Match Ratings, Podcast Notes From WWE Raw 7/2/18 From Sean Ross Sapp

Opening Segment

• Roman Reigns comes out and calls himself the Big Dog and shit. I wonder if WWE realize how counterproductive this is.
• Dolph Ziggler and Drew McIntyre interrupt him and says that he walks around like he owns the place, and they end up attacking him.
• Seth Rollins makes the save to a big pop. Backstage, Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins find Kurt Angle, who gives them a match next week. However, Reigns wants it TONIGHT BECAUSE HE’S THE BIG DOOOOOOOOOOOOG. He gets it.
• Bobby Lashley shows up later and tells Roman Reigns he better focus for their match later, and says that IS a threat. Lashley was great here. 

Curtis Axel (w/ Bo Dallas) defeated Matt Hardy
5.75/10

• They note that Wyatt is injured, but didn’t specify how or the severity. 
• B-Team mock Deleter of Worlds. This is getting old fast.
• Some basic back and forth action get things kicked off. I’m pretty sure all three guys had a trying weekend considering the Bray Wyatt wreck.
• Curtis Axel using that Mr. Perfect somersault neckbreaker brings a little tear to my eye.
• Hardy Side Effects Axel on the apron. The crowd is in to Matt Hardy as he gets another in the ring. 
• Matt Hardy hits the post. Hey @Wikipedia piss off for removing wrestler move lists. How else am I supposed to remember Axel’s finish?

Counseling.

• Bayley and Sasha Banks both have a 10 am session. Whoo boy.
• DR. SHELBY IS BACK.
• He wants Bayley and Sasha Banks to pretend to be each other and let their feelings out. They mock each other. 
• I wonder if WWE writers realize they wrote this segment to mock their own complete absence of creativity for Sasha Banks and Bayley. 

Authors of Pain defeated Titus Worldwide (w/ Dana Brooke)
SQUASH

• Bearded Apollo Crews gets his ass kicked, which includes a pretty nasty assisted Dominator from the Authors of Pain. 
• Rezar also heaves Crews across the ring. There’s a Suplex into a powerbomb/neckbreaker on Apollo, but Titus breaks it up and gets tossed into the turnbuckle. 
• The Last Chapter wins it for AOP. AOP did two moves in that match better than their finish.

Seth Rollins & Roman Reigns defeated Drew McIntyre & Dolph Ziggler via DQ
6.5/10

• Seth Rollins gets a HUGE POP. Rollins is so goddamn over.
• McIntyre gets the tag after Rollins outwrestles Ziggler a little bit.
• Reigns really milks wanting the tag in.
• Reigns gets thoroughly worked over, then Roman Reigns and Dolph Ziggler made MAGIC on that uppercut.
• Suicide dive on McIntyre and a frog splash on Ziggler gets two. He then dives onto Ziggler and McIntyre outside!
• Back from commercial McIntyre gets superkicked! Maaaaaaaaaaaaaan this crowd is HOT. Ziggler gets powerbombed trying to stop Rollins. 
• The Revival attack Reigns right before the tag! DQ.
• Please give me Ziggler, McIntyre and The Revival as a stable. My god.
• Zig Zag Claymore on Rollins!

Constable Corbin and huckleberry Finn Balor

• Constable Corbin comes out and explains the miscommunication between he and Balor.
• Balor comes out and is SUPER JOKEY. It’s not funny though. It’s really bad.
• Corbin calls Balor small. This promo is the shits. Balor Slingblades Baron.

Ember Moon defeated Liv Morgan (w/ Sarah Logan)
5.5/10

• Riott Squad (sans Ruby Riott) ask Elias if he’s performing tonight, and he says not for these people, but for them. They then tear shit up to him jamming out. 
• After seeing how well Liv Morgan and Ember Moon worked together last week, I’m really glad to see them get an opportunity to work a full match together. Considering how green Liv is in the ring, it makes sense to put her on on one with someone she has natural chemistry with. 
• A flying cross body press from Ember impresses, as does a step up enziguri from Liv. 
• Morgan looks a little blown up about six minutes in. This is only her fourth singles match this year. 
• Morgan goes for the corner bulldog, but gets slammed into it and Eclipsed instead. Ember wins. 
• This was a fine match. Nothing looked bad at all. For a 7-8 minute match, it worked. It just seemed like Liv got a little tired.

Roman Reigns & Bobby Lashley defeated The Revival
5/10

• Nobody gives a shit about this match live. Reigns is slowly worked over, and makes a comeback featuring his neat roped leg drop.
• Reigns isn’t even looking to make the tag, so Lashley just lets himself in to clean house and clear the path for Reigns to tag. Reigns won’t, and gets jumped by The Revival for a DQ.
• Bobby Lashley hits the bricks.
• Backstage, Kurt Angle grants Roman Reigns’ wish for Extreme Rules. They’re BOOKED.
• Coach is truly clueless on commentary.
• Bobby Lashley tells Renee Young backstage that Reigns has only been the guy because he’s been gone, or else his yard would be a concrete patch in a trailer park.

MOJO RISIN’ (HA HA)

• Mojo Rawley has new music. Either that, or he’s had it a while and I’ve cared so little that I didn’t notice.
• Mojo says he’s not giving Jose a chance to face him just because he dances.
• Jose goes after Mojo and gets knocked down.
• Mojo ABUSES that member of the conga line. Mojo beats up a returning Jose again.

Nia Jax (w/ Natalya) defeated Mickie James (w/ Alexa Bliss)
5.75/10

• Nia Jax cuts a promo and calls Alexa Bliss an “insect.” Their match at Extreme Rules is……an Extreme Rules match.
• NATALYA IS NIA’S BACKUP. GAME CHANGER.
• Mickie really works over Nia’s leg, and does it really well.
• Mickie James channeling her inner WrestleMania 22 working that leg over.
• Man, Nia really doing damage with that CLOSED GUARD. She hits a big powerbomb, though.
• Alexa gets on the apron only to be knocked off. Samoan drop and a pin.
• Nia and Nattie embrace! Woo.

Braun Strowman defeated Kevin Owens via countout

• Kevin Owens is shown coming to the arena and won’t give his keys to the valet.
• He wants Kurt Angle to suspend or ban Braun from the building after what happened last week, because the car flipping was uncalled for.
• Kevin Owens had insurance, by the way. Kurt Angle books Owens against Braun Strowman for tonight’s show. 
• Kevin Owens offers to organize Kurt’s office or get him tickets to Shania Twain.
• Owens tries to get tips from Jinder about breathing for inner peace. It doesn’t work.
• Strowman pushes Owens down and Owens leaves. He’s counted out.
• Owens can’t find his keys and hides in a portapotty.
• Strowman finds him. It’s almost catastrophic because it didn’t fit through the door.
• He hauls this goddamn portapotty all the way to the stage. Strowman knocks it off the stage!!!