By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
WWE Raw (Episode 1,478)
Live from Raleigh, North Carolina at PNC Arena
Aired September 20, 2021 on USA Network
[Hour One] Raw opened with a recap from last week of Bobby Lashley beating Randy Orton to retain the WWE Championship only to have Big E successfully cash in the Money in the Bank contract… The broadcast team was Jimmy Smith, Corey Graves, and Byron Saxton, and Mike Rome was the ring announcer…
Big E delivered the backstage New Day introduction. Big E, Kofi Kingston, and Xavier Woods made their entrance. The crowd chanted “you deserve it” for Big E. He thanked the fans and said he was thankful for everyone who lost their minds when he became the new WWE Champion.
Big E said he was thankful for everyone below the heavens and one above. Big E stopped when a “Brodie” chant broke out. Big E said they had town business with Roman Reigns and The Usos. He said Raw is their show and they would send The Bloodline packing. He set up the crowd and they chanted “New Day rocks.”
Roman Reigns’ music played. WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns, Paul Heyman, and Smackdown Tag Team Champions Jimmy and Jey Uso made their entrance. Once in the ring, Reigns raised his title belt and then Big E did the same. Graves hyped the six-man tag match as coming up next. Reigns and Big E jawed at one another heading into a break. [C]
1. “The Bloodline” Roman Reigns, Jimmy Uso, and Jey Uso (w/Paul Heyman) vs. “New Day” Big E, Kofi Kingston, and Xavier Woods. A graphic listed Randy Orton vs. AJ Styles for later in the show. Reigns pulled legal man Kingston to ringside and ran him into the broadcast table and the ring steps before tossing him over the broadcast table. [C]
Kingston was isolated coming out of the break. He eventually leapt fro the ropes and stomped Jimmy before tagging in Big E, who entered the match at the same time as Reigns. Big E and Reigns traded shots. Big E executed three suplexes on Reigns. Reigns took out one of the Usos, but then Reigns put him down with a uranage slam for a near fall.
Big E stuffed a Superman Punch. Big E suplexed Reigns and followed up with a running splash. Big E hoisted up Reigns for his finisher, but Reigns slipped away. Woods tagged in. Big E launched Kingston onto both Usos at ringside. Reigns hit E with a Superman Punch. Moments later, Woods superkicked Reigns for a near fall.
Bobby Lashley ran out and speared Big E. Lashley picked up Kingston and ran his head into the ring post. Lashley also roughed up the Usos at ringside. Woods was distracted by Lashley’s actions and then turned into a spear from Reigns, who pinned him.
“The Bloodline” Roman Reigns, Jimmy Uso, and Jey Uso defeated “New Day” Big E, Kofi Kingston, and Xavier Woods in 13:05.
After the match, Lashley entered the ring and speared Reigns. Lashley went to ringside and speared Big E through the barricade in front of the timekeepers area…
Powell’s POV: Viewers were treated to a taste of Big E vs. Reigns, but the match was wisely laid out in a way that it didn’t give away too much. The post match angle with Lashley taking out everyone was really well done in terms of it serving as a bounce back moment for him after dropping the WWE Championship last week. I hope there’s more to come from Reigns, Heyman, and the Usos tonight in this rare Raw appearance.
An NXT 2.0 ad aired for Tuesday’s show…
Bobby Lashley was shown walking backstage when he entered the office of Adam Pearce and Sonya Deville. Lashley said Big E cashed in the Money in the Bank contract on him while he was clearly hurt. Lashley dubbed himself the real champion. He said he would beat Big E or Roman Reigns in singles matches. Pearce and Deville stood there speechless…
The broadcast team noted MVP’s injury from last week’s RKO (actually a knee injury from many months ago)…
Riddle entered Randy Orton’s locker room and pondered what his spirit animal would be. Orton told Riddle to keep Omos busy at ringside while he attempts to break a few of AJ Styles’ ribs inside the ring…
Eva Marie made her entrance for another match with Doudrop while footage aired from their feud… [C] Doudrop made her entrance. Eva took the mic and said she’s not one for shaming, but she’s put together and Doudrop is a mess. “Girls like you can never beat women like me,” Eva said…
The broadcast team hyped Survivor Series for November 21 in Brooklyn, New York at Barclays Center and Raw the following night in the same venue…
2. Eva Marie vs. Doudrop. Doudrop charged Eva, who rolled to ringside to start the match. Doudrop chased Eva, who rolled out multiple times. Eventually, Eva raked the eyes of Doudrop, who ended up catching her and slamming her to the mat. Doudrop performed a senton followed by a running cross body splash on a seated Eva and scored the pin.
Doudrop defeated Eva Marie in 1:20.
After the match, Doudrop looked into the camera and said it was over…
Backstage, Big E told Pearce and Deville that he wanted to face Lashley and Reigns tonight. “Make it happen,” he barked. They once again remained speechless as he exited the room…
Powell’s POV: As a viewer, I won’t complain if we get that Triple Threat tonight. But it feels like a big match that should get at least a week of build and hype.
Randy Orton and Riddle made their entrance for Orton’s match against AJ Styles… [C] An ad aired for the WWE Draft that starts October 1 on Smackdown and concludes October 4 on Raw…
Paul Heyman entered the authority figures’ office and waited for them to wrap up their phone calls. Heyman spoke of how Lashley and Big E came in yelling, while he brings a message from the Tribal Chief. Heyman and Pearce bickered. Deville announced Big E vs. Roman Reigns vs. Bobby Lashley in a Triple Threat match for later in the show. Heyman told Pearce to have a great night and smiled as he left the room…
[Hour Two] AJ Styles and Omos made their entrance while the broadcast team hyped the Triple Threat match…
3. AJ Styles (w/Omos) vs. Randy Orton (w/Riddle). Riddle led the crowd in a “Randy” chant from ringside to start the match. Orton took offensive control. He backed into the ropes and was tripped by Omos. The referee ejected Omos from ringside. Riddle taunted the big man by singing the goodbye song. Omos turned around and dropped Riddle with an uppercut. Styles dumped a distracted Orton to the floor and then leapt over the top rope and hit him with a forearm shot. “I’ll take it from here,” Styles told Omos, who started to make his exit. [C]
Orton set up for a draping DDT, but Styles pulled him into the ropes. Styles set up for his finisher. Orton caught him on the ropes in RKO position. Styles countered into a sleeper that Orton eventually escaped. Orton performed a Riddle style suplex, which excited Riddle at ringside. Orton covered Styles for a two count.
Styles threw a series of strikes that he capped off with a Pele Kick and then covered Orton for a near fall. Styles set up for a Styles Clash, but Orton avoided it and sat down on him for a two count. Styles came right back with a diving forearm shot. Styles performed a springboard moonsault for another near fall.
Styles set up for a Phenomenal Forearm, but he opted to go after Riddle with a kick instead. Styles hit Orton with a forearm shot. Styles teased the Phenomenal Forearm and stopped when Orton teased the RKO. Orton kicked Styles, gave him a Draping DDT, and dropped him with an RKO before pinning him…
Randy Orton beat AJ Styles in 15:30.
Powell’s POV: We’ve seen Styles do his Phenomenal Forearm leap into an RKO, and we’ve seen him head fake Orton when Orton went for an RKO, so this was a fun twist on their past finishes. Is the clean loss a sign that Style will be moving brands in the upcoming draft? Perhaps, but it’s not like we haven’t seen heel Styles lose television matches.
A video package aired on Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler… Jax made her entrance for a match against Baszler… An ad for Smackdown focused on King Nakamura vs. Apollo Crews for the Intercontinental Championship… [C] Baszler made her entrance coming out of the break…
4. Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler. Jax and Baszler barked at one another and pushed and shoved. Jax hoisted up Baszler in Samoan Drop position and then set her down. Jax said it was easy and said she’s the winner. Baszler stomped Jax’s foot and threw kicks, but Jax cut her off with a punch and then performed a shoulder breaker.
Baszler caught Jax in the Kirifuda Clutch. Jax escaped the hold, but Baszler threw kicks at her and reapplied the hold. Jax powered up and then fell on top of Baszler, but Baszler maintained the hold and got the win via ref stoppage.
Shayna Baszler defeated Nia Jax in 2:20.
After the match, Jax rolled to the apron. Baszler kicked Jax and knocked her to the floor. Baszler followed and then threw kicks at Jax’s left arm. Baszler pulled the ring steps apart and then placed Jax’s left wrist inside a hole in the side of the steps before stomping it. Baszler stood on Jax’s wrist. Jax begged her to stop. Baszler looked anguished, but she stomped the arm again. Trainers tended to Jax at ringside…
Powell’s POV: A strange angle. I like that Baszler went over and showed off her mean streak through her actions, but I’m not sure why she acted so conflicted by what she did. The fans didn’t seem to have much sympathy for Jax, which is understandable given that she’s been a heel for so long and has yet to actually turn babyface.
Footage aired of Eva Marie appearing with the American Ninja Warrior Junior hosts and then the broadcast team hyped the show for Peacock…
5. Mustafa Ali and Mansoor vs. Humberto Carrillo and Angel Garza. Both entrances were televised. A pre-tape aired with Carrillo and Garza talking about being family and handsome. Ali caught Carrillo with a nice tornado DDT and then both men tagged out. Later, there was a sequence where Carrillo thew Mansoor into the barricade and then Ali did the same to Carillo. Garza went to ringside and ran Ali into the ring post, which Ali sold by leaping face first into the post. Back inside the ring, Carrillo put Ali in a submission hold and then Garza dropkicked Ali. Garza covered Ali and pinned him…
Humberto Carrillo and Angel Garza beat Mustafa Ali and Mansoor in 2:50.
Powell’s POV: Fun while it lasted. Carrillo and Garza are great opponents, but the legit cousins have real upside as a tag team.
A Karrion Kross video package aired…
Rhea Ripley and Nikki ASH made their entrance and stopped on the stage. ASH said they wanted to talk to the fans about Connor’s Cure before they challenge for the WWE Women’s Tag Titles. Ripley got emotional. They dedicated their match to the kids, everyone who is affected by pediatric cancer, and everyone who has donated to Connor’s Cure. They led the crowd in holding up their arms in a V and yelling victory…
6. Natalya and Tamina vs. Rhea Ripley and Nikki ASH for the WWE Women’s Tag Titles. Natalya and Tamina’s entrance was televised. Natalya and Tamina performed a Hart Attack clothesline on ASH and had her beat in the first 30 seconds of the match, but Ripley broke up the pin.
A short time later, Tamina put ASH down with a Samoan Drop. Tamina went up top for a splash, but ASH put her knees up (even though they barely made contact with Tamina). Ripley took out Tamina with a senton off the apron and then performed a Riptide on the apron. In the ring, ASH caught a distracted Natalya in an inside cradle and scored the pin…
Rhea Ripley and Nikki ASH defeated Natalya and Tamina in 2:35 to win the WWE Women’s Tag Titles.
Powell’s POV: I guess Shotzi and Nox won’t their title shot against Natalya and Tamina despite beating them in three straight non-title matches. Anyway, it was time for a title change. Natalya and Tamina were booked to lose so many non-title matches that they and the tag titles lost credibility.
Highlights aired of last week’s Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss segments, including Flair throwing the Charly doll in the trash… Alexa Bliss made her entrance with Lilly the doll… [C]
[Hour Three] The broadcast team hyped the Triple Threat main event…
Alexa Bliss sat on her swing set inside the ring and introduced Raw Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair. Bliss pulled out the Charly doll. A freaking “Charly” chant broke out. Flair said she didn’t want the doll. The crowd booed. Flair said she wants Bliss, the old Bliss. She said she wants Five Feet of Fury, the mean girl, and championship material Bliss.
Flair said Bliss can fool everyone in the building and at home, but she can’t fool her. She said everything Bliss is doing is to hide how fragile she really is. Flair said Bliss used to walk to the ring with a title in her arm and now she walks to the ring with a doll in her arm. “How does it feel that the doll is more popular than you?” Flair said.
Flair called Bliss’s mind games a joke. She asked how she went from headlining WrestleMania 35 to playing with dolls on Raw. Flair said she’s beaten an almost superhero and a Nightmare, and now she’s going to beat a grown ass woman who dresses like a kid. Flair said she was going to make it her job to beat the sense back into Bliss. She asked Bliss if she wanted her to do it on Raw or wait for Extreme Rules.
Bliss said everyone gets it, Flair is the best and has won more titles than any other woman. She said that also means she has lost more titles than every other woman. Bliss asked Flair who she is without a title. Bliss said nobody knows because even Flair doesn’t know. She said Flair has nothing to brag about if she doesn’t have a title over her shoulder.
Bliss said she doesn’t have to play mind games to expose Flair’s insecurities because they were stamped on her forehead. Bliss said Flair is terrified of the Raw Women’s Championship moving on without her and leaving her with nothing. She asked what Flair would say to the people if she didn’t have a title. The fans wooo’ed. “That’s not even originally yours,” Bliss said. Flair responded by saying, “Let’s not talk about originality.”
Bliss said she gave Flair the doll as a pity gift because even a self-centered bitch like her deserves happiness. Bliss said Flair could call her crazy, but at least she knows who she is. Bliss said Flair could call her crazy tonight, but she would call her champ at Extreme Rules. Flair laughed at her. Flair mocked the idea of Bliss asking who she was without the title and then said she would never find out.
Flair shoved Bliss, who charged her. Flair knocked Bliss down with a kick to the head. Bliss hopped on Flair’s back, but Flair quickly flipped her to the mat. Flair held up the Charly doll and then tore its head off and dropped it on Bliss. Flair went for Lilly. Bliss climbed on her back again. Bliss ended up putting Flair down with a DDT. Bliss grabbed Lilly and held it while Flair left the ring…
Powell’s POV: So far so good in terms of Flair not being asked to play along with the possessed doll nonsense. I hope this is a transition point for Bliss now that they’ve established that she’s been playing mind games.
Backstage, Drake Maverick laid out his plan to R-Truth, Akira Tozawa, and Drew Gulak for dropping a net on Reggie and taking the WWE 24/7 Championship. Maverick said he would give Truth the word on when to drop the net. Truth wondered what the word was. Reggie walked into the area. Gulak tried to lure him under the net, but it dropped on Gulak instead. Reggie did his usual antics to avoid them…
The broadcast team listed the number to call to vote for The Miz on ABC’s Dancing With The Stars… Jeff Hardy made his entrance… [C] Sheamus made his entrance…
7. Jeff Hardy vs. Sheamus. If Hardy wins, he will be added to the U.S. Championship match at Extreme Rules. U.S. Champion Damian Priest sat in on commentary. Sheamus slammed Hardy on the mat. Sheamus removed his face shield and clotheslined Hardy. [C]
Hardy hit Sheamus with a shot to the face. Sheamus checked his nose, which bled. Later, Hardy went for a Twist of Fate, but Sheamus avoided it and blasted him with a knee to the head and covered him for a good near fall. Hardy ducked a Brogue Kick and put Sheamus down with a Twist of Fate. Hardy went up top and performed a Swanton, but Sheamus put his knees up. Sheamus tried to pick up Hardy, who rolled him up and pinned him.
Jeff Hardy defeated Sheamus in 9:00 to earn a spot in the U.S. Championship match at Extreme Rules.
After the match, Sheamus approached Priest and blamed him for his loss. Sheamus shoved Priest, who then traded punches with him at ringside until referees pulled them apart. Priest went to the apron and dove onto Sheamus and threw more punches at him. Sheamus recovered and ran Priest into the ring post. Both men ended up inside the ring. Priest clotheslined Sheamus over the top rope and both men tumbled to ringside…
The broadcast team hyped the Triple Threat main event… [C]
Powell’s POV: Poor Sheamus. I’m not sure if he was ditching the face shield for good when he removed it prior to the commercial break or if it was just for this match, but he ended up taking a shot that bloodied his nose again. It’s nice to see Hardy in a meaningful match, but you have to wonder if he’s just there to take the pin.
The broadcast team recapped Reigns winning the six-man tag opener and the post match attack by Bobby Lashley… Entrances for the main event took place…
8. WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns (w/Paul Heyman) vs. WWE Champion Big E vs. Bobby Lashley in a non-title Triple Threat match. Big E and Lashley went at it to start the match while Reigns watched. Big E got the better of it, but Reigns caught him with a Drive By Kick during the opening minute. [C]
Reigns hit Lashley with repeated clotheslines in the corner while Big E was down at ringside. Reigns placed Lashley in a seated position on the top rope. Lashley fought him off temporarily, but Reigns blasted him with an uppercut. Reigns set up Lashley for a superplex. Big E returned to the ring and slid under Reigns to turn it into a tower of doom spot. [C]
Reigns performed three suplexes on Reigns while Lashley was at ringside. Big E ran the rope and Lashley tripped him from the floor and dragged him to ringside where he ran him into the barricade. Lashley entered the ring and put Reigns down with a Flatliner. Lashley barked that it’s his house. Lashley held up Reigns before performing a vertical suplex for a near fall.
Big E returned to the ring and Lashley went after him. Big E performed a suplex on Lashley and then clotheslined Reigns and positioned them next to one another. Big E ran the ropes and performed a splash onto both men and then covered Lashley for a two count. Reigns ended up on the apron. Big E went for his spear, but Reigns caught him with a knee. Lashley tried to cover Big E, but Reigns dumped Lashley to ringside and then covered Big E for a two count.
Big E ducked a Superman Punch and then performed The Big Ending on Reigns. Big E had Reigns pinned, but Lashley pulled Big E to ringside. Lashley ran Big into the barricade and then slammed him through the broadcast table. Lashley entered the ring and went for a spear, but Reigns hit him with a Superman Punch and covered him for a good near fall.
A “this is awesome” chant broke out. Reigns went to his corner and let out the war cry. Reigns charged Lashley, who speared him and had him pinned, but Big E returned to break it up. Lashley tried to put Big E in the Hurt Lock, but Reigns hit Lashley with a Superman Punch. Reigns charged at Big E, who shoved him to ringside. Reigns climbed onto the apron and then Big E speared him through the ropes.
Big E rolled Reigns back inside the ring and hit him with The Big Ending and went for the pin, but Lashley hit Big E with a chair to break it up. Graves pointed out that the chair is legal in a Triple Threat match. Lashley hit Big E with several chair shots. Reigns speared and pinned Lashley…
Roman Reigns defeated Bobby Lashley and Big E in 20:10 in a non-title Triple Threat match.
Powell’s POV: A really fun main event between three of WWE’s top stars. It felt special to see Reigns on Raw after such a long absence, and it felt special to see those three guys in the same match. Lashley was the right guy to take the loss and I don’t think he lost much given how competitive the match was.
Overall, WWE was able to fill the three hours of Raw much better than they usually do. Obviously, bringing in Reigns and The Usos and having Reigns and Big E do double duty helped the cause. I can’t say that they really moved me when it came to the brand’s final push for WWE Extreme Rules, but this was certainly better than the average episode of Raw in 2021. I will be back shortly with my weekly same night audio review for Dot Net Members. Let me know what you thought of the show by grading it in our post show poll below.
Join me for my live review of WWE Extreme Rules on Sunday night.
Don’t Styles and Heyman have real life heat? I can’t envision them being on the same show for long
They’re not on the same show currently though. AJ’s on Raw, while Heyman is on Smackdown with The Bloodline, and I don’t see that changing in the Draft
I think by now they’ve buried the hatchet, or at least can work together with no issue. They were both on Smackdown last year, and have even done some Talking Smack segments together.
I Was there , Having Reigns on Raw in Raleigh was very cool he looks , walks, talks like a champion , crowd was on fire.
Saw the little clip where Finn in uk talked to the camera to Reigns about being on raw and him seeing at extreme rules , that was cool keeping the storyline going even with them in different countries.
Garza and Carrillo as tag partners I like it.
Charlotte was cheered of course in NC.
Wait…
So everyone wants to nitpick AEW refs for their ineptitude during tag matches, yet Lashley can attack competitors DURING a match (not sure why you think that was post-match) with the referee watching everything go down and…NOTHING??
THAT isn’t a disqualification?? Nobody cares about THAT??
Oh and Rhea didn’t “get emotional”, unless you count boredom and forgetting your lines as “emotion”.