Monday Night Raw opens with a tribute to the U.S Army for Memorial Day – a great package as always.
We go live to the arena and out comes the Monster Among Men, Braun Strowman! The announcers run-down the card for tonight as Strowman makes his way to the ring. A “Get These Hands” chant fires-up and Braun looks at the MITB briefcase. He says he gets motivated when he says the briefcase, because it guarantees him a Universal Championship shot at any time. He says at Money In The Bank he will destroy seven other men and take the case for himself, and be known as Mr. Money In The Bank. He shouts that Lesnar is going to “get these hands!”
Finn Balor interrupts Braun and talks as he makes his way to the ring. Finn says Braun is getting ahead of himself. He reminds everyone that he was the first Universal Champion and he never lost it, and that eats at him every day. He is determined to get back to the top, so he is going to win the briefcase to do so. He comes face-to-face with Braun and says last week they squared-off and Braun won but at MITB, there will be six other men in the ring with them and it’s everyone for themselves. Braun says Finn put up a good fight…for a little guy. Finn laughs with Braun, then slaps him in the face! Braun grabs Finn and throws him high into the air. Balor rolls from the ring and out comes Kurt Angle.
Angle says he sees intensity out here, and he likes that. He asks the fans in Virginia if they’d like to see these two have a match, right now! Of course, they do, so a referee makes his way to the ring and we get ready for that match as we see replays of the altercation.
*Commercial Break*
We return from the break and Kevin Owens joins the commentary team for this match.
Braun Strowman Vs. Finn Balor
The bell rings, and Strowman immediately throws Balor across the ring with a huge biel. Strowman tells him to get to his feet. Strowman then throws him across the ring again. Balor avoids a chop and an avalanche, but Strowman grabs him and punches him in the gut. Strowman gets him to his feet and head-butts him down. Bobby Roode is shown backstage watching this match.
Strowman points at the briefcase and whips Balor hard into the corner. Balor collapses to the mat in pain. Strowman slams Balor’s face off his knee before trying for an avalanche, but Balor boots him back. Balor hits the ropes and goes for a flying forearm, but he just bounces off Strowman. Strowman then clubs him down. Strowman kicks Balor in the ribs, and he goes to the apron to recover. Balor pulls himself back into the ring, and Strowman peppers him with more strikes. Strowman puts a foot on him to pin him and picks up a two count. Strowman whips him hard into the corner again and screams for him to stay down. Strowman gets him to his feet and clubs him down. Balor avoids a punch and dropkicks him before kicking him in the legs. Strowman soon blocks a kick and boots him down.
Suddenly, Kevin Owens gets on the microphone and shouts at Braun to give him some “motivation.” Owens tells him to not let a little worm like Balor slap him around, that he can do better. Braun doesn’t look impressed and goes back to working on Balor as we head to the break.
*Commercial Break*
We come back from the break to see Balor sidestep an avalanche and chop away at him. Strowman knocks him back. Balor goes for a slingshot kick from the apron, but Strowman blocks it and swats him to ringside. Strowman goes outside and charges to give Balor a shoulder tackle and he flies over the barricade!
Strowman scoops Balor up and goes over the barricade with him on his shoulder. Balor slides off and sends him into the ring post. Balor attacks Braun as he’s coming in the ring and knocks him over the top rope! Owens gets on the microphone to give Balor some “motivation”, just as he did for Braun. Owens tells Balor to give Strowman his best shot.
Balor charges, but Strowman grabs him by the throat. Balor knocks him off the apron and gives him a summersault senton. Balor gets in the ring and hits Strowman with a Sling Blade. Balor dropkicks Strowman into the corner and hits the Coup de Grace to the back of the head. The commentators don’t call the move. Balor then hits a second Coup de Grace. Balor goes to the top rope, and Kevin Owens blindsides him, knocking him to the floor. The referees calls for the bell.
Winner Via Disqualification: Finn Balor
After the match, Owens goes under the ring and grabs a ladder. Owens then uses the ladder by smashing Balor’s midsection. Owens gets in the ring and goes to hit Strowman, but Strowman blocks it. Owens quickly runs away but nearly gets hit by a ladder that Strowman throws halfway up the ramp!
We see replays of Jinder Mahal destroying Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins with a chair last night. Later tonight, Rollins defends his IC title against Mahal. We see Elias plucking his guitar backstage. He’ll be performing next!
*Commercial Break*
We return and see some replays. Kevin Owens is running around backstage with his suitcase, and he’s trying to get a car to leave the building. Kurt Angle approaches and asks him what he’s doing, to which Owens says he’s leaving to see the Memorial Day Parade. Angle reminds KO that he’s Canadian and doesn’t care about Memorial Day. He then informs KO that he has a match tonight against Bobby Roode, so go get changed.
We get a selfie promo from Sasha Banks, who says the Women’s MITB Briefcase already has her name written all over it. She says she has to get through tonight’s gauntlet match first, which requires skill, guts and luck. She says she has plenty of guts and skill, and you don’t need luck when you’re a boss.
We return live to the arena and Elias is in the ring, ready to drift away. He says tonight’s song is very special to him. It’s one of the ones where he just picks up the guitar and all the words just came to him. It’ll require total concentration. Even though they’re in the South, he’s hoping they can catch up. Elias starts playing, but he stops. Normally the lighting is good, but the crowd in Richmond is particularly disgusting. Elias wants the lights brought in more, so they are. Elias then starts playing again, but soon stops. Elias wants the vocals brought up. More Elias, less crowd. Elias is pleased with the results and says he’s doing everyone’s jobs. Elias says he’s a Renaissance Man, not that anyone in Richmond knows what that is. Elias plays again, but he stops and wants complete silence. They loudly boo him. Elias tells them to shut their mouths. If they think he’s messing around, he’ll sit here all night until he can hear a pin drop. And with that we’re going to commercial
Coming up next, Seth Rollins takes on Jinder Mahal with the WWE Intercontinental Championship on the line, that is, if Elias is gone.
*Commercial Break*
We come back from the break to see Elias still sitting in the ring. Elias says the people need to hear this song tonight. Elias wants them to shut their mouths. It’s simple. They’re still loudly booing. Elias tells them not to make him threaten to leave again because he will. A “Leave” chant picks up.
Seth Rollins’ music hits, and the WWE Intercontinental Champion makes his way to the ring. Elias is just standing in the ring. Rollins stands in front of him and just stares. Rollins picks up Elias’ stool and casually throws it out of the ring. Rollins then invites Elias to leave. Elias thinks about it while the crowd chants, “Leave.” Elias then leaves the ring without incident. Rollins then poses for the crowd.
Sunil Singh then comes out to the stage to introduce the next Intercontinental Champion and the Modern Day Maharaja, Jinder Mahal. The duo make their way to the ring and we get ring introductions for both men.
WWE Intercontinental championship match
(c) sETH ROLLINS VS. JINDER MAHAL W/SUNIL SINGH
The bell rings, and Rollins immediately dropkicks Mahal before chopping him in the corner. Mahal reverses a whip, but Rollins takes him down and punches him. Mahal rolls out of the ring, so Rollins hits him with a plancha. Rollins gets Mahal in the ring and scares Sunil Singh away. Rollins gets on the apron, and Mahal knocks Rollins off the apron and into the barricade. Rollins grabs his ribs in pain and Mahal is in charge.
*Commercial Break*
