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WWE Monday Night Raw comes waltzing back into our lives tonight (May 23, 2016) from the Royal Farms Arena in Baltimore, Maryland, featuring the fallout show from the Extreme Rules pay-per-view (PPV) that went down on Sunday night in Newark, New Jersey.
Advertised for tonight: Seth Rollins is back and he's already hit a Pedigree on Roman Reigns. Plus, other stuff!
Come right back here at 8 p.m. ET when the Raw live blog kicks off once the show starts on USA. It will be below this line here. (REMINDER: NO GIFS OR PICS ARE ALLOWED IN THE COMMENTS SECTION. OFFENDERS WILL BE BANNED.)
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WWE RAW RESULTS AND LIVE BLOG FOR MAY 23
Hey, everyone. Where better to watch 7 hours of WWE in 2 nights than here at Cageside? Let's do this.
Then. Now. Forever.
Seth Rollins/Roman Reigns segment
The show opens with Seth Rollins who gets a nice pop in Baltimore. Though crowd seems a bit mixed after his music dies down, there's a loud "Welcome back" chant. He says he's back to take the title he never lost and last night he fired the first shot. He notes that they are cheering for him now, but it hasn't always been that way and talks about how they hated him when he break up the Shield and when he was "the weakest champion."
He says that his knee buckled because of the weight of the company on his back. He said he got so much fan mail... but he didn't open that crap. He put it in a garbage can and lit it on fire! Because he doesn't need any of us!
Looks like he's still heel, doesn't it? He's already got the crowd booing him.
He goes onto say he's going to take back his title and he's going to do it without anyone's help.
Roman finally interrupts him and slowly walks to the ring like a badass. When Roman gets in the ring, Rollins decide to jump out of the ring and starts to leave. He jaws with Roman as he's walking past the ring.
"Here comes the money!"
Shane McMahon walks down to the ring and invites Rollins back in. He tells them that while this is a WrestleMania caliber main event, Rollins and Reigns will go at each other at Money in the Bank for the title!
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Tonight, there are four Money in the Bank qualifying matches and they all look to be good match ups.
Renee Young interviews Sheamus about his qualifying match against Sami Zayn. Sheamus mocks Sami Zayn's name, his look, and the fact he's Canadian. He says what he's about to do Zayn isn't going to be suitable for all ages.
Sami Zayn vs. Sheamus in a MITB qualifier
These men are even to start things off, with Sami even hitting a hurricanrana and making Sheamus slides out of the ring. Sami follows him outside and hits a sweet moonsault from the barricade. However a stiff knee deliver from Sheamus to Zayn as Sami is entering the ring gives the Irishman control.
Sami gets tossed around for awhile, but he's able to pull out a huge clothesline on Sheamus and follow up with a Michinoku Driver to get going. He goes for his DDT off the ropes, but Sheamus kicks the ropes and Sami takes a nasty tumble.
Sheamus misses the Brogue kick and Sami knocks him out of the ring. Zayn sets up for a dive over the rope but Sheamus hits him as he's trying, knocking the Likable One back. Sheamus gets in the ring, but he's too close to the corner and Sami nails the Helluva Kick to get the 1-2-3!
Sami Zayn def. Sheamus
After the match, Sheamus is beside himself in the ring.
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Backstage, Renee Young interviews Apollo Crews, who has to face Chris Jericho tonight. He starts mentioning the "New Era" when Sheamus attacks him from behind ranting about the New Era!
New Day vs. the Social Outcasts
Prior to the match, the New Day come out & cut a promo. There's a birthday cake in the ring for Raw's 1200th episode. Big E notes that a ring is never a safe place for a cake so Big E takes out of the ring and X teases Big E tossing the cake at a random fan or at one of the announcers.... as this is going on, the Social Outcasts attack the New Day from behind.
Glad to see the #SocialOutcasts are still together despite Rose's release
Because of the sneak attack, the Outcasts had control early, but New Day get it back pretty quickly to the point that Axel and Bo Dallas need to rescue Heath. While they hold Slater up outside the ring, they tried to do a Bo Train but they drop Slater. Xavier dives over the top rope to take out Bo and Axel. Then, inside the ring, Heath receives the Double Big Ending finisher and the New Day win.
The New Day def. #SocialOutcasts
After the match, Heath gets a cake to the face.
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The Miz vs. Cesaro in a MITB qualifier
Prior to the match, the Miz talks up his win from last night. He and Maryse get really lovey dovey and are about to kiss as Cesaro's music plays to interrupt.
The match starts with an uppercut flurry from Cesaro. Miz is reeling and Maryse needs to pull him outside for a breather. Cesaro doesn't allow it though and steps onto the apron and cannonballs the Miz! Back in the ring, Cesaro is in total control of this match as Raw goes to break.
When Raw returns, it's the Miz who's in control, working Cesaro's shoulder. The Swiss Superman uses another uppercut flurry to fight back. Cesaro is unable to swing the Miz due to the shoulder that was worked on earlier. Miz ends up pulling the same shoulder on the ropes from the apron and goes to the top rope. As he jumps down, Cesaro catches him with an uppercut and hits the Gotch Neutralizer for the pinfall victory.
Cesaro def. Miz via pinfall
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Backstage, Renee Young interviews Seth Rollins. He says he's going to take back the title he never lost because he's Seth Rollins and he's just that good. Stephanie rolls in and Seth goes for a huge and gets shut down. She informs him things have changed around here and that includes their business relationship. She shakes his hand and says "welcome back."
Jericho vs. Apollo Crews in a MITB qualifier
Jericho comes to the ring in just his ring trunks and a scarf. Perfect. He's also got a ton of bandages on his back from the tacks from last night.
Apollo comes out and doesn't seem any worse from the wear after his earlier beating from Sheamus.
Jericho has control early but Crews gets flippy to take control. He later targets the back of Jericho where all of the bandaids are. Chris gets control when the referee is backing Crews off in the corner and Y2J takes a cheap shot.
Apollo turns on the jets to get going on Jericho. He holds control of the match until Y2J reverses one of Crews' moves into the Walls of Jericho. Apollo makes it to the rope for the break. The match goes back and forth. There's an awkward looking spot where Jericho hits the Lionsault as Crews is int he process of kipping up.
Jericho goes for the Walls again but Apollo reverses it into a small package for a near fall. As he gets back up, Y2J hits the Code Breaker for the win.
Jericho def. Apollo Crews
After the match, Renee Young asks Sheamus for his reaction to his reaction to the results of the match. He just laughs and walks off.
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There's another Darren Young/Bob Backlund where Darren has to do jumping jacks for using the word "Damn." This was the same one from SmackDown Thursday.
JoJo interviews Baron Corbin, who doesn't care what people think about how he won. Ziggler interrupted him and insults him a bit and then claims that Corbin can't beat him in a technical wrestling match. Baron said he didn't grow up wanting to be the best wrestler but beating people up. He'll take that match for next week though.
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Big Cass comes out... WITH ENZO! ENZO'S IN THE HOUSE! THE SMACK TALKER SKYWALKER!
Enzo says if he had a dime for every time he fell down and didn't get back up... he's have zero dimes! His promo then focuses to the Dudleys.
Bubba Ray Dudley vs. Big Cass
Big Cass has major control, but outside of the ring, D-Von attacks Enzo. This distracts Cass and allows Bubba to go on the advantage. Cass quickly fights back with a clothesline and multiple shoulder blocks and Bubba needs to take a rest on the outside.
Cass follows him outside, tosses Enzo into D-Von to take him out. Bubba and Cass make it back to the ring. Cass hits a big boot and the Empire Elbow for the 1-2-3.
Big Cass def. Bubba Dudley
Good to see that Enzo is cleared to take some bumps as well.
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Charlotte/Ric Flair segment where Charlotte gives Ric the boot!
Charlotte, Dana Brooke, and Ric Flair make their way to the ring. Ric tells Charlotte how proud he is of her. He compares Dana Brooke to how Arn was to him. (I think. I couldn't really follow everything he was saying.)
Charlotte says there's one person to thank and that's herself. But she also gives props to Dana Brooke. Dana thanks her for the opportunity. Charlotte starts talking again and the crowd starts to get on her so she tells them to all shut up. She then tells Ric that that she finally understands why her father wasn't there. She knows how being champion feels like.
So now she said she finally has the courage to tell her father... to get out of her ring! Ric's confused but she keeps pushing it. She says she's not "Ric Flair's daughter" but he's "Charlotte's dad." Ric starts crying (of course) and she mocks him for it!
Charlotte tells him he's the second dirtiest player in the game and she doesn't have time for people who come in second. She doesn't need him any more. The champ tells him that now he understands what she felt like all her life when he wasn't there for her. Then she kicks her sobbing father to the curb.
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Dean Ambrose vs. Dolph Ziggler in a MITB qualifier
This match is very even for a good part of the match. Neither man has full control prior to Raw going to break. The show returns and the men are still trading shots. Ambrose is able to hit a double under hook toss of the top rope onto Ziggler for a near fall but that doesn't keep Ziggler down for long.
Ambrose clotheslines Ziggler over the top rope onto the floor and then nails a suicide dive. Dolph soon fights back and hits a Fame Asser for a near fall. He misses a super kick and both men end up going for a cross body, leaving both down in the middle of the ring.
Both men are up and still trading moves. At the end, Dean holds onto the ropes when Ziggler tries for the Zig Zag and then delivers the Dirty Deeds DDT for the win.
Dean Ambrose def. Dolph Ziggler
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Backstage, Arn Anderson tells Ric he's sorry for what happened. Then Renee gets an interview with the Nature Boy. Ric is too broken up to take the interview.
The Shining Stars have a pre-taped promo in front of a huge flower! They say because their debut as so well received, they are issues an open invitation to travel to Puerto Rico.
AJ Styles/Anderson & Gallows segment
Prior the match, AJ cuts a promo. He puts over Roman as "every bit the man he says he is." He says that if it weren't for Anderson, Gallows, & the Usos, though, we'd be looking at the current WWE Champ. But that's in the past because now he has an opportunity to beat Owens on his own and go onto MITB.
Anderson & Gallows walk out and Anderson isn't happy about what AJ had to say. He says that AJ makes it sound like he didn't want them out there. AJ said he said from the start he didn't want there help. This isn't Japan. Things are different. Styles says he didn't bring them to WWE to have his back and drop everyone they have a problem with. Gallows said if they didn't drop everyone he had a problem with, he doesn't even think they'd make it to Extreme Rules.
AJ tries to diffuse things. He says that professionally they need to separate. But they are still brothers. Gallows & Anderson aren't having it though. AJ then tells them that then they don't need to be in his ring currently.
AJ Styles vs. Kevin Owens in a MITB qualifier
Early on in the match, AJ misses a drop kick and KO sarcastically applauds. Owens runs at the ropes and then back at AJ to get hit by Styles' drop kick. After AJ gets a string of offense in, KO hits a drop kick of his own. Both men continue to trade move until Owens, from the outside, knocks AJ off the ring apron and then hits a clothesline on the outside. Both men brawl on the outside. The Phenomenal One tosses Owens into the ring steps as Raw goes to break.
The show returns with KO in firm control of AJ. Styles is able to fight back on the outside and then back in the ring the men trade blows. AJ has a run of offense and the KO turns the tides. AJ gets back by hitting a big German Suplex and an enziguri for a near fall. He goes for the Styles Clash but KO fights out and delivers a package shoulder breaker for a near fall of his own. Kevin goes to the top rope, but AJ s able to meet him and the two brawl up top. KO wins that battle, delivers a moonsault, but Styles slides out of the way. AJ responds with a SICK springboard 450 off the top rope but still only gets a 2 count.
The fight ends up back on the outside. Styles jumps at Owens but Owens catches him and powerbombs him onto the ring steps! Styles is almost counted out but back in the ring by 9. Back in the ring KO, goes for the Pop Up Powerbomb, but Styles jumps him and hits a Pele! Near fall! Styles then rolls under the rope and sets up for the Forearm, but KO drop kicks the top rope when AJ is mid move. Styles takes a spill and KO hits the Pop Up Powerbomb for the 1-2-3.
Kevin Owens def. AJ Styles
Color me surprised that Anderson and Gallows didn't interfere in that match.
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That's the show, folks. Thanks for watching with us!