June 6, 2016
Episode 1202
(aired live)
#RAW
City: Oklahoma City, OK
Venue: Chesapeake Energy Arena
Commentary: Michael Cole, JBL, Byron Saxton
Ring Announcer: Lilian Garcia
Ring Area
#MITB
Dean Ambrose heads to the ring to join the rest of the members of this year’s Money in the Bank match: Chris Jericho, Sami Zayn, Alberto Del Rio, Cesaro, Kevin Owens, and Dean Ambrose. They all talk from the top of ladders. Owens gets the conversation started by saying they need no introductions since they’re all famous. Except for Zayn.
Dean just wants to fight, but Owens has more to say. He says that he’ll win and will become champ. Zayn responds to Owens by saying he won’t make a joke of the opportunity if he wins the match. Ambrose then makes a joke. A few of them. Del Rio then speaks a little Spanish and gets a minor “si” chant.
Cesaro starts to speak but Jericho shuts him up. Jericho says that he created the Money in the Bank match and is the expert. Cesaro wonders why he never won one. Jericho says he did win one. The first. Or sixth. In apple. He then lets the crowd drink in some Jericho and gets a punch in the face from Ambrose. Then everyone fights.
Suddenly Teddy Long appears on the stage. He’s back because SmackDown is going live pretty soon. He then says that if this show were his, then he’d make a match with all the guys in the ring. He then stumbles through some match stipulations. Stephanie comes out and informs Teddy that they haven’t made any decisions about who will be running SmackDown. Teddy asks for Shane, but Shane’s not here. Stephanie tells Teddy to leave. She makes singles matches for all of the guys in the ring.
Match 1
Cesaro vs Chris Jericho
(referee: Rod Zapata)
Result: Cesaro wins via submission with a Sharpshooter
Time: 8:36 (1 break, started in progress)
Match Thoughts
Really good match. The ending was especially good. Cesaro and Jericho had an extended sequence where they reversed and countered each other that led to a nice finish. Really good way to start the show.
Video
Remembering Muhammad Ali.
Video
#RomanvsRollins
The history between Rollins and Reigns, from Rollins’ point of view. For Rollins, Reigns isn’t really part of his story. He’s just a guy that happens to hold the title.
Match 2
Rusev (US Champ) w/ Lana vs Jack Swagger
(referee: Darrick Moore; guest commentary: Titus O’Neil)
Result: Rusev wins via countout when Swagger fails to get back into the ring
Time: 3:37
Match Thoughts
An okay match. I think the match they had on SmackDown last week was more complete and a better match overall.
Ring Area
Rusev had shoved Swagger into Titus O’Neil at ringside, so after the match Titus goes after Rusev. Titus and Swagger gang up on Rusev for a second before Rusev gets out of the ring and backs up the ramp.
Ring Area
John Cena heads to the ring. He talks about the moment and the electricity of meeting AJ Styles in the ring for the first time. He then calls out Styles in order to ask him why he took the easy way out.
Styles says that Cena insults him every time the bell rings. That he could run circles around Cena. Cena responds by saying that Styles is a failure and a bust in the WWE. He says Styles is desperate. Styles says he has nothing else to prove and nothing to lose.
Cena asks why it’s Cena versus The Club and not Cena versus Styles. Styles tells Cena that he buries guys like Styles, so Gallows and Anderson are his insurance policy. The Club then heads to the ring and surrounds Cena. As they are about to enter the ring, New Day runs out to back up Cena. The Club backs off.
** Perhaps I’m biased, but everything they’ve done with Styles since he’s been in the WWE has been really good to great. This was no exception. Seeing him get heated talking about selling out arenas all over the world was a great moment. **
Match 3
The Vaudevillains vs Enzo Amore & Big Cass
(referee: John Cone)
Result: The Vaudevillains win via DQ when Big Cass won’t let Aiden English out of the corner
Time: 2:23
Match Thoughts
An okay match, but a better story moment. English throws Amore under the ropes with the intention of injuring him again which causes Big Cass to pummel English in the corner, ignoring the ref’s call to let him out. I like that this wasn’t just a revenge/squash match for Enzo and Cass.
Backstage
Tom Phillips asks Sami Zayn if he considers himself the underdog tonight. He does, but he knows he can beat Del Rio. Del Rio shows up and tells Zayn that his dreams won’t come true.
Video
Remembering Muhammad Ali.
Backstage
Teddy Long tells Stephanie what he would do with the tag team division and the tag title match if he were running SmackDown. Stephanie wonders how Teddy got past security. Teddy pulls out a dollar bill. Steph asks him to leave. Once he’s gone, Stephanie promptly steals Teddy’s idea.
Match 4
Sami Zayn vs Alberto Del Rio
(referee: Charles Robinson)
Result: Alberto Del Rio wins via pinfall after a tree of woe double stomp
Time: 4:50
Match Thoughts
Pretty good match. There was an extended sequence in the corner while Zayn tried to fight off the tree of woe stomp which was kind of interesting, but I’ve never been a huge fan of that move by Del Rio. It seems like it relies too much on the opponent to work.
Backstage
Kevin Owens laughs at Dean Ambrose. He says he’s concerned for Ambrose because he seems even more off the deep end than usual. Ambrose then recounts the times he’s beaten Owens.
Video
#RomanvsRollins
The history between Rollins and Reigns, from Reigns’ perspective. Reigns feels betrayed by a former friend.
Match 5
Dean Ambrose vs Kevin Owens
(referee: Jason Ayers)
Result: Dean Ambrose wins via pinfall after Dirty Deeds
Time: 6:34
Match Thoughts
Good match. The end came out of nowhere which I don’t know if I’m thrilled with, but the lead up to it was good as usual between these two.
Ring Area
After the match, Ambrose sets up a ladder and climbs towards the MitB briefcase hanging above the ring. Owens returns and tips the ladder (and Ambrose) over.
Life Lessons with Coach Backlund
Bob Backlund asks Darren Young for a training update. He also doesn’t want Young to run. Pretty much ever.
Ring Area
Charlotte heads to the ring with Dana Brooke. She speaks towards her father and backpedals somewhat on what she said to him a few weeks ago. As she’s talking, Natalya and Becky Lynch interrupt. Charlotte immediately insults Natalya’s family. Becky calls Charlotte a harpy and a screaming banshee and says that she just uses people. Becky and Natalya warn Dana to get away from Charlotte before she turns on her. Dana looks confused, but she then sucker punches Natalya which leads to a brawl.
Video Promo
The Shining Stars drink hibiscus.
Match 6
Tyler Breeze w/ Fandango vs R-Truth w/ Goldust
(referee: Rod Zapata)
Result: The match ends in a No Contest when Goldust and Fandango enter the ring
Time: 0:53
Match Thoughts
This wasn’t much of a match. The best part was probably the video they showed before the match started of Tyler Breeze shaving Fandango’s back. I think I’m liking Breezango more than Golden Truth at this point.
Ring Area
After the match, Teddy Long comes back out. He has a solution, to restart this match as a tag match! Teddy is then escorted away by security.
Backstage
Stephanie isn’t pleased with Teddy. She doesn’t want someone like him running SmackDown. She says she is going to run the show.
Video
Remembering Muhammad Ali.
Video
A tribute to Muhammad Ali featuring his connections to pro wrestling.
Ring Area
The Club and New Day both come out for the main event match. New Day tells The Club that the only club that matters is that of the WWE World Tag Team Champions. Everyone gets in the ring and a brawl breaks out. The Club gets the better of New Day, ending with Xavier Woods taking a Styles Clash on the floor before heading to a commercial break.
Match 7
Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson & AJ Styles vs New Day (Kofi Kingston and Big E) (Tag Champs)
(referee: John Cone)
Result: AJ Styles pins Kofi Kingston after a Phenomenal Forearm
Time: 5:35
Match Thoughts
Pretty good match. It was pretty short for a main event match, and being a handicap match on top of that hurt the quality a little, but the people competing helped it a lot. Not a bad story-driven main event.
Ring Area
After the match, The Club continues to beat on Kofi and Big E until John Cena comes out to make the save. With Cena’s help, Kofi and Big E fight The Club off.
Show Impressions
There was a lot of stuff I liked on this show, despite some of the matches being more storyline than wrestling. The MitB stuff has been really good as was the Styles stuff.
The Charlotte segment was pretty meh, but I’m used to that at this point. I hope the new brand split will help build the women’s division back up, because it’s really not a division at the moment. Like, where did everyone go?
It was a lot of fun to see Teddy Long back, and I think it actually served as an important plot point. Teddy’s antics (and the absence of Shane) exposed some of Stephanie’s mean and conniving side that she’s kept hidden these past few weeks. I think it will be interesting to see if Shane uses this week as ammunition in his fight for control.
Match of the Night
Cesaro vs Chris Jericho
No surprise that these two would put on a great match. I think the ending sequence was really great.