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WWE Monday Night Raw comes waltzing back into our lives tonight (Aug. 2, 2021) from the Allstate Arena in Chicago, Illinois, featuring all the latest build to the upcoming SummerSlam pay-per-view (PPV) set for later this month in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Advertised for tonight: Goldberg returns to the show after a week away to respond to Bobby Lashley denying his challenge for a WWE championship match, Nikki A.S.H. vs. Charlotte Flair in a No Holds Barred non-title match, Matt Riddle takes on Omos in a singles match while we await the return of Randy Orton, and more!
Come right back here at 8 p.m. ET when the Raw live blog will kick 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 AUG. 2
I ran away with myself, I think I ran a little too far. Your love is more than a tease and I’m gonna give it all of my heart, but first I have to liveblog this here pro wrestling show, folks.
The show opens with Bobby Lashley making his entrance, flanked by Montel Vontavious Porter as usual.
MVP gets on the mic and welcomes the live crowd to the show before saying that he knows that everybody is very excited to see Goldberg but before he comes out here, Lashley has asked him to address a few things. A couple weeks ago, Goldberg showed up uninvited to issue a challenge for the WWE Championship, and Bob hasn’t dignified that with a response.
Without question, Goldberg is an icon and a WWE Hall of Famer and he’s still capable of annihilating virtually any given man on any given night, but therein lies the problem— he didn’t challenge “any man”, he challenged the All Mighty. Goldberg is a gladiator used to crushing his opposition, but Bob isn’t a gladiator, he’s a kaiju, a larger-than-life unstoppable monster.
So Porter is here to try and avert a tragedy, because if Lashley accepts, it could very well be the final match of Bill’s storied career, and do you want to be remembered as a champion or a casualty?
Enter Goldberg.
He gets on the mic and wants to get something straight— if anybody should be worried about losing something, it’s Bob losing the WWE Championship. After listening to MVP’s intro, he’s nothing but scared, and Lashley looks scared. He knows what Bobby is thinking— he’s a high-level athlete, a gladiator, and he thinks he’s up for the challenge?
The first time Lashley saw him, he thought he saw a victim, but it doesn’t matter how old he is, Goldberg will always be Goldberg. Goldberg lives by the spear, and the champion will die by the spear. And because he’s Goldberg, at SummerSlam Lashley will be next.
Bill leaves and MVP points out a fan in the crowd to Lashley. Bob gets in his face and tells him he’s gonna get his ass beat but Montel gets in the way and it turns out it’s Goldberg’s kid, and MVP tells him this will be the end of his father’s career. Goldberg comes back down while Porter is jawing... SPEAR!
Bill and his son leave while Bob helps his manager to his feet.
Drew McIntyre is backstage with his sword and an interview in waiting and we go to break.
Drew McIntyre vs. Shanky & Veer (Handicap Match)
McIntyre and Veer to start, he gets overwhelmed after some initial offense and double-team posted into the corner. Shanky runs him over with a lariat, cover for one, tag to Veer, freight training Drew but he can’t keep him down either! McIntyre on his comeback, belly-to-belly suplex, neckbreaker into a kip-up, big spinebuster!
Lying in wait, but Shanky grabs his leg and Jinder Mahal slides in with a chair...
Drew McIntyre wins by disqualification, presumably.
The Indian trio all have chairs and stare McIntyre down as he gets up, Drew slides out but comes back in the ring with his sword! He slices a chair out of Jinder’s hands, Mahal runs away and McIntyre knocks Veer out of the ring with a similar set of shots! Shanky drops his chair out of fear, Drew rears back, and Shanky runs away!
Jinder and his pals are interviewed backstage.
Mahal says they don’t feel safe with Drew out here waving swords around and they’re leaving.
And so we go to break.
Back from commercial, Drew McIntyre and his sword are interviewed backstage.
He says to be fair, he didn’t finish the job against Jinder and his boys, but he might just do it soon. Mahal knows what’s coming and he loves that, and he’s gonna let him pick between the hospital, the graveyard, or Angela, which is the name of his sword, and that’s not a threat, that’s a promise.
Nia Jax vs. Rhea Ripley
Jax shoves her away and beckons her in, collar and elbow, shoving Ripley into the corner and breaking at referee Eddie Orengo’s behest. Boots up, headbutt, Nia shrugs it off and fires her own back, knocking Rhea down! Hip attack sandwiches Ripley’s head into the post! Posting Rhea to follow it up, but she goes for the hip attack again and Ripley sidesteps!
Nia runs away, cannonball off the apron takes Shayna Baszler out and Jax hits a Samoan drop into the barricade to send us to break!
Back from commercial, Jax has her up in an Argentine backbreaker rack, wrenching it in! Elbows get Ripley out of it, right hands, duck under, short-arm lariats into a northern forearm, step-up tijeras! Kick from the apron, Rhea goes up top, missile dropkick takes Nia off her feet but can’t keep her down! Jax gets busted open around the eye at some point in there, off the ropes, leg drop... RHEA KICKS OUT!
Ripley goes for a pumphandle, Shayna runs interference, Rhea thinks fast...
Rhea Ripley wins by pinfall with a schoolboy pin.
Post-match, Jax and Baszler bicker about Nia’s loss, and Shayna storms off.
Ripley returns, roundhouse kick, pumphandle... RIPTIDE!
Mace and T-BAR make their entrance to send us to break.
Extinction (Mace & T-BAR) vs. Mansoor & Mustafa Ali
Mace and Mansoor to start, Ali blasted off the apron but his partner fights like mad to keep from being isolated. Extinction still get him isolated, T-Bar runs Mustafa over with a lariat on the floor and hits a springboard elbow drop on Mansoor... NOPE! After a bit of a heat segment the babyfaces manage to outfox Extinction, Ali hits a wild hanging tornado DDT and makes the tag!
Mansoor accidentally gets kicked into the turnbuckles and crotches Ali, Extinction take advantage...
Extinction win by pinfall with Cyclone Kill from T-BAR on Mansoor.
Post-match, Extinction attack again and Ali sacrifices himself to save Mansoor!
We see Nikki ASH running back and forth to get ready for her match tonight and we go to break.
Back from commercial, Charlotte Flair makes her entrance.
She gets in the ring and on the mic.
She talks about seeing the headline of Simone Biles leaving the Olympics and how she wondered why the greatest gymnast in the world would back out of her dream but then she found out it was for mental health reasons and she couldn’t help but empathize. Two weeks ago at Money in the Bank she won the Raw Women’s Championship but then Nikki ASH stole the title by cashing Money in the Bank in.
She’s been in the business for a long time but the next morning she was at her breaking point. She’s the most decorated woman in the history of this business, and she gets a kendo stick, a broom, and a chair, one weapon for each time she’s been cashed in on, and talks about how she’s gonna beat the crap out of her tonight.
Nikki hits the ring and Charlotte runs off.
Eva Marie and Doudrop are interviewed in Gorilla.
Eva complains about the Lily interruption last week and says that Tamina’s gonna get the same treatment Natalya got last week.
They make their entrance and we go to break.
Back from commercial we get a recap of Natalya’s ankle injury from last week and we get a social media update that tells us that she had to have surgery on it.
Doudrop vs. Tamina
Collar and elbow, grinding strength against strength, Doudrop with a headlock, shot off, shoulder block! Charging lariat in the corner, Eva Marie tries to run interference and eventually succeeds as Doudrop rams Snuka into the corner! Off the ropes, big senton for two, Tamina gets a boot up in the corner and gets herself some separation!
Right hands, duck a lariat, big neckbreaker drop for Snuka! Back elbow in the corner, superkick blocked, heel trip, Eva coaching her but nobody home on the crossbody! Fireman’s carry...
Tamina wins by pinfall with a Samoan drop.
Alexa Bliss appears cackling on the tron with Lily in hand.
She mockingly announces Eva Marie as the loser of the last match and cackles some more.
Damian Priest and Matt Riddle meet up backstage and have a chat.
Well, Riddle rambles at him and Priest has a serious chat about whether or not Matt is worried about Omos beating him up. Matt says he has the power of Randy Orton with him and congratulates Damian on beating Sheamus and asks him why he’s on MizTV instead of celebrating. Priest says if they try anything he’ll make sure John Morrison has a wheelchair set up just like Miz’s.
Miz and Morrison make their entrance to send us to break.
Back from commercial, John Morrison and the Miz are in the ring for MizTV.
Miz welcomes us to the show and introduces Damian Priest as his guest.
Miz issues a bunch of accusations at Priest, including cheating for knocking Sheamus’ facemask off last week. Damian calls Sheamus a badass for fighting with his injury and asks if Miz’s leg is even hurt, or if it’s perhaps a situation between the legs, like as if it were his donger that is hurt.
Priest says he used to put bullies in their place and now he gets to do it every night, Morrison gets in his face and threatens to moisten him, and Damian fires back that nobody grows up wanting to be second fiddle or a loudmouth jackass that will use anybody to get ahead, including his best friend.
Damian says he came out here to officially challenge Sheamus, but John pissed him off so he’d rather just kick his ass right here in Chicago. Priest fends off an attack from Morrison and claps his ears before throwing him to the floor and turning to the Miz. The A-Lister wheels away, Priest grabs a drip stick and squirts him point blank!
And so we go to break.
Damian Priest vs. John Morrison
Morrison catches a kick and backs him into the corner, boot up, kick him down, Priest with a leaping back elbow, John floats over a suplex, shove to the corner, up and over, enzuigiri connects! Springboard leg lariat for two, Morrison comes back with a kick combo, stepover armbar, knee lifts to block, elbows, kicks, Damian drops him with a lariat!
Miz runs interference with the water gun, Morrison comes over, fighting on the apron, Priest with a goozle, reversed to a victory roll, sliding knee, standing shooting star press... STILL NO! Superkick, crucifix DDT...
Damian Priest wins by pinfall with South of Heaven.
Post-match, Sheamus attacks Priest but Ricochet makes the save and he and Damian clear the ring and send us to break.
Damian Priest & Ricochet vs. John Morrison & Sheamus
Match joined in progress, heels get to work on Ricochet on the floor by the time I finish the header and Morrison slip-and-slides the One and Only face-first into the steel steps! Back inside, Ricochet gets a German suplex off after a moment and makes the tag! Priest in hot with forearms, boot up in the corner, kick to the midsection staggers him but he reverses Moonlight Drive into a spin-out Air Raid Siren backbreaker! South of Heaven... NOPE!
Sending Sheamus to the floor, Ricky hits the kickflip moonsault, Damian goes in and almost gets caught with a small package! Forearm to block a kick, Priest gets him...
Damian Priest & Ricochet win by pinfall with Reckoning from Priest on John Morrison.
A recap of our opening segment follows, because Raw is three hours long. (Three hours long.)
We see Bobby Lashley pacing backstage, he’ll answer Goldberg’s challenge, after the break.
Back from commercial, Bobby Lashley and Montel Vontavious Porter are interviewed.
Bob says he hopes Goldberg brings his son to SummerSlam so he can watch him annihilate him.
Omos is interviewed in Gorilla.
He says he destroyed Riddle’s scooter first and his spine comes next.
Matt Riddle vs. Omos
Riddle on Omos before the bell, sleeper hold, Omos slings him off and palms his face to throw him in the corner! Referee Rod Zapata gains control and we get a bell!
Omos throws Matt to the floor, Zapata counts... RIDDLE BEATS THE COUNT! Back inside, a headbutt knocks him to the apron and a shoulder block sends him sprawling to the floor again! Slingshot back inside, big knees, the big man shrugs them off but a springboard roundhouse sends him into the ropes! He drops Matt with a lariat and draws him up...
Omos wins by pinfall with the chokebomb.
Alexa Bliss appears from the playground.
She says Lily has been thrilled by the way the Lily-lution is going but she’s been influencing people for some time, from Jack the Ripper to the Zodiac to— DOUDROP ATTACKS FROM BEHIND! Eva Marie picks Lily up and talks about how gross she is before walking off and leaving Alexa writhing.
Ominous music plays as the doll stands up.
Karrion Kross makes his entrance to send us to break.
Back from commercial, we get a Karrion Kross promo about how Keith Lee’s time is numbered and he too shall fall and pray.
Karrion Kross vs. Keith Lee
Lee lighting him up with strikes in the corner, looking for Grizzly Magnum but Kross turns him around and puts boots to him! Bear hug, Karrion blocks with elbows, whip reversed, big shoulder blocks! Back body drop puts Keith on the apron, slingshot shoulder block wipes Kross out! Karrion fires back an exploder suplex, another one on the floor and into the steps as we go to break!
Back from commercial, Kross gets away from a short-arm lariat, off the ropes, lariat of his own for two! Krossjacket applied, but Lee manages to pry his arm down and sling him off! Keith gets him up...
Keith Lee wins by pinfall with the Spirit Bomb!
Rhea Ripley is interviewed backstage.
She says she’ll be watching Flair/ASH tonight and she hopes Nikki beats the living hell out of Charlotte, but no matter what she’ll be walking out of SummerSlam as champion.
Reginald makes his entrance, he’ll be in action after the break.
Back from commercial, Reginald gets an inset promo where he admits that he’s not really French and he’s Reggie now.
Akira Tozawa vs. Reggie (c) (WWE 24/7 Championship)
Both men working evasions early, Tozawa turns it into a dance-off, collar and elbow, go-behind, standing switches, stalemate! Action to the floor, into the barricade, back in and Akira somehow scrapes his face across the bottom rope! Whip across, Reginald floats over, Tozawa begs off and activates his ninja powers!
Reggie nails him with a backflip back elbow...
Reggie wins by pinfall with the flipping seated senton to retain the WWE 24/7 Championship.
Nikki ASH is interviewed in Gorilla.
She says she’s never been in a match as dangerous as the one she’s in tonight, but part of almost being a superhero is that you don’t know what to expect but you have to give it your best. Last week Charlotte beat her, but she knows that she can beat her, and if she does, she’ll prove to the entire world that if you believe in yourself, you can almost be a superhero.
Nikki makes her entrance to send us to break.
Charlotte Flair vs. Nikki ASH (No Holds Barred Match)
ASH with a crossbody out the gates but Flair cuts her off with a knee and smashes her into the turnbuckles! Charging in, roll under, STO backbreaker into the reverse STO in the ropes! Charlotte jawing at her, action to the floor, Flair beating her down and the Queen drags a table out from under the ring! Charlotte leans the table against the apron and scoops Nikki up but she floats over and puts Flair into the post!
Charging over, Charlotte gets a right hand or two and then spears her through the barricade to send us to break!
Back from commercial, Charlotte in control, jockeying for position in the turnbuckles, ASH off the top but nobody’s home on the crossbody! Flair with a big boot, only two! Nikki with a tornado DDT off the apron to buy herself some time, but Flair puts her over the barricade and into the crowd! Charlotte catches her off hte barricade... POWERBOMB THROUGH THE ANNOUNCE TABLE!
Dragging ASH back into the ring, one-foot pin... NOT ENOUGH! Nikki trying to get to her feet, collapsing, tears in her eyes, Charlotte lying in wait... ASH ROLLS AWAY AND FLAIR PUTS HERSELF THROUGH A TABLE IN THE CORNER! One-arm pin... FLAIR KICKS OUT! Nikki follows it up by hanging her on the ropes...
Nikki ASH wins by pinfall with a dragon screw neck whip.
Nikki stands tall with the title.
That’s the show, folks.