WWE Raw – July 6, 2020 (Review)

After the abomination that was forced upon us last week, Raw needed to rebound with a solid showing. Their strategy to accomplish that lofty goal of simply being adequate was a bunch of muddled tag matches, a champion-vs-champion showdown between Asuka and Bayley and Dolph Ziggler potentially revealing the stipulation for his title match against Drew McIntyre. Not exactly the barnburner we were hoping for less than two weeks out from The Horror Show at Extreme Rules.

https://twitter.com/Zelina_VegaWWE/status/1280291277603471360

But perhaps there are nuggets of hope to be harnessed from this scattering of mediocrity. Or maybe there will be a few announced surprises…

Short of that, however, all Raw had to offer – aside from the tantalising women’s match – were empty teases. And more Big Show. And the next instalment of the Rey Mysterio / Seth Rollins debacle.

But enough with the chit chat. Let’s get to the review.

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The Best of Raw

The Kabuki Warriors Reunite!

Bayley and Sasha Banks appeared on Raw (as they usually do) for their customary 10-minute verbal salvo. And, as usual, this was a welcome departure from the mundanity of everything that surrounded it.

Prior to delivering their promo about how great they are and how Sasha would soon be ‘Banks Two Belts’, Asuka had indicated to Sarah Schreiber that she would be interrupting the Women’s Tag Team Champions. And that she wouldn’t be doing so alone.

So it came to pass that the Raw Women’s Champ cut short Bayley and Banks’s appreciation ceremony. Before facing Bayley later in the show though, she issued a challenge to Banks. And who would Sasha be facing? *Ding Dong* it was a returning Kairi Sane! It was great to see the Japanese sensation given all the recent speculation regarding her future with the company.

So good to see @KairiSaneWWE leaping off that top rope again 🤩 #WWERaw pic.twitter.com/CA4RYPWxOO

— WWE Universe (@WWEUniverse) July 7, 2020

The action was predictably excellent, reminding us of the immense talent both Kairi and Sasha possess. Raw has struggled to put on quality matches of late and this 20-minute marathon worked wonders. Kairi looked to have Sasha in trouble on several occasions, only for ‘The Boss’ to barely survive.

The end came – disappointingly – when Sane wrapped Banks up in a submission attempt and Bayley intervened to cause the disqualification. Things broke down and Kairi launched herself over the top rope to take out both Bayley and Banks. Like so many contests in WWE, this match would’ve worked so much better with a clean finish.

2️⃣ for the price of 1️⃣ INSANE ELBOW.#WWERaw @KairiSaneWWE @WWEAsuka pic.twitter.com/33jECCakoK

— WWE (@WWE) July 7, 2020

Later on, it was announced that the Kabuki Warriors had earned a shot at the Tag Champs next week.

Ruby Riott Flies Solo

The IIconics had another run-in with Ruby Riott backstage. They mocked her for not having any friends. Ruby revealed that she had developed a twitch in her neck every time the Aussies spewed out their usual shrieks (which I love by the way).

Riott acknowledged Liv Morgan wasn’t returning her calls, further driving that little narrative. Once again, the dynamic between these three women just feels really organic and comfortable. It may seem derivative, but seeing people act naturally doesn’t happen too often on Raw.

A promise from @RubyRiottWWE for @BillieKayWWE & @PeytonRoyceWWE:

Tonight won't be IICONIC. It'll be tragic. #WWERaw pic.twitter.com/iNnzMGYOUB

— WWE Universe (@WWEUniverse) July 7, 2020

After the break, Ruby marched to the ring to face Billie. This of course following her loss to Peyton last week. This match wasn’t quite up to the standard set by that encounter, but was nevertheless enjoyable. Ruby is great, Billie is fun and, at just five minutes, the match was a lean, streamlined affair.

Peyton distracted Riott, allowing Kay to hit an Eat Defeat from the second rope and her awful finisher. Seriously, it’s no good. So Ruby loses again, as her desperation to find a friend grows.

A Battle of the Brands’ Best

After two and a half looong hours, we finally reached the main event and, truthfully, the only match that really mattered. The Champion-vs-Champion struggle saw Asuka take on Bayley, mere hours after Kairi Sane beat Sasha Banks. Would this match end in similarly murky circumstances?

Asuka dominated much of the early phases, which allowed Bayley to scamper around, trying to distance herself from the whirlwind Raw Women’s Champion. Every time she escaped the ring, she spent the momentary reprieve complaining of jet lag and a tough schedule. It was excellent.

"CHEEEEEEEEEEEEESE!" – @SashaBanksWWE #WWERaw #ChampionvsChampion pic.twitter.com/arHrPR0nja

— WWE Universe (@WWEUniverse) July 7, 2020

Bayley was eventually able to gain the upper hand and almost immediately hopped on commentary to chat about how great she is. Did I mention this was excellent?

Her overconfidence eventually led to trouble though, as Asuka was able to launch another attack, culminating in a spinning back fist which almost dislodged Bayley’s nose from her face.

With the aid of Sasha, Bayley briefly regained momentum but got distracted by Nikki Cross banging on the plexiglass. It was a bit silly seeing Bayley jump like she’d seen a ghost, when she was perfectly safe with Cross on the other side of the divider.

GUESS WHO'S BACK.#WWERaw #ChampionvsChampion @NikkiCrossWWE pic.twitter.com/Jetg1yOLyP

— WWE (@WWE) July 7, 2020

The distraction however allowed Asuka to lock in the Asuka Lock. Banks tried to intervene but Sane tackled her out of the ring. After some brief jockeying for position, Asuka eventually found herself on top and pinned the SmackDown Women’s Champion – albeit with significant shenanigans. Regardless, it was the right decision to avoid the allure of another DQ and Asuka looks all the better for it.

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The Worst of Raw

Heath Has Kids and a Bone to Pick

Drew McIntyre started the show – as has become routine since winning the WWE Championship. Of course he’s earned the right to be the proverbial “face of the company” but it would be nice to mix things up from time to time.

Either way, McIntyre was confident of defeating Dolph Ziggler regardless of the stipulation Ziggs opted for. After a few jokes about the possibility of a match in a volcano surrounded by a lake of laser-equipped sharks, Dolph eventually came out. But he was unwilling to share the details of the stipulation as it was top secret.

Are our 👀 deceiving us?@HEELZiggler has brought @HEATHXXII to #WWERaw! pic.twitter.com/WW7iSSbMxR

— WWE (@WWE) July 7, 2020

Which wasn’t exactly a surprise. What was a bit of surprise however was an appearance by none other than Heath Slater. Dolph introduced him as an individual who was wronged by Drew in the past and the commentary did the bare minimum to try to remind us of the history between the pair… which essentially boils down to the fact that they were both members of 3MB seven years ago.

Slater was annoyed that he had phoned McIntyre every day after his release, yet Drew hadn’t returned the favour when Slater was fired earlier this year. It was the traditional “where were you when I needed you?” refrain. An emotional Slater then slapped Drew and they had a match, which Drew won in about 15 seconds.

Over before it began.@DMcIntyreWWE just took @HEATHXXII to #ClaymoreCountry, staring DAGGERS through @HEELZiggler as he earns the victory on #WWERaw! pic.twitter.com/AUBQsQw2RI

— WWE (@WWE) July 7, 2020

Dolph, angered by the failure of his proxy, jumped Heath after the bell. Drew sprinted back to the ring to save his friend and they celebrated like it was WrestleMania XX.

None of this really made much sense and involved the least rewarding way of reuniting 3MB – something fans have been fantasy booking for some time. Plus Heath just looked like such a dork in this, making his shock return just to get beaten up twice.

Seth vs. Rey Gets Messier (And More Bloated)

The beaten corpse of Aleister Black was found backstage by medical personnel. Seth was at the scene of the crime, but the staff on hand seemed incapable of putting two and two together.

Minutes later, Kevin Owens welcomed his guest on the KO Show. It was none other than Seth Rollins. The two men exchanged barbs about their WrestleMania encounter, which KO won only to immediately tumble down the card.

Seth didn’t have time to engage in idle chit chat, as he had other things on his mind. Rollins challenged Mysterio to a match at Extreme Rules. With that business out the way, Seth offered KO the chance to join his flock.

Things are about to ESCALATE.@reymysterio has accepted @WWERollins' challenge for a match at The Horror Show at #ExtremeRules! #WWERaw pic.twitter.com/O9QbfiOmvQ

— WWE (@WWE) July 7, 2020

Before Owens could answer, Rey Mysterio (flanked by Dominick) wandered down the ramp. This begged the question of why the earlier attack was necessary. Whatever the reason, Rey soon accepted the challenge for Extreme Rules and Owens declined the chance to join Seth’s still unnamed group of nobodies. What a mess this segment already was.

Instead, KO determined they should have a tag match, with the winning side able to pick the stipulation for Extreme Rules. This program has quickly spiralled out of control, now embroiling no fewer than EIGHT PEOPLE in its turgid grasp! Why are so many bodies wrapped up in what will ultimately be a one-on-one contest at the pay-per-view?

The First of the Tags

How do I put this lightly? There was a lot of nonsense in the tag match pitting Rollins and Murphy against Kevin Owens and Rey Mysterio. Despite being a first-time matchup on paper, this dynamic already felt tired and overdone. KO and Seth are coming off a lengthy feud across the start of the year and this felt too soon to rekindle that particular rivalry. Plus Seth and Rey feel like they’ve been going back-and-forth for months by this point.

In an attempt to spice things up, Seth repeatedly bolted outside to attack Dominick, on one occasion gauging his eyes. When Seth tried to grab the young Mysterio again, Aleister Black joined the party. This distracted Seth and the official, allowing Dominick to rake Murphy’s face while Tom Phillips excitedly yelled the feud’s tagline of “an eye for an eye!”

Still in shock like @FightOwensFight after @reymysterio's #ExtremeRules stipulation choice… #WWERaw pic.twitter.com/K5AtzPURaU

— WWE Universe (@WWEUniverse) July 7, 2020

The blinded Murphy was easy pickings for Rey. After the match, Rey vowed to rip Seth’s eye out of his head at Extreme Rules and formally made it an Eye For An Eye match. Whatever that is.

It sounds like something doomed to be overhyped and underdeliver. The most appropriate end to this awful feud.

A Reimagined Title Belt

Claiming to be the uncrowned United States Champion having beaten titleholder Apollo Crews last week, MVP was on hand to unveil a new Championship belt. He then proceeded to lift the veil on perhaps the ugliest hunk of metal I’ve seen since since the last Transformers movie.

He vowed to make it official at Extreme Rules and Bobby Lashley devoted his mic time to hyping MVP up. Oh, how ‘The All Mighty’ have fallen.

For some reason, Cedric Alexander and Ricochet interrupted and challenged the pair to – you guessed it – a tag match!

Another display of dominance = another WIN for @fightbobby & @The305MVP on #WWERaw! pic.twitter.com/UplXp2OoMf

— WWE (@WWE) July 7, 2020

Alexander and Ricochet displayed some impressive athleticism, but they were always doomed to fail. MVP didn’t even need to loosen his tie to dispatch of the woefully under-utilised pairing.

Later on Raw, MVP tried to recruit Cedric Alexander to join his stable. What is it with these heels trying to proposition underachieving babyfaces? If you want to grow your group so badly, just find a mid-level heel.

The Viper’s Weird Motivations… And Another Tag Match

When did Randy Orton become the de facto ringleader of Zelina Vega’s group? And why does he care if they lose an entirely meaningless tag match?

To add context to my cynical stream of consciousness, Andrade and Angel Garza were hanging out backstage when Ric Flair approached them. Yip, still risking his life for Raw.

The ‘Nature Boy’ informed them that they absolutely needed to beat The Viking Raiders and Big Show, or else they’d be answering to Randy – who conveniently showed up right at that moment.

He DID warn you, @AngelGarzaWwe…#WWERaw @RandyOrton pic.twitter.com/D3Usmglf4w

— WWE Universe (@WWEUniverse) July 7, 2020

He reiterated Flair’s point and threatened to introduced the pair to the ‘Legend Killer’ if things went wrong. Which also makes no sense, because that’s you, Randy! You’re the ‘Legend Killer’! Andrade and Garza have already met you. What a weird threat.

As for the match itself, it consisted in the main of Andrade and Garza battling in vain to get the best of the babyface trio while Randy Orton periodically dragged them out of the ring to issue more threats of immense bodily harm.

Randy tried to hit an RKO on Big Show but saw his effort foiled. Minutes later, he struck Erik from out of nowhere and won the match. This was a long, tedious, boring match.

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Overall Rating for the Show (From best to worst: RAWsome, Cor, AvRAWge, Poor and RAWful)

As has become the norm in recent weeks, the women continue to carry Raw while the men find themselves relegated to meaningless diversions and incredibly boring tag matches. And what an untenable situation it has become.

Contrast the diverging situations for a second. While Asuka and Bayley, Kairi Sane and Sasha Banks, and Billie Kay and Ruby Riott all squared off in singles competition, the men’s side of the card was filled with three ramshackle tag bouts. The only one-on-one match was a less-than-thrilling 15-second squash of Heath Slater.

Heath is my brother, something I now realize you never were Dolph. I took pity on you at first, but after that stunt tonight I'm going to severely hurt you. Extreme Rules can't come soon enough pic.twitter.com/nYtNmggUiX

— Drew (@DMcIntyreWWE) July 7, 2020

Just two weeks removed from Extreme Rules and Raw continues to limp ahead, hampered by bad booking, murky motivations and uninspired tag bouts. Thank God for the women’s division!

Raw this week was Poor.

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• review
• RAW
• July 6 2020
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