ON THE ROAD TO SUMMERSLAM!

By Tarron Coalson

MONDAY NIGHT RAW comes to us this week from the Phillips Arena in Atlanta, GA & this episode started the build to SUMMERSLAM. In a new addition to the RAW format, they start the night off with a video montage of last week’s show which served to add some reminders to your memory.

The night starts with the new WWE Women’s Champ, Sasha Banks, fresh off her win in that stunning match from last week. It doesn’t take long for ex-champ Charlotte to interrupt the proceedings. They announce that Charlotte & Sasha will have a rematch at SUMMERSLAM. Charlotte proceeds to tell Sasha that it’s one thing to win the title but it’s another thing to hang on to it.

Surprisingly, Chris Jericho joins the fray to defend Charlotte & Enzo Amore comes out to help Sasha, which brings out the General Manager Mick Foley to announce the first Mixed Tag Match of the new RAW era.

So, it’s Chris Jericho & Charlotte verses Enzo & Sasha Banks with a tie stealing Kevin Owens, who took Byron Sexton’s tie, at ringside doing commentary. The end comes as Dana Brooke runs to ringside to try & distract Sasha, who slaps Jericho, but then gets hit with the Natural Selection as Charlotte scores the win. Afterward, Chris Jericho jumps on Enzo, which bring out Big Cass to make the save.

The next match is Braun Strowman is a squash match against Evan Anderholm, who like last week, gets some TV time out of the deal & announces he’s getting $1000 for the match & $5000 if he wins. I wonder if Vince approved that payout!
Needless to say it’s another thirty second squash match for Strowman, who they’re trying to build up. I’m not sure this is doing anything to enhance Stroman, or Nia Jax, who they’re doing the same thing with, but if doesn’t make for good TV.

The next match is the Golden Truth & yes, R-Truth is still obsessed with Pokemon Go verses The Shining Stars in a pretty awful match that sees the end with R-Truth doesn’t tag in because of Pokemon & the Shining Stars get the win on Goldust.

Next up is a Finn Balor interview with Michael Cole which ends shortly as Seth Rollins comes to the ring & dismisses Michael Cole & then proceeds to tell Balor that everything he’s done, Rollins did it first & did it better. Rollins trys to sucker punch Balor & eats a couple of kicks for his efforts & rolls out of the ring.

Next up is the Newly Married Lana & US Champ Rusev defending against the WWE Ambassador to the Olympics, The World’s Strongest Man, Mark Henry. Henry says he’s been renovating the Hall of Pain & Rusev will be his newest addition. It’s not a bad match & Henry powered out of the Accolade once, but not twice & Rusev gets the win & gets the mic to announce that he’s the greatest athlete in America & challenges all comers.

The challenge is accepted by Roman Reigns, who actually gets some cheers but then it’s a mixed reaction. If Reigns can’t get over on a bad guy foreign entity Rusev, that ought to tell WWE something about making Reigns a heel, but they’re determined to have him be a face. Reigns stops Rusev from leaving the ring several times & Rusev clobbers Reigns, who makes the comeback & chases Rusev off. Look for this match at SUMMERSLAM as the rumors of not pushing Reigns as the top guy appear to be true, for now.

Next up is Darren Young with Life Coach Bob Backland facing Young’s former tag team partner Titus O’Neill, who angered Young by asking him when he was ever great in reference to the “Make Darren Young Great Again” campaign that’s been going on. In an OK match, O’Neill shocks everyone by rolling up Young & grabbing the tights to score the pin.

In a strange combination of truth meeting the WWE creative, Sheamus & Cesaro interrupts Mick Foley & Stephanie McMahon complaining about Mark Henry getting a title shot instead of one of them. Foley proceeds to tell them that they know of their recent public comments about the WWE Draft, of which both were critical, & tells Sheamus that he couldn’t be counted on because of his constant bad shoulder & tells Sheamus that he hasn’t been into wrestling since MONEY IN THE BANK, but he tells them that they will have a match & the winner would get a future title shot.

Next up is Nia Jax verses Ariel Monroe…ugh, see above paragraph about Brawn Strowman & repeat….terrible match.

Next up is The New Day, who get jumped again by Gallows & Anderson, which is an interesting dynamic as the two man team are the heels & attacking the three man team (the good guys) & beating up the three…don’t make sense to me but if it’s working, roll with it..they proceed to hurt Big E Langston by slamming him groin first into the ringpost.

Following that is Sheamus verses Cesaro in a pretty good match & appears to ignite a feud between the two as Cesaro gets the win with the Neutralizer but they continue to brawl after the match tot he back stage area.

After that is the undrafted Heath Slater with Jinder Mahal, his former partner who is continuing to complain about not being drafted. Mick Foley interrupts them to announce that he has one spot open on his roster & would give it to the winner of a match between the two & while Slater is saying that they couldn’t be divided, Mahal lands a big boot & scores the pin to earn a roster spot on RAW while Slater is still on TV, but jobless….

Next up is Sami Zayn verses Seth Rollins in a fine match but a predictable outcome as you knew there was no way Rollins was going to lose. Nice finish as Rollins goes for the Pedigree which Zayn reverses & then goes for the Helluva Kick which Rollins ducks & then hits the Pedigree for the win.

Lastly, Brock Lesner made his return to RAW and as importantly, the always entertaining Paul Heyman, who proceeds to build the SUMMERSLAM match with Randy Orton by saying that the only chance Orton had was the RKO but that Orton wasn’t man enough to hit Lesnar with it. Then, out of nowhere, Orton slides into the ring to land the RKO, which brings Foley, Stephanie, referee’s & security running to ringside as Orton runs out through the audience.

Not a bad RAW as you can expect more of the same over the next three weeks as the build to SUMMERSLAM continues.