The Empress of Tomorrow comes to the ring, followed by her opponent. Alicia Fox has gone from captain of Team Raw to dinner for Asuka. We get a split-screen promo from Alicia on her way to the ring.
Asuka Vs. Alicia Fox
The bell rings, and Fox immediately attacks her before throwing her across the ring. Asuka gets fired up and doesn’t go down on some shoulder tackles. Asuka hits a running hip attack before throwing her by the hair. Fox boots her back and big boots her down for a two count. Fox knees her in the back before applying a surfboard stretch.
Fox then starts slapping Asuka in the face. Asuka hits some quick strikes and a kick before dropkicking her down. Fox elbows her back and goes for a Scissor Kick, but Asuka moves. Asuka lays her out with some vicious kicks before applying an arm bar for the win.
Winner: Asuka
Paige’s music hits, and she comes out to the ring with Absolution. Asuka walks by them smiling. Paige gets in the ring and says she loves Alicia Fox, but Sonya and Mandy don’t feel the same. They then attack Fox and viciously lay her out. Paige stands back smiling. Paige then raises their arms up.
Finn Balor is in action, next.
*Commercial Break*
We return and out comes the first-ever WWE Universal Champion, Finn Balor. Balor’s opponent, Bo Dallas makes his way to the ring, accompanied by Curtis Axel.
Finn Balor Vs. Curtis Axel
The bell rings, and they circle the ring. They lock up, and Dallas punches Balor before applying a side headlock. Balor whips him off, but Dallas shoulder blocks him down for a one count.
They circle the ring again and lock up. Balor clubs him in the back and puts him in the corner before punching him. Balor hits a snapmare and kicks him in the spine for a two count. Dallas quickly knees him in the midsection and goes for a sunset flip, but Balor rolls through and dropkicks him in the face for a two count. Balor applies an arm bar, but Dallas puts him in the corner. Balor goes to the apron for a kick, but Dallas blocks it. Balor then takes him down. Balor goes to the top rope, and Curtis Axel distracts him. Dallas sweeps the feet and knees him in the face a few times.
Dallas then punches him in the midsection. Dallas kicks him in the ribs and hits a gut-buster for a near fall. Dallas then starts working the arm. Balor fights up and clotheslines him twice before sweeping the feet and hitting a double stomp. Balor chops the chest, but he has a whip to the corner reversed. Dallas rolls him up with the tights for a near fall. Dallas puts him in the corner, but Balor comes back with a Sling Blade. Balor dropkicks him to the corner before hitting a Coup de Grace for the win.
Winner: Finn Balor
After the match Finn celebrates before leaving.
We see replays of last month, when SmackDown invaded Raw, allowing The Bar to regain the Tag Team Championship’s from Ambrose and Rollins. That rematch is later tonight.
Up next however, “Matt Hardy Awakening?”
*Commercial Break*
Footage is shown of Matt Hardy flipping out last week on RAW. They show his bizarre tweets and talk about an awakening.
Bray Wyatt is shown on the screen. Wyatt asks who Matt Hardy is. The universe knows, but Matt doesn’t. Matt Hardy cuts him off. Hardy says his soul has wandered through space and time. Not all who wander are lost. Wyatt cuts back onto the screen. Hardy knows nothing of what is actually real. Hardy cuts in again and says he’s studied at the Library of Alexandria, fought alongside Ghengis Khan, and held symposiums with Plato. Wyatt says the ramblings of madman shouldn’t be listened to. Hardy cuts in and says he was dwelling in a vessel called Matthew Hardy, but he has been WOKEN! Wyatt has left him with no choice. Hardy sentences him to DELETION! They get into a laughing war and Hardy’s his hilarious. A LOUD “DELETE” chant kicks off. Wow.
Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose make their way to the ring for a huge Championship match!
*Commercial Break*
WWE Tag Team Championship Match
(C) The Bar Vs. Seth Rollins & Dean Ambrose
Cesaro and Ambrose start the match with a lock-up. Ambrose applies a side headlock, but Cesaro shoves him off, only for Ambrose to shoulder block him down. Ambrose connects with a pair of arm drags and applies an arm bar. Cesaro fights up and tags in Sheamus. Ambrose puts him in the corner and stomps him down. Ambrose looks to make a tag but Cesaro pulls Rollins from the apron.
The Bar gets the advantage on Ambrose, tagging in and out to attack Ambrose. Sheamus boots Ambrose down and chokes him. Sheamus applies an overhead wristlock. Ambrose fights out and tags in Rollins. Rollins hits a springboard clothesline and knocks Cesaro off the apron. Rollins boots Sheamus back. Rollins hits a blockbuster and a Sling Blade. Sheamus puts him on the apron, but Rollins avoids a shoulder and knees him in the head. Rollins goes for a plancha, but Cesaro pushes Sheamus out of the way. Rollins punches Cesaro, and Sheamus shoves Rollins into the ring post as we head to the break.
*Commercial Break*
We come back from the break to see Rollins fight out of a hold from Cesaro, but Sheamus is tagged in. They hit Rollins with a double-team clothesline. Cesaro tags in and attacks. Roman Reigns is watching backstage. Sheamus is tagged in, and he hits Rollins with a top rope diving sledge. Sheamus applies an overhead wristlock. Rollins fights up and knocks Cesaro off the apron. Rollins counters an Irish Curse Backbreaker by flipping through it and DDTing him. Rollins goes for a tag, but Cesaro stops him from doing so. Cesaro works on the arm, but Rollins fights up and tries to brute force his way over. Cesaro shoves him and big boots Ambrose off the apron.
Rollins hits a back body drop and goes for a tag, but Ambrose is on the floor. Sheamus shoulders him in the corner and puts him on his shoulders before sending him into an uppercut from Cesaro for a near fall. Sheamus reapplies the overhead wristlock. Rollins fights up, but Sheamus gets him on his shoulders. Rollins slides off and superkicks him out of the ring.
Ambrose makes the tag, and Cesaro is in the ring. Ambrose hits a pair of clotheslines before lowering his head and eating a kick. Ambrose then back body drops him over the top rope. Ambrose charges Sheamus and knocks him off the apron. Ambrose goes for a suicide dive, but Cesaro feeds him a European uppercut. Cesaro hits a cross-body block, but Ambrose rolls through for a two count. Cesaro avoids a missile dropkick and goes for a Cesaro Swing, but Ambrose counters into a roll-up for a two count. Ambrose goes for Dirty Deeds but releases to avoid a Brogue Kick. Ambrose clotheslines Sheamus over the top rope, and Cesaro rolls him up for a two count.
Sheamus knees Dean in the face, and Cesaro picks up another near fall. The Bar goes for a double-team, but Ambrose counters out and sends Cesaro to the corner. Rollins tags in and hits Sheamus with a superplex before rolling through for a falcon arrow, but Cesaro breaks up the pin! The crowd is enjoying the match. Cesaro tags in and goes for a Gotch Neutralizer, but Rollins gets out and forearms him. Cesaro uppercuts him and goes for a Neutralizer, but Rollins rolls up and hits a Ripcord Knee, but Sheamus breaks it up. Sheamus then punches away at Rollins until getting disqualified.
Winners Via Disqualification: Ambrose & Rollins
Sheamus and Cesaro retain the RAW Tag Team Championships because titles cannot change hands by disqualification.
Kurt Angle comes out and says he’s going to give them a chance to prove they really do set the bar. This match will be restarted as a No Disqualification match!
No Disqualification Match
WWE Tag Team Championship’s
(C) The Bar Vs. Ambrose & Rollins
Ambrose and Rollins immediately hit The Bar with stereo suicide dives. They send Cesaro into the barricade and Sheamus into the steps. Ambrose hits Cesaro with a Lunatic Lariat in the ring, and Rollins follows up with a frog splash for a near fall! Samoa Joe hits the ring and attacks Rollins and Ambrose! Roman Reigns runs down to a big reception. Joe runs off. Reigns hits Cesaro with a Superman Punch and chases Joe. Sheamus immediately hits Ambrose with a Brogue Kick and puts Cesaro on him for the win!
Winners: The Bar
Sheamus and Cesaro high-tail it out of the ring and escape through the crowd with Samoa Joe. The Shield sits in the ring, lamenting their loss.
That’s it for this week’s Raw! Let us know what you thought and I will see you back here next week for more Monday Night Raw! Until then, safe travels!
