SEScoops

WWE Monday Night Raw Reaction 7/11/2016

Written by

Robert Lentini

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This week’s episode of Monday Night Raw kicked off with a Battle Royal to determine the #1 contender for the Intercontinental Championship. Before the Battle Royal began, the Miz cut a promo stating that the results of this match do not matter. Whomever wins the Battle Royal, the Miz will defeat them at Battleground simply because he is the Miz and he is awesome.

Battle Royal for the #1 Contender to IC Title

The first WWE Superstar to be eliminated was Aiden English, followed by Konner from the Ascension. Curtis Axel didn’t fare too well in this match either, as he was swiftly tossed over the top rope by D-Von Dudley. R-Truth was eliminated by Baron Corbin. Interestingly, Jey Uso tried to eliminate Jimmy Uso. D-Von then tried to eliminate both Usos, but got himself eliminated instead. Alberto Del Rio sent Goldust flying over the ropes and Apollo Crews did the same to Bo Dallas. Apollo Crews had some big moments in this match, including when he eliminated Alberto Del Rio. Dolph Ziggler was eliminated by Baron Corbin. It was down to Crews, Corbin and Darren Young and the ending was bizarre. Crews tried to eliminate Baron Corbin with a Clothesline but I guess his momentum carried himself over the top rope as well. The winner of this match and number one contender for the Intercontinental Championship is Darren Young.

Reaction: I thought this was a fresh way to start off a Monday Night Raw. Darren Young versus the Miz seems a bit out of nowhere but I guess the WWE really is trying to make Darren Young great again. Oh and seeing Bob Backlund pick up Darren Young during their victory celebration was pretty amusing.

Sheamus vs Zack Ryder

This was a quick match with Ryder getting the upper-hand early, but quickly getting hit with a Brogue Kick in the face. Sheamus gets the win via pinfall and then Rusev’s music hits. Rusev comes down to the ring and beats down Zack Ryder. Rusev then locked in the Accolade and while he was applying the hold, Rusev was screaming “I accept your challenge”. Thus, at WWE Battleground it will be Zack Ryder versus Rusev for the United States Championship.

Reaction: Zack Ryder lost this match quickly and put up little resistance to Rusev after the match. It will be interesting to see what happens at Battleground, as of now it seems like Ryder has no shot at defeating Rusev.

Breezango vs the Lucha Dragons

It was looking like the Lucha Dragons were going to soundly defeat Breezango in the beginning of this match but things changed when Tyler Breeze trapped Kalisto in the corner. Kalisto was trying to go up to the top rope, but Tyler Breeze hit him with a kick in the face. Breeze then rolled Kalisto up and secured a pinfall victory for Breezango.

Reaction: I didn’t like Breezango when they first debuted but they have grown on me overtime. Now, I find myself hoping that they keep them together past the draft on July 19th.

Seth Rollins came down to the ring and claimed that he had an exclusive sit down interview with Roman Reigns regarding his suspension. What Rollins showed was an interview that Roman Reigns had done previously with Rollins spliced in. Rollins was asking degrading questions and then Reigns’ answers made him look even worse. The “interview” also made it seem like Reigns was bothered that Dean Ambrose was WWE Champion. Dean Ambrose then interrupted this and confronted Seth Rollins in the ring. Ambrose claimed that Rollins disgusted him and said if Rollins wanted a 1 on 1 match for the WWE Championship he’s got it. Rollins then made it seem like he was going to challenge Ambrose tonight for the title, but then said he wants the match on next week’s Raw. After the commercial break, the match for the WWE Championship between Rollins and Ambrose was confirmed for next week’s Monday Night Raw.

Reaction: This was one of the better promos that has happened in the WWE in awhile. Both Rollins and Ambrose did very well in this segment.

Kevin Owens vs Cesaro

Before the match, Sami Zayn joined the announcer’s table. Kevin Owens was then shown backstage demanding that Sami Zayn be removed from outside the ring. Stephanie McMahon obliged and ordered the referees to remove Zayn from ringside even though Shane McMahon told Zayn he was allowed to join the announce table. Zayn and Owens had a brief encounter on the entrance ramp but the referees separated them. It is at this moment that we are shown a limo arriving at the arena. Vince McMahon is shown exiting the vehicle and is immediately interviewed by Renee Young. Vince reveals that he will be announcing the new commissioner of Smackdown later tonight.

The match finally started and it was Cesaro dishing out the punishment early. This was a terrific back and forth match with Owens eventually getting the victory after hitting a Neck Breaker on Cesaro who was on the top rope. After the match, Kevin Owens grabbed Byron Saxton’s headset and claimed that he was the best in the world. Sami Zayn came flying out of the crowd and beat down Kevin Owens. Cesaro then put Owens in the Cesaro Swing.

Heath Slater vs Titus O’Neil

This match went exactly as you would have expected it to. Titus O’Neil destroyed Heath Slater.

The Wyatt Family vs the New Day at the Compound

This was pretty much like Matt and Jeff Harty’s Final Deletion match minus the humor. There were tires being thrown and windshields being broken by axes, it was just pure madness.The fight ended with the New Day retreating into the woods as Bray Wyatt shouted “follow the buzzards!”.

https://twitter.com/SychoVicious/status/752659164204326912

Enzo and Cass vs the Club 

The Club was dominating early while Enzo was stuck in the ring. Eventually, Enzo was able to tag in Cass and he cleaned house. However, AJ Styles got involved in the match and the Club was disqualified. After the match, the Club was beating down Enzo and Cass when John Cena came out and made the save. The Club was under the impression that Cena wasn’t in Detroit for Monday Night Raw so they were shocked when he sprinted towards the ring. Cena, Enzo and Cass tossed Styles and the Club out of the ring. The Club then retreated as Cena, Enzo and Cass celebrated in the middle of the ring.

Reaction: My main takeaway from this match was the split reaction AJ Styles got from the crowd in Detroit. It seems like Styles is resonating with the WWE Universe as a heel.

Sasha Banks vs Dana Brooke

Charlotte was ringside for this match. Dana Brooke dominated a large majority of the match but the momentum changed when Sasha Banks countered Brooke’s attempt at a Superplex off the top rope. Sasha then hit a Cross Body off the top rope and shortly after locked in the Bank Statement for the submission victory.

Shane McMahon came down to the ring to a loud ovation from the WWE Universe. He was immediately followed by Stephanie McMahon who didn’t get as much of a positive reaction from the crowd. Vince McMahon then came out with that ridiculous strut that we all know and love. Vince McMahon stated that both Stephanie and Shane were doing a decent job but he was still disappointed in both of them. Vince then stated that the only reason Shane was even there was because he jumped off the Hell in a Cell at Wrestlemania.

Vince McMahon then asked Stephanie to convince him as to why she should be the commissioner of Smackdown. Stephanie then claimed that Shane McMahon constantly talked behind Vince’s back. Vince then asked Shane to convince him as to why he should be the commissioner of Smackdown. Shane McMahon stated the he represents change and the WWE needs a change because Stephanie’s and Vince’s glass ceilings were strangling the life out of the business. Vince McMahon asks for a drumroll and then announces that Shane McMahon is the commissioner of Smackdown and that Stephanie McMahon is the new commissioner of Monday Night Raw. Vince McMahon then asks that the two compete against each other and that he wouldn’t give a damn if they broke the law. Vince hinted that one of them might inherit the keys to the kingdom, in other words control both Raw and Smackdown. It was also revealed that next week on Raw, Shane and Stephanie will be announcing their GM’s for both shows. Stephanie McMahon then grabbed a mic and stated that she was going to bury Smackdown and make Shane wish he was never even born. Shane then said Stephanie is just scared.

Reaction: There wasn’t any big revelation or surprise here, pretty much everyone expected that Shane would be running one show and Stephanie would be running the other. However, it still makes for great drama and I’m looking forward to the draft when Smackdown goes live on July 19th.

https://twitter.com/totaldivaseps/status/752701922117726209

What did you think of this week’s episode of Monday Night Raw? Let us know in the comments below.

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