Cesaro is in the ring and out comes Roman Reigns, the Champion. We get ring introductions for both men.
WWE Intercontinental Championship Match
(C) Roman Reigns Vs. Cesaro
The bell rings and Reigns throws an uppercut at Cesaro quickly. Reigns with kicks to Cesaro in the corner and Cesaro bails. Reigns follows and Cesaro cuts him off with stomps. Back inside, Cesaro throws uppercuts. Reigns with clotheslines. Reigns catches Cesaro with a big boot and then tosses him over the top rope as we head to a break.
*Commercial Break*
During the break, we see Cesaro launched the body of Reigns into the ring barricade. Back live, Cesaro is working over the right arm of Reigns inside the ring. Cesaro keeps Reigns grounded and works over the elbow of Reigns. Cesaro misses a splash in the corner and Reigns rolls him up for a two count. Cesaro with a modified armbar that again keeps Reigns grounded. Reigns with headbutts to Cesaro and regroups on the outside of the ring.
Cesaro is laying over the bottom rope and Reigns connects with his drive by dropkick for a two count. Cesaro blocks a Superman hitting Reigns’ bad arm and pulls him down into another armbar. Cesaro floats over into a Crossface. Reigns breaks free. Cesaro launches Reigns shoulder first into the steel ring post. Reigns with a boot when Cesaro charges in. Reigns with a Superman to Cesaro jumping off the steel steps. Reigns tosses Cesaro back inside the ring, hooks the leg and Cesaro gets a shoulder up.
Cesaro with a knee and catches Reigns with an uppercut for another close two count. Cesaro goes right back to the Crossface. Cesaro goes for a Cesaro Swing. Reigns counters and one arm sitdown powerbombs Cesaro down for another close two count. Cesaro with a small package for a close two. Cesaro with uppercuts to Reigns in the corner. Reigns counters a Neutralizer attemp, then Reigns catches Cesaro with a spear.
Winner: Roman Reigns
Reigns sells the arm hard after the match, taking off his tape and holding the title.
Backstage, Strowman cuts a promo and says that he will defeat Kane to prove himself the real monster in WWE.
*Commercial Break*
Asuka makes her way to the ring for another match with Alicia Fox. Paige, Mandy Rose and Sonya Deville walk out. Paige wonders where Fox is. We see up on the screen that Fox is clutching her elbow and the referee says she can’t wrestle.
Paige walks down the ramp with Rose and Deville saying they “heard” about Asuka. She says no one can stop Absolution, not even Asuka. Paige suggests Asuka move out of the way or they make her move out of the way. Asuka smiles and shakes her head. They begin to surround the ring as Paige gets up on the ring apron. Paige thinks it is time Asuka gets an introduction from Absolution. Asuka fights off Deville quickly and gets Paige in an armbar when Rose breaks it up. Rose and Deville beat down Asuka. Paige grabs Asuka and yells this is her house when Sasha Banks, Bayley, Nia Jax, Mickie James, Alexa Bliss, Dana Brooke and Alicia Fox run down. They all go after Paige, Rose and Deville inside the ring. The entire RAW Women’s Division clears house with Jax clobbering Rose on the way out!
Backstage, Jason Jordan walks in Kurt Angle’s office and hugs Kurt. Jordan apologizes for making demands last week and that his emotions or “intensity” got the best of him. Angle reminds him of his responsibility as General Manager of RAW. He doesn’t think Jordan is ready to have a rematch with Samoa Joe. Jordan leaves saying, “Okay Kurt.”
Dean Ambrose heads to the ring. He faces Samoa Joe next.
*Commercial Break*
We return to see Ambrose waiting in the ring and out comes Joe.
Dean Ambrose Vs. Samoa Joe
The bell rings but before the action begins, we see Jason Jordan walk out on the ramp and sit down on a chair. Naturally, he gets booed.
Ambrose tries to take advantage of the distraction, but Joe ends of dropping Ambrose quickly. Joe with jabs to Ambrose and Ambrose kicks out the knee of Joe. Ambrose with a quick dragon screw on Joe and Joe bails out of the ring to regroup. Ambrose runs out and cuts off Joe at ringside. Ambrose sends Joe into the barricade. Back inside, Joe with an elbow and high kick to the face to Ambrose in the corner as we head to a break.
*Commercial Break*
Back live, Ambrose is throwing chops to Joe. Joe fires back with an elbow that drops Ambrose, goes for a running senton and Ambrose moves. Joe with more jabs to Ambrose. Ambrose with clotheslines to Joe. Joe lands a right elbow, but Ambrose fires back with his clothesline after holding on to the ropes. Joe with an overhead suplex to Ambrose and mocks Jordan doing a Kurt Angle taunt. Joe yells at Jordan to walk down the ramp. Jordan starts walking down. Ambrose with a knee and roll-up for a two count.
Joe has Ambrose up in a powerbomb, but Ambrose pulls himself over the top rope with Joe. Jordan tosses Ambrose inside the ring. Joe applies a rear naked choke to Jordan. Ambrose with a suicide dive taking out both Joe and Jordan through the ropes. Jordan is back up on the apron as Ambrose takes out Joe with a flying elbow. Ambrose had Joe beat, but the distraction by Jordan prevented it. Ambrose looks over at Jordan upset and leaves the ring. Ambrose gets in Jordan’s face. Joe with a suicide dive taking Jordan and Ambrose out. Joe with a senton splash over Joe and tosses Ambrose in. Joe applies the rear naked choke and that’s all she wrote.
Winner: Samoa Joe
Backstage, Dana Brooke is welcomed into Titus Worldwide by the man himself and Apollo Crews. Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows walk up and calls those who work at Titus Worldwide nerds. Braun Strowman walks towards them shouting loudly and they all quickly get out of the way.
*Commercial Break*
Back live, we see WWE’s crew reinforcing the ring for tonight’s main event.
A video package runs hyping Kane vs. Braun Strowman tonight, including a tale of the tape:
Braun makes his way to the ring to the delighted fans in Cleveland.
*Commercial Break*
We return and out comes Kane. Brock Lesnar will be back on Raw next week!
Number One Contendership match
Braun Strowman Vs. Kane
The bell rings and Braun Strowman goes after Kane in the corner right away. Strowman with a quick headbutt to Kane. Strowman throws body shots to Kane in the corner. Strowman splashes Kane in the corner and then follows it up with a dropkick. On the outside, Strowman drives Kane shoulder first into the steel ring steps. Back inside, Kane is trying to get Strowman to back off.
Strowman with rights and another headbutt to Kane. Kane connects with a chokeslam to Strowman. Strowman gets a shoulder up. Kane with a second chokeslam and Strowman again kicks out. Kane is frustrated. Strowman with a chokeslam to Kane. Kane kicks out. Kane rolls out and regroups against the barricade. Kane catches Strowman with a right hand when he comes out. They brawl into the crowd as Kane throws a quick boot to the face. Strowman with a charge and levels Kane breaking the ring barricade. The referee was counting the whole time and reaches 10!
No Contest
Both men have been counted out and the fans aren’t happy. I don’t think anybody wants to see this feud continue.
Strowman and Kane continue to brawl at ringside. Strowman with an axe handle to the back of Kane and tosses him over the steel steps. Strowman grabs the top part of the steel steps. Kane has steel steps as well in hand. They stop and stare at each other. Strowman and Kane both collide with the steel steps. It looks like Strowman got the better of Kane with that exchange. Strowman goes under the ring and pulls out a board with wheels trying to drop Kane’s throat over it. Kane avoids it and they continue fighting.
The crowd calls for tables. Strowman pulls out a table and puts it inside the ring. Kane grabs a steel chair and catches Strowman in the leg with it. Kane gets inside and starts swinging away at Strowman with the chair. Kane grabs the table and sets it up. Kane and Strowman hit each other with a double clothesline. Both men are down. Kane is the first to sit up. Strowman sits up and looks at Kane. Kane backs up to the corner. Strowman charges. Kane grabs Strowman by the throat. Strowman has Kane up and powerslams him through the table!
The show ends with Corey Graves saying we still have an unresolved situation with the WWE Universal Championship and the Royal Rumble PPV. That’s it for this week’s Raw! Let us know what you thought and come back tomorrow night for our SmackDown Live recap. Until then, safe travels.
