WWE RAW
Episode 1368
#RAW
Original Air Date: August 12, 2019
Event Date: August 12, 2019
(aired live)
City: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Venue: Scotiabank Arena
Commentary: Michael Cole, Corey Graves, Renee Young
Ring Announcer: Mike Rome
Video
Clips of Seth Rollins defeating Brock Lesnar for the Universal Title at SummerSlam last night.
Ring Area
The new Universal Champ, Seth Rollins, heads to the ring. Rollins says the last few weeks have been the toughest of his career. He says Lesnar truly is a beast in the ring, but when Rollins was out of energy, the fans came alive. The WWE Universe took Rollins to a place that only “we” could go together, and in that moment Rollins knew he could slay the beast.
When Rollins holds up the Universal Title, The OC comes out and heads to the ring. Styles says The OC would like to be the first to congratulate Rollins. Styles tells Rollins he doesn’t have to worry about Lesnar, but he does have to worry about the man standing in front of him. Styles would like to challenge Rollins and prove that he’s a much, much better champ than Rollins.
Rollins says he used to have a lot of respect for Styles, but not anymore. Rollins might be hurting, but he’d love nothing more than to teach Styles some respect. Challenge accepted. Styles holds his hand out to Rollins, but Rollins is wary of Anderson and Gallows. Styles asks Anderson and Gallows to leave the ring, and they do. Rollins and Styles shake hands. Styles smiles as he leaves with Anderson and Gallows by his side.
Backstage
Montez Ford is excited about RAW tonight. Angelo Dawkins is feeling bad. He’s dehydrated because of the SummerSlam after-party. Sami Zayn walks up and tells the Street Profits to have fun while they can, because RAW will suck out their souls. Zayn says every superstar who brings something real to the show ends up feeling manufactured once the RAW machine gets a hold of it.
Dawkins, seeing Samoa Joe behind Zayn, asks Zayn if Samoa Joe is the same. Zayn says Joe is a perfect example of someone who started strong on RAW but is now a shell of his former self. Joe doesn’t like that, but he tells Zayn he’d like to hear more out in the ring. Right now. Joe shoves Zayn to the ground and storms off.
Match 1
Samoa Joe vs Sami Zayn
(referee: Dan Engler)
Result: Samoa Joe wins via submission with the Coquina Clutch
Time: 0:46
Match Thoughts
This was barely a match. Zayn stood no chance. This segment was about showing that Joe is angry (though, yeah, he’s almost always angry).
Ring Area
After the match, Samoa Joe says that though he might forgive Roman Reigns for accusing him of the mysterious attacks, but that forgiveness does not extend to anyone else. He will never forgive the WWE Universe for propagating the lies that allowed those accusations to flourish.
Backstage
The Miz smirks and walks.
Ring Area
The Miz heads to the ring or a match with Dolph Ziggler. Ziggler comes out next, but he’s not dressed to compete (though he is wearing a Kabuki Warriors t-shirt). Ziggler says he got speared so many times last night that he is not medicaly cleared to compete tonight. Therefore, Miz’s plan to surprise and weaken Ziggler didn’t work. Ziggler starts to leave the ring, but when The Miz turns away, Ziggler runs across the ring and attacks him. The Miz is down as the show goes to a commercial.
Match 2
The Miz vs Dolph Ziggler
(referee: John Cone)
Result: The Miz wins via submission with a Figure Four
Time: 3:50 (joined in progress)
Match Thoughts
Ziggler used the element of surprise to dominate the forst part of the match, but the damage done by Goldberg last night caught up to him. Miz didn’t have much of a problem in this match. I have no idea where Ziggler goes from here. Ziggler’s whole story since he’s come back is just kind of sad.
Ring Area
After the match, much like he did at SummerSlam, Ziggler gets on the mic and insults The Miz. The Miz heads back to the ring and hits Ziggler with the Skull Crushing Finale. Miz smiles after assaulting a defenseless man.
Backstage
Charly Caruso says something about Miz getting the payback he deserves. She also welcomes Becky Lynch. Becky didn’t come to RAW to celebrate. She had a debt to collect from Natalya, so that’s what she did. Becky has a lot more debts to collect, so anyone who has wronged do well to catch Becky before Becky catches them.
Ring Area
In the ring, Elias isn’t happy about another legend interrupting him last night. So tonight, Elias invites someone to interrupt him before he tries to start playing a song. Elias does a countdown, but no one comes out. Confident that no one will interrupt, Elias beings to play a song. He is immediately interrupted as Ricochet comes out and heads to the ring.
Ricochet tells Elias that he sucks. Elias won’t be talked to like that from a guy who dresses like a comic book character. Elias invites Ricochet into the ring for a match.
Match 3
Elias vs Ricochet
(referee: Darrick Moore)
Result: Ricochet wins via pinfall with a sunset flip
Time: 3:26
Match Thoughts
Good match. It was pretty short, but it was entertaining for a TV match. Elias started going after his guitar and started to have tunnel vision on it. That cost him. The finish, however, will likely be contested because the loser’s shoulders clearly weren’t down for the full three count.
Backstage
Rey Mysterio walks.
Match 4
Two out of Three Falls Match
Rey Mysterio vs Andrade w/ Zelina Vega
(referee: Rod Zapata)
Result: Andrade wins 2 – 0
1. Andrade pins Mysterio with a prawn hold (with his feet held on the ropes by Vega) (0:24)
2. Andrade pins Mysterio after a hammerlock DDT (4:46)
Time: 5:33
Match Thoughts
Good match. I don’t think this was their bes match against each other, but an average Andrade ve Rey match is better than most other RAW TV matches. I can’t say I’m super surprised with how the match turned out, but I do think it was well done. It’s also kind of a big deal. I wish this had been on a PPV sometime this year though.
Ring Area
Michael Cole welcomes Steve Austin via satellite. Austin talks about Seth Rollins’ performance at SummerSlam. Austin was impressed. Austin also promotes his new show, Straight Up Steve Austin.
Backstage
Charly Caruso asks Rey if he’s met his match with Andrade. Rey says he has no idea where his career is going. All he knows is that he has a family to support. Rey is upset as he walks away.
Backstage
Montez Ford tells Rey to keep his head up. Dawkins is asleep. Ford wakes Dawkins up to talk about some of the upcoming matches tonight, but Dawkins needs water.
Backstage
Sarah Schreiber welcomes Drew McIntyre. Drew says his thing with Cedric Alexander ends tonight.
Match 5
Drew McIntyre vs Cedric Alexander
(referee: Chad Patton)
Result: Drew McIntyre wins via pinfall after the Claymore
Time: 8:40
Match Thoughts
Very good match. For once, a cruiserweight wasn’t treated like a joke on RAW. It was absolutely an uphill battle for Cedric, but he looked great against McIntyre. Cedric had some very timely counters that led to some hopeful near falls, and Cedric hit some big moves including the lumbar check. McIntyre’s power made every attack look tremendously painful though, and it was amazing watching Cedric continue to fight through the pain he was feeling. This was a whole lot of fun, and I think it helps both men moving forward.
Backstage
Styles says Rollins looked good against Lesnar. Anderson and Gallows agree, saying even Styles couldn’t beat Lesnar. Styles points out that Rollins had a bunch of chances at Lesnar while he only had one. Styles also says that he’s going to beat Rollins tonight.
Backstage
Paul Heyman walks into Brock Lesnar’s locker room.
Backstage
Charly Caruso waits outside Brock Lesnar’s locker room.
Match 6
No Way Jose vs Robert Roode
(referee: Dan Engler)
Result: Robert Roode wins via pinfall after the Glorious DDT
Time: 1:22
Match Thoughts
This was extremely short. I half expected Lesnar to just come out and destroy both men given how much air time Roode and Jose haven’t been given lately. Instead, we got a brief, one-sided match. Maybe this will be good for one of them. Hopefully. As it is, it felt like the show was just passing time before going backstage again.
Backstage
Paul Heyman mocks Charly Caruso. He also says WWE announced earlier that Brock Lesnar will get no rematch against Seth Rollins. Heyman is at a loss for words.
Match 7
The Revival vs Lince Dorado & Gran Metalik w/ Kalisto
(referee: Darryl Sharma)
Result: the match ends in a No Contest when R-Truth leads a 24/7 Title chase through the ring
Time: 1:28
Match Thoughts
There was no match here. Not really. This was just setup for a 24/7 Title segment.
Ring Area
R-Truth, having ruined the tag match by running into the ring, tries to escape as Drake Maverick, Mojo Rawley, EC3, Zack Ryder, Curt Hawkins, and Titus O’Neil fight the Lucha House Party at ringside. In the ring, The Revival hits a Hart Attack on R-Truth. Dawson and Wilder both pin R-Truth, becoming, presumably, tandem 24/7 Champs. Kalisto hits Salida Del Sol on Dawson, but as Kalisto attempts a pin, Wilder pulls him out of the ring. Carmella drags R-Truth onto Dawson, and R-Truth is the new 24/7 Champ.
R-Truth and Carmella run up the ramp, and everyone else follows. The mob runs up the ramp and heads to the back. Drake Maverick is the last to leave, and right after he disappears backstage, R-Truth and Carmella emerge from the opposite side of the stage entrance. They leave from the side of the stage.
Backstage
R-Truth is excited about being champ again. As R-Truth and Carmella dance, Elias appears and hits R-Truth with a guitar. Elias becomes the new 24/7 Champ. Elias leaves as Carmella checks on R-Truth.
Video
A look at the attacks on Roman Reigns and what happened to Buddy Murphy after he implicated Rowan.
Ring Area
Natalya heads to the ring. Natalya says Becky Lynch out-wrestled her last night. She says this is probably the time when she should take back what she said about Becky, but she wouldn’t change a thing. She’ll fight Becky again one day. Tonight though, Natalya says she had a dream about her dad telling her that he’s proud of her. It’s been one year since Jim Neidhart died… and that’s when Sasha Banks returns to RAW.
Natalya smiles as Sasha walks into the ring. Sasha hugs Natalya. Sasha goes to grab a mic, but she quickly turns around and punches Natalya in the face. Sasha reveals her newly blue hair as she destroys Natalya in and around the ring.
Sasha grabs a chair and looks like she’s about to use it when Becky Lynch runs into the ring. Becky and Sasha brawl. Sasha gets Becky down at ringside, and she repeatedly hits Becky with a chair. Finally, officials run to the ring, but Sasha only stops when she wants to.
Match 8
Viking Raiders vs Carter Mason & Sebastian Suave
(referee: John Cone)
Result: Erik pins Carter Mason after the Viking Experience
Time: 1:34
Match Thoughts
Squash…
Backstage
Charly Caruso welcomes Alexa Bliss and Nikki Cross. Alexa says she and Nikki are fighting champs. Nikki is just excited to be here with Alexa.
Match 9
Women’s Tag Team Title Match
Kabuki Warriors vs Nikki Cross & Alexa Bliss (Women’s Tag Champs)
(referee: Darrick Moore)
Result: Alexa Bliss pins Kairi Sane after Twisted Bliss
Time: 5:27 (1 break)
Match Thoughts
Good match. I’m still frustrated by the obvious direction they’re taking with Bliss and Cross and the tag titles, but at least the match was fun to watch. Asuka and Sane dominated most of this match until the very end. That’s frustrating too, but I expected it. The interactions were all very good though, and I hope this becomes a feud and isn’t just a blow off.
Backstage
Seth Rollins has news for AJ Styles. Rollins says he’s the champ Styles could never be. Did Styles forget about Money in the Bank where Styles lost Rollins? Rollins hopes so, because he’s going to show Styles again how it feels to get stomped.
Match 10
Seth Rollins (Universal Champ) vs AJ Styles (US Champ) w/ Luke Gallows, Karl Anderson (RAW Tag Champs)
(referee: Chad Patton)
Result: Seth Rollins wins via DQ when Gallows and Anderson attack him
Time: 5:49 (1 break)
Match Thoughts
Good match, but it was cut fairly short by an attack from Anderson and Gallows.
Ring Area
The OC continues their attack on Rollins after the match. After a few seconds, Ricochet runs to the ring and attacks The OC. Ricochet is quickly caught and hit with the Boot of Doom. Ricochet is tossed from the ring as The OC resumes their attack on Rollins.
After a few more seconds, Braun Strowman walks quickly down to the ring and takes out the entire OC. Strowman then takes the Universal Title and hands it to Rollins. Rollins and Strowman shake hands just before the show ends.
Show Impressions
This was a good show. There were a ton of matches and not all of them were great, but I appreciate more wrestling on the show (at least in theory). Most of the story segments began or ended with a match, so even though some of the matches barely qualified as wrestling matches, it still felt like a wrestling show.
Specific moments I really enjoyed were the Sasha Banks return, the Cedric/McIntyre match, and Samoa Joe talking down to Sami Zayn. I also like the women’s tag match, though I didn’t like the inevitable ending. One of the only things I really didn’t like tonight was the Miz/Ziggler segment. I just don’t get it.
Match of the Night
Cedric Alexander vs Drew McIntyre
I got the most invested in this match. Easily. It was also the longest match of the night by a good few minutes.
Official Results: https://www.wwe.com/shows/raw/2019-08-12