We are less than week away from WWE Battleground this Sunday and Monday Night RAW was a fantastic “go home” show. We start off with “the God of Violent Retribution” and “the Beast Incarnate”, Brock Lesnar and Paul Heyman.
Heyman cuts a promo to build the match at Battleground and Rollins interrupts with Kane. Rollins says he’s going to “burn Suplex City to the ground” on Sunday and Lesnar takes the mic from Heyman and responds “I can take you to Suplex City tonight, Bitch!”. Kane then announces a contract signing between Rollins and Lesnar tonight and tries to say “if Lesnar does anything to spoil the match…” but is cut off by Heyman who asks if Kane is about to threaten “The Beast”. Heyman calls Kane “The Undertaker’s baby brother” and laughs at him. Heyman goes on to bring up Lesnar ending “The Streak”. Heyman closes by saying Lesnar will come in peace……Unless Rollins breaks the “11th commandment – thou shalt not intentionally provoke The Beast.” Lesnar’s music hits and we go to commercial.
Randy Orton and Ryback defeated Sheamus and Big Show
Miz is on commentary talking up his Triple Threat match at Battleground. Ryback and Sheamus go out it for a bit with some heavy hitting back and forth action. They fight on the apron until Ryback knocks Sheamus to the floor. Ryback then dives over the top rope and lands on Sheamus. The finish came when Orton hit an RKO on Sheamus, followed by a splash from Ryback for the pinfall.
Dean Ambrose vs. Bray Wyatt was a No Contest
Before the match even got underway Reigns attacked Wyatt and started to beat him down, Wyatt hit Reigns with the lantern and was able to retreat to the back.
– Team Bella cut a promo talking about how dominant they are. They went until Stephanie interrupts. Stephanie talked about women taking over sports like MMA, soccer and tennis and stated that it was time for a revolution….Finally! what we have been desperately begging for the WWE to do! She introduces Paige, then brings out the NXT Women Becky Lynch and Charlotte.
Naomi and Tamina come out and say that they have unfinished business with the Bellas and Paige, and that they are all the WWE Universe needs. They asked when they will finally get what they deserve. Stephanie says there is someone else who thinks like that, and introduces the NXT Women’s Champion “The Boss” Sasha Banks.
After Banks entered the ring, a brawl breaks out that leads to the NXT Divas putting Team Bella in their finishers.
WWE Tag Team Champions The Prime Time Players & Mark Henry defeated The New Day
The Prime Time Players evened the odds against the Freebird Rule using New Day by adding Mark Henry as their partner. the Prime Time Players and Mark Henry got the win after Henry hit the World’s Strongest Slam on Woods for the pin.
R- Truth defeated King Barrett
R-Truth pinned Barrett clean with the Lie Detector. After the match, Truth grabbed his royal cape and crown along with the plunger scepter from under the ring and celebrated…I have no clue what WWE is doing with Barrett or this angle but it isn’t good so far.
– John Cena’s U.S. Title Challenge
Rusev is out to accept and says that he will destroy Cena like he destroyed Ziggler last week. Rusev is then interrupted by “Mr. Wrestling” Kevin Owens and he suggests that he will face Cena for the U.S. title tonight and Cena can get his rematch this Sunday. Rusev doesn’t like that idea and goes back and forth with Owens. Cesaro’s music then hits and out he comes. Cesaro, Owens and Rusev start fighting while Cena watches on from the outside.
They announce that Owens vs Rusev vs Cesaro will happen with the winner battling Cena tonight.
Rusev defeated Cesaro and Kevin Owens
Solid match as usual between all of these men. Owens decided at one point since he has a title match Sunday that he has had enough and exits to the back.
Great back and forth match with tons of action. Rusev missed from the top and Cesaro locked in a Crossface, but Rusev countered into a massive sidewalk slam for a near fall. Rusev then hits a huge spinning heel kick and a reverse splash and decides to go for the Accolade. Cesaro got out of it and managed to get Rusev into a Cesaro Swing. Cesaro locked on the Sharpshooter and the crowd starts chanting “Tap!” but Rusev makes it to the ropes. Since there’s no DQ in a Triple Threat match though, Cesaro didn’t have to break the hold. Rusev rolls to the outside to escape out of it. Cesaro hits a European uppercut on the outside of the ring and rolls Rusev back in.
Back inside and Rusev nails his massive sidekick for the win.
Cena vs. Rusev is up next.
WWE United States Title Match: Rusev defeated John Cena by disqualification
Cena strikes and takes Rusev down into a headlock. They go back in forth on the ground trading submissions and Rusev locks in The Accolade. Owens run down and attacks Rusev for the disqualification. Owens wants to be the one to defeat Cena and won’t let anyone else come close.
– After the match, Owens drops Rusev and hits the pop-up powerbomb on Cena.
– Backstage with Rollins and Kane and he tells Kane he is worried about Kane’s plan working out tonight. Rollins walks off.
– Stardust is backstage with a promo that pays homage to his late father Dusty Rhodes. Stardust cuts a promo on Neville and we go to commercial.
Stardust defeated Neville
Cole acknowledges this is Stardust’s first appearance since the passing of Dusty Rhodes. Fans chant for Cody to start. Neville tries to shake his hand but Stardust hits him and goes to work. Stardust keeps control and hisses at the fans. Neville makes a comeback and goes to the top for Red Arrow but climbs back down when Stardust starts to get up. Neville springboards in but Stardust catches him and nails a slam.
Fans chant for Cody again as he keeps Neville down. Stardust keeps control but Neville fights back yet again. Stardust stops another Red Arrow attempt. Stardust gets the win with a roll up.
– Back from the break and the ring is set up for a contract signing. Kane comes out with WWE World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins. Rollins says all a man has in this world is his word and he’s proud to give us his by saying he is not afraid of Brock Lesnar. Rollins says he will conquer “The Conqueror” on Sunday at Battleground. The music hits and out comes Brock Lesnar with Paul Heyman.
They have a staredown before Lesnar takes a seat and looks over the contract for Battleground. Heyman cuts a promo on how he’s wanted to see someone get their hands on Rollins for a while, as have the fans. Heyman says people are watching this Sunday just to watch Rollins get his ass kicked. Rollins signs and so does Lesnar. Heyman and Rollins have words until Lesnar flips over the table. He grabs an axe handle that was hidden underneath and stands the table back up.
Lesnar sits back down and has put the ax handle on the table and allows Rollins to pick it up. Lesnar suddenly grabs the table and rams Rollins with it. Lesnar then takes Kane out and Rollins eats a German suplex. Kane pulls Lesnar out to the floor. Rollins tries to leap out onto Lesnar but Lesnar catches him. Kane makes the save and they both start to work over Lesnar.
Rollins sends Lesnar into the ring post and nails him with the axe handle. Rollins then sends Lesnar into the steel steps as Kane holds them. Kane then slams the steps onto Lesnar and the beatdown continues. Rollins tries for a Pedigree on the steps but Lesnar powers out and sends him into the barrier. Lesnar leaps at Kane, but Kane catches him. Lesnar counters a chokeslam and drops Kane with the F5 on the floor.
Rollins takes off through the crowd as Lesnar looks on from the ring. Lesnar goes back to the floor and places Kane’s leg on the bottom part of the steel steps. He grabs the top part and slams it onto Kane’s leg.(much like the Brothers of Destruction to Vince in the past).
Lesnar brings the WWE World Heavyweight Title belt into the ring and raises it high as his music hits. Lesnar and Heyman leave as Rollins comes back to the ring. Kane is laying on the floor clutching his leg in pain. Rollins enters the ring and throws a tantrum. He takes the mic and cuts a promo on Lesnar. Rollins says he will prove on Sunday that Lesnar is not a monster, not a machine, that he’s just a man with a pulse that can be beaten. Rollins says he will rip the sword off Lesnar’s chest and be forever known as the man who slayed The Beast. Rollins leaves with his title as we see officials and EMTs checking on Kane at ringside.
Rollins taunts Kane and yells for the plan not working. Rollins says Kane’s career has been a big disappointment. Rollins continues ripping Kane and calls him a “wannabe Hall of Famer.” Rollins stomps on Kane’s injured leg before storming up the ramp to end RAW. Could this lead to the return of the Big Red Machine?
