RAW PRIMER 7/31: Samoa Joe, Braun Strowman, Roman Reigns, more with Jason Jordan, Sasha’s reaction, Big Cass

RAW PREVIEW
JULY 31, 2017
PITTSBURGH, PA. AT PPG PAINTS ARENA
By Joey Galizia (@RamJam89), PWTorch contributor

“THE BATTLE TO BROOKLYN”

I’m not one to choose sides, but even during the first brand split almost a decade ago, I was always a Monday Night Raw advocate. The years of fantastic memories and nostalgic excitement always swayed me to lean towards the red brand. (Not that SD hasn’t provided its fair share of memories as well.) So obviously, I’ve been HOOKED on Raw’s current main event scene involving four of the biggest, meanest, and hardest-hitting athletes that combat sports have to offer. Braun Strowman has truly emerged as one of the breakout stars for the WWE, and Samoa Joe has risen his stock way higher than most of us expected. And as for Roman… well… he may not have earned his push to the top, but he has earned the right to stay there. These three behemoths will clash tonight in a triple-threat on the journey towards their Fatal Four-way against the Beast at Summerslam. Good thing for us… that the champ will also be in Pittsburgh tonight. BRING IT ON.

“ALL THAT WAS OLD IS NEW AGAIN… MAYBE.”

The women’s scene on Raw continues to perplex. After concluding a two PPV feud with Bayley, champ Alexa Bliss had prepared for a new challenger in Sasha Banks. Sasha took Bliss to the limit at GBOF, and nearly walked with the gold until Alexa got herself counted out. It seemed apparent that the two would meet again at the biggest show of the summer, but Bayley thought differently. She would defeat Alexa two weeks in a row, and last week won a #1 contenders matchup against the Boss to earn a shot at the title she lost in her hometown. Will Sasha let this go quietly? With three weeks left I feel like some type of curveball is headed our way.

“WE’RE JUST TALKING HERE”

If there’s a great way to ignite a feud it’s to appear on the most “popular” tv show within a tv show…MizTv. Tonight’s guest will be the newest member of team red: Jason Jordan. Jordan has been the talk of the wrestling universe these past few weeks as he was revealed to be Kurt Angle’s long lost love-child from Angle’s early days of Collegiate wrestling. Miz will most likely use his aggressive interview tactics to force some truth out of J.J., but I fear that if he pushes too hard he may end up trading fists with the American Alpha, and quite possibly defending his title against him too.

“STEEL COUNTRY”

-Shesaro (Cesheamus?) are enjoying this mayhem in the tag-team scene because it leaves the champs currently without contenders. Sheamus has been off shooting a movie so they’re in no rush to find ones, but The Revival is making their presence known, as well as the reunion between Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins.

-Big Cass and Enzo may never be done hating each other, but Big Show most be getting irritated that he keeps getting his ass-kicked.

-The Universal Title scene may not be the only one that has a multi-man match. Neville and Akira Tozawa are still at each other’s throats, but Ariya Daivari has now thrown his hat into the ring after defeating Neville by countout last week on 205. Is Neville’s long title run coming to an end? If there’s one thing I’ve learned, the king always finds a way.

-Elias Samson must be feeling good after pinning the first ever Universal Champion Finn Balor last week. He’s probably not feeling too good about losing the latter part of his name though.

-Speaking of Finn, this is the second time Bray Wyatt has cost him a matchup within the past couple months, and Balor be damned if he’s going to get bullied by a man with mythical powers. The demon is coming, and hell is coming with him.

Three weeks away. Throw a light on this gasoline and let it all BURN.

NOW CHECK OUT LAST WEEK’S ARTICLE: RAW PRIMER 7/24: Follow-up on the Kurt Angle-Jason Jordan reveal, Finn Balor vs. Elias Samson no DQ, Seth-Dean dynamic