The Pepsi Center in Denver Colorado played host to Raw and SmackDown Live this week. A couple big matches were promoted for the show. Seth Rollins was seeking revenge on Braun Strowman and Roman Reigns was finally getting a crack at The Miz’s Intercontinental Title. Let’s see what the Red Team had in store for the WWE Universe.
Seth Rollins vs Braun Strowman
Seth Rollins made his way to the ring to kick off Raw with his match against Braun Strowman. Corey Graves made a remark about how the Earth shakes when Strowman appears.
The Architect used all of his CrossFit ability to take the fight to Braun, but Strowman didn’t take to selling too well. Rollins avoided a chokeslam but took a wicked high face-first slam.
Rollins caught Braun’s throat over the top rope and jumped to the top. However, Braun just tossed him back down. Braun went running for Rollins but Seth lowered the top rope sending Braun to the floor. Seth went for a dive through the ropes but got belted in the face instead.
It seemed like everything Rollins could do, Braun Strowman just one-upped with brute strength. Rollins jumped off the top rope into Braun’s arms and into a fallaway slam which sent him out of the ring. Rollins took some abuse from Strowman on the outside but sent Braun’s shoulder into the ring post then he hit two suicide dives.
Seth hit Braun with two high-risk moves and a blockbuster for a one-count. Seth hit two kicks and Braun powered through and hit a clothesline followed by a running powerslam for the pinfall.
Winner: Braun Strowman
After the match was over Braun Strowman hit another running powerslam to leave Rollins destroyed on the mat. He turned around and went to go back to the ring when Dean Ambrose’s music hit. Braun tossed Dean in the ring and Dean hammered on him and hit a dropkick. But Strowman caught Dean and choke slammed him twice. Then he hit a running powerslam.
Cesaro and Sheamus went to the ring while the Raw Tag Team Champions were just getting to their feet. Then Cesaro hit a Neutralizer on Dean and Sheamus hit a Brogue Kick on Rollins.
Backstage Segment – Alexa Bliss Has A Gift For Mickie James
Mickie James met Alicia Fox backstage and Foxy was laughing at her. Emma appeared next and told Mickie someone left something for her in the locker room. James opened a door that had just her name on it and found a bunch of gifts. It was a walker and a box of depends. How clever and sweet of Alexa Bliss. Foxy and Emma were laughing outside the locker room. Mickie asked where was Alexa and then Mickie went to Alexa’s locker room with a star on the door.
Mickie banged on the door and Nia Jax opened the door. Jax said Mickie was fragile and she didn’t want to face her. Bliss said Nia didn’t have an issue facing her. So Nia Jax vs Mickie James is going to happen now.
Bray Wyatt did a strange little promo where he just kept repeating: “She’ll never lie to me” over and over again.
Elias vs Titus O’Neil
Elias had some offense and Titus hit a running clothesline in the corner that sent Elias outside. He shoved Apollo Crew and Crew told the ref what The Drifter had done.
Elias hit Titus with a cheap shot and hit the drift away for the win. Apollo Crews didn’t look happy.
Winner: Elias
They showed Mickie James walking to the ring looking pretty sure of herself.
Nia Jax vs Mickie James
Alexa Bliss came down to the ring and got a good view of the match. Jax bulldozed over James and tossed her across the ring.
Mickie tried to fight back but Nia was just rougher on her. Jax choked Mickie across the middle rope while Alexa looked on without much sympathy.
Nia stretched Mickie with a knee in the square of her back but James fought back with some kicks. Nia tossed her down and launched her out of the ring.
Micke started landing lots of kicks but Jax didn’t fall. Then Nia hit Mickie James with a very sloppy looking slam. Corey Graves even had to use the “it wasn’t pretty” line.
Nia locked on a bearhug and squeezed the life out of Mickie James while Alexa Bliss just smiled away at ringside. James broke free from a powerbomb and started chipping away at Jax with kicks and finally got Nia to her knees. But Jax picked James up and just kept up the abuse.
Mickie fought back hard because she’s challenging for the title so they need to make her look strong. After a tornado DDT, Alexa Bliss jumped in the match to hit James and cause a DQ.
Winner: Mickie James vs DQ
After the match was over, Mickie James caught Bliss with a Mick Kick so she could blow her a kiss and send a message to the Raw Women’s Champion.
Backstage Interview – Enzo Amore
Enzo was asked about the hate that the rest of the 205 Live roster seemed to have for him. Amore didn’t say anything at all for once. He just looked away and appeared very sad. He tried to squeeze out a tear but couldn’t quite get one going.
Mickie was congratulated backstage about her victory like she won clean. She said she’s like to the new Raw Women’s Champion. Then Kurt Angle booked a Raw Women’s Championship match for Bliss vs James at TLC. But Mickie kind of ruined it when she replied, “it’s true it’s damn true.”
Matt Hardy and Jason Jordan vs The Club
JJ took quite a bit of damage early on from Luke Gallows. Interesting note: Jason Jordan wasn’t wearing a singlet like his Papa Kurt Angle this week but instead was wearing green short tights.
The babyfaces rallied early on and sent The Club to the outside of the ring. But once they returned to the ring, Karl Anderson started to focus on Matt Hardy to cut the ring in half on him. Gallows hit a kick to the head and threw up the “too sweet” hand gesture because he can since he’s a WWE employee.
Matt got the tag off the JJ and he started running the ring until Gallows got the tag and took him down. Then Gallows threw up the “too sweet” one more time for his homies.
Gallows hit a big boot and a leg drop on JJ for a two count. Anderson got the tag and kept taking it to Jordan.
Matt Hardy got the tag and there were plenty of “DELETE” chants as he mounted his team’s comeback. He hit a tornado DDT on Gallows and hit his signature elbow drop off the middle turnbuckle. JJ was taken out on the outside and Gallows dodged a Twist Of Fate.
Anderson got the tag and The Club hit the Magic Killer for the win.
Winners: The Club
Roman Reigns was interviewed backstage and he was asked to comment about what happened to Seth and Dean earlier in the night. He said he wasn’t worried about Rollins and Ambrose because they’re big boys. He’s focusing on The Miz and the IC Title. He said he’s not leaving Denver without the title.
The Miz vs Roman Reigns (Intercontinental Title Match)
The Miztourage made their entrance to the ring through the crowd like The Shield used to. That was kind of brilliant, but it was also to be expected.
Roman Reigns took out Dallas and Axel during the introductions before the match even started. He hit some drive-bys, Superman Punches, and tossed Dallas through the steps. Then Reigns grabbed a chair.
Roman the ringside area and took off after Axel through the crowd. He caught up with him on the entrance ramp and hit him with a chair shot. Bo jumped in to help, but Roman took him out with a Superman Punch and then laid them out with more chair shots to the back. Roman really put a beating to them and they don’t even have illegal chest protectors on.
Then Roman Reigns looked at The Miz in the ring while he begged off. Roman looked pissed as he headed to the ring. The match finally started after there’d already been quite a bit of violence.
Roman beat The Miz all around the ring and tossed him into the barricade. The Miz countered a legdrop from Reigns and took advantage. He tossed Roman through the steel steps and over the barricade to try and get a count out win. Roman got back in the ring by the ref’s 10 count though.
The Miz kept Roman down with kicks and some other light heel offense but Roman kept kicking out of every pin. He his the It Kicks but missed the last one when Reigns grabbed his leg and hit a sitdown powerbomb for a two count.
Roman cocked his fist and prepared to finish it. The Miz countered a Superman Punch into a Skull Crushing Finale which was fantastic. 1-2-kickout!
Miz went running to Roman looking for a flying knee when Reigns hit a Superman Punch for a two count. Reigns geared up for the Spear but Cesaro and Sheamus appeared out of nowhere and pulled Roman out of the ring. They hit him against the barricade as the ref called for the bell.
Winner: Roman Reigns by DQ
After the match was over, everyone destroyed Roman Reigns. They reenacted the move where they got in at three points of the ring like The Shield did. Then they hit a triple powerbomb on Roman. All this time the crowd was chanting “Shield, Shield, Shield!” After they laid out Roman Reigns, The Bar and The Miz did The Shield’s fist pound over his broken body.
Finn Balor Cuts An In Ring Promo
Balor came to the ring and cut a promo on Wyatt because Denver is Balor Club. He said if he had the whole world in his hands he wouldn’t know what to do with it.
Balor offered for Bray to come out and face him. Bray appeared on the screen while still repeating “she never lied to me” over and over again, “but you did” Bray concluded. Wyatt called Finn a liar again. He said the demon fuels the man. He told Finn to show him his true self and Bray said he’ll do the same.
Bray said Abigail is alive and she’s dying to meet Finn. Bray started laughing and his voice became two as a female voice joined in. His face got very twisted and it was quite chilling. Seriously. That was one of the best things I’ve seen in a while. Some people online are saying it sounded like Paige’s voice laughing.
Still, it was creepy AF.
Bayley and Sasha Banks vs Emma and Alicia Fox
Banks and Emma fought a little bit and then Bayley got the tag. The babyfaces maintained control over Emma while Bayley did her little bit where she rolls all over her opponent.
Emma started bashing Bayley’s head against the turnbuckle but she no sold it twice and turned it around on Emma. Foxy got the tag and they hit The Hugger with a double suplex.
The heels maintained control as they tagged in and out to abuse The Boss. It looked like there was blood in Sasha Banks’ mouth while she fought out of a headlock from Fox. But Sasha didn’t come through it just yet.
Banks gained some separation and Bayley got the tag. The Hugger took Alicia Fox out with a string of moves and hit her back elbow in the corner. Fox hit a jawbreaker on Bayley but Emma refused to take the tag. Apparently, she didn’t want to face Bayley. The Hugger hit a Bayley To Belly and got the pinfall.
Winners: Bayley and Sasha Banks
They showed a highlight from what happened last week after Raw when Enzo was destroyed by The Monster Among Men followed by the rest of the Cruiserweight Division.
Enzo Addresses The 205 Live Roster
Corey Graves had more than a few things to say about Enzo Amore on commentary. He’s obviously not a fan. He said Enzo looked like he was about to go skiing and hopefully he finds Sonny Bono’s ski instructor. Too soon?
Enzo started off by saying how everyone can go to Hell. He even offered to lend someone his Certified GPS. He then kept bragging about making the main event of Raw two weeks in a row and how much he’s done for the Cruiserweight Division.
He tricked the crowd into chanting “you deserve it” and held up his Cruiserweight Tile while saying “you’re damn right I deserve it.” Then Enzo started talking about how he earned all the money he’s made.
He said he’s hurting, but his pockets aren’t hurting. He said his back is killing him because he’s been carrying the Cruiserweight Division. Enzo said he got Kurt Angle to sign a new clause saying if anyone touches him this week then they’re fired.
Even though people might have been quiet during his promo, they all still spelled out SAWFT with Enzo. Then Neville came to the ring followed by the entire Cruiserweight Division.
Enzo jumped out of the ring and asked them if they liked their jobs. More 205 Live stars appeared at ringside and surrounded him. Enzo got in the ring and had opponents all around him standing on the apron.
Enzo went around the ring and insulted everyone while finding a way to insult Corey Graves in the process. He said Brian Kendrick looked like a hobo, etc. TJP yawned in his face while Enzo insulted him and said he needed to bring an ID because he doesn’t want to assault a minor. Apparently, Tozawa said he liked Enzo on Twitter so Amore skipped him.
Then Kurt Angle’s music hit. The Olympic Hero said based on last week, none of the Cruiserweights can challenge Enzo and none of them can have contact with him. But none of this applies to the newest member of the Cruiserweight division who he just signed. Enter Kalisto.
Kalisto ran to the ring and hit Enzo with a quick Salida Del Sol. He did a lot of Lucha taunts and posed for the crowd.
The camera went backstage to show Roman Reigns sitting there and holding his ribs while coughing. He looked up and saw Dean Ambrose standing there. Roman looked at Ambrose and then turned to see Seth Rollins. They ended Raw just looking at each other and then Seth and Dean walked off to leave Roman alone once again.
