The Raw Exposé: The Ambitions Of Certified G and Bonafide Stud Edition (7-3-2017)

By: Keila Cash

Hello everyone and welcome to another installment of The Raw Exposé. Tonight’s episode of Monday Night Raw emanated from the Talking Stick Resort Arena in Phoenix, Arizona. As Americans enjoy the extended 4^th of July holiday, WWE is gearing up for an epic event two months in the making. The first-ever Great Balls of Fire PPV will take place this Sunday at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. It’s a slice of Americana with a side order of Jerry Lee Lewis for good measure.

The show is stacked with Roman Reigns vs. Braun Strowman in an Ambulance Match while Brock Lesnar and Samoa Joe face off for the Universal Championship. Both matches have been promoted brilliantly thus far. Did WWE push the hype machine into overdrive or did the company take the hold steady approach instead? The answer to that question can be found throughout this blog. Without further ado, let’s dissect tonight’s episode of Raw in no particular order.

·       Enzo Amore cut the promo of his life to kick off Raw. Enzo was on fire as he talked about getting knocked down and knocked out literally since his debut on the main roster last year. Through it all, the fans were behind him while Big Cass never had his back in the first place. Instead of standing behind Enzo, Cass walked through him in order to get ahead.

·       Enzo confessed that he had confidence, but that’s what makes him special. He was grateful for every fun that bought his t-shirt, rocked a chain necklace, and donned a wig while emulating his signature dance. He was some next level 2Pac shit with all eyes being on him.

·       Enzo called Cass a 7-foot catchphrase that he created who would draw zero dimes during the next WWE quarterly report. He wanted to drive that point home during their match at the July PPV That Shall Remain Nameless Unless Absolutely Necessary.

·       Charly Caruso interviewed Big Cass backstage as he laughed off Enzo’s comments by stating that he was the star who had money written all over him. As he was going on his tirade, Enzo attacked him from behind which was quite poetic in a lot of ways. WWE officials quickly broke things up as the opening segment came to an end.

·      This was a hot way to start the show. As I mentioned last week, I thought Enzo didn’t deliver a breakthrough performance on the mic when it came to mending fences with Cass. After Enzo was betrayed for the second time, the gloves came off as he delivered a money promo that captivated the audience from start to finish. There were no “What?” chants to throw him off his game. He was in the zone and spitting bars which might’ve helped The Usos and The New Day prepare for the rap battle tomorrow night on SD Live, but I digress.

·        Enzo is not the best wrestler in the world, but his promo skills will keep him employed for life. His match against Big Cass should result in a loss, but I expect the Certified G to put up a fight.

·        Sasha Banks minus Bayley defeated Nia Jax and Alexa Bliss when Banks made Bliss tap out to the Bank Statement. Jax took Bayley out of the match when she laid her out with a running charge into the barricade. Banks was left to fend for herself as she clawed her way back into the thick of things. The submission win hints at Bliss retaining the Raw Women’s Championship at the July PPV That Shall Remain Nameless Unless Absolutely Necessary, but we shall see how it all plays out on Sunday.

·        Cedric Alexander defeated Noam Dar he drilled him with the Lumbar Check for the win. The match was fine, but it lacked crowd heat. The never-ending love triangle between Cedric Alexander, Noam Dar, and Alicia Fox makes the quadrangle featuring Rusev, Lana, Dolph Ziggler, and Summer Rae from a couple years seem like Nicholas Sparks film in comparison. That’s faint praise…

·        Miz TV featured a few truth bombs from The Miz as he correctly noted that Dean Ambrose wilted under the pressure during his reign as WWE Champion last year. His lackadaisical attitude didn’t go unnoticed as Stone Cold Steve Austin and John Cena threw verbal barbs his way at every turn. Even though Miz is a heel, no lies were told during his promo which makes Ambrose look bad in hindsight.

·        Ambrose came out and owned up to his shortcomings, but he wasn’t afraid to get his hands dirty as he threatened to kick Miz’s ass despite Curtis Axel and Bo Dallas running interference on their boss’ behalf.

·        Heath Slater came out and challenged Miz for the Intercontinental Championship since he was the last man to pin him. Most importantly, Slater needed to prove to his kids that he can win the big win. Ambrose appreciated the sentiment but told Slater to head to the back of the line because he has next dibs on the IC Title.

·        Miz told both men to shut up and stated that he was heading to a Fourth of July party in Hollywood when Kurt Angle appeared on the main stage. Angle announced that Miz would defend his IC Title against both men. Ambrose would face the winner of Miz vs. Slater for the IC Title at the Fire of Great Balls PPV which took place after the commercial break.

·      The Miz retained the Intercontinental Championship when he defeated Heath Slater with the Skull Crushing Finale in a solid match. Slater put up a good fight and it appeared he had the match won when he took out Miz with a powerslam from the top rope. However, Axel and Dallas provided the distraction which caused Rhyno to get involved. Rhyno took out Axel and was about to go after Dallas when Maryse got in the way. This allowed the Miztourage to slam Rhyno head first into the ring post.

·       Slater’s concern for his tag team partner allowed Miz to hit his finisher for the win. The heels continued to attack Slater until Ambrose made the save. He tried to nail Miz with Dirty Deeds, but the A-Lister made a run for it. Ambrose went after him, but he was blindsided by the Miztourage. Miz picked the bones when he laid him out with the Skull Crushing Finale as the segment came to an end with Miz and Maryse sharing a kiss on the ring apron.

·       This was a fine way to forward the Miz-Ambrose feud as we head into the PPV on Sunday. Their never ending saga for the Intercontinental Title will finally come to an end. Hopefully…

·      R-Truth got a measure of revenge when he attacked Goldust during the world premiere of The Shattered Truth. To say the film won’t be eligible for any film festivals would be an understatement.

·      The Hardy Boyz-Cesaro & Sheamus feud will come to a head when they face off in a 30-Minute Ironman Match for the Raw Tag Team Championship at the Great Fire of Balls PPV on Sunday. Also, Angle booked Cesaro in a match against Finn Bálor for later tonight. If both men are given enough time to shine, we could be in for a treat. Fingers crossed!

·       Thanks for coming, Curt Hawkins. For some inane reason, Hawkins wanted to face Seth Rollins two weeks in a row. He ate a knee to the face for his efforts. Poor thing.

·       After the match was over, Rollins cut a promo on Bray Wyatt as he vowed to cleanse Wyatt’s mystic of being a God at the July PPV That Shall Remain Nameless Unless Absolutely Necessary. The promo was fine, but this feud is not striking a resonant chord with me because I’ve been through this song and dance before. Wyatt talks a big game, but he can’t back it up in the ring. Lather, Rinse, Repeat. I doubt his feud with Rollins will buck that trend. It’s sad but true.

·       In the greatest split screen confrontation ever, Samoa Joe and Brock Lesnar traded insults that had me rolling. Both men were brimming with confidence ahead of their Universal Championship match at The Fire of Great Balls PPV.

·        Joe got fed up with Lesnar’s blasé attitude and decided to hunt down The Beast. He roamed the backstage area until he ran into Kurt Angle and his security detail. Joe ignored Angle’s plea and found Lesnar and Paul Heyman’s hiding place. He charged after them, but security held him back as Lesnar and Heyman shared egged him on.

·       This was another stellar segment that continues to highlight the awesomeness of the Joe-Lesnar feud. They are two badasses who don’t give a damn about anyone or anything. Lesnar taking Joe lightly might be a mistake based on his recent history with Goldberg, but I still expect a slobber knocker of a match come Sunday.

·        Neville picked up a decisive win over Mustafa Ali when he made Ali tap out to the Rings of Saturn in a lopsided match. This was a great showcase for Neville as he dominated Ali throughout. Outside of a beautiful Spiking DDT from Ali, this was the Neville Show. In terms of getting a maintenance win heading into the July PPV That Shall Remain Nameless Unless Absolutely Necessary, this was perfection from start to finish.

·       Bray Wyatt’s promo was sleek and ominous as always. Despite a little zest added to the filet mignon, I remain uninspired by his feud with Seth Rollins. L

·       Finn Bálor defeated Cesaro with the Coup De Grace in a very good match. Despite being slotted in the 10:30 P.M. Lull Period of Death, both men rose to the occasion and delivered the best match on the show.

·       The action was hard-hitting throughout as everyone and their mama got involved down the stretch.

·         Bálor was about to nail Cesaro with a running dropkick when Elias Samson made his way to the ring while strumming a tune on his guitar. The distraction allowed Cesaro to nail Bálor with a flying European Uppercut for a near fall. As the numbers game began to overwhelm Bálor, The Hardy Boyz made the save. They attacked Samson while Sheamus and Cesaro tried to intervene. Bálor took everyone out with a flip dive on the outside which caused all hell to break loose.

·         Matt dropped Samson with a Twist of Fate but ate a Brogue Kick by Sheamus seconds later. Jeff laid out Sampson with a dive only to get nailed with an Uppercut by Cesaro. Bálor saved the day when he dropped The Swiss Superman with a running dropkick into the barricade before hitting his finisher for the win.

·       Chaos aside, this was a fun match that popped the crowd once things broke out into melee. The match would’ve been more effective if it took place earlier in the show, but WWE killed two birds with one stone by hyping the 30-Minute Ironman Match between The Hardy Boyz and Sheamus and Cesaro and the presumed one-on-one bout featuring Balor vs. Samson.

·       Braun Strowman defeated Apollo Crews when he laid him out with three Running Powerslams. Strowman even licked Crews’ bald head to put an exclamation point on things.

·       Crews never had a prayer, but he put up a good fight. Crews tried to hit a standing moonsault only for Strowman to kick him halfway across the ring while he was mid-rotation. It was the sickest spot of the match with the announcers responding accordingly by going out of their minds.

·       After the match was over, Strowman attempted a fourth Running Powerslam on Crews only for Titus O’Neil to pull him out of harm’s way. O’Neil and Strowman went face-to-face with Strowman taking out the founder of Titus Worldwide with his finisher.

·        Strowman continued his attack on Crews before throwing him in the back of the ambulance. He gave the vehicle the all-clear to roll out of the arena, but it didn’t move. Noticing that something was amiss, Strowman went to the front of the ambulance to confront the driver. He opened the door and was immediately hit with a right hand by Roman Reigns. Reigns had Strowman on the ropes until the big man regained control when he slammed Reigns’ head into the back of the ambulance before tossing him against the railing.

·       He chucked The Big Dog onto the stage and was about to finish him off when Reigns rammed Strowman against the LED board. This gave Reigns the opening he needed as he speared Strowman off the main stage and through a table.

·        However, Strowman got back on his feet as Raw went off the air with Michael Cole wondering whether or not Reigns had what it takes to win the Ambulance Match on Sunday.

·       This was a great way to end the show. The spear off the main stage was a great spot as both men crashed and burned on the outside. However, Strowman got back on his feet which took the sails out of Reigns’ momentum heading into Great Balls of Fire. Their Ambulance Match should a classic if it’s booked properly. Here’s hoping Reigns and Strowman get the job done.

·       Overall, I thought tonight’s episode of Monday Night Raw was decent at best. The in-ring action was middling for the most part with the exception of Finn Balor vs. Cesaro and Braun Strowman vs. Apollo Crews which took place during the final hour.

·       WWE did a nice job putting the finishing touches on the Fire of Great Balls PPV, but the bulk of the go-home show took place last week in Los Angeles. Based on the hype and promotion, this has the potential to be a very good PPV. However, the booking will tell the true story come Sunday. Can the creative team end the streak of lackluster PPVs? We shall find out soon enough.

On that note, this wraps up another edition of The Raw Exposé. I hope you enjoyed it and I will be back tomorrow night with a brand new installment of The SmackDown Files. Happy 4^th of July, boys and girls! 

The Raw Exposé: WWE Presents - Death of a Friendship II Starring Enzo Amore and Big Cass (6-19-2017)

By: Keila Cash

Hello everyone and welcome to another installment of The Raw Exposé. Tonight’s episode of Monday Night Raw emanated from the Ford Center in Evansville, Indiana. After WWE threw in the towel last week due to Game 5 of the NBA Finals, this was the perfect opportunity for the company to get back on track as the infamous July PPV rapidly approaches. Samoa Joe proved that he’s not scared of Brock Lesnar by going toe-to-toe with The Beast and walking away unscathed. Did the Samoan Badass continue his streak of dominance or did someone decide to rain on his parade? The answer to that question can be found throughout this blog. Without further ado, let’s dissect tonight’s episode of Raw in no particular order.

·        Raw kicked off with Roman Reigns’ announcement regarding his plans for Summerslam. Reigns wanted to face the winner of the Universal Championship match between Brock Lesnar and Samoa Joe. He declared himself the number one contender because the ring was his yard now.

·        Samoa Joe came out and was offended that Reigns omitted his name from the title match. He was actually flattered because Reigns never beat him one-on-one. Reigns had a stinging line about how Samoa Joe didn’t live up his Samoan roots and called him “Just Joe” as an insult.

·        Joe headbutted Reigns and proceeded to toss him into the barricade before rolling him back in the ring.

·        He tried to lock in the Coquina Clutch but Reigns powered out of the hold and nailed Joe with a Superman Punch as the opening segment came to a close.

·        This was a good way to start the show. The talking was kept to a minimum as Reigns and Joe traded barbs while coming off like total badasses at the same time. Reigns being a cocky asshole is a good look for him. It generates instant heat whether he’s catering to his fanbase or deliberately pissing off hardcore fans who despise his character. WWE has found the perfect formula when it comes to presenting Reigns as a star who is a lightning rod who generates buzz wherever he goes. Here’s hoping the company stays the course because there is money to be made if they play their cards right.

·        Samoa Joe fending off claims that he is the black sheep of the Samoan Dynasty continues to fuel him in the best possible way. Joe is not only fighting for the Universal Title but his namesake as well. No one comes for his manhood and gets away with it. Brock Lesnar learned that lesson last week. Will Reigns suffer a similar fate? We shall find out later tonight.

·        The Hardy Boyz defeated Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows when Jeff Hardy pinned Gallows with the Swanton Bomb in a gusty match. Jeff played the babyface in peril until he laid out Anderson with the Whisper in the Wind. Matt made the hot tag and had things under control until Gallows sucker punched him. This allowed Gallows and Anderson to hit the Boot of Doom for a near fall. Jeff eventually made the blind tag as Gallows was about to take out Matt. Jeff saved his brother which set up the Twist of Fate/Swanton Bomb finish. Nice effort from both teams as WWE teased an Anderson and Gallows win only for them to pick up another loss. Again…

·        Random Observation: Bo Dallas has an amazing tan. And long luxurious hair. And a beard!

·        Finn Bálor defeated Bo Dallas with the Coup De Grace in a surprisingly competitive match. Dallas attacked Bálor before the match got underway which gave him the advantage early on. However, Bálor got back on offense by nailing Dallas with a wicked kick to the face before throwing him into the barricade for good measure. He rolled Dallas back in the ring and hit his Slingblade/Running Dropkick/Coup De Grace trifecta for the win. This was a nice showcase for Bálor while Dallas looked good for a grand total of two minutes before eating the pin.

·        Seth Rollins waxed poetically about being on the cover of WWE 2K18 while renouncing his greedy and egomaniacal ways from three years ago. Bray Wyatt didn’t buy Rollins’ nice guy act as he cut a promo from backstage. Wyatt hated the idea of Rollins being a corporate shill and vowed to make him pay for using his name in vain.

·        Wyatt made his way to the ring and was about to sacrifice Rollins for the greater good when Rollins laid him out with a crossbody from the top rope onto the floor. Rollins walked away while Wyatt tried to save face by smiling manically as the segment came to an end.

·        The promo exchange between Rollins and Wyatt was fine, but I am not emotionally invested in their feud because Wyatt has looked weak at every turn. He might gain the advantage every now and then, but he never wins the BIG ONE. Wyatt’s feud with Rollins will deliver similar results. It’s sad but true.

·        Elias Samson sent quite the message to Finn Bálor when he attacked Bálor from behind during his backstage interview with Charly Caruso. Samson warned Bálor never to upstage him again as D-Von shooed The Drifter away. I think it’s safe to pencil in Bálor vs. Samson at the July PPV That Shall Remain Nameless Unless Absolutely Necessary.

·        Akira Tozawa defeated TJP with a Senton from the top rope. The match was solid and Titus O’Neil added to Tozawa’s act by being his manager. If this is O’Neil’s career trajectory, why is he a heel?

·        Based on O’Neil’s rebuttal to Neville after the Cruiserweight Champion vowed to annihilate Tozawa if he continued to stick his nose where it didn’t belong, we might have our answer. O’Neil & Apollo Crews will face Sheamus & Cesaro in a nontitle match. Two heel teams going at it doesn’t make sense unless the creative team decided to turn O’Neil and Crews babyface. We shall find out soon enough.

·        Samoa Joe defeated Roman Reigns by putting him to sleep with the Coquina Clutch in a very good match. It was hard-hitting and physical throughout which made things even better. Joe had his best match to date since debuting on the main roster while Reigns continues to prove why he’s one of the best performers in WWE.

·        The counters and near falls were on point as Joe countered Reigns’ Spear attempt with a knee to the face followed by a modified Atomic Drop and Senton. It was a great sequence that popped the crowd something fierce.

·        Joe tried to finish Reigns off with The Coquina Clutch, but the Big Dog powered out and dropped Joe with a Spear. Joe put his foot on the rope for a near fall which heightened the drama even more.

·        Joe rolled out of the ring and barely made it back in the ring before the count of ten. Reigns was in position to hit him with another Spear until a beeping sound stopped the match in its tracks.

·        An ambulance was backing into the arena and lo and behold, BRAUN STROWMAN made his triumphant return to Raw. The distraction allowed Joe to lock in his submission hold for the win. 

·        After the match was over, Strowman made his way to the ring and reminded Reigns that he wasn’t finished with him yet. He laid him out with a Reverse Chokeslam and challenged the Big Dog to an Ambulance Match at the Fire of Great Balls PPV as the segment came to an end.

·        The match between Samoa Joe and Roman Reigns was great while Strowman’s return pushed things over the top. Joe continues to look strong while the epic Strowman-Reigns feud will come to a head next month. All in all, this was a great piece of business that made me look for to the July PPV That Shall Remain Nameless Unless Absolutely Necessary.

·        The Miz’s marriage might be on the rocks, but the night wasn’t a total loss as he recruited Bo Dallas and Curtis Axel to join his entourage. Dallas and Axel attacked Dean Ambrose from behind while they were disguised as a pair of bears.

·        Miz picked the bones as he laid out Ambrose with the Skull Crushing Finale to wrap up the apology segment from hell.

·        Sheamus and Cesaro defeated Apollo Crews and Titus O’Neil when Cesaro pinned Crews with an assisted White Noise. The match was fine, but the 10:30 Lull Period of Death started to set in as the crowd was muted for the most part.

·        That Brock Lesnar-Samoa Joe video package was everything. Lesnar talking shit about his opponents never gets old. If only he did it for the live audience on a regular basis. Hmm…

·        Sasha Banks vs. Nia Jax ended via disqualification after Emma kicked Jax in the stomach after Alexa Bliss moved out of the way. Since Banks was DQ’d, she attacked Emma and Jax until Bliss intervened.

·        From there, all hell broke loose as Mickie James, Dana Brooke, and Bayley made the save. The babyface crew stood tall while the heels retreated up the ramp.

·        Bayley got a nice ovation which was refreshing to see. Based on the melee, expect a multi-woman match for Bliss’ Raw Women’s Title at the July PPV That Shall Remain Nameless Unless Absolutely Necessary.

·        The whodunit mystery involving Enzo Amore and Big Cass finally came to a head when Big Cass was revealed to be the culprit.

·        Kurt Angle interrogated The Big Show and The Revival but noted investigator Corey Graves provided visual proof that Big Cass was the man behind the backstage attacks.

·        Security footage revealed that Big Cass staged the attack from last week as Enzo looked on in shock. Cass admitted that he was the man who attacked Enzo from behind because he was tired of carrying his dead weight.

·        Cass took pity on Enzo because no one liked him. His big mouth was writing checks that his ass couldn’t cash. Cass ended their friendship and nailed Enzo with a big boot to the face. Raw went off the air with Cass standing tall on the main stage while Angle tended to Enzo in the ring.

·        This was an interesting way to end the show. Big Cass held his own on the mic while Enzo Amore did a wonderful job letting his facial expressions do the talking for him. He even cried on command which is pretty damn remarkable.

·        It sucks that the team is breaking up, but Enzo’s rebuttal should be a thing of beauty next week. If he’s able to convey his own thoughts, we might have a potential promo of the year contender on our hands. I still have trepidation about both men going solo because they complement each other so well on the mic and in the ring.

·        However, Vince McMahon sees dollar signs in Big Cass and we shall see how his singles push plays out. As for Enzo, he’s a better talker than a wrestler. His long-term goal should be managing other stars. Enzo has the gift of gab which will serve him well in the future.

·        On a more somber note, I think it’s safe to say that it’s been a rough year for friendships in WWE. L

·        Overall, I thought tonight’s episode of Raw was solid. This was a nice bounce back show after last week’s ho-hum effort. The wrestling action ranged from decent to very good with Roman Reigns and Samoa Joe winning match of the night honors.

·        Braun Strowman returned and went back to what he does best: Destroying Reigns to no end. Their Ambulance Match at Great Balls of Fire the July PPV should be a spectacle, to say the least.

·        The third hour dragged a bit, but the closing segment ended things on a high note. Big Cass showed his true colors and it should be interesting to see how he fares as a solo star. Enzo’s big mouth will keep him employed for years to come. His in-ring work? Not so much.

·        WWE is doing a good job building up the Balls of Great Fire PPV. However, the company is 0-4 when it comes to producing quality PPVs post-WrestleMania season. The booking decisions at Payback, Backlash, Extreme Rules and Money in the Bank have been atrocious. Here’s hoping they get their act together next month by booking a show that makes sense from a wrestling and storytelling standpoint. If not, the streak will extend to 0-5 which is a damn shame coming from the biggest wrestling promotion in the world.

On that note, this wraps up another edition of The Raw Exposé. I hope you enjoyed it and I will be back tomorrow night with a brand new installment of The SmackDown Files. See you later, boys and girls! 

The Raw Exposé: The Tale of the Ill-Fated Booty Call in Room 704 Edition (12-5-2016)

By: Keila Cash 

Hello everyone and welcome to another installment of The Raw Exposé. Tonight’s episode of Monday Night Raw emanated from the Frank Erwin Center in Austin, Texas. After last week’s excellent Falls Count Anywhere match between Sasha Banks and Charlotte for the Raw Women’s Championship, how did The Boss celebrate her third title reign in four months?

Also, did Kevin Owens and Chris Jericho hug it out after the tiff from last week? The answer to these questions can be found throughout this blog. Without further ado, let’s dissect tonight’s episode of Raw in no particular order.

·        Kevin Owens opened Monday Night Raw by handing a few gifts to Chris Jericho. First, Jericho will face Roman Reigns for the United States Championship later tonight. Second, Y2J has a match against Seth Rollins at Roadblock: End of the Line two weeks from Sunday. Finally, Rollins was gifted a match against The Big Show to kick off the in-ring portion of the show.

·        Rollins wanted Triple H and a shot at Owens’ WWE Universal Championship, but it appears that Santa left him a lump of coal instead.

·        This was a nice way to start the show. The bickering between Owens and Rollins was okay, but it got better when Owens did his spiel on the mic about being Jericho’s best friend.

·        Also, Owens will face Sami Zayn later on as well. Considering the fact that WWE vowed that their match at Battleground would be their last, it waters down the feud both men had over the summer. Despite that small quibble, the match should be very good. If it saves Zayn from getting destroyed by Braun Strowman, I’m all for it.

·        The Big Slim Show looks trim and fit. Kudos to him for getting in shape ahead of his WrestleMania match against Shaquille O’Neal next year.

·        Big Show left Owens high and dry when he chokeslammed him into the ring during his match with Rollins.

·        Owens tried to cheer on Big Show, but he was too abrasive when it came to telling The World’s Largest Athlete what to do.

·        Big Show vs. Rollins was okay for the most part. This was basically an exhibition match for Big Show to knock off some ring rust. Rollins looked good as he got a measure of revenge when he laid out Owens with a Pedigree. This was a no harm, no foul segment that didn’t overstay its welcome.

·        Nice profile video for Jack Gallagher. He was one of my favorite wrestlers from the Cruiserweight Classic. Let’s hope his gentlemanly ways translates on the main roster.

·        Gallagher notched his first win on Raw by defeating Ariya Daivari in a solid match. Gallagher looked crisp, but he held back from being more comedic in the ring. His offense impressed the crowd which will give him more leeway to let loose in the future.

·        Daivari showed poor sportsmanship when he viciously kicked Gallagher’s knee after the match was over. The crowd booed him which was nice to hear because it means that they cared about Gallagher’s well-being. Plus, it builds to their burgeoning feud on Raw and 205 Live. It was simplistic but very effective.

·        WWE Presents: The Backstage Quarrel Between Friends and Lovers. The bromance between Owens and Jericho just went from frosty to ice cold while Lana and Rusev had a falling out which ended with Lana taking off her wedding ring and throwing it on the ground.

·        Enzo Amore consoled The Ravishing Russian while she laughed at his “How You Doin’?” catchphrase. Who knew that Enzo walking around naked backstage would have creative legs two weeks later?

·        Lana invited Enzo back to her hotel room. I think it’s safe to say that there’s going to be some trouble brewing in Room 704. Just a hunch…

·        Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn had a very good match that featured great action throughout. Zayn put on an aerial showcase by delivering Tornado DDTs on the ring apron, through the ring, and inside the squared circle itself. Owens fought back as he delivered a wicked reverse Suplex from the top rope. Zayn countered with a series of Suplexes of his own followed by the Blue Thunder Bomb for a near fall.

·        Zayn went to the well too many times as he dropped Owens against the barricade with an Exploder Suplex. As both men rolled back in the ring, Owens laid out Zayn with a quick powerbomb for the win.

·        Despite both men having dozens of matches against each other over the years, each outing still feels fresh. Therefore, their rivalry will not get old in that respect.

·        Speaking of rivalries, The Sasha Banks and Charlotte Saga will continue at Roadblock as Sasha challenged Charlotte to an Iron Man Match for the Raw Women’s Championship. Charlotte mentioned that iron sharpens iron on Twitter after her loss last Monday. If their feud is FINALLY coming to an end, this would be a fitting conclusion to one of the best (if not the best) rivalry(ries) in WWE this year.

·        I do question Sasha challenging Charlotte to these high stakes matches for the Women’s Title. She failed to retain the title at Hell in a Cell. If she drops the belt for the third time at a major PPV, she needs to rethink her match strategy moving forward.

·        Rich Swann and TJ Perkins had a solid match which harkened back to their quarterfinal bout at the CWC earlier this year. It was a pretty Even Steven match as both men know each other so well. Perkins targeted Swann’s leg midway through the match which grounded the Outlandish One for a while. However, Swann recovered when he nailed TJP with a spin kick from mid-air for the win.

·        Swann built momentum heading into his Cruiserweight Championship rematch against The Brian Kendrick tomorrow night on 205 Live.

·        Bayley defeated Alicia Fox in a hard-fought bout when she pinned her with the Bayley-to-Belly. Michael Cole explained that Alicia was mad that Bayley gave Cedric Alexander a Bayley Bear backstage during the Raw Preshow. At least there was a purpose for the match taking place. Too bad the live audience wasn’t clued in because they were quiet for the most part. The crowd did muster a faint “We Want Some Bayley” chants.

·        It appears that Enzo and Lana are going to seal the deal in Room 704. I did crack up when Enzo started singing lyrics from R. Kelly’s “Bump N’ Grind”.

·        The Tussle in Texas: Mark Henry vs. Titus O’Neil. It should be retitled: The One-Side Beat Down In Texas Starring Mark Henry and Featuring Titus O’Neil.

·        Mark Henry validated my name change by quickly dispatching Titus O’Neil with the World’s Strongest Slam. The match was short and sweet.

·        Ric Flair just helped Enzo in his booty call quest by letting his limo driver take The Certified G to Lana’s hotel. What a classy guy.

·        Roman Reigns retained the United States Championship when he nailed Chris Jericho with a Spear for the win. It was a very good match as the fans were 60/40 behind Reigns while the adult male contingent cheered for Jericho.

·        Owens tried to will Jericho to victory by coming down to the ring and kicking Reigns in the head behind the referee’s back. Jericho capitalized by nailing Reigns with the Codebreaker. Reigns kicked out at two which sent KO into a tizzy. Jericho noticed that Owens was at ringside and proceeded to berate him for not staying in the back. Y2J shoved his best friend and told Owens to hit the bricks. Owens walked away which led to the finish moments later.

·        The forecast on the bromance has gone from ice cold to piping hot because Jericho is a 10 on the Habanero Pepper Scale of being pissed off at his BFF. Let’s just say that their fake spat a few weeks ago has turned into the real thing.

·        As suspected, Lana was laying the sticks for Enzo to fall into a trap. She tempted him with champagne and strawberries before ripping off his shirt and telling him to take off his pants. Before Enzo could seal the forbidden deal, Lana called for Rusev and the beat down was on. Rusev kicked his ass from pillar to post as Lana cheered her husband on. The Bulgarian Brute finished Enzo off by hitting him in the head with a vase before dragging him out of the hotel room.

·        After Lana looked semi-turned during Enzo’s promo last week, it was all a setup to make the Certified G look like a Certified Fool. It was an elaborate plan that built nicely throughout the show. The creative team deserves credit for weaving an entertaining plot line that had a beginning, middle, and end.

·        Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson vs. Sheamus and Cesaro was good until The New Day got involved which drew an automatic disqualification. Both teams survived the 10:00 p.m. Lull Period of Death as they had an entertaining match which saw Sheamus getting unanimously cheered for the first time since forever. Cesaro was great as usual while Gallows and Anderson held up their end as well.

·        A melee took place after the match was over as Cesaro and Sheamus took out The New Day. One can only assume that Mick Foley is going to book a Triple Threat Match next week with the Tag Team Championship on the line. Will the New Day tie Demolition’s record? We shall see. In any event, all three teams should have one hell of a match in Philly.

·        Charlotte and Ric Flair tend to have overly emotional moments whenever they are in the ring together. Charlotte apologized to her father for being a bitch of a daughter when she publicly shamed him on an episode of Raw six months ago. She was heartbroken when Flair showed up last week to raise Sasha Banks’ hand because it was a sign that she wasn’t the better woman that night. That moment gave her clarity which led to her mea culpa.

·        Flair came out per his daughter’s request and it seemed as if they hugged out their problems. When Flair tried to embrace her a second time, she slapped him in the face and called her father a son of a bitch.

·        Charlotte tore into her dad for choosing Sasha over her. Sasha came out to confront Charlotte, but The Queen quickly took control and laid out The Boss by ramming her head into the ring post as Flair looked on tearfully.

·        Charlotte rolled Sasha back in the ring to taunt her dad some more as Raw went off the air.

·        The first half of the final segment was iffy at best, but things got better once Charlotte slapped her old man.

·        Charlotte didn’t get rattled which helped her get hated for all the right reasons as the segment went on. Flair did a great job looking sad as he is one of the best criers in the business.

·        I know some fans are ready to throw in the towel on the Sasha-Charlotte feud, but it’s best to stretch things out a couple more weeks. Their 30-Minute Iron Man Match at Roadblock should be very good. Their rivalry has turned personal and I expect both ladies to show up and show out if this is truly the end of their feud. Hopefully. This was a good way to end the show minus the shaky start.

·        Overall, I thought tonight’s episode of Raw was competent. It wasn’t a blow away show, but WWE did a nice job hyping the Roadblock PPV. There was little fluff on the broadcast as everyone that was given airtime deserved it. A Neville sighting would be nice, but I digress.

·        The in-ring action ranged from solid to very good with Kevin Owens vs. Sami Zayn winning best match of the night honors with Jericho vs. Reigns coming in a close second.

·        The Enzo/Lana/Rusev faux love triangle was fun as it told a nice story throughout the night culminating with Enzo getting played. I am not expecting a technical masterpiece from Big Cass and Rusev, but it should be a good big man bout as Cass stands up for his best buddy.

·        As for the friendship between Owens and Jericho. It’s currently on the rocks, but I expect both men to hug it out before their respective matches at Roadblock.

·        The go-home show should be interesting next week as WWE will be hyping Roadblock while getting into the holiday spirit at the same time. That’s not the best combination, but we shall see how the company balances everything out. On the Brightside, the Triple Threat Match for the Tag Team Titles should be very good which should give people extra incentive to watch next week’s show as Raw emanates from Philadelphia. Let’s hope that the rest of the show lives up to the hype. Fingers crossed!

On that note, this wraps up another edition of The Raw Exposé. I hope you enjoyed it and I will be back tomorrow night with a brand new installment of The SmackDown Files. See you later, boys and girls!