WWE RAW
Episode 1306
#RAW
Original Air Date: June 4, 2018
Event Date: June 4, 2018 (aired live)
City: Houston, TX
Venue: Toyota Center
Commentary: Michael Cole, Corey Graves, David Otunga
Ring Announcer: Jojo
Ring Area
Elias is in the ring. After playing his guitar, Elias claims to be WWE’s most valuable asset. He also says he will become the Intercontinental champ at Money in the Bank. He talks about hitting Seth Rollins with a guitar last week and says he took the pain from losing one of his favorite guitars to write a new song. Then he plays that song.
Rollins interrupts and heads towards the ring. He grabs a chair before entering the ring. He and Elias have a standoff before Rollins hits the guitar out of Elias’ hands. Before Rollins can attack Elias though, Jinder Mahal and Sunil Singh attack Rollins from behind. After a few seconds, Roman Reigns runs to the ring to help Rollins.
Kurt Angle comes out the stage to announce a tag match. Which starts now.
Match 1
Elias & Jinder Mahal w/ Sunil Singh vs Seth Rollins (IC Champ) & Roman Reigns
(referee: John Cone)
Result: Elias pins Seth Rollins after Drift Away
Time: 14:04 (1 break)
Match Thoughts
Good match. I think this was a good preview for Elias versus Rollins at Money in the Bank. Their interactions were definitely the best in this match.
Ring Area
Bruce Prichard is in the front row.
Ring Area
In the ring, Curt Hawkins is at 199 losses in a row, but he won’t hit 200 tonight. And when he wins, everyone will get a free taco. He calls over his opponent for tonight, James Hardin, and thanks him for being a part of history.
Match 2
Curt Hawkins vs James Hardin
(referee: Rod Zapata)
Result: James Hardin wins via DQ when Baron Corbin hits him with End of Days
Time: 1:43
Match Thoughts
This was silly and just an excuse for Baron Corbin to ruin things for Hawkins. It was nice seeing Hawkins on RAW though.
Ring Area
After the match, Baron Corbin dumps a table of tacos over onto Curt Hawkins.
Backstage
Natalya gets punching advice from Ronda Rousey.
Backstage
Baron Corbin tells Kurt Angle that he went to Stephanie McMahon, and she named him Constable of RAW. Angle is frustrated.
Match 3
Nia Jax (RAW Women’s Champ) vs Natalya
(referee: Shawn Bennett; guest commentary: Ronda Rousey)
Result: Nia Jax wins via pinfall after a Samoan Drop
Time: 4:18 (1 break)
Match Thoughts
Pretty good match. Natalya had some decent moments, but this was all about making Nia Jax look strong. I understand that they’re building up a friendship between Natalya and Rousey, but I think it’s strange seeing Natalya hurt pretty much every time they’re together. She’s a former champ, but she seems fragile ever since Rousey has shown up.
Ring Area
Natalya struggles with her hurt knee after the match. Nia Jax looks on and seems to want to help, but Ronda Rousey tells her to back off. Rousey helps Natalya walk to the back.
Backstage
Bobby Roode tells Renee Young that he is ecstatic about being in his first Money in the Bank match. He can’t wait to be a glorious Universal champ. But tonight, he has to face Braun Strowman. His goal for the match: just to survive.
Match 4
Braun Strowman vs Bobby Roode
(referee: Dan Engler)
Result: Braun Strowman wins via pinfall after a running powerslam
Time: 4:45
Match Thoughts
This was mostly just an exhibition for Strowman. Roode ran away a lot and Strowman broke a ladder. This was alright buildup for Money in the Bank, but it wasn’t much of a match.
Backstage
Charly Caruso asks Kevin Owens for his thoughts. Owens doesn’t care about anyone else in the Money in the Bank match, he only cares about himself. And tonight, he will show everyone that Finn Balor is a “made up Irish myth.”
Backstage
Nia Jax apologizes to Natalya, but Ronda Rousey tells Jax to leave. Natalya decides that she needs some time for herself.
Ring Area
Renee Young welcomes Matt Hardy and Bray Wyatt to the ring. Wyatt says that any team who faces them will be facing woken warriors, fireflies, and gods. Hardy says his and Wyatt’s essences have traveled through space and time to become the RAW Tag Champs, and they are unstoppable. Whoever wins tonight’s number one contender match will suffer and be deleted.
Match 5
RAW Tag Title Number One Contender Tag Team Battle Royal
The Ascension vs The Revival vs Heath Slater & Rhyno vs Breezango vs Apollo Crews & Titus O’Neil vs The B-Team vs Dolph Ziggler & Drew McIntyre
(outside referees: John Cone, Rod Zapata, Dan Engler, Shawn Bennett)
Result: The B-Team wins after Heath Slater accidentally knocks Rhyno off the apron and down to the floor
Time: 6:15 (1 break)
| Elimination Order | Team Eliminated | Member Eliminated | Eliminated By | Time Eliminated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ziggler & McIntyre | Dolph Ziggler | Tyler Breeze | 2:19 |
| 2 | Titus Worldwide | Titus O'Neil | Scott Dawson | during break |
| 3 | The Ascension | Viktor | Dawson & Wilder | 3:55 (1 break) |
| 4 | Breezango | Fandango | Dawson & Wilder | 4:01 (1 break) |
| 5 | The Revival | Dash Wilder | Rhyno | 5:04 (1 break) |
| 6 | Slater & Rhyno | Rhyno | Heath Slater | 6:15 (1 break) |
| Winners | B-Team |
Match Thoughts
This wasn’t very surprising. The first elimination was interesting, but other than that, this was a quick battle royal with quick eliminations that didn’t really deviate from the obvious course one particular team is set on.
Ring Area
Bobby Lashley heads to the ring and invites Sami Zayn to join him. Instead of heading to the ring, Zayn talks to Lashley while standing in the crowd. Zayn says he’s been on Instagram this past week, and he decides to share some of the posts Lashley has made. Zayn mocks Lashley’s “inspirational” posts and says that Lashley is a narcissist.
Lashley doesn’t know whether to laugh at or to feel sorry for Zayn. Zayn says everything about Lashley is a lie. When he asks if Lashley was even in the army, Lashley finally stops smiling.
Backstage
Charly Caruso welcomes Jinder Mahal and Sunil Singh. Mahal says Reigns feels threatened by Mahal’s superiority. Reigns has been given multiple opportunities which should have been given to Mahal. Soon, Reigns will find that a storm is coming.
Elsewhere backstage, Renee Young holds a mic for Roman Reigns. Reigns wonders what Mahal has done lately. Mahal takes offense and tells Reigns to say what he has to say to his face. Reigns says he will, and he goes off in search of Mahal.
They find each other, and a brawl breaks out. Adam Pearce and some referees pull Reigns off of Mahal to break up the fight.
Match 6
Alexa Bliss & Sasha Banks & Ember Moon vs The Riott Squad
(referee: John Cone)
Result: Bayley pins Sarah Logan after a Bayley to Belly, but Riott Squad wins via DQ after Angle overturns the referee’s decision
Time: 7:48 (1 break)
Match Thoughts
This was pretty good, but the finish was kind of silly. Alexa Bliss left the match early after (most likely) faking an injury, so the Riott Squad was able to dominate. Sarah Logan was well on her way to ending the match when Bayley ran down to the ring and inserted herself, apparently legally, into the match. Clearly this was done to further some story lines, but it was still silly.
Backstage
Baron Corbin gives Kurt Angle grief about what happened in the last match. Corbin tells Angle to go inform Sasha, Ember, and Bayley that their win doesn’t count. Or does Angle want to talk to Stephanie?
Backstage
Ember, Sasha, and Bayley celebrate their victory. Sasha thanks Bayley, and Ember wants them to hug it out. Before they do, Angle walks up and informs them that The Riott Squad won by disqualification since Bayley wasn’t even in the match.
Backstage
Baron Corbin questions John Cone over his decision in the previous tag match.
Ring Area
Big Show welcomes Team Texas for the Special Olympics USA Games.
Match 7
Finn Balor vs Kevin Owens
(referee: Rod Zapata)
Result: Finn Balor wins via DQ when Kevin Owens won’t stop stomping Balor
Time: 15:03 (1 break)
Match Thoughts
Good match. Even though this match didn’t really mean anything (with its lack of meaning highlighted by its non-finish), I liked the fight between these two. I think if something were on the line, these two guys could have a really great match against each other.
Ring Area
Owens continues his attack by hitting Balor with a frog splash. Owens then brings a ladder into the ring, Owens thinks about hitting a splash from the ladder, but he has second thoughts. Balor recovers and pulls Owens from the ladder. Balor hits a Coup de Grace from the ladder, then he climbs up and takes the Money in the Bank briefcase.
Show Impressions
This show was alright. It took me a while to get through (I watched it on delay), but it was fine. I’m still not very interested in certain stories (Reigns/Mahal and the tag titles), but the show could be worse.
Match of the Night
Balor vs Owens
A good match that didn’t mean much on a night that didn’t mean much in the long run.
Official results: https://www.wwe.com/shows/raw/2018-06-04