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Acero’s WWE RAW Review 7.1.24
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Join Micheal Ornelas, and his Fine Dining Podcast where he teaches us the history of a place called “American Girl Café.” Where in the blue hell is that?
Then! Now! Forever! Whenever! Wherever! We’re meant to be together!
We start with “Main Event” Jey Uso opening the show, thus spitting in the face of his moniker! I kid, he’s here, and he’s hyped!
Jey says MitB is Saturday, and only one person is going to get that briefcase, and it’s him.
Chas Gable comes out, suited up, staring at the ladders set up on the stage. He says ENOUGH! He doesn’t want to hear Yeet again! He informs the Boston idiots that YEET is not even a word. But what is a word? Miracle! He has overcome a vicious attack, his family leaving him, and two monsters last week. He’s going to give us another miracle this Saturday, and will call himself Master in the Bank.
Jey Uso: “Chad, what you doin here, man?”
Jey brings up the attack, and Chad says he isn’t scared, Jey should be scared, he stole the fireflies. He is an innocent man. His family left him high and dry, they should be after Jey, the man who abandoned his family.
Jey takes offense, says he told Unc they could have th fireflies. He’ll take the mosquitos, some cockroaches even. He don’t want no smoke with the Wyatts. Speaking of family, Gable’s fam only did what he did, and that was to get out from under manipulative—
GABLE ATTACKS! Right hand, another, whip, Jey reverses, right, YEET YEET YEET, Big boom! Superkick! Jey drops Gable and heads to the top rope, but Gable rolls out of the ring!
Gable: “You think I’m gonna lay there while you splash me?!”
Haha.
The lights go out as Gable holds his face at the bottom of the ramp. Only the fireflies light the arena. The single droning tone that signifies The Wyatts are here. WE get a Holy Shit chant that is censored, unfortunately. Fog fills the ring, Gable hops into the crowd, frightened. A spotlight follows him as he walks back towards…
A slightly head tilted silhouette. Gable continues walking and turns towards another. He continues to walk across the stage to see yet another, all figures standing in front of lights. He hops the guard rail and walks up the steps backwards through the crowd.
We head to ringside where security is laid out atop the announce table. The Wyatt version of Nikki Cross hands Cole another box and we go to break.
We come back to Cole who shows us yet another VHS tape, and he says he’ll give that to the production truck to see what’s on it. Man, they should really cut the middle man out and go straight to th truck.
They run down the card for tonight, which looks to be fun.
We switch gears to The New Day, who will be in action tonight!
Xavier Woods vs Karrion Cross
Cross wants a handshake, but Woods is like nahhhh and chops him a few times. Whip to Woods then a splash and a back elbow, followed by a hard right elbow. Cross hooks the leg and suplexes Woods across the ring. Cross stomps the back, Woods with rights and left when he stands. Cross chokes Woods up on the 2nd ropetill the ref stops him. Woods sends Cross outside then flies over the top rope onto Cross! Chop from Cross, another, whip to the post but Woods stops himself, tries to kick, but ross lifts Woods up and slams him into the post hard.
We are back and Woods hits a big splash in the corner then some mounted rights. Kick off the corner, locks the head, Cross escapes, headbutt to Woods. Woods on the arpon. High kick to Cross. Woods to the top rope.
AOP is outside the ring, Woods flies off the top rope and runs into a right hook from Cross. Cross lifts Woods up, INSIDE CRADLE!!!! 1……2…3!!!!
Winner: Xavier Woods
And the wheel just keeps on turnin…slowly and uninterestingly, but still turnin
Total Rating: *1/2
Match Time: 7:21
The New Day celebrate, but A.O.P., predictably, attack. Kofi is able to send both outside and hit the ropes to fly, but Cross enters and hits The Cross Hammer while AOP slam Woods into the barricade. Cross with an arm submission on Kofi. Cross is fixin to rip that tricep up while Scarlett watches on with a smile.
A ref finally enters the ring to make Cross release the hold..
Backstage, Damien Priest asks Dominik Mysterio if he’s spoken to Rhea. Dom says yeah, we’re good. Priest says nah, he just spoke to her. Dom says he’ll handle the Liv situation tonight. Priest says he says that every week. Dom says this shit aint even his fault, then says, “You’re starting to sound like my dad” in a whisper. Lol.
They walk iunto their little area, and the laugh of Liv Morgan is heard. She says she was just leaving, and tells Daddy Dom good luck tonight.
Priest grabs Finn Balor to tell him Liv hanging out in the clubhouse is not cool, bro. Finn argues that she helped bring the tag team titles back. The real issue is Priest. They need him more than he needs them? What are they? Sidekicks?
Priest says he is the World Champ, they need him more. When Rhea was the champ, they needed her more. How bout this, now that Finn is a champ again, they need each other. As for his position on the line, he’s got this.
Finn says as his brother, he will always tell the truth, and the truth is that since Priest won the title, he’s changed.
A super cool video package for the passing of Sika.
Backstage, Cathy is with Zelina Vega who is asked about strategy.
She says she has no interest in chasing Dirty D, and only wants the title, then I kinda zone out.
We are back and go over the VHS tape again. I wonder why last week’s was specifically for Pat McAfee.
Vega is in the ring, ready for action.
WWE Women’s World Championship Match
Zelina Vega vs Liv Morgan
Liv drops Vega down hard. Vega tries for some arm drags, gets one off the ropes, shoots for the legs with. Akick, Liv kicks, Vega catches, back elbow, Liv stops her and sends her into the corner. Liv laughs off the attack, grabs Vega by the hair and pulls her back, tied up in the ropes. She gets a chinlock, ref stops the hold. Vega to the top rope, kick, Liv with a right hand, climbs. Vega fights back and slinks off then puls Liv face first into the buckle, then hits a 619 to the legs. Vega hops onto the bottom rope, Liv pulls HER arm into the ropes. Dropkick sends Vega off the apron hard.
Here comes DOMINiK! Liv waves at him with. Smile then leaves the ring, Vega hits her with a fancy arm drag then flies off the apron with some knees! Dom applauds, but here comes REY MYSTERIO to even the odds! He circles the ring, following Dom, who chews his gum and walks around the ring.
We are back to Liv hitting the Three Amigos and shimmying like Eddie directed towards Dom. Liv with a Texas Cloverleaf to Vega. Oh shit, that’s Rhea’s submission! The Prism Lock! Vega reaches for the ropes. Vega shoots Liv into the corner, rolls her up, rolls through, kick to the face, Vega sends Liv into the corner. Kick to the neck, another kick sends her center ring, then a kick to the back. Vega lifts Liv with her boot like her hubby then kicks her away. Vega drags Liv to the corner, climbs the top rope, moonsualt to Liv! Cover! 1.2…..NO!!!! Vega kicks, goes for a Code Red, but Liv drops her on her head with a pin! 1..2..NO!!! Vega rolls forward for 1..2.NO!!! Running Enziguri from Liv. Cover! 1.2….NO!!!! Liv cackles, blows a kiss to Dom. Liv shoves Vega, picks her up and corners her, then chops the chest. Liv climns as the crowd chants SHAVE YOUR MUSTACHE.
In the corner on the top rope, Vega attacks the back of the neck. She then hits a Code Red off the top rope! Liv rolls outside! Dom stands nearby as Vega leaves te ring to grab Liv. Liv sends her into the apron. Liv rolls her into the ring then follows. Dom and Rey inch closer to one another, then argue. Rey shoves Dom down hard. Liv with a baseball slide to Rey! Liv stands smiling! 619 rom Vega!!! Tornado DDT to Liv! Cover! 1.2……NO!!! The crowd ate that up!
Dom tries to slide a chair into the ring. Vega covers for 1..2.NO!!! Dom slides the hair in. Vega grabs the chair and walks over to Dom, then HITS DOM WITH THE CHAIR!!! Liv with ObLIVion! Cover! 1…2…3!!!
Winner: Liv Morgan
Lol, I’m not even sure what to think. Wrestling wise, it was average, but the crowd was hot, and even with an ending that had a small hiccup, it all worked out in a spectacularly shitty (but good) fashion.
Total Rating: **
Match Time: 11:29
Liv is stopped at the top of the ramp with Cathy. She says she feels like the lucky girl in the world. The Liv Morgan Revenge Tour is going exactly as she planned. She wants to dedicate her win tonight and all the future ones to her daddy Dom.
A video package for Drew McIntyre, sponsored by Modelo. Drew McIntyre is that foo.
Backstage, Seth Rollins walks. Behind him, we see Zoey Stark talking to Sonya Deville until Shayna Baszler walks by to rip Zoey from Sonya’s verbal grasp.
When we come back, ya boy Rollins is in the ring. He does his intro, crowd is firmly behind him, and welcomes us to the show.
He thinks next week at this time, he’ll be standing there the champion. He goes over some of the sports teams of Boston, and ends with the Celtics, which gets a huge pop.
Seth goes Full Cena and says he NEEDS the title. If he doesn’t beat Priest, he’s gotta re-evaluate who he is. This Saturday, when he takes the title, he will also take Priest from The Judgment Day.
Seth is cut off by the remixed version of Finn Balor’s epic entrance music.
He wants everyone to say hello to one-half of the new tag team champs. He says he should be in a good mood, but he’s not. He’s in a bad mood. Everything around him seems to be changing. Priest is changing, and he blames Seth.
Seth tells him to shut up, man. Priest is his own man, he’s making his own decisions. He doesn’t even think Finn is mad, he thinks he’s jealous because he has the one thing Finn couldn’t get.
Seth challenges him to a teeth-knocking match, but Damien Priest walks down with his title and a mic.
Seth says alright boys, they got one more week to work together, so let’s go.
Finn and Priest enter the ring and Seth readies himself. Priest says no, it’s not a trap, because this is his business – he turns to Finn – and nobody else is getting in his business.
This is about Priest and Seth, just them. He can’t tell Seth how wrong he is, because the idea that Seth still runs RAW, those days are numbered.
Seth says they don’t have to wait till Saturday, so let’s go. Priest says he’s down, but Finn attacks. Seth drops him, turns to Priest, Finn attacks again, mounts and starts punching, but Priest grabs Finn off of Seth and tells him he wants to do this on his own. Seth superkicks both men then stomps Finn. He turns, and Priest hits Seth with a South of Heaven chokeslam.
Priest then checks on Finn.
Ludwig Kaiser video package that says he’ll be back sooner rather than later. He has a couple of broken ribs, and blames Sheamus.
Priest walks Finn backstage down the hallway. He is glad Finn is ok, but he needs Finn to stay out of this come MitB. Finn says ok, Priest says he’ll go grab hiom some ice.
Money in the Bank Women’s Qualifying Match
Dakota Kai vs Ivy Nile vs Zoey Stark
Ivy tries to get a quick cover on zoey, but Dakota stop it, leaves the ring, and tries to pull Ivy outside. Baseball slide from zoey sends Dakota flying. She rolls Kai inside, Ivy kicks Zoey, Kai with a right, Ivy kicks Zoey and punches Kai at the same time. Kick to the corner, but Kai follows her and hits her with a kick, Zoey flies with a dropkick! Cover! 1.2…NO!
We are bck and Zoey hits double dropkicks to the other! Ivy whips Dakota to the corner, locks up from behind, hits a release German! Rana to Zoey! Lockup! GERMAN TO ZOEY!!!! Ivy grabs Dakota, delayed suplex to Kai, but Zoey is behind her! She grabs Kai, Kay locks up behind her, Ivy switches and locks up behind Kai, and hits a double German! Cover to Kai! 1..2…NO!!! Ivy punches Kai, Zoey hits a chop to Ivy, Kai hits Zoey, Ivy kicks, Zoey spins the kick into Kai, Zoey with a suplex to Ivy. Zoey covers for 1..2.N!O!! Kai breaks it up! Kai grabs Zoey, Zoey with a right, Kai with a scorpion kick, Stark rolls her , hits a knee, Ivy with a kick! (I should note that from the return to this moment, we do not cut once).
Ivy runs into a kick from Zoey, Zoey grabs the back of the neck, hits the ropes, flies off with a tornado DDT to Ivy! Kai here! KAIROPRACTOR!! COVER! 1.2….NO!!! Ivy stops the pin!
Kairi Sane runs down and hops on the apron, Ivy swipes at her, Kai sends Ivy to the apron, hops up, then stomps on the back of the head.
Fyre and Dawn run down to attack Sane! Kai grabs Ivy off the apron, here comes Zoey to hit a kick then a Z360 to Kai! Cover! 1…2…3!!!
Winner: Zoey Stark
Kai got a shot to show what she got, but Zoey is the one who takes it. An ok enough match.
Total Rating: **1/2
Match Time: 8:41
We head to the tape!
It’s Bo Dallas with his hands in his head. He asks Uncle Howdy how much longer they have to keep doing this. Howdy stays quiet. Bo asks what tey’re doing here. BO says he was destined to do this. Howdy asks if he thinks he’s special. Bo says special implies that others are not, that there are others that are less than that deserve to be forgotten. They are the ones everyone wanted to forget about, the ones everybody abandoned. They made us notice them.
“There you are,” says Uncle Howdy. How does Bo believe that he can bring them to life? Bo says they weren’t chosen, just willing. Clay in the hands of the potter. Destined to become something beautiful. They’ve become a family. “We’ve become a family.”
Bo says even now, the false prophets belittle their family for their own gain. It’s disgusting. They must pay for their sins. Howdy asks if this is Bo’s responsibility.
Bo: “I am the voice of the reckoning.”
Howdy: “I am the reckoning.”
Both: “I’m nobody. I set you free. I freed them from the cave. I am nobody. I gave them a family. I made them beautiful. I am all of them. I am The Reckoning.”
Bo is left by himself, fully taking in Uncle Howdy. He says he set them free, then Bo disappears and we are left with Uncle Howdy, who says “There you are.”
The tape ends.
WE return to Otis in catering! Gable comes up to him to tell him that he needs help. He doesn’t know who else to go to. He knows what he’s said, calling Otis stupid, a disappointment, he knows that was hurtful and knows that Otis hates him.
Otis says he doesn’t hate Gable, but they are not helpin Gable. This is not their problem, it’s Gable’s. Gable says who knows who is next, though! It could be any of them, and if it happens, Gable will be there because Otis is his number one guy.
Here come Maxxine and Akira Tozawa to ask if everything is ok.
Gable says everything is great, and leaves.
Dominik Mysterio vs Rey Mysterio
Dom overpowers his pops then taunts the crowd to up his Finisher meter. Rey and him run the ropes, Rey stomps Dom then sends him outside with a rana. Rey to the apron and hits another rana, sending Dom into the barricade.
We return to Dom crotching Rey on the top rope! Dom covers for 1..2NO!!! Dom stomps the face. Dom mounts, right hands to Rey over and over. Dom says he runs this bitch. Dom whips Rey to the ropes, spinning back elbow from Dom. Cover for 1..2.NO!!! Dom chops Rey in the corner then whips hard and Rey collides with the corner chest first. Dom looks down on his dad, covers with a boot to the chest and demands the ref count. Ref gets 1. Dom whips, Rey stops it this time, hits a back elbow, drop toe hold to Dom sends him into the 2nd buckle. Rey bashes Dom’s head into the buckle ovr and over. Rey with a seated senton off the top, springboard crossbody off the 2nd rope.
Liv Morgan is here! Rey is on the apron and he tells her ot go backstage. Rey flies over Dom wqith a Sunset Flip, but Dom rolls through, looks for a catapult but turns that into a half crab. Rey reaches for the ropes. Liv smiles on. Rey with a rope break. Dom sees Liv, turns back towards his father, hooks the head. Suplex. Spin. Another suplex. He goes for the third. Rey stops it, dropkicks the knee. Rey goes for a 619, but Liv pulls Dom out of the way! She checks on Dom, Dom tells her to leave. Rey dropkicks Dom onto Liv! Liv loves it! She grabs Dom by the face, and holds him down onto her. Rey grabs Dom and sends him back into the ring. Liv screams at Rey, Rey enters, superkick from Dom! He locks he head, BRAINBUSSTAAAAHHH!!!!!!!
Cover! 1..2….NO!!!
ZElina runs down the rmap and attacks Liv but Liv turns it around until Vega sends her into the barricade.
Dom hits a dropkick to Rey. 619 from Dom! Dom to the top rope! Vega on the apron!
Liv hops onto the apron to shove Vega! Vega pulls the leg out from under Liv! This causes Dom to fall on his nuts! Rey 619’s the side of Dom’s head with Dom still on the apron! Dom falls onto the mat. Rey drops the dime! Cover! 1.2….3!!!
Winner: Rey Mysterio
Well that was fun. Dom tried a few new moves and they didn’t exactly look good, but everything surrounding the match was entertaining. Liv keeps bein the star.
Total Rating: **
Match Time: 10:54
Liv walks up the ramp with Dom apologizing and saying she’ll fix it over and over.
Sami Zayn is here to talk to Boston. He says it feels pretty good to walk back into this arena as the IC champ. When he won it, he said he wanted to defend against anyone anytime. The next challenge is set, Sami v Bron Breakker. He’s not stupid, he hears the buzz and the chatter. Everyone seesm to think that Bron will run right through him. He gets it, gets why we would think that. He’s strong as hell, fast as hell, and breaking guys in half every week. He will say this just once – Sami is going to beat Bron Breakker at MitB.
He takes nothing away from Bron.
Speaking of Bronny baby, here he comes!
Bron Breakker says Sami gained a little bit of his respect last week. Everyone back there, they are afraid. Sami though, he came to him and gave him a shot. This tells him two things: Sami has guts and he has no idea what he is in for. On Saturday, at MitB, all that respect is out the window. In this ring, Bron will beat him down and break him and become he new IC champion.
Sami says so many guys have said the same exact thing. He’s been beaten down, broken in half, it’s happened a thousand times, and he has put himself back together the same amount of times. This is the difference. He gets back up, every time, and the proof is right here. So if he wants it, Sami wants him to want it. Try and take it from him. Try his best, but here’s the thing – if Sami must tell him who he is, then it tells Sami that maybe Bron hasn’t done his homework, and maybe he’s not as smart as he thinks he is. Maybe Bron isn’t as good as he thinks he is. He will see Bron at Money in the Bank.
Bron fakes to leave, then turns and spears Sami with lightning speed.
But Sami isn’t dead! He gets up, true to form, and sends Bron outside! He rolls Bron back inside, big suplex into the corner! Bron with another spear! He holds the IC title over Sami’s broken body.
Backstage, Damage CTRL is asked by Cathy if Kai’s loss effects how they handle Money in the Bank. Kai says no, nothing changes. Here comes Lyra Valkyria who says she’ll climb faster. Kai says she’s not even going to make it to MitB, but here come Kayden and Kitana to attack!
Money in the Bank Qualifying Match
Ilja Dragunov vs Drew McIntyre vs Sheamus
Drew and Sheamus go face to face and argue. Ilja with a huge kick to Drew sends him outside. Sheamus wants to fight. Ilja with a go behind,tries for a takedown, Sheamus slings him away, Ilja kicks, Sheamus bounces back with a clothesline. He lifts Ilja, Ilja drops and hits a big chop. Another. Another. Sheeamus hits a chop t othe stomach, whip, and Ilja comes off the ropes with a kick.Big chop. Another. Over and over. Kick to Sheamus. Another boot to the face, and he scrapes it. Sheamus eats it with a grin. He likes this. Ilja hits the ropes. WHITE NOISE!!! In comes Drew, and Sheamus hits him with on!! Sheamus with a shove to Ilja, sending him off the apron. Sheamus with an uppercut. Drew runs in with a right! Sheamus is sent into the crowd. Drew slow stands and Sheamus grabs him from behind and beats down the chest to the count of ten!
We are BACK and all three men are down! Ilja is up first with chops to both of his opponents. Drew hits a right, but Ilja with a step up kick! Another to Sheamus! Sheamus to a knee. Ilha hits the ropes, running knee to Sheamus! One for Drew! Ilja to the apron! Sheamus is outside! H-BOMB TO SHEAMUS!!! Ilja to the apron! He runs up the corner, SENTON TO DREW!!!!! Ilja with an H-Bomb to Drew! COVER! 1.2…..NO!!!!! Ilja is pissed. Sheamus is up! He grabs Ilja by the head and drags him out of the ring and sends him into the barricade!
We come back in time to see Sheamus hit a superplex while Ilja hits a German to him! Cover from Ilja gets 1`..2.NO! Antoher cover gets 1`..2.NO!!! Shemaus esnds Ilja ot the ropes, he rebounds back with a huge clothesline. Sheamus to the outside. Drew pulls himself up in the corner, turns, GLASGOW KISS! Holy shit that looked sick. Drew calls for Claymore, but TORPEDO MOSCOW STOPS THE CLAYMORE!!! Drew rolls outside! Ilja sees Sheamus. He heads to the top rope! He tries for Coast to Coast, but Sheamus is up with a Brogue Kick!!! Cover! 1…2….NO!!! Sheamus wants another! BROGUE KICK TO ILJA!!!! COVER! 1..2…NO!!! Drew pulls Ilja out of the ring! He sends Ilja into the barricade. Sheamus is pissed. Drew locks eyes. Drew enters the ring. Sheamus stands. He wants his buddy.
Drew in! Rights from both! Over and over! Drew shoves, Sheamus catches him with a powerslam.
He sends Drew to the apron, spreads his wings and beats down the chest! Over and over! Drew ducks! Big knee from Sheamus! CLAYMORE FROM DREW! COVER! 1.2………3!!!!!!
Winner: Drew McIntyre
Wonderful main event! Ilja looked like he belonged and Drew and Sheamus just beat a whole lot of ass.
Total Rating: ****
Match Time: 17:02
Cathy enters the ring to ask Drew how he feels, but Drew grabs the mic and says he told us he’d win the war. Some more truth? He’s walking into the PPV this Saturday and walking out champion.
End Show