WWE Raw TV Results
June 3, 2013 - Episode #1,044
Live in Hartford, Conn.
Aired on USA Network
Report by James Caldwell, PWTorch assistant editor

This week's live WWE Raw opened with an ominous video package. Tonight, the latest on John Cena vs. Ryback heading into Payback and Triple H returning after two weeks away.

Live in the arena, WWE went right to a graphic promoting Triple H vs. Curtis Axel tonight. In the arena, Justin Roberts introduced...Stephanie McMahon to open the show. On commentary, Michael Cole said it's been about a year since Stephanie appeared on Raw. Cole, Jerry Lawler, and JBL sold shock ringside.

In the ring, Stephanie, dressed in a business suit, said it feels great to be back on Raw. Unfortunately, she wishes it were under better circumstances. See, two weeks ago, her husband, Triple H, competed in a brutal match at Extreme Rules, then competed again the next night against Curtis Axel. She said her husband wasn't even able to finish the match. Stephanie said that even with Triple H medically cleared to compete tonight, she has made an executive decision not to allow Hunter to compete. The crowd booed. Steph said she made this decision as an executive, wife, and mother. More boos. Steph said she won't let Hunter jeaopardize his health against Curtis Axel, who she said is "beneath him." Steph said this decision is not about the fans, then asked the crowd not to be so selfish.

The crowd booed, then Vince McMahon's music interrupted. Memorial Day Raw ratings bomb = bring out the McMahons. Vince entered the ring with a big smile on his face, then hugged Stephanie in the ring. Vince bounced up and down before wondering if the crowd is happy to see him. Vince said he has a request. It's a personal one. He would like for the crowd to please...please don't boo Stephanie. The crowd booed, of course. Vince, looking very grandfatherly, said Steph has feelings just like the fans. More boos. Vince said Steph is right because his son-in-law Triple H ... pause ... he's given everything possible. The crowd responded with a loud "Triple H" chant. Vince said they care more about Triple H than the fans do. Vince said Triple H will not - will not - compete here tonight. More boos.

Vince and Steph started to leave, but Vince remembered something. Another "Triple H" chant interrupted. Vince asked what they want. "Triple H" chant. Vince said the crowd wants his heart, liver, lungs, soul, and spleen, apparently. Vince said WWE is family entertainment, not a blood sport. "Give us some blood!!!" a fan near the arena mic shouted over the rest of the crowd.

Vince turned his focus to Kofi Kingston. He said Kofi was put through a table last week on Smackdown and the crowd chanted, "One more time." The Raw crowd chanted it, then Vince said there will not be "one more time" for Triple H, not now or any other time. Vince said Steph is right that Curtis Axel is beneath Triple H, just like the crowd is beneath Triple H.

Suddenly, The Shield's music played. "Get out of there!" JBL shouted toward the McMahons. Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins, and Roman Reigns made their way through the crowd before Raw abruptly cut to break at 7:10 with Shield on the way to the ring.

[ JC Reax: This came across like a ploy to turn Triple H into a super-babyface (finally getting the "Triple H" chants they wanted at Summerslam 2012) and for Vince to send his latest message about wrestler health, trying to suggest that the masses are hypocrites because they don't care about wrestler health. ]

[Commercial Break]

Back from break at 7:13, The Shield was in the ring. And, Vince and Stephanie were nowhere to be found. Cole said that the McMahons left the ring during the break "without incident" and now The Shield is set for six-man tag action. Randy Orton's music then played to bring out Orton as the first participant for the face trio. As Orton entered the ring, WWE replayed footage from Smackdown when Daniel Bryan destroyed The Shield to close the show.

[Q2] Kane's pyro shot off to bring out Kane and Daniel Bryan, who marched to the ring shaking his head about not being the weakest link.

1 -- THE SHIELD (U.S. champion DEAN AMBROSE & WWE tag champs SETH ROLLINS & ROMAN REIGNS) vs. RANDY ORTON & KANE & DANIEL BRYAN -- six-man tag match

As the match started, Cole noted that Stephanie McMahon is trending on Twitter after a "bizarre" opening segment. Cole said he wants to hear from Triple H after the opening segment. Cole turned his attention to the match in the ring, noting Shield is undefeated in six-man tag matches. On the WWE App insert video, Tons of Funk were shown watching the match intently. Cole then clarified that Shield have "never been pinned or submitted" in six-man tag action if you "want to get down to the nitty gritty." Ref Mike Chioda was heard clearly giving the wrestlers a 30-second time cue. 30 seconds later, Rollins covered Kane for a nearfall and Raw cut to break.

[Commercial Break]

Back from break, Rollins dropkicked Kane into ShieldTown, bringing in Ambrose to continue punishing Kane. The crowd fired up with an "RKO" chant, but Kane continued to take a beating. Suddenly, Kane broke free and tagged in Orton, causing the crowd to explode. Orton fired off offense to anyone ready to receive offense, then he delivered a dual DDT to Ambrose and Rollins, sending the crowd into a frenzy. "Listen to this place!" Cole declared.

Orton wanted the RKO, but Reigns entered the ring, distracting Orton. Rollins then popped Orton from behind with a kick to the head, sending Orton down to the mat. Rollins covered, but Orton kicked out in-time.

At 10:00, the match slowed down with Shield taking their time on Orton while trash-talking him. Meanwhile, the announcers brought up The Undertaker, noting Taker has not been seen since Shield took him out several weeks ago. As Shield continued to work on Orton, WWE noted that "Stephanie McMahon" is still trending on Twitter.

[Q3] The crowd tried to rally behind Team Voices with "Yes!" chants, but Shield continued to keep Orton on their side of town. Next, the crowd tried a rally clap, then Orton found separation on Reigns with a back drop suplex. But, Rollins tagged in to dropkick Orton, but Orton intercepted with a desperation dropkick of his own.

At 15:00, Orton finally made the corner to bring in D-Bryan for a trademark House of Fire entrance. Bryan creamed Ambrose with a clothesline, then fired himself up. Bryan delivered left-leg kick strikes, knocked Rollins off the top rope, and popped Ambrose in the head with a kick. Bryan then hurancanrana'ed Rollins off the top rope into Ambrose. Bryan followed with a suicide dive to Reigns on the outside, popping the crowd.

Back in the ring, Bryan delivered a missile dropkick to Ambrose, but Ambrose kicked out. Bryan followed right up with the No! Lock on Ambrose, but Reigns broke it up just in-time as the crowd was ready to explode if Bryan could get the tap-out.

This brought in Kane, but he didn't see Rollins coming with a kick to the head. Reigns then smashed QB Kane with a spear. But, Rollins didn't see an RKO coming from Orton. Orton posed too long, though, allowing Reigns to smash Orton into Bryan, sending Bryan reeling. Ambrose then spiked Bryan into the mat for the pin and the win.

WINNERS: Shield at 17:15. Another epic TV six-man tag match featuring The Shield and Bryan, keeping the faces on the chase trying to find any way to take down Shield in a six-man tag match. The hot crowd really took this up to another notch. (***1/2)

Still to come: Alberto Del Rio vs. Big E. Langston in Match #5 of their 2-2 series. Also, Chris Jericho and C.M. Punk in a Contract Signing for Payback, with Paul Heyman representing Punk.

[Commercial Break]

Locker Room: Daniel Bryan was shown flipping out about the loss to The Shield. Randy Orton tried to defend what happened out there, which Bryan did not appreciate. Bryan turned toward Kane and said everyone thinks he's the weak-link out there. Bryan said that must be why Orton won't apologize to him because he thinks it's his fault. He said they don't respect him. "We do respect you!" Kane told him. "But you have lost touch with reality." Bryan shook his head and said the reality is he is the weak link. Bryan then shouted in Orton's face that one match can prove that he is not the weak link and he will earn everyone's respect. Bryan said that because it's clear they don't respect him, he will have another match. And he will beat the respect out of someone else. Kane and Orton, exasperated, watched Bryan leave.

Backstage: Triple H was shown arriving in the building. Hunter asked where Vince McMahon's office is, then he marched down the hallway to find Vince and Stephanie McMahon. Stephanie kissed her husband, then told "Paul" that he can't let Hunter wrestle tonight. She said she was on the phone with Hunter's family and their kids. Hunter sternly replied that he is wrestling tonight, to which Steph replied that Curtis Axel is not worth it.

Vince stepped into the shot to note Hunter is not being too "cerebral" right now. He said "this kid is good," then told Hunter to get his ego out of this way. "Oh, you're talking about ego?" Hunter told his father-in-law. Hunter said what's happening is he's wrestling Curtis Axel tonight. Vince told him no, then Hunter asked who's going to stop him. Steph stepped in front of Vince to calm him down, then slapped a piece of paper into Hunter's chest and told him not to do something he's going to regret. Vince left his office, then Steph closed the door for a closed-door meeting with Hunter.

[ JC: If nothing else, credit WWE for trying to come up with a compelling show-long story to counter the NBA Playoffs Game 7 instead of packing it in and taking it on the chin in the TV ratings. ]

In-ring: The Usos, wearing yellow facepaint, were introduced for the next match. Cole said they will explain after the break.

[Q4] [Commercial Break]

2 -- THE USOS vs. PRIME TIME PLAYERS

The come-down match following the six-man tag was joined in-progress back from break. The announcers discussed the McMahon Family Business happening in Hartford tonight as the Players worked on Uso. Cole noted that the new facepaint is supposed to give the Usos an advantage entering battle. No advantage early on as Cole offered a Kardashians reference to fill time. Synergy since a spot for WWE's "Total Divas" aired during the Kardashians's season premiere last night on E!

Titus O'Neil airballed a corner charge, then Uso made a tag simultaneous to Darren Young entering. The action broke down at 4:00, then Titus got hung up in the ropes. Darren then ran into a superkick before the Usos combined for a Superfly Splash. It was good for the win, prompting Cole to note the Usos are making a case for a future Tag Title shot.

WINNERS: The Usos at 4:32.

Backstage: Big E. Langston & A.J. Lee were shown walking down the hallway. On a split-screen, Alberto Del Rio & Ricardo Rodriguez were also shown walking. Big E. and Del Rio meet in Match #5 next.

[Commercial Break]

Coming back from break, WWE plugged WWE's partnership with the Special Olympics. Back live in the arena, WWE showed representatives and athletes from the Special Olympics on the front row.

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