The June 24th, 2019 episode of WWE RAW aired live from the Angel of the Winds Arena in Everett, Washington. Here are 5 takeaways from this week’s show:
Corbin & Evans Will Face Rollins & Lynch At Extreme Rules
Universal Champion Seth Rollins kicked off the show and was quickly joined by RAW Women’s Champion Becky Lynch. Rollins gave Corbin credit for choosing Lacey Evans as the referee last night at Stomping Grounds. Seth noted that Corbin wasn’t smart enough to realize that he has the best backup on the planet in Becky Lynch.
Lynch called Evans a plank and stated that she had nothing when it came time to fight. Baron Corbin’s music hit and Lacey Evans attacked Becky from behind. Lynch battled back and beat the hell out of Lacey in the corner of the ring. Corbin rushed the ring and Rollins connected with a Slingblade. Baron and Lacey then retreated out of the ring.
Corbin told Rollins to put on an apron and make The Man sandwich. Baron claimed that he would be Universal Champion if it wasn’t for Lacey Evans. Evans and Corbin suggested a mixed tag team match at Extreme Rules. Lynch told them that will be it and neither of them will get another chance at the PPV. Corbin added that it will be a winners take all match, with both the RAW Women’s Championship and Universal Championship on the line.
* @BeckyLynchWWE's music hits *@WWERollins: ???#RAW pic.twitter.com/ftG01gTLhX
— WWE Universe (@WWEUniverse) June 25, 2019
There has not been one entertaining match in either of these feuds and it is ridiculous that this is dragging on until Extreme Rules. Rumors of this match were floating around since last night and I hoped they were incorrect. Extreme Rules is in three weeks, so it already feels like a show that is going to have a build that is phoned in like Stomping Grounds. I already know I’m not interested in the main event of the PPV, and I’m also not looking forward to two more weeks of these cringeworthy segments.
R-Truth Retained The 24/7 Championship
The Miz was shown walking backstage and Abby the Witch from Firefly Funhouse appeared behind him.
24/7 Champion R-Truth and Carmella were guests on an episode of Miz TV tonight. Miz informed R-Truth that the rules for the 24/7 Championship have been suspended for the duration of this interview.
Footage was shown of R-Truth recapturing the 24/7 Championship at Drave Maverick’s wedding. Drake interrupted and said that winning the 24/7 Championship was the biggest moment of his career, and his wedding day was supposed to be the biggest night of his life.
Maverick told R-Truth that they haven’t even consummated the marriage and R-Truth misheard him and suggested that he have some fiber to relieve his constipation. Maverick challenged R-Truth to a title match and Miz stated that all superstars will be barred from ringside during the bout. R-Truth defeated Drake Maverick in a matter of moments and was then chased around by several superstars. R-Truth wound up escaping through the crowd. Drake Maverick then slowly walked backstage as the crowd sang “hey, hey, hey, goodbye”.
Later on RAW, Heath Slater pinned R-Truth to become the new 24/7 Champion. R-Truth quickly won it back but Cedric Alexander hit him with a Lumber Check to become the new champ. EC3 then pinned Alexander and was quickly distracted by Carmella. R-Truth then rolled up EC3 to become the 9-time 24/7 Champion.
The Undertaker Saved Roman Reigns
Roman Reigns faced Drew McIntyre and Shane McMahon in a Handicap Match tonight on RAW. Reigns started off the match in control and Clotheslined McIntyre out of the ring. Reigns then beat the hell out of Shane in the corner but McIntyre was able to drag him out of the ring.
McIntyre launched Reigns into the steel steps and bounced Roman’s face off them. Drew hit Roman with the steps again before rolling him into the ring. Shane mocked Reigns and hit him with a Spear. Shane asked McIntyre to hit Roman with another Claymore and Drew obliged.
Shane McMahon climbed to the top rope as McIntyre dragged Roman to the corner. Shane set up for the Coast to Coast Dropkick but The Undertaker’s theme hit. The Undertaker hit Shane with a Chokeslam and then beat the hell out of McIntyre in the corner. Undertaker Clotheslined Shane and McIntyre to the outside and then posed int he ring.
The Undertaker looked terrible at Super ShowDown recently, but this feud with Reigns, McIntyre, and Shane has been so bad that I’ll take anything that breathes some life into it. I honestly just want it to end, but The Undertaker randomly getting involved makes it a little more tolerable.
It was later announced that The Undertaker and Roman Reigns will face Drew McIntyre and Shane McMahon at Extreme Rules.
Samoa Joe Attacked Kofi Kingston
WWE Champion Kofi Kingston was about to be interviewed in the ring but Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens interrupted. They announced that they were going to have an impromptu Kevin and Sami Show.
Owens asked Kofi why he was here, who does he think he is, and why doesn’t he just get the hell out of here?. Kingston said that Owens has a zit on the side of his head. Zayn called Kofi a paper champion and accused him of relying on his friends to keep the title.
Kingston pointed out that he beat Kevin Owens at Money in the Bank by himself and defeated Dolph Ziggler last night at Stomping Grounds. Kingston vowed to defeat Sami Zayn by himself tonight as well.
Kingston dominated the match early and leveled Zayn with a Dropkick. Sami knocked Kofi out of the ring and Owens hit Kingston with a cheap shot. Back in the ring, Zayn connected with an Exploder Suplex that sent Kingston into the turnbuckle. Kofi wound up picking up a pinfall victory by rolling up Sami Zayn.
Kevin Owens then challenged Kofi Kingston to a match and the WWE Champion accepted. Kofi hit Owens with an SOS on the entrance ramp and won the match via count-out. Kingston then leaped onto both Zayn and Owens outside the ring. Samoa Joe then attacked Kofi from behind and slammed him into the screen. Joe planted Kingston with a Uranage on the steel entrance ramp. Joe then locked in the Coquina Clutch and choked Kofi out.
Samoa Joe has shown that he can be the best heel in the company, and Kingston isn’t getting anywhere close to the reactions he used to. Hopefully, Joe will be able to get the crowd behind Kofi once again.
I’m a fan of Samoa Joe, but I’m not a fan of him just becoming the #1 contender for the WWE Championship by attacking Kofi. He lost the United States Championship last night at Stomping Grounds, why does that put him in line for a shot at the WWE Championship? There should be a bunch of superstars trying to get that spot and fighting it out every week. There is a complete lack of storytelling in WWE that drives me insane. Extreme Rules in three weeks, so everything comes off as thrown together and rushed.
I have no idea what WWE is doing with Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn. They defeated New Day last night at Stomping Grounds, only to turn around and look like idiots tonight. They have no direction and there is no reason to take them seriously at this point.
.@SamoaJoe VICIOUSLY assaults the #WWEChampion @TrueKofi on #RAW! pic.twitter.com/oXs3V1ZvYW
— WWE (@WWE) June 25, 2019
AJ Styles Defeated Ricochet
United States Champion Ricochet squared off against AJ Styles in the main event of this week’s RAW. AJ Styles once again watched Gallows and Anderson take another loss against tonight against the Viking Raiders.
Styles and Ricochet locked up in the middle of the ring to start the match. Styles took Ricochet to the canvas and applied a Headlock. Ricochet escaped as Gallows and Anderson slowly walked down the entrance ramp. Gallows and Anderson stood ringside as Ricochet applied a Headlock.
Anderson tried to trip up Ricochet and AJ Styles got pissed off. Styles grabbed the microphone and told Anderson and Gallows to leave so that they do not ruin the match. Anderson and Gallows then slowly walked away as Michael Cole said they were going to restart the match after the commercial break.
When RAW returned, the match restarted and the two superstars once again locked up in the middle of the ring. Ricochet applied another Headlock and brought AJ to the mat. Styles battled out of the hold but Ricochet brought him back down to the canvas with an Arm Bar.
Styles once again escaped and sent Ricochet flying across the ring with a Back Body Drop. Ricochet connected with a Dropkick that sent Styles out of the ring. Ricochet flipped onto Styles and brought him back inside the ring. Styles launched Ricochet into the turnbuckle and went for the cover but the US Champion kicked out at two.
Ricochet connected with a Clothesline off the top rope and followed it up with a Standing Shooting Star Press for a near fall. Ricochet slammed AJ to the canvas and hit a Springboard Moonsault for another two count. Ricochet climbed back up to the top rope and went for the 630 Splash but Styles got out of the way. AJ then hit the Phenomenal Forearm for the pinfall victory. After the match, AJ Styles raised Ricochet’s hand and shared a hug with him in the ring to close the show.
AJ Styles and Ricochet put on a solid match but it couldn’t save another lackluster episode of RAW. I would have preferred not to see Ricochet lose his first match after winning the United States Championship. Granted, a loss against AJ Styles won’t hurt him, it just seemed unnecessary. I was expecting Gallows and Anderson to get involved again and ruin the match after they left ringside.
Vince McMahon apparently doesn’t want commercial breaks during matches anymore, so there was another pointless Tag Team Elimination Match tonight. WWE went to a commercial break after there was an elimination and then had another break when the main event was restarted.
There was also a dumb Tug of War segment between Lashley and Strowman, which resulted in Lashley beating down Strowman. There is so much talent on this roster, yet there are countless segments on both RAW and SmackDown that are ultimately meaningless.
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