With SummerSlam only a few short weeks away, WWE will be looking to create more matches for the biggest event of the summer. Tonight we should hopefully see some new feuds emerge and maybe some more confirmed matches for Summerslam. With the current WWE Roster on tour in Australia, Tonight's episode will be taped due to the overseas tour. Tonight's show will be from the Laredo Energy Arena in Laredo, Texas. The RAW GM Brad Maddox has confirmed six matches for tonight's show, They are as follows: *John Cena vs Ryback (Tables Match, Non Title) *Kane vs Daniel Bryan *Rob Van Dam vs Fandango *Kaitlyn vs AJ Lee (Non Title) *Christian vs Alberto Del Rio (Non Title) *Mark Henry and The Usos vs The Shield (Non Title)
Tonight's taped show looks set to be a fun night with some intriguing matches lined up. tune in to Monday Night Raw to see all the action!
This is where I rank the top 10 superstars who have made an Impact, had victories or have gained momentum throughout the week on RAW and/or Smackdown. The top 10 are my own opinion. The List are as follows : 1. John Cena(Last Week no.1) The WWE Champion stays at number 1 for the third straight week. The champ will face Ryback in a Tables match on next weeks RAW.
2. Daniel Bryan (Last Week no.5) Daniel Bryan defeated not one, not two but three superstars on RAW in a gauntlet match but still didn't seem impressed after John Cena came out to help him in his match with Ryback. Bryan will now face his former Best Friend Kane on RAW next week. 3. Randy Orton(last week no.2) Mr Money In The Bank keeps his place in the top three this week after an impressive victory over the other Mr Money In The Bank Damien Sandow on Smackdown, The question now remains, When will The Viper cash in his briefcase?
4. Alberto Del Rio (Last Week no.6) The World Heavyweight Champion makes his way into the top 5 this week after a sequence of good results against Sheamus on RAW and Rob Van Dam on Smackdown, We now await Del Rios challenger for Summerslam.
5. Dolph Ziggler (Last Week no.10) The Showoff seems to have regained focus after dumping AJ as he picked up a impressive victory over the Prime Time Players on RAW.
6. CM Punk (No entry Last Week) CM Punk doesn't look to have any fear of Brock Lesnar after a match at Summerslam was announced between the two. CM Punk also delivered a pipe bomb on smackdown which ultimately led to him dropping Fandango with a GTS when he interrupted Mr Straight Edge.
7. The Shield (last week no.3)
The Shield have lost momentum over the past week or so after Mark Henry called them out. The Usos still look to have unfinished business with the Hounds Of Justice which may lead to another match at Summerslam.
8. Damien Sandow (Last Week no.4)
After a defeat at the hands of Randy Orton, Cody Rhodes stole Sandows Briefcase which angered the Intellectual Savior, Cody then threw the Briefcase into the Gulf Of Mexico which rounded of a very disappointing week for Sandow.
9. Rob Van Dam ( Last Week no.8)
RVD has had a mixed bag this week in WWE, a win on RAW but then a quick loss on Smackdown at the hands of the WHC Alberto Del Rio, still Mr One Of Kind remains in the top 10 this week.
10. AJ Lee (Last Week no.9)
After giving a "State of Address" on Smackdown, AJ made it clear that she has still not came to terms with the fact that she is no longer with her former boyfriend Dolph Ziggler.
Damien Sandow goes for a swim, The Wyatt Family impress in their debut.
Full Match Results
Randy Orton def. Damien Sandow. Mark Henry & The Usos def. The Prime Time Players & Wade Barrett. Alberto Del Rio def. Rob Van Dam. The Wyatt Family’s Luke Harper & Erick Rowan def. Tons of Funk. Christian def. Jack Swagger.
Key Points from This week's episode: *The Viper wins "Battle of Mr Money In The Bank. *CM Punk drops a Pipebomb on Smackdown, He also drops Fandango. *AJ Lee tells the WWE Universe that she is "Fine" in a state of address speech. *The Wyatt Family debut *Cody Rhodes seems to be turning into a BabyFace.
We are now on the road to the biggest event of the Summer known as SummerSlam! Tonight's Raw will be held at Frank Erwin Center in Austin, Texas. The Big Show will make his return to Television tonight following a lay off for a few months. Sheamus is also set to return following an injury which happened at Money In The Bank. There have been no confirmed matches for tonight's show. WWE will look to create further friction in the following story lines tonight: *Has Brock Lesnar awakened a new side of CM Punk? *Who will be a target for the returning Big Show? *Can Mark Henry put a stop to The Shields dominance? *Was appointing Brad Maddox as RAW GM a good move? *Who will be the next victim in The Wyatt Family's destruction?
This is where I rank the top 10 superstars who have made an Impact, had victories or have gained momentum throughout the week on RAW and/or Smackdown. The top 10 are my own opinion. The List are as follows :
1. John Cena(Last Week no.1) The WWE Champion successfully retained his Championship this past Sunday at the Money In The Bank PPV overcoming The World's Strongest Man Mark Henry forcing him to tap out. The night after the PPV Cena announced that he will face Daniel Bryan at SummerSlam.
2. Randy Orton (Last Week no.4) The Viper defeated all the odds at Money In The Bank by winning the All Stars match virtually guaranteeing a 10th WWE Championship, The Viper defeated Fandango on RAW and had an impressive victory over Alberto Del Rio on Smackdown which means he's at number 2 this week.
3. The Shield (last week no.3) The Tag Team Champions Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns successfully defended their Titles at Money In The Bank, Defeating The Usos but Dean Ambrose came up short in The Smackdown Money In The Bank match. Therefore The Shield retain the number 3 position.
4. Damien Sandow (No entry last week) The Intellectual Saviour of the masses has arguably the best week of his career winning the Smackdown Money In The Bank Briefcase. The questions remains, when will Sandow cash in.
5. Daniel Bryan (Last Week no.8) Although Daniel Bryan lost out at Money In The Bank, He has a golden opportunity at SummerSlam when he goes one on one with The WWE Champion John Cena for the Title. It will be interesting to see how Bryan gains momentum in the coming weeks.
6. Alberto Del Rio (Last Week no.5) Del Rio successfully defended his WHC at Money In The Bank against Dolph Ziggler, However The Mexican Aristocrat came up short against Mr Money In The Bank Randy Orton on Smackdown.
7. Curtis Axel (Last Week no.7) The Intercontinental Champion Defeated The Miz at Money In The Bank and also defeated Y2J on Smackdown which means Axel has had a pretty successful week in the world of WWE.
8. Rob Van Dam (No entry Last Week) The returning RVD has had a good return to WWE, He fell short at Money In The Bank but he gets himself into the top 10 after impressive victories over Y2J and Darren Young. Welcome back RVD!
9. AJ Lee (No entry Last Week) AJ will have mixed emotions after successfully defending the Divas Championship at Money In The Bank but she will undoubtedly be angry and upset due to Dolph Ziggler breaking up with her.
10. Dolph Ziggler (Last Week no.9) The Showoff has had a disappointing week in WWE after a loss at the hands of Alberto Del Rio at Money In The Bank however he seems to be pleased that he has dumped his former girlfriend AJ Lee.
Following a great Money In The Bank PPV last night, what will WWE have in store for us tonight when RAW hits Brooklyn, New York. There has been no confirmed matches for tonight. WWE are set to focus on the following points on tonight's show: * How will Cody Rhodes react following Damien Sandows betrayal? * How long will The Viper wait before cashing in his contract? * Where does the AJ/Ziggler relationship stand now? * Will Paul Heyman and Curtis Axel explain their actions following attacks on CM Punk and Daniel Bryan? * What does The Wyatt Family have in store for us tonight?
All this and much more tonight on Monday Night RAW!
With Money In The Bank fast approaching, I will give my final thoughts and my predictions for each match scheduled for tonight's PPV.
WWE Tag Team Champions Seth Rollins & Roman Reigns vs The Usos (Kick Off match) Since The Shield made their debut several months ago, They have only lost cleanly a handful of times whereas The Usos have only really kicked into the next gear in the past month. I just can't see The Tag Team Champions losing at Money In The Bank but The Usos will hopefully provide a tough match for The Hounds Of Justice. Prediction: The Shield retain the Tag Team Championships
Chris Jericho vs Ryback To be honest I'm not that excited for this match as i would rather see both participating in a Ladder Match for a Briefcase. Over the past few weeks Ryback hasn't looked like 'The Beast' that he was when he burst onto the seen last year. He hasn't won a WWE PPV since Over The Limit (I think) where he defeated to developmental superstars. Chris Jericho goes into Money In The Bank on the back of two victories over the Intercontinental Champion Curtis Axel. Even though this match is not needed in the PPV, It could be a very good match between a Veteran and a 290 pound force. I just think Ryback needs the victory more than Jericho. Prediction: Ryback wins
Divas Champion AJ Lee vs Kaitlyn After weeks of humiliation, Drama and contract signing. It all comes to a head tonight at Money In The Bank. This rivalry has been one of the best over the past few years due to the build up and the match quality we seen at Payback, I believe we will see more of the same tonight. I'm enjoying seeing AJ as Divas Champion and i don't think she will lose the Championship anytime soon.
Prediction: AJ Lee retains The Divas Championship
Intercontinental Champion Curtis Axel vs The Miz The IC Champion has been in great form since he aligned with Paul Heyman, his only losses have been at the hands of Y2J which is nothing to be ashamed about! The Miz will go into tonight's PPV on the back of a ShellShock at the hands of Ryback on Smackdown. I believe we haven't seen the best of Axel yet which is why he will retain with the help of Paul Heyman who by the way The Philadelphia crowd love! Prediction: Curtis Axel retains The Intercontinental Championship
WHC Alberto Del Rio vs Dolph Ziggler After a much needed HEEL turn at Payback, Alberto Del Rio looks more rejuvenated and not as goofy as he was when he was a FACE. Dolph Ziggler appears to be in the process of turning Baby Face however he doesn't really suit it as i feel he is better as a HEEL with the cocky nature he possesses. Del Rio has done well as WHC but i can see a Title change tonight and i think this will be the match where it happens, But will Ziggler win or will a World Heavyweight Championship Money In The Bank participant Cash In on a vulnerable Ziggler or Del Rio? Prediction: Dolph Ziggler wins the World Heavyweight Championship
WHC Contract Money In The Bank Ladder Match These future main event superstars have a great chance to become a World Heavyweight Champion when they collide in The Ladder match tonight. WWE have made the Briefcase matches different this year with the all BABY FACE and all HEEL affairs. At this moment i don't see US Champion Dean Ambrose winning simply because he is a champion at the moment and there are other superstars who deserve a guaranteed chance at a Title. Cesaro and Swagger in my opinion will face each other at SummerSlam to determine who is a 'True American' under the partnership with Zeb Colter. Fandango and Damien Sandow have outside chances of wining tonight but i do believe it will either be Cody Rhodes or Wade Barrett who will climb the ladder and retrieve the Briefcase. Prediction: Wade Barrett or Cody Rhodes to win the MITB Contract
WWE Champion John Cena vs Mark Henry These two have confronted each other over the past few weeks with The Worlds Strongest Man coming out on top most of the time. With Mark Henry accomplishing everything but the WWE Championship in his near 20 year career, He faces the Tough, Never say die attitude of John Cena who has fought men many times his size in the past. As much as Mark Henry does deserve a WWE Title run. I don't believe his time is now and John Cena 'Should' walk away from Money In The Bank as WWE Champion. Whatever the outcome of this match, they must not forget that whoever wins the All Stars Money In The Bank, they can cash in at any time. Prediction: John Cena retains the WWE Championship
Money In The Bank All-Stars match This is the match that i am most looking forward to in tonight's packed PPV. There may be many outcomes in this match but there can only be one winner. I won't rule out Sheamus tonight but i don't think he will win the Contract just because i feel he may look to target the US or Intercontinental Championship because the crowd don't give him as loud a reaction as many other faces receive. Christian would be a big surprise if he won the Briefcase tonight just because he has lost his past few matches on Raw and on Smackdown which would mean that we would have a big upset on our hands. CM Punk has won more Money In The Bank matches than any other superstar competing tonight which is why you cannot rule him out, however many people believe including myself that he will go one on one with fellow 'Paul Heyman Guy' Brock Lesnar so don't be surprised if The Beast shows up in Philadelphia tonight. Tonight marks the return of RVD after a long spell with other professional Wrestling company TNA. I don't think a lot of people would be upset if he walks away with the contract tonight. In my opinion i think either Randy Orton or Daniel Bryan will climb the ladder and retrieve the briefcase tonight as they seem to have gained a lot of momentum and are hungry to become Champions again. Prediction: Randy Orton or Daniel Bryan win the MITB Contract
This concludes my Predictions, Hopefully we witness another great Money In The Bank PPV like we have in the past 2 years.
Money In The Bank All Stars collide in the Main Event of Smackdown.
Match 1: Daniel Bryan vs Christian
Smackdown kicked off with a match between two of the participants in the All Star Money In The Bank match, It was a very back and fourth action type match with both superstars building momentum throughout the bout. Ultimately Daniel Bryan seized on a Christian mistake which led to Bryan applying his YES! Lock onto Captain Charisma forcing him to tap out.
Result: Daniel Bryan wins
Match Highlights:
Match 2: Jey Uso vs Seth Rollins
Fully prepared to challenge the WWE Tag Team Champions alongside his brother this Sunday at Money in the Bank Kickoff, Jey Uso battled one-on-one with Seth Rollins on SmackDown. After Roman Reigns dropped Jimmy outside the ring, the distraction he created allowed Rollins to knock Jey onto the top turnbuckle and then stomp him into the canvas with authority for the three-count.
Result: Seth Rollins wins
Match Highlights:
Match 3: Chris Jericho vs Curtis Axel
In the height of the heated confrontation, Y2J hit a Codebreaker on the titleholder, sending him flying out of the ring. Axel couldn’t answer the count in time – resulting in his second loss of the week to the six-time World Champion! Following the match, a flabbergasted Axel tore up the ringside area. Will he pull it together in time to put his title on the line against No. 1 contender The Miz this Sunday?
Result: Chris Jericho wins via Count Out
Match Highlights:
Match 4: The Miz vs Ryback
After an apparent knee injury caused Ryback to stop his match against The Miz two weeks ago on Raw, The Awesome One got another opportunity to wreck The Human Wrecking Ball on the blue brand. While it looked as if the recurring leg damage might once again cause Ryback to end the competition early, the intense Superstar instead used the momentary pause in the action to clothesline the former WWE Champion and hit Shell Shocked for the important pin fall.
Result: Ryback wins
Match Highlights:
Match 5: Fandango vs Wade Barrett
With their World Heavyweight Championship Contract Money in the Bank Ladder Match opponents Antonio Cesaro and Jack Swagger joining Zeb Colter at the SmackDown announce table, Fandango battled Wade Barrett. This came four days after Barrett sucker punched the dancing Superstar on Raw. However, moments after Team Rhodes Scholars emerged and kicked the dust-up outside the ring, Fandango took advantage of the commotion and rolled up The Barrett Barrage for the quick victory.
Result: Fandango wins
Match Highlights:
Match 6: Randy Orton vs Sheamus
In the SmackDown main event, Money in the Bank All-Stars Sheamus and Randy Orton went head-to-head in an absolutely off-the-hook slugfest. And when both Superstars spilled outside the ring in the match’s final moments, Daniel Bryan made a surprise appearance. Utilising a ladder from under the ring, the scruffy Superstar knocked both The Viper and The Celtic Warrior to the canvas. While his actions brought an end to the official competition, a fierce post-match struggle quickly erupted to see who could get to the top of the ladder and claim a symbolic victory heading into Sunday’s Money in the Bank All-Stars Ladder Match.
The action moved to the next rung, however, when Christian joined the fray and didn’t stop until Orton blasted Bryan with a thunderous RKO before climbing the ladder and staking his claim to Money in the Bank success.
Result: Match ends in a No Contest
Match Highlights:
This episode of Smackdown was pretty average with only a couple of matches really catching my eye which makes it a 6.5/10
