RAW LIVE Coverage and Discussion Thread - 15th July, 2013
With Money in the Bank out of the way, we are on the road to SummerSlam in Los Angeles. Randy Orton and Damien Sandow are one step closer to becoming the WWE and World Champions respectively. What was the meaning of the betrayals on Sunday night and are they a one time things or have friendships been severed? What will Brad Maddox do on his first full night in charge? Let’s hope he gives a State of the Maddox Address.
We are in Brooklyn, New York and your announcers are John ‘JCL’ Layfield, Michael ‘We’re all staying at Johnson’s house’ Cole, and Jerry ‘I just got done writing Brad Maddox’s promo’ Lawler.
We begin with the man who is going to revolutionize Monday nights, Brad Maddox. Brad thanks everyone for their reaction. This is the first time that Raw has been in Brooklyn and this is the start of the Maddox era. Brad says that we will have a rematch tonight. Alberto Del Rio will face Dolph Ziggler.
Brad says that he will be the greatest General Manager of all time . . .
John Cena’s music interrupts and he makes his way to the ring.
John mentions that this is the Maddox era. Brad has made history. This is the only time that the person he is next to is more hated than Brad. John says that the noise you hear is energy. They are excited for the match that Brad made. The jury is still out on Brad. He might be a good General Manager.
Brad says that he is glad that John is out here because he has always admired Cena. He admires his courage, strength, and will to win. He admires the way that John treats those less privileged than him.
Brad says that he will get to choose his opponent for SummerSlam. Brad says that he will have everyone on the stage for Cena to pick.
John says that Brad is even stupider than he is. He could choose Doc Hendrix, Dutch Mantell, or Michael Cole. He could choose one of the Bella Twins.
Randy Orton makes his way to the ring and he has his red briefcase with him.
Randy tells Brad to be careful. He doesn’t want to get too far ahead of him. Randy says that John Cena might not be the champion at SummerSlam. Randy says that he is not cashing it in tonight. He doesn’t want to make the same stupid mistake John did last year. You should take advantage of opportunities and not squander them. He wanted to tell John face-to-face and man-to-man that he will never see it coming.
Fandango’s music plays and he dances to the ring with Summer Rae.
Randy says that Fandango interrupted him.
Fandango says that Randy will not be cashing in that briefcase against John Cena, he will be cashing it in against him. Fandango says that there is only one person the entire WWE Universe wants to see John Cena face and that is . . .
FAN . . . DAN . . . GO.
Orton punches Fandango and then Fandango kicks Orton to the floor. Orton returns to the ring and he takes Fandango down with a Thesz Press and he sends Fandango over the top rope to the floor.
Brad says that if you want physicality, Randy Orton will face Fandango.
Match Number One: Randy Orton versus Fandango (with Summer Rae)
The match is joined in progress and Orton with the Garvin Stomp. Orton with a European uppercut and then he tries for the leaping knee drop but Fandango moves. Fandango with kicks and he chokes Orton. Fandango with a boot to the head and then he tries for a suplex but Orton blocks it and Orton with a suplex of his own.
Orton follows Fandango to the floor and he connects with a forearm and then he sends Fandango into the apron. Fandango with a punch and he returns to the ring but he goes to the floor again and Orton cuts him off and connects with a clothesline. Orton with a back drop driver onto the ringside barrier.
Orton rolls Fandango back into the ring and Orton gets a near fall. Orton with an Irish whip but he runs into a boot. Fandango chokes Orton in the ropes and then he goes to the floor to punch Orton. Fandango with a knee to the head and Fandango with a cravate. Orton with a punch followed by a back body drop. Orton punches Fandango in the corner.
Orton climbs the turnbuckles and he punches Fandango. Orton with a standing drop kick and he gets a near fall. Orton stomps on the hand. Orton with an Irish whip and he blocks a kick in the corner but Fandango with an enzuigiri that sends Orton to the floor and then Fandango Irish whips Orton into the ring steps.
We go to commercial.
We re back and Fandango slingshots Orton’s throat into the bottom rope and he gets a near fall. Fandango with a cravate. Orton with punches but Fandango with knees and a head butt. Orton tries for the back breaker but Fandango with a belly-to-back suplex and he gets a near fall. Orton blocks Fandango’s punches and Orton punches back. Orton with an Irish whip and clothesline into the corner followed by a T-Bone Suplex in the corner. Orton puts Fandango on the top turnbuckle and he sets for a superplex and he hits it. Orton with two clotheslines and he avoids a clothesline from Fandango and he hits the power slam. Fandango goes to the apron and Fandango with an enzuigiri to avoid the expected IEDDT.
Fandango goes up top but Orton crotches him. Orton with a head butt and then he hits the IEDDT. Orton looks around and then he hits the RKO for the three count.
Winner: Randy Orton
The announcers talk about the match between Dolph Ziggler and Alberto Del Rio from last night and we see photos of AJ’s interference.
Dolph Ziggler is walking in the back and AJ tries to talk to him. She says that she knows that he is mad at her. Dolph tells AJ to stop apologizing. AJ is relieved to hear that and she hugs Dolph but Dolph does not hug back.
Dolph says that it is time for him to move on.
Mark Henry walks through the back in a conservatively colored jacket and we go to commercial.
We are back and Mark Henry is already entering the ring.
Mark says that last night at Money in the Bank, John Cena came as advertised. He is one of the greatest WWE Champions of all time. He did not expect John Cena to beat him. Mark says that he gave it all he had. He took John Cena to his limits and he came this close to winning that championship.
Mark says that he did tap out but John would tap everyone in the crowd out too. Mark says that he is not here to make excuses or apologies for what he did. John Cena has the choice to pick who he wants to fight at SummerSlam and Mark wants to be that guy.
He took John to his limits once and he will take him to his limits again.
The Shield make their way to the ring and Mark looks like he is ready for them.
The Shield surrounds the ring. Mark asks if they think this is his first time. Mark is not backing down or running away. Mark takes off his jacket.
Mark goes after Reigns on the apron but Rollins and Ambrose attack him in the ring. Reigns joins in and Henry fights them off. Henry takes care of all three men as they attack him one at a time. Ambrose with a sleeper and Henry kicks Rollins away. He cannot stop a Roman Reigns spear. They continue to triple team Mark now that he is on the crowd.
They get Henry set for the Cerberus Bomb.
We go to commercial.
We are back and Brad is on the phone with his mom. He says that he will pick something up on the way home and then Chris Jericho enters.
Chris says that Brad has a lot of pressure for a guy his age. Chris says so far so good. Brad says that he has a stroke of genius. If Chris wants to be WWE Champion, he should try to impress John Cena. He should face a former WWE Champion like Rob Van Dam.
Chris says that it would be RVD versus Y2J on Raw. Chris says that if Brad makes decisions like that, he has a good future.
Match Number Two: Alberto Del Rio versus Dolph Ziggler in a Non Title Match
Del Rio with a kick to the leg and forearms to the back. Ziggler with a drop kick for a near fall. Ziggler with a neck breaker followed by the rapid fire series of elbow drops and then he spins around for the tenth and connects with a leaping elbow drop and he gets a near fall. Del Rio moves when Ziggler goes for a splash in the corner.
Del Rio with kicks. Del Rio puts Ziggler on the turnbuckles and he goes for an inverted superplex and he hits it and gets a near fall. Del Rio chokes Ziggler and the referee warns him. Del Rio chokes Ziggler in the ropes. Ziggler with a splash into the corner and then he hits a flying clothesline.
Ziggler with a kick but Del Rio with a back body drop and Ziggler goes over the top rope to the floor.
We go to commercial.
We are back and Del Rio with a reverse chin lock but Ziggler with punches. Del Rio with punches followed by a belly-to-back suplex. Del Rio waits for Ziggler to get back to their feet and Del Rio sets for a super kick but Ziggler moves. Del Rio sends Ziggler into the air and then he stomps on the head. Del Rio tries for the running enzuigiri in the corner but Ziggler knows what was coming and he hits a DDT to counter and he gets a near fall.
Ziggler punches Del Rio and Del Rio punches back. Del Rio with a punch to the head and Ziggler goes down. Del Rio goes for a splash in the ropes but Ziggler moves. Del Rio is able to hold onto the ropes and he gets on the ropes but Ziggler with a drop kick and Del Rio gets his foot on the rope to stop the count.
Ziggler misses the Fameasser and Del Rio with a German suplex and bridge for a near fall. Del Rio with head butts to Ziggler. Del Rio sets for the cross arm breaker but he takes too long and Ziggler counters with a neck breaker and he gets a near fall.
Ziggler is sent into the turnbuckles and Del Rio with a step up enzuigiri for a near fall. Del Rio puts Ziggler in the tree of woe and he kicks Ziggler. Del Rio goes for a shoulder on Ziggler but Ziggler pulls himself up and Del Rio hits the ring post with his shoulder.
Ziggler goes to the turnbuckles and he hits a Fameasser for a near fall but the bell rings and we see that it was AJ but the referee tells them to continue the match. Del Rio with a super kick while Ziggler yells at AJ and Del Rio gets the three count.
Winner: Alberto Del Rio
After the match, AJ stares at Dolph and she comes into the ring with that ‘I need one of those jackets that tie in the back’ looks. AJ hits Ziggler and Ziggler tries to walk away from her. From out of nowhere, Big E Langston hits Ziggler with a running body block. Langston gives Ziggler the Big Ending.
AJ kneels down and rubs Ziggler’s head before picking him up and dropping him back to the mat.
We are back with a look back at Brad Maddox’s big announcement about the WWE Title match at SummerSlam.
We are back and R Truth is rapping again.
Before Truth can say anything, we are interrupted by the Wyatt Family on the TitanTron and they are here.
Harper and Rowan attack Truth while Bray rocks back and forth in his rocking chair. They roll Truth to the floor and then they look at Wyatt and Bray has risen.
Bray says that there is no such thing as a hero. Everyone has to become addicted to the illusion of what a hero is. You have been addicted to the illusion of what a hero does for you. Do you think you need someone to pat you on the back? Do you need someone to tuck you in at night and kiss you on the cheek and tell you that everything is alright? Everything is not alright.
The man who made you is a liar. What if he was to tell you that your own flesh and blood turned on you. He would never turn his back on you. Maybe the answers you have been seeking are slapping you in the face. Maybe Bray Wyatt, the Eater of Worlds, has been the answer all along.
R Truth gets on the apron and he has a chair. He says that he wants Bray Wyatt.
Wyatt says that he will give Truth a shot.
Truth comes into the ring and Bray wants to know what he is waiting for. Truth gets distracted by Harper and Rowan and Wyatt with a splash into the corner and then he punches Truth before Harper and Rowan take over.
They pick up Truth for Bray and he kisses Truth on the top of the head before hitting Sister Abigail.
Bray says that he is not the Truth they seek. Follow the Buzzards.
We go to commercial.
We are back and the announcers talk about what they just saw.
It is time to take a look at the new Performance Center in the Orlando area.
Zeb asks if this is the Melting Pot of America. All he hears is Spanish, Chinese, Greek, Italian, and something called Yiddish. Where is the English. He says that they should call it the Port-A-Potty.
A robbery took place last night when two Real Americans were robbed. But Americans have been robbed by having jobs taken by someone sneaking across the border. Zeb tells John to select one of the two Real Americans.
Match Number Three: Antonio Cesaro and Jack Swagger (with Zeb Colter) versus Jimmy and Jey Uso
Cesaro and Jey lock up and Jey with a waist lock but Cesaro with an elbow. Jey with punches and he runs Cesaro into the corner and Jimmy tags in and he hits a leaping punch in the corner and he gets a near fall with a rollup. Jimmy punches Swagger and then Cesaro with a punch and a dead lift side salto and Swagger is tagged in and he kicks Jimmy and hits a Swagger Bomb.
Swagger punches Jimmy and Cesaro kicks Jimmy before tagging back in. Cesaro leaps on Jimmy’s chest and he gets a near fall. Cesaro with a reverse chin lock. Jimmy with punches to Cesaro and Swagger.
Jey is able to make the tag and he punches Cesaro and then gets a near fall with a cross body. Jimmy with a super kick to Swagger but Cesaro with a European uppercut to Jimmy. Jey is able to counter the dead lift side salto and he gets the three count with a rollup.
Winners: Jimmy and Jey Uso
We are back and Damien Sandow is out with the Money in the Bank briefcase, but he is BFFless.
Match Number Four: Damien Sandow versus Christian
They lock up and Sandow with a knee. Sandow goes to the floor and Christian follows after him. Sandow misses an elbow and then Christian goes to the turnbuckles but Sandow pushes Christian off the turnbuckles and to the floor. Sandow rolls Christian back in and gets a near fall.
Sandow with knees to the midsection and then he puts Christian on the turnbuckles. Christian punches Sandow off the turnbuckles and hits a tornado DDT for a near fall. Christian with punches and a running forearm. Christian climbs the turnbuckles and he punches Sandow. Christian with a drop toe hold and then he slingshots to the floor and he punches Sandow. Christian goes up top and hits a cross body for a near fall.
Christian with a punch and he goes to the turnbuckles for a back elbow. Christian tries for the Killswitch but Sandow counters into a side Russian leg sweep and Christian recovers to get a jackknife cover before Sandow can hit the Elbow of Disdain.
Winner: Christian
After the match, Sandow reminds everyone that he still has the briefcase.
Cody Rhodes attacks Sandow and he punches Sandow and the referees have to pull Cody off.
We are back and we see footage of Vickie Guerrero trying to get reinstated in her job.
Match Number Five: Brie Bella (with Nikki Bella) versus Naomi (with Cameron)
They lock up and Brie with a wrist lock but Naomi kips up. Naomi with forearms and a flying flip clothesline and she gets a near fall. Naomi with a baseball slide to the floor and then she kicks Brie from the apron. Naomi sends Brie to the floor but Brie trips Naomi on the apron.
Brie gets a near fall. Brie with a forearm and a boot to the back. Brie sends Naomi to the mat and then she applies a camel clutch in the ropes. Brie pulls Naomi into the center of the ring and then she works on the neck.
Naomi with shoulders and a sunset flip for a near fall. Brie with a flying clothesline and she calls Naomi a loser. Brie continues to work on the neck. Naomi with punches and Brie tries for a belly-to-back suplex but Naomi lands on her feet and she hits a rana followed by a drop kick or two. Naomi with a leaping butt bump.
Naomi with a cross body form the top for the three count.
Winner: Naomi
Michael Cole talks about what Paul Heyman did at Money in the Bank. We see Paul Heyman leaving the building without answering any questions.
Paul tells them to stay out of his personal life.
We go to commercial.
We are back and Punk gingerly makes his way to the ring.
Punk says that he knows Paul Heyman is in the building. He knows that Brock Lesnar is in the building. He knows that he is not waiting any longer so come out boys.
Paul Heyman makes his way to the stage and he says that what he is looking at right now is an empty ring. In his world, CM Punk does not exist. Paul tells Punk to try this one on for size. He asks Punk if he is lying. In 2005, WWE had no vision for Punk. CM Punk was a figment of Paul Heyman’s imagination. He took Punk in and befriended him. He taught him, trained him, and martyred his entire career for Punk.
Then they reached the Holy Grail together. They were the reigning and defending WWE Champion for 434 days. They were the longest reigning champions in the modern era. They were so close to ending the Undertaker’s friend.
They were the best . . . in the world. He tells Punk that he forgets that without him there is no we. Without Paul Heyman, CM Punk is not the best in the world. Paul says that everyone can boo him and call him a Judas.
Paul says that the truth is a lot harder pill to swallow than a spin on things. The truth is that Punk failed them when he could not beat the Undertaker. Punk found himself when he went home and Punk thinks that he is better than Paul. Paul laughs at that idea. He manipulated and played CM Punk. History will write that Paul Heyman dumped CM Punk.
Punk wanted to keep it personal so Paul made it personal. Punk has no family. He is estranged from his own parents. He has no wife or children. All Punk has is them. All Punk has is the WWE Universe and their admiration and respect. All they have is their affirmation. All Punk wants, craves, and needs in his life is the WWE Championship. Punk took Paul’s best friend so he took Punk’s shot at the title.
Paul says that you will learn that he is a lot worse personally than he is as a business person. He tells his best friend, brother, best friend son. Paul tells Punk that he was made to swear on his children. It was his children who asked him why Punk didn’t listen to him like Brock listens him.
Paul says that he double crossed and betrayed Punk because CM Punk cannot beat BROCK LESNAR.
Punk takes off the hood of his sweatshirt and feels the staples on his head and he asks Paul if he is done. He asks Paul if he wants to talk about the truth. The truth does hurt. Maybe he should have seen it coming, but he trusted Paul. All he has to show for it is the thirteen staples in his head. Paul knows Punk better than anyone. He knows that when Punk wants something, he is the most relentless person.
The truth is that he is going to get Paul. He swears on Paul’s children that he is going to get Paul. He will get everyone who conspired against him. Everyone who profited from it or had knowledge of it. Anyone who enjoyed it. His friends, his clients, and his family. Anyone who steps between them, he will get his hands on them and he will rip them apart and he will hurt them.
The truth is that Paul doesn’t have a future because he is going to burn down everything around Paul until he is the last man standing. He wants to make sure that Paul is there to watch it all. He asks Paul if he is lying.
Paul says that Punk is not lying. If Punk wants to tip his hand, he wants to spell out Punk’s immediate future. Paul mocks Punk’s “It’s Clobbering Time” and Brock Lesnar comes out.
Brock does the Brock Bounce and he walks to the ring with Heyman. Punk does not back down from Lesnar as he bounces on the floor. Heyman hits Punk from behind and then Lesnar gets Punk on his shoulders but Punk escapes and he punches Brock. Brock sends Punk into the ringside barrier. Punk with more punches. Brock with knees. Punk with more punches and Brock with more knees. Lesnar tosses Punk around by his hoodie. Lesnar throws Punk over the announce table but Punk leaps off the announce table and Lesnar catches Punk and he runs Punk into the ring post.
Lesnar stands over Punk and he gets Punk up and hits an F-5 on the announce table. Brock stands on the announce table.
Brock and Paul leave while the medical staff checks on Punk. Punk struggles to get to his feet and he then he falls back to the ground and he holds his neck.
We go to commercial.
We are back and we take a look back at what we just saw and they talk about the path that Punk has to take to get to Heyman. John says that Brock probably doesn’t care about what Punk said.
Michael mentions Total Divas and we have a video package showing that we are going to see into the personal lives of the Divas.
John Cena walks in the back and Great Khali stops him and he says something that probably can be translated into him asking to be Cena’s opponent. Cena responds and Khali is happy.
Brad sees Stephanie on the phone and he wants to hug but Stephanie shakes his hand. She asks how things are going. Stephanie says that she was a bit worried last night but she asks him about tonight. Stephanie says that she was really asking Triple H, who enters the room.
Hunter says that he thinks Brad is doing a good job so far. Hunter asks Brad if he asked Vince before making these decisions. Hunter says that Brad made some gutsy decisions and Brad wonders what they mean. Hunter brings up letting the superstars choose their matches on the second biggest pay per view of the year. Stephanie and Hunter are wary of who Cena will pick and it might not make Vince happy.
Hunter asks Brad if he knows why he got the job. Hunter says that it was because Brad was the one who was standing there at the time.
Match Number Six: Rob Van Dam versus Chris Jericho
They lock up and Van Dam with a waist lock but Jericho with a standing switch. Van Dam with an arm drag but Jericho with a head scissors and Van Dam escapes. Van Dam reminds us who he is. Jericho with a kick and punch followed by chops. Van Dam with forearms and shoulder tackle. Jericho with a drop kick.
Jericho with punches and Van Dam with a spinning heel kick. Van Dam with a back heel kick and Irish whip followed by a monkey flip. Van Dam reminds us who he is again and he hits a standing moonsault for a near fall. Jericho with an Irish whip but Van Dam floats over. Jericho avoids a leg sweep and Jericho with an enzuigiri for a near fall.
Jericho with a belly-to-back suplex and then he kicks Van Dam in the back followed by a drop kick and we go to commercial.
We are back and Van Dam with a body scissors so we can see what you missed during the commercial break when Van Dam hit a leg drop. Jericho sets for the Walls of Jericho but Van Dam is able to avoid it. Jericho with a catapult that sends Van Dam into the turnbuckles and to the mat for a near fall by Jericho.
Jericho with kicks and then he slingshots Van Dam’s throat into the bottom rope. Jericho with a baseball slide that sends Van Dam to the floor. Jericho pulls Van Dam back onto the apron and Van Dam blocks it and he tries to suplex Jericho to the floor but Jericho blocks it. Van Dam lands on his feet and he hits a spinning thrust kick on Jericho. Van Dam returns to the body scissors.
Van Dam tries for a triangle choke but Jericho turns it into a rollup for a near fall. Jericho with a power bomb to escape. Jericho gets a near fall. Van Dam signals for Rolling Thunder but Jericho knows it is coming. Van Dam with a back heel kick from the apron and Van Dam hits a moonsault and both men are down.
We go to commercial.
We are back and Jericho with an arm bar. Jericho with a knee and forearm to the back but Van Dam with an Irish whip and drop kick to the chest against the turnbuckles. Van Dam with shoulder tackles followed by a spinning back kick. Jericho with shoulder tackles and he goes up top and hits an elbow. Jericho with a bulldog and he goes for the Lionsault but he misses. Van Dam with Rolling Thunder and he gets a near fall.
Jericho with an Irish whip and he runs into an elbow from Van Dam. Van Dam misses a jumping back kick but Jericho does not miss the DDT but Van Dam kicks out. Jericho tries for the Walls of Jericho but Van Dam powers out of it. Van Dam with a kick to Jericho followed by an Irish whip but Van Dam runs into a boot.
Van Dam sends Jericho into the turnbuckles and then Van Dam tries for the split legged moonsault but Jericho moves. Jericho with a Lionsault and he gets a near fall. Van Dam blocks Jericho’s attempt to send him into the turnbuckles and Van Dam kicks Jericho and Rob goes up top but Jericho crotches him.
Jericho tries for a superplex but Van Dam blocks it and he knocks Jericho to the mat. Van Dam with a senton splash for a near fall. Van Dam tries for a rana but Jericho blocks it and he applies the Walls of Jericho but Van Dam gets to the ropes. Jericho with boots to the chest and the referee pulls Jericho away.
Van Dam with a step over heel kick and Van Dam leaps to the turnbuckles for the Five Star Frog Splash and he connects for the three count.
Winner: Rob Van Dam
We go to commercial.
We go to commercial.
We are back and Paul Heyman will be on MizTV on Smackdown on Friday night.
The wrestlers are on the stage and everyone waiting to see if they will be picked to be John Cena’s opponent at SummerSlam.
John says that it is time for him to announce his opponent for SummerSlam. John says that he cannot do that because he hasn’t made his decision yet. All night, he has listened to Superstar after Superstar after Superstar tell him why they should face him at SummerSlam. John says that he is waiting for the most important voice in the WWE, the WWE Universe.
Their voice is so important because their toughness is honesty and he respects that. He wants a match that the people want to see. He asks them to look at the Superstars on the stage and he mentions some names and he wants their reactions.
The members of 3MB get shot down. Randy Orton gets a mixture of applause and boos. He asks about The Great Khali and he gets more boos than cheers. He asks about Alberto Del Rio and they boo him. He asks about Chris Jericho and they like that idea. Then he asks about Rob Van Dam. Cena asks about Fandango and they are mixed on him. He asks about Sheamus and the people are not swell on the fella.
Cena asks about Ryback and the crowd makes him want to cry again. Cena asks if he is forgetting anyone.
John says that he has made his selection. It is someone who deserves this opportunity. The crowd chants for Daniel Bryan.
Cena says that if he accepts the challenge, he selects Daniel Bryan. Daniel Bryan bounds to the ring. Bryan gets in the ring and he yeses in John Cena’s face and we go to credits.
