The August 29, 2016 edition of Monday Night RAW aired live on the USA Network from Houston, TX at the Toyota Centre.
– RAW opens up with Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins, Kevin Owens and Big Cass all sitting in the ring around the Universal Title belt. Corey Graves is in there to interview them, but Rollins quickly takes over and says he’s clearly the favorite to win tonight. Owens gets the mic next and cuts promos on his competitors. Rollins makes Graves ask Roman if he has anything to say. Roman stands up and drops Kevin Owens with a right hand, and Rollins and Cass start brawling. Reigns throws Rollins down, then throws Cass out of the ring and drops Rollins with a Superman punch.
– We get a shot of Chris Jericho walking through the back in his scarf. He’s go a match against Neville next. Jericho cuts a promo in the back saying everyone knows Owens will win the Universal Title, then compares Neville to Mighty Mouse and calls him a freak. He asks the interview if he knows what Neville is going to get. The interview says “it?” Jericho says no, “you stupid idiot,” he’ll be getting the gift of Jericho. Drink it in maaaaan.
– Chris Jericho def. Neville via submission: Neville hits a flying shoulder block that drops Jericho, and Jericho rolls to the outside. Neville follows him outside and Jericho asks Neville not to hit him. Neville brawls with him around ringside and throws JEricho back in where he hits flying cross body off the top for a 2 count. Jericho hides behind the referee and comes back with a clothesline that drops Neville. Jericho goes up top and hits a flying elbow off the top rope, but Neville comes back with a big boot and a standing shooting star press for a near-fall. Jericho rolls outside and Neville kicks him in the head from the apron then hits a springboard moonsault off the top rope onto Jericho down on the floor. Back in the ring, Neville hits a springboard missile dropkick on Jericho for another near-fall. Jericho goes for a facebuster but Neville throws him into the turnbuckle then elbows him in the back of the neck. Jericho escapes a German Supelex attempt and goes for the Codebreaker, but Neville catches him and slams him. Neville goes up top for a shooting star press but Jericho rolls out of the way. Neville goes for a Frankensteiner but Jericho reverses into the Liontamer and Neville taps out.
– Baylee is talking to The New Day backstage when Dana Brooke interrupts and cuts a promo on Baylee. The New Day makes fun of Dana and she threatens to get Gallows and Anderson.
– Naya Jax def. Jobber: After some elbows in the corner and a big clothesline on her opponent, Naya hits a butt bump in the corner and a firemans carry into a powerslam for the win. Her opponent got a “let’s go jobber” chant from the crowd.
– Gallows and Anderson cut a promo in the back saying they used to be doctors, but now they’re in the retirement business. They say they retired The Dudleys last week, and now it’s time to retire The New Day. Dana Brooke joins them and snaps a rubber glove on her hand.
– Sami Zayn def. Jinder Mahal: After some back and forth wrestling in the opening minutes, Zayn hits a dropkick that sends Mahal rolling to the outside. Back in the ring, Mahal comes back with a clothesline from behind and a dropkick to the back of the head for a one count. Sami comes back with a clothesline of his own and hits a t-bone suplex on Mahal into the turnbuckle. He immediately follows up with a big boot to the head for the win.
– Mixed gender tag match: Big E, Kofi Kingston & Baylee def. Luke Gallows, Karl Anderson & Dana Brooke: Charlotte is on commentary for this one. Dana starts off with a chop to the chest of Baylee, then takes her down and hits a series of right hands. Dana slams Baylee’s head into the turnbuckle a few times, but Baylee hulks up and turns the tides, slamming Dana into the corner. Anderson and Big E tag in, and Big E drops him with a powerslam then tags in Kofi. Big E holds back Anderson and Kofi hits him with a kick to the chest for a one count. The New Day hits some more double team offense but Dana distracts the referee during the pain. Kofi hits a clothesline off the top, then a dropkick and a flying clothesline. Kofi hits a double leg drop, then him and Big E take turns stomping on Anderson in the corner. They tag in Baylee and she dropkicks Anderson in the corner, then Kofi and Gallows tag in. Gallows hangs up Kofi in the corner then hits a running dropkick to his midsection. Gallows follows up with a back suplex for a near-fall, then hits a series of elbows. Anderson tags back in and goes for a splash in the corner but Kofi catches him with a flying double foot stomp. Baylee and Dana tag in and Baylee hits a splash in the corner and a vertical suplex. Baylee hits a spinning elbow off the middle rope then pins, but Anderson pulls Dana outside. Big E clotheslines Anderson, then Gallows drops him with a big boot, and Kofi comes flying over the top rope with a suicide dive on Gallows. Back in the ring, Baylee hits a belly to belly suplex for the win.
– Cesaro cuts a promo on Sheamus in the back, then Sheamus goes out to the ring where Byron tries to interview him. Sheamus takes the mic from Bryan and trashes Cesaro. Cesaro is out next, and we have a match.
– Sheamus def. Cesaro: Cesaro and Sheamus go back and forth in the opening minutes until Cesaro drops him and hits a double foot stomp for a two count. Cesaro takes him to the outside where he hits some European uppercuts before throwing Sheamus back in. Sheamus sells and elbow injury and plays the cowardly heel, but Cesaro stays on the offensive and works on Sheamus’ arm. Sheamus starts fighting back, but Cesaro hits a dropkick then clotheslines him to the outside. Back in the ring, Sheamus goes for a Texas Cloverleaf but Cesaro gets out and hits a spinning shoulder block off the middle rope. Cesaro goes for the swing, but Sheamus grabs the ropes and Cesaro slams him. Cesaro goes up top and hits a splash off the top, then a running uppercut in the corner. Sheamus blocks and uppercut with an elbow to the face and rolls up Cesaro for a near-fall. Cesaro comes back with a series of ten European uppercuts in the corner, and follows up with a kick to the head that sends Sheamus to the floor. Cesaro follows Sheamus to the floor, but Sheamus back body drops him into the ring post. Sheamus throws him back in the ring and locks him in the Texas Cloverleaf for the win.
– They air a tribute video to the late, great Mr. Fuji who passed away last week.
– Braun Strowman def. Americo: Byron Saxton tries to interview “Americo” before the match but Strowman’s entrance music interupts. Strowman hits a series of knees then two running powerslams into the turnbuckle. Strowman hits a big back drop then pins for the win in a quick squash match. He rips off Americo’s mask after the match.
– Stephanie McMahon comes out to address Brock Lesnar assaulting Randy Orton at SummerSlam. She says tonight we’ll be welcoming “the very first” Universal Champion, then begins to talk about Lesnar attacking Shane. She talks about how no one can mess her with family, then she is interrupted by Paul Heyman. Stephanie demands an apology, but Heyman talks about how Lesnar beating Orton was a victory for RAW. The crowd chants ‘ECW’ and ‘CM Punk,’ and Stephanie points out that she bought ECW. Heyman says he’s going to pay Lesnar’s fine of $500. He pulls out a huge stack of money, and starts pulling off bills. Stephanie slaps the stack of money out of his hand, and says Heyman provides no value to her or RAW. Stephanie says there is a storm coming and it’s coming Heyman’s way. Heyman says Lesnar is the storm, and that he apologizes to Stephanie for putting her in a compromising position. Heyman says they know Stephanie is going to inherit the WWE empire, and says he sincerely apologizes. She accepts his apology and walks away.
– Darren Young def. Titus O’Neil: Bob Backlund is at ringside for this one. Titus rolls outside for a time out early on. Back in the ring, Titus hits some chops and punches and follows up with a flying shoulder block and a swinging neckbreaker. Titus whips Darren into the turnbuckle and Darren flips to the outside. Back in the ring, Titus stays on the offensive with open handed slaps and clotheslines. After completely slowing down the pace, Darren Young comes out of nowhere with a rollup for the win. Backlund hits the ring and celebrates with Young. Titus attacks Young and Backlund after the match, and hits the Clash Of The Titus on Young.
– Seth Rollins vs. Kevin Owens vs. Roman Reigns vs. Big Cass: Enzo Amore comes out with Big Cass to cut a promo for their entrance, but leaves as Mick Foley and Stephanie have banned everyone from ringside except for themselves. Owens rolls to the outside after the opening bell and watches the other three competitors go at it. Rollins starts working on Big Cass, then Owens rolls back in and starts working on Reigns. Owens and Reigns brawl around ringside while Cass hits a vertical suplex on Rollins in the ring for a one count. Reigns and Cass throw Rollins and Owens outside, then start brawling with each other. Reigns hits a flying clothesline on Cass, but misses the Superman punch and Cass hits a big boot on Reigns that sends them both to the outside. Rollins then hits a suicide dive on Cass, and Owens hits a Fireman’s Carry toss on Rollins into the guard rail. Reigns then hits a suicide dive on Owens and Cass. Back in the ring, Owens clotheslines Cass and follows up with a Senton Splash. Owens starts working on the knee of Cass and goes for a cannonball in the corner, but Rollins pulls him out and slams owens into the fan barricade. Rollins gets in the ring and hits a running forearm strike on Cass in the corner, but when he goes for another one Reigns drops him with a clothesline. Reigns hits flying clotheslines on both Rollins and Owens, but then Cass drops him with a big boot. Cass cleans out and hits splashes on both Rollins and Owens, then boots Owens to the outside. Cass hits an elbow drop on Rollins, but then Reigns hits Cass with a Superman punch. Reigns goes to spear Rollins but runs into the ring post instead. Owens comes out of nowhere with a frogsplash on Cass for a three count, and Cass is eliminated. Reigns hits a series of clotheslines on Rollins in the corner, then drops him with a big boot. Reigns misses a Superman punch and Rollins hits the Falcon Arrow for a near-fall. Rollins goes up top and comes flying off but Reigns catches him with a Superman punch for a two count. Reigns goes for a spear bu drops him with a kick, then Owens rolls back in and drops Reigns with a kick. Owens hits cannonballs on both of them in the corners, but then Reigns hits a Superman punch on Owens out of nowhere for a near-fall. Owens hits a superkick on Reigns and goes for the pop up powerbomb but Reigns hits a Superman punch that sends Owens to the outside. Reigns powerbombs Rollins for another near-fall. Reigns Superman punches Owens on the outside, then spears Rollins on the outside as well. Reigns is about to throw Rollins back in the ring, but then Triple H comes out of nowhere and hits the Pedigree on Reigns on the floor. HHH throws Reigns and Rollins in the ring and Rollins pins him to eliminate Reigns. Triple H goes to the other side of the ring and throws Owens in the ring to face Rollins. Triple H gets in the ring and appears to help Rollins, but instead gives Rollins a Pedigree. Triple H looks at Owens, and Owens pins Rollins to become the new Universal Champion. Triple H grabs the Universal Title belt from Foley at ringside and hands it Owens. Triple H celebrates with new WWE Universal Champion Kevin Owens in the ring, then stares down Mick Foley at ringside and walks out through the crowd.
