Welcome to Fightful.com's live coverage and discussion for Monday Night Raw!!!
Join us for live coverage, and comment on our boards below, or our forums by registering for FREE at fightful.com.
Here is the Fightful post-Raw podcast:
- The show starts off with highlights from last weeks WWE Intercontinental Title Match.
- WWE Intercontinental Champion Roman Reigns makes his way to the ring and he grabs a microphone, Reigns says that Samoa Joe wasn’t ready for him last week. Reigns says that he silences Joe last week and he was fighting for Dean Ambrose last week, Jason Jordan interrupts and makes his way to the ring. Jordan gets a microphone and he says that he got goosebumps watching Reigns compete last week, Jordan says that Reigns has proved that the ring is his yard.
Jordan goes to shake Reigns hand and Seth Rollins makes his way to the ring with microphone in hand, Rollins says that Jordan still has a lot to learn. Rollins says that he knows that he means well, Jordan says that they are all champions and they run the show. Reigns tries to calm Jordan down as he continues boasting about their accomplishments, The Balor Club interrupt with microphones in hand. Balor wonders if Jordan is right about being part of the most dominant group and Jordan says yes, Karl Anderson talks about their history together.
Doc Gallows says they knew they initially had to stand alone when they all came to the WWE, Gallows talks about all of their history. Anderson says they knew they would always come together to take over, Balor says 2018 is the year of Balor Club. Jordan says he is happy to be a part of the Champions Club, Anderson calls the Champions Club a sadder version of The Shield. Jordan slaps Gallows and everybody has to be held apart, WWE Raw GM Kurt Angle comes out and says it will be Balor Club versus Reigns, Rollins and Jordan in the main event.
- Bayley, Sasha Banks & Mickie James are shown walking backstage.
Sasha Banks & Bayley w/Mickie James vs. Absolution (Sonya Deville & Mandy Rose) w/Paige
The match begins with Bayley holding Rose in a headlock, Rose breaks free to drop Bayley with a shoulder block. Bayley recovers to trap Rose in the corner before landing a variety of strikes, Rose switches spots with Bayley to nail her with forearm strikes. Rose then slams Bayley to get a near fall on her, Rose twists the head of Bayley while keeping her grounded. Bayley tries getting up and Rose shoves her back to the ground, Bayley gets angry and she just knocks Rose over. Bayley then hits Rose with a belly to back suplex before landing a knee strike as we go to a commercial break, we return from the break to see Rose shoving Banks to the mat.
Banks recovers to hit Rose with a hip toss followed by a double knee strike for a near fall, Rose fights back and assaults Banks with strikes. Banks gets back up and she slaps Rose right in the face, Banks attacks Deville and Rose nails her with a knee strike for a near fall. Deville tags in and she mauls Banks with strikes in the corner, Deville grounds Banks before applying the body scissors. Deville releases the hold to nail Banks with more strikes, Rose tags in and she stomps away on a downed Banks. Rose then traps Banks in the ropes before choking her on the middle rope, Rose traps Banks in the ropes again before landing a kick. Deville tags in and she gets a near fall on Banks, Banks and Deville both go down after they clothesline each other.
Rose tags in and she prevents Banks from tagging Bayley in, Bayley argues with the referee and Deville illegally attacks Banks. Banks rolls up Rose out of nowhere for a near fall, Bayley brawls with Deville on the arena floor while Banks battles Rose in the ring. Banks catches Rose in the Bank Statement from out of nowhere to force a tap out.
Winners: Sasha Banks & Bayley w/Mickie James
- Highlights from Kane’s altercation with Brock Lesnar from last weeks Raw air.
- Highlights of Goldust teaming with Cedrick Alexander from last weeks Raw air.
- Cedric Alexander is warming up backstage when Goldust arrives to give him a pep talk, Alexander says he is so close to making his dream come true. Goldust finishes his pep talk.
- A video is shown next as Goldust finds out Alicia Fox is going to be his Mixed Tag Challenge partner.
Matt Hardy vs. Curt Hawkins
The match begins with Hawkins going to the ropes to avoid Hardy, Hawkins attacks Hardy as he was arguing with the referee. Hardy bites the hand of Hawkins before mauling him with strikes in the corner, Hardy then nails Hawkins with a neck breaker. Hardy then crushes Hawkins with a German suplex into the corner, Hawkins tries fighting back and he misses a cross body block. Hardy then smashes the face of Hawkins into the turnbuckles multiple times, Hardy follows up by nailing Hawkins with a side effect followed by a Delete for the three count.
Winner: Matt Hardy
After the match, Bray Wyatt appears behind Matt Hardy and they come face to face while laughing at each other.
- Elias is in the ring and he wants to know “who wants to walk with Elias?” Elias says he has heard a million stories as he has walked through this world, Elias says WWE stands for Walk With Elias. Elias starts singing a song for the WWE Universe, Elias then introduces The Miz and The Miztourage.
The Miz welcomes everybody to Miz TV and he says that he is back on WWE Raw, Miz says he was not forgotten during his absence. Miz then says he wasn’t forgotten because of Bo Dallas and Curtis Axel, who are his guests on Miz TV tonight. Axel says 2017 was the best year of his life because of the Miz, Dallas compares his life to winning a Mizzy everyday. Dallas gives Miz a gift of a photo of himself, Axel then gives Miz the coat off of his back and this leads to both of The Miztourage trying to outdo each other with gifts.
Miz calms them down before having them take a seat, Miz says that everything he touched turned to gold in 2017. Miz says that he hasn’t forgotten about being attacked by The Shield before he left to film The Marine 6, Miz then says that he allowed Roman Reigns to borrow the WWE Intercontinental Title since he was going to be gone. Miz promises to become the greatest WWE Intercontinental Champion of all time in 2018.
- The Balor Club is talking in their locker room, Balor wants them to talk strategy while Anderson and Gallows talk about their past.
WWE Cruiserweight Title Match
Enzo Amore (Champion) vs. Cedric Alexander
The match begins with Amore getting to the ropes before Alexander clocks him with a right, Amore rolls out of the ring to take a break. Amore gets chased back in the ring before Alexander nails him with a rope assisted enzaguri, Amore goes to the ring apron and he shoves Alexander to the arena floor as we go to a commercial break. We return from the break to see Amore holding Alexander in a chin lock, Amore transitions to a bulldog choke on Alexander. Alexander gets free and Amore curb stomps him for a near fall, Amore then applies a camel clutch to Alexander while landing some strikes.
Amore then nails a downed Alexander with a basement drop kick for a near fall, Amore reapplies the chin lock to Alexander. Alexander gets free and Amore nails him with a knee strike, Amore leaps off the top rope and Alexander nails him with a drop kick. Alexander gets up and he drops Amore with clotheslines and a spinning elbow strike, Alexander follows up with a handspring enzaguri for a near fall. Alexander grabs Amore and Amore sends him to the arena floor, Alexander recovers to nail Amore with a kick to the face. Alexander nails Amore with a springboard clothesline that knocks him to the arena floor, Alexander then hits Amore with a suicide dive. Alexander gets back in the ring and Amore gets counted out.
Winner: Cedric Alexander, but Enzo Amore is still the WWE Cruiserweight Champion
- Enzo Amore is shown in the trainers room getting attended to when Nia Jax arrives, Jax says she came to check on him before leaving.
- WWE Raw GM Kurt Angle is on the phone in his office when The Bar arrives, Sheamus came to find out when they will get their rematch for the WWE Raw Tag Team Titles. Cesaro says Angle is playing favorites with his son, Angle says The Bar will face Seth Rollins & Jason Jordan for the WWE Raw Tag Team Titles at the WWE Royal Rumble. Angle then tells The Bar to go to the ring and he will find them opponents, The Miz walks in and he gloats to Angle. Miz wants his rematch for the WWE Intercontinental Title against Roman Reigns at Raw 25 and Angle agrees.
- A video is shown of The Miz and Asuka announcing they are partners for the WWE Mixed Match Challenge.
- Asuka is shown stretching backstage when WWE Raw Women’s Champion Alexa Bliss arrives, Bliss says that Asuka’s luck is going to run out after she tells Nia Jax what Asuka said about her.
The Bar (Sheamus & Cesaro) vs. The Titus Brand (Titus O’Neil & Apollo Crews) w/Dana Brooke
The match begins with Sheamus mocking O’Neil before kicking him in the gut, Sheamus then works over O’Neil with a headlock. O’Neil gets free and he drops Sheamus with a shoulder block, Crews tags in and he nails the arm of Sheamus with an axe handle drop. Sheamus traps Crews in the corner before tagging Cesaro in, Cesaro drops Crews with a few European uppercuts. Crews recovers and nails a charging Cesro with a drop kick followed by a standing moonsault, Sheamus tags in and he sends a charging Crews out of the ring. Sheamus follows Crews out of the ring to throw Crews into the barricade, Cesaro tags in and he works with Sheamus in the ring to hit Crews with a wishbone.
Cesaro slows things down by holding Crews in the cobra clutch, Sheamus tags in and he double clotheslines Crews with Cesaro. Sheamus then hits Crews with a knee drop for a near fall, Sheamus applies the chin lock to Crews to slow things down. Sheamus releases the hold and Crews eventually sends him into the ring post, O’Neil tags in and he cleans house on the opposing team. O’Neil nails Cesaro with an avalanche followed by a slam for a near fall, Sheamus distracts O’Neil so Cesaro can attack him from behind. Sheamus then tags in after nailing O’Neil with a knee strike, Crews gets Cesaro out of the ring so O’Neil can roll up Sheamus for the three count.
Winners: The Titus Brand (Titus O’Neil & Apollo Crews) w/Dana Brooke
- WWE Universal Champion Brock Lesnar and Paul Heyman come to the ring, Heyman does his usual introduction for himself and Lesnar. Heyman says that he and Lesnar understand that the pro wrestling world evolves over time, Heyman says that wrestling has gotten away from the old school way of things. Heyman says there was a time when just one man would challenge the champion, Heyman says that Lesnar thinks the concept of facing multiple opponents sucks. Heyman says the real question is just who Lesnar will pin at the Royal Rumble, Heyman then says that there is nobody that can defeat Lesnar before dropping the microphone.
Kane attacks Lesnar from behind as he was walking up the entrance ramp, Kane and Lesnar battle backstage. Braun Strowman appears and he he puts Lesnar through a table, Strowman hits Kane with a production truck case. Strowman then drops another case on top of Lesnar, Strowman finds a grappling hook and he uses it to pull down a lighting rig onto Lesnar and Kane.
- Brock Lesnar is shown getting stretchered out of the arena.
Samoa Joe vs. Rhyno w/Heath Slater
The match begins with Joe assaulting Rhyno with a plethora of strikes, Rhyno fights back by landing a few strikes of his own. Joe traps Rhyno in the corner before landing an enzaguri, Joe keeps Rhyno in the corner while landing a few chops. Joe downs Rhyno before nailing him with some cross faces, Joe follows that up by attacking Rhyno with some kicks. Rhyno fights back and Joe takes him down with an STO, Joe then hits Rhyno with an atomic drop followed by a senton for a near fall. Rhyno fights back again and Joe locks him in the rear naked choke to force a tap out.
Winner: Samoa Joe
After the match, Charly Caruso interviews Samoa Joe and he says last week wasn’t a loss to Roman Reigns, Joe says the victory came at a great cost for Reigns before saying everything will come tumbling down for him. Joe then says he will be in the Royal Rumble Match, Joe then promises to eliminate John Cena in the Royal Rumble.
- Nia Jax is shown walking backstage when Alexa Bliss arrives, Bliss asks how Enzo Amore is before saying she cares about Jax. Jax says she is entering the Royal Rumble Match, Bliss tries to use trickery to motivate Jax to defeat Asuka, but Jax isn’t buying any of it.
- Nia Jax jumps Asuka as she got into the ring, dropping her with the electric chair drop before landing a running senton bomb.
- Seth Rollins, Jason Jordan & Roman Reigns are shown talking backstage.
The Balor Club (Finn Balor, Karl Anderson & Doc Gallows) vs. Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins & Jason Jordan
The match begins with Balor and Rollins doing some chain wrestling, Balor rolls through a sunste flip to catch Rollins with a drop kick. Anderson tags in and he nails Rollins with a back breaker, Anderson then wrenches away on the arm of Rollins. Gallows tags in and Reigns gets a tag as well, Reigns nails Gallows with a Samoan drop before nailing Anderson and Gallows with a Drive By, Rollins hits Balor with a suicide dive as we go to a commercial break. We return from the break to see Balor working over the arm of Rollins, Rollins gets free and he sends Balor into the turnbuckles.
Reigns tags in and he mauls Balor with multiple clotheslines, Reigns then hits Balor with clothesline smashes in the corner. Reigns gets Balor out of the corner before nailing him with a boot to the face, Anderson and Gallows interfere before Reigns takes them out. Balor then drops a distracted Reigns with a clothesline, Anderson tags in and he nails Reigns with a bunch of strikes. Gallows tags in and he mauls Reigns with strikes in the corner, Gallows then nails Reigns with a kick to the head for a near fall. Gallows slows thing down further by holding Reigns in a chin lock, Reigns gets free and Gallows shoves him back to the ground.
Anderson tags in and he nails Reigns with a knee drop for a near fall, Anderson reapplies the chin lock to Reigns. Reigns gets free and he nails a charging Anderson with a tilt-a-whirl power slam, Gallows tags in and he stomps on a downed Reigns. Gallows then catches Reigns with a suplex followed by elbow strikes, Gallows reapplies the chin lock to Reigns. Reigns gets free and he eventually drops Gallows with a superman punch, Anderson and Rollins get the tags from their respective partners. Rollins starts cleaning house on the opposing team, Rollins nails Anderson with a sling blade after taking Gallows out with a suicide dive.
Rollins catches Anderson with a suplex into a falcon arrow for a near fall, Jordan hits the ring to knocks Gallows out of it. Anderson then hits a distracted Rollins with a spine buster for a near fall, Gallows tags in and he knocks Jordan off the ring apron before eating an enzaguri from Rollins. Balor tags in and Rollins takes him out with a back suplex, Jordan argues with the referee as Rollins Tagged Reigns in. Anderson and Gallows hit the ring and they nail Rollins with a Magic Killer, Reigns argues with Jordan before fighting The Balor Club on the arena floor. Balor then hits Rollins with a shotgun drop kick followed by Cupe De Grace for the three count.
Winners: The Balor Club (Finn Balor, Karl Anderson & Doc Gallows)
After the match, The Miz and The Miztourage attack Jason Jordan, Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins.
