- We kick off the show with all the participants in the Universal Championship Elimination Fatal 4-Way match tonight. The crowd boos literally anytime Reigns shows up on screen. Seth Rollins brags about injuring Finn Balor and forcing him to vacate the title and says he's the favorite to win the title. He graciously gives his speaking time to Kevin Owens, and Owens thanks him. He mockingly compliments all his competitors as the crowd loudly cheers for him. Owens says that without Sami Zayn in his way he can win the Universal Championship. He says he delivers big, unlike Rollins who talks big. He says fights smart, unlike Reigns, and says Big Cass is only "really tall." and calls him Enzo Amore's puppet. Cass jokes that Jericho must've written his jokes for him while he was busy buying ridiculous clothes. Cass says he's got nothing to lose tonight and that he's the dark horse, with Rollins joking that even Enzo bet against him. Rollins decides to take his time back and says he's glad the match is an elimination tonight so he can beat all three of them at once. Reigns cheap shots Owens and a brawl ensues, ending with Reigns hitting a Superman Punch on Rollins as the crowd boos. Good opening to the show, a lot of funny moments.
- Neville vs Chris Jericho-Pre-match, Jericho says he was only giving moral support to Owens last week and that Neville is going to get...what he really wants and needs, The Gift of Jericho. Neville takes control to start with a crossbody and slingshotting Jericho over the top rope. Jericho yells at the fans, so Neville goes out of the ring and throws him into the ring apron. Neville then hits a diving crossbody for a near-fall and Jericho crawls to hide behind the referee. The ref tries to back Neville off of Jericho in the corner, which allows Jericho to poke Neville in the eye and take control before the commercial break. We come back to Jericho hitting a diving spinning back elbow for a near-fall. Neville fights back with kicks, including catching Jericho off a flying nothing with one before hitting a standing shooting star press for a near-fall. Jericho ducks out of the ring, only to take sliding kick & a springboard moonsault to the outside by Neville. Neville goes for the Red Arrow, but Jericho springs up. Neville takes him down again with a springboard missile dropkick for another near-fall and counters Jericho's running bulldog. Jericho reverses a German suplex attempt and locks in the Walls of Jericho, but Neville reverses it into a cradle. Neville blocks a Codebreaker and hits a superkick before going to the top rope for the Red Arrow. Jericho dodges and counters a hurricanrana attempt and locks in the LIONTAMER! YES! THAT MOVE IS SO MUCH BETTER THAN THE WALLS OF JERICHO! Neville taps out and Jericho gets the submission win in a great match. Fast paced and exciting.
- We get to see Bayley backstage with the New Day and my heart is so happy right now. Dana Brooke interrupts them goofing around and says they're being unprofessional. Dana says she's been talking to Gallows & Anderson, and the New Day & Bayley tell her to bring it on.
- Nia Jax vs Haiyan(?)-Before the match, Andrea DeMarco interviews Haiyan(?), who says she's got a big heart. Andrea says she hopes it's still beating after the match. Nia squashes her.
- Now Gallows & Anderson have moved on from ball jokes to making jokes about how the Dudleyz are old and in a retirement home. They say it's time for the New Day to retire as Tag Team Champions, and they'll be the ones to do it with the help of Dana Brooke. Wow, they went from AJ Styles to Dana Brooke. That's like trading in your Lamborghini for a Razor scooter. Although I will say that how blunt and deadpan Anderson & Gallows delivery of their lines are is pretty funny.
- Sami Zayn vs Jinder Mahal-The two go back and forth before Zayn hits a single leg dropkick. Jinder is able to take control when he hits Zayn from behind and works over Zayn. Zayn fights back with a big clothesline and an exploder suplex before hitting the Helluva Kick. Quick match, nothing special.
- They replay an interview from the pre-show with Sasha Banks. She says Charlotte injured her at SummerSlam and when she comes back, she'll be better than ever and win back the Women's Championship.
- The New Day & Bayley vs Luke Gallows, Karl Anderson, and Dana Brooke with Charlotte on commentary-Dana Brooke 2 Sweeted Gallows & Anderson, so she's like an honorary Club member. The match kicks off with Bayley & Dana going back and forth. Bayley gets the upper hand, but Dana quickly tags in Anderson. Big E gets in and takes control, with him & Kofi double teaming him. A Dana Brooke distraction allows Anderson to take control. The heels take control until Big E dodges an elbow drop and makes the tag to Kofi. Kofi runs wild on Anderson, hitting the Boom Drop and calling for Trouble in Paradise, but Anderson avoids. The New Day ended up doing the Unicorn Stampede, even letting Bayley get a slingshot dropkick in on Anderson before kicking Dana from the ring. New Day & Bayley dance in the ring before the commercial break. We come back to see Anderson catch Kofi with a spinebuster off a flying nothing. The heels work over Kofi until Kofi dodges a knee drop by Anderson, but Gallows is able to yank Big E off the apron and miss the tag. Kofi hits a Trevor Lee-standing double stomp and makes the hot tag to Bayley. Bayley runs wild on Dana, hitting a back elbow and a diving back elbow, but Anderson pulls Dana out of the ring to avoid the pinfall. Chaos ensues, including Kofi barely catching Gallows off dive to the outside, before Bayley kicks out of a roll up attempt by Dana and hits the Belly-to-Bayley for the win. Fun match, pretty entertaining.
- Cesaro gets interviewed. He says in a rough spot being down 0-1 against Sheamus, but any day's a great day when he gets to beat up Sheamus. He says no one likes Sheamus and says he's going to throw him around, and around, and around, and around, and around, and around, and around...
- Sheamus vs Cesaro-Match 2 in a Best of 7 Series (Sheamus leads 1-0)-Pre-match, Sheamus says Cesaro is a failure, and he's going to prove he's better than Cesaro. Cesaro tries to take control early on, but Sheamus keeps getting to ropes and forcing the break. The two go back and forth before Cesaro hits a double stomp and Sheamus rolls out. Cesaro follows him out and hits two big uppercuts before rolling him back in. Sheamus says he's got an elbow injury, but Cesaro just goes to work on the elbow. The two go back and forth before Cesaro clotheslines Sheamus out of the ring before the commercial break. We come back to Sheamus trying to lock in the Cloverleaf, but Cesaro blocks it and fights out. Cesaro hits a springboard uppercut. Cesaro tries for the Cesaro Swing, but Sheamus gets to the ropes, so Cesaro turns it into an alley oop powerbomb for a near-fall. Sheamus almost gets a roll up, but the ref sees his feet on the ropes. This allows Cesaro to hit 10 uppercuts in the corner before setting Sheamus up on the top rope and dropkicking him to the ground. Cesaro follows him out, but Sheamus back body drops him into the ring post. Damn, that looked nasty. Sheamus quickly rolls him back in the ring and locks in the Cloverleaf for the win, putting him up 2-0. Good match, but we've seen it so many times in the last two months I just don't care anymore. Although that finish was brutal
- Braun Strowman vs Americo-Yes, "Americo" aka the white luchador in history. Michael Cole says he looks like Max Moon. He's speechless when Strowman comes out. Strowman effortlessly tosses Americo around before winning off a pop-up. Strowman unmasks Americo, and Corey Graves talks about how disrespectful that was. Honestly though, that was probably the first time this guy has ever wrestled in a mask.
- We get another Cruiserweight Division promo video, this time with interviews from Tommaso Ciampa, Cedric Alexander, and Johnny Gargano. Man, I'm so happy about that last one. Gargano was the first wrestler I ever met and he's one of my favorite wrestlers today. Can't wait to see him on the biggest stage in wrestling.
- Outcomes Stephanie McMahon. She talks about Brock Lesnar F-5ing Shane McMahon at SummerSlam before being interrupted by Paul Heyman. Stephanie demands Heyman apologize for what Lesnar did, but Heyman instead calls it a victory for RAW. Heyman says Lesnar crossed the line and offers to pay Lesnar's $500 fine. He tries to count it out one at a time, but Stephanie slaps the money out of his eyes. Stephanie berates him and says questions what value Heyman has to RAW. That's easy, he makes sure nobody has to here Lesnar's pre-pubescent voice cut promos that don't involve swearing. Heyman says he knows Stephanie got put into a compromising position by Lesnar and says she's the heir to the McMahon fortune. Stephanie accepts the apology and leaves.
- Titus O'Neil vs Darren Young-Honestly, any sort of investment I had in Titus O'Neil was destroyed when he butchered his promo last week. And any investment I had for Darren Young was destroyed when he and Miz stank up Battleground. So really, I could care less about this match. Young starts out in control until Titus whips him clean over the top rope and into a camera man. Back in the ring, Titus hits a body slam while yelling "HE OWE ME!" He owes him what? That's not clear whatsoever. Titus works over Young for a long time, including dragging him up to his feet just to clothesline him back down. Eventually Young gets the win off a crucifix pin and Young dishes Titus from the ring afterward. Then Titus attacks both Young & Backlund, hits Young with the Clash of the Titus and gets his heat back. So this accomplished literally nothing.
- Backstage, Mick Foley & Stephanie agree to ban any tag team partners or friends from ringside for the Universal Championship match. Stephanie says it's the first Universal Championship match, so I guess she completely forgot about SummerSlam. They are approached by Rollins, who promises to win the Universal Championship.
- Roman Reigns vs Kevin Owens vs Seth Rollins vs Big Cass in a Fatal 4-Way Elimination match for the Universal Championship-The crowd is firmly behind everyone except Reigns, so for the love of God please let it be anyone else. Owens dips out as soon as the match starts and let's the other three go at it. Cass & Reigns dish Rollins from the ring, only for Rollins & Owens to hop back in. Cass & Rollins go at it while Reigns & Owens go at it. All four go to the outside before Rollins & Cass go back in. Cass suplexes Rollins for a one count before Owens & Reigns re-enter the ring. The four fight in the ring before Cass slaps Rollins to the outside and Reigns tosses Owens out. Reigns & Cass have a staredown before they go back and forth, ending with Reigns hitting a jumping clothesline. Cass blocks the Superman Punch and boots Reigns out of the ring, falling out in the process. Rollins takes out Cass with a suicide dive and Owens slams Rollins on the barricade. Owens grabs Cass before both of them get taken out by a Reigns tope before the commercial break. We come back with everyone on the outside, with Owens hitting a diving elbow off the ring apron on Cass. Rollins runs over to take out Owens and try to eliminate Cass, but he kicks out. Owens clotheslines Cass and hits a senton for a near-fall. Owens tries for the cannonball, but Rollins pulls him out of the ring and throws him into the barricade. Rollins hits a corner STO on Cass before being taken out with a clothesline by Reigns. Reigns runs wild until he takes a big boot from Cass. Cass runs wild, hitting a bunch of Stinger Splashes before booting Owens out of the ring. Cass hits the Empire Elbow on Rollins, but Reigns Superman Punches him before he can hit the East River Crossing. Cass takes a superkick from Rollins and a frog splash from Owens and gets eliminated by Owens. We come back to see the Tower of Doom spot, with Reigns getting a near-fall each on Rollins and Owens. Rollins & Reigns go at it, with Reigns hitting the clotheslines in the corner before hitting a big boot. Reigns calls for the Superman Punch, but Rollins avoids it and sends Reigns from the ring. Reigns blocks the suicide dive but eats a Falcon Arrow from Rollins for a near-fall. Rollins tries for the Pedigree, but Reigns counters and catches a diving Rollins with a Superman Punch for another near-fall. Rollins blocks a spear and hits an enziguri, only for Owens to run in and hit a superkick on Rollins. Owens hits two cannonballs before taking a Superman Punch for a near-fall for Reigns. Reigns goes for a Spear, but Owens hits a superkick and tries for the Pop-Up-Powerbomb. Reigns counters it with a Superman Punch and hits a schoolboy powerbomb for another near-fall. Reigns hits a drive by dropkick on Rollins and a Superman Punch on Owens on the outside before hitting a Spear on Rollins. Out of nowhere, Triple H comes out of the crowd and Pedigrees Reigns on the outside. He rolls Reigns and Rollins in and Rollins pins Reigns to eliminate him to a huge pop. Triple H rolls Owens in and helps Rollins to his feet, only to Pedigree Rollins, allowing KEVIN OWENS TO GET THE PIN AND THE WIN! KEVIN OWENS IS THE UNIVERSAL CHAMPION! YES! YES! YES! Triple H hands the belt to Owens and raises his hand in victory!
And that's about it. Overall, a great episode of RAW. Kicked off with a good segment and a good match, and ended on a sensationally high note. Only real downside was the Titus/D-Young match. But yes, a great show. Let's see if SmackDown can top it tomorrow.
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