Monday Night Raw opens with a look at the Kane/Braun Strowman rivalry.
Raw General Manager, Kurt Angle, makes his way to the ring. Angle welcomes us to the show an says that by the end of tonight we will have an opponent for Brock Lesnar at Royal Rumble. However tonight…
Angle is interrupted by Strowman, who stomps to the ring. Strowman simply tells Angle that he has earned the right to face Lesnar because last week he was the only man left standing. Just then, The Big Red Machine makes his way to the ring.
Kane says that nobody has caused more chaos and carnage in WWE over the past twenty years than him. And while Lesnar’s list of victims is long and includes his brother, The Undertaker, but it doesn’t include him. So he will face Lesnar at the Royal Rumble, unless Strowman has something to say about it. The two behemoths square-up before being interrupted…
The WWE Universal Champion, Brock Lesnar, and Paul Heyman make their way to the ring. Brock circles the ring before entering and the three big men stare at each other. Kurt Angle grabs the mic and says that he has an announcement to make before this gets out of hand: at Royal Rumble it will be a Triple Threat between Lesnar, Strowman, and Kane. Angle says it’s true before hopping out of the ring. The three behemoths circle each other before Kane hits Lesnar. Strowman attempts to clobber Lesnar but gets clotheslined over the top rope. Kane grabs Brock for a Chokeslam but in turn he gets hit with an F5. Lesnar leaves the ring an Strowman stares at him from the opposite side. With Lesnar on the ramp, Kane sits-up and Brock looks taken aback.
Up next, Seth Rollins will go one-on-one with Samoa Joe!
*Commercial Break*
Seth Rollins makes his entrance to a pretty good reception. Rollins gets in the ring and waits for his opponent, Samoa Joe.
Jason Jordan comes out instead to loud boos. Jordan says he understands that he’s not the guy Rollins wants to see right now. Rollins wants Samoa Joe, he gets it, but he’s not the only one. Jordan has been asking Kurt Angle for a match against Samoa Joe for two weeks. Jordan gets in the ring. Jordan says he’s done asking. He has nothing but respect for Rollins, but if he has a bone to pick with Joe, he’ll have to pick the bones that are left when he’s done with him. Rollins grabs a microphone and says he appreciates what he’s trying to do, but this isn’t his big opportunity.
Samoa Joe’s music hits, and he comes out to the stage as the crowd chants “Joe.” The Samoan Submission Machine says he feels like the belle of the ball and all the boys want to dance with him. Since they both want to get their hands on his so badly, how about they have Jason Jordan take on Seth Rollins. The winner gets beat down and put to sleep by him. Rollins says that sounds wonderful except for the fact that their match has already been made. Rollins tells him to mosey on down and let him kick his teeth down his throat. As for Jordan, he can look for Daddy’s approval somewhere else. Jordan shoves him down and stands over him. Rollins rips off his shirt and agrees to the match against Jordan.
Seth Rollins Vs. Jason Jordan
The bell rings, and they circle the ring before Rollins sidesteps a lock-up. Jordan takes him down and hits a pair waistlock takeovers. Jordan bridges him for a two count. Samoa Joe sits at ringside. Jordan applies a side headlock, but Rollins fights up and whips him off. Jordan shoulder blocks him down and hits the ropes.
Rollins ducks a clothesline and kicks him in the ribs before clotheslining him over the top rope. Jordan lands at Samoa Joe’s feet.
*Commercial Break*
We come back from the break to see Rollins kick Jordan and clothesline him over the top rope. During the break, Kurt Angle said the winner will face Samoa Joe in the future. Rollins jumps off the apron, but Jordan catches him and viciously drives him into the barricade. Jordan gets him in the ring and picks up a two count. Jordan puts him in the corner and turns him around to drive some shoulders into Rollins’ lower back. Jordan then whips him hard into the corner to pick up a two count.
Jordan lifts Rollins up and slams him into the corner with his shoulder. Rollins chops out of the corner, but Jordan again picks him up and powers him into the corner. Jordan then applies a knee to the back chin lock. Rollins fights up, but Jordan scoops him up and runs across the ring with him three times, each time slamming him into the corner. Jordan takes him down for a two count. Jordan punches him and walks around with his hands on his hips in frustration. Jordan continues to punch him before hitting a backbreaker for a near fall. Jordan then goes back to the chin lock in the middle of the ring.
Rollins fights up and elbows out. Jordan goes for a back suplex, but Rollins turns over and covers for a two count. Rollins then pulls him face-first into the turnbuckle. Jordan quickly blocks a superkick and hits an overhead belly-to-belly suplex.
*Commercial Break*
We come back from the break to see Rollins hit a Sling Blade and a leg drop to the neck. Rollins hits a springboard clothesline for a two count. A “Joe” chant picks up. Jordan pulls himself up and hits a running forearm. Rollins looks at Samoa Joe before charging Jordan. Jordan catches him and hits another overhead belly-to-belly suplex for a two count. Jordan counters a Ripcord Knee, and Rollins sends him out of the ring. Rollins charges and hits a baseball slide. Rollins then hits a suicide dive and crashes back-first into the barricade with Jordan.
Both men are being counted out, but they both make it back in at the nine count. The crowd lets out a loud groan. Rollins kicks Jordan back and goes for a springboard clothesline, but Jordan counters into rolling northern lights suplexes for a two count. Jordan puts him on the top rope and goes for a superplex. Rollins blocks it and punches him to the mat. Jordan charges again, but Rollins head-butts him down. Rollins then hits a frog splash for a near fall. Jordan rolls out of the ring to recover, so Rollins dives off the apron to attack him. Rollins then approaches Samoa Joe, who gets up from his seat. Rollins sends Jordan into Joe before giving Joe a superkick.
Rollins gets Jordan back into the ring. Jordan catches him with a roll-up for a near fall. Rollins then hits a Ripcord Knee for the win.
Winner: Seth Rollins
As soon as the match ends, Rollins and Joe start brawling at ringside. Rollins gets Joe in the ring and punches away at him. Joe then gets a cheap shot in and gives Rollins a uranage. Joe then starts to punch away at him. Joe leaves the ring, and referees surround him to make sure he goes to the back. Joe then turns and viciously clubs Jordan against the apron.
Still to come tonight, Drew Gulak Vs. Cedric Alexander, as well as 6-woman tag match featuring Absolution.
*Commercial Break*
Seth Rollins is backstage with Kurt Angle and Dean Ambrose. Rollins wants a shot at Samoa Joe tonight. Angle declines the match. Ambrose says he wants a shot at Joe. Jason Jordan then comes in and says he wants a shot at Joe. Angle puts them in a six-man tag. Rollins, Ambrose, and Jordan will take on Samoa Joe, Cesaro, and Sheamus.
We get a video package that shows the transformation of Matt Hardy to WOKEN. Bray Wyatt’s video flashes on the screen. Wyatt wonders what it is that draws the crowd to Matt Hardy. Is it the childish laugh or the funny faces he makes. It’s all fun and games until someone gets hurt. That’s where he comes in. He’ll make sure the right people get hurt. The right people are Matt Hardy and everyone in the crowd. If Matt Hardy wants to continue on this chess match, he won’t play by the rules. Wyatt says the great war must end. Run!
Finn Balor makes his way to the ring. He’ll face The Miztourage in a handicap match, next.
*Commercial Break*
