Monday Night Raw TV Report for August 8th, 2016 – “Challenged”

Introduction Segment: Video Promos and Welcoming

A recap of last week’s Raw with Finn Balor, Seth Rollins, Roman Reigns, United States Champion Rusev, Brock Lesnar, Paul Heyman, and Randy Orton airs first. The regular Raw video plays, the pyro explodes in the arena, and Michael Cole greets us from Anaheim!

Segment #2: Arena Promo

Enzo Amore and Big Cass saunter to the ring. Enzo talks about how he was getting close to Women’s Champion Sasha Banks last week on Raw when Chris Jericho interrupted. He makes fun of Jericho until “Y2J” brings out Kevin Owens, who does not like that Enzo and Cass are on Raw too, as he could not stand them on NXT. Both sides rip each other verbally, and up next, Enzo will be wrestling Jericho!

Commercials.

Match #1: Single – Enzo Amore (with Big Cass) VS. Chris Jericho (with Kevin Owens)

Enzo pushes Jericho off the ropes out of a standing side-headlock, and then hits him with a dropkicks and a couple of armdrags. Chris pokes Amore in the eye and chops him in the opposite corner; he whips him into the other, but Enzo counters with a couple of headscissors! Jericho hits back and Owens taunts from the outside. “Y2J” controls for a while, but Enzo “skins the cat” over the ropes and chucks Chris to the floor. He follows with a baseball slide, but Kevin moves Jericho. The two teams face-off!

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“Y2J” is back in control until he gets booted out of the corner. Enzo leaps off the second turnbuckle with a DDT and crossbodies Jericho! He punches away and knees him, and then almost takes this after a mini-Stunner! He runs for a hurricanrana, but Chris catches him and traps him in The Walls of Jericho! Enzo struggles, but manages to clasp the bottom rope to break the hold!

Enzo elbows back from the apron and soars off the top turnbuckle with a crossbody! 1 – 2 – Jericho just kicks out! Chris goes to the floor and Amore rockets with a slingshot-plancha! He puts Jericho back in the ring, but Owens yanks at Enzo’s leg. Cass walks over, and Jericho gives Amore a Codebreaker in the ring. Big walks in and boots Chris, causing the DQ.

Winner via Disqualification: Chris Jericho (with Kevin Owens)

Post-match, Cass challenges Jericho and Owens to a Tag-Team Match at SummerSlam! Owens yells back, confirming their participation.

Segment #3: Office Promo

Raw General Manager Mick Foley is talking to Raw Commissioner Stephanie McMahon on the phone, saying that he wanted Smackdown Live! General Manager Daniel Bryan to discuss Brock Lesnar VS. Randy Orton. Women’s Champion Sasha Banks walks in; she insinuates that it will be hard to win with Dana Brooke at Charlotte’s side. Foley says he will “ban” Dana from ringside at SummerSlam, if Banks wins in a match with her tonight!

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Match #2: Single – Braun Strowman VS. Jorel Nelson

Braun takes this one easily with his reverse-chokeslam!

Segment #4: Office Promo

GM Foley is trying to figure out his new Tablet Computer when Guest Star Sean “P. Diddy” Combs enters. He and Mick give each other props, and Sean presents Mick with tickets for his tour. Tag-Team Champions The New Day – Xavier Woods and Kofi Kingston – join. They are ecstatic to see the rap star, but he wonders about Tag-Team Champion/New Day partner Big E. Xavier says that Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson hurt him “pretty bad.”

Commercials.

Match #3: Single – Titus O’Neil VS. Darren Young (with Bob Backlund)

Darren slaps Titus, but O’Neil takes over and works over Young on the outside. In the ring, Titus clotheslines Darren hard and taunts Bob; he hammers away in the corner, and goes for a powerslam but Young slides out and rolls him, clinching the tights for the 1 – 2 – 3!

Winner via Pinfall: Darren Young (with Bob Backlund)

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Segment #5: Video Promo

Highlights of the Cruiserweight Classic are shown, and the Cruiserweights will be on Raw in time!

Segment #6: Arena Promo

Seth Rollins talks about his opponent for the Universal Championship at SummerSlam, Finn Balor. He thought that Balor was less-than-him in quality, but after last week, he was proven wrong. Seth puts himself over, and then talks about Finn’s personal history. He makes fun of his name and calls him “disrespectful” for getting in his face last week.

Rollins rips on Balor for saying that he’s had stuff “handed” to him over his career. Seth recounts all his (Seth’s) accomplishments, and proudly declares that he will defeat Finn at SummerSlam; he emphatically drops the mike.

Later tonight, we will look at both Finn Balor, and Randy Orton VS. Brock Lesnar!

Commercials.

Match #4: Single – Sheamus VS. Cesaro

Sheamus punches Cesaro in the corner right away, and then shoulder-blocks hi after a run off the ropes. Cesaro hits back with a dropkick and clothesline over-the-ropes; he follows with a dive-through-the-ropes! Sheamus kicks Cesaro as he climbed back in the ring, but has a suplex-try turned into one for Cesaro! 1 – Sheamus kicks out! Cesaro begins the uppercuts and a boot-to-the-head, but is quickly caught off the turnbuckle with a rolling-senton.

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Sheamus is still in control but Cesaro makes another comeback. He hits again and soars off of the top-turnbuckle with a crossbody! 1 – 2 – Sheamus kicks out. Sheamus tries White Noise, but Cesaro turns into a submission; Sheamus reverses that. He plants White Noise but only gets two! Sheamus climbs the turnbuckle but is met with an uppercut, and eventually bashed to the floor. Cesaro runs at him on the outside with an uppercut!

In the ring, Sheamus goes to hit Cesaro with a forearm but Cesaro ducks and Sheamus hits the referee! Cesaro rolls up Sheamus for the victory!

Winner via Pinfall: Cesaro

Commercials.

Segment #7: Video Promo

A montage of Randy Orton and Brock Lesnar’s careers plays to hype their SummerSlam bout. Both being interviewed about the contest is mixed in. Orton is confident that Lesnar will enter “Viperville” while Brock is his usual non-sealant, non-caring self.

Next week, Brock Lesnar will be back on Raw!

Up next, The Dudley Boyz will face Neville and a mystery partner!

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Match #5: Tag-Team – The Dudley Boyz (Bubba-Ray and D-Von) VS. Neville and ???

(Note: this match came about because Bubba and D-Von interjected in Neville’s pre-Raw questioning on the WWE Network.) Neville has chosen Sin Cara, who starts with Bubba, who boots Cara down. Ray punches and switches with D-Von.

The Dudleyz govern for a bit until Sin rockets over the top rope with a swanton-splash! In the ring, he ducks a clothesline and springboard-moonsaults him, but is pushed into the barricade from the apron shortly after. Bubba and D-Von wishbone Cara but Neville helps the comeback. He flies over the ropes with a twisting-backward-moonsault, and after D-Von accidentally clotheslines Bubba, he then finishes off the Dudleyz with his Red Arrow twisting-splash off the top turnbuckle onto D-Von!

Winners via Pinfall: Neville and Sin Cara

United States Champion is decked out in a half-suit in his locker room. Up next, he and his wife Lana will display their wedding.

Commercials.

Segment #7: Arena Promo

United States Champion Rusev walks out first, and then Lana in a wedding dress. They show pictures from their wedding, amid “boring” chants. Lana makes fun of the fans for not being able to afford the wedding that they had.

Roman Reigns interrupts, to the dismay of the couple. He is only there to be a “best man,” and gives a toast that makes fun of them. He wants a United States Championship Match at SummerSlam, but Rusev denies. Instead, he becomes irate and the two brawl, with Lana getting pushed into the cake by Rusev, who was kicked into her! Roman walks away as Lana and Rusev throw at fit.

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Segment #8: Backstage Promo

Lana and Rusev are complaining to GM Foley, who sympathizes with Roman instead. He makes a SummerSlam bout of Reigns VS. Rusev for the U.S. Championship!

Match #6: Single – Women’s Champion Sasha Banks VS. Dana Brooke (with Charlotte) (Non-Title)

(Stipulation: If Sasha wins, Dana is banned from ringside at SummerSlam. If Dana wins, then the Women’s Championship Match will be Two-On-One.)

Charlotte distracts Sasha, allowing Dana to knock her from behind. Banks slaps back and hip-tosses Dana, and then lands on her with double-knees for a quick count. Brooke counters in the corner with a boot and pounds away on the mat, and then locks her in a straight-jacket submission. The Women’s Champion works her way out, ducks and clothesline, and hits a couple jumping ones!

Brooke boots back again and gives Sasha a clothesline and tries to take his with three consecutive covers. She slaps Banks around and chokes her using the middle rope. Charlotte slaps, but misses Sasha and hits Dana! Banks baseball-slides Charlotte, and then dives off the top turnbuckle with double-knees! 1 – 2 – 3!

Winner via Pinfall: Women’s Champion Sasha Banks

Segment #9: Video Promo

Nia Jax’s dominance is shown.

Commercials.

Segment #10: Video Promo

“Seth Rollins, I think you have some misconceptions about me. What you call ‘disrespect,’ I call ‘honesty.’ What you call ‘arrogance,’ I call ‘confidence.’ And what you call ‘ignorance,’ I call that ‘Ireland.’ I know your history, Seth. Do you know mine?”

Finn Balor goes over Ireland’s mythological history, in particular Finn MacCool and Balor. “You’ve never seen a ‘demon’ like this. At SummerSlam, you’ll meet ‘The Demon King.’”

Segment #11: Video Promo

Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson are dressed in doctor attire, and talk about “ringpostitis.” This is a condition that happens when a wrestler is pulled into the ring post, groin first. They list the side-effects, and say they will “collect another sample” from Kofi Kingston tonight!

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Match #7: Single – Luke Gallows (with Karl Anderson) VS. Tag-Team Champion/New Day member Kofi Kingston (with Tag-Team Champion/New Day member Xavier Woods)

They go back-and-forth, but Anderson helps out Luke, and Gallows finishes Kofi with a flapjack!

Winner via Pinfall: Luke Gallows (with Karl Anderson)

Post-match, Karl and Luke go to introduce Kofi to the ring post, but Xavier chases them off with a chair.

Commercials.

Segment #11: Video Promo

Goldust is searching for R-Truth when he runs into Scooby from the “Scooby-Doo” series/movies. Truth gets out of the Scooby-Doo van and into an argument with Goldust and Scooby. Goldust separates them and affirms R they are still a team.

Segment #12: Arena Promo

Mick Foley is out and asks Smackdown! Live General Manager Daniel Bryan to join him. Daniel does answer, to a loud ovation from the fans. At first, they give each other commendations on their respective shows, but get bickering about the Universal Championship.

United States Champion Rusev interrupts and applauds Mick for his General Manager skills, but Bryan insinuates that he is trying to get out of his U.S. Title defense at Summerslam. Rusev gets angry with Daniel, and Cesaro interjects to Bryan’s defense and wants a title shot, as he has defeated Sheamus twice. Daniel puts over Cesaro, and Foley seem to cave to pressure, giving Cesaro a U.S. Title Match right now!

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We learn that Seth Rollins has called out “The Demon King” for next week’s Raw!

Match #8: Single for the United States Championship: Rusev (Champion) VS. Cesaro (Challenger)

Cesaro ducks a clothesline and uppercuts Rusev in the corners five-times! He sweeps the Champ up and goes for the Swing, but Rusev wiggles out. on the floor, Cesaro cannonball-splashes from the apron and crossbodies from the top-turnbuckle back into the ring! 1 – 2 – Rusev kicks out! Cesaro dives again but Rusev smashes him into the canvas!

The U.S. Champ throws Cesaro into three different ring posts, and then punches and kicks away in the corner. He rams Cesaro’s right arm against the ring post and his left arm against the ring apron. Rusev judo-tosses Cesaro, and works on his left arm with an armbar.

Cesaro climbs out of it and punches Rusev, but is shoulder-blocked down. He armlocks Cesaro, but “The Swiss Superman” powers out with a big scoop-slam! Cesaro goes back to uppercuts in the corner, hitting ten of them and then turning Rusev around with a Tornado-DDT! 1 – 2 – Rusev just kicks out! Rusev slams Cesaro down and almost takes this, and then goes for The Accolade. Cesaro strengthens out of it and Electric-Chair drops him!

Both slug away rapidly, and Cesaro hits Rusev with a springboard corkscrew-elbow! He then Swings Rusev and locks in The Sharpshooter! Sheamus runs down, but Cesaro knocks him down. Cesaro turns around into a boot, but just gets his shoulder up! Sheamus hops on the apron again and the referee is next to him; Cesaro shoves Rusev into Sheamus and the referee, and then drives Rusev to the canvas with The Gotch Neutralizer! He coves, but since there is no referee, Sheamus interferes again and Rusev kicks Cesaro in the head and covers for the victory!

Winner and STILL United States Champion: Rusev

Post-match, Sheamus walks away proud, and as Rusev goes to the ramp, Roman Reigns runs down and Spears him! Roman walks to the back to close the show.

End of Raw.

Reporter’s Rumblings

And the “honeymoon” is over! Unfortunately, tonight’s Raw fell really flat for me. There were some good points, but it definitely wasn’t nowhere near what the last two weeks have been.

Excellence: promos from Enzo/Cass/Jericho/Owens – all have great chemistry and I’m looking forward to more, as well as their match at SummerSlam; Balor/Rollins, and Karl and Luke. Matches between Jericho/Amore, Braun/Jorel (purely for Strowman’s “new monster” push), Sheamus/Cesaro, Sasha/Dana, and Cesaro/Rusev.

I wasn’t sure if the comic-Reigns would work again, but the mix of that and Roman’s seriousness at the end of Raw works well, and I love that he can incorporate the both believably. I hope this remains a 1 – 1 contest at SummerSlam, as he and Rusev can put on a hard-hitting contest.

Loving Rollins and Finn; great video from Finn on the past of Ireland’s myths, and what that means for “The Demon” Balor. I do hope that they save “The Demon King” for Summerslam to hype up the anticipation, but tease him on Raw instead. (Lights out, smoke, music, but no actual Balor/Demon.)

Actually interested in Sheamus again; he and Cesaro match well (pun-intended) and this would be another great one-on-one SummerSlam match if they keep it that way! Orton and Lesnar’s feud is also great, and much like all of Brock’s feuds since coming back in 2012, is intense and suspenseful.

Bogus: promos by Rusev/Lana (too bland), Golden Truth (end this!), and Foley/Bryan (not what I want to see this early into The Draft.). Matches between Sasha/Brooke and Luke/Kofi (too short).

I’m not thrilled with Darren’s new direction; I think he should’ve won the I.C. Title and then moved to Smackdown! with Bob; this would’ve been an acceptable/common-sense one-time-for-a-while trade. (Miz/Maryse to Raw.) Young and Backlund were getting a better reaction chasing a title than this boring feud with O’Neil.

As written above, Golden Truth needs to wrestle and win, not capitalize on the wrong pop-culture. It was too late for Lana and Rusev’s wedding celebration; they got married a while ago, so it really should’ve been done shortly after then. Roman saved the segment.

Foley and Daniel’s “confrontation” was not expected like that and just ended Raw much flatter than they should’ve. I was thinking Lesnar and Orton would appear again, since they were hyping them all night. This is also too quick to have Bryan and Mick bragging about the better show; I think the both shows should be kept separate and treated as not acknowledging the other (except for Orton/Lesnar right now), which would make it feel more like their own show. Hopefully, they will develop into this sooner than later.

Here’s hoping next week’s will be much better! Until tomorrow’s Smackdown!, Be Excellent Wrestling-Online Fans!