Match Ratings For WWE Raw 5/25/20 From Sean Ross Sapp

KO Show

• Kevin Owens is running the KO Show.
• There are Performance Center names in the crowd.
• Asuka comes out and Kevin Owens congratulates her.
• Charlotte Flair interrupts and Kevin Owens lets her know a feather fell off her jacket.
• Natalya interrupts next. Nia Jax is next, too.
• Asuka hits Nia Jax in the face right after Kevin Owens sarcastically asks her not to.
• Everything breaks down.

WWE United States Championship
Apollo Crews defeated Andrade (c) (w/ Zelina) to become champion
5/10

• Dexter Lumis in the crowd with an RKO shirt is amazing.
• Andrade accidentally ended up kicking Zelina. He checks on her and she wants him to just win the match.
• Angel Garza is watching from backstage.
• They do the damn Del Rio spot. They make up for it with a belly-to-belly into the corner though.
• Crews wins with a press slam, moonsault, standing star press combo.
• Apollo gives a speech about overcoming and achieving.
• Andrade is livid and tearing shit up backstage.

Women’s Tag Titles

• IIconics make up and say they never want to argue. They think they still deserve to be champions. The promo was very good.
• Just as good was Nikki Cross’ promo, when she and Alexa Bliss came out and Nikki said she’s clawed for everything she got.
• The IIconics attack and lay out the champions and stand tall.

VIP Lounge

• MVP refuses to talk things out with Lana backstage.
• Drew McIntyre tears up the VIP Lounge set, and says he wants Bobby Lashley out there now.
• MVP says without a contract, he’s not bringing Lashley out.
• Drew and MVP go back and forth about each person disrespecting the other, and Drew says he doesn’t need anyone to talk for him.
• Drew says Lashley can have it when Lashley pries it from his cold, dead hands. MVP says it can be arranged.
• Lashley comes out but Drew Claymores MVP. Lashley won’t get in the ring.
• McIntyre is livid, goading Lashley.
• Lana sarcastically tries to help MVP, and MVP tells her to keep her distance so Lashley doesn’t lose his title shot.

Angel Garza (w/ Zelina) defeated Kevin Owens
5.25/10

• Angel Garza attacks Kevin Owens’ knee before the match started.
• Garza is working the leg over heavily after the break.
• KO modifies the swanton based on his knee injury, which is cool.
• Garza wins with the Wing Clipper after Owens’ knee gave out.

Other Stuff

• Viking Raiders are eating turkey legs on the course, hacking away at the sand pits, and caused a tire on a cart to flatten on the golf course. Instead, they play mini golf. Street Profits are way better, and another woman hits on Ivar. This is supposed to be funny, and I wanted to like it, but I guess it wasn’t cohesive enough. I know that’s a weird thing to say about this segment. There was a gator as well. Vikings want to bowl.
• Edge cuts a promo about how long he was gone and how many matches Orton had when he was gone. He says he’s worked with the best and even pulled them up to his level because he could do anything. He isn’t sure if he can do that anymore, but he’s gonna find out.
• R-Truth says he’s coming for Gronk. Gronk cuts a teleprompter promo that could have been a lot worse, I think. He says he’s ready for Gronk.
• Liv Morgan says her self worth has been her biggest issue, but she found a lot more of it when she joined WWE. She’s living her best life now.

The Disciples (w/ Seth Rollins) defeated Humberto Carrillo & Aleister Black
5.75/10

• Seth Rollins has Rey Mysterio’s mask and says Mysterio sacrificed himself in a time of need. He says he’s ready to move into the future. He introduces Austin Theory as his newest Disciple. Buddy Murphy and Austin Theory tell their stories and thank Seth.
• Carrillo hits a nice top rope plancha. He hits an even better kick.
• Aleister Black comes in and cleans house with his kicks and lionsault. He has the best strikes in WWE.
• Theory pins Carrillo with the ATL.
• I really think Humberto Carrillo would be awesome in a full-time tag team.
• The Disciples attack Aleister Black, and then threaten Humberto Carrillo’s eye.
• Rollins says Rey Mysterio sacrificed and if these two keep getting in his way, it’s all in vain. This was a great promo from Seth Rollins.

Top Contender Match
Nia Jax defeated Natalya and Charlotte Flair
6.5/10

• Charlotte does and interview and says nobody compares to her accolades and Asuka dances into the shot. She says red is not Charlotte’s color.
• There was a really fake phone conversation between Tyson Kidd and Natalya where Kidd could not have possibly said anything.
• Asuka is on commentary.
• There’s a lot of back and forth, and Nia Jax ends up taking a tabletop from Charlotte.
• Nia Jax and Charlotte Flair have only had one singles match against each other. Even their interaction here feels fresh.
• Natalya and Charlotte powerbomb Nia Jax through an announce table.
• Nia makes her way back in and single arm powerbombs her way out of a Natalya armbar.
• Charlotte applies the Figure Eight on Nia Jax, but Natalya breaks it up and applies the Sharpshooter on Charlotte.
• Nia Jax breaks up the Sharpshooter, but eats a Charlotte boot.
• Tower of Doom. Another dove cries
• Nia uses a terrible legdrop to break up a Figure Eight. Samoan Drop pins Natalya.

Street Profits defeated Bobby Lashley & MVP via DQ
5.5/10

• MVP isn’t happy seeing Street Profits goof off. He and Lashley don’t respect clowns. MVP and Lashley challenge Street Profits tonight.
• Drew was going to leave, but decides to hang around when he hears about this match.
• Lashley is dominant. A great flatliner, and sending Montez into the barricade and ring post.
• MVP gets some licks in, but Angelo almost drops him on his head as there was major miscommunication.
• Montez takes out Lashley and then Profits get a Spinebuster/Frog Splash.
• Lashley gets a Full Nelson and the referee calls for the DQ after the 5 count. Another lame DQ, but at least they made sense of it.
• Drew McIntyre makes the save and attacks Lashley.
• WWE PC recruits pull him off and get beaten up. Lashley hits a spear and the recruits break them up.

Rating Guide
10- Perfect, 9- MOTY Territory, 8- Excellent, 7- Great, 6- Good, 5- Average to above average, 4- Slightly below average, 3 or below: Poor

Each match starts at a 5 and slides up and down based on entertainment, execution, time, environment, reaction and stakes. The ratings are in no way an indication of a “star rating,” which is a completely different system. A standard, non-offensive “TV match” lands at a 5. The gap between 5.75-6 is generally the largest, with anything reaching 6 being recommended viewing.
These are opinions, and incredibly inconsistent ones that may change upon a second viewing, or sitting on the match for a period of time. Don’t take them too seriously, and have (and share) your own!