WWE Raw is live tonight from the Cajundome in Lafayette, Louisiana, with the first WWE TV Appearance for WWE Universal Champion Brock Lesnar since beating Goldberg for the title at WrestleMania 33.
Brock Lesnar Opens The Show
The crowd gives WWE Universal Champ Brock Lesnar and his advocate Paul Heyman a raucous ovation as they make their ring entrance.
Heyman says he came to Raw last week to show respect to Samoa Joe who became the No. 1 contender to the title by winning the Fatal 5-Way match at Extreme Rules, but he says Joe was like a shark and attacked.
Heyman says Brock Lesnar has a problem with Samoa Joe because of the attack. Heyman says Joe isn’t a proud warrior who is going to go face to face with Lensar, he is a dog whose defining moment is putting the Coquina Clutch on Heyman. He calls Joe a punk, a mut, a dog who will never get the Coquina Clutch on Lesnar.
That’s when Joe’s music hits and he walks in a determined strut to the ring. Joe glares eyeball-to-eyeball with Lesnar and then shoves and punches him. Lesnar then begins shoulder-ramming him into the turnbuckle. Raw General Manager Kurt Angle calls in first security, and then the entire roster to the ring to separate Joe and Lesnar. Joe breaks free and kicks Lesnar in the jaw. Lesnar breaks free and chases down Joe on the ramp and punches him. Both Joe and Lesnar are finally separated with each having a crowd of superstars holding them back.
Elias Samson Incites Crowd
“The Drifter” continues to fuel the heel heat, inciting the crowd into two rounds of hearty boos as he is yet again seated in the ring with his guitar. He sings Louisiana is a laughingstock. Cajuns should be caged up. He can’t wait to get away. On to Ambrose, he feels cursed. The Lunatic won’t leave him alone, but always winds up in a pile of mess. He sings Ambrose will fall again. The former Intercontinental Champ’s music pipes up and they announce him for a match with Samson.
Dean Ambrose vs Elias Samson
The two lock up and force each other in a corner before Samson shoves Ambrose away. Ambrose gets a Wristlock. Samson breaks free, but the Lunatic Fringe nails him with a Spinning Elbow and another chop to the chest off the ropes before we go to break.
Samson rains down elbows and jabs on Ambrose in the corner as we return from the commercials. He grounds Ambrose in the center of the ring in a Chinlock. The crowd exhorts Ambrose and he breaks free with elbows to the gut, knocking Samson to the mat.
The two start trading Knife-Edged Chops before Ambrose gets a near fall off a combo of a Jumping Clothesline off the ropes and a Fishermen’s Suplex. Ambrose tries to continue the momentum, but gets a boot to the face from Samson. The Drifter goes for another move, Ambrose ducks him and then hits a Suicide Dive on Samson outside the ring.
With both guys on the top rope, Samson loads up a few times for a suplex, but Ambrose headbutts him off the ropes. As Ambrose goes for a top-rope elbow, Miz distracts him and Samson nearly pins Ambrose for the victory.
Ambrose kicks out, drops Samson and stalks Miz and Maryse outside the ring. Ambrose catches Miz and rams him into the crowd barricade.
As Ambrose barely beats the count out, Samson drives both his knees into his back before drilling a Swinging Neckbreaker for the win.
Winner: Elias Samson
Goldust Promos Feud With R Truth
The 24-Karat Productions, old-school Goldust promo is back as he accuses R-Truth of being jealous of him while they were a tag team. He declares the Golden Age is back.
Kurt Angle Confronts The Miz
Raw General Manager Kurt Angle yells at Intercontinental Champion Miz for interfering in Ambrose’s match. Miz says Ambrose ruined his “Comeback Tour” last week and Maryse is still mad he broke the grandfather clock. He says Ambrose wouldn’t have had the opportunity to spoil the celebration if Angle wasn’t so wrapped up in his personal business. Angle asks what Miz knows about it. Miz says he doesn’t know what’s going on, but that shouldn’t stop Angle from doing his job. Miz says Angle should do something about Ambrose. Angle is enraged and says he isn’t going to do anything about Ambrose. If Miz wants something done, he should handle it.
Noam Dar, Cedric Alexander Backstage Promo
Cedric Alexander confronts Noam Dar in the locker room after overhearing him talking about their feud over the phone. Alexander says he told Dar on 205 Live last week that when he won the match he was over with Dar and his ex-girlfriend Alicia Fox. Dar then reveals he’s Facetiming with Fox and she tells Alexander he should tell her to her face if he’s going to talk about her. Alexander says he is going to end their rivalry tonight as he walks off.
Cedric Alexander vs Noam Dar
Fox is yelling at Dar over the phone as he walks to the ring. Fox demands he sets up the phone so she can watch every bit of the match. He sets the phone down on the mat in the corner.
The bell rings to start the match, and Alexander immediately hits a Lumbar Check for the victory. Fox continues to yell at Dar over the phone as Alexander celebrates on his way backstage.
Winner: Cedric Alexander
Bray Wyatt Threatens Seth Rollins
Wyatt appears on the videoboard as the arena lights up with fireflies. Wyatt says the world is ending, and he’s the only one who can save us. Then he says, “I’m here,” and begins walking to the ring with his lantern.
Wyatt says those who deny him will be judged. Those who sit in apathy will be punished. He says Seth Rollins has blasphemed his name, and he will pay. Wyatt says it only took one dose of him and he broke Seth Rollins’ glasshouse. Rolins will be picking glass out of his soul. Wyatt then says if you take his name in vain, you will fall.
Seth Freakin Rollins interrupts to a rowdy roar of cheers from the crowd. He smiles at Wyatt from outside the ring before he grabs a mic and addresses the Eater of Worlds.
Rollins says he has to clarify that Wyatt cost him his match with Samoa Joe because he called Wyatt a few names. Rollins says he called Wyatt a false prophet, a wannabe martyr because it’s the truth. He says Wyatt never faces his problems, he always hides in the shadows. He calls Wyatt a coward. The Kingslayer then says if Wyatt doesn’t like it he’s ready to take on Wyatt face-to-face.
Wyatt answers that Rollins’ pride and arrogance will betray him. He says all that he sees when he sees Rollins is a man who is beneath him. Wyatt says you may have found a will to slay a king, but a god lives forever. The arena blacks out and Wyatt’s images appear a few times, and he’s suddenly out of the ring, back on the videoboard. He tells Rollins to run from his fear.
Kalisto vs Apollo Crews with Titus O’Neil
For the third straight week, Kalisto takes on the Titus brand. Michael Cole announces that Titus has arranged for Akira Tozawa to have front-row seats in his continued recruitment of the cruiserweight in an attempt to make the Titus Brand international.
As Crews grounds Kalisto in the ring with chinlocks, Titus tries to convince Tozawa of joining him outside the ring.
Kalisto battles back with a series of kicks and flips. Kalisto does handsprings off the rope and tries to set up a move, but Crews catches him and plants him for the 3-count with a Powerbomb.
Titus picks Tozawa out of his seat, and pushes him in the ring. Crews and Titus hold up Tozawa’s arms as they celebrate the win over Kalisto.
Winner: Kalisto with Titus O’Neil
Miz Offers Heath Slater To Join His Entourage
The Miz says Kurt Angle has failed to take advantage of Heath Slater’s talents since he came to Raw on the Superstar Shakeup. Miz says Slater can get anything he wants if he joins his entourage. Rhyno interrupts, saying he already has a tag team partner.
Slater says his dream as a kid was to someday become Intercontinental Champion. Miz says if Slater joins him he will make sure Slater gets a title shot someday. Rhyno interrupts again, saying Slater already has a tag partner.
Miz asks Slater if he really wants to eat spray cheese and crackers with Rhyno backstage when he could be eating caviar with A-Listers? Slater asks what the heck is caviar?
Rhyno then says Miz will have to find a partner because he is going to ask Raw GM Kurt Angle for a tag team match with him and Slater vs Miz and his partner. Rhyno then shoves his mouth full of spray cheese and crackers.
Raw Women’s Champ Alexa Bliss Addresses Women’s Division, Emma returns
“The Goddess of the WWE” says it’s unfair that she was forced to defend her title against Nia Jax last week on Raw, a day after she beat Bayley at Extreme Rules.
Jax then hi-jacks the promo. She says Bliss promised her the opportunity and she deserved it. Bliss backpedals, saying she shouldn’t have said forced. She meant she was honored. She wanted to have a classic match with Jax, but they weren’t allowed to have a match people would talk about because Mickie James and Dana Brooke interrupted her.
James and Brooke then come to the ring. James says Bliss has a long way to go to reach her status as a 6-time champion. James and Brooke remind Bliss that she told them it was unfair that Jax was getting a title shot. Bliss says James and Brooke will say and do anything to get attention.
Evil Emma then interrupts. She says the spotlight belongs on her because she is back. She tells Bliss she is ready to take her rightful place atop the Raw women’s division. She calls Emma a wannabe trying to ruin her celebration.
Sasha Banks then interrupts. The Boss says Bliss has it twisted, she wants all the attention but a champion should be willing to prove she’s the best every week. She says all Bliss wants to do is throw parties all the time so she wants to show the champ a party. Banks then cheapshots Bliss and starts a brawl among all the women.
Mickie James, Dana Brooke & Sasha Banks vs Alexa Bliss, Nia Jax & Emma
Bliss and Brooke are wrestling as we return from break as it was announced a tag match was made by Kurt Angle.
Emma tags in and hits a Double Underhook Suplex on Brooke before hammering her with right hands to the face on the mat. Brooke breaks free, and tags in The Boss. Sasha Banks lights up Emma with a series of kicks before throwing Emma into Nia Jax, knocking Jax off the ring apron to the ground outside the ring. Emma tries to make a tag, but Bliss walks away from ringside, leaving her partners high and dry. As Banks goes for a pin, Jax interrupts to break it up. James then ambushes Jax, tossing her out of the ring and hitting a top-rope double knees.
Emma tries to roll up Banks, but she reverses into a Banks Statement for the submission victory.
Winner: Mickie James, Dana Brooke & Sasha Banks
Corey Graves Interviews Bayley
Graves asks Bayley about her kendo stick on a pole match loss at Extreme Rules.
Bayley says she reacted in a way most people would in a match meant to harm someone. She says she didn’t come to the WWE to put marks on people’s backs. She says she’s not going to change herself for anything. She says she wants to bring hugs and fun to the WWE. She says she has not changed her goal of becoming the best, and her loss to Alexa Bliss hasn’t changed that. She says she will try to be Raw Women’s Champion again by WrestleMania in New Orleans next year.
Heath Slater & Rhyno vs Intercontinental Champion The Miz with Maryse & Miz Bear
Maryse is still visibly upset with Miz about his braking the grandfather clock he got her last week as they enter the ring, refusing to kiss The Miz a few times. After Michael Cole says Elisa Samson refused to team with Miz, a man in a bear costume rides a tricycle to the ring as Miz’s partner.
Distracted by Miz Bear, Slater nearly rolls up Miz for the pin. Miz fights back until Rhyno tags in and rams Miz into the corner. Slater tags in, and Miz struggles to get away. Miz Bear tags Miz as he’s writing from a suplex delivered by Slater.
Miz Bear open hand slaps Slater twice on the cheek. Miz Bear then gets Slater in a bear hug before Rhyno decks him to break the hold. Miz Bear tags Miz, but he starts attacking Miz Bear outside the ring instead of facing Slater.
Miz unmasks Miz Bear and it’s not Dean Ambrose as Miz expected. Rhyno throws Miz in the ring before he’s promptly kicked by Slater. Miz Bear gets back in the ring, and with Miz’s back turned Miz Bear delivers Dirty Deeds to Slater.
Maryse tries to warn Miz. As he turns around, Miz Bear takes his head off and this time it is Ambrose. As he threatens to strike Miz, Miz mistakenly bumps Maryse off the ring apron and she falls awkwardly to the mat outside the ring. Maryse then leaves the ringside area.
Ambrose then hits Miz with Dirty Deeds and pulls Slater on top of him for the win. After the match, Ambrose velcroes the bear head on Miz as he goes backstage.
Winners: Heath Slater & Rhyno
Cruiserweight Champion Neville vs Rich Swann
The King of the Cruiserweights cheapshots Swann from behind while he’s dancing before the official start of the match. He kicks and hits Swann out of the ring before ramming him into the crowd barricade outside the ring.
King Neville then throws Swann in the ring and locks in the Rings of Saturn. The referee makes him break the hold because the ring bell never sounded to start the match.
Neville grabs his title belt and a mic. He runs through the contenders he’s beaten, Austin Aries, TJP and Rich Swann. Neville says, “get out of my ring,” and kicks Swann out of the ring. He asks how many contenders he has to obliterate before he gets the respect he deserves.
Neville mentions a tweet Titus sent out that Akira Tozawa deserves a title shot.
Result: No match
Big Cass & Enzo Amore vs Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson
Gallows and Anderson are the first in the ring. As “Sawft Is A Sin” starts playing, Big Cass is shown down backstage, attacked for the second week in a row. Cass says he was rocked in the head, the hardest he’s ever been hit. He says he’s good to go for the match, but wobbles and nearly falls as he tries to walk.
Gallows and Anderson start mocking Big Cass, saying if he didn’t want to face them in a match he didn’t have to “beat himself up over it.”
Big Cass and Enzo’s music starts playing again and the two finally make their way to the ring. Cass is still holding his head as he first makes his way to the ring.
Cass then takes it to Anderson at the start, kicking him in the midsection and chopping Anderson twice in two different corners. He then whips Anderson hard into the opposite corner. He follows up with a Side Slam and an Empire Elbow, but in between moves he wobbles into the ropes. Cass then tags in Enzo. Anderson throws Cass out of the ring after the tag, and the 7-footer flails out of the ring. Enzo kicks Anderson to the mat and then kicks Gallows in the knees off the ring apron.
Gallows then ambushes Enzo from behind, kicking him to the mat before Gallows and Anderson team up for The Magic Killer to get the three count.
As Gallows and Anderson go to beat on Enzo some more, Big Show comes out and halts the attack. He raises Enzo’s arm in the ring, as Cass looks on, seemingly angry that Big Show and Enzo are on good terms.
Winners: Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson
R Truth Promo
R Truth says Goldust stabbed him in the back. He says he won’t let that slide. He doesn’t forgive, and he doesn’t forget. He’s going to get even. He’s mad as hell and he’s not going to take it anymore. He tells Goldust he’s going to get got.
Enzo Questions Big Show
Enzo thanks Big Show for saving him for the second straight week, then asks if he ambushed Cass. Enzo says Cass told him it only took one blow to the head to knock him out. Enzo says there isn’t a lot of people who can do that. He asks Show if he is the one who attacked Cass. Show starts to get angry with Enzo, but says he gets that it’s Cass who is making Enzo ask. Show then says he has one word to describe Cass, “S-A-W-F-T.”
Raw Tag Team Champs Sheamus & Cesaro vs The Hardy Boyz Best 2 of 3 Falls Title Match
Team Extreme comes out first as they are finally getting their rematch from their Extreme Rules Cage match loss to Sheamus & Cesaro.
Matt Hardy ducks a Sheamus Brogue Kick immediately after the ring bell starts the match. Matt and Jeff then team up for Poetry In Motion, and Jeff follows with a Splash for a near fall. Cesaro broke up the pin attempt.
Jeff Hardy went to the top rope for an attempt of a Whisper In The Wind, but Sheamus Brogue Kicks him in the midsection and scores the first fall as we go to commercial.
As we return from break, Jeff is in trouble but gets the tag to Matt, who hit a Twist Of Fate on Cesaro to even up the falls at 1 apiece.
Matt fails to land another Twist of Fate and then got a European Uppercut in on Matt’s chin as he tried to make a move off the top rope. Sheamus tags in and lands a big knee to Matt’s face, but Hardy kicks out.
Sheamus and Cesaro the double team suplex Matt. Cesaro tries to load up the Neutrallizer, Matt reverses out of it but Cesaro reverses back into a Sharpshooter. Matt gets to the rope for a break, and kicks out of a small package rollup by Cesaro.
Sheamus and Jeff Hardy tag, and Jeff combos running elbows with an Inverted Atomic Drop and a Twist of Fate. Cesaro breaks up the pin attempt. Sheamus throws Jeff into the ropes and Cesaro lands a European Uppercut while the ref’s back was turned. Jeff kicks out of the pin attempt.
Sheamus then rams his shoulder into the ring post. Jeff Hardy nails a Swanton Bomb, and just as it looks like there will be new champs the Swiss Cyborg pulls his partner out of the ring by his feet.
Jeff then hits a Swanton Bomb on Cesaro outside the ring. All four guys start brawling outside the ring and both teams are counted out.
The brawl continues as the ref ends the match. After Jeff hits a Swanton on both Cesaro & Sheamus outside the ring, the ref stops the fighting and hands the belts back to the champs.
Cesaro & Sheamus Retain The Titles On A Double Count Out