Posted on 9/01/126 by Bob Magee
From Cleveland, Ohio.
— In the parking garage, Royce Keys, Bronco Nima and Lucien
Price attacked The Usos as they arrive for a night of sports
entertaining. Jacob Fatu grabbed a pipe to run them off.
It’s so bloody and gruesome they have to protect my innocent
eyes by pixelating the “live” footage. Officalls are tending
to the Usos as Tessitore and Barrett tried to start the
show.
Things are so unpredictable when they’re (pretending to be)
live!
Joe Tessitore & Wade Barrett were on commentary.
Sol Ruca v. Raquel Rodriguez (w/ Liv Morgan & Roxanne Perez)
for the WWE Women’s Intercontinental Championship
Jacob Fatu ran out before the match could start to threaten
to dog walk Keys and his crew (the OTM name was seemingly
dropped tonight) and disrupted some furniture around
ringside before leaving.
Rodriguez immediately hit a clothesline to take control.
Ruca came back with a clothesline that sent Rodriguez to the
floor. She followed up with a Flying Space Tiger Drop.
Back in the ring, Rodriguez floored her with a tackle to
take control. Rodriguez tried for a slam but Ruca escaped
and hit a springboard crossbody. Ruca tied Rodriguez up with
a modified tarantula. On the floor, Ruca missed a moonsault
and Rodriguez hit a crossbody as we headed into a
commerical…
… and then we were immediately back with the action in the
ring. (There were barely any meaningful commercial breaks
tonight.) Ruca tried a sunset powerbomb to the floor, but
Rodriguez blocked the move, then yanked Ruca up by her hair.
Ruca escaped a fireman’s carry, then hit the sunset bomb to
the floor.
Morgan and Perez (who must have left during the chaos with
Fatu) came back to attack Ruca, but she fended the off with
a springboard cross body. Back in the ring, she tried for a
Soul Snatcher, but Lyra Valkyria came out of nowhere to
interfere, which allowed Rodriguez to hit the Tejana Bomb
and get the pinfall.
Match Result: Rodriguez pinned Ruca to retain the Women’s
Intercontinental Title (6:11 aired).
— A quick recap of the semifinals of the tournament to lose
to Roman Reigns in Mexico, followed by comments from the
finalists Penta and Rey Fenix.
— More of the (pixelated for my protection) carnage left by
Royce Keys, Bronco Nima and Lucien Price in the parking
garage.
Chad Gable Finds His Next Challenger
Gable thought that when he won the Intercontinental
championship, he’d finally feel like he’d made it. But, he
doesn’t feel that way. Because the real work starts now,
with the legacy he makes as a champion. Gable started that
legacy when he beat the greatest luchador of all time, Rey
Mysterio. And, he can’t mention the luchadors without
thanking Mexico for all that he learned when he wrestled in
AAA. So, Gable will defend the Intercontinental Title next
week when Raw returns to Mexico City, and Gable brought out
Dragon Lee.
Gable put over Dragon Lee as one of his favorite talents on
the roster. Gable announced that Adam Pearce left it up to
him to decide who he would defend the Intercontinental Title
against in Mexico City. But, before he can offer the title
opportunity to Dragon Lee, Ethan Page interrupted.
Page called out Gable for offering a title opportunity to an
“undeserving luchador,” and said that if he wanted a real
challenge, Gable would give a match to Page. Gable told Page
he was on the list of contenders, right after the Honky Tonk
Man. Page said if Gable kept handing title matches to
“charity cases” he’d wind up a paper champion.
Dragon Lee has had enough of Page, who “talks too much but
says nothing.” Lee doesn’t believe that Page is better than
him, and neither does the crowd. If Page really thinks he’s
better than Dragon Lee, then he’ll face Lee “right here,
right now.” Gable thought that was a great idea, and raised
the stakes to make it a match for the title shot at the
Mexico City Raw.
(by this point, the show went almost 30 minutes without an
actual commerical break)
Chad Gable v. Dragon Lee, Winner Gets an Intercontinental
Title Match in Mexico City
The crowd chanted “Ethan Sucks!” while Gable nodded on
approvingly from ringside. Page put Lee down with a boot and
pounded him with rights and forearms. Lee fought back with
open hand chops. Lee tripped up Page in the corner and hit a
diving dropkick in the corner for a near fall. Lee hit a
tope con hilo on the floor and had all the momentum.
After another non-commercial break, Page tripped Lee up with
the ring apron to take control. Page hit an inverted head
and shoulder capture suplex for a near fall. Lee countered
the EgoPlex with a small package for a near fall. Lee hit a
rebound German suplex and a superkick, then followed up with
a tornado DDT for a near fall.
Lee tried for a rana over the ropes to the floor, but Page
blocked it. Lee caught Page with a running knee, then hit a
rana from the apron to the floor that sent Page into the
announce desk. Lee tried for a dive onto Page, but Page cut
him off with a forearm. Page then tossed Lee into Gable.
Gable chased Page back into the ring. The ref kept Gable
from getting in the ring, and Page pulled one of the
turnbuckle pads off. Page ran Lee into the exposed
turnbuckle hook. Page covered, but Gable pointed out the
exposed hook, so the ref refused to count. Page started
yelling at Gable, and Lee hit Operation Dragon on Page to
get the pinfall.
Match Result: Dragon Lee pinned Ethan Page to earn an
Intercontinental Title match on the Mexico City Raw (8:48
aired).
— Roman Reigns arrived in his SUV. Must be nice to work
every other Monday. Roman got the update from Jacob Fatu on
what happened to the Usos. Fatu told Roman that Royce Keys
was a problem. Roman told Jacob that Royce was his problem.
— Earlier today, Crown Jewel was announced for Saturday,
November 7th, from Riyadh.
Roman Reigns Gets Acknowledged
Reigns demanded acknowledgment from the crowd, which they
were all too happy to do. Roman called himself “the one true
champion, the only champion that matters.” Roman wanted to
be talking about Penta and Rey Fenix, who are earning
respect by competing in the tournament, instead of the
people who are “b*tching and moaning” and not showing
respect.
Which brought Roman to Solo Sikoa. Roman will make Solo show
him respect and serve his family. But Sikoa blew that
opportunity to hang out with LA Knight. And sure, Knight may
remind Solo of The Rock, but he isn’t The Rock (actually,
he’s more like Steve Austin in Hulk Hogan’s colors to me,
but I digress).
Before Roman could talk more about LA Knight, the megastar
himself came out to talk to him. Knight should be talking
about Royce Keys, but instead he’s got to talk about Roman
Reigns, out there “recycling material from three years ago.”
Knight said Roman’s been doing things the wrong way, putting
his family members and tournaments Knight can’t enter in
Knight’s way. Does OTC stand for “One True Coward?” Because
two weeks ago, Knight dropped Roman on his head, and Roman
needed a week off to rethink his life decisions. And now,
it’s time for Roman to step to Knight, and Knight got in the
ring…
… but before they could face off, Solo Sikoa was shown in
the back with Jacob Fatu standing over him. Officials were
tending to Sikoa’s pixelated face. Knight ran to the back
and accused Fatu of attacking Sikoa, which of course Fatu
denied. While Fatu and Knight argued, Roman Reigns came out
of nowhere and hit Knight with a sucker punch. Roman told
Fatu (again) to handle Keys, because Roman had Knight under
control.
— Another promo for the 9.14 debut of Lola Vice (who is not
identified but everyone assumes these are for her).
Dominik Mysterio (w/ JD McDonagh) v. Je’Von Evans
Mysterio jumped Evans from behind before the bell. McDonagh
tripped up Evans from the floor, and Mysterio hit a back
elbow. Evans sent Mysterio to the floor and followed him out
with a no-hands dive.
After a quick break, Mysterio is in control and snapped
Evans’ neck against the top rope. McDonagh hit another cheap
shot on Evans when the ref wasn’t looking. Evans came back
with rights and lefts, then stomped a mudhole in Dom in the
corner. Evans hit a spinning kick to the back of the neck,
then a springboard clothesline.
McDonagh pulled Mysterio out of the ring to regroup. Evans
followed up, smacked McDonagh, then clotheslined Mysterio
into the timekeeper’s area. Evans started to run around the
ring for his big dive into the timekeeper’s area, but
McDonagh floored him with a clothesline for the
disqualification.
Match Result: Evans over Mysterio by disqualification
(4:20).
The Judgment Day beatdown commenced. Even though no one said
his name, Joe Hendry came out and made the save. Adam Pearce
came out and announced he was sick of Judgment Day, and made
it a tag team match like he’s Teddy Long on a mid-2000s
SmackDown.
Joe Hendry & Je’Von Evans v. JD McDonagh & Dominik Mysterio
Evans got his big dive into the timekeeper’s area. But then
Dominik hit Evans with a cheap shot for the heels to take
control. McDonagh suplexed Evans for a near fall.
Hendry got the hot tag and dumped everyone with fallaway
slams. He even dumped Mysterio and McDonagh at once. Hendry
then hit a dive on the Judgment Day on the floor. Mysterio
tried to set up a 619 in the ring, but Hendry floored him
with a clothesline. McDonagh blindsided Hendry with a
headbutt, and Mysterio finished him off with a Frog Splash.
Match Result: Mysterio & McDonagh defeated Evans & Hendry
when Mysterio pinned Hendry.
— Cathy Kelly asked Becky Lynch why she helped Stephanie
Vaquer last week, and Stephanie showed up to chase Kelly
away and get the answer herself. Becky didn’t look at it so
much as helping Stephanie as getting some shots in on the
Judgment Day. Becky thinks that Vaquer owes her one, and
maybe she’d like a title shot if Stephanie beats Liv. And
now, Stephanie sees Becky’s true colors, and doesn’t want
anything to do with her. Vaquer told Lynch to stay away.
Do any of these interviewers ever finish an interview they
start?
— Cathy Kelly asked Paul Heyman for a prediction or a
spoiler for Sunday Night’s Main Event match between Bron
Breakker & Oba Femi. Heyman offered neither, just the
observation that it’s a match neither man can afford to
lose. Heyman witnessed what Oba did to Brock Lesnar
firsthand, and he knows that Bron Breakker outworks everyone
in the gym. No predictions, no spoilers. We’ll all find out
this Sunday.
Yay! She finished the interview uninterrupted!
Sunday Night’s Main Event, This Sunday!
Charlotte Flair, Alexa Bliss & Tatum Paxley v. Jade Cargill,
B-Fab, Michin
Cody Rhodes v. Randy Orton
Oba Femi v. Bron Breakker
Baron Corbin v. Lil’ Yachty. If Yachty lasts five minutes,
Trick Williams gets another US Title shot.
Quavo performs.
— The Judgment Day celebrated their victories from earlier
tonight. Roxanne Perez promised to have Liv’s back next week
if Becky Lynch tries to interfere, but Liv isn’t worried
about Becky. They’re off to celebrate with tacos and
nuggets!
— Solo Sikoa, Jimmy Uso and Jey Uso have been transported to
a “local medical facility” for various injuries.
Next week on Raw:
Liv Morgan v Stephanie Vaquer for the Women’s World
Championship
Money in the Bank Qualifying Matches Begin
Penta v. Rey Fenix in the Finals of the #1 Contender’s
Tournament
The winner loses to Roman Reigns on the Raw in Mexico City.
Fenix and Penta started off with a handshake. Then they
immediately went to slapping each other, as good brothers
should. Fenix hit a step up rana, then came off the ropes
with a rana to send Penta to the mat. Fenix went for a
handspring against the ropes, but Penta hit him with a
dropkick that sent him to the floor. Penta then followed him
out with a plancha.
After a break, Penta was in control and got a near fall.
Fenix hit a gamengiri, then ran the ropes to punt Penta in
the head. Fenix hit a tornio on the floor. Back in the ring,
Fenix tried for a rolling cutter but rolled into a
superkick. Fenix dove at Penta and got a near fall (this was
kind of a weird spot).
Penta came back with a spin kick and a springboard
slingblade. Fenix came back with a pair of spinning hook
kicks, and both men were down.
Fenix recovered first and got a near fall. Fenix tried a
handstand on the top rope, but that left him open for a
superkick from Penta and he tumbled to the floor.
Penta threw Fenix back in the ring, and Fenix fired at him
with chops. Fenix ran into a superkick and Penta got a near
fall. Penta hit Fenix with a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker for a
near fall.
Penta pulled Fenix out of the corner with a backstabber for
a near fall. Penta tried for a Mexican Destoryer on the
apron, but Fenix blocked it. Fenix came off the top with a
moonsault on top of Penta’s head for near fall.
Penta collapsed after a couple of kicks from Fenix. Penta
then flipped Fenix into a powerbomb for a near fall.
Then things kicked into high gear.
Penta set up for a Destoryer off the middle ropes, but Fenix
sprang up with a forearm. Fenix tried for a superplex, but
Penta fought out of it, then went for a Destroyer, but Fenix
landed on his feet!
Fenix hit a kick, then pulled Penta out for the Mexican
Muscle Buster. But Penta escaped and hit the Penta driver
for two!
The fight went to the floor, where Penta and Fenix fought up
to the announcer’s desk. Penta put Fenix through the table
with another Penta Driver.
Penta tossed Fenix back into the ring and got a near fall.
Penta snapped Fenix’s arm. Fenix was on his knees and
demanded Penta finish him off. Penta went for the kill shot,
but Fenix snapped off a rana for a near fall and cradled
Penta for a near fall! Penta jumped back to his feet and hit
the Mexican Destroyer to finish off his brother and get the
pinfall.
Match Result: Penta pinned Fenix to win the #1 Contender’s
Tournament (12:15 aired).
After the match, Penta helped his brother up to his feet and
they embraced. Fireworks went off to celebrate Penta’s
victory.
Then, the OTC’s music played, and Roman Reigns came to the
ring with his world championship belt. Roman and Penta had a
staredown, and Reigns held up his championship belt, while
Penta showed he had no fear of Roman Reigns.
And that’s the show, over by 9:50 EST.
They’re doing a great job building up the Mexico City Raw as
a can’t miss show.