We’re live from WWE ThunderDome at the Amway Center in Orlando, Florida as Michael Cole welcomes us. He’s replacing Vic Joseph this week as Joseph has the night off. Cole is joined at ringside by Samoa Joe and Byron Saxton.
We go right to the ring and out comes Randy Orton. They hype tonight’s match with Keith Lee as Orton enters the ring.
Orton rants on earning his WWE Title shot from Drew McIntyre and having to face Lee again tonight. Orton addresses Drew and their match at WWE Clash of Champions, which will happen if Drew is medically cleared. Orton brags on kicking Drew in the head and breaking his jaw two weeks ago. We see a replay on the big screen. Orton goes on and suggests Drew hand him the WWE Title.
We suddenly hear sirens and see an ambulance pull into the arena near the stage as Orton looks on. Drew gets out of the ambulance and hits the ring, leveling Orton with a Claymore Kick. Drew unloads on Orton as referees hit the ring and check on Orton, backing Drew away. Drew’s music starts back up as he stares Orton down from the ramp. Drew turns and marches to the back while Orton slowly recovers in the ring. Drew stops and looks at Orton again before heading to the back.
The Hurt Business is backstage walking in a video from earlier today. They stop and MVP accuses a random janitor of saying something about Shelton Benjamin’s mother. They bully the guy as WWE United States Champion Bobby Lashley shoves him against a wall by his throat. They bully the guy some more and MVP hits him with a low blow. They fix their suits and keep walking.
The Hurt Business vs. Cedric Alexander, Ricochet and Apollo Crews
Alexander turns his back on Ricochet and Apollo and Benjamin pins Crews with the Pay Dirt.
Winners: The Hurt Business
After the match, Alexander smiles in approval from outside the ring at the Hurt Business.
The Street Profits vs. Andrade and Angel Garza
Street Profits win when Ford hits the Frog Splash on Andrade.
Winners: The Street Profits
After the bell, Garza is already on the ramp, mouthing back at Vega as The Profits’ music hits. We go to replays after Ford kicks Andrade out of the ring. There’s more arguing between the two sides as Garza storms off to the back. The music suddenly hits and out comes SmackDown Tag Team Champions Cesaro and Shinsuke Nakamura. The Street Profits look on from the ring as we go to commercial, with Cole wondering if the Brand To Brand Invitational is back.
Back from the break and both teams are in the ring. Cesaro says they were surprised to learn The Street Profits are the longest reigning RAW tag team in years. They go on and take some shots, but say they are here to show them how a real tag team should be. Cesaro says thanks to the quarterly Brand To Invitational, they are challenging Ford and Dawkins to a match for next week. The two teams trade more shots on the mic and the match is official for next week. Cesaro and Nakamura exit the ring to Nakamura’s music.
WWE 24/7 Champion R-Truth is at a restaurant with an invisible friend. A waiter pushes a dessert tray up and a ninja pokes his head up. Truth wanted dessert, not a ninja. Akira Tozawa and a referee appear next. Truth tries to toss his title to the invisible friend but it hits the ground. He later recovers it. Truth fights the ninjas off and runs away with the dessert cart, which has a ninja under it, and the title. Tozawa and his ninja referee chase them.
Peyton Royce vs. Billie Kay
Royce wins with the floating neckbreaker.
Winner: Peyton Royce
We get a recap of Rollins and Murphy’s discension.
Back from the break and we see what happened earlier with Drew McIntyre and Randy Orton.
Charly Caruso is in the ring with a mic. She brings out The Mysterio Family – Rey Mysterio, wife Angie, daughter Aliyah, and son Dominik Mysterio.
Charly Caruso is in the ring with a mic. She brings out The Mysterio Family – Rey Mysterio, wife Angie, daughter Aliyah, and son Dominik Mysterio.
Charly asks Rey for an update on his triceps. He thanks Charly for having them all here. Unfortunately he was unable to get payback on Seth Rollins last week. Rey has no exact time on his return from the triceps injury but he can’t wait to get back in the ring and put an end to Rollins. She asks about tonight’s match and h e goes on about how Dominik knows what to do to put an end to Murphy. Charly asks Dominik about Murphy next. He goes to speak but Murphy interrupts from the big screen.
Murphy goes on about how it’s all Dominik’s fault that Rollins turned on him last week and wants nothing else to do with him. Rey says it’s not their fault Murphy pledged his allegiance to an evil son of a b—h like Rollins, and you reap what you sow. Murphy says Dominik has a bright future in WWE but the ultimate sacrifice will be to end it before it starts. Murphy wants to up the ante tonight. He challenges Dominik to a Street Fight. Dominik says Murphy has terrified his family just as much as Seth, so he’s willing to embarrass Murphy in front of his Messiah. He accepts the challenge. Murphy tells Dominik to bring his family to ringside because this will be the last match they can see him in. Dominik threatens Murphy with his last breath if he does anything to his family members. Rey’s music hits and the family stands together while Murphy looks on from the big screen.
WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler will both work Handicap Matches against The Riott Squad tonight. We see them backstage with Adam Pearce tonight, arguing about the matches. Pearce sees Drew McIntyre walk by and asks why he’s still here. Drew says he had to get his phone out of the ambulance. He keeps walking.
Asuka and Mickie James vs. Lana and Natalya
Asuka makes Lana tap with the Asuka lock for the win.
Winners: Asuka and Mickie James
After the match, Asuka’s music hits as she and Mickie have their arms raised. They have some words ahead of next week’s title match.
We see how Cedric Alexander turned on Apollo Crews and Ricochet earlier, helping The Hurt Business win the six-man. We see Cedric backstage now with MVP, Bobby Lashley and Shelton Benjamin. MVP asks Cedric if he’s ready to make it official in The VIP Lounge. Cedric is all for it. MVP and Lashley walk off. Shelton is left with Cedric. Shelton says this better be real and not some kind of game because if it is, he will find out and show Cedric why they’re called The Hurt Business. Back to commercial.
Back from the break and out comes The Hurt Business – MVP, Shelton Benjamin and WWE United States Champion Bobby Lashley, with Cedric Alexander. They all head to the ring together for The VIP Lounge.
The boos pick up as MVP brags on the mic, introducing a very special edition of The VIP Lounge. He says Cedric has made a career-changing decision by joining The Hurt Business. MVP introduces him as the newest member of the group. Lashley presents Cedric with a t-shirt. They want to know why he’s joined. Cedric says he’s rather learn and earn instead of getting beat down every week. He was going broke running around with Ricochet. Cedric goes on about sacrificing his career for someone else to get a title shot. He says The Hurt Business is the future… the music interrupts and out come The Viking Raiders – Erik and Ivar. Ricochet and Apollo Crews join them They all rush the ring and a big brawl breaks out. We go to commercial with the babyfaces standing tall in the ring.
The Hurt Business and Cedric Alexander vs. Ricochet, Apollo Crews and The Viking Raiders
Cedric hits the Mchinoku Driver on Riccohet and the referee counts to three even though Ricochet clearly kicked out at 2.
Winners: The Hurt Business and Cedric Alexander
The referees check on Ivar afterwards, as he appears to have hurt himself on a late dive.
Adam Pearce implores Drew to leave the arena.
Randy Orton vs. Keith Lee
Orton hits an RKO on Keith Lee but Drew McIntyre Claymores Randy again.
Winner by DQ: Randy Orton
After the match, Drew whispers in Randy’s ear and says he’ll be in his nightmares. Adam Pearce meets Drew at the top of the ramp and says he’s putting himself at risk.
Orton is angry at Adam Pearce for not being able to keep Drew away and tells him that his words mean nothing.
Shayna Baszler vs. The Riott Squad – Handicap Match
A Nia distraction allows Ruby to pin Baszler.
Winners: The Riott Squad
We get some RAW Underground between Aliester and Kevin.
Nia Jax vs. The Riott Squad – Handicap Match
The lights go out and RETRIBUTION is seen on the titantron all in black, cutting promos. They trash talk WWE, the Thunderdome and will destroy the WWE Universe.
Winner: No Result?
The Mysterio family made their entrance carrying kendo sticks. Cole hyped The Street Profits vs. Cesaro and Shinsuke Nakamura in a champions vs. champions match, and Asuka vs. Mickie James for the Raw Women’s Championship for next week. Murphy made his entrance.
Murphy vs. Dominik Mysterio (w/Rey, Angie, and Aliyah Mysterio)
Murphy entered the ring and tossed something at Rey, then blasted Dom with a knee to the head. Murphy went on the offensive and took the fight to ringside. Dominik rallied and then climbed onto the second level of the ThunderDome screens and dove onto Murphy.
The fight continued on the stage. Murphy slammed Dominik’s head onto the ramp. Murphy tried to jab Dom’s eye into the ring steps, but Dom avoided it. Murphy has a long stretch on offense. Back in the ring, Murphy ran Dom through the ropes and slammed his shoulder into the ring post several times.
Murphy tied up Dom in the ropes and then went to ringside to grab something from underneath the ring. Angie and Aliyah freed Dom, who slid under the bottom rope into a sunset bomb that drove Murphy through a table that was popped up against the barricade. Dom frogsplashed Murphy for a two count.
Dom tied up Murphy in the ropes. Dom grabbed a kendo stick and hit Murphy with it. Rey entered the ring and looked into the camera while saying that he hoped Seth Rollins was watching. Rey asked Rollins how it felt. Rey went back to ringside and delivered some shots tot he back of Murphy.
Dominik pulled up the spandex shirt of Murphy. Angie and Aliyah entered the ring and joined Dom and Rey in hitting Murphy with kendo stick shots. The referee called for the bell. Cole said Murphy quit.
Winner: Dominik Mysterio defeated Murphy in 14:15 in a Street Fight.
After the match, the entire Mysterio clan continued to beat Murphy with the kendo stick while the production truck went crazy with camera cuts to close the show.
WWE Monday Night Raw Rating: 7/10
Three Stars of the Show
- Drew McIntyre
- Dominik Mysterio/Murphy
- Randy Orton
Quick Thoughts
- Nice Raw with Chaos and a brilliant 3.5/5 Main Event. Dominik impresses me.
- Good to see Micky James in action. She was always my favourite.
- Asuka is money!
- I liked the Cedric Alexander heel turn. Nice build up to it.
- I hope Ivar is okay after suffering an injury.
- Fight Club Reboot.. Raw Underground is boring. Yawn!
