Welcome to the Raw Review for October 30, 2017. For both this and Smackdown, I will go over what the big talking points were, pick the match of the night, and look ahead to the next show.
Talking Points
The Billion Dollar Princess
There were no smiles to be found as Kurt Angle addressed the Raw locker room to kick off the show. Apologizing for letting Shane McMahon and the Smackdown brand invade last week, Angle promised that at Survivor Series it would be a different story. He got no further as Stephanie McMahon returned to her show. She wasted no time tearing down Angle, saying that his incompetence had made Raw weaker. He got a shot at redemption, as Stephanie named him the captain of the Raw Men’s Team. It was wonderful to see Stephanie again and I am over the moon that Angle’s return to the ring was not a one time thing.
Three Return
They had been off TV for awhile, but three superstars returned to action Monday night. Nia Jax had a match with Bailey and looked to have not lost a step. She was Alicia Fox’s first pick for the women’s team. Samoa Joe was right behind her, taking down Apollo Cruise and Titus Oneal. Bo Dallas rejoined the Mizterouge on probably the worst night to do so. After the sickness that has plagued the locker room, it was great to see some of the superstars getting back in action. There was one other return, but we will cover that in the next point.
Monsters Never Die
Dallas’s bad night started when the Miz and the Mizterouge came into their dressing room. A pile of garbage was on the floor, signaling that a certain superstar had returned as well. After getting no help from Kane, Cesaro and Sheamus, Miz tried to get out of the arena any way he could. His way out was blocked by a garbage truck, containing Braun Strowman. Strowman chased the three men back into the arena, where he proceed to give Curtis Axel five running power slams. He ended it with a final slam through the announcer table. The Monster Among Men is back and God help the Miz.
Match of the Night
Finn Balor vs. Cesaro (Balor wins by pin fall)
When this match was announced, I knew that it was going to be the match of the night. The Irishman and the Swish Cyborg did not disappoint, going technical one minute and high flying the next. The highlights were a Super plex from the top rope and Balor’s Coup de Grace on the back of Cesaro’s neck. Balor is quickly becoming someone who can have dream matches with anyone, and the list of matches I want to see grows longer each day.
Conclusion
the night before Halloween had some interesting developments. Danial Bryan tried to make piece with Angle, only to be attacked by Kane. Mickie James and Alexia Bliss added another good match to their rivalry. There was a Trick or Street match that had to be seen to be believed. Next week, we should start to see who will be on the Raw’s Survivor Series Team.