WWE Raw Match Ratings 8/27/18 From Sean Ross Sapp

Opening Segment

• Roman Reigns comes out to the ring and wants to see Braun Strowman, and wonders where is.
• Strowman comes out and wants a one on one battle, but knows if he cashes in tonight, The Shield will interfere. He wants Hell in A Cell, and says he won’t cash in before that.
• Reigns says the only things Strowman lifts are cars and items — anything but titles
• Reigns says “you’re starting to sound like a monster.” They shake hands. Really weird and awkward. WWE has no major heels on Raw, even though they have one of the biggest of all-time ready made.
• Ziggler interrupts. Oh yeah man……….ZIGGLER HAS RE-MATCH. McIntyre cuts a promo, and Reigns welcomes them to fight.
• Holy shit, this is the worst they can build Reigns. He has a match with this guy, he and his friends beat the shit out of the guy, and he’s all “HELL BRO COME FIGHT US.”
• Corbin is out and confirms Braun vs. Reigns for Hell in a Cell, Braun & Reigns vs. Dolph & Drew for tonight. He also books himself against Finn Balor tonight, and says Kurt Angle didn’t have the guts to.

No DQ Match
Acting General Manager Corbin defeated Finn Balor
5/10

• Corbin knocks Balor to the apron after a commercial break. He works Balor over pretty well on the guard rail.
• I’m guessing the half nelson crossface rest hold is an official signature move of Corbin’s.
• “You can’t wrestle” chants for Corbin. I thought for sure Coach would have a hot take about that.
• I’m not sure who decides that Corbin needs 15-20 minute matches every week, but he doesn’t.
• Balor hits a Slingblade on the floor. Another in the ring. Corbin counters with a nice Deep Six.
• Corbin ends up using a chair on Balor. This thing just has to continue, I guess. Nobody wants or is asking for this feud.
• Corbin announces this is a No DQ match and hits Balor with a chair and End of Days for the win.

Sasha Banks (w/ Bayley) defeated Dana Brooke (w/ Apollo Crews)

• Dana Brooke is backstage talking to Apollo Crews, excited to have a tune-up match. Instead, Titus O’Neil got her a match with Sasha Banks, which Dana doesn’t seem too confident about.
• This is one of Dana Brooke’s best performances. She had a nice enziguri and some ground and pound, but taunted while her opponent’s shoulders were on the mat.
• A great Meteora hits for two, that I bought as the finish. Banks Statement and submission.
• Too short to rate.

Intercontinental Championship
Seth Rollins (c) defeated Kevin Owens
7.5/10

• Seth Rollins says he doesn’t have a dance partner tonight and makes an open challenge.
• Kevin Owens comes out to a huge pop. He’s angry Rollins has his best friend and he doesn’t have Zayn. He’s not leaving this building without a title.
• The action into the first commercial is unspectacular, but the crowd is into it every step of the way anyway.
• Rollins tries the suicide dive trifecta and pulls it off, even though Owens stops him at one point.
• Back from another commercial and Rollins hits a frog splash — a beautiful one. It can’t get the job done and Owens applies a crossface.
• Kevin Owens scores with a superkick and the Stunner for two!! “Holy Shit” chants from the crowd.
• Sunset Flip Buckle Bomb connects, but Owens instinctively gets a superkick for two! This crowd is going crazy.
• Owens tries a Super Fisherman’s Buster, but has it stopped. He misses on a moonsault and Stomped! Rollins wins.
• Outstanding. The crowd added a lot to this.
• After the match, Kevin Owens quits. He had been sitting in the ring for like ten minutes after the match.

The Revival defeated B-Team
5.5/10

• B-Team gains the early advantage over The Revival as we head to our first commercial. After the break, The Revival is in control.
• The sad thing is, both of these teams are fine and fundamentally sound (or fundamentally exceptional in the Revival’s case), but they were beaten and jobbed for so long, the crowd can’t be bothered to care.
• Dallas gets Au Revior, but Dawson kicks out.
• There are a series of nice pin attempts that leads to a Shatter Machine for the win. They Shatter Machine Bo Dallas after the match.
• Revival grab the tag team titles and cut a promo.

TRISH RETURNETH

• Elias comes out to a great reaction.
• He says when Drake says he “Started from the Bottom,” he meant Toronto.
• Trish Stratus’ music hits and she interrupts Elias. She says she’s not going to take him trashing her city.
• Elias says Toronto will never win a Stanley Cup, and Trish Stratus says Elias will never win a WWE Championship.
• Elias says he doesn’t date women in their 60s, and Trish slaps him.

Natalya (w/ Trish Stratus & Ronda Rousey) defeated Alicia Fox (w/ Alexa Bliss & Mickie James)

• Ronda Rousey, Natalya and Trish Stratus are in the ring. Alexa Bliss and Alicia Fox bring back Mickie James.
• There’s some brief back and forth action that doesn’t really click before Natalya submits Alicia Fox with a Sharpshooter.
• This was basically used to build Trish Stratus vs. Alexa Bliss at Evolution.

Bobby Lashley defeated The Ascension
5/10

• Corbin tells Lashley backstage that he hasn’t forgotten about him, but has a match for him. We get a very Jinder Mahal-ish 2017 reveal that it’s a handicap match.
• Lashley briefly fights from behind and wins with the Yokosuka Cutter.

Dean Ambrose defeated Jinder Mahal (w/ Sunil Singh)
5/10

• Jinder Mahal offers to help out Dean Ambrose, who rejects him in a very violently suggestive manner.
• Dean Ambrose back in action, and getting restholded with 15 minutes left in the show. Not exactly the way to reintroduce him.
• Dirty Deeds. Win.

Braun Strowman & Roman Reigns vs. Dolph Ziggler & Drew McIntyre.
4.75/10

• “LOOK I DONT LIKE U AND U DONT LIKE ME.” Yeah. Okay.
• Roman Reigns dominates early on. This match doesn’t start until like 11:02 PM EST.
• Reigns hits a Drive By, but ends up getting worked over by the heels.
• This whole match is isolating Reigns and keeping him from tagging in Braun Strowman. Along the way there’s a nice Ziggler dropkick and Reigns boots.
• After some taunting from the heels, Reigns Superman Punches Dolph and makes the tag.
• Braun isn’t in a hurry to get in the ring. As a result, the heels jump Reigns. The match is thrown out.
• Braun beats the shit out of Roman and screams “I’m not finished with you.”
• Ziggler & McIntyre attack and and Ambrose tries to make the save. Rollins, too, and they both get their asses kicked and the latter is powerslammed.
• I think AOP were probably the team to pair with Braun. Fresher and could really benefit. Little of this makes sense. This is another attempt to get Roman Reigns cheered at all costs. Sad, really.