Was finally off for a Monday Night and decided to watch the full 3-hour show to see what I've been missing on Hulu's shortened version. I'm weary that the show will be very good as the ones right before a PPV are usually pretty lame, although giving more time to the under-card performers. Here we go...
Show begins with Enzo and Cass replays. Enzo comes to the ring and cuts a stellar promo. Clearly the strength of his skill set. He can really connect with the fans in an entertaining and passionate way. It will be cool to see how he does on his own. He's starting his run super over with the fans. That said I say no way he wins the just announced match-up vs. Cass this Sunday. 7-foot catchprase that he wrote? Nice line... but Cass can really go, and we've seen that the multiple times Enzo was injured. That said Enzo's opening promo suggests his opponent this Sunday is a #Casshole. The mic drop and then coming back added the passion back to end the promo. Great mix of comedy, truth, and emotion.
Cass then interviewed backstage and his response is perfect. Claiming he's the star. Then Enzo attacks from behind leading to a pull-apart.
Then as Michael Cole loves to yell "It's Boss Time!" and then... "Hug Life!" It's gonna be Sasha Banks and Bailey vs. Alexa Bliss and Nia Jax in our opening match. Seems the ladies won't close the show again this week. with this being the bulk of the women's talent available on Raw. Hopefully we get and Emma sighting later in the show. Her versus Mickie James makes sense.
Nia knocks out Bailey on the outside when she wasn't in the match and she is helped to the back. Therefore Sasha works the bulk of the match as Nia and Alexa take turns wearing her down. Eventually Bailey knocks Nia off the apron and reverses a move in to the Bank Statement. Alexa taps out surprisingly fast.
Right to Kurt Angle out back on the phone. He is visited by Braun Strowman. Braun wants competition and claims he'll be in the ring later and Kurt better figure something out.
8:39 EST Next we are shown the video package for Samoa Joe vs. Brock Lesnar. Going to continue to be a lot of these tonight me thinks.
8:47 EST and finally our 2nd match is about to start. Cedric Alexander heading to the ring for cruiserweight action. All the cruiserweight action is usually cut from the Hulu version and then they end up replaying this stuff on 205 Live so I never really miss this stuff. Here comes Noam Dar to continue this feud... and joined by Alicia Fox. C.A. wins pretty fast after a mistaken interference attempt by Fox.
8:58 EST and it's time for Miz TV. He is joined by the Miztourage and Maryse. Miz mentions Dean Ambrose and suddenly I remember that these two are fighting... again for the IC Title at the PPV. Hopefully this leads to a stipulation I give a crap about. I love the Miz and I even like Dean, but I'm tired of this feud. I was tired of it on Smackdown and then they brought them over and continued it on Raw. Dean comes out and suggests a rematch tonight... then Slater and Rhyno come out and Slater claims he wants a IC title match. Arguing commences. Angle comes out. Miz angers Angle and he makes the match for Balls of Fire between Ambrose and Miz and then demands Miz to defend the IC title right now against Slater!
9:12 EST and intros for IC TItle match... match #3 of the evening. MIz, who isn't dressed for battle splits his pants up the back which clearly shows the tights underneath... so he was prepared? Dean on commentary is always decent. Eventually things breakdown outside with Maryse and the Miztourage and Rhyno... Slater is distracted so Miz hits Skull-Crushing Finale and it's over. Then the Miztourage take out Dean Ambrose who comes down to help post match. I like that they let Miz and the boys dominate to build them up. A solid match and a great time filler as the it's 9:30 EST after a commercial break and the match.
A commercial for Tapout with John Cena claiming we should never give up... uh John... guess what a Tapout is?
Apollo Crews is appearantly cool with Titus now... sounds like Titus wants him to rep the Titus brand against Strowman. This could be fun cause we all hate Crews and we get to watch Braun bet him up!
Then Goldust in the ring at 9:37. In a directors chair really getting back to his movie dude roots. Claiming it's time for the Shattered Truth debut. Probably will be a video package of their tag team spilt... Goldy thanks R-Truth for this picture in advance. I'm guessing this footage was also cut from previous Hulu Raws... after the film R-Truth is behind Goldust in the chair and they brawl. R-Truth fights off Goldust and they seem to think we want to watch more of that. We don't. Thanks to Hulu for cutting that crap out.
Sheamus and Cesaro with Angle who announces a 30-minute ironman match for the tag titles vs. the Hardys at Great Balls of Fire. Then Cesaro says he wants Finn Balor tonight and it's granted. 30 minutes should be no sweat for Sheamus and Cesaro... even Jeff Hardy doesn't have me too worried but can Matt do it? Or will he break... down?
Seth Rollins comes out at 9:47 and we are set for match #4 as Curt Hawkins is already in the ring. He has the mic and says he wanted to face Braun. He polls the crowd again but Seth cuts it off. Basic heel/face promo crap... when will Seth turn back to the darkside? Seth makes short work of Hawkins as by 9:50 it's over. Seth takes the mic and talks about Bray Wyatt...
We are shown Joe and Brock as an interview with both is up next. They appear split screen as they go to commercial and just like that we have 2 hours behind us and have seen 4 matches. One lasting less than 2 minutes. Oddly I haven't hated it. Let's see what they do in the final hour...
Joe comes out and says he won't answer Cole's questions. Rather he wants to ask the questions. Brock blocks the question to Heyman and speaks up which is good. Cocky Brock is the best Brock. He's smiling and seeming confident while Joe barks and gets angry. Joe leaves to find wherever Brock is. Heyman and Brock laugh as they hope he comes. Good stuff and not your typical Heel/Face matchup... this is fun and different. Joe is cutoff by Angle and security. As he has Brock in his sights he's held back while Brock stands there smiling and taunting. Cut to commercial.
Neville to the ring next. The king of the cruiserweights will face Tozawa at the PPV Sunday but tonight he faces Mustafa Ali. As this match is ready to start I remember why they did cruiserweights on Raw, to help fill the 3 hours, but with 205 Live being the showcase and with that Live after Smackdown why not just do ladies on one and cruiserweights on the other. Add women's tag belts and Crusierweight tag belts to add to the non-title storylines and have at it that way. Match #5 starts while we are at commercial. It's 10:13 at match conclusion. A pretty solid match which has Neville go over by tapout.
Braun is going to come out angry, Cesaro vs. Finn and now we are shown Bray Wyatt... that should be enough to stretch til the end of the show...
Come back from commercial to Bray Wyatt in the desert. Blah blah blah crazy talk... he's chaos that fuels a fire... he's everywhere... blah blah Can you hear me Seth? I guess he works for Verizon now. Blah blah Sunday... end video.
Alexa backstage. Throws the sass better than anyone when asked a question by Charlie backstage.
10:24 and here comes FInn Balor for his match with Cesaro. Match 6 on the night comes after another commercial.
Side note: Gatorade commercial with big name athletes sharing bad stuff that happened to drive them to success. Then they close the commercial with Matt Ryan, the QB of the Falcons, suggesting he will bounce back from that Super loss. HILARIOUS! Remember this when in a couple of years we try to remember the name of the QB that year the Falcons were good. That's right. I still blame him and the Falcons for rolling over and losing the SB. They don't deserve another shot ever. You were up 28-3 and BLEW IT. Losers! Makes me want a Powerade.
So far they have setup matches for Sunday pretty well. I'm looking forward to the PPV and that's saying something for the way Raw has been lately. Cesaro comes out and then the Hardys come out to watch and join the announce team.
It's 10:32 before the bell rings. Looking forward to what will most likely be our main event match. A good match and as Balor looks ready to wrap it up Elias Sampson comes ringside and strums the guitar distracting Finn. Cesaro takes control and then after Finn takes control again everything breaks down and the Hardys come down to ringside. Balor flies out on to all of the men. Then it's a move fest excahnge outside ending up with Cesaro in the ring taking a coupe de gras for the win. A solid match leaving us at 10:47 with only Strowman to come.
Let me predict. Reigns, who is said to not be there, will be... he and Braun will brawl. Maybe Reigns will get the upper hand this time.
Well Strowman out. Titus comes out and intros Apollo Crews of Titus Worldwide. So this is match 7 of the night. Booker T calls him Apollo Creed pointing out the reason he should pick another name and reinvent himself with a personality. Braun is basically dominating. Can't believe Crews is in the main event of Raw. From a pure match stand point this Raw has stunk, but as one before a PPV it's actually pretty good.
Crews gets on a little roll until he tries to do his flippy splash and Strowman kicks him across the ring... no exaggeration on that. Then he has Apollo down after a running powerslam but he pulls him up after 2 and delivers another then does it 2 more times before pinning Crews. He picks him up for a 4th powerslam and Titus saves Crews. Then steps in to face Strowman. They exchange words then fists and Titus gets destroyed. Then he picks up Crews and throws him in to the crowd. They go out through the crowd towards the ambulance. And he throws him in and shuts the doors. He pats the back suggesting it should drive away but it doesn't which upsets Strowman... and oh yeah there is Reigns in the cab.
Reigns spears Strowman off the stage through some tables and such... so basically I was right. Either way they did what they had to do with this show. I don't hate myself for watching the whole thing. Wonder how many matches they will show on Hulu.
So that was a 3-Hour plus Raw as the show went off air at 11:10p. It was a fun ride but I can't see how people always have time for all 3 hours. And that comes from a guy with next to no life.
#Raw #3HourRaw #EnzoAmore #BigCass #SashaBanks #Bailey #NiaJax #AlexaBliss #SamoaJoe #BrockLesnar #BraunStrowman #DeanAmbrose #HeathSlater #TheMiz #Tapout #ApolloCrews #Goldust #RTruth #FinnBalor #MattRyan #RomanReigns