WWE Monday Night RAW
June 12, 2017
Lafayette, Louisiana
Commentary: Michael Cole, Corey Graves and Booker T
Results by: Mike Tedesco of Wrestleview.com
“Then. Now. Forever.” The WWE video leads us into the show.
The show kicks off with a video recap of last week’s confrontation between Samoa Joe and Paul Heyman. Samoa Joe was disappointed that Brock Lesnar didn’t come to the event, so he gave Heyman a message to give to him in the form of the Coquina Clutch.
Brock Lesnar returns to Monday Night RAW
Brock Lesnar’s music hits, and the WWE Universal Champion makes his way to the ring with Paul Heyman for the first time since the night after WrestleMania 33. Heyman says, “Ladies and gentlemen, my name is Paul Heyman, and I am here tonight to unleash the beast!” Heyman says it’s Samoa Joe’s day of reckoning administered by the reigning, defending, undisputed Universal Champion, Brock Lesnar. How does this story go? Last week on RAW, he showed Samoa Joe respect. Heyman asked permission to enter what he thought was Samoa Joe’s ring. Like a shark luring the chum into his domain, Samoa Joe lured him in and took him out. If this was a legitimate beef or an old score to settle, he’d have it coming. That wasn’t what this was about. Samoa Joe kicked down the front door of the lair of the beast. He put his hands on Brock’s guy in Brock’s name. Now Brock Lesnar has a problem. That problem is with Samoa Joe. It’s a problem that will be solved by the greatest problem solver in WWE history: Brock Lesnar. Heyman can’t help but think he was fooled by thinking Samoa Joe was the worst case scenario. Finally someone could be a worthy challenger to Brock Lesnar for the Universal Championship, but that’s not who Samoa Joe is. How many Samoans have been in this business and for how many years? They’re all related and proud of each other’s accomplishments… except for one: Samoa Joe. He’s the one Samoan the other Samoans don’t want anything to do with. Heyman says Samoa Joe is a mutt and a dog. The greatest accomplishment he has is putting the Coquina Clutch on Paul Heyman. That Coquina Clutch was everything he warned him it would be. Heyman describes passing out and waking up. When he woke up, the first thing he thought was what would happen if he put that move on Brock Lesnar? Then he realized that Samoa Joe is a punk, a mutt, and a dog and isn’t man enough to put that Coquina Clutch on Brock Lesnar.
Samoa Joe’s music hits, and Paul Heyman abruptly stops. Joe marches his way down to the ring looking none too pleased. Heyman takes the WWE Universal Championship and gets out of the ring. Joe gets on the apron and gets right in the ring. Lesnar and Joe go face to face. Joe head-butts him down and punches away at him. Lesnar powers him into the corner and hits some shoulder thrusts. Kurt Angle sends security out to the ring. Lesnar takes out the security, and Joe takes him down. The RAW roster pours out from backstage and tries to pull them apart. Lesnar tries to drive through them, and Joe gets free to superkick him. They pull Joe out of the ring, and Lesnar catches him on the ramp with some punches. Finally, they are separated.
Tonight, The Hardy Boyz will face Sheamus and Cesaro for the WWE RAW Tag Team Championships in a 2-out-of-3 Falls Match.
-Commercial Break-
Replays are shown of what just happened between Brock Lesnar and Samoa Joe.
Elias Samson is in the ring with a spotlight on him and his guitar. Samson greets the crowd, and they boo him. Samson has a question for everyone here tonight: Who wants to walk with Elias? There’s a lot of aggression in the air, so he figured he’d play a song inspired by them. Samson asks them to keep their cell phones down and hold their applause. Samson sing that Louisiana is the laughing stock of the USA. The Cajun should be caged up, and he can’t wait to get away. As for Dean Ambrose, he won’t leave him alone. Every time Ambrose meets him, he’s taken down.
Dean Ambrose’s music hits, and he makes his way to the ring. Footage is shown of Dean Ambrose spoiling The Miz’ celebration last week. The Miz beat up a bear mascot and accidentally destroyed a grandfather clock given to him by Maryse. Finally Ambrose revealed himself to be disguised as a cameraman, and he dropped The Miz with Dirty Deeds.
Elias Samson vs. Dean Ambrose
They lock up and tussle to the corner. Ambrose gives a clean break, and Samson smirks at him. They lock up again, and Ambrose applies a hammerlock. Samson backs him into the ropes to break the hold. Samson punches him and whips him to the corner. Ambrose slingshots over him and hits a spinning back elbow. Ambrose chops him and sends him into the ropes, but Samson holds on and gets out of the ring.
-Commercial Break-
We come back from the break to see Ambrose punch away at Samson before eating a clothesline. Samson picks up a two count. Samson punches and stomps him in the corner. Samson knees him in the midsection and talks some trash before applying the chin lock. Ambrose tries to get out, but Samson keeps him down. Finally, Ambrose fights up and hits a back suplex. They both get up and trade chops. Ambrose hits the ropes, ducks a clothesline, and hits a pair of running forearms. Samson reverses a whip, but Ambrose answers with a clothesline. Ambrose follows up with a fisherman’s suplex for a near fall. Ambrose gets up and hits a running forearm in the corner. Samson pushes off a bulldog attempt and boots him in the face. Ambrose pulls the top rope down to get him out of the ring. Ambrose then connects with a suicide dive. Ambrose goes to the top rope, but Samson cuts him off. Samson goes for a superplex, but Ambrose fights him off with head-butts.
The Miz runs down and distracts him. Samson rolls him up for a two count. Ambrose takes Samson down with a Lunatic Lariat. The Miz is surprised Ambrose is still in the match. Ambrose slowly gets out of the ring and approaches The Miz. Miz begs him off and puts Maryse in front of him before running away. Ambrose catches him and sends him into the barricade. Ambrose yells at Maryse before scaring Miz back. Ambrose nearly got counted out. Samson drops a knee on the back of his neck and hits a rolling cutter for the win.
Winner by Pinfall: Elias Samson
The Miz looks pleased with the result of this match. Ambrose looks furious.
The Hardy Boyz will face Sheamus and Cesaro in a 2-out-of-3 Falls Match for the WWE RAW Tag Team Championships.
-Commercial Break-
It’s time for another Shattered Dreams Production. Goldust quotes The Godfather before saying R-Truth claimed they were brothers, but the truth is he was jealous and scared of him. Goldust got to him before he got to him. R-Truth never understood him anyway. Why? Is it because he’s a little too bizarre or does he make them feel… uncomfortable? Ignorance can be beautiful, but just like beauty, nothing lasts forever… unless you’re made of gold. Goldust tells him to buckle up because The Golden Age is back.
The Miz and Maryse are walking backstage when Kurt Angle catches up to them. Angle is furious about what just happened. The Miz says Ambrose is lucky that’s all that happened. Maryse is still furious at him for destroying the grandfather clock. Angle says that’s not his problem. Miz says the only reason Ambrose ruined his celebration is because Angle was too preoccupied with his personal problems to do his job. Angle asks what he knows about it. Miz says Angle should get on Ambrose’s case for doing the wrong things. Angle should fire or suspend him. Angle says Miz will never speak to him that way again. As far as Ambrose is concerned, he’s not going to do anything about it. If The Miz has a problem with Ambrose, he needs to take care of it himself. Angle then walks off.
A highlight video airs for Cedric Alexander.
Noam Dar is talking backstage until Cedric Alexander comes up to him. Alexander says he’s done fighting Dar and is done with his “ratchet” ex-girlfriend, Alicia Fox. Fox is on Facetime and tells him to say it to her face. Alexander says this is over tonight.
-Commercial Break-
Cruiserweight Match
Cedric Alexander vs. Noam Dar w/ Alicia Fox (on Facetime)
Alicia Fox is coming through the main speakers in the arena. She’s belittling Alicia Fox. Dar reluctantly puts the phone down. The bell rings, and Alexander immediately gives him the Lumbar Check for the win.
Winner by Pinfall: Cedric Alexander
Tonight’s main event will see The Hardy Boyz try to take back their titles from Sheamus and Cesaro in a 2-out-of-3 Falls Match. Coming up next, we’ll hear from Bray Wyatt.
-Commercial Break-
Next week on RAW, Roman Reigns will make a SummerSlam announcement.
Bray Wyatt addresses his attack on Seth Rollins
Bray Wyatt appears on the screen. Wyatt says humanity is guilty of mistaking intelligence for knowledge. The world is ending, collapsing under the weight of its own sin. Wyatt is the only one that can save us. “I’m here.”
Bray Wyatt makes his way to the ring to a light reception. Wyatt says those who deny him will be judged. Those who sit in pathetic apathy will pay for their guilt. He who dares blaspheme his name will be punished just like Seth Rollins. Rollins has it all figured out and has all the answers. Rollins lives in a glass house where the blueprints of the architect coat the walls and blot out the sun. It only took a dose of his truth, and Rollins’ glass house came tumbling down. If you take his name in vain, you will fall.
Seth Rollins makes his way to the ring and wants to clarify something. Wyatt cost him his match against Samoa Joe because he called him a few names? Rollins is surprised he could get under his skin so easily. When he called him a false prophet and a wannabe martyr, it’s the truth. People like Wyatt don’t like the truth. It forces them to come into the light, but Wyatt doesn’t like the light. Wyatt likes to hide in the shadows and strike in the darkness. Wyatt can call that whatever he wants, but since he’s “spitting truth,” it makes Wyatt a coward. If Wyatt doesn’t agree, Rollins is out here to dare him to prove him wrong. Wyatt laughs and says Rollins’ pride will betray him. Rollins oozes arrogance, but he knows when he looks in the mirror, he sees a man. When Wyatt looks at him, he sees a man that’s beneath him. Rollins doesn’t want this fight with him because his power is more than he can fathom. Rollins has found the will to slay a king. The Wyatt video flashes on the screen and the lights go out. When they come back on, he’s gone. It flashes once more, and Wyatt is backstage. Rollins may have found the will to slay a king, but a god lives forever. Wyatt laughs hysterically and tells him to face his fear and run.
Charly Caruso is backstage with The Hardy Boyz. She asks about their match. Matt Hardy says they’re in for a long night. Sheamus and Cesaro are the most physical team they’ve ever faced. They won’t avoid the daunting task. They’ll climb it, and Jeff says they’ll jump off it. Matt says they believe they’re the bar, but they’ll break the bar. They’ll reclaim their titles.
-Commercial Break-
Kalisto vs. Apollo Crews w/ Titus O’Neil
Akira Tozawa is in the front row for this. O’Neil set him up there to try to impress him. Crews sends him into the ropes, but Kalisto kicks him and hits a head-scissor takeover. Crews quickly takes him down for a two count. Crews hits a snap suplex for a one count. Crews applies a front facelock and takes Kalisto down while he tries to fight up. Kalisto kicks him and rolls to the apron. Kalisto hits a slingshot kick and hits a hurricanrana. Kalisto hits a head-scissor DDT for a two count. Crews counters handspring back elbow into a spinning sit-out powerbomb for the win.
Winner by Pinfall: Apollo Crews
Titus O’Neil pulls Akira Tozawa out of the front row and puts him in the ring. O’Neil then raises his arms up, but Tozawa isn’t liking it one bit.
Heath Slater and Rhyno are backstage when The Miz walks up to them. Miz says he has an opportunity for them. They were Smackdown Tag Team Champions, but now on RAW Kurt Angle is ruining them. Miz offers them to be a part of his entourage. Miz says he made Slater a star in The Marine 5. All he has to do is ask. Slater says before he had kids, he was a kid. When he was a kid, he wanted to be Intercontinental Champion. Miz tells him to join him and he can someday get a title shot. Rhyno says he already has a partner. Miz asks if he’d rather eat spray cheese than have caviar. Rhyno says he already has a partner, so Miz can find a partner because they’re going to have a tag team match tonight. Rhyno then obnoxiously devours some more crackers and spray cheese.
-Commercial Break-
Alexa Bliss talks about Nia Jax
Alexa Bliss comes out to complain about having to defend her title against Nia Jax last week a night after defeating Bayley. This Sunday, Smackdown presents the first ever women’s Money in the Bank Ladder Match.
Nia Jax’s music hits, and she angrily comes down to the ring. Bliss doesn’t look happy about this. Jax is mad Bliss said she was forced to defend her title. Jax said Bliss told her she deserved a shot. Bliss reluctantly says she was thrilled to have a title match against her and wanted to have a match for the ages, but that moment was stolen by Mickie James and Dana Brooke. Why is she the one being held accountable for their actions?
Mickie James comes out to the stage with Dana Brooke. James calls Bliss a “dwarf.” Bliss has a long way to go before she reaches her territory as a six-time champion. Bliss said it was unfair that Nia Jax was getting a title opportunity. They get in the ring. Dana Brooke says Bliss’ exact words were they have a Nia Jax problem. Bliss tells everyone to calm down. Bliss says Dana Brooke is a disgruntled worker. As for Mickie James, she feels like the spotlight is fading away by the second. They will do and say anything to get attention.
Emma’s music hits, and she makes her return to RAW to a lackluster reaction. Emma stands in between everyone and says she’s back. As for Miss Bliss, she’s ready to take her rightful place at the top of the RAW Women’s Division. Bliss laughs and says people are trying to take their spotlight.
Sasha Banks comes out and says being a champion means proving you’re the bests day in and day out. There are a ring full of women ready to throw down anytime. Bliss just wants to yap her mouth every week. Banks says she’ll show her how a Boss throws a party. Banks attacks her, and a brawl breaks out.
-Commercial Break-
Alexa Bliss, Nia Jax, and Emma vs. Mickie James, Dana Brooke, and Sasha Banks
We join this match in progress. Bliss has Brooke in a chin lock. She fights up, but Bliss keeps taking her down. Emma tags in and attacks Brooke. Brooke hits a slow motion boot to take her down. Emma kicks her in the ribs and knocks James off the apron. Banks tags in, and she clotheslines Emma twice before hitting a dropkick. Banks slaps her and sends her into Nia Jax. Emma elbows her away, and Alexa Bliss avoids the tag to walk off. Banks hits Emma with a neckbreaker, but Jax breaks up the pin. James runs in, but Jax pulls her off. James gets her out of the ring and hits a Thesz Press off the top to the floor. Banks applies the Bank Statement for the win.
Winners by Submission: Mickie James, Dana Brooke, and Sasha Banks
We’ll hear from Bayley about her Extreme Disappointment.
-Commercial Break-
They play a vignette for Finn Bálor.
Bayley addresses losing at Extreme Rules
Earlier today, Corey Graves interviewed Bayley. People had doubts she could take it to the extreme. What happened? Bayley says she’s not here to hurt people. She wants to put smiles on people’s faces. Graves asks how in the world that philosophy could help her in the ring. Bayley says she won’t change who she is to win. She wants to be the best version of herself. Graves asks what the future holds for her. Bayley says when she started training nine years ago, she wrote in her journal that she wanted to be the best. She wants to recapture the RAW Women’s Championship. Bayley wants to walk back into WrestleMania as the champion. She wants to give the fans the dream to know it’s possible and will do it her way. Bayley asks to end the interview on a hug, and Graves reluctantly hugs her.
Heath Slater and Rhyno make their way to the ring. They’ll face The Miz and a mystery partner, next.
-Commercial Break-
Heath Slater and Rhyno vs. The Miz and The Bear
This is the bear from last week’s segment. The Bear scratches its back on the ring post. Heath Slater tried to roll up The Miz, but he kicks out. The Miz thinks The Bear is Dean Ambrose. A light “We want Bear” chant fires up. Miz wants a handshake, but Slater declines. Slater takes him down and tags in Rhyno. They hit a double-team back elbow. Rhyno shoulder blocks him down and shoulders him in the corner before hitting a clothesline. Slater tags in, but Miz takes him down. Corey Graves says, “I can’t believe we’re calling a match with a bear.” Me either. The Bear tags in, and The Mia looks terrified. Michael Cole says this is bearly legal. Get it? The Bear slaps Heath Slater and backhands him. Rhyno looks stunned. The Bear applies a bear hug. The Bear tags Miz in, and Miz attacks him. Miz sends The Bear into the barricade and drives it into the apron. Miz pulls off the mask to reveal a jobber. Slater hits Miz with a kick. Cole says Miz just has to grin and bear it. The Bear gets back in the ring with the mask on. You can hear a pin drop. The Bear then hits Dirty Deeds on Slater. Maryse tries to warn Miz it’s Ambrose. Ambrose reveals himself, and Miz looks stunned. Miz tries to run away, but he accidentally knocks Maryse off the apron. Maryse yells at him and walks off. Miz slowly turns, but Ambrose hits him with Dirty Deeds and puts Slater on top of him for the win.
Winners by Pinfall: Heath Slater and Rhyno
Ambrose puts The Bear head on The Miz and walks off. Miz is furious.
A vignette airs for The Hardy Boyz.
-Commercial Break-
Cruiserweight Match
Neville vs. Rich Swann
Neville attacks Rich Swann during his entrance. Neville sends him into the LED apron and the barricade. Neville gets him in the ring and applies the Rings of Saturn. Swann screams in pain and passes out. Neville says, “Austin Aries, TJP, and now Richard Swann. Get out of my ring!” Neville boots him out of the ring. Neville says it feels good to be the king… or does it? How many pretenders does he have to obliterate before he gets the respect he deserves? Neville heard what has been said about Akira Tozawa. Well it takes more than a cute tweet from Titus O’Neil to get a shot. Tozawa should tread carefully unless he wants to kneel before The King of the Cruiserweights.
-Commercial Break-
Big Cass is down backstage. The Revival is seen lurking in the background. Big Cass still wants to go to the ring. Enzo doesn’t want to.
Anderson and Gallows are laughing about this in the ring and call Big Cass a nerd. If Big Cass didn’t want to fight them, he didn’t need to beat himself up over it.
Enzo and Big Cass make their way to the ring to a light reaction. Big Cass is holding his head.
Anderson and Gallows vs. Enzo and Cass
Big Cass is having trouble standing, but he still takes Karl Anderson down. There is absolute silence in the arena. Cass whips him hard into the corner and nearly falls over himself. Cass then hits a sidewalk slam, and miraculously his head is better. Cass drops the Empire Elbow and then falls down. Enzo tags in. Anderson gets Cass out of the ring, and Enzo unloads on him. Enzo knocks Gallows off the apron, but Anderson hits a running kick to take him down. Gallows tags in, but Enzo fights him back. Enzo comes off the second rope into a superkick from Gallows. They hit the Magic Killer for the win.
Winners by Pinfall: Anderson and Gallows
They go for a second Magic Killer on Enzo, but Big Show’s music hits. Big Show slowly walks to the ring to make the save. Anderson and Gallows just leave the ring. Big Show helps Enzo up and hugs him. Big Cass doesn’t look happy about this. The crowd is absolutely silent. Big Show walks off.
Coming up next, The Hardy Boyz will face Sheamus and Cesaro in a 2-out-of-3 Falls Match for the WWE RAW Tag Team Championships.
-Commercial Break-
R-Truth says it wasn’t cool Goldust stabbed him in the back. R-Truth doesn’t forgive or forget. He gets even. R-Truth won’t take it anymore. Goldust will get got.
Enzo asks Big Show possibly attacking Big Cass. Big Show says he saved him twice and this is the thanks he gets? Big Show says Cass is S-A-W-F-T.
Replays are shown from the opening segment. Brock Lesnar and Samoa Joe had a massive brawl.
Mike Rome is backstage with Samoa Joe. Joe says the brawl doesn’t change anything. They’re playing into his strategy. It’s never been about the words. It’s about the actions. Brock Lesnar didn’t sweat him, so his reaction is to send the messenger back with the same wounds he’ll give the manager. Lesnar wanted to let everyone know this is his house, but Joe let him know who he was going to do battle with. Four weeks from now, Lesnar will come back, take the Coquina Clutch, and give him the Universal Championship.
The Hardy Boyz make their entrance. The main event is next.
-Commercial Break-
WWE RAW Tag Team Championships
2-out-of-3 Falls Match
The Hardy Boyz vs. Sheamus and Cesaro (c’s)
Sheamus immedaitely goes for a Brogue Kick on Matt Hardy, but Matt ducks and hits a bulldog for a two count. Jeff Hardy tags in, and they send Sheamus to the corner for Poetry in Motion. Matt hits the Side Effect, and Jeff follows up with a splash for a two count. Matt gives Cesaro a back body drop over the top rope. Jeff goes for a Twist of Fate, but Cesaro rips Matt off the apron to distract Jeff. Sheamus gives Jeff a Brogue Kick to counter a slingshot. Sheamus picks up the first fall.
Sheamus and Cesaro are up 1-0.
-Commercial Break-
We come back from the break to see Jeff trapped in a Sheamus chin lock. Jeff fights up, but Sheamus hits an Irish Curse Backbreaker for a two count. Sheamus stomps the midsection and tries for a Cloverleaf, but Jeff kicks him out of the ring. Sheamus slowly gets in the ring and stops Jeff from making a tag, but Jeff gives him a donkey kick.
Matt and Cesaro are tagged in. Matt quickly goes on the offensive and bounces him off the turnbuckles before hitting a corner clothesline. Cesaro fights off a bulldog, but Matt comes back with a tornado DDT for a two count. Matt goes to the apron and hits Sheamus with a Side Effect on the apron. Matt then hits Cesaro with a Twist of Fate to win the second fall.
The series is tied 1-1.
Matt covers Cesaro for a near fall. Matt comes off the second rope into an uppercut. Sheamus tags in and stomps Matt before knocking Jeff off the apron. Matt fights back, but Sheamus kicks him and hits a big knee to the face for a two count. They hit a double-team White Noise, but Jeff breaks up the pin. They knock Jeff out of the ring. Cesaro goes for the Neutralizer, but Matt fights it. Cesaro rolls through and applies the Sharpshooter. Matt gets to the ropes and clotheslines him down. Jeff tags in and hits some clotheslines on Sheamus before hitting an inverted atomic drop, a double leg to the midsection, and a dropkick. Jeff hits a stunner (?), but Cesaro breaks it up. Matt tosses Cesaro out of the ring, but Cesaro knees him. Sheamus flapjacks Jeff into the ropes, and Cesaro uppercuts him. Sheamus rolls him up for a two count. Matt sends Cesaro into the barricade. Jeff hits a jawbreaker on Sheamus and avoids a shoulder. Jeff goes to the top rope and connects with a Swanton Bomb, but Cesaro pulls Sheamus out of the ring before the count of three! Jeff takes Cesaro out with a dive off the apron.
The Hardys fight with Sheamus and Cesaro outside the ring. The referee is counting them out, and this ends in a double count-out.
Double Count-Out
Matt sends Sheamus into the ring post and gives Cesaro a back body drop on the floor. Jeff then goes to the top rope and hits a plancha to the floor.
Quick Match Results
* Elias Samson def. Dean Ambrose
* Cedric Alexander def. Noam Dar
* Apollo Crews def. Kalisto
* Mickie James, Dana Brooke, and Sasha Banks def. Alexa Bliss, Nia Jax, and Emma via Submission
* Heath Slater and Rhyno def. The Miz and The Bear
* Anderson and Gallows def. Enzo and Cass
* The Hardy Boyz DCO Sheamus and Cesaro in a WWE RAW Tag Team Title Match
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Twitter – @MikeTedescoWV
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