Monday Night Raw TV Report for September 28th, 2015 – “One-Man Militia”
Introduction Segment: Video Promo and Welcoming
A montage of Night Of Champions and last week’s Raw, featuring then-United States and current WWE World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins, Kane, and current United States Champ John Cena airs. Michael Cole acknowledges us from Buffalo, New York. John Cena’s music plays, and Cole says that he will be in a United States Championship Open Challenge to kick off Raw! Also, he announces that Bray Wyatt will face Roman Reigns later!
Match #1: Single for the United States Championship – John Cena (Champion) VS. ??? (Challenger)
After Cena cuts a quick promo declaring the Open Challenge, the mystery opponent(s) are the trombone-playing, Tag-Team Champions The New Day! Xavier Woods, Kofi Kingston, and Big E. walk down the ramp and proclaim they will beat The Dudleys at Madison Square Garden this Saturday, available on WWE Network; they then predict to be the new U..S. Champs and “swimming in all the gold!” (minus the WWE World Heavyweight Championship.) Cena orders them to stop goofing around and instead just wrestle. New Day reveal Xavier to be Cena’s challenger.
Following formal introductions by Lillian Garcia, the bell rings and John clotheslines Xavier hard! The Tag-Team Champion tumbles to the outside and yells “I wasn’t ready!” All New Day members hop the apron, but Kofi and Big back off. Cena plants Xavier with the spin-out backdrop, but is grabbed on the ankle by Kofi as he ran off the ropes. The referee sends E and Kingston to the back!
Commercials.
Cena is still in control, but Xavier reverses and starts to gain momentum. He dives off the turnbuckle with a DDT, then brings him down with a reverse-suplex a short time later. Cena begins a comeback, attempting an Attitude Adjustment, but Woods reverses into a foot and armbreaker. He climbs the turnbuckle and soars again, but Cena moves and Xavier hits the mat. Cena clotheslines again and traps Woods in the STF, but the other New Day partners run out and attack, causing the dq.
Winner via Disqualification and STILL United States Champion: John Cena
Post-match, as all three Tag-|Team Champs assault the U.S. Champ, The Dudleys run down and help out for Cena. A brawl and faceoff ensues.
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Match #2: Six-Man Tag-Team – Tag-Team Champions The New Day (Xavier Woods, Kofi Kingston, and Big E.) VS. John Cena and The Dudley Boyz (Bubba Ray and D-Von)
The Dudleys and Cena are dominating Kofi, until Big E. is tagged in. He uses his power over Cena and all three triple-kick Cena. Kofi is now in and slides by Cena, tripping him up. Big is tagged in and gives John a big splash. He goes for a second, but misses. Cena leaps for the hot-tag to D-Von! He cleans house on New Day, bringing Kingston down from the second turnbuckle with a neckbreaker. Big E. runs between the ropes at Cena on the apron with a shoulder block, and both fall to the floor.
Bubba tries to assist, but is held back by Xavier while Kofi hits the Trouble In Paradise kick and covers D-Von for the victory!
Winners via Pinfall: Tag-Team Champions The New Day
Commercials.
Segment #2: Office Promo
Triple H and Stephanie are debating whether Human Resources is right to work out Kane`s situation. “The Big Red Machine” walks in is introduced by Stephanie to Ashley, the Human Resources representative. WWE World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins now joins and wonders who could have sent a blind email, accusing The Director Of Operations of making an “unsafe working environment.” Kane gets in Rollins’ face, but then is all-too-happy to get reviewed and questioned by Ashley. He takes her by the hand and they walk away.
Segment #3: Locker Room Promo
Dean Ambrose is warning Roman Reigns that he shouldn’t be wrestling Bray tonight. Of course, Reigns disagrees. Ambrose says he doesn’t want anybody else involved, but Randy Orton walks in and takes offense. He reminds them he rescued them last week, then threatens that Ambrose and Reigns have one more chance tonight to extract The Wyatt Family, then “it’s open season.”
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Match #3: Single – Mark Henry VS. The Big Show
Show handily beats Henry, albeit a little slower than I thought. He spears, scoop-slams, and knockout-punches “The World’s Strongest Man.”
Winner via Pinfall: The Big Show
Up next, The Miz will interview Divas Champion Charlotte and Becky Lynch about Paige’s turn-around on them.
Commercials.
Segment #4: Arena Promo
The Miz airs replays of Paige’s departure from Team PCB last week on Raw. He then brings out Divas Champion Charlotte and Becky Lynch. They poke fun at Miz’s attire and call him a “sexist, chauvinistic, jackass!” He stir the pot about them, insinuating that Team PCB has split. Charlotte insists that Paige join them and talk it out, or “throw it down.” Miz doesn’t take well to Charlotte overtaking MizTV, but Becky chucks his mike to the ramp.
Instead of Paige, Team Bella walk out. All three mock PCB’s state, and say they (Bella) are “more united and stronger than ever.” Charlotte pressures Nikki that she will tap-out again. Nikki goes on to take credit for setting off the “Divas Revolution.” Charlotte disagrees, saying that all the Divas equally created it.
Paige now appears and procures ownership of “The Revolution.” She says that since she was the first NXT Women’s Champion, that’s what brought Charlotte and Becky up. Nikki wonders why Lynch and Charlotte are not fighting back; “if you have friends like these, why do you even need enemies?” Paige wittily replies, “yeah, and if you have two boyfriends like yours, who really needs ambition!” (referring to The Bellas dating/being married to John Cena and Daniel Bryan, respectively.)
This embarks a fight, with Team Bella being shoved out of the ring by all of PCB
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Match #4: Six-Diva Tag-Team – Team P.C.B. (Divas Champion Charlotte, Becky Lynch, and Paige) VS. Team Bella (Nikki and Brie Bella, and Alicia Fox)
Paige whips Alicia, then tags in Becky, who tags in Charlotte. P.C.B. work over Fox until Brie is tagged in and focuses on Charlotte’s left arm. C.B. comeback, double-teaming Brie, then Lynch gives Brie a forearm. Fox hits Becky, allowing Brie to gain an advantage. Nikki is in and snap-suplexes Lynch, as does Alicia. She stretches Becky with a surfboard, then switches with Brie again.
Brie kicks away at Becky in the corner, then rips at her face with a chinlock. Nikki is in, and tries a suplex but it is reversed into a small-package for one. Becky manages to get Charlotte in, but as she goes for the Figure-8, Nikki kicks the Divas Champion away into Paige on the apron. Paige takes umbrage and walks away, until Natalya walks out. Paige and her converse, then Natalya hops on the apron. Paige yanks her down and heads to the back, as Nikki plants Charlotte with the Rack Attack and the 1 – 2 – 3!
Winners via Pinfall: Team Bella (Nikki and Brie Bella, and Alicia Fox)
Up next, a look at The Big Show and Brock Lesnar’s rivalries.
Commercials.
Segment #5: Video Promo
Footage of the past between Brock Lesnar and The Big Show is shown.
Segment #6: Locker Room Promo
Seth is talking with Ashley when Kane walks over with a giant red present. It is divulged to be the head of the statue of Seth Rollins! Kane says he got it from a dumpster, but Rollins does not accept. Kane leaves the statue head with Ashley.
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Match #5: Tag-Team – The Prime Time Players (Darren Young and Titus O’Neil) VS. The Wyatt Family (Luke Harper and Braun Stroman)
(Note: the feed in Canada went out for a few minutes, so I missed the start of this.) Wyatt Family are firmly in control when Raw comes back on. They quickly complete this bout after Stroman wears down Titus with his submission.
Winners via Submission: The Wyatt Family (Luke Harper and Braun Stroman)
Commercials.
Match #6: Single – Stardust VS. Neville
They lockup and trade wristlocks. Neville flips around and gives a running hurricanrana. Stardust springboards off the top rope but Neville counters with a front-dropkick. He ascends the turnbuckle, but before he does something, Wade Barrett’s music plays and out he walks. Stardust shoves Neville into Barrett, who gives Neville a Bullhammer Elbow, DQing Stardust.
Winner via Disqualification: Neville
Post-match, Stardust tries to convince Wade to join him again, but Barrett responds with another Bullhammer. He demands a microphone, where he declares “All hail return of the king.”
Up next is Ashley’s report on Kane!
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Segment #6: Arena Promo
Kane and Ashley walk to the ring; she starts to give her findings but is promptly interjected by WWE World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins. He has put together a highlight package of Kane’s faults over the last while, but Kane retaliates with one of his own on Rollins. Ashley concludes that Kane is completely OK to help run Raw as The Director Of Operations, but it may be Rollins that really needs the help, which now infuriates Seth.
He yells at both of them, then gives an awkward-looking Pedigree to Kane. He continues the punishment by whacking a chair repeatedly over Kane’s left knee. He screams at Kane that “he’s the man!” Doctors and paramedics rush to help Kane, and carry him away on stretcher and in ambulance.
In the garage, as Seth is still watching on the ‘Titantron from the ring, the ambulance suddenly stops. It goes back to Rollins then back to the garage, where the emergency vehicle is now filled with red lighting and smoke. Out bursts Kane, in “Big Red Machine/Demon” gear. He limps at first, then stomps his left foot on the ground and walks normally. He marches to the ring with a purpose, where he Chokeslams Rollins and goes for the Tombstone, but Seth slides out and scurries to the back. Kane holds up the WWE World Heavyweight Championship and signals his pyro to blow.
Segment #7: Video Promo
Bray Wyatt is on the Titantron. He is happy with his boys’ win over The Prime Time Players. He has also accepted Roman’s want. “Tonight, I alone will enter the battlefield.” He says that it is all about him and Roman. “Be careful what you wish for, because only a fool would believe that he can look into a dragon’s eyes and not be burned. Run!”
Commercials.
Match #7: Single – Bo Dallas VS. Randy Orton
They immediately clash on the outside for a bit, then back in the ring Orton finishes with an R.K.O. quickly.
Up next, I.C. Champ Kevin Owens will face Rusev!
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Match #8: Single – Intercontinental Champion Kevin Owens VS. Rusev (with Summer Rae)
(Note: Ryback is on commentary.) Rusev and Owens punch back-and-forth until Rusev is thrown into Ryback; Rusev and Ryback engage, invoking another dq.
Winner via Disqualification: Rusev (with Summer Rae)
Post-match, both Rusev and Owens double-team Ryback until Dolph Ziggler runs out and helps fend Rusev and Kevin off.
Segment #8: Video Promo
Ellen DeGeneres, daytime talk show host, has started a fundraising campaign, challenging people to dance and raise money for Pediatric Cancer Research. Several WWE Superstars have already taken place. The announcer’s also continue to promote Connor’s Cure.
Paul Heyman is shown walking backstage.
Commercials.
Segment #9: Arena Promo
Paul Heyman returns to Raw and puts over his client, Brock Lesnar, over and over again on how he will destroy The Big Show this Saturday in New York. The Big Show interrupts and scares off Heyman, cautioning him that he will need a new client after Lesnar is knocked out.
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Match #9: Single – Roman Reigns VS. Bray Wyatt (with Wyatt Family members Luke Harper and Braun Stroman)
Prior to the contest, Roman questions Bray on bringing out Stroman and Harper; he calls them “the training wheels” and Wyatt “a little bitch.” However, Bray complies and tells Braun and Luke to go to the back.
Reigns and Wyatt slug it out to begin, then Roman hits the Drive By running front-dropkick from the floor to the apron!
Commercials.
Bray has Reigns locked in a rear chinlock, but Roman gets out of it with a backdrop. Wyatt comes back with a one-arm slam, then pounds away on the back/head of Reigns. He chokes him against the middle rope and almost takes this with a DDT! He runs at Reigns twice, but misses both times!
Reigns slowly gets to his feet and hits hard on Bray. He suplexes Wyatt for two, and gears up for the Superman Punch. Bray blocks it and tries another one-arm slam but Roman whips Bray, and Bray hits back with a harsh clothesline for a close-call! Bray tries to suplex Reigns from the turnbuckle, but Roman reverses into a sit-down powerbomb for two!
Roman hits the Superman Punch, but Bray stumbles to the floor. Reigns runs at Wyatt, but Bray moves and Roman crashes into the steel steps. Bray picks up a set and charges with them, but Roman moves and clotheslines Wyatt over the corner barricade! Reigns tears apart the announce table, but the referee has already counted to ten, counting them both out!
Winner: None due to Double Count-Out
Post-match, they continue to scrap around the arena. Roman leaps over another corner barrier onto Bray and they tussle through the fans. Bray hurls one of the technical men at Roman, then dives at him back into the timekeeper’s area! Both lay there for a bit, then Bray is the first up.
Wyatt climbs onto the announcer’s table and poses on top, but Roman gets up and Spears him through it! Both are prone amid a broken table, with most of the fans doing a repeated “Yes” call to close the show.
End Of Raw.
Reporter’s Rumblings
This was another great Raw overall; I enjoyed the storytelling and line-up of the matches; most were well-wrestled, but a lot of them had bad finishes. Onto the particulars:
Excellence: All of Kane/Rollins; loving this new/old feud, especially with the new angle Kane has. He is truly playing it perfectly, and I can almost see him winning the belt from Rollins for “one-last run” before retirement; I think he deserves it for the long career he’s had in WWE and all that he’s put up with!
Paige’s new attitude; as with Kane, she is playing it very well too and this is the “bad girl” Paige I really like. The promo by the other Divas was pretty great too, as was the match.
Also liked Woods/Cena, (and all The New Day does) and New Day/Dudleyz/Cena Six-Man, and Bray/Reigns.
As always, Paul Heyman and Bray was awesome on the mike/video promos. Loved the passion/”fire” from The Big Show too; again like Paige, this is the attitude I like to see out of Show and how he should be built again until he also retires.
Bogus: Too many DQs. One or two is OK, but not as many as they had tonight. Henry/Show was a waste of time;
I knew right away that Henry was going to lose when he was on screen and didn’t even get an entrance. With Big, we don’t need to see how strong he is; those who have been watching a long while know what he can do in the ring when he really wants to. Thankfully, this does seem like a time he really wants to and thus didn’t need the match. I also think Lesnar should’ve been included here and had at least a stare down with Show prior to Madison Square Garden, especially since they’re using them in the title on Saturday night; would’ve added a little more effect.
Was disappointed in the return of Barrett; at first I was a little excited because he seemed serious and no-nonsense/dropped the “king” gimmick, but unfortunately, he’s still referring himself to that. I want him to go back to the “Bare Knuckle Brawler” character he had a long while ago; that suits him best and can be taken way more importance.
All-in-all, again a really good show. Until Smackdown!, Be Excellent Wrestling-Online Readers and Fans!
