through the curtain how fast he was able to lose everything after just gaining all of it. As for the rest of this segment, its was good. I love Rollins and he perfected his slimy heel character again. I usually hate the everyone comes out to throw their name in the hat, because I feel like they use that formula to set up a match or new number one contender way too often. I also loved how when Stephanie or Foley mentioned that all the men involved deserved a title opportunity, Kevin Owens reacted by pointing and mocking Enzo Amore.

2. WWE Universal Title Tournament Match: Seth Rollins def. Sami Zayn
In a very excellence bout between two of the best wrestlers on the Raw roster, Seth Rollins picked up the victory on Sami Zayn. They played off the fact that Sami looked like he injured his ankle off a springboard maneuver. I knew it wasn’t legit but many people thought it was because Zayn sold it execellently throughout the entire match. Rollins cut an awesome heel promo following the match, thus furthermore showcasing why he’s the top heel in the company.
My Thoughts:
This was a great match between two of the best today. They had a story that outraged fans because the marks were deeming Rollins as dangerous because he injures wrestlers such as Sting, Cena and Balor. Therefore, having Zayn appear like he got injured during a match with Rollins created a stir on social media. The promo following the match was awesome and also included Rollins calling out the fans on bashing the appearance of the Universal Title.

3. WWE Universal Title Tournament Match: Kevin Owens def. Neville
In another match between two of the best wrestlers on the Raw roster (damn, Raw really is stacked) Kevin Owens defeated Neville after a distraction from Chris Jericho. 
My Thoughts:
Raw puts on two great matches back to back, and everything from the beginning to now has been great. Raw is better when there is more wrestling rather than talking and what not. Kevin Owens finished Neville   with a torture rack neck breaker that looked brutal. Neville is great but he’s going to be the face of the upcoming Cruiserweight division not in the Universal Title picture. Owens immediately became my choice to win the title. This was a fun match.

4. Big E w/ The New Day def. Karl Anderson w/ Luke Gallows
The New Day come out and celebrate Big E’s return and still being the WWE tag team champions. They are interrupted by Gallows and Anderson, who call the Brooklyn crowd and the New Day stupid. Anderson challenged Big E to a match. The match broke down a bit between the teams but in the end Big E picked up the victory after reversing a running attack with a Big Ending.
My Thoughts:
It was great having Big E back. The New Day really felt incomplete with their muscle and it shows that he brings something that completes the group. They all have their special qualities but if you take one of them out, it just doesnt feel the same. I really wish Anderson and Gallows went over at Summerslam, but I am sure their day is coming. I want them to be the team that dethrones The New Day.

5. Titus O Neil Promo
Titus O Neil came out to cut a promo on Darren Young. He mocks Darren Young and his current gimmick. Bob Backlund comes out and gets Titus in a crossface chicken wing until O’ Neil breaks out. Darren Young comes in for the save but gets caught with a  Clash of the Titus.
My Thoughts:
I have nothing against Titus, but he seemed nervous and it was very noticeable. Its unfortunate because up to this point Raw was doing very well but this promo kind of killed the vibe. It was bad and nobody seems to care. Its unfortunate but its the truth. It this type of stuff plus the squash matches that make Raw feel filled with filler. O’ Neil did not make the most of the opportunity they gave him to put himself over on the mic. My favourite line had to be when he said “When was Darren Young great in the first place?” because it was true.

– Stephanie McMahon says there will be repercussions for Lesnar hitting Shane McMahon with a F-5 at Summerslam.

6. WWE Universal Title Tournament Match: Big Cass w/ Enzo def. Rusev w/ Lana
Rusev came out selling the injured ribs he suffered against Reigns at SummerSlam. The match started off as a brawl between the two big men but ended when Big Cass hit Rusev with a big boot to the outside and he decided to not return to the match but instead allow himself to be counted out.
My Thoughts:
This was the worst of the qualifying matches so far. Rusev is still playing of the injuries from the brutal brawl at Summerslam. Big Cass gets the biggest opportunity of his life but I know he’s not picking up the win. Its too early in his career and he’s just not ready yet. Case’s partnership with Enzo is the hottest act right now, and a lot more fresh than New Day. There is no reason to break them up yet. They deserve a tag team title run first. He’ll be a nice wildcard addition to the Fatal Four Way though.

Phillips interviews JeriKO. Jericho said he would defeat Reigns, and then next week he and Owens would fight for the title. They argued over who would win the title. They love torturing poor Tom, it’s a fun running gag.

7. Charlotte Speaks/Bayley makes Raw Debuts
Charlotte with Dana, cuts a promo in the ring about how she proved everyone wrong and defeated Sasha Banks without her dad Ric Flair or her protege Dana Brooke. Charlotte says she’s the greatest female athlete in the entire world. Charlotte says there is no one left apart of the Women’s Division on Raw for her to beat. This brings out Mick Foley, who introduces Bayley as the most recent signing to Raw. Bayley gets some cheap pops with Foley and then challenges Charlotte to a match for the Women’s Championship. Charlotte says that Bayley is good but not in her league and offers up Dana as an opponent for Bayley.
My Thoughts:
This was a great debut for Bayley and she got a great response from the crown in Brooklyn. I know how big of a fan Foley is of the Four Horsewomen, so it was awesome he got to be a part of the moment. It was announced that Sasha would be off tending to some injuries and will get her re match for the Women’s Title when she is back, but as for now it looks like we have a Bayley/Charlotte feud to look forward too.

8. Bayley def. Dana Brooke w/ Charlotte
The match was back and forth and it ended when Bayley hit the Bayley-to-Belly suplex.
My Thoughts:
It was a decent debut match for Bayley. It wasnt anything too spectacular but it was good. Im still not that big on Dana Brooke. Dana still does nothing for me. I’m looking forward to Bayley on Raw, but when does Nia Jax change her focus from jobbers to wanting to become the Women’s Champion.

– Roman Reigns says he’s going to punch Jericho in the face and shut him up.

– Cruiserweight Classic commercial airs and this time its featuring Rich Swann, Brian Kendrick, Noam Dar and TJ Perkins. Therefore I guess this makes it official that they will be involved in the division when it debuts….SEPTEMBER 19th.  Yes they finally gave us an official date for the debut of the Cruiserweight Division on Raw.

9. Braun Strowman def. Johnny Knockout
Braun Strowman squashes another local jobber.
My Thoughts:
It was what it was. There was a promo before the match about big sweaty men or something. I don’t know. Whats next for Braun Strowman and when does that happen?

10. Dudley Boyz say farewell
The Dudley Boyz come out to a great reaction from the Brooklyn crowd. It was rumoured all day that this might be their last night with the WWE, and I assume the crowd was aware of it. The Dudleys came out and cut a babyface promo about returning last year the night after Summerslam in the very same arena. They go on about how great their career has been and how amazing last year was being back in the WWE. The Shining Stars interrupt them a cut a great promo on the Dudley’s and say they would love to send the Dudleys to Puerto Rico for their retirement. The Dudleys attacked the Shining Stars and hit all their signature moves, but just when they got the tables, Gallows and Anderson came out to attack the Dudleys. Gallows and Anderson hit the Magic Killer on Bubba Ray outside the ring and put D-Von through the table inside the ring. Gallows and Anderson stood tall at the end of the segment.
My Thoughts:
This started off as a emotional segment, mid way through turned into an asskicking and in the end bizarre. However, I liked it. If this was the Dudley’s farewell, they did the right thing and left making another team look strong. Gallows and Anderson now can lay claim to retiring the Dudley’s. I think there is potential for a feud between the two teams but I think it’s unlikely.

11. WWE Universal Title Tournament Match: Roman Reigns def. Chris Jerich0
This was the main event for the night and a very good match at that. Owens tried returning the favour and distracting Reigns for Jericho, but Reign overcame the odds over and over again. He even kicked out of codebreaker that Owen’s helped Jericho hit. Reigns eventually got the victory with the spear.
My Thoughts:
This was a good match, at the same level of Rollins/Zayn and Owens/Neville. The fans were booing Reigns but there was no need to boo Reigns here as he killed it during this match in my opinion. Jericho is one of the greatest of all times and the guy is putting on quality match after quality match, but its true that he doesn’t need to be in the title picture for this New Era. Don’t get me wrong, if he was apart of the title picture, that would be awesome but he doesnt need to be compared to the four guys going into the Fatal Four Way next week.

Final Thoughts
I think this Raw was really thrown together last minute and had to be re written due the unfortunate news that Balor had injured his shoulder bad enough that he has to take time off for surgery. With that in mind, this Raw wasnt that bad. It was better than last week with a lot more wrestling and a few surprises. Smackdown still seems to be putting on shows that are entertaining from top to bottom with very little filler compared to Raw, where they have to fill 3 hours of television. I’m glad to see we got a date for when the Cruiserweight division will be making its Raw debut and some of the names that will be involved. I think once the cruisweright division debuts, Smackdown is really going to have a run for their money.
Final TWC Rating – 7/10
Last Weeks RAW TWC Rating – 6.5/10

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.