Welcome to the WWE Raw Review for July 9 2018. 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.
No Words
Roman Reigns and Bobby Lashley had the best segment of their entire feud. No fourth wall breaking promos or smarmy comebacks, just put them into a ring together and let all hell break lose. The entire Raw locker room came out, but they could not stop either men. The highlight was Reigns jumping over the top rope onto everyone. There is no stipulation for their match at Extreme Rules, and if they both bring this kind of pure rage, there will be no need for one.
Taking Orders
Seth Rollins hyped up the only match at Extreme Rules that does not need any hype. Dolph Ziggler and Rollins could deliver a Match of the Year with their 30 minute Iron Man Match. You can tell that both men are looking forward to it, as they praised each other. The only question mark is Drew McIntyre. Rollins asked why the big Scot is taking orders from Ziggler. This is a a question that could lead to serious implications further down the road. Rollins and McIntyre agreed to a match later in the night, and if Rollins wins, McIntyre is banned from the Iron Man Match.
No Escape
Kevin Owens showed up, but was in no shape to compete thanks to a doctor’s note. He proceeded to make Kurt Angle angry as he set up shop in the office. All jokes aside, Braun Strowman showed up and Angle paid Owens back by making a Steel Cage Match for Extreme Rules. This match would seem to favor the Monster, but Owens might very well find a way to win. Steel Cage matches can lead to some unexpected results, and Owens might have found a friend to help him out.
Match of the Night
Seth Rollins vs. Drew McIntyre (McIntyre wins by pinfall)
There have been a lot of comparisons of Ziggler and McIntyre to Shawn Michaels and Kevin Nash. For some younger fans, there was a time where the who is better debate regarding HBK vs. Nash was a legitimate question. Rollins and McIntyre put on a pay-per-view type match and I for one am waiting when McIntyre and Rollins get that headliner spot. With a McIntyre victory, Rollins path back to the Intercontinental Title became much much harder.
Conclusion
Mojo Rawley beat No Way Jose in the rematch. Ember Moon pinned Liv Morgan again in a suprsingly competative match. Bo Dallas beat Matt Hardy, but the B-Team was beat down after the match. Nia Jax and Natalya beat Alexia Bliss and Mickie James. Bliss attacked Jax with a kendo stick afterwards. Elias and Constable Corbin beat Finn Balor and Bobby Roode.
