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Published On: Tue, Jul 17th, 2018

Bowen’s Botches and Bodyslams: WWE RAW Results and Review July 16 2018

WWE Monday Night RAW comes from the Keybank Center in Buffalo, New York off the heels of Extreme Rules last night. Tonight we will find out what will happen with Brock Lesnar and the Universal Championship along with the fallout of last night’s matches and start on the path toward SummerSlam.

Show Opener
Kurt Angle In Ring

BodyslamThe crowd was all in favor of stripping Brock Lesnar of the Universal Championship. Once Paul Heyman agreed to Brock Lesnar defending the title at SummerSlam, it seemed like a neverending stream of challengers appearing from backstage. Kurt Angle is taking control of his show again, and settled the argument between the six men by making two Triple Threat matches for tonight with the winners facing each other next week. The winner of that match faces Brock Lesnar. And the first Triple Threat match starts right now.

 

Kurt Angle and Baron Corbin Backstage

BodyslamKurt Angle putting Baron Corbin in his place was awesome. Kurt doesn’t seem as worried about Corbin as he used to be.

 

Triple Threat Match
Finn Balor vs. Drew McIntyre vs. Roman Reigns

Roman Reigns Spears and pins Finn Balor for the victory.

BodyslamEverything but the ending of this match was incredible. McIntyre and Balor are definitely the future of this company. Roman was good in the match, but he should not have won. Even if he loses to whoever is going on to face Brock Lesnar at SummerSlam next week, Roman has no legitimate claim to being in this impromptu tournament after his loss last night and repeated losses to Lesnar. This is the kind of thing that makes it feel like Roman is being forced on us.

 

Kurt Angle and Bayley Backstage

BodyslamKurt dropped a bomb saying one will be cut to Smackdown if they can’t get along. This is an unexpected new layer in the attempt to save this crumbling relationship.

 

Dolph Ziggler In Ring

BotchDolph Ziggler comes out and the crowd goes mild. What follows is an expected exhibition of preposterous pretension that drives the fans to the concession stands. Bobby Roode arrived to save us from Ziggler’s banality.

 

Non Title Match

<h2Dolph Ziggler (Intercontinental Champion) vs. Bobby Roode

Dolph Ziggler hits a Superkick and pins Bobby Roode.

Botch – I hate to call Bobby Roode’s match a botch, but I can’t excuse Ziggler here. Last night at Extreme Rules, Seth Rollins had to pull Ziggler through the roll-up exchange. Roode had to do it again tonight. Maybe that happens more often than we think, but it doesn’t look like it on our end. Obvious cooperation is what kills the allure of professional wrestling, and along with Ziggler’s lazy kick-outs and other shortcuts in the ring, he ruins the show. The crowd didn’t chant through his match last night like they were at a different Pay-Per-View because he was seizing their attention. It is a travesty that Dolph Ziggler has ripped off the persona of the great Shawn Michaels to sully it with such performances. Bobby Roode was fantastic as always and should never have to do the job for someone who is worse at their job.

 

Bobby Lashley Backstage

BodyslamLashley’s best promo so far. I’m not sure he will ever be able to portray a level of intensity that matches his physique, but he’s better off focusing on his fighting skills than being the wholesome babyface as he was upon his return.

 

Bobby Roode and Mojo Rawley Backstage

BodyslamRawley dismissively denigrating Roode for his performance was perfect for this new iteration of Mojo, and a feud between these two could be just what both men need.

 

Tyler Breeze vs. Mojo Rawley

Mojo Rawley pins Tyler Breeze after a brutal Alabama Slam.

Bodyslam – Mojo Rawley is definitely reborn in this new run, and he is making the most of it. His facial expressions are much better, and he is creating an aura of intensity and aggression about himself that should have everyone in the locker room take notice. I feel bad for Tyler Breeze for the assault he was put through.

 

Dana Brooke and Alicia Fox vs. Sasha Banks and Bayley

The match ends in a Double Countout as all four women fight outside the ring when Sasha Banks comes to the aid of Bayley against Alicia Fox at ringside.

BodyslamThe women once again put on a great match, and Dana Brooke took a crazy bump from the apron to the floor. Sasha and Bayley’s relationship doesn’t come out any better, with Sasha leaving Bayley behind after the match ended.

 

Sasha Banks and Bayley in the Locker Room

Botch Sasha and Bayley didn’t deliver this very well and it felt very forced. I don’t know why they couldn’t be more natural with this, and it puts the brakes on this stop-start angle again.

 

Braun Strowman Backstage Interview with Renee Young

BodyslamBraun Strowman is sitting in the best position on the RAW roster and he knows it.

 

Non-Title Match

The B Team (Tag Team Champions) vs. The Ascension

Curtis Axel pins Viktor after a Double Team Neckbreaker. Matt Hardy and Bray Wyatt appear on the big screen to inform The B Team they will be having a rematch for the RAW Tag Team Championships next week.

BodyslamThis was an enjoyable match with both teams getting a chance to look good before the end. The B Team have had their fun and made their way up to being the champions, but they are going to need some fresh inspiration and a new direction if they want to stay that way. As fun as this has been, The B Team as it is will be a dead end angle.

 

Alexa Bliss and Mickie James In Ring

BodyslamAlexa Bliss is marvelous as the cocky, cowardly heel champion. She plays the crowd masterfully. Ronda Rousey carries herself like the baddest woman on the planet and shows it when she attacks Bliss and James. Kurt Angle comes off as soft on Rousey, and it undermines his authority. This is probably going to comes back to bite him with Constable Corbin. The match between Alexa Bliss and Ronda Rousey for the RAW Women’s Championship at SummerSlam is made official.

 

Seth Rollins Backstage Interview with Charley Caruso

BodyslamShort and sweet interview with Seth. He pulls off laid-back confidence well.

 

Authors of Pain (Akam and Rezar) vs. Titus Worldwide (Titus O’Neil and Apollo Crews)

Akam pins Apollo Crews after The Last Chapter.

BodyslamAuthors of Pain are just a pleasure to watch for fans of big, powerful tag teams like myself. It would be nice to see them start to move up the tag team division and leave Titus Worldwide in their rear-view. I’m hoping for Authors of Pain vs. Bludgeon Brothers in the tag team champions match at Survivor Series this year. AoP needs to head toward the championships so that can happen.

 

Liv Morgan and Sarah Logan Backstage

BodyslamThe Riott Squad wreaking havoc or just being a pain to people backstage may never get old.

 

Ember Moon vs. Sarah Logan with Liv Morgan

Sarah Logan pins Ember Moon after knocking her off the top rope with the help of a distraction from Liv Morgan.

BodyslamMoon and Logan put on an incredible match, and the ending came out of nowhere. Just when it seemed Moon was going to win, the numbers advantage took over. A classic wrestling story well executed. This is the better feud out of what is left of the Riott Squad.

 

Triple Threat Match
Elias vs. Bobby Lashley vs. Seth Rollins

Bobby Lashley Spears and pins Elias for the win.

BodyslamAnother fantastic match but the ending is disappointing. Both of these Triple Threat matches were incredible, but the implications of the winners is deplorable. Now the match for the #1 Contender to the Universal Championship is a rematch of a mid-card match from Extreme Rules. Roman has bounced off of Brock Lesnar enough times already, and he already lost to Bobby Lashley. Seth Rollins versus Drew McIntyre would have made more sense, would stoke the fires of the burgeoning feud between them, and would give the fans a match they really want to see. Even with a screwjob ending, the presence of the participants would make sense. Again, this is why the fans feel like Roman Reigns is being forced on them.

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About the Author

- Greg Bowen is a writer, musician, DJ, political activist, and wrestling mark who still has Macho Madness to this day.

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