The first episode of RAW after SummerSlam 2016 aired live from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY.
– RAW opens up with Michael Cole explaining Finn Balor’s injury, then we go right to Mick Foley and Stephanie McMahon in the ring. They invited out Finn Balor to address the crowd about his injury and needing surgery. Balor comes out with a sling on his right arm and talks about the Universal Championship. Balor explains that he’s relinquishing the Universal Title because of how long he’ll be on the shelf with his injury. Mick Foley repossesses the red title belt from Balor and the now-former Champion heads to the back. Before Balor can make his way back through the curtain, Seth Rollins interrupts and makes his way down to the ring. Rollins tells Stephanie and Foley that he’s ready to accept the Universal Title, but he’s interrupted by Sami Zayn, Chris Jericho, Kevin Owens, and then Enzo and Cass. They all argue among themselves about who should get a shot at the Title, and Rollins doesn’t look impressed. Roman Reigns comes out next. Foley says to decide the new Universal Champion, all of the wrestlers in the ring will compete in a tournament. Stephanie says Rollins vs. Zayn is up next.
– Seth Rollins def. Sami Zayn: Before the bell, Owens distracts Zayn and Rollins jumps him from behind. After the opening bell Rollins continues the offense until Zayn is able to get off a headscissor takedown. They take the action to ringside, and Zayn hits a moonsault off the fan barricade onto Rollins. Back in the ring, Rollins hits a superkick and shortly after hits a knee to the back of the neck off the top rope for a near-fall. Zayn is selling a foot or ankle injury. Rollins takes things to the top turnbuckle but it backfires when Zayn hits a sunset flip powerbomb on Rollins for a two count. Zayn follows up with a t-bone suplex, but Rollins comes back with a big boot and starts working the injured ankle of Zayn. Zayn gets out and stomps a mudhole in Rollins. He attempts a suplex while still selling his ankle, but he can’t pull it off. Rollins gets out and hits the Pedigree for the win.
– Kevin Owens def. Neville: After some back and forth action in the opening minutes, Neville throws Owens outside and hits a 450 splash off the apron onto Owens on the floor. Neville gets back in the ring and follows up with a suicide dive onto Owens out on the floor. Jericho comes down the ramp and distracts Neville, allowing Owens to hit a big clothesline. Back in the ring, Neville hits a German suplex and a corkscrew moonsault off the middle rope. Neville follows up with a German suplex bridging into a pin for a 2 count. Owens hits a superkick and goes for the Pop Up Powerbomb, but Neville gets out. Jericho distracts Neville and Neville drops Y2J with a knee. Neville goes back up top but Owens grabs him in the Torture Rack and spins him around into a neckbreaker for the win.
– Cole announces that next week’s Universal Title match will be a Fatal Four-Way, with Seth Rollins, Kevin Owens, and two other opponents to be determined.
– The New Day is out next. They hit the ring and cut a promo about being the WWE World Tag Team Champions for an entire year. They begin to celebrate with some Booty-O’s, but Gallows and Anderson interrupt and say “this is stupid, and Brooklyn, you are stupid.” The Club members enter the ring and tell them they cheated to retain the Titles. They say they are owed a rematch for the Tag Titles. Anderson vs. Big E is set up for tonight.
– Big E def. Karl Anderson: Big E starts off on the offensive and drops Anderson with a belly to belly overhead suplex. Gallows distracts Big E for a moment and Anderson takes advantage with a dropkick that takes out Big E’s left knee. Anderson continues working on Big E’s knee and keeps him grounded. Big E is able to reverse a suplex and throw Anderson to the outside, but Gallows drops Big E behind the ref’s back. Anderson gets back in the ring, but Big E catches him with the Big Ending for the win.
– Titus comes out to call out Darren Young, but Bob Backlund comes out and gets Titus in the Chicken Wing. Titus gets out and drops Backlund. Darren Young comes out to save his coach, and Titus drops Darren too then leaves the ring.
– Big Cass def. Rusev via count out: Cass clotheslines Rusev to the outside early on and Rusev is still selling his ribs from his beat-down from Reigns last night. Cass continues the offense on Rusev in the ring, then throws Rusev to the outside once again. While on the outside, Rusev kicks Enzo in the back of the head and drops him. Cass chases Rusev back in the ring and hits a big splash in the corner, followed up a series of right hands to the injured ribs of Rusev. Rusev rolls outside and Cass throws him into the ring steps. They exchange big boots and Rusev rolls to the outside. Rusev walks up the ramp holding his ribs and gets counted out.
– Owens and Jericho are in the back arguing about which one of them will become the Universal Champion.
– Charlotte comes out with Dana Brooke to cut a promo about winning the Women’s Title last night at SummerSlam. Mick Foley interrupts and says that when Sasha Banks is back from her injury, she’ll get a rematch against Charlotte. Foley says in the meantime, he has signed the hottest free agent of the new era, Bayley, and she’ll get a shot at Charlotte’s Womens Championship. But first, she has to go through Dana Brooke, and that’s up next.
– Bayley def. Dana Brooke: Back and forth action in the opening moments. Charlotte distracts Bayley from ringside which leads to Dana kicks Bayley out to the floor. Back in the ring, Dana continues with more offense until Bayley comes back with a splash in the corner and a spinning elbow off the middle rope. Bayley follows up with the belly to belly suplex for the win.
– In the back, Roman Reigns says he’s going to shut Chris Jericho’s mouth tonight.
– Sheamus cuts a promo on Cesaro in the back. He says that unlike every sports team in New York, he’s going to be a winner.
– Braun Strowman def. Johnny Knockout: Before the match, Byron interviews the jobber, who says he took the match because he “likes big, sweaty men.” Strowman wins with the reverse chokeslam in a short squash match. He gives the jobber a jackknife powerbomb into a neckbreaker after the match, and makes the referee count the pin again.
– The Dudley Boyz come out to the ring to make an announcement. They shake the announcers’ hands on their way down the ramp, then grab the mic. Bubba says he might get a little emotional tonight, and talks about their history and return to WWE. D-Von says they’ve had a Hell of a 20-year career, and they’ve created history. Bubba tells the crowd to get on their feet to give themselves a round of applause, and that they’re ending thing on their terms. The Shining Stars come out to interrupt and say The Dudleys are washed up. The Stars enter the ring to give the Dudleys tickets to Puerto Rico to check out the retirement homes. The Dudleys drop them then hit the 3D on on Epico, and the Wassup headbutt on Primo. D-Von gets the tables, and they go to 3D Primo through the table. Gallows and Anderson interrupt and lay out the Dudleys. The Club beats down The Dudleys all over ringside, then give Bubba the Magic Killer on the floor. Back in the ring, they hit the Magic Killer on D-Von through the table. Gallows and Anderson stand tall over D-Von to end the segment.
– Roman Reigns def. Chris Jericho: Jericho slaps Reigns in the face early on and yells at him. Reigns ends up chasing Jericho around the ring, then dropping him with an elbow. Back in the ring, Reigns follows up with punches and clotheslines until Jericho rakes the eyes. Jericho controls the next few minutes of the action, getting a near-fall after a dropkick. Jericho goes for a facebuster but Reigns throws him into the turnbuckle. Reigns follows up with a clothesline, then hits a few more clotheslines in the corner. Reigns misses a Superman punch, then fights out of a Walls of Jericho attempt from Y2J. Jericho hits an enziguri then comes off the top rope, but Reigns catches him with a right hand. Reigns hits the Drive-By, then tries a Samoan Drop but Jericho gets out. Reigns blocks a Lionsault with his knees, then hits the Superman punch for a near-fall. Jericho goes for a Codebreaker but Reigns catches him and powerbombs him for another near-fall. Owens comes out to distract Reigns, and Jericho rolls him up from behind but only gets a 2 count. Reigns gets back up and hits the Superman punch. Reigns goes for a spear but Jericho avoids it and puts Reigns in the Walls of Jericho in the middle of the ring. Reigns reaches the ropes to break the hold, but Owens kicks him in the face when the ref isn’t looking. Jericho hits the Codebreaker but Reigns kicks out at 2. Owens gets up on the apron and Reigns Superman punches him off. Reigns gets out of a small package pin from Jericho and hits the spear for the win.
The Fatal Four-Way for the Universal Title next week on RAW will feature Seth Rollins vs. Big Cass vs. Kevin Owens vs. Roman Reigns.