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WWE Raw Report
CALDWELL'S WWE RAW RESULTS 6/22: Complete "virtual-time" coverage of live Raw - WWE book-ends Raw with "apologies," Brock Lesnar appears, John Cena returns, more

Jun 22, 2015 - 10:18:00 PM
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WWE Raw TV Results
June 22, 2015 - Episode #1,151
Live in Indianapolis, Ind.
Report by James Caldwell (@JCTorch), PWTorch assistant editor


- The Card: IC champion Ryback vs. Mark Henry in a non-title match, Roman Reigns vs. Sheamus, Brock Lesnar advertised, U.S. champion John Cena returning to Raw to address NXT champion Kevin Owens, Battleground hype, and more.

Live Raw on USA Network

Raw opened with the standard intro video, but no fireworks or pyro inside the arena. Michael Cole introduced the show, then Brock Lesnar's abruptly interrupted. And there's the pyro for Lesnar's on-stage ring introduction. Lesnar marched down to the ring with Paul Heyman as WWE went to crowd shots of fans excited to see Lesnar.

WWE went to a review of The Authority striking a deal to bring back Lesnar last week on Raw to challenge Seth Rollins for the WWE World Title at Battleground in one month.

Back live, the camera zoomed in on Lesnar's "Suplex City" t-shirt, which had tonight's location of Indianapolis, Indiana printed on the freeway signage. Heyman introduced himself and said that it is his honor and pleasure to produce the official Raw return of the conqueror, Brock Lesnar! The crowd cheered.

Heyman said for those of you don't know where Brock has been, here's a review. Heyman introduced video from the night after WrestleMania when Lesnar was set for a WWE Title re-match against Seth Rollins, but Rollins bailed from the match, Lesnar went off on J&J Security and Michael Cole, and Stephanie McMahon told Lesnar that he will get his title re-match, but he was suspended indefinitely for finishing the job by taking out a cameraman.

Back live, Heyman said the big question is how he negotiated Lesnar's return to WWE. Heyman said the demand from The Authority is that Lesnar apologize in public right here, right now, tonight. The crowd shouted, "No, no, no," then "Suplex City" as Heyman pointed toward Cole down at ringside. Heyman said if Lesnar does not apologize to Cole and JBL, then Lesnar will not be allowed to return to WWE and he will not receive a WWE Title shot at Battleground.

Lesnar rubbed his hands together as Cole muttered on commentary that this is not necessary. "Suplex City" chant as Cole shifted uncomfortably in his chair to sell the bit. Heyman and Lesnar conferenced in the ring, then Lesnar left the ring and Cole sold extreme nervousness. Lesnar eventually walked around to the announce table for a face-to-face with JBL. Lesnar extended his hand and JBL nervously shook. Cole then stood up and nervously shifted around. Byron Saxton dropped his headsets and took off, allowing Lesnar to walk around the announce table and extend his hand toward Cole. They shook, then Lesnar pulled in Cole tight for a noogie and a little pat on the head.

Lesnar returned to the ring and Heyman said they have agreed to the terms and conditions of Lesnar's return. Heyman then cut a promo on Seth Rollins, running him down trying to re-engage the crowd. Heyman noted Seth was the very first NXT champion, was protected in NXT, protected by The Shield since Day 1, and protected by The Authority since Day 1 after he sold his soul for the short-term gain of holding the WWE Title in 2015.

Heyman said Lesnar conquering Seth is what's "beast for business." Heyman said that on July 19, Rollins thinks he's flying into St. Louis for Battleground, but what he's really buying is a first-class city to Suplex City. He said that ticket is not on the dime of Vince McMahon, The Authority, J&J Security who beat Seth, Kane who wants to eat Seth, or the fans who are dying for anyone to beat Seth, but the future WWE World Hvt. champion Brock Lesnar.

"Well, that's over with," Cole muttered as Lesnar's music played. Lesnar and Heyman bailed from the ring and headed to the back as Cole switched gears to hyping Roman Reigns vs. Sheamus later tonight.

[ Reax: What a wasted segment. WWE dumped water on a hot act like Lesnar with a lame apology bit that made him seem like an ordinary person again, as opposed to the super-superstar. Heyman tried to make the save with the wrap-up promo, but the audience wanted to be excited to see Lesnar, not bored by Lesnar playing games with Michael Cole. ]

[Q2] Backstage: Dean Ambrose, with longer hair, was shown walking down the hallway. Saxton said that Ambrose faces Kane next in the opening match.

[Commercial Break at 8:17]

In-ring: Dean Ambrose was introduced to the ring as Cole seemingly randomly plugged next week's Raw location, Washington, D.C., where tickets are still on-sale. It turned into a set-up for the announcers to discuss politics. Kane was then introduced as Ambrose's opponent.

1 -- DEAN AMBROSE vs. KANE

It was not made clear why the match was taking place. The announcers noted that Kane has an issue with Ambrose stemming from Ambrose's issues with The Authority, but it wasn't clear why a match was taking place right here, right now. Ambrose and Kane traded control early on, then Ambrose tried a slingshot attack on the outside, but Kane blocked and smashed Ambrose into the ring steps. Ambrose sold pain heading to break.

[Commercial Break at 8:25]

Kane was still in control back from break. Kane worked over Ambrose for a few minutes, then Ambrose fired back with a neckbreaker. Ambrose followed with a missile dropkick from the second rope, then a roll-up for a two count. Kane angrily charged Ambrose, who low-bridged Kane over the top rope to the floor. Ambrose followed with a running elbow off the ring apron. Then, a rebound lariat to Kane.

[Q3] Back in the ring, Kane eased a chokeslam, but Ambrose shook off, then nailed another rebound lariat. Ambrose got That Look in his eyes and wanted Dirty Deeds, but Seth Rollins's music played. Seth did not have the WWE Title belt with him, but he distracted Ambrose, who nearly took a chokeslam. However, Ambrose shook off Kane, then flew through the ropes with a suicide dive to Rollins.

Back in the ring, Ambrose tried to attack Kane with a top-rope move, but Seth provided another distraction. Kane then grabbed Ambrose and kind of dropped him to the mat with what was supposed to be a top-rope chokeslam. The weak-looking chokeslam was good for the pin and the win. Ringside, Seth laughed about Dean losing while the announcers discussed whether Seth is trying to get back on Kane's good side ahead of Battleground.

WINNER: Kane at 11:20. It's clear what they were trying to do using Kane and Ambrose to build up Lesnar-Seth, but the show started so cold and this match was just thrown out there that it came across like cold pizza.

Video Review: John Cena vs. Kevin Owens feud. Cena is back here tonight on Raw after missing last week's show.

[Commercial Break at 8:35]

Backstage: Kane and Seth Rollins had a conversation. Kane figured out that Seth wants his back-up since Brock Lesnar is back. Seth said that is the furthest thing from the truth since he beat Brock for the title at WrestleMania and he will destroy him at Battleground. Seth calmed down and said this is about family. It's about us. Kane smirked and walked off.

Video Review: Bray Wyatt vs. Roman Reigns feud. They meet at Battleground in four weeks.

In-ring: WWE tag champions Prime Time Players were introduced for tag action on the other side of the break.

[Commercial Break at 8:42]

[Q4] Back from break, Cole introduced a video package on Titus O'Neil winning celebrity dad of the year and being recognized with a ceremony. Back live in the ring, D-Young hugged Titus and Cole announced PTP vs. New Day for the Tag Titles at Battleground in four weeks. Oh, and there's The Ascension.

2 -- WWE tag champions PRIME TIME PLAYERS (TITUS O'NEIL & DARREN YOUNG) vs. THE ASCENSION (KONNOR & VIKTOR) -- non-title match

Titus and D-Young dominated Konnor early on, then dished out some punishment to Viktor. Meanwhile, New Day was snacking on some food while watching the match on a backstage monitor. Ascension finally isolated Titus and worked him over. "Who's your daddy now?" Viktor shouted at Titus. Konnor pretended to land offense on Titus, then Viktor returned to the ring to clean things up.

D-Young got a hot tag and had Viktor pinned, but Konnor broke up the pin. Titus then wiped out Konnor with his turnaround spinebuster before D-Young nailed Viktor with his "Gut Check" fallaway gutbuster. It was good for the pin and the win. Backstage, New Day was angered by the Players getting the win.

WINNERS: Prime Time Players at 4:07. Basic deal setting up the Tag Title re-match and giving the Players time to shine in the ring.

With the Players still celebrating in the ring, Sheamus's music played to bring out Mr. MITB. Sheamus walked right past Titus and D-Young to pose in the ring with his briefcase ahead of the next match against Roman Reigns.

[Commercial Break at 8:53]

Back from break, Sheamus continued to pose with the briefcase, then The Shield's music played. Roman Reigns slowly emerged in the crowd, then casually walked down to the aisleway to ringside, where Sheamus wanted to fight him on the floor. But, the ref separated them long enough for a match to start in the ring.

[Q5 -- second hour]

3 -- ROMAN REIGNS vs. SHEAMUS

Reigns knocked Sheamus to the floor in the opening minute, then followed up by bashing Sheamus head-first into the announce table. Back in the ring, Reigns ran over Sheamus with a clothesline. Sheamus responded by targeting Reigns's throat, then he held Reigns in the ring ropes to deliver the 10 Clubbing Blows to the Chest. Reigns blocked half-way through, but Sheamus nailed the Irish Curse backbreaker to maintain control. Sheamus stood over Reigns as Raw cut to break.

[Commercial Break at 9:04]

Back from break, Reigns made a big comeback. Roman then lined up Sheamus for his running double-boot as Sheamus leaned on the ring apron, but Sheamus countered with an emphatic clothesline that put Reigns on the ground. Sheamus smashed Reigns on the floor again, then brought him back into the ring to keep working on Reigns's back. Sheamus put Reigns in the Texas Cloverleaf, but Reigns refused to give up. The crowd came to life as Reigns crawled toward the ropes, but instead just kind of kicked Sheamus away.

Back to their feet, Sheamus ran over Reigns with a clubbing smash. The crowd tried to rally behind Reigns, who caught Sheamus with a kick out of the corner. Reigns followed with a belly-to-back side suplex, but Sheamus escaped a pin attempt. They clotheslined each other over the top rope, then Reigns landed his two-foot dropkick on Sheamus. Reigns followed with a big splash to Sheamus agains tthe announce table.

[Q6] Reigns was very slow to get back to his feet, then he rolled back into the ring selling being winded. Reigns then looked up at the video screen to see Bray Wyatt sitting down at a mock tea party talking to Reigns's invisible daughter in the other chair. Bray told Reigns that they're waiting on him. "Find me," he said. Reigns then left the ring and jogged backstage. Back to Bray, who was shown watching a mini-rocking chair moving back and forth as he chuckled.

WINNER: No Decision at 16:30 when Reigns took off. Slow, slow match with some flashes here and there, but everyone seemed to be waiting for Bray to get involved. The "ending" was a reminder that WWE usually has a rough night at the office when there's a significant match without a finish.

[Commercial Break at 9:17]

Moments Ago: Bray Wyatt's mind games continued.

Backstage: Roman Reigns was shown checking doors in the hallway. He heard Bray Wyatt's voice in a side door and walked inside to find the teapot table, but no sign of Bray. A recording of Bray's voice singing continued to play as Reigns found a wall full of anti-Reigns photos like a scene from Criminal Minds. Text reading "Anyone But You" was written in red ink on the wall.

Earlier Tonight: Paul Heyman warned Seth Rollins about what Brock Lesnar will do to him at Battleground.

Somewhere: Seth Rollins tried to talk to J&J Security about getting back on the same page. Standing next to a coffee dispenser, Jamie Noble noted that Rollins ran them down hard in recent weeks. Seth said they're family and he just wants them back in the fold. And, no, not because Brock Lesnar is back, but because they're all a huge part of The Authority. He turned it back on J&J for hurting The Authority if they don't get back on the same page with him. Joey Mercury was still hurting from Seth's recent mean words, so he took off. Noble followed him out.

In-ring: Neville was introduced to the ring trying to bring some athleticism to the show. Cole said Neville is in action next.

[Commercial Break at 9:27]

[Q7] Video Highlights: Earlier in the day, John Cena appeared on NBC's "Today" show to judge the hosts on their mock Tough Enough promo applications.

In-ring: New Day's music brought out the trio for singles action. Kofi Kingston was named Neville's opponent.

4 -- NEVILLE vs. KOFI KINGSTON (w/Big E. and Xavier Woods)

"New ... Day Sucks" chants early on. Also, very lively chatter from Xavier at ringside while Neville controlled Kofi in the opening minute. Neville knocked Kofi to the outside, then had a confrontation with Big E. and Xavier.

Suddenly, the Prime Time Players ran down to ringside to try to even the odds, but the ref reprimanded the tag champs and forced them to leave ringside. Things came to a standstill with Big E. and Xavier jumping up and down ringside while the announcers sat quietly. The ref finally decided to boot Big E. and Xavier from ringside. Kofi ranted and raved, then Neville kicked him in the head and came off the top turnbuckle with Red Arrow for the pin and the win.

WINNER: Neville at 4:29. The story of Neville's main roster run thus far - just get to the Red Arrow.

Announcers: Cole, JBL, and Saxton were shown on-camera to transition to John Cena-Kevin Owens business. Video included Owens giving Machine Gun Kelly a powerbomb off the stage last Monday on Raw. Cole noted that Owens half-apologized on Twitter and MGK is recovering.

Still to come: Cena returns from a one-week absence. Also, IC champion Ryback vs. Mark Henry.

Heading to break, WWE ran a commercial for the WWE Network special on July 4 in Tokyo, Japan. The video focused on Brock Lesnar returning to action for the first time since WrestleMania. No mention of the NXT Title match of Owens vs. Finn Balor, which was the initial selling point, or the show initially being branded as an NXT special. The marketing was centered on Lesnar with the title "The Beast in The East" live from Tokyo.

[Commercial Break at 9:40]

[Q8] Back from break, Cole fed to a sneak-peek for USA Network's new project show, "Mr. Robot."

In-ring: King Barrett was introduced to the ring back in the arena. Already in the ring was Zack Ryder.

5 -- KING BARRETT vs. ZACK RYDER

Ryder opened with a snap dropkick, then took Barrett to the corner going for 10 Punches, but Barrett yanked him into the corner turnbuckle. Barrett smashed Ryder with a lariat, then worked over Ryder as the announcers discussed the issue between Barrett and R-Truth.

Ryder came back with a running forearm, then wanted a Broski Boot, but Barrett rolled out of the ring. So, Ryder kicked Barrett through the ropes. Ryder then rolled Barrett back into the ring and wanted a top-rope move, but Barrett crotched him. The King nailed the Bullhammer and covered Ryder for the win.

WINNER: Barrett at 3:19. Two severely damaged characters on a D.O.A. show made for a disinterested crowd. Really unfortunate.

Video Clip: Kevin Owens's sit-down interview with Michael Cole last week on WWE's website.

Up Next: John Cena returns to Raw and responds to Kevin Owens.

[Commercial Break at 9:52]

Back from break, WWE shouted out to NHL champions Chicago Blackhawks and NBA champions Golden St. Warriors.

In-ring: John Cena's music played to bring out the U.S. champion looking to liven up the show. On-stage, Cena welcomed Indy to Raw, prompting the audience to wonder what the first two hours were. Cena marched down to the ring and surveyed the crowd before taking the mic.

Cena held the U.S. Title belt in his hand and flashed it toward the in-ring camera for a close-up. "This," he opened. "A symbol of excellence." Cena said he is proud to be the champion of the United States. But, this could also be what destroys him. Because there's a man named Kevin Owens - a man who is white-hot and a man on a mission to take what's in front of him.

Cena recapped their first two matches and post-match happenings. Then, Owens took it up a notch by assaulting a 95-pound musician last week on Raw. Cena said Owens wants to take this U.S. Title from him. And, he is a great wrestler, but he has seen how Owens carries himself. "I think he's a garbage human being," Cena said.

[Q9 -- third hour] Cena said Owens knows how much this title means to him and Owens knows how embarrassed he would be if he had to hand over this U.S. Title to a dirtbag at Battleground. But, if he accepts Owens's challenge, then he might sign up for a battle that he cannot win. Cena polled the crowd. He could say no. "It's simple and fair," he said. They go their separate ways and he's still U.S. champion. But, the champ of what?

Cena said if he turns down the challenge, then what Owens said about him being the product of corporate suits is true. But, he's not that person. Because he's a fighter. And at Battleground, may the best man win. He said if Owens wants some, then come get some.

Cena wrapped up, but Kevin Owens's music had other ideas. Owens sauntered out on-stage with the NXT Title belt over his shoulder. Owens slowly paced back and forth, then said he's not upset about what Cena just said about him. Because he doesn't much weight on other people's opinions. He said if he did care, he would probably look a lot different because he's been called an out-of-shape slug throughout his career. So, this out-of-shape, slug dirtbag beat Cena at Elimination Chamber and left him KO'ed at Money in the Bank.

Owens said Cena cares too much about what the people think about him, while he just cares about winning titles. Owens said he agrees with Cena that the U.S. Title is a symbol of excellence, so he wants to take that from Cena. He then noted Cena didn't exactly put the title on the line at Battleground in his fine speech. So, he'll give Cena something to chew on. Owens spoke in French about becoming new U.S. champion. Or something like that. Basically, the idea of Owens being the evil international star speaking a different language to get the fans on Cena's side.

Cena said the people are not indifferent to Owens because he speaks a different language, but because he's a dirtbag. Owens spoke French in response, then Mandarin. He also had some English from America's heartland in Indiana: "At Battleground, you want to fight? I accept!" he shouted. Cena finished with some sign language that he will kick Owens's ass at Battleground.

Authority's Office: Triple H and Stephanie McMahon were shown watching the Cena-Owens exchange. They talked amongst themselves about Owens getting under Cena's skin, hinting at the idea of Owens being brought in to try to get rid of Cena once and for all.

WWE champ Seth Rollins then walked in for a chat with Hunter and Steph. He said he wants this family to be back together and he tried to talk to Kane, Noble, and Mercury, but they don't get it. Steph said that Seth should consider an apology to mend the relationship. "You think they would apologize to me? Because that would really help," Seth said. Hunter told him to cut the crap. He gave Seth a pep-talk about being a smart-man who always has a back-up plan, especially facing someone like Brock Lesnar. Hunter told Seth that a smart man goes to the ring and says three little words: "I am sorry." Steph told Seth that he has to be the bigger man. Seth was still concerned about Brock, though. Hunter patted the WWE Title belt on Seth's shoulder and asked Seth how bad he wants this family.

[Commercial Break at 10:12]

[Q10] Back live, the Bella Twins's music played to bring out the Bellas and Alicia Fox. Their unidentified opponents were already in the ring, per Lilian Garcia's announcement. After a review of how the Bellas and Fox formed an alliance, WWE showed Naomi and Tamina already in the ring.

6 -- BELLA TWINS (Divas champion NIKKI BELLA & BRIE BELLA) (w/Alicia Fox) vs. NAOMI & TAMINA SNUKA

Not a single likable character in this match. Despite that, Alicia and Brie actually tried a rally clap for dastardly heel champion Nikki, who was isolated by Tamina and Naomi at the start. Nikki made a comeback and had the match won on Naomi, but Tamina broke up the pin. Naomi then accidentally hit Rear View on Tamina and Nikki pinned Naomi with the Rack Attack.

WINNERS: Bellas at 3:43. Just the most bizarre, half-brained set-up for a match, canceling out Paige's entire storyline deal trying to "fix the division" by taking out the Bellas. This division needs to be torn up if WWE is going to put this little thought into trying to make sense of the characters. Just start over with a Women's division centered on the NXT roster mixing in current Divas.

Backstage: Brock Lesnar was shown standing in the hallway with Paul Heyman. Cole said Lesnar is still here and has probably been listening to Seth Rollins tonight.

Up Next: IC champion Ryback vs. Mark Henry.

[Commercial Break at 10:23]

Ringside: Big Show, dressed in a basic Big & Tall polo shirt, was ringside with JBL, Cole, and Byron Saxton. Mark Henry was already in the ring, canceling out the sheer joy of hearing his ring entrance music. IC champion Ryback was introduced next as Cole offered another plug for Raw next week in Washington, D.C. Cole then announced Ryback vs. Big Show vs. Miz in a triple threat for the IC Title at Battleground in four weeks.

7 -- IC champion RYBACK vs. MARK HENRY -- non-title match

Big Show dismissed Miz as a piece of meat that he and Ryback will fight over at Battleground. Ryback and Henry fought to the outside, where Henry got the best of Ryback by throwing him into the barricade. Show cheered on Henry working over Ryback as Henry yelled at the camera that he runs this show. They cut to break two minutes in.

[Q11] [Commercial Break at 10:31]

Back from break, the crowd tried to rally behind Ryback with a "Feed Me More" chant. Ryback answered with a spinebuster, then dropped the straps looking for the Meathook Clothesline, but Henry ran him over with a boot to the face. Show suddenly approached the ringside area cheerleading Henry, who went for World's Strongest Slam, but Ryback slipped out and nailed the Meathook.

Ryback suddenly climbed to the top rope and delivered a big splash to Henry, surprising the crowd. Ryback covered and it was good for the win. Show could only shake his head. Post-match, Show walked into the ring to re-visit the deal with Henry from months ago where they fought over their feelings. Show told Henry that he had Ryback beat. Henry didn't want to hear it, so he pushed Show away. Show left the ring to boos as Henry recovered in the ring.

WINNER: Ryback at 6:23. Fine showcase for Ryback. Are they going back to Henry-Show, or was this a one-week deal to hype the IC Title match in four weeks? It's unclear with WWE's booking all over the map right now.

Announcers: Cole and Co. hyped the return of Tough Enough tomorrow night on USA Network.

Backstage: JoJo was standing by with Ryback following his victory. She asked Ryback about his title defense at Battleground. Ryback said he's here to take on all-comers. He talked about his title victory bringing his parents back together for the first time in 15 years. He said he doesn't care if it's one man, two men, the entire locker room, or the entire world because the big guy is here to stay. He said his mission is "Feed Me More."

In walked Big Show with a sarcastic clap. Show said he's going to expose Ryback as a fraud in four weeks at Battleground. Show did a mock voice that Ryback is a "little boy" in a giant's world. Ryback chuckled, calling Show all-talk, no action. Fists flew and Show put Ryback on the ground. Ryback answered with a knee to the gut, then chucked Show in a garage door. Show sold on the ground as refs spilled out to get separation.

[ Reax: And Ryback takes the award for bright spot of the show. He's in a good spot right now. ]

[Commercial Break at 10:41]

[Q12] Smackdown: Hey, a plug. Ziggler vs. Sheamus was announced for Thursday's show.

In-ring: Dolph Ziggler was introduced to the ring for a random match. His opponent was already in the ring, per Lilian Garcia. Ziggler came out on-stage with Lana, who escorted Ziggler to the ring instead of hanging back on the stage. Already in the ring was Adam Rose, flanked by Rosa Mendes, for a match that opened the Smackdown TV taping for Main Event a few weeks ago. Rose did their bit from Main Event talking about the people not understanding their true love. Rose said maybe people will get his master plan one day. Rose told Dolph and Lana not to be "jelly" of them. He said this is what true love looks like. They kissed.

8 -- DOLPH ZIGGLER (w/Lana) vs. ADAM ROSE (w/Rosa Mendes)

After making out with Mendes, Rose turned around to take a dropkick to the mouth from Ziggler. That was not the finish, otherwise WWE would not have had time to show Rusev watching the proceedings on a backstage monitor while resting on crutches. Rose made a comeback, then climbed to the top turnbuckle, but Ziggler intercepted with a mid-air superkick. Ziggler covered Rose for the win.

WINNER: Ziggler at 3:03. Rinse & Repeat from the opening match of Main Event a few weeks ago... in the default main event of Raw.

Post-match, Ziggler and Lana hung out in the ring selling awkwardness. Ziggler then pulled out one of Lana's hairpins to let her down a little bit. Ziggler and Lana made out, prompting Rusev to wince and Crush himself watching backstage. Rusev chucked one of his crutches away, then threw the other one into a WWE logo and fell down to the ground selling pain. Suddenly, a pair of legs walked up to Rusev. The lady was a blonde. Perhaps Summer Rae. Apparently Rusev knocked out the audio, too, as her words could not be heard to confirm her identity. She handed one of the crutches to Rusev and walked off.

Authority Office: J&J Security and Kane tried to reason with Triple H and Stephanie McMahon about their roles in The Authority. Suddenly, the screen turned green. The live crowd booed. Back to a visual of Hunter trying to convince J&J and Kane to have Seth's back and understand the pressure of being WWE champion. Steph said Seth is clearly asking for their help, so just go to the ring and hear them out. Background noise. J&J and Kane then walked off.

[Commercial Break at 10:56]

[Q13 -- over-run] WWE World Hvt. champion Seth Rollins came to the ring to address Authority business. Seth said he is here to be the bigger man and admit that he is wrong. Seth asked for Kane, Noble, and Mercury to come to the ring so he can apologize to them individually. Kane's music played to bring out Kane and J&J Security.

Rollins said he realized that a team is only as good as its foundation, and they are his foundation. Seth said this has nothing to do with Brock Lesnar. Because he's beaten Brock before and he will beat him again at Battleground. Rollins said this is about family. "Suplex City" chant interrupted. Seth told the crowd to shut up because he is trying to apologize.

Seth said they are all champions. He called Joey and Jamie the guys he patterned his in-ring style after and they have always been there for him. He said he's apologized and he would like for them to be part of his family again. J&J talked it over as the crowd shouted, "No!" He then stepped up to Kane for a one-on-one chat.

Seth said he's said and done a lot of crappy things. He said Kane is not a dinosaur because he is alive and well. Seth paused for a "Justin Bieber" chant. He continued that Kane gets better with age like a fine wine. And he will forever and always be the devil's favorite demon. Personally, Seth said, you are my favorite WWE star of all-time. Seth asked Kane to accept his apology so they can be a family again.

Kane, Noble, and Mercury talked amongst themselves, then Seth got agitated saying he's out here practically begging for them to come back. "Guys, please, will you take me back?" he asked. Seth extended his hand.

Suddenly, Brock Lesnar's music played. Out came Lesnar and Paul Heyman looking to add to the discussion. Or just put an end to it. Lesnar stood ringside as Seth, Kane, Joey, and Jamie stood in a line in the ring. Lesnar hopped onto the ring apron and approached the ring, then Kane, Joey, and Jamie patted Seth on the back and left the ring. Seth was left alone in the ring. Or so Brock thought. Suddenly, Kane grabbed Brock from behind, but Brock threw him away. Brock then took out Joey and Jamie, leaving Seth all alone again.

Brock charged the ring and the fight was on. Brock took Seth to Suplex City with a German, clearing Seth to the corner. Brock then scooped up Seth for another German. "One more time" chant from the crowd. Seth winced, then Brock picked up Seth for a third German clear across the ring. Brock then scooped up Seth for an F5, but Kane returned to the ring. Kane went for a chokeslam, but Brock pushed off and flung Seth out of the ring. That allowed Kane to grab Brock again and nail a chokeslam on his second try.

Brock got up, so Kane wanted another chokeslam, but Brock took Kane to Suplex City with a release German. Seth then ran back into the ring, but Brock grabbed him for an F5, only to have Seth clip the knee. Kane and Seth put the boots to Brock, looking to take out Brock's knee. They wrapped his knee around the ringpost, then smashed Brock's knee with a chair. Paul Heyman was out of sight hanging out in the background next to the announce table watching this unfold.

Lesnar tried to fight back, but Joey Mercury hit the ring and attacked Lesnar. Kane and Seth then worked over Brock as JBL brought up Heyman not seeing this coming when he struck a deal to bring back Lesnar. Seth then came off the top with a kick to Lesnar's head. Kane scooped up Lesnar one more time for a chokeslam in the middle of the ring. Seth wasn't done. He wanted a Pedigree in the middle of the ring. B-minus execution. Seth then grabbed his WWE Title belt and posed in the ring as Cole talked about this possibly spelling disaster for Brock at Battleground. Cole said Rollins is on top of the world and The Authority is back in full-force as Raw signed off 18 minutes past the top of the hour.

[ Reax: This just was not WWE's night, as the beat down went on forever and they lost the crowd toward the end. The goal was obviously to "even the deck" making it seem like Brock is facing four-on-one odds at Battleground to give the joke heel champion a fighting chance against a super-freak athlete. But, WWE "lowering Lesnar" to achieve that goal felt unproductive and like a poor use of what Lesnar brings to the table. Perhaps the most interesting Creative aspect is how Heyman fits into this - was his character conned by The Authority into bringing Brock back? Is he conning Lesnar? Has he spotted the con and now he has to decide whether to abandon ship on Lesnar? Interesting to see where that aspect goes this summer. ]

FINAL THOUGHTS: Just a rough, rough show. No business being three hours, WWE's attention seemed to be split on Raw and the Tough Enough premiere tomorrow, and this was the Exhibit A for why WWE needs an off-season or talent rotation system, not just for talent, but for everyone involved in the show.

***

Alerts: Follow PWTorch staffer's live, real-time tweets during Raw at Twitter.com/PWTorch/torch-staff .

We welcome your 0-10 score and comments on this show for a "Raw Reax" feature in the Torch Feedback section of PWTorch.com. To contribute your thoughts on Raw, email to pwtorch@gmail.com .


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