We begin with a recap of last week’s Ripley/Charlotte main event.
We kick off today’s show with new RAW Women’s Champion, Nikki ASH. She says she’s always wanted to say Welcome to Monday Night RAW. She is happy that everyone’s back together and that she can stand as champion. It feels like a dream and she keeps pinching herself, but this dream is now real. In the past, she didn’t have the confidence because she was afraid to fail.
But then one day she realized if she failed, she failed. No big deal. She’s still Nikki. And when she put on her outfit, it gave her confidence and reminded her and us, no matter what, if you believe in yourself, you can overcome anything. It worked for her, it can work for us. Out comes Charlotte Flair.
Charlotte says Nikki’s fairytale story doesn’t have a happy ending and her as champion is a disgrace. Nikki dressing up like that cannot represent this company. She looks like being an NBC extra with Al Roker, and he’d laugh in Nikki’s face because she’s not a champion. Flair says you have to work to be a champion. She doesn’t believe Nikki’s a champion, but she’s here to add star power and perspective. We take a look at what happened last week.
Nikki was able to cash in on her because Ripley acted like a teenager after failing to beat her again. She wasn’t even on her feet when the bell rang. Nikki stole that title. So she will stand here to be the opportunity and she will get her rematch at Summerslam, and Nikki will have to bow down to the real champion. Flair says this injustice isn’t Nikki’s fault. It’s the crowd’s fault. For months, the crowd cheered after being victims of injustice and we’re jealous of her. So we have to take her down to her level. Out comes Ripley.
Ripley says it’s hard for anyone to be jealous of someone who held a title for a day. But the only way you can win a title is by pinfall or submission, and she got herself disqualified because she knew Ripley was going to beat her. So it should be Ripley who gets to be the number 1 contender’s.
Nikki asks why it should be anyone individually. Charlotte and Ripley both represented the division well, but it’s time for a metamorphosis in the women’s division, and it starts with Nikki as champion. Out comes Pearce and Pearce.
Deville announces a triple threat match for the RAW Women’s Championship at Summerslam. Flair says it’s ridiculous. Nikki is a fluke and Ripley is undeserving and she challenges Nikki to prove it. Nikki accepts and Pearce makes it official. Flair attacks Ripley from behind and Nikki sends Flair out the ring with a dropkick.
Pre-recorded segment has Damian Priest calling Sheamus a coward for not defending his championship and he’ll prove he’s deserving by beating him tonight.
Damian Priest vs. Sheamus
Priest defeats Sheamus with The Reckoning.
Winner: Damian Priest
AJ Styles (C) and Omos (C) vs. The Viking Raiders – RAW Tag Team Championships
AJ and Omos retain with a huge slam by Omos followed by a 450 splash from AJ on Erik.
Winners: AJ Styles and Omos
Recap of McIntyre’s chair assault last week.
Drew makes his entrance, and Jinder gives Drew an opportunity to apologize for what he did last week to Shanky. Drew says nothing and Jinder brings out his lawyer. Drew tells Jinder to shut up. Drew asks the crowd if he should apologize and take them out for steaks. The crowd boos. Drew asks them if he should beat Veer within an inch of his life. The crowd cheers. And Drew gets them to chant “Drew is gonna kill you”.
Drew McIntyre vs. Veer
McIntyre connects Veer with the Claymore, but Veer introduced a chair so it’s a DQ victory.
Winner by DQ: Veer
After the match, Drew targets Jinder’s lawyer ringside and launched him into the ring. He hits him with a Claymore. I believe he flipped him off right before. Drew tells Jinder he wants to see him in his nightmares.
Recap of last week’s Alexa’s Playground.
Eva tells Doudrop that after a win tonight, they’ll be closer to the Women’s Tag Team Championships.
Eva Marie and Doudrop vs. Natalya and Tamina
Eva Marie gets distracted by a video of Lilly mocking Eva Marie and gets super kicked by Tamina for the finish. Natalya may have gotten injured during the match as she had to get helped to the back.
Winners: Natalya and Tamina
Karrion Kross vs. Keith Lee
Kross wins with the cross jacket submission.
Winner: Karrion Kross
Backstage, Nikki is asked what her thoughts are facing Charlotte. She says her confidence is sky high and that the hardest of challenges are worth fighting for. And no matter what happens, she’ll be defending her title at Summerslam.
Rhea Ripley approaches Nikki and she respects Nikki’s belief in herself. But Rhea believes she’ll be walking out as RAW Women’s Champion at Summerslam. Tonight, however, she hopes she can shut Charlotte up.
Mace and T-Bar send a warning to Mansoor and Mustafa Ali, stating that it’s the law of the jungle, and sheep are always scared of wolves.
Pre-recorded segment has Mansoor amped and excited and wants to talk strategy while Ali wants him to focus before they’re considered a team.
Mansoor and Mustafa Ali vs. Mace and T-Bar
Mansoor rolls up Mace after a choke slam attempt for an “upset”. Ali looks shocked.
Winners: Mansoor and Mustafa Ali
Back from the break and out comes WWE Champion Bobby Lashley with MVP. The pyro goes off on the stage as Lashley and MVP march to the ring.
Lashley hits the ring and more pyro goes off. We see how he defeated a returning Keith Lee last week, but was then confronted by a returning WWE Hall of Famer Bill Goldberg, who got in Lashley’s face and said he’s next. MVP takes the mic first and calls on fans to rise and show the proper respect to Lashley. MVP gets cheap heat by taking a shot at the Kansas City Chiefs. He brings up Goldberg disrespecting Lashley last week. A “Goldberg!” chant starts up.
MVP says everyone has been talking about Goldberg vs. Lashley and he gets it, but only that question can be answered by Lashley. MVP asks Lashley if Goldberg is next. Lashley says he’s not even going to dignify Goldberg’s actions with a response. Lashley says this is his ring and he won’t be disrespected by anyone. The music hits and out comes Cedric Alexander to interrupt.
Cedric says disrespect is how Lashley kicked him out of The Hurt Business earlier this year. Cedric says Lashley kicked him out because he knows Cedric is better. Cedric says tonight, Prime Alexander is stepping up and he wants his shot. The music interrupts and out comes Shelton Benjamin. Shelton says before Lashley answers that question… Shelton points to how annoying the sound of Cedric’s voice is. Fans pop. Shelton isn’t here to cry about The Hurt Business because it’s over. He’s here to give Lashley a real challenge. Everyone is in the ring now. Cedric and Shelton have words. MVP says they both sound ridiculous and Lashley doesn’t have time for them because they’re not on the agenda. Lashley interrupts and says he’ll take them both on… at the same time. Lashley calls for a referee.
Bobby Lashley vs. Cedric Alexander and Shelton Benjamin
Lashley stands tall over both of his former teammates. Lashley with a big Jackhammer on Shelton to send a message to Goldberg. Lashley then slams Cedric on top of Shelton and covers them both for the pin to win.
Winner: Bobby Lashley
After the bell, Lashley stands tall as the music hits. MVP fastens the WWE Title around his waist as we go to replays. Lashley laughs and poses as he exits the ring with MVP.
– We see The Miz backstage looking at something on his phone, still in the wheelchair. John Morrison brings over re-filled Drip Sticks and they get hyped up for something tonight. RAW Tag Team Champions AJ Styles and Omos walk up. AJ wants to talk to Miz and Morrison about something important to the champs. Omos stands guard, blocking the view, as AJ talks business with Miz and Morrison.
Riddle vs. John Morrison
Riddle yells at AJ and Omos, saying they shouldn’t be out here. Riddle looks to go for a Floating Bro to Morrison but he stops when he sees AJ grab his scooter at ringside. Omos snaps the scooter in half. Morrison takes advantage of the distraction and brings Riddle from the top with a modified Razor’s Edge. Morrison then hits Starship Pain for the pin to win.
Winner: John Morrison
Riddle yells at AJ and Omos, saying they shouldn’t be out here. Riddle looks to go for a Floating Bro to Morrison but he stops when he sees AJ grab his scooter at ringside. Omos snaps the scooter in half. Morrison takes advantage of the distraction and brings Riddle from the top with a modified Razor’s Edge. Morrison then hits Starship Pain for the pin to win.
Reginald hit a flip senton on R-Truth to retain the 24/7 title.
After the bell, the music hits as Reggie celebrates. Akira Tozawa, Humberto Carrillo, Lucha House Party and Drew Gulak rush the ring to attack Reggie but he flips to the floor. They all look on from the ring, shocked, as Reginald back flips up to the stage.
– Sarah Schreiber is backstage with Charlotte Flair in the Gorilla Position. Flair says Nikki A.S.H. only won the title last week because of what Rhea Ripley did to her. Flair is tired of Almost Superstars running down the women’s division. Flair goes on and says there would not be a women’s champion in WWE if it weren’t for her, and she will prove that tonight against Nikki. Flair walks off.
Nikki Ash vs. Charlotte Flair
Nikki rushes back to the top and hits the crossbody but Flair holds it and rolls through for the pin to get the non-title win.
Winner: Charlotte Flair
After the match, Flair stands tall as her music hits. We go to replays. Kevin Patrick enters the ring after the match for an interview with Flair. He congratulates Flair but she isn’t happy with this, asking him what did he expect. Flair keeps asking why he’s congratulating her. Flair takes the mic and starts talking trash to Nikki, saying she thinks she can be a super hero by just putting on a mask and cape. Flair tells Nikki that no one is in her league, no one. Fans boo Flair as she says it’s true, nobody… Sorry, not sorry. Flair hands the mic back and stands tall again.
Nikki says she’s always said “Almost a Super Hero” and she may have lost but she showed that she almost could’ve beat Flair. Nikki says she has the confidence to beat Flair next week, so she’s challenging Flair to a rematch next Monday. Nikki tosses the mic and gets hyped up. Flair tells them to hand her mic back. She says she can beat Nikki next week and any week. Flair accepts the match for next week. Flair extends her hand and they shake but Flair levels her with a big forearm cheap shot. Flair decks Nikki again and stands tall as the referee warns her. Flair takes it to the floor and chops Nikki against the barrier, humiliating her in front of fans in the front row. Flair brings it back in and levels Nikki with a big boot, then stands tall over the champ as RAW goes off the air.
