Match Ratings For WWE Raw 5/21/18, Podcast Notes From Sean Ross Sapp

Opening segment

• Kurt Angle comes out and is quickly interrupted by Stephanie McMahon, who runs down his performance.
• The crowd chants "you tapped out" at her, which she admits to. She'll also be handling the Rousey/Nia Jax contract signing this evening. 
• Roman Reigns comes out pouting about his situation. Stephanie pretty much tells him "tough shit." 
• Kevin Owens interrupts and says he actually likes Roman Reigns, and tries to kiss up to Stephanie. It doesn't work. Neither does the "thank you Roman" chant he tries out. 
• Stephanie McMahon says she doesn't play favorites and makes a Reigns vs. KO match.

Seth Rollins & Roman Reigns defeated Kevin Owens & Jinder Mahal
6/10

• Cole with the Freudian slip: 'They've given him plenty of opportunities, er, cost him plenty of opportunities.'
• Reigns turns Kevin Owens inside out with a shoulder block. Very impressive spot despite the slow start to this match.
• Reigns later misses a Drive By and gets superkicked.
• Reigns lands a Superman Punch, then a Spear outside, but Jinder Mahal interferes. Seth Rollins makes the save.
• This crowd is HOT. 
• TAG TEAM MATCH, PLAYAAAAAA.
• Reigns is getting worked over, and finally makes the tag to Rollins. The crowd goes bananas when he fires up and hits his suicide dives.
• Seth Rollins is putting on a show. A series of counters leads to the Rollins stomp on KO.
• The opening segment and this leads to a 50 minute segment.
• Mahal attacks both babyfaces with chairs after the match. 
• I've enjoyed Jinder Mahal's Raw run way more than anything he did on Smackdown

Zayn and Lashley

• Sami Zayn brings out a bunch of men in drag as Bobby Lashley's sisters. One has a mustache.
• Each tell stories about Bobby Lashley bullying them. This is a fart in church. 
• Frances needs promo class.
• Fox showing up at the Customer Service desk like "listen, I didn't even open Smackdown yet, give me my fuckin' money back!"
• Okay this segment could use pyro. Right in the middle of the ring so we didn't have to hear any of the shit being said.
• That little girl went BANANAS when Lashley gave her a five.
• Lashley attacks, and gets beaten down. He fires up and beats everyone up.
• He slams one of the sisters outside by a broom.
• This was absolute garbage. One of the all-time worst Raw segments. I need to provide counseling to Fightful staffers who covered this shit.

Ember Moon defeated Alexa Bliss (w/ Mickie James)
4.5/10

• Alexa Bliss, middle school social studies teacher, talking about Romans and the element of surprise.
• Ember does a nice headscissors takeover outside the ring, but this arm ringer spot into the barricade was so extra.
• After having her arm worked over, Moon comes back with her burst of offense. Alexa holds on to the ring apron and boots Moon.
• Mickie tries to get involved, and gets kicked out of ringside. Moon cracks her in the jaw, too.
• Eclipse, pin. Ember Moon remains unbeaten during her time on WWE Raw. 

Backstage Crappenings

• Stephanie McMahon offers Finn Balor and Braun Strowman fruit. They want a rematch with Ziggler and McIntyre. Instead, they face each other in a MITB preview. Braun crushes the fruit.

Baron Corbin defeated No Way Jose
5.5/10

• Jose and Corbin start at a fast pace. Baseball slide and plancha.
• Typical big man ring post spot, but Corbin recovers and gets Deep Six and End of Days for the win.
• This was fast paced and harmless. 

The B Team defeated Breezango

• I hope WWE sells actual B-Team shirts colored in by Axel and Dallas for charity. The team has new music too
• Breezango have a promo about how hot the B team shirts are.
• Breezango have no steam anymore. They're both able wrestlers and Fandango is hilarious, but there just isn't much there for them.
• The B-Team win pretty quickly with their finish.
• They celebrate everywhere. This is fantastic. They slide down the ramp in a chair.
• Breezango getting that CARMAX money though.

Contract signing

• Stephanie McMahon takes shots at the fact that Ronda Rousey doesn't take losing very well.
• Stephanie brings up the fact that it took Nia Jax a long time to get where she was, and to beat Alexa Bliss. She calls Nia lazy. 
• Shit is successfully stirred, because this all gets under Nia Jax's skin. She's tired of hearing the lazy talk, and says she'll beat Rousey at Money in the Bank and make a name for herself.
• Both girls sign on the dotted line. Rousey says she'll take the title and Jax's arm. 
• Stephanie was reaaaaaaaaaaaaaally good there.

Dolph Ziggler (w/ Drew McIntyre) defeated Chad Gable
5.5/10

• Angle is talking to Chad Gable backstage, saying he'd love to give Gable more opportunities. Ziggler and McIntyre emerge and want their opportunities after their Balor & Strowman win. Ziggler jokes that they're all great amateur wrestlers, but he doesn't wait for a handout. This was a good promo. A match is made between Ziggler and Gable. 
• I could watch Gable and Ziggler chain wrestle all day.
• Ziggler gets outwrestled and has to settle for kicking Gable in the knee.
• Catapult into the German suplex hits for Gable. Not a ton of heat to this match, but the in-ring is good.
• The ref causes a little distraction, which leads to a headbutt and superkick from Ziggler for the win. 
• This was way short. 
• McIntyre attacks Gable and hits the Claymore. 

 Money in the Bank Qualifying Match
Natalya defeated Sarah Logan (w/ Ruby Riott), Liv Morgan (w/ Ruby Riott) & Dana Brooke
5.5/10

• Dana Brooke still should not be on the main roster. There wasn't a need then or now for it. She could be useful in NXT, and get to where she needs to be. She literally just kept getting knocked out of the match.
• Logan cracks Nattie with a good knee after Natalya countered Liv's springboard bulldog.
• Riott Squad mock attacking each other, miss the hard cam, then laugh about it. Instead of, you know, just attacking the opponent. Coach calls them out for it, thankfully. 
• Liv and Dana take each other out with a badass double clothesline outside the ring. Brooke gets posted after breaking up a pin, too. 
• Natalya with a discus lariat and a Sharpshooter on Logan for the win.
• Natalya puts over that she trains with Rousey. Iight den. 

Elias defeated Bobby Roode
5/10

• Wow we finally get to see Elias vs. Roode. Fifth Elias/Bobby Roode match in under a month.
• Elias sings a great song, shits on the crowd, but he's shitting ice cream, pal.
• Elias attacks Roode before the match, but Roode turns the tides.
• Lots of sound work, but I'm a little surprised that WWE thinks this program is still working. How with so many creative minds at your disposal do you put forth this feud? Especially with Elias as over as he is.
• Roode makes his comeback after being worked over. If you could close your eyes, this is the Bobby Roode match you would have imagined. 
• Elias reverses the Glorious DDT into the Bulldog Summerslam pin, but gets neckbreakered anyway. 
• Roode gets crotched, then Elias hits Drift Away. That's it. This was, in fact, a professional wrestling match.
• Braun tackles Elias on his way to the ring. Heh.

Braun Strowman defeated Finn Balor
6/10

• Braun kicks Balor's ass all over the place, but he's favoring his knee.
• I love the outside-inside toss Strowman does.
• Balor tries to fight back and gets headbutted.
• Strowman goes for the Merry Go Round, but eats a Slingblade instead! Balor dropkicks him over the barricade.
• There's a great visual of Braun rising up over the barricade, but Balor manages two Coup ge Graces outside. 
• Ringpost spot for Braun. Another dove cries. 
• Strowman catches Balor on the top rope and powerslams him. Another finishes the job.
• Cute, cuddly, Braun puts Balor on his feet.