The Raw Exposé: Prelude To A Shield Reunion - The Big Dog Goes Down (Chapter One)

By: Keila Cash

Hello everyone and welcome to another installment of The Raw Exposé. Tonight’s episode of Monday Night Raw emanated from the Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario, California. No Mercy lived it up to its namesake as Roman Reigns proved that he was The Guy by defeating John Cena in the most important match of his career thus far while Brock Lesnar schooled Braun Strowman that bigger doesn’t always mean better by successfully defending the Universal Championship. Word on the internet street suggests that Lesnar vs. Reigns II is set in stone for next year’s WrestleMania. Did WWE start planting the seeds or did they throw fans a curveball instead? The answer to that question can be found throughout this blog. Without further ado, let’s dissect tonight’s show in no particular order.

·        The Miz invited Roman Reigns to Miz TV so they could shoot the breeze about Reigns defeating John Cena at No Mercy last night. Reigns respected Cena and thanked him for holding down the fort for the past 15 years. It was time for the Big Dog to focus his attention on winning the Universal Championship from Brock Lesnar instead of wasting his time talking to Miz.

·        Miz felt disrespected by Reigns’ comment because he was the only one in the ring with a title draped over his shoulder. Reigns noted that Miz needed help in order to retain the Intercontinental Championship and asked The Miztourage to fetch him a beer.

·        Miz shot back by saying Reigns rode the coattails of The Shield and claimed that he and his crew could beat them if they were around five years ago.

·        Reigns laughed at Miz’s assertion and stated that The Shield would kick their asses in quick fashion. Miz scolded Reigns for choking in big matches against Brock Lesnar, Samoa Joe, and Braun Strowman in recent months. Miz wanted the spotlight on him since he held the most important title on Raw.

·        Reigns agreed and challenged him to a match. Miz declined and made a hasty exit when Kurt Angle stopped him in his tracks.

·        Angle announced that Miz will face Reigns later tonight while Bo Dallas and Curtis Axel teamed up against Matt Hardy and Jason Jordan which took place after the commercial break.

·        This was a fine way to start the show. Reigns held his own on the mic while Miz heeled it up for maximum effect by teasing a Shield reunion. It’s a surefire way for Reigns to get unanimously cheered by the crowd. It might do him a world of good heading into his presumed Universal Championship match against Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania next year.

·        Matt Hardy and Jason Jordan defeated Bo Dallas and Curtis Axel when Hardy pinned Dallas with the Twist of Fate in a decent match. The crowd was lukewarm throughout, but they popped for the finish. Kurt Angle announcing Jordan as Hardy’s tag team partner during the opening segment killed the fans’ enthusiasm which carried over into the match. The Jason Jordan Experiment is hanging on by a thread. Let’s hope he gets a character revamp because his in-ring work is not enough to overcompensate for a storyline that has more holes than a block of Swiss cheese.

·        Elias defeated Apollo Crews with the Drift Away in an okay match. Crews dominated the action and was over with the crowd until Elias kicked Titus O’Neil in the leg at ringside which led to the distraction finish moments later.

·        Elias continued to attack O’Neil until the founder of Titus Worldwide fought back which sent The Drifter into retreat. An Elias-O’Neil feud is not going to set the world on fire, but it gives both men something to do. Something is better than nothing I suppose.

·        Finn Bálor is done with Bray Wyatt and plans to reclaim the Universal Title that he never lost in the first place. Interesting development…

·        Curt Hawkins provided the perfect pick me up for Braun Strowman as he got destroyed in epic fashion. Strowman chased Hawkins down and chokeslammed him through a table near the production area. He followed things up by powerslamming Hawkins through the LED screen. It was a sick spot that popped the crowd something fierce.

·        Strowman got back in the ring and demanded a fight against anyone in the locker room. Living up to his Lunatic Fringe moniker, Dean Ambrose was more than willing to accept the challenged. Does Ambrose have a death wish? We shall find out soon enough.

·        Braun Strowman returned to max power by defeating Dean Ambrose with a Powerslam in a good match. Ambrose was scrappy and had Strowman down for a ten count, but it wasn’t enough to beat the Monster Among Men. Dare I say Strowman had a better match against Ambrose than he did against Brock Lesnar last night? I dare.

·        Alexa Bliss and Mickie James had quite the exchange in the ring. James delivered her best mic work since returning to WWE earlier this year as she schooled Bliss on respecting those that paved the way for her. Bliss made fun of James being an old lady who was clinging on to her glory years. In return, James slapped her before kicking Little Miss Bliss in the face for good measure.

·        The segment started a little rough with the crowd chanting “What?” at Bliss, but things got better once James made her way to the ring. Their previous matches haven’t been great, but I expect both ladies to deliver the goods if they are given the chance to do so. Most importantly, it’s a different feud that fans might care about on an emotional level for a change. How refreshing!

·        Seth Rollins defeated Sheamus with a knee to the face in a solid match. Cesaro played the role of cheerleader at ringside, but the outcome was never in doubt.

·        I guess Goldust’s babyface turn lasted for a week because he attacked Finn Bálor backstage. Goldust claimed that Bálor viewed him as a victim who needed to be saved from Bray Wyatt a few weeks ago. Bálor apologized, but Goldust responded by kicking his ass.

·        If this is leading to a Goldust vs. Bálor match, I am all for it. Goldust is a very good wrestler who can show up and show out when the lights are on bright. This could be a sleeper hit if everything goes according to plan. Hollywood pun intended.

·        Roman Reigns defeated The Miz when he nailed Miz with a Spear for the win. Reigns didn’t get a chance to celebrate as The Miztourage jumped him from behind. Reigns fought back and nailed Miz with a Superman Punch and was about to finish him off with a powerbomb when Bo Dallas and Curtis Axel hit him with a chair shot to the back.

·        The chair attack continued until Miz dropped Reigns with the Skull Crushing Finale. Miz and his crew headed up the ramp when Miz noticed that Reigns was starting to get up.

·        They ran back in the ring and continued to kick Reigns’ ass. Miz hit Reigns with another SCF on the chair before striking him in the back once more. The heels stood over Reigns as they did The Shield fist bump which added insult to injury.

·        This was a great way for Miz and his Miztourage to get heat while setting up a presumed Shield reunion in the process. It would be fitting for the gang to get back together at Tables, Ladders, and Chairs because their in-ring debut took place at this very PPV almost five years ago. Miz is a proxy when it comes to former friends reconciling in recent months. Did he receive his group therapy certification from Dr. Shelby?

·        Finn Bálor defeated Goldust with the Coup De Grace in a decent match. Goldust put up a good fight, but the outcome was academic. I wished the match was more competitive, but Goldust’s job is to enhance talent at this stage of his career. It’s sad but true.

·        After the match was over, Bray Wyatt spooked Bálor by having a little girl sing “He’s Got The Whole World In His Hands.” I thought this feud was over. Bálor beat Wyatt clean with and without face paint. It’s time for both men to move the hell on at this point.

·        Sasha Banks and Bayley defeated Nia Jax and Emma when Bayley pinned Emma with the Bayley-to-Belly in a decent match. Jax targeted Bayley’s arm throughout, but the Hugger Extraordinaire gutted it out and made the hot tag to Banks. Banks cleaned house and helped Bayley take out Jax at ringside which led to the aforementioned finish. Unfortunately, the match took place during the 10:30 Lull Period of Death which left the crowd listless for the most part.

·        The main event segment shined a spotlight on the Cruiserweight Division as Enzo Amore embraced being an arrogant asshole who wasn’t ashamed to admit that he cheated his way to victory by defeating Neville for the Cruiserweight Championship at the No Mercy PPV last night.

·        Enzo was so proud of himself that he decided to retire his Certified G Jersey. The rest of the Cruiserweights came out and Enzo threw shade at Rich Swann for being irrelevant, accused Cedric Alexander of having no personality, and claimed that Gran Metalik was too big for 205 Live.

·        Neville came out to confront Enzo, but Enzo took potshots at Neville’s ears looking like a pair of satellite dishes. Neville laid into him for being a slug who was dumped at the doorstep of 205 Live because no one else wanted him. The wrestlers vouched for him, but he’s bought a toxicity to the division that must be removed. Neville was the man for the job as he made his way to the ring.

·        Enzo warned Neville that he couldn’t touch him if wanted another shot at the Cruiserweight Title. Enzo continued to run his mouth about Neville not sniffing the main event scene until now. He bragged about his merchandise sales and told Neville to get the hell out of his ring.

·        Neville responded by attacking Enzo and slamming him head first into the framed Certified G Jersey.

·        He tossed Enzo into the barricade as the fans cheered him on. Enzo tried to run away, but rest of the Cruiserweights forced him to get back in the ring. Neville finished him off with the Red Arrow as Raw went off the air with Neville standing tall while Enzo was laid out in the ring.

·        This was a very interesting way to end the show. One has to assume that Enzo Amore is a full-blown heel at this point. He was totally unlikeable which plays into his real-life persona behind the scenes. If WWE wants to make him the most hated man in the company, they are doing a very good job at the moment. However, the Cruiserweight Division needs to be elevated in the process.

·        Neville gave up a title shot in order to stand up for a division he has carried on his back for over nine months. He’s a great heel, but his offense and high-flying prowess scream lovable babyface. Enzo being the pest heel who gets on everyone nerves is Neville’s way to get back in the fans’ good graces. The Ontario crowd wasn’t super hot for the final segment, but there are signs that Neville can be a strong face that could put Enzo in his place if or when he gets another shot at the Cruiserweight Championship.

·        Overall, I thought tonight’s episode of Raw was middling at best. The in-ring action was nothing to write home about, but WWE did a nice job foreshadowing The Shield reuniting after Roman Reigns got ambushed by The Miz and his Miztourage. It should be quite the moment when the Hounds of Justice bump fists once more. *Sniff*

·        The Ontario crowd was pretty lukewarm throughout the broadcast. The company didn’t give them a lot to get excited about as the show started to drag after the second hour. My guilty pleasure of the night goes to the entertaining exchange between Mickie James and Alexa Bliss and Enzo Amore being the world’s biggest asshole during the main event segment. Everything else was sort of there without the star power of John Cena and Brock Lesnar.

·        Here’s hoping the creative team has something up their sleeve because now is not the time to shrink away from Monday Night Football. There are moving pieces navigating across the chess board, but there needs to be a level of consistency and excitement to keep fans hooked as the fall television season gets underway. The Shield reunion is a nice start, but more needs to be done to make up for Brock Lesnar chilling on his farm for the foreseeable future.

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 Original Big Dog vs. The New Big Dog - A WrestleMania Story (3-6-2017)

By: Keila Cash 

Hello everyone and welcome to another installment of The Raw Exposé. Tonight’s episode of Monday Night Raw emanated from the Allstate Arena in Chicago, Illinois. The fallout from the Fastlane PPV would reach a fevered pitch because the Windy City is notorious for having raucous fans who have no shame in unleashing their fury if they smell bullshit coming from a mile away. With Fastlane being riddled with iffy booking decisions, Raw was ripe for a hijacking. Did Goldberg quell the noise or was he public enemy number one after defeating Kevin Owens in 21 seconds to become the new Universal Champion? 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.

·        Chris Jericho will face Kevin Owens for the United States Championship at WrestleMania. This news was expected as Owens and Jericho kicked off the show.

·        Jericho wanted to know why Owens betrayed him and proceeded to call KO out.

·        Owens made his way onto the main stage and explained that he needed a tool to do his dirty work after he won the Universal Championship last August. Jericho was gullible enough to get the job done. However, his usefulness ran its course when he booked Owens in a Universal Title match against Goldberg at Fastlane. This led to the Festival of Friendship debacle a couple of weeks later which ended their business relationship.

·        Owens allowed Jericho to walk away because he was a good man. Jericho changed all that by costing him the Universal Title last night. Therefore, he vowed to take Jericho’s United States Title at WrestleMania. Y2J agreed and invited Owens to the ring. Owens accepted and the brawl was on.

·        Samoa Joe attacked Jericho from behind which made things a 2-on-1 situation. Sami Zayn ran down to the ring with a steel chair to even the odds. Joe and Owens double teamed Zayn for a bit until Jericho made the save as the opening segment came to an end.

·        This was a hot way to start the show. Jericho was entertaining on the mic while Owens showed his true colors by telling Jericho that he was never his best friend. Their match at Mania for the US Title should be very good with their promos setting the stage for an epic showdown.

·        Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn had a solid match, but it was short on time. Zayn had a few hope spots including an awesome flip dive which saw him sail over the referee and onto Owens onto the outside.

·        Owens recovered and dropped Zayn with the Popup Powerbomb. He added insult to injury by drilling Zayn with a Pumphandle Neck Breaker before winning the match with a second Popup Powerbomb.

·        This was more about getting heat on Owens than having a competitive back and forth match against Zayn. It makes sense, but Zayn deserves better than being a setup man for other high profile matches on the Mania card.

·        Neville and Rich Swann had a very good match for the Cruiserweight Championship despite dealing with CM Punk chants early on. The action was fast paced and hard hitting throughout. Swann landed some sick kicks and almost had the match won, but got a little overzealous when he tried to hit Neville with the Phoenix Splash. Neville moved out of the way and made Swann tap out to the Rings of Saturn moments later.

·        After the match was over, Austin Aries interviewed Neville in the ring. The King of the Cruiserweights did his usual spiel while the fans chanted for Aries. Aries asked if there was another Cruiserweight that could go toe-to-toe with Neville. Neville assumed that Aries was talking about himself and proceeded to shout him down while spraying spit in his face.

·        Aries had one more question to ask Neville but decided to make a statement instead when he clocked Neville with a couple of stiff elbow shots to the face as the crowd erupted. Aries is now a major player in the Cruiserweight Division. His personality screams heel, but he is a cool face that fans are ready to get behind. Aries could be a breakout star on Raw and 205 Live if he’s booked properly. His presumed WrestleMania against Neville for the Cruiserweight Title should be great if both men are given enough time to shine.

·        Paul Heyman and Brock Lesnar were the perfect equalizers to neutralize the CM Punk chants that rained down on Goldberg during the onset of his promo. It was very hostile until Heyman came out with Lesnar in tow.

·        Heyman stated that Lesnar wanted to shake Goldberg’s hand for winning the Universal Championship at Fastlane last night. From one beast to another, he wanted to show his respect. From one conqueror to another, he wanted to show his admiration for a job well done.

·        However, these pleasantries would come to an end at WrestleMania when both men face off for the Universal Championship. Heyman provided a spoiler that Lesnar would walk away as the new Universal Champion. To cap things off, Lesnar would prove to the world that Goldberg was his bitch.

·        Goldberg took offense to that, but his reaction time was a little off as Lesnar dropped him with an F5. It was a great moment that caught everyone off guard as the segment came to an end.

·        For the first time since Goldberg’s return in October, he was staring up at the lights instead of standing tall. Lesnar made quite the statement while Heyman did a great job laying the sticks for the big surprise at the end. WWE was smart to keep things short and sweet. The Chicago fans smelled blood in the water, but the company did enough to salvage the situation. All in all, everything went according to plan.

·        Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson retained the Raw Tag Team Championship thanks to Cesaro attacking Anderson which led to the automatic disqualification. Gallows and Anderson vs. Enzo and Big Cass was fine, but the outcome was never in doubt after Cesaro and Sheamus appeared at ringside before the commercial break.

·        After Enzo laid out Gallows with a Tope, Enzo got a little overexcited and accidently bumped into Cesaro which caused him to spill his coffee all over Sheamus. Cesaro chased Enzo back in the ring which led to the DQ finish.

·        All three teams got into a brief scuffle which ended with Sheamus nailing Enzo with a Brogue Kick while he was draped over Cesaro’s shoulder.

·        Mick Foley announced that Cesaro and Sheamus will face Enzo and Big Cass next week with the winners going to face Gallows and Anderson for the Tag Team Titles at WrestleMania.

·        Akira Tozawa and Ariya Daivari had a solid match that featured a fun exchange of knife-edged chops until Tozawa eventually picked up the win with a Snap German Suplex.

·        After the match was over, Tozawa called out The Brian Kendrick after Kendrick’s series of attacks over the past few weeks. Kendrick vowed to answer his challenge tomorrow night on 205 Live. It was short and to the point.

·        The New Day made quick work of The Shining Stars when Big E and Kofi Kingston defeated Primo with The Midnight Hour. The match was fine while it lasted.

·        Stephanie McMahon laid down the law and announced that Charlotte would get another shot at the Raw Women’s Championship when she goes one-on-one with Bayley at WrestleMania. Sasha Banks threw her name in the hat and Mick Foley was about to make things official until Charlotte interrupted.

·        Stephanie came out to read Foley the Riot Act moments later. Foley tried to explain that Banks shouldn’t be left off the biggest show of the year. Therefore, he decided to book Banks in a match against Charlotte next week with the winner going on to face Bayley for the Women’s Title at WM.

·        Stephanie appreciated Foley’s passion but decided to flip the script by booking Banks against Bayley. If Banks won, the Women’s Title match would become a Triple Threat affair.

·        This was a nice way to set up the Women’s Championship at WrestleMania. Stephanie got the biggest heat of the night so far as she was showered with CM Punk chants. She tried to shut them down by calling the fans losers, but it didn’t work. She mustered enough gusto to power through the segment, though.

·        Bayley feeling conflicted about retaining the title under a cloud of controversy makes sense, but Sasha Banks continues to justify her actions which will probably come into play via a heel turn in the very near future. It needs to happen soon because Bayley’s Goody Two-Shoes character has taken a hit due to questionable booking as of late.

·        Sasha Banks punched her ticket to WrestleMania by making Bayley tap out to the Bank Statement. Charlotte and Dana Brooke interfered, but it was to no avail as The Boss turned the one-on-one Women’s Championship match into a Triple Threat.

·        Sasha and Bayley had a decent match, but it was very methodical in nature. The crowd could have easily turned on them, but they remained on their best behavior by being lukewarm at best. The face vs. face dynamic is always a killer because the fans are forced to choose a side. Tonight was no different as they were muted for most of the match.

·        Charlotte nailed Sasha and Bayley with a pair of big boots and raised the Women’s Title in the air to signal that she was 27 days away from becoming a five-time champion.

·        Samoa Joe defeated Chris Jericho via count-out when he put Jericho to sleep with the Coquina Clutch outside the ring.

·        Joe tried to do more damage to Jericho, but Y2J nailed him with a Codebreaker which kept The Destroyer at bay.

·        The match was decent while it lasted, but it was slotted during the 10:30 p.m. Lull Period of Death which is known to kill segments dead prior to the main event.

·        Who knew Braun Strowman was a crowd panderer?

·        Strowman is a smart man. Respect your elders and take your leave. That was a classy move on his part.

·        Roman Reigns learned a valuable lesson tonight. Never a claim a yard that isn’t yours because the previous owner might have something to say about that. The Undertaker glanced at the WrestleMania sign and choke slammed Reigns in the middle of the ring. It appears that Reigns vs. Undertaker is set for Mania.

·        Raw went off the air with Taker standing tall while Reigns was shaking away the proverbial cobwebs in the ring.

·        This was a hot way to end the show. The crowd erupted when Taker’s gong hit. It was an amazing prolonged pop that was breathtaking to witness at home, but it had to be unreal watching it in-person.

·        Reigns was booed out of the building and got schooled by The Dead Man leading up to their match at WM.

·        It’s an interesting match that might become another passing of the torch moment for Reigns if he beats Taker at the biggest show of the year. It’s a tricky balancing act because Reigns is the de facto heel in this feud which might finally give people a taste of what it would be like if he truly went rogue. If Taker’s health holds up, they could have a very good match. It’s been a few years since The Phenom has had a show-stealing match at Mania. Will he reverse that trend this year by having a classic battle against Reigns? We shall find out soon enough.

·        Overall, I thought tonight’s episode of Raw was decent at best. The main event segment made the show feel newsworthy, but it appeared that WWE was in damage control by trying to keep the Chicago crowd in check throughout the night. The Goldberg-Brock Lesnar confrontation was ripe for a hijacking, but Paul Heyman saved the day by delivering a great promo that set up Lesnar hitting Goldberg with the F5. Things might get dicey as the Road to WrestleMania makes pit stops in Brooklyn and Philadelphia on March 20^th and 27^th. If the creative team plays it smart, Heyman should be able to keep the boo-birds at bay.

·        The rest of the broadcast was inoffensive, but it didn’t feel like a hot post-PPV show until Taker’s appearance at the end. Over the next three weeks, Raw needs to feel like a must-see show. The groundwork has been laid, now it’s time to put the wheels in motion.

·        Kevin Owens vs. Chris Jericho for the US Title writes itself. The Tag Team Championship situation will be resolved next week. The Women’s Division is in a quagmire due to problematic booking decisions as of late. Bayley, Charlotte, and Sasha Banks are capable of rising above the noise to deliver a good match at WrestleMania with the Women’s Title at stake. Nia Jax is still a wild card, but we shall see where she fits in the Mania picture soon enough.

·        WWE tried their best to right the ship after the Fastlane fallout. They have a few more weeks to make the Raw side of the WM card feel special. It’s touch and go at the moment, but there’s still time to get it together. Fingers crossed!

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

The Raw Exposé: The Kevin Owens Is The King of the Universe Edition (8-29-2016)

By: Keila Cash 

Hello everyone and welcome to another installment of The Raw Exposé. Tonight’s episode of Monday Night Raw emanated from the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. The WWE Universal Championship is on the line as Seth Rollins, Kevin Owens, Big Cass, and Roman Reigns vie for the big red belt made out of Kryptonite. Who walked away with the title? Was it a safe bet, a sure thing, or sweet surprise? 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.

·         The opening segment of Raw featuring Seth Rollins, Kevin Owens, Big Cass, and Roman Reigns discussing why they will win the WWE Universal Championship was very good. Kevin Owens’ promo was the best out of the four, but I thought Cass and Rollins held their own on the mic as well. Reigns didn’t have much to say as he let his fists do the talking as all hell broke loose with Reigns hitting Rollins with a Superman Punch which set the tone for what’s to come during the Fatal Four Way Elimination Match later tonight.

·         The fact that the opener lasted less than ten minutes was a plus. There was no need to have a drawn out discussion about winning the Big Red Belt and I loved the one-liners Owens, Rollins, and Cass hurled at each other. It struck the right balance of being funny, yet serious at the same time. Overall, I thought this was an effective way to start the show.

·         Neville vs. Chris Jericho had a good match as it featured nice back and forth action with a hint of chicanery from Jericho as he tried to gain an unfair advantage at every turn. I am glad that both men had the opportunity to have a proper match after Neville broke his ankle during their previous bout earlier this year.

·         During the closing moments of the match, Neville nailed Jericho with a Superkick and went to the top rope to hit the Red Arrow. Jericho rolled out of the way and quickly put Neville in the Walls of Jericho which turned into the Lion Tamer when he pressed his knee against the side of Neville’s face. Neville tried his best to hang on, but he tapped out.

·         It was a match that allowed Jericho to get a quality win while Neville looked good in the face of defeat. I hope this doesn’t become a recurring theme because Neville has a lot to offer as an in-ring performer. At least he won a few matches since his return to make his loss to Jericho easier to digest.

·         Nia Jax claimed another victim in short order. It was nothing to write home about.

·         Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows have transitioned from the medical field to the retirement home sector as they poked fun at the Dudley Boyz for being old and washed up. It’s a step up from talking about male genitalia.

·         Sami Zayn picked up the win against Jinder Mahal in a decent match. It was a little surprising to see Zayn involved in an enhancement bout, but it was refreshing that he continued to sell his ankle injury from last week. Continuity and good in-ring psychology can go hand and hand sometimes. Mahal was in control for a while, but it didn’t last long as Zayn nailed him with the Helluva Kick to get the 1-2-3. The match came off a bit cold, but I’m glad Zayn got a win under his belt. Mahal has been firmly slotted as enhancement talent to put other people over. At least he’s getting a check.

·         Random observation: Kofi Kingston is wearing unicorn horn tipped shoes…

·         The New Day and Bayley vs. Anderson, Gallows, and Dana Brooke was solid as Bayley picked up the win for her team as she dropped Brooke with the Bayley to Belly Suplex. Bayley looked good and Brooke held her own minus that ugly double dropkick that barely connected before the match went to commercial. The action picked up after the break and everyone managed to shine despite how wonky mixed tag matches can be at times. 

·         I will say that WWE needs to dial it back a little bit when it comes to the presentation of Bayley. She is a professional hugger with a carefree personality. However, pairing her up with The New Day is taking happiness to the freaking extreme. She’s was bordering on being a caricature of herself which gave me butterflies for all the wrong reasons. Bayley’s wrestling calmed my nerves, but it’s a delicate balance to strike when it comes to her character. She should be presented as being joyous, but serious at the same time. The New Day’s unicorn magic works in most cases, but their shtick can be hit or miss which negatively affects their feuds sometimes. I don’t want Bayley to suffer a similar fate, but I understand why WWE decided to put them together. They are popular and the crowd popped huge for them. Fortunately, Bayley handled her business in the ring by staying true to herself. The ovation from the fans was a clear sign of that. I just want WWE to exercise control by not tinkering with Bayley’s character too much. There is no need to fix what’s already working.

·         Sheamus is up 2-0 in his Best of Seven Series against Cesaro. As always, they had a good match which culminated with a series of European Uppercuts from Cesaro to Sheamus. The Swiss Superman dropped the Celtic Warrior with a dropkick from the top rope and it appeared that Cesaro had the match under control. Sheamus managed to gain the upper hand when he dropped a charging Cesaro back first into the ring post. Cesaro immediately grabbed his back as the referee checked on him. Sheamus tossed Cesaro back in the ring and wasted no time putting him in the Cloverleaf. Cesaro quickly tapped out in order to fight another day. Cesaro is behind the eight ball as he needs to get back in the series before he falls to 0-3. I doubt he’s going to choke when it counts most, but stranger things have happened. Just saying…

·         Americo…Is he Captain America’s long lost son?

·         Braun Stroman picks up another easy win as he committed the carnal sin of removing Americo’s mask. That generated more heat than the match itself.

·         We can officially add Tommaso Ciampa, Cedric Alexander, and Johnny Gargano to the Cruiserweight Division. If they are given ample television time, the Cruiserweights should steal the damn show every week.

·         Stephanie McMahon just tried Finn Bálor by saying that the first-ever Universal Champion would be crowned later tonight. I am sure it was a Freudian slip, but still. It stings a little bit.

·         Oh Joy. A CM Punk Chant. Get over it, people!

·         Paul Heyman is carrying a stack of 500 one dollar bills. He is a frugal baller.

·         This whole Stephanie McMahon-Paul Heyman segment was a complete waste of time. Stephanie was at her emasculating best as she snipped Heyman’s balls and added them to her vast collection. Heyman’s apology was okay, but it was nothing special. Both parties should have been laughing their asses off about putting the screws to Shane McMahon. Stephanie should have been gloating about The Beast taking down two key stars from SmackDown. Sadly, she had to get her lady rocks off by berating Heyman when they should have been sharing a toast instead. This failed on so many levels.

·         Darren Young defeated Titus O’Neil only for Young and Bob Backlund to get attacked afterwards by O’Neil. I guess this feud must continue. Yay! *Insert Sarcasm Here*

·         Enzo Amore knows how to wake a crowd up. The Houston fans went off for his introduction. Amazing…

·         Big Cass has been eliminated from the Fatal Four Way Bout. Cass had a nice showing as he was dishing out big boots left and right. He rose to the occasion and showed that he can go when the lights are on bright. His moment in the sun will come in due time.  Cass needs Enzo and vice versa right now. There is no rush to strap a rocket to his ass right now.

·         That was a hell of a counter by Reigns. Rollins was trying to hit Reigns with a flying knee, but Reigns nailed him with a Superman Punch from midair. It was a beautiful spot that was timed perfectly.

·         Triple H!!!! With a pedigree to Reigns!!! Shit just got real!

·         I guess Hunter just cashed his receipt after losing to Reigns at WrestleMania.

·         Double swerve alert! Triple H just pedigreed Rollins and Owens picked the bones to become the new WWE Universal Champion. Holy shit!

·         Wow. Just Wow. The Fatal Four Way Elimination match featuring Rollins, Owens, Big Cass, and Reigns was a hell of a bout before Triple H interfered. The action was strong throughout and everybody had their moment to shine which drove the crowd insane. The drama was at an all-time high as the next elimination built to a stunning crescendo. Triple H attacking Reigns from out of nowhere was shocking. Rollins getting up the dirty pin was expected, but to see Hunter betray his protégé with The Pedigree pushed things over the top. Owens sold being in absolute shock as Triple H gave him the nod of approval.

·         Owens was overcome with emotion as Triple H raised his hand in victory as Mick Foley and Stephanie looked completely stunned by what happened. Triple H gave Foley the death stare and didn’t even acknowledge his wife as he exited the ringside area via the barricade. It was quite the visual as the head honchos were left bewitched, bothered, and bewildered.

·         The show ended with Owens parading with the Universal Championship as the crowd chanted “You Deserve It!”

·         This was a tremendous way to end the show. The Triple H double swerve was something that nobody saw coming. This was a genuine surprise that leaves the door open for so many possibilities. Is Owens the new corporate face of Monday Night Raw? Will Rollins finally become a babyface after Triple H stabbed him in the back? Where does Reigns fit into all of this? Will he go back to feuding with Rusev for the United States Championship or will he and Rollins team up to take on Triple H and Owens? Were Foley and Stephanie in the know or were they truly blindsided by the Chief Operating Officer of WWE? There is so much to unpack and I can’t wait to see how it all plays out. The best part of the brand extension is that we have to wait until next week to see the fallout. Cliffhanger Mondays are back in full effect.

·         As for Owens, he was my sleeper pick from last week. I really wanted him to win because he would offer something completely different as champion. He deserves this opportunity to thrive and succeed in the main event scene. Owens is one of the best workers and talkers in the company and I believe he will bring some much need shine to big red belt. As the fans stated, he deserves it.

·         Overall, I thought this was a very good episode of Raw. The main event was filled with great wrestling with a big fat swerve thrown in as an added bonus. It was amazing to watch it all unfold. The rest of the show featured solid in-ring action with a couple of squashes mixed in for good measure. Outside of Bayley veering into the land of Velveeta Cheese by teaming with The New Day and Stephanie McMahon getting on my nerves during the top of the third hour, this was a strong show that didn’t overstay its welcome.

·         As always, the follow up is key. What will the creative team do to make sense of what happened tonight? They have a lot of moving pieces to navigate and I am sure Triple H’s fingerprints will be all over the final product. He doesn’t appear on-screen unless he has a contingency plan in place. We shall see what The Game has in store for us next week. 

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