WWE Raw is live tonight from the Staples Center in Los Angeles.
Right off the bat, Roman Reigns’ music pops and the crowd is split between cheers and jeers as he makes his way to the ring from backstage. Roman stalks all four corners of the ring as he hears “we want Strowman” chants echo through the Staples Center.
Reigns says, “I’m going to call it like it is.” The crowd boos him. “Last week, Samoa Joe finally put the Coquina Clutch on me and put me to sleep.” The crowd roars. Then he says, “Strowman came out here like a coward and picked the bones and then he challenged me to an ambulance match.” Reigns then says he accepts Strowman’s challenge. He says he’s going to throw Strowman into the back of the ambulance, lock it up, get in the driver’s seat and drive him straight to hell. Then Roman says, “It’s my yard, and I make the rules around here.
The sound of an ambulance siren interrupts his promo. An ambulance backs up to the side of the entrance ramp. Reigns puts the mic down, walks up to the ambulance and opens the ambulance doors. Reigns opens the backdoors and Strowman isn’t there. Strowman then ambushes him from out of nowhere and throws him halfway across the entrance ramp.
The Big Dog goes for a Superman Punch, but the Monster Among Men plucks him out of mid air and through him against the side of the ambulance. Strowman then throws Reigns into the back of the ambulance, closes the doors and beats on the back doors. The ambulance then drives off with Roman inside. Strowman than roars as he raises both arms in celebration before stomping off backstage.
Cesaro & Sheamus Join Elias Samson
The Raw Tag Team Champs join The Drifter in the ring on stools. Samson says tonight he wants to form a trio as he strums his guitar. Before Samson sings at all, the Hardy Boyz music cranks to a huge ovation from the crowd.
Raw Tag Team Champs Cesaro & Sheamus & Elias Samson vs. The Hardy Boyz & Finn Balor
Balor Club is over huge in LA as the crowd raises its arms with Balor during the crescendos of his entrance music.
Matt Hardy starts out against Sheamus, who knees and elbows Matt into a corner. Sheamus whips Matt into the ropes, but the Celtic Warrior dropped his head so Matt kicked him in the noggin. Matt then tags in Jeff for Poetry In Motion. The Hardys and Balor then clear all three opponents from the ring during a scrum involving all six men before the commercial break.
As we return from break, the heels are in control with Jeff Hardy down in the heel corner. Transformers actor Josh Duhamel joins the announce team to promote the top movie at the box office: Transformers: Last Knight. Duhamel is asked about an upcoming WWE Studios film, Buddy Games, which will star him, Nick Swardson and Sheamus among others. Finn Balor tags in and stomps Cesaro before double-dropkicking him in the head. Cesaro backs Balor into the corner, tags Sheamus and stops the Beats of the Bodhran at two to spite the fans.
Samson then tags and lands a few big rights to Balor, backing him into the heel corner. Balor tries to fight back, but Sheamus tags in and lands a kidney punch before missing a corner splash attempt. Balor escapes to tag in Jeff, who takes control. Jeff rams Sheamus into the ropes before hitting a double leg drop to the midsection. Jeff goes to the top rope as Cesaro pulls Sheamus out of the ring so Jeff hits a Swanton out of the ring to flatten Cesaro.
Jeff gets kneed in the head as Sheamus takes control going into the second commercial break of the match.
Samson shoulder tackles Jeff off the ropes as we return. He then stomps at Jeff’s chest before tagging Sheamus. The Celtic Warrior then hits the Irish Curse Backbreaker before he tags Cesaro, who drops a leg off the top rope on Jeff as Sheamus held him.
Cesaro takes a break from pounding Jeff to hit a European Uppercut on Balor to knock him off the apron. Jeff then flips Cesaro, who tags Sheamus. Jeff hits a Twist of Fate and escapes to tag in Matt. Samson also tags and Matt rams his head into all three turnbuckles in one corner before hitting a running Bulldog.
Sheamus then ambushes Matt from behind and he and Cesaro double team Matt. Cesaro tags and is distracted by Balor, allowing Matt to tag in The Demon. Balor then takes out Cesaro in the ring and Sheamus out of the ring with a series of kicks. He then takes out the tag champs with a suicide dive. Back in the ring, Balor hits a Slingblade on Cesaro and follows up with a double leg-dropkick. As the Hardys take out Sheamus and Samson outside the ring, Balor climbs to the top rope and hits Coup De Grace for the 3-count.
Winners: The Hardy Boyz & Finn Balor
Shattered Dreams Productions Returns
Goldust says, “It’s showtime – Beetlejuice 1988. There’s something magical in the air. Can you feel it? Can you taste it? Are you on the edge of your seats? The anticipation has me tingling. Tonight, the Shattered Truth hits Hollywood. Don’t worry Truth if you’re nervous. Even the biggest stars suffer from stage fright.” Goldie says when the red lights go on, you have to shine, like gold. He says tonight is the grand finale and he is putting the finishing touches on his masterpiece. He declares, “The Golden Age Is Back.”
Goldust vs R Truth
A cameraman decked out in gold is filming Goldust as he makes his way to the ring. Goldust pulls his personal cameraman in front of him as R Truth tries to get at Goldust before the ring bell sounds. Goldust then hammers R Truth to the mat with right hands before the bell rings.
Goldust then pulls R Truth’s right arm into the ring post.The referee attends to R Truth as Goldust’s music pipes up.
Result – No match
Paul Heyman Promo
The Advocate says Staples Center will be on fire tonight as his client Brock Lesnar will call out Samoa Joe for a fight tonight. The Destroyer sneaks up behind Paul Heyman and threatens to put him in the Coquina Clutch, but then backs off. He says it’s not meant for him, it’s meant for Brock Lesnar.
Kurt Angle With Bayley Backstage
Backstage Raw General Manager is spinning a container full of starting positions for the Raw Women’s Division Gauntlet Match. Bayley draws her number, but her starting position isn’t revealed. The Gauntlet match will start with a one-on-one match with the winner facing the next challenger. The match will involve Bayley, Sasha Banks, Mickie James, Dana Brooke, Nia Jax and Emma. The winner will face Raw Women’s Champ Alexa Bliss at Great Balls Of Fire.
Miz TV With Special Guests The Ball Family
Maryse is still turning the cold shoulder to Miz, refusing to kiss him or talk to him as they make their way to the ring. Miz says just as he called his shot and won the Intercontinental Championship, he wants to introduce a man who called his dream into existence in the 2017 NBA Draft by having his son drafted No. 2 overall to the Los Angeles Lakers.
Miz announces LaVar Ball and LeMelo Ball, a member of the UCLA 2019 recruiting class, to the ring. LaVar then announces his son and brand new Laker, Lonzo Ball, is here. All of the Balls are decked out in Big Baller Brand T-shirts.
Miz congratulates Lonzo, who says he’s happy to be here in Staples Center as a Laker for the first time. MIz says he’s happy to announce the partnership between Big Baller Brand and The Miz. LaVar says there would be no partnership. He says The Miz isn’t on the level of the Big Baller Brand.
Miz says LaVar should understand that he’s in a WWE ring now with the Michael Jordan of the WWE. LaVar tells LaMelo to handle Miz. Miz says he wants a shot at LaVar now and both take off their shirts.
Dean Ambrose then comes out in a Big Baller Brand and says LaVar and the Balls wanted a superstar with real balls to represent Big Baller Brand going into Great Balls Of Fire.
Miz & The Miztourage – Bo Dallas & Curtis Axel with Maryse vs Dean Ambrose, Heath Slater & Rhyno
Ambrose opens up hammering Dallas with right hands. Dallas quickly tags out to The Miz, who backs out of the ring and tags Axel. Heath Slater tags and he and Ambrose team up to chop Axel’s arm. Rhyno tags and he and Slater team up for a double elbow on Axel off the ropes. Axel fights backs, backing Rhyno into the heel corner.
The Miz tags and hits Rhyno with some knife-edged chops along the ropes. Rhyno reverses Miz into the corner and hits his own knife-edged chops. Miz reverses, whips Rhyno into the corner and drives him into the heel turnbuckle. Dallas tags and stomps Rhyno in the chest before kicking him in the head. Axel tags and stomps Rhyno in the chest before kicking and punching him in the head. Axel knees Rhyno and whips him into a corner, but Rhyno gets an elbow up on the splash attempt and thin hits a huge clothesline on Axel.
Ambrose tags, clotheslines Axel, hits Miz with a Spinning Neckbreaker and then double clotheslines Miz and Axel. Ambrose, Slater and Rhyno then team up to clear the ring, throwing the Miz into Dallas and Axel to the floor outside the ring.
Axel is mashing Slater’s face into the mat as we return from commercial. Axel gets a near fall at two before tagging Dallas who gets in some punches before tagging Miz. They back Slater into the heel corner before Dallas whips Miz into a broncobuster on Slater in the corner. Miz then Daniel Bryan-style kicks Slater before tagging Dallas.
Dallas gets Slater’s head hung up on the ropes and chokes him by leaning on him before tagging Axel. Slater fights back by landing a neckbreaker. Miz tags in and knocks Ambrose off the apron. Slater fights free and tags Rhyno and Dallas tags as well. Rhyno then nails Dallas with a spinebuster and gets a two-count before Miz interferes.
As Miz and Ambrose chase each other around the ring, Axel cheapshots Rhyno with an elbow with the ref’s back turned and Dallas pins Rhyno for the win.
Winners: The Miz & The Miztourage with Maryse
Enzo Amore Addresses Big Cass’ Heel Turn
Footage of last week’s Raw showing Big Cass admitting to attacking Enzo, breaking their partnership and hitting the Brooklyn Boot on Enzo before storming off airs. Enzo is shown walking backstage as Michael Cole teases his promo before the commercial break.
The crowd roars as Enzo’s “Sawft As Sin” music pops. He struts at the entrance ramp as he asks everyone how they are doing. He says he’s not doing too good. He says it’s not about him, it’s about the realest guys in the room. He says he’s called Big Cass all week and Cass won’t handle it in private so he calls Cass out to talk man-to-man.
Big Cass comes out to a completely silent arena as the Sawft music plays for him as well. Fans boo him as he enters the ring and the music stops. Enzo says, “I know you hear that. You hear that reaction?” Fans boo him. Enzo says, “I know that reaction hurts you. Just like you hurt me. You hurt me. You said a lot of hurtful things. You know what? You were right about a lot of things. Your little buddy isn’t the biggest guy in the world. Sometimes my mouth bites off more than I can chew.” He calls Cass his brother and he refuses to let him break their bond. Enzo says what Cass did is in the past. Enzo says Cass is his brother and they are family. He says he has to focus on the future of his family and he refuses to let Cass break that bond before they become WWE Tag Team champions.
Cass takes the mic from Enzo. Cass says Enzo never knows when to shut up. Cass says he has to be honest that he never felt so ashamed in his life. He says Enzo is annoying, never shuts up and he knows that he isn’t going to change Enzo. Cass says he’s sorry for everything he said and did and for everything from the last five weeks. He asks Enzo to accept his apology.
Cass reaches his hand out to shake hands with Enzo. They shake hands and Cass then hugs Enzo. Cass says they aren’t going to throw away their friendship after all. Together they spell out Sawft.
As they get to the top of the ramp and hold each other’s arms in the air, Cass clotheslines Enzo to the ground. Cass asks the crowd if they want Enzo. He says they will get Enzo and Cass presses him over his head and throws Enzo all the way down to the foot of the ramp.
Cass Confronts Corey Graves
Big Cass comes to the announce table and says he should snap Graves’ neck for what he did, revealing that Cass attacked Enzo last week. Cass says Raw GM Kurt Angle warned him against touching Graves and says he doesn’t know what Graves has on Angle but it must be good. As Cass walks off, Booker T asks Graves for the scoop, but he stalls until Seth Rollins’ music starts and he announces the Kingslayer.
Seth Rollins vs Curt Hawkins
Hawkins asks the fans who thinks he’s about to lose the match? Everybody cheers. He asks who thinks he will win this match? Everybody boos. Hawkins says we’ll just have to see
He gets the early advantage on Rollins , ramming him head-first into a turnbuckle and stomping him after some early right-hand jabs. Hawkins then suplexes Rollins for a two-count before getting a headlock.
Rollins punches his way out of it and hits and Enzuiguiri Kick on the ring apron. Rollins then hits a suicide dive into a slingblade and another top rope kick. Rollins then hits a standing sidekick before a jumping knee to the face.
As Rollins is announced as the winner, Bray Wyatt appears on the video backstage. Wyatt says Rollins wears his vanity like a suit of filth and carries a corporate banner despite telling everyone to be like no one. He says if Rollins values his redemption he would embrace his true self. Wyatt says he will melt away the lies and will be cleansed by the flame of a true god. He says careful what you wish for because July 9 – Great Balls Of Fire – to give in to his true self or he will burn.
Brock Lesnar Arrives/Gets Ambushed By Samoa Joe
Paul Heyman is in the ring as we return from commercial. Brock Lesnar was showing getting out of a black SUV backstage before the break.
Heyman says the fearless Samoa Joe is an exception in that he doesn’t fear Lesnar. He says Joe pulled a cheapshot on Lesnar. Then he says with most of the locker room holding Lesnar back Samoa Joe cheapshotted Lesnar again with a kick to the face.
He then says Samoa Joe is a dumbass because it’s now time to fear Lesnar after the cheapshots. He says now is the time we’ll all be talking about tomorrow. He introduces the reigning WWE Universal Champion Brock Lesnar to call out Joe.
Joe then cheapshots Lesnar at the top of the ramp with an elbow to the back of the head and locks in the Coquina Clutch. Lesnar’s face starts turning purple. Lesnar rams Joe into the background screen at the top of the ramp a few times, but Joe locks in the Coquina Clutch again and before Lesnar loses consciousness The Revival and other wrestlers from backstage pull Joe off him.
Lince Dorado vs Cruiserweight Champion Neville
Akira Tozawa is sitting ringside to observe the match as the King of the Cruiserweights stares him down upon entering the ring.
Neville kicks Dorado in the head and then whips him into two different corners. Neville rams Dorado’s head into the top turnbuckle in all four corners before Dorado briefly reverses with a few punches. Neville then gets a headlock and grounds Dorado face-first on the mat. Dorado punches and chops his way out. Neville then kicks Dorado, who answers with three dropkicks and a top-rope crossbody for a two-count.
Neville fights back with a spinning heelkick and locks in Rings of Saturn for the victory. Neville taunts Tozawa who gets in the ring. Titus O’Neil then comes from backstage to announce that he’s negotiated a Cruiserweight championship match for Tozawa against Nevile at Great Balls Of Fire.
Winner: Neville By Submission
Raw Women’s No. 1 Contender Gauntlet Match
Bayley vs Nia Jax
Jax asks Bayley what she’s got before Bayley stomps on her foot and tries hitting a few clotheslines that don’t move Jax. Nia then rams Bayley into two different corners before choking her along the ropes and headbutting her.
Bayley gets out of the way of a corner splash attempt as Jax rams her shoulder into the corner. Bayley then hits a top rope big elbow for a two count. Bayley then starts kicking the back of Jax’s legs as she’s down on the mat. Jax throws Bayley into a corner, but Bayley reverses with a double kick. Jax then knocks Bayley off the top rope and hits a Samoan Drop for the win.
Winner: Nia Jax
Nia Jax vs Mickie James
Jax whips James across the ring by her hair as we return from break. Jax then steps on James throat with Mickie backed into a corner. Jax then gets James in a bear hug.
Jax tries to hit a Samoan Drop, but James slips out of it and tries to roll up Jax. Jax doesn’t move. Jax then gets a bear ug again. Mickie escapes and hits a series of kicks to little effect.
James then hits a Rough Rider for a two count before nailing Jax with a roundhouse kick. Mickie went for a DDT but Jax picked her up and threw her to the mat. Jax then ran over Mickie for the pin.
Winner: Nia Jax
Nia Jax vs Dana Brooke
Brooke tries to hit a cartwheeling kick but Jax catches her and drops her. Jax then comes off the ropes for a big leg drop to get the pin.
Winner: Nia Jax
Nia Jax vs Emma
Emma opens with a dropkick and then a double dropkick after Jax tried to pull her into the ring by her hair.
Emma goes for a top rope crossbody, but Jax catches her and hits a Samoan Drop for the victory.
Winner: Nia Jax
Nia Jax vs Sasha Banks
Banks opens up with some forearms to the face. The Boss and Jax then trade punches. Jax tries to run her over, but Sasha sidesteps her and she falls out of the ring. The Boss goes for a suicide dive, but Jax catches her.
Banks escapes and then rams Jax into a ring post. The Boss then hits double knees on Jax while she’s out of the ring as we go to commercial.
Jax has Banks down on the mat in a headlock as we return. Banks is thrown out of the ring, but manages to beat a count out.
Banks backs Jax in a corner, but Jax catches her in trying to make an acrobatic move. Sasha tries a move off the ropes but Jax stonewalls her to the mat before launching her out of the ring. The Boss lands awkwardly on her ankle before barely beating the count out. Jax pounds Banks to the mat before stepping on her back. Jax then bodyslams The Boss and drops an elbow, but Banks kicks out at two.
Jax then launches Banks out of the ring again. Banks fights back with a chinbreaker to get into the ring, but Jax powers her down to the mat again. Jax then chokes Banks by leaning on her with her neck on the ropes. Jax then hits a leg drop on Banks’ injured leg. Jax then rolls Banks out of the ring again.
Banks beats the count out again, but wanders into a bear hug. Jax drops Banks’ shoulders into the mat and tries to pin her while still in a bear hug but The Boss raises her shoulder. Jax then holds Banks in the air for a prolonged time before suplexing her.
Jax tries for another suplex, but Banks escapes. She tries to roll up Jax, but can’t move her. Jax tries to sit on her, but Banks escapes and then hits a sliding knee off the rope.
Banks then gets Jax into a standing Banks Statement, but Jax gets out of it. Jax then hits a Samoan Drop. Jax tries to hi another Samoan Drop, but Banks gets a modified Banks Statement while riding Jax piggyback. Banks forces Jax to the mat in the Banks Statement and Jax taps out. Raw General Manager Kurt Angle comes to the ring to raise Sasha’s hand in victory.
Alexa Bliss then makes her way to the ring. Bliss holds the title belt up to Sasha’s face. The Boss dropkicks Bliss, takes the belt and holds it up to Bliss’ face. The Boss then holds the belt up for the fans before dropping it out of the ring for Bliss to retrieve it since Bliss would reenter the ring.
Winner: Sasha Banks By Submission