Welcome to Ringside News’ coverage of WWE Raw!
Tonight’s Raw is the second edition of the WWE Draft, which began on Friday Night SmackDown on Fox. With so many Superstars on the roster, the vast majority get lost in the shuffle during the drafts, and when most Superstars have been brand hopping for months now, it makes it hard to get excited about any of it.
Regardless, tonight’s Raw will be opening with Becky Lynch Vs. Charlotte, with the winner helping their brand get the first Draft pick of the night. That should be a great match and you’d imagine SmackDown will get the win, considering Raw did on Friday night. Rumour has it WWE will look to shake things up tonight with a trade of some kind, so that could be exciting!
Beyond the Draft, the only announced match for tonight is The Viking Raiders Vs. Ziggler & Roode for the Raw Tag Team Championships. However we are just two weeks away from Crown Jewel, so don’t be surprised to get more developments in the Hogan Vs. Flair tag team match, Fury Vs. Strowman spectacle, and, of course, more madness from The Fiend.
And that’s our preview for tonight’s show. Remember to follow us on Instagram, Twitter, and download the Ringside News app to keep up to date. Enjoy the show!
WWE Raw
WWE Monday Night Raw opens with a “Previously On Firefly Fun House” recap, as well as highlights from the Hell In A Cell main event and this past Friday on SmackDown when The Fiend dragged Seth Rollins down into the ring.
‘The Man’ Becky Lynch makes her way to the ring. She’ll be facing Charlotte Flair, where the winner scores the first their brand the first draft pick of the night. Lynch says the man has come to Denver, and, as the overall first Draft pick, she showed-up expecting to beat-up Sasha Banks. However Banks can’t make it because of the last beating she gave her. But while Banks is always running from her, the woman she’s fighting tonight she can’t seem to get rid of. However when the two of them step foot in the ring there’s going to be a war and she’s ready for it.
Flair comes to the ring and says to Becky that she too is tired of facing Lynch. She says she wants to be friends again. Charlotte even says she misses Lynch, but as soon as Becky looks away she clocks her. Before the match gets underway the two of them brawl in the ring until officials come down and attempt to separate them. The fight spills out of the ring and officials separate them as we head to the break.
*Commercial Break*
Becky Lynch Vs. Charlotte Flair
We return just as the bell rings and they return to brawling. Flair gets Lynch in the corner and drives her shoulder into her gut over and over. Lynch turns the tables and slams Flair into turnbuckles around the ring as well as stomping her. Lynch delivers a European uppercut but Flair responds with a chop. Flair looks for a backslide pin but Becky kicks out.
Charlotte looks for the big boot but gets hit with a dragon whip. Becky tries to hit the springboard kick in the corner but Charlotte shoves her off and slams her down by the hair. Flair then gets Becky’s head between her leads and slams her down repeatedly before applying a headscissors. Flair throws Becky off and kips-up, then drives a forearm into the face of Lynch.
Lynch slides out of a pin and fires back with a dropkick but Charlotte then takes control again with chops. Becky reverses a whip but Charlotte rolls over the ropes to the apron. Becky slams Charlotte’s head into the turnbuckles and Flair drops to the floor. Becky looks for a baseball slide but Flair dodges it and slams her into the ring post.
*Commercial Break*
Back live and Flair is in control of Becky in the ring. Lynch fires-up and delivers several kicks and a flying forearm. She runs at Flair in the corner but gets tossed to the apron, where she kicks Flair and heads up-top. Lynch hits a missile dropkick for a two-count.
Becky dives at Charlotte but gets caught in a Boston crab. The Man crawls to the bottom rope but gets dragged back into the middle of the ring. Charlotte attempts to transition into the Figure Four but Becky kicks her off and out of the ring. Lynch hits a baseball slide, then dives off the apron with a forearm to Charlotte.
Back in the ring, Lynch misses a diving forearm from the middle rope, and Flair follows-up with Natural Selection for a near-fall. Flair starts climbing the ropes but Lynch rips her down. Becky looks for the Dis-Arm-Her but Flair whips her into the turnbuckles. Flair hits a big boot for another near-fall.
Again Charlotte looks for the Figure Four but again Lynch kicks her off. Lynch counters Flair and slams her with a reverse DDT before heading to the middle rope and hitting a leg drop for a near-fall. Lynch looks for the Dis-Arm-Her again but Flair kicks her off and hits a Spear for another near-fall. Flair starts to get angry. Becky quickly grabs Flair from behind with a crucifix pin for the win!
Winner: Becky Lynch
That win by Becky has earned Raw the first Draft pick of the night. Flair grabs her title and leaves with swagger, while Charlotte looks like she wants to kill someone.
Later tonight we have the Raw Tag Team Championship, as well as a contract signing between Tyson Fury and Braun Strowman.
Charly Caruso is backstage with Seth Rollins and she asks about Bray being drafted to SmackDown Live, especially considering he could also be drafted. Seth says today is a good day because it’s the Draft. However The Fiend doesn’t seem to care about brands, which is bad news for everyone. He says he went to dark places at Hell In A Cell and the fans start booing. He mentions that The Fiend attempted to drag him to Hell on Friday night, and that’s when it clicked with him. He’s being going about things the wrong way; he’s being trying to live his life, while Bray Wyatt has been picking his spots. But tonight he goes “Fiend hunting”. Seth promises to find Bray Wyatt before the night is over and end this, once and for all.
*Commercial Break*
Stephanie McMahon comes to the stage to announce the first Draft picks of the night. The picks are listed below:
Monday Night Raw – Universal Champion Seth Rollins
Friday Night SmackDown – WWE Champion Brock Lesnar
Monday Night Raw – Charlotte Flair
Friday Night SmackDown – The New Day
Monday Night Raw – Andrade & Zelina Vega
We join the Draft Panel of Renee Young, Booker T, Samoa Joe, and Beth Phoenix. Booker says he thinks The New Day are potentially the biggest pick so far, but Andrade is an extraordinary talent. Phoenix says the Draft has been amazing, with USA picking Charlotte and Becky to create a star-studded women’s division on Raw. Samoa Joe says Brock Lesnar is the best pick of the night for SmackDown. And he’s very interested in the match between Brock Lesnar and Cain Velasquez.
Andrade and Zelina Vega make their way to the ring for a match. Zelina has a microphone and she says they were not drafted into the same round as the WWE Champion, or one of the “four horsefaces”, they were drafted into the same round as Andrade. And all of the Raw Superstars will have the privilege of suffering a loss at the hands of Andrade.
*Commercial Break*
Andrade W/Zelina Vega Vs. Ali
We return and this match is already underway. Ali takes out Andrade with a headscissors and he rolls from the ring. Ali wants to hit a dive but Vega climbs on the apron to prevent it. Andrade slides back in and dodges Ali before delivering a dropkick to the ribs of Ali.
Andrade yanks the arm of Ali but then eats a big kick to the face. Ali leaps to the top rope but Andrade shoves him off and to the floor. Andrade poses in the ring. Andrade goes out and slams Ali shoulder-first into the ringpost. Andrade breaks the ref’s count, then grabs Ali and wraps his arm around the bottom rope and pulls it until the referee counts to four.
Ali fires back with a slap but Andrade halts it and hits a flying knee in the corner. Andrade applies an armlock but Ali fights out and reverses a back suplex. Andrade again locks-in the armbar around the ropes until the referee stops him. Ali knocks Andrade from the ring and looks to dive but again Vega gets in his way, so Ali flips over her and lands on Andrade!
Ali gets Andrade back in the ring and, while the referee is distracted, Vega hits a hurricanrana from the apron to Ali! Andrade gets Ali back in the ring and hits the Hammerlock DDT for the win!
Winner: Andrade
We return to Stephanie McMahon on the stage for more Draft picks. The results are below.
Monday Night Raw – The Kabuki Warriors
Friday Night SmackDown – Daniel Bryan
Monday Night Raw – Rusev
Friday Night SmackDown – Bayley
Monday Night Raw – Aleister Black
The Viking Raiders make their way to the ring for tag team action, after the break!
*Commercial Break*
RAW TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPS
(C) DolpH Ziggler & rOBERT ROODE VS. The Viking Raiders
The match gets underway with Dolph Ziggler and Erik, with the latter dropping Ziggler with a dropkick right away, before dragging Roode into the ring and tossing him out. Ivar runs in and hits a suicide dive to Roode. Erik powerbombs Ziggler, then Ivar hits a splash from the top rope but Roode pulls Ivar from the ring to break the pin attempt.
Ivar gets back in and Dolph hits him with a dropkick, but Ivar hits Ziggler back and tags Erik, who comes in and drops Roode over and over. Ziggler attacks Erik from behind and gets him down. He tags Roode, who goes to work on Erik in the cover, and tags Dolph again. Erik elbows Roode and punches Ziggler. He gets knocked from the ring, where Roode slams him into the ringpost. Ziggler comes out and hits a running Zig-Zag into chairs in the timekeepers area!
*Commercial Break*
Back live and Ziggler is in charge of Erik, keeping him down with a sleeper hold. Roode tags in and stomps Erik down in the corner. Ziggler comes back in and continues to chop down Erik, as well as taunting him. Erik drops the cocky Showoff with a forearm, then tags are made to Roode and Ivar.
Ivar flips Roode with a back drop, then plants Ziggler with a sidewalk slam. Crossbody to Ziggler, followed by a carthweel clothesline. Tag to Erik and they look to hit a German suplex/springboard clothesline combo but Ziggler superkicks Ivar from the ropes. Roode tags Ziggler and they hit a Zig-Zag/Spinebuster combo but Erik kicks out!
Ziggler rakes the face of Erik and hits a Fameasser for a near-fall. Roode whips Ziggler at Erik but nobody’s home. Ziggler hits a superkick to Erik and Roode hits the Glorious DDT but Ivar breaks the pin. Ziggler tags back in and they look for a back suplex but Erik lands on his feet and tags Ivar.
Ivar drops both Champions with clotheslines, then hits a springboard handstand back elbow to both. They hit the Viking Experience to Ziggler and score the win!
Winners and New Raw Tag Team Champions: The Viking Raiders
The Draft continues tonight, as well as a new episode of Firefly Fun House. Also, the Kabuki Warriors face Natalya and a partner of her choosing, as well as the contract signing between Tyson Fury and Braun Strowman.
*Commercial Break*
The Viking Raiders cut a promo backstage and mention that they are the only undefeated tag team in WWE history to win the IGWP, Ring of Honor, NXT, and now Raw Tag Team Championships.
We’re back with Stephanie McMahon for more Draft picks, which you can find below:
Monday Night Raw – Cedric Alexander
Friday Night SmackDown – Shinsuke Nakamura
Monday Night Raw – Humberto Carrillo
Friday Night SmackDown – Ali
Monday Night Raw – Erick Rowan
Aleister Black Vs. Eric Young
The match gets underway and both men lock-up, with Young forcing Black to the corner. Young delivers elbows to Black but gets chopped down and hit with a basement dropkick. Black hits a springboard moonsault, then looked for Black Mass but Eric Young rolled from the ring as Black sits in the ring.
Young attempts to re-enter the ring but gets kicked in the chest. Young hits Black and comes off the ropes and into a leaping knee. Young looks for a roll-up but gets put in Black’s new submission, The Dark Ritual, and he taps.
Winner: Aleister Black
*Commercial Break*
And we’re back with Stephanie McMahon for more Draft picks:
Monday Night Raw – Buddy Murphy
Friday Night SmackDown – Dolph Ziggler & Robert Roode
Monday Night Raw – Jinder Mahal
Friday Night SmackDown – Carmella
Monday Night Raw – R-Truth
The Street Profits are backstage and they’re officially part of Monday Night Raw. Ford gets excited for the contract signing tonight and Dawkins says we need to take a minute to celebrate them coming to Raw. The O.C. come up and they’re celebrating too. AJ says he’s been telling Gallows and Anderson how good they are, and that they have “it”. That said, he doesn’t understand why the guys at Raw drafted the Street Profits when The O.C. is already here. AJ tells them to enjoy their minute, because Monday Night Raw belongs to them. The O.C. then attack the Street Profits and leave them laying as officials come to break things up.
*Commercial Break*
Ricochet Vs. Shelton Benjamin
The match begins and Benjamin shoves Ricochet to the corner. Ricochet rolls under Shelton and delivers a dropkick. Ricochet flips over Benjamin and hits a tilt-a-whirl headscissors takedown, followed by an attempted handstand headscissors, but Benjamin throws him off and slams him.
Benjamin whips Ricochet and hits a huge pop-up, before applying a rear chinlock. Ricochet fights out and Benjamin connects with a big boot for a two-count. Again Ricochet fights out of a submission attempt and delivers a mule kick to create some separation.
Ricochet connects with an enziguiri from the apron, followed by a springboard clothesline and a standing shooting star press for a near-fall. Benjamin attacks Ricochet as he attempts to go up-top but again Ricochet hits an enziguiri. Benjamin climbs up top with Ricochet and looks for an arm drag from the top rope but Ricoget lands on his feet! Ricochet quickly hits a Recoil for the win!
Winner: Ricochet
Braun Strowman and Tyson Fury’s contract signing is up next, but first we take a look at this shotgun feud.
We see Lana getting a massage by a woman. The woman asks if it’s enough pressure and Lana says no, “I like it harder”. And that’s that.
*Commercial Break*
We’re back and Lana is still getting her massage. The woman asks if she wants it deeper and, of course, Lana says she likes it deeper. The woman then leaves and in walks Bobby Lashley, just wearing a towel. He begins massaging Lana and she gets giddy. She says he has a gentle touch, and that Rusev was never as good. Lashley lifts the towel and Lana flips over, prompting a big smile from Bobby.
The King, Jerry Lawler, is in the ring for the contract signing. Lawler says an amazing match was announced last week for Crown Jewel: Tyson Fury Vs. Braun Strowman. He says there’s never been a match like this before in WWE – Mayweather/Big Show? – so he wants to get down to business. The King introduces Braun Strowman, who makes his way to the ring.
The undefeated Gypsy King, Tyson Fury, makes his way to the ring. The King says they’ve promised to keep things professional. Strowman says he knows a lot more about Fury than he might think; he knows he’s a hell of an athlete but he also has a huge ego. Strowman says Fury was at the premiere of SmackDown on Fox because he wanted to grab that spotlight. He says that won’t happen on his accord, because he’s going to pick him up and slam him on his head and give him his first loss ever. And there’s not a damn thing he can do about it.
Strowman signs the contract and spins it around to Fury. The boxing Champion signs it before grabbing the microphone. Fury says he’s a fan of Braun’s, and he was at SmackDown to see Braun Strowman. He says his kids can’t talking about how many trucks he’s flipped or who has gotten his hands. Fury says he isn’t out of his element in any ring, and he’s going to prove that at Crown Jewel. He promises to knock Braun out, then both men stand up and stare each other down. The King leaves the ring. Strowman smashes the table with his fists and roars. Fury, meanwhile, breaks a pen in half as the fans are thoroughly unimpressed.
*Commercial Break*
Stephanie McMahon is back for the 5th Round of the WWE Draft, and here are the results:
Monday Night Raw – Samoa Joe
Friday Night SmackDown – The Miz
Monday Night Raw – Akira Tozawa
Friday Night SmackDown – King Corbin
Monday Night Raw – Shelton Benjamin
Buddy Murphy Vs. Cedric Alexander
The bell rings and both men engage in reversals and lock-ups. Murphy slams Cedric into the mat but he kips-up. Cedric extends his hand for a handshake but Murphy flicks sweat at him. A back elbow from Murphy after being whipped into the corner. Murphy delivers a chop to the chest but Alexander begins to fight back.
Cedric gets on the top rope but Murphy pushes him off as he falls onto the ropes and to the outside.
*Commercial Break*
Back live and Buddy Murphy hits a Ripcord Knee to knock Alexander from the ring, where he hits an incredible tope on the floor. Murphy gets back in the ring and hits Alexander with a huge knee as he attempts to enter. Alexander connects with a back elbow that knocks Buddy loopy and he rolls from the ring.
Cedric hits a dropkick through the ropes, followed by a huge suicide dive to Murphy on the outside. Alexander hits Murphy with a rope-assisted STO for a near-fall. Buddy blocks the Lumbar Check and lands on his feet. Alexander kicks Muprhy on the top rope but Buddy slides down beneath Alexander, kicks him in the face, and hits a powerbomb for a near-fall. Murphy lifts Cedric and hits Murphy’s Law for the win!
Winner: Buddy Murphy
We see The Street Profits backstage and they say The O.C. are all about numbers. Dawkins says they need to get a partner and they should keep it a mystery.
*Commercial Break*
And it’s time for the sixth and final round of the WWE Draft 2019. And here are those results:
Monday Night Raw – Rey Mysterio
Friday Night SmackDown – Shorty Gable
Monday Night Raw – Titus O’Neil
Friday Night SmackDown – Elias
Monday Night Raw – Liv Morgan
Back with the panel and Renee Young asks Samoa Joe who the pick of the night is, and he can’t pick himself. Joe says Buddy Murphy is his money pick because he’s immensely talented and has a chip on his shoulder. Beth Phoenix says the King of the Ring, Baron Corbin is her pick. Booker T says there may be a huge trade tonight and they’ll talk about it immediately following the baseball tomorrow night on WWE Backstage.
The Women’s Tag Team Champions, The Kabuki Warriors, come to the ring. Natalya is out second and she says she was told she had to pick a tag partner for tonight. It had to be a woman that pushed her to her absolute limits, and there only was one choice:
*Commercial Break*
The Kabuki Warriors Vs. Natalya & Lacey Evans
We’re back and The Kabuki Warriors are in control. Kairi is beating Evans down, but Lacey comes back with two arm drags and faceplant. Evans pops-up Sane and delivers a knee to the face.
On the outside, Kairi delivers a nasty backfist, followed by a running neckbreaker on the floor. Asuka comes off the apron to toss Evans into the barricade. Evans gets back inside but Sane gets her in a guillotine. Evans fights out and delivers some ground and pound.
Asuka tags in and she drops Lacey with an elbow. Asuka grabs Lacey by the hair and kicks her in the face repeatedly – and the fans cheer. Evans makes the tag to Natalya, who takes down Asuka with a discus clothesline. She hits Asuka with a release German suplex, then knocks Sane from the apron. Asuka counters the Sharpshooter with a heel hook.
Natalya counters Asua with pin attempts, then gets the Sharpshooter locked-in and Asuka fights out. Asuka forces Natalya to the apron, then knocks her from the apron with a hip attack.
*Commercial Break*
We return to see Asuka get clocked with a basement dropkick from Natalya. Asuka looks for a submission but Natalya counters with a roll-up for a two-count. Asuka prevents Nattie from making the tag, then she herself tags Kairi Sane and they hit a double suplex.
Natalya counters a guillotine from Sane with a vertical suplex. She makes the tag to Lacey, who starts running over Sane with clotheslines as the fans boo. Evans drops Sane a few times but she kicks out. Sane hangs her in the tree of woe and hits a double stomp. Natalya breaks up the pin. Kairi misses the Insane Elbow but Asuka is the legal woman. Lacey delivers the Women’s Right to Kairi but Asuka rolls her up for the pin and the win.
Winners: The Kabuki Warriors
As soon as the match ends, the Firefly Fun House commences. Bray says he saw Seth earlier tonight. He says people say really mean things about Seth but he thinks he’s strong, brave, and smart. However The Fiend never forgets. Ramblin’ Rabbit pops-up and says that Seth is on his way and he looks really mad. Bray tells him to relax and go play. Bray tells them to remember that The Fiend keeps them safe.
Just then, Seth Rollins invades the Fun House and beats Bray down. Rollins then rips the pictures from the walls. Bray pops back up and is angry for a second, before asking why Seth is doing. Rollins then drops him with a right hand and the fans boo loudly. Rollins then lights the table on fire and flips it over. The fire goes up the wall and burns the Fun House down! We watch the Fun House burn with Bray’s laughter lopping over.
And that’s it for tonight’s Raw. Let us know what you thought, and be sure to come back tomorrow for more news. Until then, safe travels!
