In Ring Segment-
Raw kicks off with Daniel Bryan’s music blaring through the pa system. Much to the dismay of the crowd, Stephanie McMahon comes out on the ramp screaming Steph (instead of Yes… get it?). After Steph is done trolling the crowd, she runs down the SummerSlam card and gloats because she defeated Brie Bella. Steph calls out Nikki Bella to explain why she betrayed Brie. Nikki comes out and tells us how selfish and manipulative Brie is. Standard sister jealousy stuff. Nikki also runs down Daniel Bryan for looking like a troll. Nikki says she would say she lost a sister… if she ever really had one. Brie has had enough and she comes out and gets in Nikki’s face. She tells Nikki that she loves her and can forgive her for what she did. Nikki smacks Brie so hard she hits the mat. Nikki says she will never forgive Brie! Brie leaves the ring in tears.
Tag Team Match: The Big Show and Mark Henry vs. The Wyatt Family-
Big Show starts off with an early advantage against Luke Harper. Big Show’s flurry ends after he tosses Harper over the top rope and celebrates. Big Show is about to hit the ropes, but Rowen pulls down the bottom rope. Big Show stops in his tracks and kicks Rowen in the head. Luke Harper dropkicks Big Show, which sends Big Show tumbling through the ropes. Rowen picks up the Big Show and slams him. That was impressive. Big Show hits the WMD on Rowen and Henry picks up Rowen and hits the World’s Strongest Slam for the win. Great match.
The Big Show and Mark Henry defeated The Wyatt Family via pin fall.
Backstage Ric Flair congratulates Dolph Ziggler. The Miz walks in and tells Ziggler he doesn’t deserve to be the IC champ. Ziggler tells Miz he isn’t an a-lister, he is just an a-hole.
Backstage Renee Young is interviewing Seth Rollins. Rollins says he beat Ambrose and will be the next world champion. Before Rollins could finish his thought, someone dumps a bucket of ice water over his head. The camera pans left and Dean Ambrose is standing there. Dean says, “What? It’s for charity!” He then hits Rollins in the face with the bucket and attacks him. They are eventually separated by a few road agents. The Ambrose/Rollins feud is literally the best thing on WWE TV these days.
Backstage Triple H and Kane are talking. Rollins burst in the room and says they need to do something about Ambrose now. Triple H tells Rollins he will have a rematch with Ambrose tonight and the WWE Universe will choose what kind of match it will be.
Divas Match: Divas Champion Paige vs. Natalya-
Paige is all over Natty. Before Paige can finish Natty, AJ’s music hits and she skips down to the ring. Paige gets distracted and Natty rolls her up from behind for the win!
Natalya defeated Paige via pin fall.
After the match AJ tells Paige she loves her and dedicates her life to her and has to get into the ring to shake her hand. Paige gets the heck out of dodge. Smart move.
In Ring Segment: Triple H and Stephanie McMahon-
Triple H says last nights SummerSlam may have been the greatest in the history of the WWE. They unveil the new WWE World Heavyweight Championship. Triple H calls out Brock Lesnar to present him with the new title belt. Lesnar’s music hits and he and Paul Heyman make there way to the ring. The Authority, Lesnar and Heyman pose for pictures in ring. As expected, Paul Heyman takes a moment to gloat as only Paul Heyman can. Heyman coined a new phrase: Eat, Sleep, Suplex, Repeat. This writer needs that t-shirt.
Intercontinental Championship Match: Dolph Ziggler (c) vs. The Miz-
The Miz tries to attack Ziggler as soon as the bell rings, but Ziggler quickly takes him down. They trade headlocks and pinning combinations. Ziggler lands gingerly on his knee and the Miz immediately attack it. Miz sets up for his clothesline in the corner, but before he lands the attack Ziggler hits him with a surprise ddt. Ziggler goes for a big boot, but Miz grabs his leg and slaps on the Figure Four Leg Lock. Ziggler makes it to the bottom rope but he is in bad shape. Ziggler and the Miz are on the ramp. Ziggler super kicks Miz back into the ring and falls to the outside. Ziggler gets counted out.
The Miz defeated Dolph Ziggler via count out.
Ziggler retains. Miz attacks Ziggler on the outside of the ring. He rolls Ziggler into the ring and walks right into the Zig Zag.
Singles Match: Jack Swagger vs. Cesaro-
Cesaro takes an early advantage. Swagger’s ribs are still injured from last night. Cesaro smartly locks in an abdominal stretch on Swagger. Swagger hits a big boot on Cesaro. Swagger follows that up with the Swagger Bomb, which in retrospect was a horrible idea. Swagger locks in the Patriot Lock but Cesaro gets to the ropes. Cesaro pokes Swagger in the eye and hits the Neutralizer for the win.
Cesaro defeated Jack Swagger via pin fall.
After the match, Bo Dallas comes out and tells Jack Swagger to Bo-Lieve!
Six Man Tag Match: Randy Orton and Rybaxel vs. Sheamus, Roman Reigns and Rob Van Dam-
Sheamus and Axel start off. Axel takes the early advantage. While Sheamus is on his knees he tags in Orton. Orton goes for his back breaker, but Sheamus reverse it into a rolling senton. RVD tags himself in and follows that up with rolling thunder. After a commercial break, Orton is firmly in control of Sheamus. The crowed wants Ryback. This is Ryback’s hometown and they are showing him a ton of love. Ryback hits a delayed suplex on Sheamus. Sheamus makes it to Reigns for the tag. Reigns flattens Axel with a few clothes lines and the Superman punch. Before Reigns can hit the Spear, Orton rolls in the ring an hits a back breaker on Reigns. Sheamus hit the Brogue Kick on Ryback, and Orton immediately RKO’s Sheamus. Reigns dives over RVD to Spear Orton. Axel throws Reigns into the ring post. Axel turns around and gets kicked in the face by RVD. RVD goes up top and hits the Five Star Frog Splash for the win.
Sheamus, Roman Reigns and Rob Van Dam defeated Randy Orton and Rybaxel.
Backstage Ric Flair tries to talk to Orton, but Orton tells him to stay away from him or he will remind Ric why they used to call him the Legend Killer.
Tag Team Match: Tag Team Champions The Usos vs. Goldust and Stardust-
Goldust and Jey Uso start off the match. Jey with a quick roll up, but Goldust kicks out at two. They exchange quick arm drag attempts. The Usos take turns working over Goldust. Goldust finally tags Stardust in. Jimmy traps him in a rear chin lock. Jey tags in and locks in the same move. So far the Usos have dominated this match. Stardust reverses Jimmy’s roll up into another roll up for the win.
Goldust and Stardust defeated The Usos via pin fall.
In Ring Segment- Rusev w/Lana-
Before Lana can get started talking about how Russia is better than the US, Mark Henry’s music hits and he power walks to the ring. Henry tells Rusev he is going to give him a personal guided tour of the Hall of Pain. Rusev attacks Henry, but ends up getting flattened by the World’s Strongest Slam. Rusev is not moving. Henry follows that up with Death from Above. Wow. Henry looks impressive. Maybe they are going to shine up Henry to face Lesnar eventually.
Falls Count Anywhere Match: Dean Ambrose vs. Seth Rollins-
Rollins hits a few right hands and throw Ambrose into the corner. Rollins stops him in the corner. Rollins plays to the crowd, but as soon as he turns around Ambrose kicks him so hard that he falls out of the ring. Ambrose and Rollins battle up the ramp. Rollins almost power bomb’s Ambrose on the stage, but Ambrose reverses it into a suplex on the steel. Ambrose goes under the ring and pulls out a few chairs and a kendo stick. Ambrose scoop slams Rollins on a chair. Ambrose goes up top and hits a diving elbow with a steel chair on the prone Rollins.
After a short commercial break, Rollins is wearing out Ambrose with kendo stick. Ambrose grabs the kendo stick, but Rollins hits three drop kicks. Ambrose hits the rope and bounces off for his rebound clothesline, but Rollins ducks and hits a leaping enziguri. Rollins goes up top but Ambrose grabs him and hits a tornado ddt. Ambrose goes for Dirty Deeds, but Rollins reverses it into the Curb stomp, but Ambrose moves out of the way. The both hit the ropes and attempt a cross body. Ambrose sets up a pile of chairs in the ring and tries to suplex Rollins onto them. Rollins reverses and hits a running sit-out power bomb onto the chairs! Ambrose kicks out at two. Kane appears and sits down at ringside. Rollins goes under the ring and pulls out a table. Rollins lays Ambrose head on the table and goes up top for the Curb Stomp. Ambrose gets up and crotches Rollins on the top rope. Ambrose suplexes Rollins off the top through the table! Before Ambrose can pin Rollins Kane gets on the apron and Ambrose kicks him off, and then throws Rollins to the outside. Ambrose dives through the ropes and takes out both Kane and Rollins.
Ambrose hits Dirty Deeds, but Kane pulls him out of the ring. All three men brawl on the outside. Ambrose runs the length of the table and dives on both men again. Ambrose tries to hit Dirty Deeds on the announce table, but Kane choke slams him before he can. Rollins hits the Curb Stomp on the announce table. Kane removes a sheet and there is a stack of cinder blocks. Kane holds Ambrose in place and Rollins Curb Stops Ambrose into the cinder blocks. The ref stops the match.
Seth Rollins defeated Dean Ambrose via ref stoppage.
As usual, Rollins and Ambrose stole the show. Definitely the best match of the night. All around it was a solid wrestling and talking episode of Monday Night Raw. It will be interesting to see who steps up to be Lesnar’s first challenger for the title. Since Mark Henry has seemingly moved on to Rusev, Big Show is probably the best option.