Welcome to the Raw Review for August 28, 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
Battle Royal
If Kurt Angle wanted to drum up excitement for the Intercontinental Championship, he succeed by having an over the top battle royal for a chance to face The Miz next week. Almost everyone was involved, making the title important. Bodies flew as ever man looked to become the number one contender. Finn Balor looked to be the clear favorite, until Bray Wyatt appeared to throw him out of the match. The final two were Jason Jordan and Jeff Hardy. In a truly shocking outcome, Jeff threw Jordan over the rope to win the match. Jeff Hardy vs. the Miz looks to be an interesting and exciting match when it happens next week.
Suplex City
There was a more edgy and adult feeling around Raw and it grew stronger when Paul Heyman and Brock Lesnar walked out to the ring. Heyman was his usual glorious self as he talked Braun Strowman as a monster and a worthy contender. When Heyman goes into the Hall of Fame, for many, many reasons, I hope sometime is given to how he talks up opponents. Making them seem like threats benefits everyone and Heyman is a master at this. The line of the night came not from him, however, but from Lesnar. Grabbing the mike, all it took was three words. “Suplex city, bitch.” Lesnar is not afraid of Strowman, which makes their match at No Mercy even more red hot.
The Promo
Do you not like Roman Reigns and John Cena? List all the reasons you have. Done? Ok. As counterpoint, I will simply show you the video of their interaction on this show. Blurring the line between reality and fiction, marks and casual fans, and scripted and shoots, this promo was must see. A whole article could be written about it. Cena talked about how he worked to get where he was, while Reigns gave voice to those people who believed that Cena buries any one he is put up against. A lot of praise, rightfully so, was given to Cena, but Reigns was only a small step behind. His delivery might have been a little off, but it was what he said that counted. This promo should be studied by any aspiring or pro wrestler. If you didn’t catch it, find it and watch.
Match of the Night
Raw Women’s Champion Sasha Banks vs. Alexa Bliss (Bliss wins by pin fall to become the Raw Women’s Champion)
This match was actually better then the previous one at Summerslam. Sasha Banks and Alexa Bliss looked like they legitimately wanted to hurt the other. Banks had the added motivation of not losing again as Bliss had predicted . Near falls, some very hard hitting action, and spots that made you wonder if some one was really hurt. In the end, Bliss got her title back after a DDT. Her night wasn’t over as Nia Jax came out to first congratulate, and then destroy the new women’s champ. As a fan who wants Jax to have the belt, this day could not come soon enough.
Conclusion
A very good show with a surprising subdued audience. Emma got a win, finally, and a character from Southpaw Regional Wrestling appeared. If you haven’t seen Southpaw, you are missing one of the funnest shows WWE has ever created. Next week is all about the Intercontinental Title as Jeff Hardy looks to become a four time champ. Will Jax give a reason for her turn? And could we get another promo from Cena and Reigns? Tune in next week to find out.