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After getting extreme in Maryland, Team Red heads north to take their chances at Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania’s Mohegan Sun Arena.
The Headliner
The whole point of Extreme Rules’ Fatal 5Way was to determine who would have the privilege/misfortune of facing idle Universal champion Brock Lesnar at July’s Great Balls of Fire pay-per-view (PPV). By slapping his Coquina Clutch submission on his old NXT rival Finn Bálor, Samoa Joe earned that right.
Now, WWE starts the job of convincing us he has a chance to win.
It’s not that a veteran like Joe, whose won the top prize in every promotion he’s been in, shouldn’t have a kayfabe chance. But Lesnar has humbled everyone who isn’t Attitude Era royalty since snapping Undertaker’s WrestleMania streak a couple years back. Plus, reports are he already has a date for SummerSlam - and it isn’t Joe, and the Beast will be bringing the belt.
Triple H’s Destroyer talked the talk on Raw Talk after his big win in Baltimore. Lesnar isn’t due back until next week, so he and the red brand creative team have a big opportunity tonight to showcase the Samoan Submission Machine.
The title scene
The first setback of their latest run with the ‘E, which occurred last night when Cesaro & Sheamus escaped the cage before them, cost the Hardy Boyz the tag team titles. WWE.com’s official preview is hinting they might cash their rematch clause in sooner rather than later, so expect at least one more match in this feud... perhaps as soon as tonight.
A feud we probably won’t get any more of is the Bayley/Alexa Bliss one. Little Miss Bliss emphatically retained her Women’s championship last night, beating the Hugster down with a kendo stick then pinning her 1 - 2 - 3. Who’s next for a Superstar who’s looked unstoppable since coming to Monday nights? Sasha Banks is back on a winning streak, and then there’s Alexa’s best friend Nia Jax...
The storytelling which got us there was fun, if a little wonky, but the end result is all that matters. The Miz’s win over Dean Ambrose at Extreme Rules means the A-Lister can start his Intercontinental championship “Comeback Tour”. And that’s awesome.
Austin Aries gave it all he got, and even got Neville to tap out on the floor, but that didn’t count, and the King of the Cruiserweights is still holding the Cruiserweight title. A-Double wasn’t on the Neville level. Is anyone?
Other stuff to keep an eye on:
- A mysterious text sent to Corey Graves could “ruin” Raw General Manager Kurt Angle. Who sent it? What did it say? Is Graves really on his fellow Pittsburgher’s side? SO MANY MYSTERIES!
- Now that Joe is off to Suplex City, what does the future hold the other men in last night’s main event? Bálor, Bray Wyatt, Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns won’t be missing Great Balls of Fire or SummerSlam, so it’s time to start working on their next programs.
- Straggling Strummer Elias Samson has a couple of wins and a lot of heat.
- The Titus Brand may need more than a press conference after Titus O’Neil’s coaching seemed to cost Apollo Crews another match against Kalisto in Baltimore.
- He may be bringing back the “Golden Age”, but Goldust better watch out. After betraying R-Truth, Goldy might just get got. He also might lose a movie quote battle to his old tag partner.
It’s the Extreme Rules fallout show!
What will you be looking for on Raw tonight?