Last week, some major developments occurred as we make our way to Night Of Champions. Brock Lesnar VS. John Cena seems to take place (according to Smackdown!) in a rematch for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. The Miz will challenge Dolph Ziggler for the Intercontinental Championship, in another rematch. Sheamus defends his U.S. Title against Cesaro, The Usos are probably going to be putting their Tag-Team Titles on the line against Stardust & Goldust, and both A.J. Lee and Nikki Bella are going to face Paige for the Divas Champions. What else will be added to the Pay-Per-View tonight?

With all that above, we also have the “rubber match” between Chris Jericho and Bray Wyatt, this time in a Steel Cage! And yes, that is tonight! Who will prevail to possibly close this rivalry?

Read on to find out what goes down as we are 13 days away from Night Of Champions!

Monday Night Raw T.V. Report for September 8th, 2014 – “Stomped!”

Introduction Segment: Welcoming and Video Promo

Michael Cole welcomes us to the “season premiere” (it is stupid to call it a “season premiere,” since they are on EVERY week!) of Monday Night Raw. The steel cage is lowering while a quick video airs promoting tonight’s Raw, featuring the Steel Cage bout and a “Bella Intervention” between Nikki and Brie, with talk-show host Jerry Springer.

Chris Jericho now makes his entrance, as do The Wyatt Family to kick off Raw!

Match #1: Steel Cage (Single) – Chris Jericho VS. Bray Wyatt (with Wyatt Family members Luke Harper and Erik Rowan)

Both lockup to begin, then Jericho gives Bray some chops. Wyatt comes back with a standing side headlock and shoulder-block push. Chris grabs Bray, trying to clamp on the Walls Of Jericho, but instead slingshots him under the bottom rope. Bray is whipped into the corner and attempts to leave via the door, but Jericho brings him back. Wyatt now takes control, throwing him into a corner and running with a body splash. Jericho hits back with another chop, and then ascends the cage, but Bray yanks him off the cage, and runs at him against the mesh wall.

Commercials.

Bray still in control, but Jericho brings him back out of the corner with a drop. He fires up for a comeback, hitting a couple clotheslines and a bulldog. He flips off the middle rope with a Lionsault (moonsault), and goes for the Walls again, but Wyatt flips him over. Jericho hits a dropkick, then climbs the turnbuckle. Bray cuts him off and suplexes him from the top turnbuckle! Wyatt turns into his spider-walk and goes for the door, but Jericho stops him. Bray chokeslams Jericho and nearly takes this after a cover!

Bray slingshots Jericho into the corner, but “Y2J” lands on his feet and begins to climb again! Wyatt stops him, but Jericho gives him the 10-punch in the corner and a hurricanrana! Chris ascends the cage again and is over, but Luke and Erik are surrounding him, stopping Jericho from dropping. Instead, Jericho shrugs his shoulders and soars with a crossbody off the cage, back onto Bray! In doing this risky move, Jericho may have hurt his knee (the landing replays did not look good), but he manages to avoid Bray and crawl to the door. Wyatt leaps on him and both are pounding away on each other.. Jericho is slowly crawling, and is on the stairs when Wyatt hammers his injured knee and then just falls over and out, getting the victory!

Winner via Crawl-Out: Bray Wyatt (with Wyatt Family members Luke Harper and Erik Rowan)

Post-match, Wyatt slams the cage door on Jericho’s knee, then rams Chris’ head on the steps. He continues to attack Jericho, back in the ring with Luke shutting the door. Bray drags Jericho to the center of the ring and drives him down with Sister Abigail (twisting neckbreaker facebuster), then poses.

Later tonight, Paul Heyman will have a “warning” for his client’s challenger, John Cena.

Segment #1: Office Promo

Director Of Operations, Kane, and Seth Rollins are applauding themselves for the cage match that just happened. C.O.O. Triple H is also pleased, until Randy Orton walks in. “The Viper” wants to decimate Roman Reigns later tonight, and “The Game” agrees. Orton promises him they “won’t regret it.”

Ads.

Segment #2: Arena Promo

Intercontinental Champion Dolph Ziggler is in the ring. He talks about the hacking of “The Cloud” last week that exposed celebrities’ personal lives. Ziggler does not condone the actions, unless it is about The Miz. He goes on to show the photos he found, which include Miz getting a facial in a speedo, shaving his chest. Dolph wants to reveal the best-for-last, but before he can, The Miz and Damien Mizdow cut him off. They are none too happy with the expose, and threaten that Dolph will “never work in this town again.” The I.C. champ takes him up on the offer, revealing the last picture, which is Damien spray-tanning the nude (pixelated rear-end) backside of The Miz. Sandow looks stunned, then goes to attack Ziggler. He is quickly taken down with the Zig-Zag, and Dolph eggs on Miz to get him, but “The Awesome One” backs away. The pics are shown one more time. (unfortunately, for the last one!)

Commercials.

Match #2: Tag-Team – Rosa Mendes and Natalya VS. A.J. Lee and Divas Champion Paige (Non-Title)

Paige and Natalya start out with some back-and-forth wrestling, then Rosa is tagged in. Paige seductively headbutts her, and reaches for A.J., but Lee refuses the tag. Paige misses a legdrop, but Rosa also refuses to switch with Natalya. Paige capitalizes, kneeing Rosa several times in the gut. Suddenly, A.J. grabs Paige and slaps her across the chest to tag herself in! A.J. locks on the Black Widow (Octopus Stretch), forcing Mendes to give up.

Winners via Submission: A.J. Lee and Divas Champion Paige

Post-match, A.J. takes Paige’s title and kisses it, then hands it back. She skips away, then Cole, Jerry “The King” Lawler, and John “Bradshaw” Layfield recap the Steel Cage Match.

Segment #3: Training Room Promo

Chris Jericho is getting attended to by a medical official when Randy Orton attacks him from behind. He rams his head on the table and throws Jericho into the equipment case.

Ads.

Segment #4: Arena Promo

Justin Roberts welcomes Paul Heyman, who is in the ring and ready to talk. He does not fear anyone, despite being in the “valley of the Cenation,” as he is the advocate for the WWE World Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar. Before he can go too far, the challenger interrupts.

John Cena’s music plays and he runs out to meet Heyman face-to-face. He wants to see and hear what Heyman has to say, and Paul E. complies. He gives Cena credit for being the greatest champion, other than Lesnar, because “it takes a special kind of man to be confronted by the truth.” Heyman is going to give Cena a strategy to beat Lesnar. John cuts him off first, saying he already does. “Never give up.” He hands Paul a towel with those words and starts to walk away, but Heyman laughs.

“Is it me, or can he just not help but be ‘John Cena.’ And with all due respect Mr. Cena, that is your biggest problem; you live to be ‘John Cena.’ You live for the kid that waits, and waits, and waits, for that opportunity to come live, to a live event, or here in Baltimore, to chant at the top of their lungs, ‘Let’s go Cena, let’s go Cena, let’s go Cena!’ But you see? When Brock Lesnar steps into the ring, Brock Lesnar doesn’t hear anybody but three people: 1, the referee who has the power to disqualify him. 2, Paul Heyman who strategizes his greatest victories, and 3, the suffering of his victims, like you suffered, at Brock Lesnar’s hands at SummerSlam.”

Heyman tells Cena the way to defeat Brock is to hand over to the big appeal. “You have busted your tail all these years, and yet when you come out, all you hear is ‘Cena sucks, Cena sucks, Cena sucks…’ Oh see, it gets to you, doesn’t it? It gets to you; and it’s one thing when a man of my stature and my credentials and my accomplishments say ‘Cena sucks,’ you have to respect me. But what happens when they say it?” Heyman gets Cena a bit hot under the collar, trying to convince him to tell the audience who hates him to “shut up,” and “bust a rap on these guys.” He gets on his knees, “please, one time, one time, let it go! Give in! You don’t need to sell your soul to the devil; the devil sold his soul to me a long time ago! Just understand, lose the wristbands, lose the t-shirt. Forget this whole concept of ‘hustle, loyalty, and respect.’ Then when you give in to that hatred deep inside your soul, then you can be ‘the one’ who beat ‘the one’ in ‘twenty-one-and-one.’ Or then, you can just be ‘one’ of many victims that fell at the hands of ‘the conqueror’ Brock Lesnar! My client doesn’t mind me telling you this, because John Cena, I believe in you. But my client Brock Lesnar says, ‘you just don’t have it in you.’”

Cena sits on the ropes and contemplates, then backs Heyman into a corner. “SHUT UP PAUL HEYMAN! I see exactly what you’re trying to do here. Your client Brock Lesnar at Night Of Champions, wants to end John Cena and quite frankly, so do you. And the way you want to do it is, you want me to stand in this ring and turn my back on every single person who’s ever believed a word I said. I don’t think so!”

John goes on, “I will admit, Mr. Heyman, you are an intelligent man, but right now you are talking about something you know nothing about. Living life with purpose and living life with a sense of being.” “And do you want to know why? Because that’s who I am! Because I was born to be that, because I love being that. And I don’t want to change even if I could.” “I like being the guy who can get that kid right there to do his homework early so he can come to Monday Night Raw with his dad. And here’s what you don’t also see. I don’t mind being the guy where the dad’s over there saying ‘Cena sucks.’ And then after the show, comes up to me and says, ‘you know what? I really don’t like you, but thanks for doing right by my kid.’ And I love, I love, being the guy, when a child is asked and given one wish, and asked what they want to do. Their answer is ‘I want to hang out with John Cena for the day.’ You know how that makes me feel? And I am DAMN proud to be the guy who is fortunate enough to meet people like Sergeant Davin Dumore (forgive spelling), a 10-year, combat-wounded veteran and Purple Heart Recipient. And because of all this, because of all I do, on a random Friday night, I get to meet a guy like that. My hero, a guy I look up to. And the first thing he says to me is, ‘when they took me to the hospital and I’m looking at my leg that’s gone; I don’t know where to start. You gave me strength when I needed it the most; thank you, thank you.’ And a Purple Heart recipient then gives me the ONE reward he was given for his sacrifice. And I’m standing there, talking to a stranger, holding a Purple Heart, because HE BELIEVES, because HE BELIEVES! That’s why, all I know is ‘eat, sleep, be John Cena.’ And in walks an advocate like you, who wants me to strip it all away; for what, so I can win a match? You know what, I’ll ask you Mr. Heyman. And you may not understand this. If I strip it away, what did I really win? And now, I’m cutting to the chase and telling you, that I’m done talking and it’s time to fight.”

Cena threatens Heyman to bring Lesnar next week to Raw, or it will be Heyman who gets physical with John!

Commercials.

Match #3: Single – United States Champion Sheamus VS. “Mr. Money In The Bank” Seth Rollins (Non-Title)

Rollins gets in the face of Sheamus with his Money In The Bank briefcase, but Sheamus just slaps him and it away. Sheamus takes immediate control, so Rollins goes to the outside for a break. He comes back in and tries a suplex, but Sheamus reverses it into one of his own. Rollins comes back with a kick to Sheamus’ knee and stomps away. Sheamus comes back with a rolling fireman’s carry, then Cesaro, who Sheamus will take on for the U.S. Championship at Night Of Champions, walks out.

Ads.

Sheamus works his way out of a grounding rear chinlock, and leaps off the top with the Battering Ram shoulder-block! Rollins goes back to the chinlock, which Sheamus gets out of again. He runs over Seth with a couple of axe-handle smashes, then some running knees in the corner. He drives Rollins down with the Irish Curse backbreaker (thanks Cole!), then notices Cesaro eying his title. He proceeds to the steps, distracting Sheamus, which allowed Seth to nail the Curb Stomp and get the 1 – 2 – 3!

Winner via Pinfall: Seth Rollins

Post-match, Cesaro surveys a down Sheamus, then takes off his coat and rolls up his sleeves. A shirtless Cesaro mocks Sheamus’ “Fella” call and pose, then plants him with the Neutralizer. Cesaro is pleased with his work and walks away.

Commercials.

The announcers recall why “The World’s Strongest Man” Mark Henry and “The Super Athlete” Rusev are feuding, via Raw footage. They will go at it at Night Of Champions.

Segment #5: Arena Promo

Rusev and Lana walk out to the stage. Lana informs us that “The Star Spangled Banner,” America’s theme, was written in Baltimore (where Raw is tonight). She mocks the anthem, then the Russian theme plays.

Ads.

Segment #6: Video Promo

A highlight package of NXT airs, promoting the company’s third show and place for the “superstars of tomorrow.” This Thursday will be NXT Takeover, live on the WWE Network, for $9.99! (There, I finally did it!)

Match #4: Tag-Team – “Prince Pretty” Tyler Breeze and Tyson Kidd VS. Sami Zayn and NXT Champion Adrian Neville (Non-Title)

(Note: These guys are awesome, and I wish I could still watch NXT, but the Canadian station airing it replaced it with Main-Event [boo!]) Breeze and Zayn begin, then Kidd is in and kicks Sami hard. He works on Sami with a grounding rear chinlock. Tyler back in and gives Sami a swinging neckbreaker, getting a near-fall! Zayn counters another chinlock with a jawbreaker, then gets the hot-tag to Neville. He flies in, with quick kicks and a standing shooting star press. Zayn rockets over the ropes with a senton bomb onto Kidd, while Adrian finishes this bout off with a Red Arrow (top rope spiral splash)!

Winners via Pinfall: Sami Zayn and NXT Champion Adrian Neville

Stephanie McMahon is walking through the backstage halls, and up next, will be a “Bella Intervention” featuring Jerry Springer.

Commercials.

Segment #7: Arena Promo

Stephanie McMahon comes out and puts over Baltimore. She sympathizes with the Bella’s plight, because she too has had family issues. McMahon brings out Jerry Springer. He is happy to be here and then asks Brie to come out. He questions Brie on why she slapped Nikki last week on Raw, then apologized on Twitter the next day. Brie explains that it was because she felt she went to Nikki’s level, which she never wanted to do. Nikki is now out and berates Brie, then shows footage of Total Divas when Brie is constantly criticizing Nikki. Jerry asks their Mom and Dad to weigh in, which they do via video on the Titantron. He also brings out their Brother, who tells Nikki to stop acting like a “victim.” The predictable brawl ensues, with Jerry getting bowled over. Referees break it up and Nikki walks off. Stephanie feels embarrassed, as Springer is hauled off on a stretcher with an apparent “injury.”

Ads.

Replays of Goldust’s and Stardust’s attack on Tag-Team Champions The Usos are shown.

Match #5: Tag-Team – Gold and Star Dust VS. Los Matadores (Fernando and Diego)

Stardust starts with Matadores 1, but gets clotheslined down out of the corner quickly. Matadores 2 gets the tag and hits Stardust with a springboard plancha. Both Matadores hit suicide dives, but they fall to Stardust and Goldust after Stardust drives a Matadores down with the Dark Matter Flatliner.

Winners via Pinfall: Gold and Star Dust

Post-match, Tag-Team Champions The Usos attack Gold and Star Dust from behind on the stage, confirming they will face each other for the Tag-Team Championship at Night Of Champions.

Segment #8: In Memoriam

WWE acknowledges the passing of Joan Rivers, celebrity/comedian, who died last Thursday at age 81. She was involved in WrestleMania II, being a ring announcer for “Rowdy” Roddy Piper’s match. Both Piper and Hulk Hogan gave condolence tweets, remembering the time they spent with Rivers. A video of her time in WWE is aired. God rest her soul.

Commercials.

Match #6: Single – Titus O’Neil (with Heath Slater) VS. Adam Rose (with the Party Posse)

This one is short, with Adam getting the duke following the Party Fowl. The Bunny superkicked Heath Slater on the outside, then splashed Titus from the top rope.

Winner via Pinfall: Adam Rose (with the Party Posse)

Ads.

Segment #9: Video Promo

A look at WWE World Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar is shown., then it is confirmed that WWE World Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar will be at Raw next week

Commercials.

Match #7: Single – “The Viper” Randy Orton VS. Roman Reigns

After formal introductions (nice touch!), Roman is in complete control until the break.

Ads.

Orton is now dominating, wearing Reigns down with a rear chinlock. He clotheslines Reigns on the outside, then puts him back into the ring. He punches away at Roman in the corner, but Reigns reveres a whip into the opposite corner. Reigns tried a splash, but Orton moved, however Roman fires back with a big clothesline. On the outside, Reigns shoves Randy into both the apron and barricade, then they both slug away on the apron/in ring. Orton catches Reigns on the ropes, then throws him into the turnbuckle. Orton brings him back in the ring with a top rope suplex! 1 – 2 – Reigns kicks out!

Commercials.

Orton is back to the chinlock, which Reigns battles out of. “The Viper” hits back again, then continues to break Reigns down with the chinlock. Roman finally reverses into a backdrop and gives himself momentum. He clotheslines Orton twice, then slams him with a Samoan Drop. Orton counters again with a powerslam, but Reigns sets him up for the running front-dropkick on the apron! He hits a leaping clothesline in the ring for a near-fall! Orton counters again with a roll-up for two, then drives him down with a backbreaker. He runs at Reigns in the corner, but Roman gives him boots. Reigns jumps from the corner, but Orton catches him in another powerslam! 1 – 2 – Roman kicks out! Randy plants Reigns with the slingshot-DDT, but an R.K.O. is countered into the Superman Punch! Reigns crawls to Orton, but Randy calls to the stage.

Out come Seth Rollins and Kane, along with a bunch of backstage attendants. All three beat on Reigns, and Orton calls for the Steel Cage to lower. It does, but Rollins and Kane are chucked out. A chair is left in the ring, but Roman doesn’t need it. He hurls Orton into the walls a couple times, then spears “The Viper!”

Reigns picks up the chair and swings at the door to fend of Kane; Rollins is standing atop the cage and leaps off with a crossbody onto Roman! Kane comes in and rams Reigns into the steel cage, then Chokeslams him. Orton now collects the chair and whales away on him. They set up Roman for Seth to hit the Curb Stomp, which “Mr. Money In The Bank” does. Reigns is totally laid out, while Rollins, Kane, and Orton stand tall to close the show.

Winner: No Contest due to Interference

End Of Raw.

Reporter’s Rumblings- By Moe Tapp

This was a great Raw, especially the opening and closing. Onto the particulars:

Excellence: As mentioned above, starting and finishing Raw with to HOT matches. I was skeptical at first, since it began with the Steel Cage match, a pretty big match, and no build throughout the night. However, both Jericho and Wyatt pulled of an awesome match that made me ignore my skepticism. I just hope “Y2J” is ok, and was just selling the injury real well. Same goes with Roman and Orton; I first thought this would be a mid-show bout, (Steel Cage being main event), but they also hit great strides and performed another good bout, with a hot ending.

Showcasing the NXT wrestlers on the main-show. This was an terrific way to plug them; they are awesome! The continued “frenemies” storyline between Paige and A.J.; I hope this continues past Night Of Champions.

Much like my Dad, I loved how Damien Mizdow mimicked every move of Miz’s during the promo; at first I thought this was going to be corny, but they are actually pulling it off well! Quite enjoyable, and once again, am really glad they’re giving both Miz and Damien, as well as Ziggler, another ball to run with.

As always, Heyman is gold on the microphone and tonight was no different. However, kudos to Cena for basically matching him and really amping up his own passion. As I’ve always said, it is these type of promos out of Cena I love best! The video with Lesnar also continues to make this feud legit.

I thought it was very nice for WWE to pay tribute to Joan Rivers. Even though I was never personally a fan of hers, to me it showed class on WWE”s part to remember her with the appearances she made for the company and helped put it over even more. Once again, God rest her soul.

Bogus: Really could’ve done without the entire McMahon/Springer/Bella’s family-drama segment; I also thought it was pretty disrespectful for them to have Springer, who has never wrestled before (to my knowledge) to fake an injury, on a show/in a business where legitimate injuries by the real wrestlers (i.e. maybe Jericho tonight) actually happen. It was all for cheap-ratings, and I’m probably sure that it’s not going to pay off. Now on the off chance Jerry Springer really did get hurt, I will offer my apologies right now for what I just wrote¸ and wish him a speedy recover. However, it did seem pretty set-up and badly acted/put over by the commentator’s (especially two ex-wrestlers!)

Rose/Slater/O’Neil feud not enticing me; Slater deserves much better, especially since he had two wins not too long ago!

Definitely also could’ve done without seeing The Miz’s pixilated rear-end!

All-in-all, a well-done Raw! Here’s hoping next week’s is at least the same, if not better with it being the last Raw before Night Of Champions! Until then, as always, Be Excellent Wrestling-Online Readers and Wrestling Fans!