RAW LIVE Coverage & Discussion - 23rd May, 2016
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RAW LIVE Coverage & Discussion - 23rd May, 2016
Location: Baltimore, Maryland
Announcers: JBL Michael Cole & Byron Saxton
We start off with a look back at Extreme Rules and the return of Seth Rollins.
Seth Rollins makes his way to the ring.
Seth appreciates the reaction to his return to Raw.
He wants to know if the people of Baltimore are going to let him talk. He says it has been 200 days since he left. He has been thinking about stepping inside his ring once again. Seth says unless you are living under a rock, he is back. For seven months, he has waited to come back to win back the title he never lost. At Extreme Rules, he fired the first shot.
We see a photo of the Pedigree by Rollins to Roman Reigns after Roman defeated AJ Styles.
Seth says he feels like the people missed him. Seth says it was not always that way. When he put a steel chair in Roman's back to end the Shield, you booed him every time. You were calling for his head every night. When he won the WWE Championship, he says you called him the weakest WWE Champion of all time. You were begging for people to beat him for the title, bu t no one could. You said he hid behind the Authority. You went against everything he earned during his title reign.
Then his knee buckled under the weight of carrying this company on his back for so freaking long. Then he started getting tweets and comments from people saying they missed him and wanted him to come back soon. He got flowers and so much fan mail, he did not know what to do with it. Seth says he did not open a single letter and he put it in a garbage can and he lit it on fire. Seth said he did not need you on his side to win the title or to defend the title. He says he does not need them to get it back.
Seth says there is only room on the Seth Rollins bandwagon for one dude and that is him. You weren't there with him when he was rehabbing twice a day to get his title back. He says that is more work he has done in the last seven months than you have in your collective lives. Boo him or cheer him. He is back for one thing . . . the title he never lost. He redesigned Seth Rollins and he will take back HIS WWE World Championship.
Roman Reigns interrupts and makes his way to the ring.
Reigns enters the ring and Rollins leaves and goes to the floor.
Shane McMahon's music plays and he shuffles his way on the stage and goes to the ring.
Shane takes a mic and he asks for Seth to come into the ring for a conversation, an adult conversation.
Shane says there is a lot of animosity between the two and it started when you turned your back on the Shield. Then at Wrestlemania 31, you interjected yourself into the main event to become WWE Champion, a championship you held until your injury. He says he knows that Seth wants his title back since he did not lose it. This match has Wrestlemania Main Event written all over it but we are not going to wait until Wrestlemania.
At Money in the Bank, Roman Reigns defends his title against Seth Rollins.
Michael mentions that the qualifying matches for the Money in the Bank Match will take place tonight. Miz faces Cesaro. Byron mentions Dean Ambrose faces Dolph Ziggler. JBL says that Chris Jericho faces Apollo Crews. Michael says AJ Styles faces Kevin Owens. Byron says that Sheamus faces Sami Zayn.
We go to commercial.
Backstage:
We are back and Renee Young asks about Sheamus winning the briefcase last year and cashing in. Sheamus wants to know about what type of era puts him in a qualifying match against a guy named Sami Zayn. Seeing him skip to the ring with his stupid hat on his head. He says that Sami is Canadian and not even from this country. Sheamus tells parents will little children to take them out of the room because what he is about to do is not for all ages.
Money in the Bank Qualifying Match
Sami Zayn vs Sheamus
They lock up and Sheamus backs Zayn into the corner. They lock up and Sheamus with a side head lock and take down. Sheamus with a wrist lock. Sheamus continues to work on the arm and Sheamus with a side head lock and shoudler tackle. Zayn with a drop kick and chop followed by a punch. Zayn chops Sheamus and connects with forearms but Sheamus with a knee lift and boot to the chest. Sheamus with a leg drop and then he sends Zayn over the top rope but Zayn lands on the apron and Zayn with a shoudler and he flips over Sheamus and hits a head scissors take down.
Sheamus goes to the floor and Zayn follows and punches Sheamus. Sheamus with punches and then Zayn is sent into the ringside barrier but Zayn jumps onto the barrier and he hits a moonsault. Sheamus with a running knee to knock Zayn off the apron and we go to commercial.
We are back and Sheamus points to the briefcase but Zayn punches Sheamus. Sheamus with a power slam and he gets a near fall. Sheamus puts Zayn on the turnbuckles and he sets for a superplex but Zayn blocks it and he punches Zayn. Sheamus falls off the turnbuckles and Zayn leaps over Sheamus. Sheamus with a uranage back breaker for a near fall. Zayn with a clothesline Zayn with a Michinoku Driver for a near fall. Zayn and Sheamus with punches until Zayn takes control. Zayn goes to the ropes for an arm drag but Sheamus kicks the ropes and Zayn is crotched. Zayn avoids a Brogue Kick and clotheslines Sheamus over the top rope. Sheamus with a forearm to stop Zayn from going over the top rope to the floor but Zayn with a Helluva Kick for the three count.
Winner: Sami Zayn (Qualifies for Money in the Bank Match)
After the match
Sheamus cannot believe that he lost his qualifying match. Sheamus has a few veins bulging in his neck as he throws a tantrum.
We go to commercial.
Backstage
We are back and Renee Young is with Apollo Crews in the interview area. She asks Apollo if he thinks he has an advantage since Chris was in the Asylum match. Apollo says that anyone who went through all of that has to be feeling it the next day. Apollo says he is part of the new era and Sheamus attacks Apollo and says that he is here to knock down the New Era.
The New Day makes their way to the ring and there is a cake in the center and it is a birthday cake.
Xavier says as of last night, the New Day is still your WWE World Tag Team Champions. Kofi says this here cake is not to celebrate their victory. This cake is out here because Raw has been going strong for 1,200 episodes. Xavier says Raw is over 23 years old. Kofi says they want to say HAPPY BIRTHDAY RAW.
Big E stops them and he says that a WWE ring is never safe for a cake, so Big E says they will take it out of the ring and save it for later. Xavier says you wouldn't want this cake to be in anyone's face, especially anyone in the first row, especially that little boy . . . or JBL and Big E teases JBL. What about the face of Byron Saxton?
The Social Outcasts attack Xavier and Kofi from behind and they send Xavier and Kofi to the floor.
We have an inside the ring BO TRAIN.
We go to commercial.
Kofi Kingston, Xavier Woods, and Big E vs Curtis Axel, Bo Dallas, and Heath Slater
Slater gets his feet up and goes to the turnbuckles but Kofi with a super rana. Kofi kicks Slater in the corner and Woods tags in and kicks Slater. Big E with kicks. Kofi comes back in and Xavier goes for Francesca while Big E kicks Slater. Kofi is Irish whipped into the corner for a drop kick. Kofi with a forearm to the back and Big E picks up Slater for a Snake Eyes and Kofi and Xavier kick Slater. Bo and Curtis pull Heath to safety and Bo wants a BO TRAIN but Slater collapses. Kofi with a plancha onto Axel and Dallas. Slater is sent back into the ring and hit the spike Big Ending for the three count.
Winners: Xavier Woods, Big E, and Kofi Kingston
After the match
Big E grabs some cake but Xavier and Kofi stop him. They tell him to get Heath and Big E sends Heath into the cake.
We go to commercial.
We are back and Maryse introduces her husband the Intercontinental Champion. Miz says he is your future Money in the Bank winner. Since he has had his wife at his side, he has been on fire. He had a 25% chance of winning, but just like Rudy, he overcame insurmountable odds. It was THE match at Extreme Rules. Miz says he went up against three of the greatest Superstars WWE has today, but one man stood tall at the end of the match and it was The Miz. This is a true underdog story. This is what movies pay big budgets for. Who would play his part? Chris Pratt, Brad Pitt, Dwayne Johnson?
Maryse says none of them have her husband's charisma.
Money in the Bank Qualifying Match
Miz (c) (with Maryse) vs Cesaro
Miz misses a clothesline and Cesaro with a European uppercut followed by five Irish whips and running European uppercuts followed by another European uppercut for a near fall. Cesaro runs the ropes for about 15 seconds before hitting a drop kick and he gets a near fall. Miz goes to the floor. Cesaro goes to the apron and hits a running senton off the apron. Maryse argues with Cesaro but Cesaro tells her to talk to the hand.
Miz kicks and punches Cesaro when he returns to the ring. Cesaro blocks a suplex and Cesaro with a delayed vertical suplex and Miz with knees to try to get out of the hold but Cesaro holds on and hits the suplex for a near fall. Cesaro wtih a head lock. Cesaro catches Miz on a leap frog but Miz gets to his feet. Cesaro with a springboard European uppercut and Miz goes to the floor and we go to commercial.
We are back and Miz appears to be back in control. Cesaro with a European uppercut and Miz hits Reality Check and he sets for the Skull Crushing Finale. Cesaro wtih an inside cradle for a near fall. Miz sends Cesaro to the mat and hits a DDT for a near fall. Miz punches Cesaro. Miz catapults Cesaro's throat into the bottom rope and Miz returns to the arm. Miz hyper-extends the shoulder. Miz runs into a European uppercut. Miz with a punch that Cesaro blocks. Cesaro with a series of European uppercuts but Miz with a shot to the shoulder and Miz with the Awesome Clothesline. Miz goes up top but he may have taken too long because Cesaro recovers and drop kicks Miz off the ropes to the floor.
Cesaro goes to the floor and hits a running European uppercut that sends Miz into the ringside barrier. Cesaro sends Miz into the ring and Cesaro goes up top while holding his arm close to his body. Cesaro with a cross body for a near fall. Cesaro cannot go for the giant swing due to the damage done to his arm so Cesaro with a double stomp. Cesaro wtih a spinebuster and he is able to hit the giant swing but it not for as many rotations as usual. Ceasro with an elbow and he sends Miz to the apron but Miz drops the arm on the top rope.
Miz comes off the turnbuckles into a European uppercut and Cesaro hits the Gotch Style Neutralizer for the three count.
Winner: Cesaro (Advances to Money in the Bank Match)
We take a look back to the start of Raw and the announcement of the main event at Money in the Bank.
Backstage
Renee Young is in the interview area with Seth Rollins. Seth says it is fitting that he win the title there since he won the briefcase a few years ago and had the greatest cash in. He will win and cash in again because he is Seth Rollins.
Seth sees Stephanie and she is not as excited as her brother to see him.
Stephanie says that things have changed along wtih their business relationship. Stephanie shakes Seth's hand and welcomes him back.
Money in the Bank Qualifying Match
Chris Jericho vs Apollo Crews
Jericho throws his shirt at Crews and punches him. Jericho with a back elbow and he kicks Crews. Jericho slaps Crews and connects with knees. Jericho wtih a forearm but Crews with a drop kick and arm drag. Crews with a kcik and suplex. Crews goes to the apron for a slingshot senton and we see Sheamus watching from the back on THE monitor. Crews with an Irish whip but Jericho wtih an elbow. Crews with punches to the injured elbow and then he slams Jericho. Jericho with a thumb to the eye and a clothesline. Jericho sets for a suplex and hits it. followed by a drop kick for a near fall. Crews punches Jericho. Crews with a kick but Jericho with a drop kick for a near fall. Jericho with punches to Crews. Jericho with a reverse chin lock.
Crews kicks Jericho but Jericho kicks back. Crews with a kick and clotheslines. Crews with a kick to the temple followed by a Stinger Splash and jumping back elbow. Jericho sends Crews to the apron adn Jericho misses the springboard drop kick when Crews falls onto the apron and Jericho goes to the floor. Crews with a moonsault off the apron. Crews sends Jericho back into the ring and he goes up top. Crews leaps over Jericho and then hits a power slam for a near fall. Crews with an enzuigiri to the back of the head and Jericho counters the tossed sit out power bomb and Jericho with the Walls of Jericho. Crews gets to the ropes and the referee forces Jericho to release the hold. Crews with an enzuigiri and rollup for a near fall.
Crews with forearms but Jericho holds on to the ropes for a drop kick. Jericho with a Lionsault while Crews tries to kip up and Jericho gets a near fall. Jericho with a near fall followed by a Codebreaker for the three count.
Winner: Chris Jericho (Advances to Money in the Bank Match)
Backstage
Renee Young asks Sheamus about the result of the Jericho/Crews match and all Sheamus can do is laugh as if he is channeling PURE EVIL.
We go to commercial.
We are back with the latest Life Lessons with Coach Bob Backlund.
Bob tells Mr. Young when you believe you can do something, you can do it. Darren is writing it down and Bob tells Darren that he needs to learn what he is teaching him. He says that notes are for kids in school while adults put it in their brains. He tells Darren to recite the presidents in order. Darren says that he can’t do that and he does not think anyone can do it. Bob starts to recite the presidents and Darren says “Damn” at what he was doing. Bob says that you cannot be great using language like that. Bob tells Darren to give him 100 jumping jacks. Darren says something and Bob makes it 200.
Backstage
JoJo is with Baron Corbin and she asks him about his victory over Dolph Ziggler and the low blow that led to the victory.
JoJo asks about the way he won. Baron says that people have issues with the way he won a No Disqualification Match. He did that to Dolph Ziggler because he can.
Dolph Ziggler shows up and says 'Because I Can' is clever. Dolph says that Baron cannot be on Breaking Ground without looking like a tool. He can't beat him in a technical wrestling match.
Baron says he did not grow up wanting to be in WWE and be the best wrestler. If you want another match, we can have it and we can talk about technical wrestling . . . when you wake up.
Dolph says we have a match for next week and you can watch his match against Dean Ambrose to see what a wrestling match is all about.
Colin Cassady comes out and he is joined by Enzo Amore.
Enzo does his usual introduction and speech.
We go to commercial.
Enzo says that most of you people are aware that Enzo forgot to pay his electric bill and the cut his lights out. The doctors diagnosed him with a concusion. He says it is a hard sneeze. Enzo says he is blessed and he is all the way up. He has the gift of gab and the gift of jab. If he had a dime for every time he got knocked down and didn't get up he would have . . . ZERO DIMES.
As for the haters, you have been out of line and not on the guest line. He tells them to do them a favor and not do them any favors. At the end of the day, you are full of bologna.
Colin says putting his size sixteen shoes on the side of Bubba's head is like shooting a basketball into a swimming pool because he ain't gonna miss. He will show that there is one word to describe you and he is going to spell it out for you.
Colin Cassady (with Enzo Amore) vs Bubba Ray Dudley (with D-Von Dudley)
They lock up and Bubba backs Colin into the corner and he chops Colin. Colin pushes Bubba to the mat. Colin tells Bubba to get up. They lock up again and Bubba misses a chop and Colin with a punch and Irish whip. Colin with a hard Irish whip. D-Von hits Enzo from behind and then Bubba hits Colin from behind and Bubba with a belly-to-back suplex. Bubba punches Colin but Colin with a clothesline. Colin with shoulder tackles and a Stinger Splash. Bubba goes to the floor and Colin goes to the floor. Colin tosses Enzo into D-Von. Bubba with an elbow and he goes up top but Colin stops Bubba and he Press Slams Bubba and connects with a boot to the head and then he hits the leaping elbow drop for the three count.
Winner: Colin Cassady
Backstage
Charlotte walks in the back with her father Ric Flair and her new BFF Dana Brooke.
We go to commercial.
We are back and the WWE Women's Champion Charlotte makes her way to the ring with Ric Flair and Dana Brooke.
Charlotte wooos and she hands the mic to her father.
Ric says before you start, tonight, on this phenomenal interview you are going to have, as a father, he wants to convey how proud he is since she won the WWE Women's Championship at Wrestlemania. As a child, every time you turned around, you had your hand in the candy jar. Everything she touched, she made it happen. When you had your back against the wall, you prevailed last night. You went to get someone like your uncle Arn, Dana Brooke. You are that damn good. Without Charlotte Flair there is no Dana Brooke.
Charlotte says she wants to thank one person . . . herself. She says she could not be more proud of Dana since she chose to be with the best.
Dana thanks Charlotte for letting her stand in the ring with the dirtiest player in the game.
Charlotte says speaking of him, she says he remembers Thanksgivings, Christmases, and birthdays she remembers Mom saying that Daddy's always with you. You weren't there because she had to watch him on television. She says she could not understand why you weren't there but now she gets it because she is the WWE Women's Champion. She has never been more powerful or more confident. You knew what it felt like to be the man because she is the woman. That is why she finally has the courage to say 'Get out of my ring'
Charlotte says that she expected him to stare at her dumbfounded. The people of your generation are all the same, they don't want to leave the spotlilght. She says she let Ric bask in her spotlight. She is not Ric Flair's daughter, he is Charlotte's dad. Charlotte says her spotlight is bigger than her father's.. She says that Ric is the second dirtiest player in the game and she does not have time for those who finish in second place.
Charlotte says she does not need him any more. Charlotte says Ric abandoned her. How do you think she has felt the last thirty years of her life? She tells Ric that to all of these people, you are immortal to them but dead to her.
Charlotte tells Ric that he can watch her on television like she did for him.
We go to commercial.
We are back and it is time for the post mortem of what we just saw when Ric Flair was disowned by his daughter.
Money in the Bank Qualifying Match
Dean Ambrose vs Dolph Ziggler
They lock up and Ambrose with a waist lock take down. Ambrose with a snap mare for a near fall. Ziggler gets a take down and rollup for a near fall. Ambrose with a wrist lock into an arm bar. Ziggler with a gutwrench rollup for a near fall. Ambrose with a hammer lock and Ambrose with a side head lock take down. Dean with a shoudler tackle. Ziggler with a drop kick for a near fall. Ziggler with a side head lock take down. Ambrose with a back elbow and slam for a near fall. Ambrose with chops. Ambrose with a chop in the corner. Ziggler with a sunset flip for a near fall. Ambrose gets a near fall. Ziggler with another near fall. ZIggler is sent through the ropes and Ambrose tease a suicide dive but he sees where ZIggler is so he stops short.
We go to commercial.
We are back and Ambrose sets for a superplex but Ambrose is knocked off the turnbuckles. Ambrose wtih a forearm followed by a superplex and he gets a near fall. Ambrose with a forearm into the corner but Ziggler avoids the bulldog and hits a Stinger Splash. Ambrose avoids the neck breaker and then Ambrose sends Ziggler over the top rope to the floor and Ambrose with a suicide dive. Ziggler sets for the X Factor off the turnbuckles but Dean pushes him off and Ambrose with the elbow drop but Ziggler rolls through for a near fall. Ziggler with a Fameasser for a near fall. Ambrose blocks a super kick and then both men go for a cross body and both men are down.
Dean and Dolph alternate punches. Ziggler with a super kick and Ambrose bounces off the ropes for a wackyline and a near fall. Ambrose goes to the turnbuckles but Ziggler meets him with a drop kick for a near fall. Ziggler with a splash into the turnbuckles and he punches Dean but Dean holds on and tries for a power bomb but Ziggler counters with a sunset flip and a near fall. Ziggler tries for the Zig Zag but since Ambrose is on the ropes, he holds on. Ambrose with a double underhook DDT for the three count.
Winner: Dean Ambrose (Advances to Money in the Bank Match)
Backstage
We see Ric Flair walking dejected in the back and Arn Anderson stops to check on him. Ric walks away and Renee wants to know how Ric feels.
Ric does not want to say anything and he walks out of the arena.
We go to commercial.
We are back and Epico and Primo talk about their debut last week. They say the crowd loved them. They welcome everyone to Puerto Rico.
AJ Styles is in the ring and he has something to say before his match. He says in our business, you never know how good someone is until you get in the ring with him. In the last six weeks, Roman Reigns is every bit the man he says he is. AJ says that Roman is one of the better men he has been in the ring with. He says Roman is not phenomenal. If it wasn't for the Usos, Gallows, and Anderson, he had Roman beat last night. If it wasn't for those guys, you would be looking at the new WWE World Champion. That did not happen. AJ says he does not live in the past. He has a chance tonight to face Kevin Owens and beat him on his own and move on to Money in the Bank.
Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson make their way to the ring and Karl wants AJ to take that back, bro. If it wasn't for 'us'? You make it sound like you don't want them out there fighting with him.
AJ says he wanted to do this on his own. This isn't Japan and things have changed.
Karl says you would have bought them a round of drinks on Roppongi if they were in Japan. He says that AJ has changed.
AJ says he did not bring them to WWE to watch their back and take care of his problems.
Luke says if they didn't drop everyone who had a problem with there would have been a lot of bar fights he would have been in. If they didn't save AJ in WWE, he would not have made it to Extreme Rules.
AJ says they need to separate. You do your stuff alone and he does his stuff alone. Right now, they are done. No one can separate them from being brothers.
Luke tells AJ how dare you talk to them like that and then call them brothers.
Karl says they are not brothers any more. They are not friends any more.
AJ says if that is the way it is, they don't need to be in the ring together. As of right now, this is his ring.
Karl and Luke leave the ring.
We go to commercial.
Money in the Bank Qualifying Matc
Kevin Owens vs AJ Styles
Owens asks AJ if he has a chance at this because it is his. AJ and Kevin push each other and then they exchange punches. Styles with forearms as Owens retreats to the ropes. Owens with a low kick and he goes to his bread and butter as the Headlock Master. Owens holds on to the ropes to avoid the Phenomenal Drop Kick but Styles still hits a drop kick for a near fall. Styles with a snap mare and a Phenomenal knee drop and he gets a near fall. Styles chops Owens against the ropes.
Owens with forearms and chops. Styles chops back. Styles kicks Owens but Owens with a drop kick and he mocks AJ and gets a near fall. Owens with a kick to the back. Styles sends Owens to the floor and Styles goes to the apron but Owens pulls AJ face first into the apron. OWens runs the ropes and rolls under the bottom rope for a clothesline and he tells everyone he is phenomenal. Owens argues with the announcers and punches Styles. Styles wtih a punch and slingshot forearm to Owens. Owens punches Styles. Styles Irish whips Owens into the ring steps and then Styles sends Owens back into the ring.
We go to commercial.
We are back and the Headlock Master has AJ in a head lock. We see footage from the commercial when Owens caught Styles and dropped him on the apron. Owens with an elbow and then Owens back drops Styles to the floor. Owwens sets for a power bomb on the ring steps but Styles blocks it. Styles backs Owens into the apron and connects with forearms. Styles and Owens with forearms and then Styles with kicks. Styles wtih elbows to get off Owens' shoulders. Styles with a sliding forearm for a near fall. Styles sends Owens into the turnbuckles but Owens with an elbow. Styles with a sit out gourdbuster driver for a near fall. Styles sets for a Styles Clash but Owens with a back body drop. Styles with an elbow and Styles goes to the turnbuckles but Owens grabs Styles and hits a German suplex and a cannonball for a near fall.
As Owens gets up he tells Cole to shut up because he is too loud. Owens tries for a pop up power bomb but Styles holds on to the ropes. Styles misses a kick and Styles wtih a German suplex and Ushigoroshi for a near fall. Owens tries for a back body drop to counter a Styles Clash. Owens with a fisherman's neck breaker for a near fall. Owens goes up top but Styles stops him with a punch. Styles sets for a superplex but Owens with punches. Styles with a head butt, but Owens with a head butt and Owens misses a double jump moonsault when Styles moves. Styles with a springboard 450 splash for a near fall.
Styles sets for a springboard move but he sees Owens move so he lands on the apron. Styles with a knee but Owens with a pop up power bomb on the ring steps and both men are down. The referee starts his count. Styles gets back in at nine as he gets a power up in time. Owens sets for the Pop Up Power Bomb but Styles lands on his feet and he hits a Pele Kick. Styles gets a near fall. Styles goes to the apron for the Phenomenal Forearm but Owens kicks the ropes and Owens hits a pop up power bomb for the three count.
Winner: Kevin Owens (Advances to Money in the Bank Ladder Match)
We go to credits.
