Monday Night Raw opened once again from the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, FL. MVP opened the show by introducing the three Raw participants for the upcoming Money in the Bank Ladder Match. Aleister Black, Rey Mysterio, and Apollo Crews (who defeated M.V.P. last week to secure his spot in the match) all showed up. But before they do or say anything significant, Monday Night Raw’s crowned queen of interruptions, Zelina Vega came out. Accompanied by her trio of United States Champion Andrade, Angel Garza, and Austin Theory, Vega speaks. Can we also anticipate a confrontation between Drew McIntyre and Seth Rollins later on in the show? All these details are likely to be revealed over the course of this week’s show.
Angel Garza, Andrade and Austin Theory vs Rey Mysterio, Aleister Black, and Apollo Crews
Vega claimed that Mysterio, Black, and Crews didn’t deserve their Money in the Bank Ladder match spots. That rather they should concede them to her trio. Things would eventually break down into a brawl. This would eventually be turned into a six-man tag match. It would involve Andrade, Angel Garza, and Austin Theory against Aleister Black, Rey Mysterio, and Apollo Crews. The Vega crew spent a good bit of time working with Aleister Black before he was able to secure the hot tag to Apollo Crews. Crews exploded all over his opponents with his brand of high flying athleticism. A powerbomb to Andrade would give Crews the pinfall and his team the victory. It’s been a pretty rough couple of weeks for Zelina Vega and her faction.
Winners: Black, Mysterio, and Crews
https://twitter.com/WWE/status/1254933632579448835
Triple Threat Match
Nia Jax vs Asuka vs Shayna Baszler
The Women’s Money in the Bank Ladder match participants from Raw, Asuka, Shayna Baszler, and Nia Jax was scheduled for a triple threat match that never really got started. Asuka started yelling at Nia Jax for injuring Kairi Sane last week in their qualifying matchup. The Queen of Spades went to attack the Empress of Tomorrow on the outside of the ring before the bell rang. As Baszler and Asuka battled, Nia Jax grabbed a ladder and attacked them both. She left both competitors lying. In a backstage interview with Charly Caruso, she claimed that no one could stop her from doing whatever she wants.
Winner: No Contest
https://twitter.com/WWEUniverse/status/1254946701795889152
Bobby Lashley vs Denzel Dejournette
Bobby Lashley and his wife Lana were ready for competition before The All-Mighty instructed her to stay backstage since apparently she’s been too much of a distraction for him lately. It paid off in the form of a victory after Lashley dominated NXT’s Denzel Dejournette in quick fashion, picking up the win with a devastating spear.
Winner: Bobby Lashley
Ruby Riott vs Liv Morgan
In a rematch from last week that pit two former Riott Squad members against each other, it was Ruby Riott facing off against Liv Morgan. Ruby was determined this week. She is rushing Liv early and sticking with her hard-hitting offense. She even connected with a Riott Kick pretty early in the match, but Liv Morgan kicked out, much to Riott’s surprise. Incensed, Ruby kept the pressure on Liv but couldn’t stop her from rebounding off the ropes from an Irish whip and hitting her Oblivion finisher to pick up her second straight win over Ruby Riott, who has been winless since her return from surgery. Byron Saxton interviewed Liv after her win and she went on to say that she’ going to figure out exactly who she is.
Winner: Liv Morgan
Jinder Mahal vs Akira Tozawa
(Rollins and McIntyre still to come)
Another former WWE Champion made his return to Monday Night Raw in dominant fashion, as Jinder Mahal took on Tozawa in a single’s competition. The Modern-Day Maharaja nearly decapitated Tozawa with a huge kick. He followed it up with his Khallas finisher and Tozawa was done for.
Winner: Jinder Mahal
https://twitter.com/WWE/status/1254949167774007296
United States Championship Match
Andrade vs Apollo Crews
After his surprising pinfall victory over the United States Champion Andrade in their six-man tag match earlier, Apollo Crews requested a singles’ match for the title. His request looked more like an open hand slap to Andrade’s face, but Zelina accepted for her client. Crews kept Andrade off-balance for most of the match until, on cue and as advertised, Zelina Vega provided the distraction Andrade needed to take back control of the match. Andrade was ready to hit his Hammerlock DDT to finish off Apollo but Crews was able to shake it off and headbutt his opponent from the second rope.
Apollo ascended to the top rope and went for a Frog Splash, but Andrade was able to roll out of the way, leaving Apollo Crews to crash hard to the mat. The missed splash must have injured Apollo’s knee. He would eventually lose the match due to a referee stoppage. Crews is scheduled to participate in the Men’s Money in the Bank Ladder match. This injury may have put his participation in limbo for the time being.
Winner: Andrade (via referee stoppage)
https://twitter.com/WWE/status/1254964232480796672
Cedric Alexander and Ricochet vs Matt Martel and Chase Parker
(Rollins and McIntyre after the break)
Cedric Alexander and Ricochet have been on quite a roll since joining forces in Raw’s tag team division. They looked to continue that roll against Matt Martel and Chase Parker, (the team of Ever-Rise) in a tag team match. Parker and Martel looked pretty good early on in the match. They chose to isolate Ricochet and focus their attack on WWE’s resident superhero. A hot tag to Cedric Alexander would turn that around and lead to a dropkick into a Flatliner for the pinfall victory.
Winners: Alexander and Ricochet
Montel Vontavious Porter made his second appearance of the night on the big screen. He addressed Ricochet and Cedric, telling them he’d signed a new tag team to his group. Shane Thorne and Brendan Vink are his newest clients. After losing to Ricochet and Cedric last week, they want a rematch.
Drew McIntyre and Seth Rollins Contract Signing
As contract signings typically go on WWE programming. It was pretty easy to see where the contract signing between Rollins and WWE Champion McIntyre is headed. The Monday Night Messiah, along with his disciple Murphy explained to the Scottish Psychopath that he didn’t dislike him. But that he was challenging him for his championship on behalf of the greater good. Rollins kept on until McIntyre had had enough. He slammed Seth’s head into the contract signing table. Murphy attempted to intervene but suffered a Claymore for his efforts.
