WWE RAW
Episode 1369
#RAW
Original Air Date: August 19, 2019
Event Date: August 19, 2019
(aired live)
City: Saint Paul, MN
Venue: Xcel Energy Center
Commentary: Michael Cole, Renee Young, Jerry Lawler (1), Vic Joseph (2 – 8)
Ring Announcer: Mike Rome
Ring Area
Roman Reigns heads to the ring. After showing a video of the recent attacks that have been attempted on him, Dolph Ziggler comes out for a match against Reigns. Before the match, Ziggler wonders why Reigns is getting so much attention for things almost happening to him when no one cares that Goldberg repeatedly speared Ziggler. No one cares that Shawn Michaels kicked him, and no one cares that Maryse’s husband beat him last week with Ric Flair’s move. As Ziggler talks, he enters the ring. In the middle of his speech, Ziggler superkicks Reigns. Ziggler is now ready to start the match.
Match 1
Roman Reigns vs Dolph Ziggler
(referee: Dan Engler)
Result: Roman Reigns wins via pinfall after a spear
Time: 7:56 (1 break)
Match Thoughts
Good match. Ziggler came closer to straight up beating Reigns than I thought he would. Both men had some nice near falls, and overall this was a solid opening match for the show. Reigns has been having some good matches lately, though it’s no surprise he’s been in the ring with some really good guys in those matches.
Video
Last week, Sasha Banks returned to RAW and attacked Natalya. Becky Lynch ran to the ring, so Sasha attacked Becky as well.
Backstage
Earlier today, Becky Lynch said she tried to attack Sasha Banks because she wants to face everyone at their best. She says Sasha is back and hotter than ever. What has Sasha done since she’s been away? Nothing. Becky has done what Sasha couldn’t though. Becky became the top superstar of 2019. Becky is chasing Sasha and will bring out the best in her. And when Becky catches Sasha, she’ll give Sasha something to go home and cry about.
Ring Area
Jerry Lawler is in the ring for The King’s Court. Before he brings out his guest tonight, Lawler talks about King of the Ring. Lawler says KotR can be a launching pad for careers. He shows the brackets for the tournament and predicts the RAW side will come down to Cedric Alexander and Ricochet.
As he talks, the lights in the arena start to go down. Lawler knows The Fiend is coming, so he quickly leaves the ring. Up on the stage, The Fiend appears behind Lawler and puts him down with the Mandible Claw.
Match 2
Ricochet & The Miz vs Drew McIntyre & Baron Corbin
(referee: John Cone)
Result: Ricochet pins Baron Corbin after The Recoil
Time: 7:05 (1 break)
Match Thoughts
Good match. The best parts were when Ricochet and McIntyre were in the ring against each other, but the whole match was fun overall.
Backstage
Sasha Banks takes a seat.
Ring Area
Michael Cole welcomes Booker T live via satellite. Booker T talks about the King of the Ring and says it can be great for your career. Booker picks Drew McIntyre to win this year’s tournament.
Match 3
United States Title Match
Braun Strowman vs AJ Styles (US Champ) w/ Luke Gallows, Karl Anderson (RAW Tag Champs)
(referee: Darrick Moore)
Result: Braun Strowman wins via DQ when Anderson and Gallows attack him
Time: 1:52
Match Thoughts
This was barely a match. Strowman swatted Styles around the ring for a short while before Anderson and Gallows ended the match.
Ring Area
After the match, The OC continues to attack Strowman. After a while, Seth Rollins runs to the ring and clears out Anderson and Gallows. Rollins and Strowman shake hands.
Backstage
Samoa Joe scowls as he walks.
Backstage
Seth Rollins tells Strowman they need to settle the score with The OC, and he’s going to ask for a tag title match for the two of them. Strowman seems okay with that idea.
Match 4
King of the Ring First Round Match
Samoa Joe vs Cesaro
(referee: Shawn Bennett)
Result: Samoa Joe wins via submission with the Coquina Clutch
Time: 6:59 (1 break)
Match Thoughts
Very good match. Cesaro started immediately after the opening bell with a running European uppercut, so Joe had to push back to get into the match. Joe started hitting some big moves on Cesaro early, and from there the match went back and forth in a very entertaining way. I wouldn’t have minded it if this match had been later in the tournament, but at least we got to see it.
Ring Area
In the ring, Elias is having some audio issues. He presses on though. Tonight is a big night. It’s Elias’s farewell performance because he has too much going on to play live every week. He starts to play his guitar, but it’s way out of tune. Someone throws a guitar into the ring. Elias wants the guitar handed to him, so a man dressed in all black enters the ring.
The lights come up, and the man in black is none other than R-Truth. A referee is also in the ring (also dressed in black), and R-Truth tries to pin Elias. After a few failed pin attempts from R-Truth. Elias leaves the ring and escapes.
Backstage
Rey Mysterio stares at the ground and paces.
Backstage
Charly Caruso welcomes Rey Mysterio. Mysterio says things haven’t been going well for him recently. Andrade ripping his mask was an insult, and Rey hasn’t been able to do anything about it. Rey can still see what he wants to do in the ring, but his body isn’t responding like it used to. He thinks his injuries over the years have caught up to him. Rey says it’s time for him to hang up his mask.
As Rey starts to remove his mask, Rey’s son Dominic stops him. Dominic tells Rey that he promised to be his partner during his debut. Dominic doesn’t want his father to retire. Rey and Dominic hug.
Match 5
Big E & Xavier Woods (SD Tag Champs) vs The Revival
(referee: Rod Zapata)
Result: New Day wins via DQ when Randy Orton hits Big E with an RKO
Time: 3:21 (1 break)
Match Thoughts
This was good, but it was super short. This was really little more than a setup for the post match shenanigans.
Ring Area
After the match, Orton and The Revival continue to attack Woods and Big E. Kofi Kingston runs down to the ring and clears The Revival, but Orton hits Kofi with an RKO. Woods comes in to help Kofi, but Woods is hit with a tandem flapjack (The Revival) and RKO (Orton). Orton then holds Kofi down as The Revival tries to injure Woods’s leg.
Backstage
Michael Cole talks to Sasha Banks via video. Sasha explains that she likes her new blue hair. Cole says no one cares about her hair. He says people want to know why she attacked Natalya and Becky Lynch last week. Sasha thinks about her response. All she says is, “you’re welcome.”
Match 6
Nikki Cross & Alexa Bliss (Women’s Tag Champs) vs Sonya Deville & Mandy Rose
(referee: Dan Engler)
Result: Nikki Cross pins Sonya Deville after a swinging neck breaker
Time: 4:18
Match Thoughts
This was fine. Cross, Bliss, and Deville looked good. I just wish they had given Cross and Bliss a run like this BEFORE they put the titles on them. Then this would all make more sense, and I might not be as annoyed that they’re the champs while the other teams who have been wrestling together for months (or longer) are being beaten every week.
Backstage
Seth Rollins goes over strategy with Braun Strowman. Strowman just stares at the Universal Title. Rollins wants Strowman to follow his lead, but Strowman wants Rollins to follow his.
Match 7
King of the Ring First Round Match
Cedric Alexander vs Sami Zayn
(referee: Darrick Moore)
Result: Cedric Alexander wins via pinfall after the Lumbar Check
Time: 3:35
Match Thoughts
It was kind of short, but it was good. Unfortunately it wasn’t too surprising given Zayn’s win/loss record over the past few months, but it was still a fun match. I hope Cedric can keep getting some good air time on RAW.
Backstage
Angelo Dawkins is upset that his KotR bracket is already busted (He had Cesaro going all the way on the RAW side). He and Montez Ford can’t wait for the rest of the King of the Ring. Dawkins wonders why there isn’t a tag team King of the Ring, but Ford says the Street Profits are already kings. Both Dawkins and Ford then get excited to watch the RAW tag title match coming up next.
Backstage
Anderson and Gallows are upset that Rollins and Strowman have a title match tonight. Styles says this is a great opportunity for The OC to show their dominance.
Backstage
Natalya says she expected this to be an emotional week, but she didn’t expect Sasha Banks. Sasha used to be one of Natalya’s closest friends. Why did Sasha try to hurt her so bad? As Natalya speaks, Sasha appears and attacks Natalya again. Sasha tells Natalya to go to hell and tell her daddy Sasha says “hi.”
Match 8
RAW Tag Team Title Match
Braun Strowman & Seth Rollins(Universal Champ) vs Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson (RAW Tag Champs) w/ AJ Styles (US Champ)
(referee: John Cone)
Result: Braun Strowman pins Karl Anderson after a running powerslam, Strowman and Rollins are the new RAW Tag Champs
Time: 8:25 (1 break)
Match Thoughts
The match mostly consisted of Anderson and Gallows beating up Seth Rollins. Strowman got involved on the outside and then right at the end of the match. Considering how WWE loves putting titles on makeshift teams for no real reason, the finish wasn’t a surprise. I enjoyed a lot of the action, but I couldn’t help feeling it was all unnecessary and aggravating.
Show Impressions
I’m not a fan of teams being thrown together and jumping to the front of the line for title shots. I did enjoy parts of this RAW though. The start of the King of the Ring was my favorite for tonight.
Match of the Night
Samoa Joe vs Cesaro
It seemed like both men felt that they needed to win this match. That gave it a lot of energy and tension. I liked it.
Official Results: https://www.wwe.com/shows/raw/2019-08-19