By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
WWE Raw (Episode 1,424)
Live from Orlando, Florida at Amway Center
Aired September 7, 2020 on USA Network
[Hour One] The Raw opening kicked off the episode… Michael Cole, Byron Saxton, and Samoa Joe were on commentary. Cole noted that he was filling in for Tom Phillips, who had the week off…
Randy Orton made his entrance while the broadcast team hyped his match against Keith Lee. Orton said he could talk about all the wrestlers he’s kicked in the skull, but Raw only lasts three hours. Orton boasted that he kicked Drew McIntyre’s head and broke his jaw. Highlights aired of Orton’s attacks on McIntyre. Orton suggested that McIntyre should hand him the WWE Championship.
An ambulance siren interrupted Orton’s promo. An ambulance pulled into the arena near the stage. WWE Champion Drew McIntyre exited the ambulance and then attacked Orton in the ring. McIntyre ducked a charging Orton, hit the ropes, and then delivered a Claymore Kick. McIntyre exited the ring while Cole labeled him stubborn, resolute, and dangerously proud…
Powell’s POV: Did Amway Center throw in an ambulance for WWE to use? It feels like we see one at least once a week on WWE television lately.
Footage aired from earlier today of Bobby Lashley, MVP, and Shelton Benjamin walking backstage. MVP accused a janitor of saying something about his mother. Lashley grabbed the guy by the throat. Benjamin hit the janitor. MVP told him to watch himself or he could get hurt…
Apollo Crews made his entrance for another Hurt Business six-man tag match… [C]
Backstage, Adam Pearce and two security guards confronted McIntyre. Pearce noted that McIntyre wasn’t medically cleared to appear and added that he needed him to leave the premises. McIntyre said he did what he needed to do and would comply. After McIntyre walked away, Pearce told the security guards that they didn’t need any more surprises…
Crews and Ricochet were standing in the ring. Cedric Alexander made his entrance and was attacked from behind by the Hurt Business on the stage…
1. “The Hurt Business” Bobby Lashley, MVP, and Shelton Benjamin vs. Apollo Crews, Ricochet, and Cedric Alexander. Alexander shook off the attack while Crews started the match for his team. Crews was isolated and was reaching to tag Ricochet when Alexander pulled Ricochet off the apron and attacked him.
Alexander entered the ring and hit a Backstabber on Crews while MVP and Lashley high-fived. Benjamin looked shocked. Benjamin waited for Crews to stand up, then hit him with his Paydirt finisher and pinned him.
“The Hurt Business” Bobby Lashley, MVP, and Shelton Benjamin beat Apollo Crews, Ricochet, and Cedric Alexander in 4:25.
After the match, Alexander stood on the apron and smiled while The Hurt Business applauded him. Alexander dropped off the apron and pointed at the trio…
Powell’s POV: Crews lot the U.S. Title by submission, and Ricochet’s talents are squandered. With that in mind, it’s actually become tough to blame Alexander. It was odd that he didn’t join the Hurt Business in the middle of the ring afterward and headed to the back on his own.
Cole hyped Dominik Mysterio vs. Murphy while nothing that Rey Mysterio is sidelined by a torn triceps… An ad for Tuesday’s NXT hyped the cage match and the match for vacant NXT Championship… [C]
2. Raw Tag Team Champions “The Street Profits” Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins vs. Angel Garza and Andrade (w/Zelina Vega) in a non-title match. Cole noted that the Profits had been champions for 188 days. The broadcast team also recapped Angel Garza bailing when Retribution attacked last week. During the entrances, Andrade and Vega stormed past Garza, who was kneeling on the stage.
Andrade and Garza bickered at ringside. During the match, Andrade was looking for a tag when Garza dropped off the apron and argued with Vega. Garza asked if they need him. She said they do, but he left anyway. Seconds later, Ford performed a top rope splash and got the pin…
Raw Tag Champions The Street Profits beat Angel Garza and Andrade in 1:55 in a non-title match.
After the match, Smackdown Tag Champions Cesaro and Shinsuke Nakamura came out holding their tag titles… [C]
Powell’s POV: I hope this is last Profits vs. Andrade and Garza match. I like these teams, but the company has run their lopsided feud into the ground. The referee made an interesting count on the pinfall. He counted to two, then repositioned himself so that he could see the should of Andrade, then hit the mat or the third time. I assume Cesaro and Nakamura showing up means we’re getting a champion vs. champion match at Clash of Champions.
Coming out of the break, Cesaro and Nakamura were in the ring with the Street Profits. Cesaro said they were surprised to find out that the Profits are the longest reigning Raw Tag Champions in years. Cesaro said he’s sure people didn’t know because when they think of the Profits, they think of (Nakamura chimed in) basketball, golf, and other games.
Cesaro issued a champions vs. champions match for next week. Dawkins said Ford is family. Ford said they have a real vibe unlike The Bar 2.0. Ford said Cesaro has had so many partners that he might need an STD test. Ford accepted the challenge (they still want the smoke)…
Powell’s POV: My mistake. All titles must be defended at Clash of Champions according to the hype, so it actually makes sense that these teams would have a non-title champion vs. champion match on television.
R-Truth was shown on a restaurant set. A waiter pulled a tray cover off and a ninja’s head was there. Akira Tozawa showed up with other ninjas. Truth took off with the tray that the ninja was on. Truth clearly slipped as he rounded a corner with Tozawa and the other ninjas in pursuit…
Peyton Royce made her entrance while the broadcast team hyped her match against her former IIconics tag team partner… [C]
3. Peyton Royce vs. Billie Kay. Kay’s entrance was also televised and she was listed as “Femme Fatale” on the big screen graphic. Royce and Kay traded early slaps. In the end, Royce threw a high kick and followed up with a neckbreaker that led to her scoring the pin.
Peyton Royce beat Billie Kay in 2:45.
After the match, Royce helped Kay to her feet and hugged her. Cole said it looked like the friendship was still intact…
Powell’s POV: They were both intentionally obnoxious when they were a tag team. Their split was forced by a match stipulation. So who were fans supposed to side with? Are they both heels? This felt pointless.
A video package recapped the recent Mysterio family vs. Seth Rollins and Murphy storyline developments. The broadcast team hyped Dom vs. Murphy for later in the show and labeled Murphy the “disgraced ex disciple of Rollins.” Then they showed a tweet from Rollins that concluded with the line “dig deeper, my disciple.” The entire Mysterio family was shown walking backstage. The broadcast team pointed out Murphy in the background… [C]
The broadcast team recapped the opening segment involving Randy Orton and Drew McIntyre. Cole used the “stubborn, resolute, and dangerously proud” description again…
Powell’s POV: The “stubborn, resolute, and dangerously proud” line is already annoying.
[Hour Two] Rey Mysterio, his wife Angie, daughter Aliyah, and son Dominik headed to the ring together. Rey had a protective sleeve on his right arm. Charly Caruso welcomed the family to the ring and said “you all look amazing, as usual, of course nothing else expected.” Ugh.
Rey said he didn’t have a timetable for his return yet, but he wants to get back and put an end to Rollins. Rey spoke about how proud he is of Dominik and said he knows what he he needs to do to put an end to Murphy.
Murphy interrupted from the big screen before Dominik could answer a question. Murphy said it’s because of Dom that the man who picked him up when he was down turned his back on him. Murphy said Rollins wants nothing to do with him.
Rey said it’s not their fault that Murphy pledged his loyalty to an “evil, selfish, son of a bitch.” Rey told him that he reaps what he sows. Murphy said Dom has a bright future in WWE, but the ultimate sacrifice will be to end it before it begins. Murphy challenged Dominik to a street fight.
Dominik said Murphy terrorized his family just as much as Rollins, so he accepted the challenge. Murphy told Dominik to make sure his family was at ringside so see his final match. Dominik swore that if Murphy put his hands on anyone in his family then it would be his last breath…
Cole hyped Shayna Baszler vs. The Riott Squad, and then Nia Jax vs. Riott Squad in two handicap matches…
Backstage, Adam Pearce explained to Baszler and Jax that the handicap matches stemmed from a claim that Nia made about taking them both on. Pearce spotted McIntyre walking past him. McIntyre indicated that he was leaving…
Raw Women’s Champion Asuka made her entrance. Cole noted that Asuka will defend her title against James next week, but she has to team with her this week… [C]
4. Asuka and Mickie James vs. Natalya and Lana. Lana avoided a Hip Attack near the opponent’s corner, which led to James tagging herself into the match. A graphic hyped Cedric Alexander on the VIP Lounge as coming up later in the show.
Later, James wanted to make a tag, but Asuka was down at ringside. James went to the ropes, but Asuka returned and tagged herself in. Asuka put Lana in the Asuka Lock for the win while James took out Natalya with a Mick Kick.
Asuka and Mickie James defeated Natalya and Lana in 4:50.
After the match, James looked upset by Asuka tagging herself in at the end…
The broadcast team recapped Cedric Alexander attacking Ricochet and Apollo Crews…
Backstage, MVP asked Alexander if he was ready to make it official on the VIP Lounge. Alexander said yes. MVP and Lashley walked away, but Benjamin stayed back and warned Alexander that it not be some type of game…
An ad for Smackdown focused on Bayley’s attack on Sasha Banks, and the Roman Reigns vs. Jey Uso title match at Clash of Champions… [C]
MVP, Bobby Lashley, Shelton Benjamin, and Cedric Alexander walked to the ring where the VIP Lounge set was waiting. Alexander wore his usual t-shirt, while the other three wore Hurt Business shirts. MVP said Alexander made a career changing decision. He gave Alexander a Hurt Business t-shirt.
MVP asked Alexander what made him change his mind. Benjamin said he really wanted to know. Alexander spoke about going broke with his friends, and also pointed out Ricochet’s “one and only” monicker. Alexander started to speak of the Hurt Business being the future.
The Viking Raiders interrupted. Apollo Crews and Ricochet came out and then the foursome rushed the ring and fought with the Hurt Business. The babyfaces cleared the ring and stood tall heading into a break… [C]
5. “The Hurt Business” Bobby Lashley, MVP, Shelton Benjamin, and Cedric Alexander vs. Apollo Crews, Ricochet, and “The Viking Raiders” Erik and Ivar in an eight-man tag match. Several minutes into the match, Ricochet jawed at Alexander until MVP clotheslined him from behind. Alexander tagged in and blasted Ricochet with a Neuralizer that led to a near fall.
Later, Ivar performed a suicide dive that took out Lashley, MVP, and Benjamin. Ivar appeared to be injured. In the ring, Alexander avoided a top rope move and then performed a Michinoku Driver on Ricochet, who kicked out at two, only to have the referee make the three count…
Bobby Lashley, MVP, Shelton Benjamin, and Cedric Alexander defeated Apollo Crews, Ricochet, and The Viking Raiders in 10:15 in an eight-man tag match.
Powell’s POV: Ivar appeared to break his arm when he performed the suicide dive. It looked like it gave out when he bounced off three opponents and then used his arm as a brace for his landing. The arm looked broke if I saw it right, and he was pointing at it right away. Ivar was also shown being tended to after the match. Meanwhile, Ricochet clearly kicked out at two and Cole acknowledged it in the moment. The broadcast team narrated a replay and agreed that Ricochet kicked out. I’m not sure what happened, but perhaps it was related to the Ivar injury. Here’s wishing him the best.
Drew McIntyre was shown walking backstage when Caruso approached him and recalled him telling Adam Pearce that he was leaving 30 minutes ago. McIntyre claimed he grabbed the wrong phone and now he couldn’t find an exit… [C]
Cole plugged the Connor’s Cure charity, then shifted the focus the Aleister Black and Kevin Owens feud…
Backstage, Shane McMahon spoke with the giant doorman. Kevin Owens showed up. Shane said he knew he and Owens had issues in the past, but it was good to see him. Shane held the door open for Owens following some tension, then the doorman held the door open for Shane…
Randy Orton made his entrance after the broadcast team narrated the McIntyre attack from earlier. Cole played up the idea that Orton couldn’t be 100 percent after being attacked. Joe said Orton finds ways to win. Cole hyped that McIntyre will defend his title against Orton at Clash of Champions if McIntyre is cleared to compete. Saxton said that was a big if. Keith Lee made his entrance. [C]
6. Randy Orton vs. Keith Lee. Orton went for an RKO a couple minutes into the match, but Lee didn’t budge. Orton acted shocked.
[Hour Three] Orton was sent to ringside. Lee followed and tried to charge him, but Orton ducked him and Orton crashed into the barricade. Back inside the ring, Orton applied the chinlock of doom. A short time later, Orton went for an RKO, but Lee stayed on his feet and Orton crashed to the mat.
Lee clubbed Orton in the corner twice, then gave him a spinning powerslam for a near fall. Lee powered up Orton in powerbomb position, but Orton slipped out. Orton dropped Lee with an RKO. McIntyre entered the ring and gave Orton a Claymore Kick for the apparent no-contest finish.
Randy Orton fought Keith Lee to an apparent no-contest in 6:40.
Cole referred to McIntyre as “resilient persistent, and tenacious” this time. McIntyre went to the stage where Adam Pearce confronted him and told him that he was putting himself at risk. Three referees ran to the ring to check on Orton, who was selling jaw pain.
Powell’s POV: Lee just disappeared after McIntyre showed up. Will McIntyre strike one more time to even the score since Orton kicked him three times?
Inside Raw Underground, Aleister Black took out an unnamed fighter with a Black Mass kick. Black removed the black wrap that he’d been wearing over his eye. Kevin Owens showed up and tackled Black. Owens picked up Black and ran him into the edge of the rope-less ring, then backdropped him. Shane jumped onto the ring platform and said they’d be back with more Raw Underground. [C]
Backstage, Pearce apologized to Orton, who was still holding his jaw. Orton asked if he was sorry because he couldn’t do his job and keep him out of the building. Orton told Pearce that his words mean nothing…
Powell’s POV: It’s time to give Adam Pearce and actual title. He’s good at what he does, but they thrust him into a soft authority figure role on television without really explaining who he is or what power his character has.
7. Shayna Baszler (w/Nia Jax) vs. Ruby Riott and Liv Morgan in a handicap match. Jax taunted Baszler from ringside. Baszler jawed back and was rolled up and pinned by Morgan.
Ruby Riott and Liv Morgan beat Shayna Baszler in 2:30 in a handicap match.
Jax laughed at ringside. Baszler accused Jax of making her lose the match. [C]
Cole announced Kevin Owens, Keith Lee, and Mickie James for Raw Talk in WWE Network…
The Owens and Black fight continued at Raw Underground. Black put Owens in submission hold, but Owens flung him into something to break it. Owens and Back started throwing punches at the spectators while Shane barked at them to get back in the ring…
Powell’s POV: So the idea is that viewers have been missing out on this heated fight between Owens and Black because WWE is choosing to show handicap matches?
8. Nia Jax (w/Shayna Baszler) vs. Ruby Riott and Liv Morgan in a handicap match. Jax had Riott up in position for a Samoan Drop, but the lights flickered. Morgan tagged in. Riott kicked Jax, then Morgan performed a Codebreaker. Morgan had the pin, but the lights went out and the match stopped.
Nia Jax fought Ruby Riott and Liv Morgan to an apparent no-contest in a handicap match in 3:10.
With the lights out, the Retribution logo appeared on the stage screens. One of the masked figures spoke. “This ThunderDome is only a facade,” she said. “Behind this mountain of screens is the same foundation, the same WWE as before. The same behemoth who discarded and disowned us, leaving us to survive in an unfair world. Where the powerful continue to grow, while we are left to feed on nothing but the scraps of contempt.”
A masked male Retribution member spoke. “But contempt is a powerful motivator. We are driven to destroy… every superstar and every fan blinded, you cannot see what you do not have. So the locust of contempt will feed upon all of you. The darkness of Retribution will seep into the pours of every superstar and all of your so-called universe. We are Retribution.” [C]
Powell’s POV: They couldn’t have interrupted before the first handicap match? This continues to be a campy mess.
The broadcast team spoke at ringside about Retribution. Cole said it will be interesting to see what they have in store for WWE…
Backstage, Sarah Schreiber interviewed the Mysterio family. Rey said Murphy was trying to scare them away from ringside. He said Murphy wants to make a sacrifice out of his son just to get back in the good graces of Seth Rollins. Rey said that they would be in Dominik’s corner and they know how to handle themselves if Murphy tries anything…
The Owens and Black fight continued at Raw Underground. Black caught Owens with a kick. Owens shoved Raw into Dabba-Kato (f/k/a Babatunde) at ringside. Owens went to the floor and shoved Dabba out of the way to grab Black and toss him back onto the platform. Kato tripped Owens and roughed up both men. Shane called off the fight and wrapped up Raw Underground for the week…
Randy Orton was shown holding his jaw while limping away with his luggage backstage. Charly Caruso tried to interview Orton, but Drew McIntyre attacked Orton by the new ring set used for backstage interviews. McIntyre shoved Orton’s jaw into the post and then joined him in the ring. McIntyre blasted Orton with a Claymore Kick…
Powell’s POV: It’s strange seeing Orton dominated so much in one night given how hot he’s been as a heel and with him challenging for the WWE Championship at Clash of Champions, but I get what they are going for with McIntyre evening the score.
The broadcast team recapped the McIntyre and Orton segment, and then Orton was shown being transported via ambulance just as McIntyre was following his attack…
The Mysterio family made their entrance carrying kendo sticks. Cole hyped The Street Profits vs. Cesaro and Shinsuke Nakamura in a champions vs. champions match, and Asuka vs. Mickie James for the Raw Women’s Championship for next week. Murphy made his entrance…
9. Murphy vs. Dominik Mysterio (w/Rey, Angie, and Aliyah Mysterio). Murphy entered the ring and tossed something at Rey, then blasted Dom with a knee to the head. Murphy went on the offensive and took the fight to ringside. Dominik rallied and then climbed onto the second level of the ThunderDome screens and dove onto Murphy. [C]
The fight continued on the stage. Murphy slammed Dominik’s head onto the ramp. Murphy tried to jab Dom’s eye into the ring steps, but Dom avoided it. Murphy has a long stretch on offense. Back in the ring, Murphy ran Dom through the ropes and slammed his shoulder into the ring post several times.
Murphy tied up Dom in the ropes and then went to ringside to grab something from underneath the ring. Angie and Aliyah freed Dom, who slid under the bottom rope into a sunset bomb that drove Murphy through a table that was popped up against the barricade. Dom frogsplashed Murphy for a two count.
Dom tied up Murphy in the ropes. Dom grabbed a kendo stick and hit Murphy with it. Rey entered the ring and looked into the camera while saying that he hoped Seth Rollins was watching. Rey asked Rollins how it felt. Rey went back to ringside and delivered some shots tot he back of Murphy.
Dominik pulled up the spandex shirt of Murphy. Angie and Aliyah entered the ring and joined Dom and Rey in hitting Murphy with kendo stick shots. The referee called for the bell. Cole said Murphy quit.
Dominik Mysterio defeated Murphy in 14:15 in a Street Fight.
After the match, the entire Mysterio clan continued to beat Murphy with the kendo stick while the production truck went crazy with camera cuts to close the show…
Powell’s POV: As my late granddaddy always said, the family that beats a man with sticks together stays together. Don’t judge my family! Anyway, the kendo stick shots look vicious. So why do they feel the need to do all those camera cuts? They just can’t stop themselves.
Raw was a mixed bag. It had a few decent moments, but it really dragged. I thought we might see a cliffhanger with Retribution given that the NFL doubleheader runs opposite Raw next week, but the angle is still sputtering along without any sense of direction. Let me know what you thought of Raw by assigning it a letter grade in our post show poll. Dot Net Members will hear my same night audio review coming up shortly. I hope you had a great Labor Day weekend.
I love that Vince has the logic of a four year-old. Good guy goes to {local medical facility} in ambulance. Good guy must also leave {local medical facility} in ambulance.
“Ricochet’s talents are squandered.”
He’s a flippy midget with zero personality. He’s nothing but a job guy in any era where the business is healthy.
“it’s actually become tough to blame Alexander. It was odd that he didn’t join the Hurt Business in the middle of the ring afterward and headed to the back on his own.
Even if Alexander turned Heel doesn’t mean he has to join the Hurt Bussiness he can be a solo heel on his own with out joining any group.
How come nobody was thrown into a giant vat of Sour Cream & Onion dip?
Yay…another heel faction who have been put together because they are all African American, and now another black guy has joined them! Hello 1996!
Hello every channel on TV at the moment. They should probably be faces, but the idea of a group being all black at this time in history is entirely relevant and acceptable.
Based on the first Retribution member saying the “behemoth” WWE discarded and disowned the members of that faction, it sounds like the group is made up of wrestlers fired during the pandemic. I’m drawing a blank remembering the names of the recently let go beyond Heath Slater and EC3, and I can’t recall any of the female wrestlers cut by WWE in 2020. Could that be your faction, maybe with a current wrestler still with the company as their leader, but having his or her own agenda vs. WWE (like Seth, or Reigns/Heyman, who were both recently mistreated by Vince?). Any other suggestion?