The May 23rd, 2016 edition of WWE RAW took place at the Royal Farms Arena in Baltimore, MD.
– Seth Rollins comes out to start off the show. He cuts a promo about being away for 200 days and says he wants his title belt back because he never lost it. He starts as a babyface, then reminds the fans of his heel antics and says he burned all of the fan mail and flowers people sent him while he was injured. Roman Reigns comes out to interrupt, and Shane McMahon shortly follows. Shane steps in the ring with them and books a match between the two at Money In The Bank for the World Title.
– Sheamus cuts a promo in the back about Sami Zayn’s name and him being Canadian. He says what he’s going to do to Sami Zayn won’t be suitable for all ages. This will be a Money In The Bank qualifying match.
– Sami Zayn vs. Sheamus: Sheamus keeps Sami grounded in the opening moments. Zayn comes back with a spinning heel kick and a hurricanrana. Sami takes things to the outside and hits a moonsault on Sheamus off the fan barricade. Back in the ring, Sheamus comes back with a knee to the head and a running powerslam. He hits the Irish Curse backbreaker for a 2 count, then Zayn comes back with a Michinoku Driver for another near-fall. Shortly after, Zayn hits the big boot in the corner for the win and he now has qualified for the Money In The Bank match. Sheamus has a mental breakdown in the ring after the match.
– Apollo Crews is being interviewed in the back when he gets attacked by Sheamus, who is yelling about the “new era” in WWE.
– The New Day comes out and they have a birthday cake to celebrate tonight being the 1200th episode of RAW. Big E takes the birthday cake out of the ring and teases throwing it on fans and the announcers. The Social Outcasts hit the ring and jump all of the New Day Members before anyone gets hit with the cake.
– The New Day def. The Social Outcasts: We come back from commercial to a six-man tag with the New Day in control. Xavier hits a suicide dive to the outside on the outcasts which leads to Big E hitting the Big Ending on Slater. After the match they slam the face in Slater’s face.
– Cesaro def. The Miz: The Miz and Maryse come out to cut a promo first and Cesaro interrupts. He immediately goes to work on the Intercontinental Champion and gets a near-fall after a suplex. He follows it up with a flying uppercut off the middle rope, sending Miz to the outside. Back in the ring, Cesaro hits a cross body off the top rope for a 2 count, then a spinebuster and a swing. Cesaro doesn’t swing him very long as he’s selling the shoulder injury. Miz goes to the top rope but he jumps into an uppercut from Cesaro, who hits the Neutralizer for the win.
– Seth Rollins cuts a promo in the back about this year’s Money In The Bank PPV and his plans for taking back the World Title. He’s interrupted by Stephanie McMahon, who says their business relationship has changed and walks away.
– Chris Jericho def. Apollo Crews: Jericho comes out with bandages all over his back. Y2J starts off in control, but Crews comes back with a suplex and a springboard splash for a near-fall. Sheamus is watching on a monitor in the back. Crews starts kicking Jericho in the back and elbows where he has bandages from the thumbtacks last night. Jericho comes back with a suplex of his own and a dropkick for a near-fall. Crews comes back with a flying elbow and a moonsault, followed up by a spinning powerslam for a 2-count. Jericho gets out of an attempted powerbomb and puts Crews in the Walls of Jericho, but Crews reaches the ropes. Crews tries to kick-up off the ground to avoid a Lionsault, but Jericho collides with him as Crews lands on his feet. Jericho follows up with a Codebreaker for the win.
– Bob Backlund gives Darren Young some life lessons and Young takes notes. Backlund cuts a promo on Young for taking notes instead of memorizing everything he says. Backlund orders him to list all of the presidents in order, then do 100 jumping jacks.
– Dolph Ziggler confronts Baron Corbin in the back. Corbin says he’ll give him a rematch in what they call a “technical wrestling match” as opposed to their no DQ match at Extreme Rules.
– Big Cass is out next with the returning Enzo Amore who drops all of his catch phrases. He talks about his concussion and the Dudleys, and with that, we have a match.
– Big Cass def. Bubba Ray Dudley: Big Cass controls the opening moments until D-Von attacks Enzo and ringside to distract him. Bubba attacks from behind and his a back suplex. Enzo gets his revenge on D-Von with a flying knee at ringside. Bubba goes up top but Cass throws him off and follows up with a big boot. Cass hits an elbow drop for the win.
– Charlotte, Ric Flair and Dana Brooke come out to the ring to say a few words. Flair starts things off by saying how proud he is of her. Charlotte talks about how Flair was never there when she was a kid, but now she understands why he wasn’t because she’s the Women’s Champion. She tells Flair to get out of her ring and the Nature Boy is shocked. She says she’s a bigger star than her dad and that he’s dead to her.
– Dean Ambrose def. Dolph Ziggler: After several minutes of back-and-forth holds and takedowns, Ambrose hits a superplex for a near-fall. Ambrose follows up with a dive through the ropes onto Ziggler on the floor at ringside. Back in the ring, Ziggler hits the Fameasser for a 2-count. Ziggler hits a superkick but Ambrose immediately comes back with a clothesline for another 2. The finish comes when Ambrose avoids a Zig Zag and hits the Dirty Deeds for the win.
– Ric Flair gets consoled by Arn Anderson in the back. He turns down an interview with Renee Young and he leaves the arena.
– AJ Styles comes out to talk about his match last night against Roman Reigns, and gives Reigns credit. AJ says he would be the champion right now if it weren’t for the Usos and Gallows & Anderson. Gallows and Anderson take exception to this and interrupt him. Gallows says if it weren’t for them, AJ never would have made it to Extreme Rules. AJ says it’s just business and not personal, but that they’re “done” for now. Anderson says they’re not friends anymore and they leave the ring. AJ is up against Kevin Owens next.
– Kevin Owens def. AJ Styles: Both men are aggressive from the bell, and eventually AJ takes control with a dropkick and a knee drop. They trade some stiff chops and elbows, then Owens hits a dropkick of his own. Owens throws AJ to the outside and teases going for a suicide dive, but instead rolls under the bottom rope and clotheslines AJ. AJ comes back with a forearm shot and a toss into the steel steps before taking things back in the ring. Styles hits a reverse powerbomb then goes for a Styles Clash, but Owens gets out and hits a German suplex. Owens follows up with a cannonball in the corner for a 2 count. Styles comes back with a German suplex, kick to the head and a fireman’s carry into a backbreaker for another near-fall. Owens misses a twisting moonsault off the top rope, and AJ comes back with a springboard 450 splash for a 2-count. AJ takes things to the outside and Owens catches him with a powerbomb onto the steel ring steps. Back in the ring, Owens goes for the pop-up powerbomb but AJ jumps over him and hits the Pele kick. AJ goes for the Phenomenal Forearm, but Owens kicks the ropes, grabs AJ, and hits the pop-up powerbomb for the win. Owens celebrates his Money In The Bank qualifying victory in the ring as RAW goes off the air.