Credit: WINC
Tonight’s WWE Hell In a Cell go-home edition of RAW on the USA Network opens up with Alexa Bliss backstage on her swing. She welcomes us and is happy to have us tonight, but she did get a bunch of feedback on how Lilly acted last week to Shayna Baszler. Bliss admits even she was taken aback. We get a brief video package of what happened last week. Bliss says she had only good intentions when she invited Baszler to Alexa’s Playground, but unfortunately things got a little out of hand. Bliss says due to Lilly’s naughtiness and because WWE is going back on the road soon, Bliss has decided to put Lilly in time out. That doesn’t mean Baszler didn’t get what she deserved.
Nia Jax appears. Bliss plays her schtick up but Jax tells her to cut the crap. Jax tells Bliss that Baszler will see her on Sunday at WWE Hell In a Cell. Jax wonders what happened to Bliss. They used to be friends, Jax knows the real her. Jax wants Bliss to stay away from her friends and out of her career. Bliss changes her tone and says they were never friends. Jax says she has to smack some sense into Bliss now. She proposes a match with Bliss in the ring tonight. Bliss starts crying and says she never meant to hurt anyone. The tears turn to laughs and she says she was just kidding. Bliss stands up and gets in Jax’s face, and accepts the challenge.
– We’re live from the WWE ThunderDome at the Yuengling Center in Tampa, Florida as Corey Graves welcomes us. He’s joined at ringside by Jimmy Smith and Byron Saxton. They hype Drew McIntyre vs. RAW Tag Team Champion AJ Styles, RAW Women’s Champion Rhea Ripley vs. Asuka, and The New Day vs. Team R-K-Bro.
Nikki Cross vs. Charlotte Flair
Flair with a fall-away slam on the floor, in front of Ripley, then a kip up. Flair is counted out while paying too much attention to Ripley as Cross runs back in.
Winner by countout: Nikki Cross
– After the bell, Cross immediately runs out of the ring as a furious Flair charges after her. Cross’ music hits but stops as Flair levels her at ringside with a big boot. Fans boo as Flair brings Cross back int he ring and unloads with strikes. Flair goes for the Figure Four but Ripley runs in and grabs her from behind, dropping her with a Riptide. Ripley stands over Flair with the title in the air as her music hits. Ripley leaves with her title, taunting Flair as she tries to recover on the mat.
– We see how Randy Orton watched from ringside as Riddle lost to Kofi Kingston last week, failing to use the RKO. Riddle and Jeff Hardy are backstage now. Riddle feels bad about last week. He asks Hardy, as a tag team legend, about advice on making it. Hardy talks about keys to a successful tag team and says he can’t believe he’s saying this, but Riddle should listen to Orton because he’s been here a long time. Hardy mentions a match with John Morrison tonight. Riddle starts ranting about nothing like he usually does, and Hardy disappears. Orton appears and Riddle apologizes for last week, and promises he won’t let Orton down tonight. Orton tells Riddle to be himself tonight, whatever that means, and not another Randy Orton. Riddle asks if that means Orton likes him. Orton says no and walks off.
John Morrison vs. Jeff Hardy
Morrison wins with Starship Pain for the win.
Winner: John Morrison
– After the match, Morrison briefly celebrates until Cedric takes the mic at ringside, yelling at Hardy. He apologizes for not showing Jeff the respect he deserves as a legend last week. Cedric idolized Hardy. Cedric went back and watched their match and saw how Jeff showed him up and disrespected him. Cedric saw how Hardy was nothing but a sore winner. Cedric is only sorry he didn’t kick Hardy’s disrespectful ass into a retirement home. Jeff says he will retire if Cedric can beat him in a match right now. Fans pop and Cedric heads into the ring as we go to commercial.
Jeff Hardy vs. Cedric Alexander
Hardy hits the Twist of Fate and the Swanton Bomb for the win.
Winner: Jeff Hardy
– After the match, Hardy limps around and celebrates as his music hits. Cedric cries out on the mat while face-down.
– We get a video package on the events that have led to Drew McIntyre vs. WWE Champion Bobby Lashley at Hell In a Cell on Sunday.
Piper Niven vs. Naomi
Niven wins with he Mchinoku Driver.
Winner: Piper Niven
– After the match, Eva takes the mic at ringside and announces herself as the winner. Niven rushes over and hugs her as they celebrate.
– We see Mandy Rose and Dana Brooke doing a backstage photo shoot earlier in the day. They were bothered by WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Tamina Snuka and Natalya training in a nearby ring. Rose and Brooke asked if they can keep the noise down. Natalya and Tamina knock them for worrying more about their looks than their in-ring skills. The two teams have words until the champs invite them into the ring. A fight breaks out between the two teams until officials arrive to break it up.
New Day vs. RK-BRO
Randy Orton turns an Honor Roll by Woods into an RKO for the win.
Winners: RK-Bro
– After the match, Orton’s music hits as he and Orton stand tall in the middle of the ring. Riddle is having fun and dancing around but Orton is all business. Riddle drops down to pose with Orton but Orton exits the ring. We go to replays. Riddle joins Orton at ringside and tries to hype him up for their tag team but Orton just keeps walking up the ramp.
– We see what happened earlier between Nikki Cross, Charlotte Flair and Rhea Ripley. Schreiber is backstage with Ripley now. She knocks Flair for worrying about her ego instead of their title match. Ripley talks about beating Flair at Hell In a Cell and tells Schreiber to get out of her face so she can get ready for her match with Asuka.
Rhea Ripley vs. Asuka
Ripley wins with Riptide.
Winner: Rhea Ripley
After the match, Ripley stands tall as her music hits. Charlotte Flair attacks from out of nowhere and drops Ripley from behind as fans boo. Flair beats Ripley around the ring as the referee tries to restore order. Ripley tries to fight her off but Flair stays on her. Ripley unloads with strikes now as fans pop. Officials hit the ring to break it up, keeping Flair and Ripley apart. They keep fighting free and brawling with each other. Shawn Daivari, Adam Pearce, Shane Helms and other officials get Flair to the floor but she’s irate as she fights them off, going back at Ripley again. Flair is backed up the ramp but she tries to run back down as Ripley is held back in the ring, laughing. Flair has a busted nose and is bleeding now. Ripley taunts her. Flair seethes on the ramp and promises to kick Ripley’s ass on Sunday.
We see MVP and WWE Champion Bobby Lashley backstage drinking champagne and dancing with Lashley’s Ladies. Kevin Patrick walks in and asks Lashley about Hell In a Cell. MVP yells at Patrick and ridicules him, then interrupts his apology, telling him to shut up for making it awkward. MVP goes on about Hell In a Cell and how Lashley is focused on the match, where Drew McIntyre will finally run out of chances. Lashley stands up and snatches the mic, and goes on about how he will rag-doll McIntyre in the Cell. Lashley tells everyone to remember that Drew asked for the beating he will get. Lashley brings up McIntyre’s earlier comparison to William Wallace. Lashley likes that comparison because Drew has committed a capital offense and on Sunday, Lashley will publicly execute Drew, then mount his head on a stick.
Alexa Bliss vs. Nia Jax
Bliss goes back to the top turnbuckle now. Bliss leaps and hits Twisted Bliss. Bliss goes for the pin but Reginald runs in and pulls her off for the disqualification.
Winner by DQ: Alexa Bliss
– After the bell, Reginald pleads as Bliss stares him down and backs him towards the corner. Bliss stares at Reginald like a crazy woman. He looks to be in a trance now, controlled by Bliss. Jax recovers and Bliss exits the ring, breaking Reginald’s trance at the same time. Jax tells Reginald to snap out of it as he comes to. Bliss’ music starts back up as she stares on from the ramp, backing her way to the stage to exit.
– MVP approaches Kofi Kingston in the locker room. Kofi asks him what he wants. MVP wants to know if Kofi has thought more about what he said last week. MVP goes on about tonight’s loss to R-K-Bro and says KofiMania is gone and it’s never coming back. MVP tells Kofi to look to his left for the blame, and that’s where Xavier Woods stands. MVP goes on and says Kofi didn’t even get pinned tonight and he’s still a loser. Woods knocks MVP and Kofi tells him to keep it moving unless he wants to lose his teeth. Kofi keeps telling MVP how he feels and says he owes his success to support from his family and friends in WWE, and nothing will change that. MVP taunts Kofi one more time about not having a match at Hell In a Cell. MVP leaves and it looks like Kofi may be thinking about what he had to say.
Elias vs. Jaxson Ryker
Ryker returns to the ring and Elias is about to make it back in at the 9 count but he’s changed his mind. Elias gets himself counted out as fans boo.
Winner by countout: Jaxson Ryker
Drew McIntyre vs. AJ Styles
Drew returns to the ring and hits a big flying clothesline from the top to AJ. Drew kips up but Lashley enters the ring and levels him for the disqualification.
Winner by DQ: AJ Styles
The Viking Raiders and Drew McIntyre vs. WWE Champion Bobby Lashley, RAW Tag Team Champions AJ Styles and Omos
Styles tags in Bobby Lashley off of some miscommunication, and Drew McIntyre pins Lashley with the Claymore from behind for the win.
Winners: Drew McIntyre and The Viking Raiders
After the match, Drew tells a shaken Bobby outside the ring that he’ll see him in hell and he can’t wait as RAW goes off the air.
