It’s Firefly Fun House time. All the puppets are shaking with fear. Ramblin’ Rabbit says he’s scared to death, then falls over and dies. Bray runs up and grabs him. He looks sad for a moment and says he’s dead, then tosses him aside and says “oh well!” He asks how the puppets are feeling and they all say they’re scared for Sunday and think there’s going to be lots of carnage. He he says it’s OK to be scared, and he is too, because there’s nothing like Hell In A Cell. Huskus asks what it’s like and Bray says it’s like a world without chocolate but worse. He says it’s like a nightmare that you can’t leave. Bray says The Fiend will always protect the Fun House and them, and he’ll never die. However Seth probably won’t be so fortunate. In fact, he has a bad feeling that The Fiend can’t wait to hurt Seth. We see flashes of The Fiend. Wyatt says he’s going to go find The Fiend and tell him to be nice to Seth Rollins. He jumps out of frame, then right back in and laughs like a maniac. He says he’s just kidding, then “let me in”, and that’s it.
The WWE United States Champion, AJ Styles, makes his way to the ring. His opponent, Cedric Alexander is out next.
United States Championship Match
(C) AJ Styles Vs. Cedric Alexander
The bell rings and AJ throws his shirt at Cedric and attacks him into the corner. Alexander starts to fight back and knocks AJ from the ring. Alexander charges for a dive but AJ punches him through the ropes. Styles lifts Alexander on his shoulders and drops him on the top rope with something like an RKO. Styles then dives over the ropes with a forearm to Cedric on the floor.
*Commercial Break*
We’re back and AJ has Alexander in a headlock. Cedric fights up and hits a rope-assisted STO. AJ runs at Cedric and eats a leaping knee, followed by a springboard enziguiri. Styles delivers a forearm, but Cedric hits a back elbow and a kick to the head.
Styles counters Cedric and connects with a reverse DDT for a two count. Styles lifts Alexander but gets tossed to the apron. Styles looks for a Phenomenal Forearm but Alexander dodges it. They go back-and-forth and AJ hits a German suplex, followed by a wheelbarrow facebuster for a near-fall.
AJ looks for the Styles Clash but Alexander gets out. Cedric grabs AJ and lifts him up but AJ rolls down his back and impressively works his way into a Styles Clash for the win!
Winner: AJ Styles
The Street Profits are backstage and they talk about their NXT Tag Team Championship match against The Undisputed Era on NXT this Wednesday. They also recap about the season premiere of Raw so far. Montez Ford tries to stop Angelo Dawkins from saying The Fiend’s name, out of fear he will appear.
Lacey Evans makes her way to the ring, she’ll be taking on Natalya after the break.
*Commercial Break*
Lacey Evans Vs. Natalya
The match begins and Evans powers Nattie backwards with the lock-up. She runs at Natalya in the corner but gets hits with an atomic drop. Natalya runs over Lacey’s back and delivers a basement dropkick. Evans rolls from the ring and Natalya tries to follow but Lacey slams her face-first into the steel steps.
Back inside the ring, Evans slams Nattie’s head into the mat over and over before applying a submission. Evans whips Natalya to the corner and delivers a rope-assisted bronco buster. Nattie fights out of a submission but gets dropped by a neckbreaker. Lacey starts climbing the ropes but Nattie pulls her off by the foot and she hits the mat hard. Natalya starts attacking Lacey like crazy in the corner and connects with a discus clothesline. Natalya looks for the Sharpshooter but Lacey kicks her off. Natalya attacks Lacey on the apron so the referee pulls her back, allowing Lacey to rake the eyes. Evans runs in and rolls-up Nattie and holds the tights for the win.
Winner: Lacey Evans
After the match, Lacey clocks Natalya with a Women’s Right before sauntering off.
After the break, we hear why Brock attacked Rey Mysterio and Dominik.
*Commercial Break*
We see a clip from today’s episode of the Ellen Show, where John Cena made an announcement about a new charity he takes part in called Fit Ops, which aims to help veterans. He will match every dollar that people donate, up to $1 million.
We see replays of Brock Lesnar destroying Rey Mysterio and his son, Dominik. Paul Heyman is backstage and he says he talks for Brock. Heyman says his clients actions were regretful but you can’t blame him or Brock, you have to blame the McMahon family. He says they shouldn’t book Brock a week out from a fight. He says there’s a lot of tough guys in this industry, both in WWE and elsewhere, but Brock Lesnar is a legit tough guy. And Kofi Kingston is one of the wannabes. He says Kofi can thank God for his positivity but the devil thanks Brock for delivering all the victims. And he provides a spoiler that Brock will beat Kofi and become the new WWE Champion on Friday night.
Charly Caruso interviews Maria backstage. She asks about Rusev being the father but Maria tuts and says of course Rusev isn’t the father. Sasha Banks walks up and snatches the microphone and addresses Becky Lynch. She says that Becky isn’t man enough for her, and she will make her tap out on Sunday. Because there have only been two female Hell In A Cell matches in history, and she’ll be damned if she lets a man win the third.
*Commercial Break*
We’re back and Rusev is already in the ring, with Randy Orton and Baron Corbin standing on the ramp. Seth Rollins makes his entrance.
Universal Championship Match
(C) Seth Rollins Vs. Rusev
The bell rings and Rusev looks for a handshake. Seth shakes and Rusev immediately tries to take him down. They lock-up and Seth drops Rusev, who rolls from the ring. Rusev comes back in and Seth delivers a clothesline but Rusev doesn’t fall. Seth tries for a crossbody but Rusev catches him and hits a fallaway slam. Seth rolls from the ring as we head to the break.
*Commercial Break*
Back live and Rusev has Seth in a bear hug. Rollins fights out and hits a blockbuster – and seemed to hurt his back in the landing. Seth and Rollins exchange shots, then Seth catches him with a slingblade. Rollins then pulls the rope down to send Rusev from the ring, and follows-up with two suicide dive.
Rollins gets Rusev back in the ring and looks for a crossbody but Rusev rolls through and hits a spin-out slam for a two-count. Rusev looks for the Matcha Kick but Seth rolls him up for a near-fall. Seth connects with superkick and hits a falcon arrow for another near-fall.
Rollins kicks Rusev in the gut and looks for The Stomp but Rusev avoids it and sends him out of the ring. Rollins heads to the top rope and jumps but Rusev connects with a Matcha Kick. Seth rolls to the apron and Bobby Lashley’s music hits! Lashley walks out onto the stage and motions to the back, where Lana comes out and joins him. Lana and Lashley hold hands and stare at Rusev before making out on the stage. Rusev looks furious, and the two of them make-out quite vigorously for a few minutes. The lights go out and The Fiend appears at ringside, attacking Seth with the Mandible Claw.
No Contest
The Fiend chokes Seth out at ringside and we hear Bray laughing to close out the show.
And that’s it for tonight’s Raw. Let us know what you thought in the comments and be sure to come back all week for more WWE and AEW goodness! Until then, safe travels!
