WWE Raw Match Ratings And Podcast Notes For 6/4/18 From Sean Ross Sapp

Elias & Jinder Mahal (w/ Sunil Singh) defeated Seth Rollins & Roman Reigns
5.75/10

• Elias kicks off the show and gets a great reaction, but is predictably interrupted by Seth Rollins. They're interrupted by Jinder Mahal and Roman Reigns, and a match is set up. I really hope that this is planting seeds for something Reigns vs. Rollins related down the line and not WWE still trying to get Reigns a positive reaction by affiliation.
• It works for tonight, and Reigns gets a good reaction from the crowd, especially on his corner clotheslines. The boos are still in there. 
• Man, I forgot how bad Otunga was on commentary.
• This very much seems like "we have their money, save it for the pape" work through the commercial. The crowd loves it and goes bananas, so I can't really blame them.
• Obligatory Falcon Arrow mention. They're playing up that Rollins' neck is still hurt from the guitar attack.
• Drive By, Superkick, but Singh gets invovled. Rollins does a suicide dive and "hurts his neck." Rollins catches Singh trying to use a chair and takes it away. Elias DDTs him on it and pins Rollins after Drift Away!
• Some outstanding storytelling in this, what could have been a total nothing opening tag match.
• Later on there's a HORRIBLE back and forth between Jinder Mahal and Roman Reigns.
• "I know where you are…" went wrong way.
• Roman Reigns kicks the shit out of Jinder Mahal. 

"James Harden" defeated Curt Hawkins via DQ

• There are a bunch of tacos and shit at ringside, as Curt Hawkins has a jobber to face him.
• The jobber is "James Harden." They didn't realize what town they were in, because it was changed from "Steph Curry."
• Harden gets his ass kicked, but Baron Corbin comes out and hits End of Days on Harden.
• That's 200 losses for Hawkins!! Corbin then throws Hawkins into the tacos.
• Backstage, Corbin says he went to WWE HQ and Stephanie McMahon has named Corbin a constable. HAAAAA.

Nia Jax defeated Natalya
3.5/10

• Ronda Rousey is on commentary. It's really, really bad.
• This match is the shits early on. After the commercial, Natalya drops Nia with a discus clothesline.
• Nattie is hurt and Nia drops her with a Samoan drop and scores the pin. 
• Nia Jax is pretending to be concerned about Natayla, but she's a miserable actress. 
• Rousey faces off with Nia a couple of times. None of this was good. Rousey seemed like a dickweed.
• Natalya is trying to put weight on her knee backstage, and Rousey doesn't like that Nia is checking on Natalya. Nattie plays mediator. 

Braun Strowman defeated Bobby Roode
5.25/10

• What did Bobby Roode actually say there? Like, anything? GLOOOOOOOORIOUS. That's it.
• Roode kicks Braun and gets freefall'd on a Glorious DDT attempt.
• BRAUN STROWMAN DOUBLE UNDERHOOK SUPLEX JUST LIKE BILLY ROBINSON USED TO DO IT.
• Braun Strowman hits the ring post™.
• Bobby Roode sets up a ladder and thinks Braun can't get around it. He breaks it in half. Bobby Roode's facial expression on that was INCREDIBLE.
• Strowman chases and powerslams Roode. Pin.
• That was the most entertained I've been by Bobby Roode on the main roster. That was fun.

Top Contenders Battle Royal
B-Team win
2.75/10

• This has been such a nothing tag team run for Hardy and Wyatt. They cut a pretty long promo that the crowd eventually gets into. 
• Ziggler gets superkicked out by Breeze and McIntyre beats the shit out of everyone and hit their finish on Bo Dallas. 
• We go to commercial. Fandango eliminates Konnor, then The Revival chuck out Fandango.
• Rhyno eliminates Dash Wilder. Why wouldn't you have it set where you eliminate both members instead of having the other just awkwardly leave?
• B-Team, Slater & Rhyno. Ugh. Heath Slater at least fires up pretty well, but accidentally knocks Rhyno off the apron. 

The night that wrestling died XXVIIIIIIIIIII

• Bobby Lashley wants to face off with Sami Zayn right now, but Zayn is in the crowd instead
• Zayn says that he couldn't cook the organic tofu steaks he wanted because of his injury.
• Sami Zayn makes fun of Bobby Lashley's inspirational quotes and his fan club, but says that he has an anonymous accounts.
• HAHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA TOPICAL BURNER ACCOUNT JOKES!
• Sami Zayn says Lashley makes everything up, including his army service. HE'S GONE TOO FAR!!

Bayley (replacing Alexa Bliss), Sasha Banks & Ember Moon defeated The Riott Squad
5.5.10

• When I see new main roster additions like Ember Moon and Ruby Riott, I wonder what the need to bring green wrestlers up is.
• Alexa Bliss says she pulled her hamstring.
• WWE really overdoes it with the fake hair colors. 
• Sarah Logan just isn't there yet. There isn't a lot of urgency. She killed Ember with a knee and was in no hurry to pin.
• Ember Moon has a nice double chickenwing reversal. 
• The Sasha Banks hot tag clotheslines on Liv Morgan were pathetic. The knees and kicks were good though, so was Liv's comeback.
• Riott Squad essentially do the Unicorn Stampede.
• Things break down outside the ring, and Banks hits a double Meteora inside the ring, which was a cool spot. 
• Bayley comes out and for some reason is legal and gets a hot tag, Bayley to Belly and a pin. 
• Get the goddamn Constable Corbin out here, THIS ISN'T LEGAL. 
• The legend Baron Corbin is backstage and actually tells Angle he needs to straighten this shit out. 
• Terrible dialogue between the three winners backstage, when Angle approaches them and says that Riott Squad actually won the match via DQ. Ember and Sasha aren't happy and walk off.
• Constable Corbin is scolding John Cone.

Finn Balor defeated Kevin Owens via DQ
5/10

• Kevin Owens bitches about Finn Balor to Charly Caruso backstage about the meaning of Too Sweet. He's oddly fixated on it early in the match, too. 
• He's doing the headlock match tonight.
• Tope con hilo from Balor. 
• Armbar applied. Okay. There's a double foot stomp and Balor beats up Owens on the feet. 
• This show had a good crowd, and they weren't given what they deserved.
• Did anyone really think Balor was gonna win with Eye of the Hurricane?
• Owens superkick, but Balor counters a pop-up with a Slingblade and his dropkick
• Owens gets DQ'd for stomping a bunch. Welp.
• KO attacks Balor and frog splashes him.
• He grabs a ladder and climbs it to emulate getting the briefcase. Why? I dunno.
• He can't jump off the ladder and tries to get down. Balor catches him and beats him up. Coup de Grace off the ladder.
• This Raw was garbage.