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WWE Monday Night Raw comes waltzing back into our lives tonight (Sept. 25, 2017) from the Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario, California, featuring the fallout show from the Mo Mercy pay-per-view (PPV) that went down just last night in Los Angeles.
Advertised for tonight: Roman Reigns on Miz TV, and more!
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.)
WWE RAW RESULTS AND LIVE BLOG FOR SEPT. 25
The pioneers, in dealing with it they march for dawn, of will and worthy. The truth be told the child was born. Man your own jackhammer, man your battle stations; we'll have you dead pretty soon. And now, sincerely written from my brother's blood machine is this here liveblog of a pro wrestling show, folks.
The show opens right up into MizTV!
Miz welcomes us with his usual patter and says tonight is a night of celebration and they're in southern California. As soon as MizTV is over, he's gonna drive home, slide next to his gorgeous pregnant wife, and they're going to discuss the future of their unborn child, who will NOT be a loser like Kurt Angle's son. He tells Maryse to keep the champagne on ice because he'll be home soon.
But first, his guest, the so-called "Big Dog" of the WWE. Last night he had a historic victory over John Cena, Roman Reigns!
Roman obliges and makes his entrance. Miz apologizes for the crowd but Reigns says he likes it loud. The A-Lister talks up the Big Dog's year, retiring the Undertaker and beating John Cena. On Raw Talk, Cena called it a passing of the torch, and Miz asks Roman how he feels about that. Reigns thinks about it for a second and says he'll cut to the chase and say he respects John now.
React to that however you want, Cena said a lot of stuff but he backed it all up in the ring. He held the fort down for fifteen years and no other top guy can say that, so yes, he respects John Cena, and that's why he's proud to say he beat John Cena last night, in the biggest win of his entire career. Miz isn't the only one who was celebrating all night, he didn't get any sleep, his back hurts, and he doesn't know why he's talking to an idiot right now.
Miz questions the idea that Roman is the Guy, saying the Guy is the guy with the championship, and at No Mercy he singlehandedly retained the Intercontinental Championship. He proved Jason Jordan is a loser, he's that Guy. Reigns says he's wrestled both men, and Miz couldn't beat Jordan one-on-one. Without the Miztourage he couldn't have won, and Roman asks one of 'em to go back and get him a cold beer.
Miz says MizTV is classy and they don't drink beer on the show, before digging into Roman for riding the coattails of two other superstars, and if the Miztourage had been around nobody would have remembered the Shield! He asks Reigns if he knows what would have happened if the two trios fought, and the Big Dog is flabbergasted, thought he was joking.
The Shield would have whooped their ass, no problem. It would have been terrible for them, he doesn't want that! In any case, Dean and Seth are doing their own thing, and he's got his, going after the Beast, Brock Lesnar. Miz calls the Big Dog out for disrespecting him and brings up all of Roman's losses this year. The A-Lister continues, talking about how he's propped up Raw and he will not be disrespected.
To which Reigns says, "Alright, let's do it." Miz is confused, but Roman knows exactly what he wants, asking the crowd if they want to see him beat Miz up. He starts clearing the set and the A-Lister protests that he's wearing a suit, which the Big Dog says is about to get tore up. Miz uses his pregnant wife as an excuse and backs away.
Enter Kurt Angle. He tells Miz to tell Maryse he's gonna be home late tonight, because he loves the idea of a match between him and Roman tonight! But the Miztourage aren't going anywhere, they have a match right now-- Jeff Hardy's busted up, but Matt's good to go, and he'll be teaming with Jason Jordan against them!
And so we go to break.
Back from commercial in time for entrances.
Jason Jordan & Matt Hardy vs. the Miztourage (Bo Dallas & Curtis Axel)
Jordan and Dallas to start, Jason takes him down and rides him before clobbering Axel on the apron and running Bo over. Dallas with a boot in the corner, tag made but Jordan catches Curtis with a double leg into the corner, running him across, bridging northern lights suplex for a nearfall, tag to Hardy. Whip into stereo back elbows, elbow drop for a two count, drawing Axel up, overhead elbows to the back of the neck and a Russian legsweep.
Off the ropes, three leg drops get two, side headlock takeover but Axel gets to his feet and shoves Matt in the corner. Hardy with a tornado DDT, hip toss on Dallas, Jordan clears him out with a dropkick, and we go to break.
Back from commercial, Axel is in control on Jordan with a reverse chinlock but Kurt Angle's son fights to his feet and earns a body slam for his trouble. Dallas in, knee drop, quick tag, running somersault cutter from Curtis, again a quick tag and Bo puts boots to Jason. Smashing his face into the turnbuckles, tag back to Axel, corner combo before throwing him into Curtis' waiting knee for a nearfall!
Rear chinlock, Jordan out and reaching for the tag, Axel does his damnedest but Jason's able to throw him out of the ring and crawl for it... tags made! Forearms and headbutts on Dallas, smashing his head over and over into each turnbuckle in turn, charging corner lariat into the bulldog, only two! To the second, calling for it, diving elbow, neckbreaker, another nearfall.
Kick to the gut, Bo reverses to a schoolboy and gets a Side Effect in return, only for Axel to make the save! Jordan runs in, puts Axel in the corner, stacks Dallas up on him, shoulder thrust on both men, overhead belly-to-belly suplex on Curtis, Matt Hardy is ready...
Jason Jordan & Matt Hardy win by pinfall with a Twist of Fate from Hardy on Bo Dallas.
Jordan celebrates with the Hardyz.
Commentary hypes up Reigns/Miz for later, but first, a recap of last night's Universal Championship match.
Back from commercial, commentary hypes up an encore presentation of the premiere of Total Bellas that will be airing after Raw tonight before tossing us into the recap of Braun Strowman vs. Brock Lesnar from last night.
The Drifter is here to sing us a song, working his way through his normal spiel before beginning with a song about how Apollo Crews is a loser and Titus Worldwide is going to fail, before being interrupted by, shock of shocks, Crews and Titus O'Neil.
Apollo Crews vs. Elias
Collar and elbow, working hard, they break but go right back to it and roll around into the corner, struggling until referee Chad Patton forces a break. Side headlock takeover from Crews, holding on in the face of being shot off, back to the takeover, but Elias gets out and starts striking away against the ropes. Whip, up and over, Apollo with some flips into a dropkick, off the ropes, a kick, lariat into a kip-up, setting Samson on the apron and dropping him with an enzuigiri!
Pescado, Titus and Apollo do a leaping chest bump but Elias kicks his leg out from under him! Back in the ring, the Drifter lands a kick...
Elias wins by pinfall with Drift Away.
Post-match he pulls Titus in for an attack but O'Neil turns it around on him and beats on him in the corner! He takes his jacket off and throws it to the ground, demanding he come back for his medicine, but Elias is maintaining his distance.
The Extraordinary Finn Balor will be here after the break.
Back from commercial we get a Connor's Cure bumper before heading backstage for an interview with Finn Balor.
He wants to thank Bray Wyatt for doubting him as a man and pushing him to his limits and conjuring his inner strength, but most of all, today he hopes Bray experiences a sense of humility, not just for him, but for Goldust and everyone else he's victimized in the past. Finn says he's headed exactly where he wanted to go since he came back-- to reclaim the Universal Championship.
Curt Hawkins is in the ring. He says we'll remember tonight forever, because the Curt Hawkins history machine is up and running. He's sick and tired of being known as the guy with the 118 match losing streak, and that ends tonight. So who wants to make history with Curt Hawkins?
(RRROOOAAARRR!)
Braun comes down for the match but Hawkins runs away! Strowman gives chase and catches him over by some production equipment! CHOKESLAM THROUGH A TABLE! BIEL ONTO THE STAGE! RUNNING POWERSLAM THROUGH THE LED SCREEN!
The monster among men gets on the mic and says he's not leaving until he gets a real fight!
Enter Dean Ambrose, because why not? We'll have to wait until after the break for the match, however.
Back from commercial and the match has not yet started, Dean pacing outside the ring.
Braun Strowman vs. Dean Ambrose
Ambrose keeping his distance, making Strowman lunge after him until he gets a few punches and chops in. Braun shoves him away and whips him hard in the corner before clubbing the injured shoulder and wrenching it over the middle rope! Strowman sets him up top and picks him off it before ramming him across. Dean gets a slap in before doing an inverted Flair Flop, only for Braun to draw him up and club him down.
Off the ropes, Strowman hoists him up but Ambrose gets a sleeper hold on! Braun breaks it by backing him into the corner, body avalanche, clubbing away and leaving Dean staggering but he's still got fight in him, getting his licks in when he can. One-foot cover, Ambrose kicks out and Strowman takes him down for a standing armbar.
Irish whip, Dean gets a boot up on the charge, throwing hands, Braun just freight trains him and he falls outside the ring! Tossing Ambrose into the barricade on the floor but a followup is blocked with a thumb to the eye and Dean pushes him bodily into the ringpost! Back inside, Ambrose presses the attack, forearms and stomps in the corner into mounted punches, and Strowman throws him back!
Low bridge sense Braun outside, Dean lands a kick, runs the ropes, suicide dive, Strowman catches him but he's able to turn it into a tornado DDT! Dean happy to take the count, he tells referee John Cone to get going but the monster among men gets back in. Basement dropkick gets two, off the ropes, one lariat, two, Braun staggering and goes for a chokeslam but Ambrose slips away and passes him into the ringpost once more!
Dean up top, thinking diving elbow but Strowman catches him...
Braun Strowman wins by pinfall with the running powerslam.
Commentary hypes up Reign/Miz again and we go backstage where Kurt Angle is talking to referee Darrick Moore and telling him to keep close watch on Miztourage during that match. Enzo Amore rolls up crowing about being champ and asking how big Angle wants the show to be. Kurt says he always wants the show to be big, and Enzo pitches him on a championship celebration.
Angle says he's not sure the way he won was worthy of a celebration but Amore makes a counter-argument that basically consists of "everybody gets one", and Kurt gives in. He offers some advice on his first championship and Enzo turns him down.
Alexa Bliss is walking backstage to send us to break.
Back from commercial and Seth Rollins is giving Dean some ice.
He wants Ambrose to curb his self-destructive tendencies, or at least just let him know first, especially on a night where he has a match of his own against Sheamus. Ambrose points out that Cesaro is a reverse chipmunk and less dangerous than usual and says maybe Rollins needs to think less, be less predictable. Seth questions the idea that he's so predictable, and tries to prove it by saying he's gonna ask Angle for a match against Braun himself next week. But for now, he's gotta go get ready to kick Sheamus' ass.
Alexa Bliss makes her entrance. She knows we've never seen eye-to-eye before, but she considers each fan her friend, and likes to think we think of her the same way. But you have to be honest with your friends, and she has to tell us the truth-- she's very disappointed in each and every one of us. She beat four women last night, the best Raw has to offer, future Hall of Famers Bayley, Sasha, Emma, and Nia Jax.
She got up this morning, checked her phone, and expecting to see congratulations and memes about her victory, but no, it was full of nonsense and gossip, people wondering about Sasha and Bayley or looking forward to Asuka's debut. Bliss wonders what's wrong with us before saying we're all so fascinated with what might happen tomorrow that we don't appreciate that we're in the presence of a goddess right now.
But she doesn't have to prove anything to us, because she cleared out the entire women's division--
Enter Mickie James. The way she sees it, she wasn't in that match, was she? So Alexa didn't beat her. Bliss says well yeah, but... and James cuts her off, bringing up her comments from Raw Talk last night. So c'mon, why not say it again, and tell all the people what she thinks Mickie is. Alexa says she respects Mickie or she wouldn't have brought her back to WWE.
She was one of her favorites to watch when she was a little girl, and maybe even on her top eight on MySpace, back when Mickie James and MySpace were relevant. James asks if she's scared and prompts her to say it again. Bliss says she thinks Mickie has a lot to offer, a... couple fans who think she still has it. It's great that her demographic has somebody to represent them!
In the ring, she respects her, but she doesn't want to see her break a hip. James laughs and says the last thing she needs is Alexa of all people to run down her accolades and tell her what she can and can't do, because she knows who she is. She's Mickie James, a six-time women's champion, she's broken bones, hearts, and barriers for women in WWE, all before Bliss was wearing a training bra... which is obviously still working out well for her.
What she wants is for Alexa to repeat what she said on Raw Talk, but to do it like a real woman, to her face. Bliss tries to equivocate again and Mickie tells her to either say it or get out of her ring, because it's no place for a coward. Alexa gives in and says it, Mickie's an old lady. James hauls off with Tenryu slaps and sends her out of the ring!
Commentary hypes up our remaining announced matches and we go to break after another Asuka vignette.
Back from commercial we get some hype for WWE's fundraising effort for Connor's Cure.
Seth Rollins vs. Sheamus
Sheamus right in with clubbing blows, putting Rollins into the corner and throwing hands. Whip across, Seth sidesteps the charge and the Celtic Warrior eats it hard. A suicide dive follows, right back inside but the Architect takes a second to smile big at Cesaro. Off the top, Sheamus catches him into Irish Curse and puts boots to him after!
Straight suplex, only two, grounded punches, Celtic Warrior to the second for a Bombs Away knee drop, again only a nearfall. Standing Stretch Muffler applied, Rollins sits up in it only for Sheamus to powerbomb him to the mat for another nearfall! Right from there into the cloverleaf but Seth is able to get the bottom rope moments later and force the break.
Back body drop sends Sheamus to the floor, he goes for the Beats of the Bodhran, Seth blocks throwing hands but the Celtic Warrior snaps his neck over the ropes and snaps a wicked knee to the face off that sends a crack reverberating through the arena. Calling for the Brogue Kick, lying in wait but Rollins ducks! Boots up on the charge, Sheamus up top but he jumps right into a superkick, wristlock applied...
Seth Rollins wins by pinfall with the ripcord knee strike.
Commentary hypes up a special look at Reigns/Cena for after the break.
Back from commercial, Finn Balor is walking backstage when he runs into Goldust.
Goldy knows he's an extraordinary man who does extraordinary things, and he lost to Bray Wyatt, but what gives him the right to take shots at his expense? He's not a victim, he didn't ask for Finn's help, he doesn't need it, and he can do it all by himself. Balor says he has nothing but respect for Goldust and considers him a friend, so if he offended him, he sincerely apologizes.
Goldust says maybe he's right and he apologizes, offering a fist bump. Finn takes it and Goldy hauls off on him, beating him pillar to post against the equipment and telling him to keep his friends close and his enemies closer before breathing in his face and leaving.
And so we toss to our special look at John Cena vs. Roman Reigns, which is mostly a still-picture and commentary recap of the match before Cena's comments from Raw Talk enter the picture.
Commentary informs us that Reigns/Miz is next and we go to break.
Back from commercial in time for entrances.
Roman Reigns vs. the Miz
Miz jawing, saying he'll walk out if Roman doesn't shake his hand. The Big Dog puts it there, the A-Lister goes to leave, but Reigns holds on! Big slicing right sends Miz outside where his Miztourage tend to him. Taking his time on the floor, but Roman comes out after him and chases him around and back in, where Miz grabs a side headlock. Reveresed, the A-Lister shoots him off and takes the obligatory shoulder block.
Bo comes from behind to snap Roman's neck across the top, Miz comes in with a combo of kicks and gets a nearfall! A handful of hair and overhand elbows to the collarbone, reverse chinlock applied but the Big Dog gets back to one knee and physically pries Miz's hands apart! A right hook, the A-Lister chucks Reigns out of the ring and keeps referee Darrick Moore occupied while Dallas and Axel ram Roman into the barricade!
Reigns' back bothering him, Miz gets a nearfall off a lateral press and stalks his prey, repeated dropkicks into the corner but the Awesome Clothesline is scouted and countered mid-charge into a Samoan drop! Lariats bowl Miz over, the third connects off a leap and he goes right into the corner lariats! Mafia kick after, he calls for the Superman Punch but Axel runs interference and the Awesome Clothesline connects!
Daniel Bryan chest kicks follow but the Big Dog catches the buzzsaw and hosses him up for a powerbomb! Miz slips out, O'Connor roll blocked and the Superman Punch connects! Slicing rights take the Miztourage out but the A-Lister himself bails to the outside! Reigns follows, Drive-By on the Miztourage but Miz cuts him off with a knee as he returns to the ring and hits the basement DDT... NO GOOD!
Full nelson applied, Reigns flips him away, off the ropes...
Roman Reigns wins by pinfall with the spear.
The Miztourage jump Roman after his victory, stomping away! They draw him up for the Skull Crushing Finale but the Big Dog goes ham, wiping everybody out and nailing Miz with a Superman Punch! Axel and Dallas even the odds with chairs and waffle them across Roman's back before stabbing them back first into his gut! They draw him up again... SKULL CRUSHING FINALE!
Miz and the Miztourage stand tall over the Big Dog's fallen body and take their leave, but Miz sees Reigns getting up and heads right back for more! Clubbing away with a chair, Axel fired up about it, the A-Lister places the chair in position and gets his lackeys to pick him up again... SKULL CRUSHING FINALE ONTO THE CHAIR!
Another chair shot for good measure! Miz extends a fist and Axel and Dallas join in in mockery of the Shield!
And so we go to break.
Back from commercial, Goldust is in the ring and we have a match.
Finn Balor vs. Goldust
Finn right in with punches but Goldust cuts him off with a knee so he dumps the veteran outside. Charging around the ring, shotgun dropkick connects, driving Goldy into the barricade repeatedly before throwing him back in the ring. Goldust with a knee to the apron and a pass that puts Balor's shoulder into the post! Returning the favor into the barricade, shoulder-first and a Hot Shot as we go to break.
Back from commercial, Goldust has Finn locked down with a grounded waistlock. Balor to his feet, turning around in it for punches, strike rush, charging chops, whip reversed, up and over but Goldy catches him with a kick to the ribs! A spinebuster gets a nearfall! Grounded punches, erotically rubbing Finn's chest before drawing him up, inverted facelock, Finn reverses but his back gives out!
Trading strikes, Balor gets the Pele kick in and is soon stomping away at Goludst against the ropes. Sling Blade connects, shotgun dropkick, climbing...
Finn Balor wins by pinfall with the Coup de Grace.
(Wyatt noise.)
The lights are dimmed and a child is singing.
(Wyatt noise.)
Moving on, commentary hypes up a women's tag and sends us to break.
Back from commercial, we get a recap of the women's title match from last night.
Backstage, Bayley is massaging her shoulder when Sasha Banks rolls up. She asks if she got her text and Sasha says she lost track of time and couldn't text back. The Hugger reminds her that it was every woman for herself, and the Boss says she was so close to winning, but she's over it and they need to focus on their tag team match tonight. Bayley agrees, saying that she's replayed the sound of her shoulder popping out over and over for the last month.
Every time she closes her eyes, she sees Nia laughing at her, so tonight she's gonna make her feel her pain.
Kurt Angle is on his phone when Enzo rolls up on him again. He's been getting ready for his celebration, but he needs Angle's help. He's catching vibes of jealousy and people are jealous, so he needs a no-contact clause. If Neville or any of the cruiserweights lay hands on him, they forfeit any opportunity at the title. Kurt gives it to him and tells him he's very annoying before returning to his phone call.
Nia Jax makes her entrance, but the tag team match will have to wait until after the break.
Back from commercial, we get the Hispanic Heritage Month video about Julio Cesar Chavez, followed by a bit of hype for 205 Live tomorrow night, which will feature Akira Tozawa vs. Tony Nese.
Bayley & Sasha Banks vs. Emma & Nia Jax
Nia and Bayley to start, the Hugger in with kicks and forearms but Jax catches her arm and fires off a headbutt. Corner avalanche, fireman's carry but Banks makes the save and Nia runs her off the apron. Freight train for Bayley, using her as a weapon to keep the Boss off the apron and we go to break.
Back from commercial, Emma in control on Bayley, trying to deny her the tag, short-arm lariat takedown gets a nearfall. Tag to Jax, Hugger slips out of a powerslam but can't get the tag as Nia locks a top wristlock in! Transition into a stepover leg drop armbreaker! Emma legal again, kicking away Hugger throwing elbows and kicks for separation, crawling for the tag, kicking Emma away into Jax and she gets the tag!
Boss in hot, shoulder blocks and a dropkick, off the ropes into a tilt-a-whirl headscissors, double knees in the corner, straitjacket neckbreaker and the match starts to break down! Bayley crossbodies Nia on the floor and gets caught but slips out and Sasha finishes the job! Hugger shoves her into the ringpost and Banks heads back in but Emma catches her with a small package for two!
Big punch, thinking about a slam, O'Connor roll attempt, blind tag to Bayley, sliding knee from the Boss, nobody home on a dive but Bayley is ready...
Bayley & Sasha Banks win by pinfall with a Bayley-to-Belly from Bayley on Emma.
Enzo is backstage being himself as we go to break.
Back from commercial we get some hype for next week, featuring Rollins vs. Strowman and Reigns vs. Miz with the Intercontinental Championship on the line.
Enzo Amore makes his entrance, he does the deal. He gets in the ring, where there's an easel with a cloth draped over it. He says it was all a dream but that dream became reality, and he's the Cruiserweight Champion. He knows we want to hear about his night but he's gonna start with the morning. He woke up in his California king bed and he saw the most beautiful woman he ever laid eyes on.
He looked into her eyes and started reflecting. He says everyone's jealous, just like his former tag partner Big Cass, who had the nerve to say he held him back, but from the looks of things now, Enzo was the one holding HIM up. He talks about "You can't wrestle!" chants and says John Cena, Batista, and the Rock get those too, and he has the mainstream power just like them.
So in order to celebrate his greatness, he pulls the cloth off and he's retiring his jersey. He did something seemingly impossible, he made 205 Live relevant. Look at the statistics, there's Forbes articles, and he did it by being the Smacktalker Skywalker--
Enter literally all the other cruiserweights to the stage. Enzo does the cuppa haters gimmick and asks if Rich Swann is in there because he can hardly see him, he's so small. He calls him a nobody that danced his way to the championship and then danced his way back to being a nobody. Cedric "the Entertainer" Alexander, who he calls the Man That Charisma Forgot.
Gran Metalik is up next, and Enzo likes him, but he's got nerve coming out here, with a gut like that he needs a scale because there's no way he's under 205. Drew Gulak next, he's glad he wore a suit rather than the Captain Underpants gimmick. He calls Jack Gallagher "teacup" before rhyming Noam with dome--
Enter Neville. Amore says he looks terrible and asks him where his crown is before saying it's on the shoulder of a real man. He makes fun of the King's ears and says he can see the pain in his eyes, because the truth hurts. He then duck walks before Neville starts up. He says Enzo is right, the truth is brutal, and the truth is that Amore is such an unbearable, toxic individual, he's alienated everybody he comes in contact with.
He says Enzo arrived on Raw to much fanfare and just two short years later he's dumped on his doorstep like an unwanted slug because nobody else will have him. If it were up to him, he would have left Amore out in the cold to rot, but these gentlemen behind him, these so-called nobodies insisted that he get the opportunity.
Is this how you repay them, Enzo? Amore says he repays them by getting eyes on them and making them all stars. Neville takes issue with this, saying Enzo is nothing but a disgrace and has done nothing but make a joke out of them, this division, his Cruiserweight Championship, and when he kicked him where the sun doesn't shine he made a joke out of him. So now, on behalf of the entire cruiserweight division-- Enzo Amore, Neville's here to end you.
The King drops the mic and heads inexorably to the ring as Enzo sputters about the no-contact clause. He points out that this is the last hour of Raw, the main event, and in the nine months he was champion he never sniffed the main event. Amore says he's the only star, and none of them can touch his merchandise checks. So do him a favor, he'll see you tomorrow, get out of his ring.
He reiterates about the no-contact, Neville considers his situation... ROLLING SOLEBUTT! HE THROWS ENZO INTO HIS OWN RETIRED JERSEY AND DUMPS AMORE OUTSIDE! INTO THE BARRICADE! AGAIN, CHARGING AT FULL SPEED! Enzo breaks away and goes to leave but the other cruiserweights block his path and give the King an opportunity to throw him back in the ring! HE JAMS THE NO-CONTACT PAPER IN HIS MOUTH... BASEMENT SUPERKICK!
RED ARROW!
THAT'S THE SHOW, FOLKS!