Original Air Date: July 24, 2017
Event Date: July 24, 2017 (aired live)
City: Washington, DC
Venue: Verizon Center
Commentary: Michael Cole, Corey Graves, Booker T
Ring Announcer: Jojo
Video
Last Monday, Samoa Joe and Roman Reigns battled to decide a number one contender for the Universal Title, but Braun Strowman, who didn’t die when Reigns tried to murder him in an ambulance, ruined the match.
Ring Area
Kurt Angle heads to the ring. Angle recaps last week’s reveal of his son, Jason Jordan. Jordan will have his first match as a member of the RAW roster tonight. He’s been given an opportunity, so now Jordan will have to capitalize on that opportunity.
Angle then begins to talk about Braun Strowman ruining his plans for Summer Slam and Brock Lesnar’s opponent. Angle is about to announce who will face Lesnar when Strowman interrupts and heads to the ring. Strowman says that he should face Lesnar since he won his match at Great Balls of Fire. Before Angle can respond, Samoa Joe heads to the ring.
Joe keeps things simple. He doesn’t fear Lesnar, nor does he fear Strowman. All Strowman did last week was prevent Reigns from losing to Joe again, for the third time in a row. Therefore, Joe should face Lesnar. Before Angle can respond, Reigns heads to the ring.
Reigns talks about what he’s done in the past, saying that neither Joe nor Strowman have done anything. Before a brawl can break out, Angle says that he has changed his mind again. At Summer Slam, the Universal Title will be defended in a Fatal Four Way match. Joe does not like the idea. Strowman doesn’t care. Reigns just wants to fight.
A brawl then breaks out. They fight until Angle calls other superstars to the ring to restore order. It doesn’t work. Strowman ends up being the last man standing in the ring while Joe is held back and Reigns gets beat up.
Match 1
No DQ Match
Elias Samson vs Finn Balor
(referee: Chad Patton)
Result: Elias Samson wins via pinfall after Bray Wyatt interferes and hits Balor with Sister Abigail
Time: 11:33 (2 breaks)
Match Thoughts
A good match. The finish was completely unsurprising, but I liked the action up to that point. Samson needed the win more than Balor did, so the way this match played out is good for everyone involved. It gets Balor away from Samson and fully into a feud with Wyatt, and Samson can move on with a good showing against Balor.
Video
Last Monday, Kurt Angle revealed that Jason Jordan is his son and the newest member of the RAW roster.
Backstage
Renee Young asks Kurt Angle how he feels about Jason Jordan’s first match on RAW. As he speaks, Emma interrupts and wonders what she has to do to get noticed. Maybe should should date Angle’s new son. Angle decides to give Emma an opponent: Nia Jax.
Backstage
Big Show shakes Enzo Amore’s hand and asks him if he wants to do this. Amore says he has to do this. He has to fight Cass again. But this time he has a plan.
Ring Area
Enzo heads to the ring and says he has a tank full of passion. Cass’ tank is running on “E.”
Match 2
Enzo Amore vs Big Cass
(referee: John Cone)
Result: Big Cass wins via pinfall after a big boot
Time: 3:37
Match Thoughts
This was a one-sided beating. As Michael Cole said when the match ended, “it’s time to move on.”
Ring Area
Big Cass attempts to continue beating on Amore after the match, but Big SHow comes out and heads to the ring. Cass shoves Amore into Show and takes Show down as he enters the ring. Cass drops five Empire Elbows on Show before a referee gets Cass to back off.
Backstage
Renee Young welcomes Alexa Bliss. Bliss isn’t worried about Summer Slam. She’s more interested in watching Bayley’s and Sasha’s friendship get destroyed in their number one contender match tonight.
Match 3
Emma vs Nia Jax
(referee: Rod Zapata)
Result: Nia Jax wins via pinfall after a running front-flip senton
Time: 0:24
Match Thoughts
This was a complete squash, but Jax actually showed some impressive athleticism. She didn’t wait for the fight to come to her like she usually does, she took the fight to Emma. This was promising for what’s to come from Nia, but hopefully it’s not indicative of what’s to come for Emma.
Backstage
Charly Caruso welcomes Akira Tozawa. Tozawa wants another match with Daivari, but Titus walks up and says he’s worried about Tozawa’s shoulder. For Tozawa’s health, Titus canceled tonight’s match. Tozawa gets pissed and heads to the ring.
Ring Area
Tozawa heads to the ring with Titus O’Neil following. Titus and Tozawa argue a but before Tozawa shoves Titus. Titus does not look happy.
Tozawa then gets on the mic and calls out Ariya Daivari. Neville comes out instead. Neville reminds Tozawa that his shoulder is injured because of Neville. Tozawa wants to fight, but Neville continues to talk. He gets in Tozawa’s face and calls him a pathetic. Tozawa responds by attacking Neville and hitting him with a diving senton. Tozawa is slow to get up, allowing Daivari to enter the ring and attack. Daivari takes out both Tozawa and Neville.
Backstage
Sasha is upset about what Alexa Bliss said earlier, but Bayley tells her not to let it bother her. Sasha starts to get competitive and aggressive with Bayley, but Bayley (mostly) laughs it off.
Backstage
Renee Young welcomes Jason Jordan. Jordan is grateful for his opportunity on RAW, but he knows all eyes are on him now. He wants to make a good first impression. He’s also still riding the emotions of finding out that Kurt Angle is his father.
Backstage
Seth Rollins wants to talk strategy with Dean Ambrose, but Ambrose isn’t interested in anything Rollins has to say. Rollins is frustrated, saying with Miz, Dallas, and Axel they have three guys to worry about. Ambrose says that Rollins has to worry about three guys, Ambrose has to worry about four.
Match 4
RAW Women’s Title Number One Contender Match
Bayley vs Sasha Banks
(referee: John Cone; guest commentary: Alexa Bliss)
Result: Bayley wins via pinfall by rolling through a pin attempt by Sasha Banks after a frog splash
Time: 9:13 (1 break)
Match Thoughts
Very good match. They didn’t fight dirty, but they both fought hard. It felt like they both really wanted the win and that they were both on the same level. I think really helps Bayley begin to put her lackluster previous feud with Alexa Bliss behind her.
Backstage
Renee Young welcomes Curt Hawkins. Hawkins is tired of hearing about Jason Jordan. After he beats Jordan and ruins his RAW singles debut, everyone will be talking about Curt Hawkins.
Video
Cornell Gray is a gold medalist in the Special Olympics. He’s also in the front row tonight.
Match 5
Curt Hawkins vs Jason Jordan
(referee: Darrick Moore)
Result: Jason Jordan wins via pinfall after a push-up neckbreaker
Time: 1:44
Match Thoughts
An okay match. It was completely one-sided, but I like that Hawkins added a little personality to the match. He punched Jordan before the bell, so Jordan fought this entire match angry. For that reason it made more sense that Jordan dominated so quickly.
I kind of wonder if giving Jordan a typical squash match buildup is necessary though. We already knows he’s very good, and Gable is over on SmackDown having matches with the likes of AJ Styles. I’d rather see Jordan go right into a feud with someone, or even just have longer, more competitive matches until a feud develops. I think that would make more sense.
Ring Area
In the ring, Charly Caruso welcomes The Revival. Scott Dawson cuts Charly off before she can ask a question and tells her that he and Dash Wilder can take it from here. As the best tag team on the planet, they are ready to take their place at the top of the RAW tag division. Gallows and Anderson say The Revival might have done it all, but Gallows and Anderson did it all first. The Revival aren’t the “top guys,” they’re the “top nerds.”
Match 6
The Revival vs Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson
(referee: Chad Patton; watching in the back: Sheamus, Cesaro)
Result: Scott Dawson pins Karl Anderson after a Shatter Machine
Time: 5:17 (1 break)
Match Thoughts
A good match, but it was cut short by a distraction from the Hardy Boyz. Up to that point I really enjoyed it though. They’re obviously building up The Revival, but Gallows and Anderson got a lot of good offense in this match. I like that.
Ring Area
The Hardy Boyz run down to the ring and attack The Revival. Wilder takes the worst of it, but Dawson pulls him from the ring before Jeff can hit Wilder with a swanton bomb.
Backstage
The Miz sees family when he looks at Dallas and Axel. Maryse compares Rollins and Ambrose to Tom Cruise in The Mummy, a failed attempt to revive an old franchise. The Miz-tourage is new and original.
Ring Area
Wale is in the front row with a Million Dollar title belt.
Match 7
2-on-3 Handicap Match
Dean Ambrose & Seth Rollins vs Bo Dallas & Curtis Axel & The Miz (IC Champ) w/ Maryse
(referee: John Cone)
Result: Dean Ambrose pins The Miz after Dirty Deeds
Time: 13:52 (1 break)
Match Thoughts
Very good match. There was a lot of energy in this match, and the pace was fairly high throughout. I’m not always a fan of handicap matches, but with the way this one worked out, it made sense that it was competitive rather than one-sided. The final segments got chaotic, but in a good way.
Ring Area
After the match, Seth Rollins holds out his fist for Dean Ambrose. Ambrose ignores Rollins’ attempt at solidarity and leaves the ring.
Show Impressions
This was a fine show. It felt like it bogged down at times when there were multiple backstage and interview segments back to back, but there were some good matches throughout the night to keep things interesting. It feels like this show did a lot of show building for Summer Slam, which means there weren’t any satisfying conclusions, but there were enough entertaining moments for that not to matter.
Match of the Night
Bayley vs Sasha Banks
The main event was good too, but that felt more like a storyline match while the women’s match felt more like a competition.