Monday Night Raw
Date: July 20, 2015
Location: Sprint Center, Kansas City, Missouri
Commentators: Michael Cole, Byron Saxton, John Bradshaw Layfield
As uneventful as Battleground seemed going into last night, a lot changed in the final moments. The Undertaker of all people returned to end the World Title match by attacking Brock Lesnar. The interesting point was that Rollins just disappeared after basically being squashed by Lesnar for the entire match. It should be interesting to see what happens as we head towards Summerslam. Let’s get to it.
The opening recap looks at the end of the main event.
Here’s Undertaker to open things up with the announcers listing off all of his accomplishments. The fans don’t seem to mind Undertaker’s rather heelish actions last night. Undertaker starts with a big line: streaks are made to be broken. However, Lesnar has gone on for months about his greatest accomplishment. Ever since he broke the Streak, Lesnar has bragged about it. You can’t kill what won’t die, and Undertaker will conquer what has yet to be conquered. Just like everyone else, be they man or beast, Brock Lesnar will rest in peace.
The Authority talks about what a great Summerslam main event they have now. Stephanie is ready to market things, but HHH thinks Brock should take the night off.
Charlotte vs. Brie Bella
Team Bad is on commentary but before the match we have to get a quick recap of how the NXT girls came up. Feeling out process to start with Charlotte knocking Brie to the floor but misses a dive. Back from a break with Brie working on the arm and kicking Charlotte square in the jaw. We get the YES Kicks to fire up the crowd, followed by a low dropkick for two. Brie hooks a chinlock for a good while before Charlotte starts firing off chops and a big boot to the face. Nikki’s distraction doesn’t work and a spear sets up the Figure Eight for the submission for Charlotte at 9:02.
Result: Charlotte b. Brie Bella – Figure Eight
HHH is on the phone with Heyman and tells Lesnar to take the night off. Heyman needs to grow a set and tell Lesnar to not show up tonight. Miz tries to interrupt and gets Big Show as a result.
Prime Time Players vs. Los Matadores
Non-title. Darren takes Diego into the corner to start and blasts him with a spinning forearm. The masked men take over, despite the fans not sounding all that interested. Young snaps off a belly to belly suplex and it’s off to Titus to clean house. Cue New Day for a distraction though, allowing Diego to hit a Backstabber on Titus for the pin at 4:04.
Result: Los Matadores b. Prime Time Players – Backstabber to O’Neil (4:04)
Big Show vs. Miz
Show chops Miz in the corner to start and a slam sets up the middle rope elbow for the pin on Miz at 1:27.
Show rants about how he’s still around and tells Ryback to show up on Tough Enough tomorrow night for a brawl.
HHH and Stephanie want artwork made up for Lesnar vs. Undertaker when Heyman arrives. He’s here to give Lesnar’s response and nothing more, but the Authority isn’t interested.
Back from a break with the roster meeting with the Authority. They want the entire locker room to keep Lesnar and Undertaker apart because they have to protect the Summerslam main event.
Here’s Heyman to address the Summerslam main event. Brock isn’t the World Champion right now, but why isn’t he? It’s not because Rollins out wrestled or out fought him or because Rollins survived a trip to Suplex City. It was all because of a yet again resurrected Undertaker, who can’t get over losing the Streak to Brock Lesnar. Of course Heyman has hyped up the Streak being broken because why wouldn’t he?
It’s the biggest accomplishment of his career because no one else could ever do it. The Undertaker wants to face Brock Lesnar again at Summerslam, so let’s make this personal. Heyman goes into full on promoter voice to rant about the Streak being broken. Undertaker may have sold his soul to the devil to get revenge but he belongs to Brock Lesnar. There goes the gong and Heyman is terrified.
Brock hits the ring and the fight is on with the fans being behind a ticked off Lesnar. Security has as much success as you would expect so HHH sends a bunch of midcarders out until there must be twenty five guys trying to break this up. The announcers bail so it’s up to the audience to tell us how awesome this is. Undertaker gets to him on the floor again as even main eventers are out there to break it up now.
We come back from a break and they’re fighting in the back again with the entire roster not being able to hold them back. Brock finally steps back and says he’s done, allowing the police to tie his hands.
Rollins comes in to laugh at what just happened but promises the Authority that he’ll be in the arena later.
Bray Wyatt says he’s never alone because his family stands by his side. They know that he is the revolution and the fans need to learn it. The people have annointed Roman Reigns and it’s time for them to burn for it. Harper says this is just the beginning and they will take Reigns apart brick by brick. Anyone but you.
Luke Harper vs. Roman Reigns
The fans sound like they’re chanting for Wyatt so Byron says it’s for Reigns. Roman shrugs off a clothesline and fires off chops, only to have Harper go after Roman’s left arm. That earns him a suplex though and we take a quick break. Back with Roman stuck in a chinlock before Harper wisely goes back to the arm. A charge doesn’t work for Reigns as Harper tosses him outside, injuring the arm again.
The match keeps going as Harper cranks on the arm while also working on a chinlock. Harper misses a big boot and crashes to the floor, allowing Reigns to start his comeback. Roman and Bray get into it with both Wyatts taking apron kicks. Wyatt pulls Reigns outside though and that’s a DQ at 13:00.
Result: Roman Reigns b. Luke Harper via DQ when Bray Wyatt interfered (13:00)
Everyone brawls post match and the Wyatts run.
We get the same recap from the opening.
Here’s Rollins to brag about surviving with the title. He’s sorry to announce this to the people but Lesnar didn’t get the job done. Being champion is so much harder than people think it is because Rollins has to put so much effort into it. After last night, he’s still exactly where he promised he would be, but he never got to hear his name announced last night. Therefore, Lillian Garcia is invited in for the official announcement.
That’s exactly what we get….and here’s Cena to interrupt. Rollins cuts him off by saying this isn’t about him because no one cares about what he does, but Cena talks about how a champion is supposed to be ready to fight no matter what. The brawl is about to be on but, as you would expect, Rollins bails. That might be the co-main event at Summerslam.
Paige/Becky Lynch vs. Naomi/Sasha Banks
The Bellas/Alicia are on commentary this time. Sasha and Becky get things going but some armdrags and an armbar have Sasha in early trouble so it’s off to Naomi. That’s fine with Becky who drops a leg as the heroes stay in control. Sasha gets kicked in the head a few times and we take a break. Back with Naomi cranking on a front facelock as JBL brings up WCW and the NWO, followed by Naomi kicking Becky in the face for two. Sasha comes back in to yell at Paige, allowing Naomi to get in some shots from the apron.
Becky rolls away and dives for a tag but Sasha makes a save, only to have the hot tag bring in Paige a second later. Paige cleans house but the PTO on Maomi is broken up at the last second. Everything breaks down as the Bellas just keep chattering. The Bank Statement makes Paige tag at 13:05.
Result: Naomi/Sasha Banks b. Paige/Becky Lynch – Bank Statement to Paige (13:05)
Southpaw preview, which is tied into a Tough Enough plug.
Long Undertaker vs. Lesnar recap.
We look back at Rusev’s ankle being fine and the ensuing Ziggler beatdown.
Lana says Ziggler will be fine when Summer Rae comes up in a Lana outfit. Rusev comes in to kiss Summer, who then slaps Lana in the face.
Randy Orton/John Cena/Cesaro vs. Kevin Owens/Rusev/Sheamus
After the entrances take their time, we start things off with Cena vs. Owens but it’s quickly off to Rusev instead. An early fall away slam gets two and Rusev opts for the stomping away in the corner. That goes badly for the Russian so it’s back to Owens, who has to dive to the ropes to break up an STF attempt. A DDT plants Cena but he rolls away from the Cannonball for the hot tag.
Everything breaks down and Cesaro loads up the Swing, only to eat a jumping superkick to send the match to a break. Back with Owens holding Cesaro down until Cesaro powers up with a nice suplex. Cesaro gets to play face in peril for a bit as all the heels get in their shots. Sheamus and Owens wind up hitting each other though and the fight is on with Sheamus getting the worse of it.
Sheamus walks out on the match and Owens does the same a few moments later, leaving Rusev down 3-1. This goes about as you would expect it to with the parade of finishers putting Rusev down. Cue Lana to spear Summer down, leaving Cesaro to catapult Rusev into an RKO for the pin at 14:21.
Result: John Cena/Cesaro/Randy Orton b. Rusev/Kevin Owens/Sheamus – RKO to Sheamus (14:21)
Results
Charlotte b. Brie Bella – Figure Eight
Los Matadores b. Prime Time Players – Backstabber to O’Neil
Big Show b. Miz – Middle rope elbow
Roman Reigns b. Luke Harper via DQ when Bray Wyatt interfered
Sasha Banks/Naomi b. Paige/Becky Lynch – Bank Statement to Paige
John Cena/Randy Orton/Cesaro b. Rusev/Kevin Owens/Sheamus – RKO to Rusev
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