The Big Takeaway --
A newsworthy show, though a lackluster one. One night after winning it, Finn Balor was forced to forfeit the WWE Universal Championship because of a torn labrum in his shoulder. Mick Foley announced that a new champion would be crowned in a Fatal Four-way next week in Houston. Roman Reigns, Kevin Owens, Big Cass and Seth Rollins all won singles matches to earn spots in the four-way.
Bayley made her long-awaited Raw debut in a victory over Dana Brooke. The Dudley Boyz announced their retirement, but was jumped by Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson. There was no Brock Lesnar, and his SummerSlam match with Randy Orton was only brought up when Stephanie McMahon said he would face repercussions after giving Shane McMahon an F-5.
Show Recap --
Michael Cole opened the show by showing Balor's shoulder injury on the power bomb into the barricade spot by Rollins. They announced that Balor suffered a torn labrum and would miss six months, forcing him to relinquish the WWE Universal Championship.
Stephanie McMahon and Mick Foley introduced Balor. who came out with his arm in a sling. Crowd chanted "You deserve it." He said this championship represents a lifetime of sacrifice and it represents if you believe in yourself you can achieve absolutely anything. Last night at SummerSlam, he became the WWE Universal Champion, which was the impossible. But there was a sacrifice. He thanked the WWE for the opportunity, all the talent in the back, he thanked Rollins for giving him the match of his life. Most of all, he wanted to thank the fans. Crowd chanted "Thank you Finn."
Finn said, for now, he would relinquish the championship but rest assured, when he was fit and ready, the Universal championship would be the first thing he's coming for.
The fans booed as Foley took the championship from Balor's shoulder. He left to a nice ovation. Before he could get to the back, Rollins came out with a wide smile. Balor glared at Rollins as he went to the ring. Rollins said now we know who the true winner at SummerSlam was last night. He said this was a time for a celebration and called for a celebration for himself, the true Universal Champion.
Sami Zayn came out with the fans singing his music. Then Chris Jericho came out and immediately starting begging Stephanie for a championship shot. Kevin Owens walked down. They all started arguing about getting a title shot while Rollins stood in a corner by himself looking away from the scene. Then Enzo Amore and Big Cass showed up. Roman Reigns came out to a chorus of boos.
Fans started to chant for Heath Slater. Foley finally said there would be a series of matches culminating next week in the crowning of a new Universal Champion. Zayn would face Rollins to open. Fans weren't happy about the champion being crowned at a place not named Brooklyn. As Owens left, he began jawing with Zayn. Rollins jumped Zayn from behind.
Seth Rollins defeated Sami Zayn to advance to next week's Fatal Four-way for the WWE Universal Championship (12:52)
Rollins escaped a Michinoku Driver to hit the Pedigree for the win. There was yet another sequence where a wrestler teased a legit injury, though this appeared to be a work. Zayn sold his right leg after he landed badly on a springboard leap frog spot. Great near fall when Zayn pulled off a sunset power bomb. He followed that up with an Exploder Suplex into the corner, but Rollins hit a knee coming out of the corner, then used a heel hook to work on Zayn's leg.
There were no brackets for the tournament. It was just announced that Rollins had advanced to next week's show in Houston, where the tournament will resume after tonight.So it's evidently an eight-man tournament with the semifinals and the finals set for next week.
Kevin Owens defeated Neville to advance to next week's Fatal Four-way for the WWE Universal Championship (8:29)
Owens won with the torture rack into a neckbreaker. Neville went for the Red Arrow, but Jericho distracted him, leading to Owens crotching Neville. Neville did a twisting tope on Owens when Jericho came out to distract him. It led to Owens giving Neville a clothesline where Neville took an inside-out bump. Neville pulled off lots of aerial spots, including a spinning corkscrew moonsault from the 2nd rope and a 450 splash from the apron. Crowd wasn't very lively because they probably knew who was going to win.
Cole announced the Universal Championship would be determined in a Fatal Four-way next week if the four winners tonight earning a spot in the match.
The New Day came out. Big E. said a wise man once said "Speak softly and carry a big stick." But he can only have one and he was back. Kofi Kingston said the New Day loves magic, and the magic numbers right now are "365," because that's how many days they've been WWE World Tag Team Champions. Kingston thanked the fans because they were responsible for all of it. They were vocal during the good times and the bad times.
Xavier Woods brought out a Unicorn Pinata that was filled Booty-Os. Before Big E. could bang on the pinata, Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows came out. Anderson couldn't believe they were celebrating because they have nothing to celebrate. Anderson reminded them they lost at SummerSlam. Gallows said Big E. may have saved Jon Stewart from a case of ringpostitits last night, but they were owed a championship rematch. Anderson said Kingston was the stupidest for talking about magic, and asked him if he enjoyed the magic killer he received last night.
Gallows said all the props, all the catchphrases and all the laughs would mean nothing once they capture the WWE World Tag Team Championships. This led to a singles match between Anderson & Big E.
Big E defeated Karl Anderson (3:35)
Big E. won with the Big Ending. Gallows interfered, leading to Kingston and Woods getting involved. Kingston gave Gallows Trouble in Paradise before the finish. Again, not much heat.
They showed Tweets teasing Bubba Ray and Devon Dudley would announced their retirement. There was an airing of the Dudleys 1st WWE appearance, which came during a SmackDown tag team gauntlet match in September 1999. Bubba Ray looked like he was 70 pounds lighter.
Titus O'Neal was in the ring and stumbled all over the place in his promo. He reminded the fans that the Prime Time Players were the WWE tag team champions before the New Day recaptured them at SummerSlam 2015. He said people in Brooklyn ask him if that was the worst day of his life. He says "No, it was the best thing of his life." Because he got a chance to throw out the dead weight that was Darren Young. He said there was no Ride Along episode of the Prime Time Players because there was only one Prime Time Player, just like Jay-Z couldn't be a Prime Time Player without Beyonce.
O'Neal told the fans to stop booing. You could actually hear a pin drop. O'Neal said he would be the Universal Champion if it wasn't for Young. He ordered Young to come out. Young didn't come out. O'Neal said Backlund was telling Young not to come out. Fans again chanted for Slater. There was painful silence before Backlund ran out. O'Neal pushed Backlund against the corner. Backlund briefly got on the Crossface Chicken Wing until O'Neal body slammed him. Young ran out to check on Backlund. O'Neal gave Young the Clash of the Titus before it mercifully ended.
Stephanie McMahon did an interview about the Lesnar-Orton match. She said Lesnar crossed the line when she gave Shane McMahon an F-5 and there will be repercussions.
Lana asked the fans to stand up for the true American hero, Rusev. It was amazing watching fans stand up in the background after she said that. Rusev came out with his ribs taped selling the beating from last night by Reigns.
Enzo and Cass came out. Amore didn't know where Bulgaria was. Cass said he was going to pick up where Reigns left off last night.
Big Cass defeated United States Champion Rusev by countout in a non-title match to advance to the Fatal Four-way for the WWE Universal Championship (8:19)
Crowd wasn't interested until Rusev kicked Amore to the back of the head. They weren't that hot for Cass' comeback. By this point in the show, the fans had been through ten hours of wrestling in the same building since Saturday. Cass hit a big boot and Rusev simply walked out for the countout, which didn't help matters.
Jericho and Owens did an interview with Tom Phillips. Owens and Jericho called Phillips "Phil" and "Felipe." Jericho and Owens bickered over what would happen if they both wound up in the Fatal Four-way next week and who would be champion. Jericho has successfully created a new catchphrase in "They're going to get......IT!"
Charlotte and Dana Brooke came out. Brooke tried to get the crowd to chant "You deserve it," but failed. Charlotte said forget about Serena Williams, Simone Biles and Sasha Banks, she silenced the entire city of New York. She claimed to expose Banks. She didn't need her father, didn't need Dana and she did it by herself. Charlotte said Banks didn't have the weight to carry the women's division and she would never come after her championship again. If Banks gets cleared to return, she shouldn't come back because the Queen has reclaimed her throne.
Foley came out and congratulated Charlotte, saying they continued to raise the bar. Fans chanted for Bayley. Foley said when Banks returns, she will be granted a rematch for the WWE Women's Championship. Charlotte said when she does come back, she'll break her back. Charlotte said she deserves a night off. Crowd was begging for Bailey. Foley said there were parts of his job there were heartbreaking, like asking Balor to forfeit the championship. But there were parts that delighted him. He announced that he and Stephanie had signed the newest free agent in wrestling.
Bayley came out to a very positive response, but not as loud as what she got at Battleground. Bayley said she couldn't believe this was really happening. That got "You deserve it" chants. She said she had been waiting for this moment her whole life. She thanked Foley for the opportunity and asked to seal the deal with a hug "right here in Brooklyn, New York."
Charlotte said there was a reason why Bailey got left behind during the Divas Revolution. Bayley said she would never upstage Charlotte, but she would challenge her for the WWE Women's Championship. That got "Yes" chants. Charlotte said she couldn't just come out on her first night on Raw and get a championship match, she has to wait in line like everyone else. However, Brooke was ready for a challenge. Foley ordered a match right away between the two.
Bayley defeated Dana Brooke (4:29)
Bayley won with the Bailey-to-belly suplex. Not much heat again.
Reigns did an interview with Phillips. He said he was shut Jericho's mouth either with his scarf or with his fist.
They announced the Cruiserweights would arrive on September 19th.
Sheamus did an interview about his victory in match 1 of the best-of-seven series against Cesaro. Match #2 is next week. Sheamus said he's like the "Suicide Squad" of the WWE, he can't deliver when the hype builds him up. Unlike all the New York sports team, he's going to prove to be a winner.
Byron Saxton did an interview with the Bruan Strowman tomato can of the week, Johnny Knockout. When Saxton asked him why he's taking this match, Knockout said he likes big, sweaty men. It was delivered in such a campy way, Cole couldn't contain his laughter.
Braun Strowman defeated Johnny Knockout (1:18)
Strowman was with the reverse chokeslam. Then Strowman gave Knockout an over the shoulder backbreaker into a Dominator and pinned Knockout again.
The next Dudleys flashback was their re-emergence after SummerSlam last year in Brooklyn.
The Dudley Boyz came out for their retirement announcement. Bubba Ray shook hands with Cole, who called them the greatest tag team of all time. Bubba Ray applauded the fans. There were ECW chants, but it appeared people could sense that Bubba Ray would turn on Devon, which didn't happen. Bubba Ray said he doesn't get emotional, but tonight may be a little bit different. He said one year ago in this very building, in this very city, they put people through tables and the Dudleys were back in the WWE.
After one year, they knew that the fans respected them because they busted their asses for them. Fans chanted "testify." Devon said it had been one hell of a year, one hell of a career. He had been up and down the highways with Bubba Ray creating matches like the TLC match, which people still talk about as being one of the greatest matches of all time. Devon brought up Edge and Christian, the Hardy Boyz. Every bump they took, every chairshot they took, they would do it again tonight. Devon said the WWE would always be his home.
Bubba Ray told the fans to get on their feet so they could cheer for them. In this industry, you don't get to go out on your own terms. Even though things didn't go according to plan this past year, thank you very much. Devon gave one final "Testify."
The Shining Stars came out. Primo said it was about time for them to leave because they were washed up. But behind every dark cloud, there's a silver lining. Epico said since they were leaving, they would give them their very own retirement gifts: economy tickets for a flight to Puerto Rico. Primo said he pitied the poor people who had to sit beside their fat asses. Epico said Puerto Rico has great retirement homes. Primo started to give the Shining Stars catchphrase before the Dudley decked them. The Dudleys gave Epico 3-D and Primo Wazzup. Bubba ordered Devon to get the tables.
As Devon got the tables, Anderson and Gallows jumped the Dudley Boyz and laid them out. They gave Bubba Ray the Magic Killer on the floor. Devon tried to battle back, but wound up taking the Magic Killer through the table.
Roman Reigns defeated Chris Jericho to advance to the Fatal Four-way for the WWE Universal Championship (15:00)
Reigns attempted the spear, but Owens ran down to distract him. Reigns knocked Owens down and hit Jericho with a Superman Punch for a near fall. Jericho put Reigns in the Walls of Jericho, but Reigns made the ropes. Owens gave Reigns a superkick outside the ring, Jericho hit the Codebreaker, but only for two. Crowd booed when Reigns kicked out. Jericho repeatedly slapped Reigns, which led to the finish.
Owens jumped up on the apron, but Reigns gave him the Superman punch. Jericho went for a schoolboy cradle, but Reigns rolled out and hit the spear for the pin. Jericho played total heel and the fans still chanted "Y2J." Later, it became "Stupid Idiot." The best match of the show and it easily had the most heat.
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