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The following report originally published 10 years ago this week here at PWTorch.com…
KELLER’S WWE RAW REPORT
JULY 28, 2014
LIVE FROM HOUSTON, TEX.
AIRED LIVE ON USA NETWORK
[HOUR ONE]
-Highlights aired of the Stephanie McMahon-Brie Bella angle last week that led to Triple H and Paul Heyman agreeing on the John Cena vs. Brock Lesnar match.
-Michael Cole, JBL, and Jerry Lawler introduced the show as Cena made his ring entrance. The announcers talked about the steep challenge Cena faces at Summerslam in three weeks. He solemnly said that it’s a lively crowd, but he can’t share in their enthusiasm. He said Plan C is what he hoped would never happen. He said Lesnar is his biggest threat, and it’s clear much of the WWE Universe wants to see Brock beat the hell out of him. He said Lesnar is the most dangerous man in WWE and he destroys whom he wants, when he wants, with the precision of a surgeon.
He said while 40 men have been able to say they’ve been champion, only one man has beaten The Streak. He said he is not ignorant – he realizes he’ll take a beating of the lifetime at Summerslam. He said he will not lie down, he will fight. “I am going to Summerslam to beat Brock Lesnar just as I did in 2012,” he declared with gusto. He said he doesn’t know if anyone can stop him or control him, especially Paul Heyman.
Miraculously at that very moment Heyman interrupted. He walked out onto the stage and introduced himself. How many kids at home yell at the TV every time he introduces himself and say, “Why does he say that every week? We know, we know!!” He predicted Lesnar will take the WWE Championship at Summerslam. He said Cena is about to be turned into a victim. He asked if he knows what it’s like to be victimized. He said if he wants to know what that’s like, ask the Undertaker. “I’m sorry, you can’t ask the Undertaker. No one has seen the Undertaker. No one has heard from the Undertaker. Not a phone call, not a text, not a sighting. Nothing since WrestleMania.”
He said his client is looking to “conquer you, sir.” He said his client is charging forward and on the offensive. He said Lesnar won’t just F5 him and pin him, he will also victimize him ruthlessly, mercilessly. Heyman said Cena loves being in WWE, representing the fans. He said Lesnar loves inflicting pain on his victim. He said all Cena will be the morning after Summerslam is being victimized and conquered.
Cena said he’s sick of Heyman crap and he wants to talk to him real one second. Cena touted his passion and said he shows up on time and works his ass off. He said he loves WWE and what it represents. He said he has passion for the WWE Title, whereas “that 300 pound gorilla you tote around whenever he wants to show up has no passion for anything but himself.” He said what separates them is heart, and when the chips are down, he may beat the hell out of him, but he’ll have to beat every last breath out of his body. He said he’s headed to Summerslam as champion and he’s walking out with the title.
Out walked Cesaro. He shook hands with Heyman. It turned into a hug. Heyman looked a little thrown off. Cesaro said even though he and Heyman have decided to go separate ways, he won’t allow him to insult his friend. He said Cena is not a wrestler, he’s a muscled up walking billboard. Cena moved toward Cesaro as Cesaro asked if he got his shoes at K-Mart. “You can’t wrestle at K-Mart. Oh, that’s right, you just can’t wrestle,” he said. Then he offered to prove it to him in a match right now. Heyman perked up and announced the impromptu match between them. Cena cut off Heyman and said it’ll be his honor to wrestle circles around him in the ring right now.
(WK Reax: Heyman was his usual great self on the mic. Cena elevated his game here and was really strong in delivery and message.) [c]
(1) JOHN CENA vs. CESARO
Cole said during the break, The Authority made the match official. They cut to a break at 4:00 as Cesaro punched away at Cena in the ring. [c]
Cesaro showed off his strength by standing on the second rope and suplexing Cena from standing on the ring apron into the ring. Cesaro went to the Cesaro Swing and then a submission hold at 11:00. Cena reversed it and Cesaro quickly grabbed the bottom rope. Cena then slammed Cesaro and signaled for the You Can’t See Me routine. Cesaro dove off the ropes at Cena. Cena rolled right through and put Cesaro onto his shoulders. He went for the AA, but Cesaro flipped onto his feet and gave Cena the lift-and-drop uppercut for a near fall. Cesaro went for the Neutralizer, but Cena blocked it. Cesaro went for a boot to the face, but Cena countered with a boot to the face too. Cesaro came back with another boot to the face. Cena met Cesaro on the top rope and gave him an AA for the win.
WINNER: Cena in 14:00.
(WK Reax: Really good match. A couple clunky exchanges early and you could pick up on Cesaro calling spots left and right – not his fault, but the fault of WWE’s mic’ing of the ring so well – but overall these two have fun performing one feat of strength after another on each other. Both have a ton of mutual respect for their pure strength and they like to show it off the way Ric Flair and Ron Garvin liked to chop each other until their chests bled.)
-Cole said they’d get an update on the Steph-Brie situation later as a clip aired of last week’s incident.
-Backstage Steph told Triple H she’s been putting up appearances all week that she’s doing well, but she said now that they’re at Raw, she can’t look her daughters in their eyes at their utter disappointment in her. She told Hunter, “This had better work.” Hunter tried to calm her. Randy Orton walked in and insisted they talk. Orton said the original plan last week on Raw was supposed to be him facing Cena at Summerslam. Orton said it wasn’t fair that just because Roman Reigns attacked him that he lost his title match. Hunter said he could switch the title match at Summerslam, but he won’t. Hunter said as long as Roman Reigns is in the picture, he won’t get a shot. Hunter said Reigns will just screw things up, so he better take him out. Orton said he’ll do it tonight. Hunter said tonight Reigns is going one-on-one with Kane. Orton said now he has a problem with Reigns, Kane, and Hunter. He glared at him. Hunter glared back. [c]
-A commercial aired for Smackdown focused on Reigns. It was generic, though, with nothing specific promised.
-WWE Fact: Exclusive on WWE Network you can relive when Hulk Hogan formed the NWO at Bash at the Beach 1996.
-A clip aired from Raw last week of Paige turning on A.J. Lee.
-Paige stood mid-ring and said she wanted to set things straight. She said she’s young and she often lets her emotions get the best of her. She said she still sees A.J. as her best friend in the world and what she did last week was deplorable. She said she mistook her for the person who took her title rather than a friend, but she promised not to act that way every again. A.J. skipped out and called her Casper (because Casper is a ghost and she is pale) and asked if she expects her to believe her. A.J. said if she wants to be like her and skip around, then stop playing little girl games.
Paige said she is still her friend and if she doesn’t believe her, she’s crazy. A.J. had a near meltdown at the use of the word “crazy.” Paige said she’d never make fun of her mental health. A.J. mockingly said she accepted her apology because mistakes happen to everyone. Then she attacked her. Paige fled the ring. A “C.M. Punk!” chant broke out briefly. Paige then set her Divas Title belt center-ring and told her to come and get it. Paige shouted, “We’re supposed to be friends, A.J.!”
-Cole plugged Reigns vs. Kane, and added that Orton is looking to get revenge on Reigns. So we basically know the finish of that match.
-A commercial aired for WWE Summerslam panel discussions with Steve Austin, DX (Triple H & Shawn Michaels), Hulk Hogan, and John Cena as the main attractions. [c]
-Another Summerslam commercial aired focused on the Los Angeles setting.
-Triple H’s music played as Triple H and Stephanie McMahon walked out. An extended clip aired of last week’s Stephanie arrest. Back in the ring, the fans chanted “Jailbird” at Steph. Hunter said to the fans he’s shared many moments with them, and he’s sometimes been disappointed in them, but never more so than last Monday night. He said he was disgusted and still is because they laughed at his wife when she was arrested. The fans chanted “Yes!” as Hunter asked if they found it funny that she was handcuffed and dragged out of the arena and thrown into a cruiser like a common criminal. Steph tried to hold it together next to Hunter. He said he will never forgive them for that.
[HOUR TWO]
Hunter said Brie was asking for it so it was okay that Steph struck her. He said it was a simple misunderstanding, though, and they’ve come to the ring to note that every charge was dropped other than the assault and battery charge. He said he’d like to reconcile their misunderstanding, so they’ve invited Brie to come to the ring to work through it and put the incident behind them. Instead, Chris Jericho’s music played and he walked out onto the stage.
Triple H angrily said, “Chris, you may not have noticed we were in the middle of something important here.” Jericho said he feels really bad about what happened to her last week. Jericho sang the theme to “COPS.” Steph plugged her ears as the crowd continued to sing it. Triple H mocked laughed, then asked if he thinks this is funny. The TV screen said “#jailbird” as Jericho said he thinks it is funny. Jericho told Steph not to worry because in 2014 “orange is the new black.” He said this is the reason and these are the moments WWE Network was created – so they can watch her get carted out of the arena over and over and over. Triple H said he wasn’t in the mood. Jericho praised Hunter for standing next to Stephanie and made fun of the size of his nose.
Jericho stirred trouble by asking why Hunter waited so long to come to his wife’s aid last week, staying behind on Raw instead. Jericho said he thinks he knows why – because he’s realized what he has known for years – that Stephanie is nothing more than “a filthy, dirty, brutal, bottom-feeding, trash-bag…” at which point Triple H interrupted and yelled for him to shut up. Hunter said he should focus on Bray Wyatt. Jericho said that’s what he wants tonight. Hunter gave him a match with Bray, but not until Summerslam. Seth Rollins then jumped Jericho from behind. Triple H said tonight he gets to face Rollins instead. Seth stood over Jericho as he flexed his arm in pain writhing on the ramp.
-They went to the announcers who reacted to the previous segment. Then they threw to a clip of Cena’s passionate promo earlier.
-A commercial aired hyping Sunday night’s retro Summerslam ‘98 airing of Triple H vs. The Rock, Steve Austin vs. The Undertaker, and the PPV debut of Edge with Sable.
(WK Reax: Not sure if every PPV is always available why this is “news” that you can watch it at a certain time on the stream. What they ought to add is some exclusive wrap-around content or new commentary segments before and after certain matches to make it a “premiere” of sorts, or even a “Director’s Commentary” type of deal with LIVE commentary from some participants as it airs. Heck, even just live Tweeting from some people on the show would make it seem “special” and “communal.” In general, it’s a good idea to make more Destination Evenings for the Network, but just airing someone people can watch on demand anytime isn’t enough.) [c]
(2) THE MIZ & RYBACK & CURTIS AXEL vs. DOLPH ZIGGLER & THE USOS
Miz’s ring entrance aired, whereas Ryback and Axel were already in the ring. As Ziggler’s ring entrance took place, Cole said WWE’s Instagram account just went over 1 million followers. JBL said while The Rock’s movie “Hercules” is doing well, the real buzz in Hollywood is all about Miz. Cole asked skeptically, “Really?” Lots of action early including all six at ringside at 2:00 leading to an early commercial break. [c]
Back from the break, Kofi Kingston, Xavier Woods, and Big E were at ringside watching the action. Ziggler hot-tagged in at 8:00 and went on rapid-fire offense against Ryback until Ryback caught him mid-air. Ziggler turned it into a DDT for a near fall broken up by Miz. Rapid-fire action continued with the Usos making Miz pay for interfering. Then Ziggler hit Ryback with the Zig Zag for the three count. The crowd knew as they counted along.
WINNERS: Ziggler & The Usos in 10:00.
(WK Reax: Really athletic fast-paced tag match. Good use of ten minutes of TV time. Miz continues to show his character has new life.)
-Another clip aired of the Steph-Brie angle. Cole said Brie is still expected to meet with Stephanie later on the show. [c]
(3) R-TRUTH vs. “THE INSPIRATIONAL” BO DALLAS
R-Truth’s entrance was joined in progress as he sang to his song with the crowd. Then Bo’s entrance took place. Bo laughed at how many matches he has lost in his career, but one day he can be victorious as long as he Bo-lieves. JBL said he thinks Truth is inspired. Bo shoulder tackled Truth twice, then took a victory lap around the ring. Back in the ring, Truth suddenly schoolboyed Bo and got the unexpected victory. The streak is over.
WINNER: Truth in 1:00.
-Bo gathered himself and congratulated Truth. He asked for the mic. He said he can’t Bo-lieve that Truth was the first to beat him. He then hit Truth with the mic and attacked him. Bo took a lap around the ring and raised his arms and said, “Never stop Bo-lieving.”
(WK Reax: Glad they ended this streak. They shouldn’t overuse or overextend that type of gimmick. It should be saved for things that really matter. This gives Truth vs. Bo at house shows a little extra juice.)
-A clip aired of Rollins hitting Jericho as the announcers plugged their match later. [c]
-Before the next match Rusev waved the Russian flag and Lana lectured the fans about what the U.S. flag used to mean compared to what it symbolizes now. She said it once flew on the surface of the moon, but now it is a faded banner for a ruined nation run by cowards who get fat off of their apathy. She mocked President Obama wagging his finger like a school teacher and called him pathetic. She said he is a laughable leader. Then she showed a picture on the screen of “the fool you elected before him to rule this rotting empire.” Up went President Bush to a mixed crowd reaction.
(WK Reax: I suppose that was WWE’s of making Lana non-partisan.)
Zeb Colter and Jack Swagger walked out with a American flag. Zeb said that’s a real flag with 50 stars and 13 bars and no matter where it flies in the world, it clearly represents the United States of America. He said it represents a family sitting around the table at Thanksgiving giving thanks they survived another year; it represents fans sitting around a TV set watching a football game; it represents a father and his son fishing and a mother and daughter learning to cook together (that’s a little dated in terms of gender-assumptions); and it represents pickup trucks, pretty girls, and beer. That got the biggest pop. Lana made faces. A “USA!” chant broke out. Zeb said it represents to him thousands of men and women who have died to protect their freedom and liberty. He said Lana viciously insults it every time she steps into that ring, but that just makes it easy for real Ameicans everywhere to recite “We the People!”
Swagger charged to the ring and attacked Rusev from behind, you know, like a real American. Rusev powered Swagger back-first into the security barricade. Then he threw Swagger into the ring as a “USA!” chant broke out. Swagger applied a Patriot Lock seconds later, then kicked Rusev who dropped to the floor. Rusev retreated with Lana as the “USA” chant got louder. Swagger waved the American flag mid-ring as his music played. [c]
(4) DAMIEN SANDOW vs. ADAM ROSE
Before the match Damien Sandow walked out in an astronaut outfit. He said, “Houston, we have a problem.” He said he has searched the planet for intelligent life, but all he’s found are nit-wits, half-wits, and dim-wits, just like the Rosebuds. He said: “It’s one small step for man, one giant leap in the toilet for mankind.” Out came out Adam Rose with his Exotic Express of partiers next. Rose called Sandow a “sour, sour, sour little spaceman.” He said he was going to “bring him back down to Earth.” Rose won quickly, just seconds into the match after hitting his Party Foul.
WINNER: Rose in 0:10. [c]
-Cole announced Dean Ambrose vs. Alberto Del Rio on Main Event on WWE Network. Cole said Ambrose was on a promotional tour tonight and wouldn’t be on Raw.
[HOUR THREE]
-Kane’s ring entrance aired in prep for the match against Reigns. Then Reigns walked down through the bleachers. Orton attacked Reigns in the crowd on the floor before Reigns could enter the ringside area. Reigns made a comeback at ringside and ended up entering the ring and taking control against Kane for a couple moves. Orton entered and went after Reigns. Reigns gave him a Superman punch. Kane chokeslammed Reigns. Orton then continued to attack Reigns, yelling that he won’t let him get away with stealing from him. He said he’ll show him at Summerslam and then he DDT’d him off the barricade onto the mat at ringside. Orton removed the monitors from the announce table because he wanted to hurt Reigns, but not too badly. Orton continued to trash-talk Reigns and say he cost him his title shot. He maniacally laughed and then put Reigns on the announce table face down. Then Orton gave him an RKO on the table. The table didn’t give. Orton got up and gave him another one, and this time the table collapsed flat. Orton said, “That’s what happens when people steal from me and cost me things as precious as a title shot. Never again, never again, boy. Never again.” Orton posed over Reigns as the crowd booed. [c]
-They showed Reigns being helped up and then cut to highlights of the beatdown before the break.
(5) DIEGO (w/Summer Rae, Layla, El Torito) vs. FANDANGO
A distraction by Torito led to Diego spring boarding off the middle rope and rolling up Fandango for the quick leverage pin. As Fandango demanded to know why Summer and Layla were being so mean, Torito gave him a gore off the ring apron.
WINNER: Diego in 1:00.
-They showed Steph backstage apprehensively knocking on the Divas locker room door. Nikki walked out and said Brie will be there soon. Steph said she wanted to express herself. Nikki said Brie will definitely be expressing herself. Steph said she hopes she will be reasonable when listening to what she has to say. Nikki said it’s not often people like her have to eat a plate of crap and she hopes she liked the taste of it. [c]
-A plug aired for ECW’s first-ever PPV, Barely Legal ‘97, touting it as the culmination of the year-long rivalry between Taz and Sabu.
-A backstage segment aired with Stardust and Goldust. Stardust was talking space science nonsense about the distance to the sun while standing in front of a blackboard with a bunch of equations written on it. Goldust said soon “it” will belong to him. Stardust blew glitter on him. I have no idea. None at all.
(6) CAMERON & ALICIA FOX vs. NATALYA & NAOMI
Naomi made Cameron tapout to a submission after just two minutes. JBL compared the submission to Kevin Von Erich’s leg scissors.
WINNERS: Natala & Naomi in 2:00.
-They went to the announcers at ringside, minus any desk, who plugged Summerslam.
-Jericho’s ring entrance took place. A clip aired of last week’s Wyatt Family attack on Jericho and then the Rollins attack on Jericho earlier tonight. [c]
(7) SETH ROLLINS vs. CHRIS JERICHO
Rollins’s full ring entrance aired after the break. They cut to a break at 3:00. [c]
They showed a clip of action during the break of Rollins side-stepping Jericho with Jericho flying to the floor, then diving through the ropes and spearing Jericho at ringside. Jericho backdropped Rollins off the top rope, although they seemed unsteady up there in the preceding seconds. Jericho landed a top rope bodypress for a near fall that the announcers sold dramatically. Rollins fought off a Walls of Jericho and then kicked Jericho. Both were slow to get up. Jericho landed a Code Breaker seconds later, then the lights immediately went out and the Wyatt Family notes played. The lights came on and Rollins was gone and the Wyatt Family triple-teamed Jericho. Bray posed over Jericho’s fallen body.
WINNER: Jericho via DQ, presumably, in 13:00.
-Backstage Hunter led Steph toward the entrance stage. Cole confirmed Brie was there. [c]
-Cole announced Jericho vs. Erick Rowan on Smackdown on Friday.
-Stephanie made her way to the ring alone. She looked sullen and nervous. Steph said she stands there humbled because getting arrested is a life-altering experience. She said she represents four generations of McMahons and WWE, a public company. She said she represents the shareholders, corporate sponsors, and business partners. She said now they cannot look at her without thinking she is a common criminal. She said it has affected her both professionally and personally. She said her children are getting teased at camp and their friends’ parents won’t let them come over for playdates. “They are absolutely scarred for life,” she said. Brie walked to the ring through the crowd.
[Overrun]
Brie said she has heard about enough of this. She asked Steph to get to the point “or are you going to stand there like a whining sniveling little rich bitch.” Steph said she won’t beat around the bush. She asked her to drop all charges. Steph said she doesn’t deserve this. Brie took exception. “As far as I’m concerned, you deserve to go to hell,” she said. Steph tried to stay calm and admitted she may have taken advantage of Nikki in some regards and she promised not to do that moving forward. Brie said, “Now you are being insulting.” Steph offered to give Nikki a raise. Brie said she’d accept that, as long as she agreed to all of her demands. She said it’s simple. She wants her job back. The crowd cheered. Steph gulped. The crowd chanted “Yes! Yes!” Steph said one Bella is enough in WWE. Brie said she’ll see her in court then. Steph asked if all she has to do is give her her job back to get all charges dropped. Brie said yes. Steph said done deal and began to walk away.
Brie said there’s one more thing she wants. “I want a match at Summerslam,” she said. Steph smiled and said, “That’s it?” She asked if it was for the Divas Championship or perhaps a Total Divas Spectacular. Brie said the match she wants is against her. (Didn’t she already agree to drop charges in exchange for her job back? Wasn’t that a verbal contract?) Steph said she hasn’t competed in the ring for over ten years. She said she’s dedicated to her career, being a wife, and being a mom. Brie said she won’t drop the charges without the match against her. “See you in court,” she threatened again. Steph said it was so unfair and began to break down and cry. The crowd wasn’t chanting “Yes!” but when Steph complained they were chanting “Yes!” the crowd briefly chanted “Yes!” Steph said she can’t lower herself to wrestle her. Brie said fine, see you court. Steph then gave in. She cried as she said, “Yes, fine, you have your match at Summerslam.” Steph walked up to Brie and said, “Brie, you have to consider..” Then she she slapped her off the ring apron. Brie bumped to the floor. Steph’s voice went deep and she said, “At Summerslam I’m going to make you my bitch.” Brie charged back into the ring and tackled Steph. Producers Jamie Noble, Joey Mercury, Fit Finlay, and Steve Keirn ran to the ring to save Steph. Triple H joined in and helped separate them to pull Steph to safety. The crowd, oddly, loudly chanted “Jamie Noble” as the show ended.
(WK Reax: So Steph isn’t scared of a match against Brie after all? Mixed signals there at the end. The segment wasn’t nearly as good as last week’s. Brie’s not a great performer, and that’s part of it, but the Steph performance was a little more self-indulgent this week, too.)
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