My Thoughts on RAW (8/15/16): The Demon Arrives

• Before the show, Seth Rollins calls out "The Demon King"
• We kick off with Rusev & Lana already in the ring refusing to leave. Rusev says Roman Reigns ruined their wedding celebration, and because of that, RAW is canceled until Reigns comes out and apologizes. Instead, outcomes Mick Foley. He tries to make Rusev & Lana leave, but Rusev refuses and says Foley sucks as a general manager. He criticizes the decision to give Reigns a title match, saying he has done nothing to earn it (he's right, Reigns is 1-3 in his last four matches) and says Reigns has gotten opportunity after opportunity. He demands Stephanie McMahon come out, which she does, only to say Rusev is being disrespectful to Foley. Rusev threatens to call up Bryan & Shane McMahon before Reigns comes out. He makes a "Lana's a whore" joke and says she and Rusev will have ugly babies together. How is this guy a babyface? Reigns says he doesn't want to wait until SummerSlam to fight Rusev and wants to right now and the two go face to face. Rusev says this is about more than just the United States Championship, it's about defending Lana's honor. This is when Foley decides to book a match for tonight where Rusev will defend "Lana's honor" against Reigns. What the hell does that mean? And why would you book a match between two people who are just going to face each other in less than a week? It makes the opposite of sense.
• Sheamus vs Sami Zayn-Pre-match, Sheamus says that despite losing to Cesaro two weeks in a row, he's the most dominant wrestler. That also makes the opposite of sense. That sounds like something Vince Russo would say. He then rags on Sami Zayn and says he's going to kick his head off. Dastardly heel Sheamus boots Zayn's little cap before the match, so Zayn tosses his shirt at him. This leads to scuffle before the match starts. Cesaro comes out on commentary as the two trade blows before Sheamus takes control until Zayn hits a tilt-a-whirl headscissors that sends Sheamus out of the ring. Zayn goes for a tope, but Sheamus moves out of the way. Zayn tries for a tornado DDT off the ring apron, but Sheamus catches him and throws him into the turnbuckle before the commercial break. We come back Sheamus dominating Zayn, cutting off a comeback attempt with a tilt-a-whirl slam for a near fall. Zayn counters a suplex and makes Sheamus fall out of the ring, but Sheamus stops a tope attempt and delivers the Beats of the Bodhran Zayn fires back and clotheslines Sheamus out of the ring and finally hits the tope to the outside. Back in the ring, Sheamus hits White Noise for a near fall, which Zayn responds to with a Michinoku Driver for another near fall. Zayn goes for the Helluva Kick, but Sheamus catches him with an Irish Curse Backbreaker. Sheamus calls for the Brogue Kick, but Cesaro runs down and distracts him, allowing Zayn to hit the Helluva Kick for the win. Good match, as usual with Zayn.
• Tom Phillips interviews Chris Jericho & Kevin Owens about Owens' match with Big Cass tonight. Everything they say is gold in this segment, including, but not limited too, gems like:
• Saying Enzo probably doesn't even have an actual official certification for being a G
• Saying Cass can't spell, as there is no "A" or "W" is the word soft.
• Calling Tom everything from Ted to Tim to Robert
• These two are amazing together. I want them to be Tag Team Champions...like, now.
• Backstage, Sheamus & Cesaro are being restrained from eachother. Foley runs in and says they both proved him wrong from two weeks ago, but he doesn't want them ruining each others matches, so he books them in a Best-of-7 series starting at SummerSlam. So the pay-off to 2 Cesaro/Sheamus matches was...anywhere from 4-7 more Cesaro/Sheamus matches?
• The Dudley Boyz vs The New Day-We get another Dr. Gallows & Dr. Anderson sketch before the match where they microwave an egg. Top tag team in Japan less than a year ago. Just saying. The match kicks off with the Dudleyz working over Woods until D-Von accidentally clotheslines Bubba Ray for the second week in a row. Kofi tags in and quickly hits Trouble in Paradise for the win. After the match, Anderson & Gallows come back and blow up the egg. Kofi says pretty much what I've been saying and Woods brings up that last year at SummerSlam they became Tag Team Champions, complete with AGGRESSIVE HIP THRUSTING! 
• Backstage, Rollins is looking for the Demon King. He asks if Neville has seen him, but Neville says he's not ready to face the Demon King.
• Nia Jax vs Rachel Levy-The jobber interviews have spread to Nia Jax squash matches too! Levy says team USA in the Olympics has inspired her to face Nia. Nia squashes her and boots her from the ring.
• Outcomes Brock Lesnar & Paul Heyman. Before Heyman can say anything, they are interrupted by Heath Slater, who despite not being on the RAW roster, gets his music played and comes out with a mic. Great continuity Heyman warns him to leave, but Slater just says he's the hottest free agent in wrestling today. He alludes that we wants Heyman to manage him, but Heyman laughs him off. Slater then clarifies that he's been given an opportunity to earn a RAW contract if he beats Brock Lesnar, and asks Heyman if he can fight Lesnar. Heyman laughs him off again and tells the camera to cut him out again. Slater yells and tells Heyman his kids need him to try and that he knows he'll get destroyed. Heyman warns him against it and says he's trying to save him, but Slater says he can't be saved at this point. Lesnar takes the mic and commends Slater for his bravery and invites him into the ring. He tells Slater he doesn't give a sh*t about his kids and tells him unless he leaves he'll hurt him. Slater starts to leave, but turns and runs into a clothesline. Lesnar suplexes Slater around the ring and hits an F-5. After that, Heyman continues with his promo, saying that Orton has no chance against Lesnar. Well. in short, he says some much more and it's great as usual.
• Big Cass vs Kevin Owens-Owens kicks away at Cass to start but Cass quickly takes control before Owens rolls out of the ring. Owens pulls Cass down onto the ropes and tosses Cass from the ring. Jericho gets a cheap shot in and Owens throws Cass into the ring post before the commercial break. We come back to Owens working over Cass in the ring until Cass escapes a headlock with a side slam. Cass counters a cannonball with a big boot and runs wild, hitting two Stinger Splashes before Owens makes Cass fall out of the ring going for a big boot. Owens tries to powerbomb Cass on the outside, but Cass fights out. Jericho takes out Enzo at ringside before hitting Cass from behind for the DQ. After the match, Owens & Jericho beat down Cass, ending with a Codebreaker by Jericho.
• Backstage, Ted Tim Robert Tom Phillips interviews Roman Reigns. He says he's ready to fight Rusev, only to be blindsided by Rusev. The two fight around backstage, ending with Rusev throwing Reigns onto the catering table.
• Prime Time Players vs The Shining Stars-Wait, what? WHAT! WHAT! Why? Well, on the pre-show, Darren Young & Titus O'Neil decided to team up for one night only. That makes sense...not really, but whatever. It's not like the outcome isn't obvious. The Shining Stars mount a bit of offense before Titus hits a big splash and Young tags in. Young runs wild and accidentally knocks Titus off the apron. Young avoids a roll up and hits a rolling elbow, but Titus gets in the ring and hits Young with a big very high Clash of the Titus. IT'S A SWERVE! Epico makes the cover for the win.
• Jinder Mahal vs Neville-Damn, I completely forgot Jinder Mahal was back in WWE. Anyways, Neville flips around Mahal to start before sending him out of the ring with a hurricanrana and hitting a moonsault to the outside. Neville calls for the Red Arrow, but Mahal rolls out of the way. Mahal gains some momentum with a big boot for a near fall and goes to work on Neville. Neville quickly takes control again with a jawbreaker and a few kicks before hitting the Red Arrow for the win.
• Backstage, Foley & Stephanie talk about how Jon Stewart will be the host of SummerSlam again this year. Incomes Rollins, who is still looking for the Demon King. He concludes that he's looked everywhere, and stops looking. Foley decides to let Rollins go out to the ring and call out the Demon King.
• Outcomes Seth Rollins to call out the Demon King. Rollins says he can't find the Demon King that Finn Balor keeps talking about and there's nothing that can stop him from being the first Universal Champion. He sarcastically calls out the Demon King again, and when no one comes out, he says the Demon King is just another chapter in his story. He says he is the face of Finn Balor's failure, when suddenly, something comes into the ring. I thought it was something that flew into the ring. Turns out it was a dumbass fan. Rollins brushes it off, but then the lights flicker and voice speaks in gibberish. Rollins tries to ignore it, but the lights go off and the heart beats start. The arena goes red, smoke fills the stage, and out crawls the Demon. Rollins gets back in the ring and stares him down as the crowd chants "HOLY SH*T" and "THIS IS AWESOME!" The two fight, with the two exchanging Pele kicks (stop calling them "Overhead Kicks" Michael Cole you stupid idiot) and Balor hits the running dropkick and a tope to the outside before Rollins runs off.
• The Golden Truth vs Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson-Gallows & Anderson beat down Truth to start until Truth hits a big kick on Gallows. Goldust gets the hot tag and runs wild on Anderson, hitting a running bulldog and a powerslam, but Gallows breaks up the pin attempt. Soon after, Gallows & Anderson hit the Magic Killer on Goldust for the win. After the match, the New Day runs down and attacks Gallows & Anderson. They try to hit Anderson in the balls with Francessca the trombone, but Gallows pulls him out of the way just in time.
• Backstage, Dana Brooke tries to apologize to Charlotte for losing last week. Charlotte doesn't accept it and berates her for losing, saying after she wins at SummerSlam, she might ask Stephanie to replace her with someone else.
• Alicia Fox vs Charlotte-Wait, Alicia Fox still works here? Damn, it's been a while. The two go back and forth before Alica hits a few crossbodies for a near fall. Charlotte pulls Alicia face first into the ropes and eventually hits Natural Selection for the win. Charlotte tells Sasha to come to the ring. Sasha comes in the ring, only to be blindsided by Dana Brooke. IT WAS A RUSE! Charlotte locks in the Figure 4 for a long time before the refs are able to pull her off.
• Rusev vs Roman Reigns-They waste no time, starting off the match with a brawl before Reigns hits a super kick and a drive-by kick on the outside. The two continue to fight at ringside before the commercial break. We come back to Rusev working over Reigns left side in the ring. Reigns fights back, eventually hitting a Samoan Drop. Reigns runs wild, hitting a big clothesline but slamming into the ring post when Rusev dodges his shoulder tackle in the corner. Rusev works over Reigns' arm at ringside and tries to use the United States Championship as a weapon. Reigns fights back, but Rusev keeps control before another commercial break. We come back to Rusev telling the crowd to keep cheering for him. He's great. He continues working over Reigns, cutting off a comeback attempt with a shoulder tackle. If you look in the upper part of the screen, you can see two guys in bright orange t-shirts playing rock, paper, scissors. I just thought I'd point that out. Reigns fights back, blocking a superplex and running wild again. He hits a bunch of clotheslines in the corner and an Uranage for a near fall. Reigns calls for a Superman Punch, but Rusev counters and hits a spinning heel kick for another near fall. Reigns hits three-second rope diving headbutts for three near falls. Maybe stop doing that, it's clearly not working. Reigns finally dodges the fourth attempt and two have a punch-off ending with Rusev getting knocked out of the ring. Rusev counters the Superman Punch again with a roundhouse kick, but gets his superkick countered with a Superman Punch that gets Reigns a near fall. Reigns calls for the spear, but Rusev counters and hits another roundhouse kick for another near fall. Rusev calls for the Accolade, but Reigns blocks it. Rusev counters another Superman Punch with a chop block and hits a superkick to the back of Reigns' head before locking in the Accolade fully. Reigns barely makes it to the bottom rope, and after sending Rusev to the outside hits a spear when Rusev gets back in for the win. Good match, a bit slow at times but picked up a lot at the end.

And that's about it. Overall, a fairly decent episode of RAW. The matches that got a lot of time were good, and it was awesome to see the Demon Finn Balor on RAW. Let's see if SmackDown can top it tomorrow.

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