Want more wrestling news, rumors, and results? Be sure to visit PWInsider.com and PWInsiderXtra.com.
Welcome to PWInsider.com's live, ongoing Raw report from St. Louis, Missouri!
We opened up with a look back at last night's PPV and Vince McMahon's decision to let Shane and Stephanie McMahon run Raw together as well as Roman Reigns' WWE World Heavyweight championship win over AJ Styles.
After the Raw opening and some pyro and ballyhoo, Michael Cole proclaims it's a new era in WWE.
Out comes Stephanie McMahon. McMahon came out carrying a gift bag and said she's been waiting for weeks to do "this" and started to welcome everyone to Raw, only to be cut off by Shane McMahon's music. Shane joined his sister in the ring. Stephanie said the crowd definetly likes him. They chanted for Shane. Stephanie said that in the seven years since Shane "quit on these people", she has learned a lot about business including being a business partner. She said that Vince wanted them to run the show together and she brought him something as a peace offering to show she is serious about doing this together. Shane was cautious but took the gift out and it was the photo of himself and their father when Shane was young that Vince destroyed a few weeks back. She said that she knew it hurt him when Vince broke it and she wanted him to have it because this is the Shane she remembers. She asked Shane to tell everyone what his ideas for Raw tonight was. Shane said he was touched and offered to let her give her ideas instead. She polled the crowd and they, not surprisingly, wanted Shane. So, Shane started to give his ideas, but....was cut off by Kevin Owens' music.
Owens came out and said this was a lovely sight to see them, brother and sister, in the same ring on Raw. He said it was touching to see them getting along, but Owens said he himself had a great idea. He asked if they wanted to hear it and the crowd ragged on him. He told the fans he didn't want to know if they cared and told the McMahons he was going to give his idea whether they wanted it or not - and the idea was to give Owens his rematch for the Intercontinental championship. He said he decimated Sami Zayn last night and proved to the world he was the better man and now he wanted to refocus and get his IC title rematch tonight. Owens said he has no hope that Shane will do the right thing but kissed up to Stephanie, telling her she had sense and a smart business woman. He said that contractually, he is owed a title rematch and has yet to receive it. Both McMahons admitted Owens had a valid point, but....Cesaro's music hit.
Out came Cesaro. He said that Owens talked about last night, but Cesaro had Miz beaten last night. He said the Intercontinental champion tapped out but unfortunately for him and everyone in the Cesaro Section, but the "whiner and complainer" stuck his nose in where it didn't belong. Owens tried to deflect the heat on Zayn but Cesaro said that it was Owens' fault and without him, Cesaro would be champion.
Shane McMahon said they were going to have a match right now to determine who gets the next WWE Intercontinental championship shot at the Miz.
Cesaro vs. Kevin Owens
Miz and Maryse were sitting ringside with Mi
z joining commentary.
Cesario started strong and nailed a dropkick for a one count early. Owens went to the floor to try and halt Cesaro's momentum. Cesaro hit a nice flip off the barricade onto Owens. He tossed Owens back into the ring and nailed a flying bodypress for a two count. Cesaro nailed a double stomp to Owens' chest for a two count. Miz was avoiding whether he tapped to Cesaro and said that he beat him.
Owens came back with a boot to the face and nailed a back senton splash. He began focusing his strategy on Cesaro's arm and shoulder, then planted him with a DDT for a two count. Owens worked over Cesaro, then began mouthing off at Michael Cole. Cesaro fought back but was cut off. Owens ascended to the top rope but was caught with a leaping uppercut. Owens fought him off but was nailed with a dropkick, which left Owens stunned on the ropes. Cesaro nailed a great gutwrench superplex for a two count.
Owens slammed Cesaro on the top rope, sending him to the floor. Owens nailed the frog splash on the floor.
When they returned from commercial, Cesaro made a comeback with a series of rapid fire uppercuts. Cesaro was caught with a German suplex and nailed with a cannonball in the corner. Owens covered him for a two count. Owens went to the floor but was caught by a charging Cesaro with an uppercut. Cesaro leapt in the crowd to celebrate. He returned to the ringside area but was caught with an elbow. Owens tried to grab Miz's Intercontinental championship belt to use as a weapon but Cesaro nailed him, then nailed Miz.
Cesaro tossed Owens back into the ring and went for the big swing but Miz attacked him for the DQ. Owens wasn't happy and he and Miz had words. Cesaro began brawling with them. Sami Zayn hit the ring, to his theme music, and brawled with Owens. Miz tried to get involved and was hit with an exploder in the corner. Zayn drilled Owens with a Helluva Kick in the corner. He teased one on Miz but Maryse pulled the IC champ out of the ring. Zayn looked down at the IC championship and finally picked it up, which the crowd liked. Zayn finally held it up to a big pop.
A good opening match. The finish was fine as a way to further along the four way chase for the IC title. The announcers made it clear that they still didn't have a number one contender for Miz's championship.
Backstage, Stephanie McMahon encountered Dean Ambrose. He asked him what he was looking at. He went to say something and then said, "Nah, I don't buy it." He said that she slapped on a new smile but deep down, she's just the same old Stephanie McMahon. She said that she expected Dean to be more open-minded and Shane gave him his own talk show. She offered to come on and give him an open forum to ask her anything. He said he was looking forward to it.
Backstage, Tyler Breeze was admiring himself on his phone. Truth had his broken phone taped to a stick. Truth was trying to convince him to team up as The Gorgeous Truth. Goldust showed up and said they were the average looking truth. Breeze was offended. Truth tried to tell Goldust he was causing problems. He said that he was going to back Breeze. Goldust produced his own partner, Fandango. Okaayyy.
Backstage, AJ Styles was telling Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson that without them he didn't know where he would be. They cut him off and said that at Payback, he showed the world he was great and that he was phenomenal. Styles said that he got beat last night. They told him that he was THISCLOSE. He said that makes him want it even more. They said he's got his rematch in an Extreme Rules match and that means there are no rules and there's no way he'll walk out the champion. Roman Reigns showed up. He told Styles that after last night, he had a lost of respect for Styles but not for the others. He said that last night showed that AJ couldn't be the man on his own. Roman challenged them to face himself and The Usos tonight. All six faced off. Styles said they would show that they could beat them tonight and at Extreme Rules, he would show he can beat Roman himself. Good segment.
Goldust (with Fandango) vs. Tyler Breeze (with R-Truth)
Ah, the Island of Misfit Toys match. JBL was asked what Lou Thesz would think about these talents. They noted Harley Race was backstage. JBL said it was "Great to see the King."
Goldust nailed Breeze and did some dancing to mock Truth. Breeze sent him into the ropes but was nailed with a right hand. Truth mimicked Breeze at ringside, allowing Breeze to nail a distracted Goldust and work him over in the ring. Goldust came off the ropes with a back elbow. Fandango and Truth got into it at ringside. Breeze rolled up a distracted Goldust for the pin. Not much going on here beyond the shenanigans
Your winner, Tyler Breeze!
After commercial, WWE Tag Team champions The New Day came to the ring. They noted the tag team tournament ended abruptly when Enzo Amore received a concussion. They showed the replay of the spot last night and it looked just as brutal as it did last night. Big E said that was "U-G-L-Y" but "he did have an alibi", which is a reference to a Fishbone song lyric. The line died live, but the fact Big E just referenced Fishbone makes him my new favorite wrestler.
Xavier tried to claim that Beyonce "slid up in his DMs" last night and the others made him admit that wasn't true. They showed a Tweet of Enzo out of the hospital and said he would be OK soon. They said that when he was ready to come back, The New Day would be waiting. They said the show must go on tonight, so they will continue to "keep the positivity train...."
The Vaudevillains' music hit and they came out on the stage. Aiden English said that what happened was tragic, but this was a tough business and tough things happened. HYe said that a real man would have gotten back up. The crowd booed him for that. He said that real men like them, who represent the skills and values of a bygone era, would have gotten back up. He said they were the number one contenders to those...ahem, ahem and sang "WWE World Tatg Team championships" to mock New Day. That got some heat.
Simon Gotch said they made Enzo the realest guy in the ER. He said they left zero doubt.....and pyro exploded.
Out came Bubba Ray and D-Von Dudley. Bubba asked what the carny were talking about. Bubba said they didn't beat anyone. The referee stopped the match while they stood there and twisted their mustaches like the Monoloply man. He said they needed to re-start the entire tournament right now. D-Von said they deserved the opportunity and were the baddest tag team on the planet. He started to cut a promo on them, but...
Out came Colin Cassady. He said Simon and Garfunkle need to call Mrs. Robinson and said they are going to be late for dinner. He said that they are messed with Enzo and he was Cas' family, so now they are going to deal with him. He knocked The Dudleys as well and said they were both SAWFT. Everyone started brawling and they went to commercial amidst the chaos.
Coverage continues on Page 2!
If you enjoy PWInsider.com you can check out the AD-FREE PWInsider Elite section, which features exclusive audio updates, news, our critically acclaimed podcasts, interviews and more by clicking here!
Bang On Casino
