May 8, 2017
Episode 1250
(aired live)
#RAW
City: London, England
Venue: The O2 Arena
Commentary: Michael Cole, Corey Graves, Booker T
Ring Announcer: Jojo
Backstage
Dean Ambrose is walking in the back when he gets a call. It’s apparently Kurt Angle. After getting off the phone, Ambrose tells one of the crew to hit his music. He has an announcement.
Ring Area
Dean Ambrose heads to the ring. He announces that Angle has made Ambrose the acting General Manager of RAW since Angle isn’t in London. The Miz’s music plays, and The Miz and Maryse come out and head to the ring.
Miz says that RAW is going to be chaos tonight if Ambrose is in charge. Ambrose begins to tell Miz what his plans are for tonight, but Miz says he got a phone call from Stephanie McMahon. Miz announces that Steph named him the co-acting General Manager for tonight.
Ambrose reluctantly agrees to work together, but he tells Miz that he’s going to beat Miz at the next PPV. Miz responds that he beat Finn Balor and Seth Rollins to become number one contender. Ambrose holds his hand out as a symbol of truce for the night, but before they can shake on it, Braun Strowman heads to the ring.
Strowman doesn’t care who’s in charge. Strowman says that when his arm heals, he will end Roman Reigns. After that, he wants Brock Lesnar. As Strowman continues to speak, Kalisto interrupts and comes out to the stage. Kalisto reminds Strowman that he beat Strowman in the dumpster match. Kalisto says he’s not done with Strowman, and he wants a match tonight. Ambrose makes the match. He then announces Miz’s match, and it’s next.
Match 1
The Miz w/ Maryse vs Finn Balor
(referee: Rod Zapata)
Result: Finn Balor wins via pinfall after a Coup de Grace
Time: 7:57 (1 break, 1 match restart)
Match Thoughts
Good match. It wasn’t the greatest that either of them have had, but it was entertaining. Balor was in complete control early, then The Miz took over with cheap tactics and more than a little help from Maryse. The Miz actually called for Balor to be disqualified in a silly plan, but Ambrose came out and restarted the match. For all that, it was a fun little match and a good way to start the show.
Backstage
Nia Jax wonders if Alexa Bliss meant it when she said Nia was great. If she did, then Alexa should give Nia the next title shot after Bayley. Alexa says she can’t make the match, only Angle can do that. She’ll work something out though. Until she gets her match, Nia decides to be Alexa’s “new best friend.”
Match 2
Alexa Bliss (RAW Women’s Champ) w/ Nia Jax vs Mickie James w/ Bayley
(referee: Shawn Bennett)
Result: Alexa Bliss wins via pinfall after punching Mickie off the top rope
Time: 5:40 (1 break)
Match Thoughts
This was okay. It felt a little odd at times, like they weren’t totally on the same page all the time, but there was nothing particularly wring with it.
Ring Area
After the match, Bayley chases away Alexa. Nia Jax then gets into the ring and attacks Mickie James, hitting her with an avalanche and a running elbow drop.
Backstage
The Miz asks Ambrose about restarting the match and about the rest of tonight’s show. Ambrose says he’s already planed out the rest of the show, so Miz can just go home. Instead, as co-General Manager, Miz puts Ambrose in a match with Bray Wyatt.
Backstage
Charly Caruso welcomes Samoa Joe. Joe says Rollins merely escaped at Payback. Their feud is over when Joe says it’s over. As he talks, Seth Rollins attacks. The two brawl until referees, Jamie Noble, Fit Finlay, and Adam Pearce break them up.
Match 3
Braun Strowman vs Kalisto
(referee: Darrick Moore)
Result: The match ends in a No Contest when Roman Reigns interrupts
Time: 0:27
Match Thoughts
This wasn’t really even a match. It lasted for about half a minute before Roman Reigns showed up, and there was never even a bell to signify the end of the match.
Ring Area
During the match, Roman Reigns comes out and heads to the ring. Kalisto disappears and the segment turns into a brawl between Reigns and Strowman. Reigns gets the upper hand by focusing on Strowman’s injured shoulder. Reigns uses a chair to attack, and Strowman ends up escaping through the crowd.
Backstage
Goldust asks R-Truth if he’s ready for tonight. Goldust has enjoyed tagging with Truth, but he wants to show everyone that Golden Truth can win and become champions together. They want to shock the world tonight.
Match 4
Tag Team Turmoil RAW Tag Title Number One Contender Match
Enzo Amore & Big Cass vs Cesaro & Sheamus vs Heath Slater & Rhyno vs Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson vs Golden Truth
(referee: Chad Patton; watching in the back: The Hardy Boyz)
Result: Cesaro and Sheamus win and become number one contenders for the RAW Tag Titles
Fall 1: Cesaro forces Enzo Amore to tap to a Sharpshooter (3:40)
Fall 2: Sheamus pins Heath Slater after a Brogue Kick (7:31)
Fall 3: Sheamus pins Luke Gallows after a Brogue Kick (12:27)
Fall 4: Cesaro pins R-Truth with a schoolboy (and a handful of tights) (17:41)
Time: 17:41 (3 breaks)
Match Thoughts
Good match. Cesaro and Sheamus looked very good. I liked how this match worked so that no team really looked bad. Cesaro and Sheamus just had a great game plan and executed it well. I like that they also built Golden Truth up to play an important role in this match. It gave the finish a lot more intrigue, and I’m curious to see where Golden Truth goes from here.
Ring Area
After the match, Cesaro and Sheamus attack Golden Truth and clear them from the ring. The Hardy Boyz then come out and head to the ring. As they enter, Cesaro and Sheamus exit.
Match 5
Seth Rollins vs Samoa Joe
(referee: Rod Zapata)
Result: Seth Rollins wins via DQ when Samoa Joe uses an exposed turnbuckle
Time: 12:00 (1 break)
Match Thoughts
Good match. Their PPV match was better, but this was still good and surprisingly long for a RAW rematch. It ended in more of a storyline fashion than anything else, but I think it worked for the way the feud is going.
Match 6
Gentleman Jack Gallagher vs TJ Perkins
(referee: Shawn Bennett; guest commentary: Neville)
Result: TJ Perkins wins via pinfall with a rollup and a handful of tights
Time: 2:53
Match Thoughts
Pretty good match, though it was pretty short. The pace was kept high, and I really enjoyed the beginning of the match. TJP and Gallagher got in each others faces, and Gallagher landed a headbutt that would have been a believable quick finish.
Ring Area
After the match, Perkins attacks Gallagher from behind and puts him in a kneebar. Austin Aries appears at the ring and chases TJP away.
Match 7
Sasha Banks vs Alicia Fox
(referee: Darrick Moore)
Result: Sasha Banks wins via pinfall after a diving double knee drop
Time: 2:48
Match Thoughts
An okay match, but I wish they had given them more time. The finish was also a little strange, something that Corey Graves rightfully pointed out. Hopefully that allows these two to have another match. The crowd got distracted during this one and it unfortunately hurt the match.
Match 8
Bray Wyatt vs Dean Ambrose (IC Champ)
(referee: Chad Patton; guest commentary: The Miz, Maryse)
Result: Bray Wyatt wins via pinfall after Sister Abigail
Time: 11:06 (1 break)
Match Thoughts
Good match. It was a fine main event, but I think after the greatness of last week’s main event made this match feel less good by comparison. Still, there was nothing wrong here.
I do think it’s strange that all of the people involved in this main event were members of the SmackDown roster before the Superstar Shakeup. What’s the point of moving people if we could have seen this exact same segment happen prior to the shakeup, just on a different show? I think that fact has me not as interested in this main event segment, and in the current IC feud in general.
Show Impressions
I liked the show alright. It didn’t seem to have much in the way of storyline segments, which I’m fine with. But I think that also made the show feel a little less important than some recent episodes.
Also, I’m not sure if it was just me, but Michael Cole seemed especially annoying and argumentative tonight. Maybe I was just noticing it more for some reason.
Match of the Night
Tag Team Turmoil
I’m a big fan of turmoil matches in general, and I really enjoyed how Sheamus and Cesaro worked together with a solid plan. It made the unlikely believable, and that’s always a very good thing.