The May 28th, 2018 edition of WWE RAW aired live from The Coliseum in Richmond, VA, and was the latest stop on the road to Money In The Bank.
– RAW opens up tonight with a Memorial Day video package.
– Braun Strowman comes out to the ring to kick off the show. Strowman starts talking about the upcoming Money In The Bank pay-per-view, and says he likes his odds going into the ladder match for the contract. He says he will be Mr. Monster In The Bank. He says he intends to take that briefcase, cash in the contract, and then, Brock Lesnar is going to get these hands. Finn Balor comes out to interrupt, and he takes issues with Braun’s confident, pointing out that he was the first Universal Champ. Braun says Finn put up a good fight last week, for a little guy. Finn gets in Braun’s face now and slaps him right in the face. Braun throws Finn into the corner, then tosses him right out of the ring down to the floor. Kurt Angle’s music hits, and the RAW GM comes out to interrupt. Angle comes out to the stage and talks about Braun and Finn’s incredible match last week, and he asks the Richmond crowd if he wants to see them go at it again right now. The crowd pops, and we have a match up next.
– Finn Balor vs. Braun Strowman: Kevin Owens is on commentary for this one. Strowman starts off in control, but Balor fires up and Strowman misses a shot in the corner. Balor goes for a kick to the head, but Braun blocks it and drops Balor down to ringside. Balor leans up against the fan barricade, and Braun charges and tackles Finn right over the top of the barricade and into security. Braun follow Strowman out to the crowd, then carries him over his shoulder back into the ringside area. Finn escapes from Strowman and throws Braun into the ring post. They fight up to the apron, but Finn boots Strowman back down to the floor. Kevin Owens gets on the mic up on the stage and talks trash to Finn, distracting him. Strowman recovers and gets back on the apron, but Finn kicks him right back down, and follows up with a big suicide dive. Strowman recovers quickly and grabs Balor by the neck, and throws him back in the ring. Back on the mat, Balor hits the Sling blade, and then dropkicks Braun into the corner. Balor hits a double stomp on Braun’s back, then Finn goes back up top. Finn hits the Coup De Grace, then he goes right back up top. Balor climbs to the top rope, but Kevin Owens runs in and attacks Finn from behind. Owens beats Finn down at ringside and rams him with a ladder. Owens takes the ladder into the ring and eyes up Strowman. Owens charges, but Strowman blocks it and steals the ladder from him. Owens retreats up the ramp, and Strowman throws the ladder at him and almost hits him. Owens runs to the back as Strowman poses in the ring. Strowman heads backstage as Balor still recovers at ringside.
Winner: No contest
– We go to Michael Cole, Corey Graves, and Jonathan Coachman, who show us from replays from last week, including Jinder Mahal beating down Seth Rollins.
– Elias is backstage tuning his guitar.
– Kevin Owens is backstage with his luggage, and he demands for the valet to get his car so he can escape the arena. Before he can exit, Kurt Angle runs up to him and tells him not to leave because he has a match tonight against Bobby Roode. Angle orders Owens to go get dressed to wrestle, and Owens begrudgingly agrees.
– We see a pre-taped selfie-style promo from Sasha Banks about the upcoming Money In The Bank pay per view.
– Elias is in the ring for a song now. Elias trashes the “particularly disgusting” Virginia crowd, and then he starts his song. Elias keeps getting interrupted, and we go to commercial.
– Back from the break, Elias is still in the ring trying to get the crowd to be quiet for his song. Seth Rollins comes out to interrupt, and he hits the ring. Rollins throws Elias’ chair out of the ring, and tells him to get lost. Elias leaves, and then Sunil Singh comes out to introduce Jinder Mahal, and we have a match.
– Seth Rollins (c) vs. Jinder Mahal: Rollins’ Intercontinental Title is on the line in this one. The opening bell sounds and Rollins immediately takes the fight to Jinder. Rollins beats on Jinder in the corner, then they run the ropes and Rollins hits a cross body. Jinder rolls outside for a breather, and Seth follows up with a suicide dive. Back in the ring, Jinder hits a shot on the apron and then drops Rollins on the mat. Seth looks for a suplex, but Jinder fights out and hits a back suplex for a two count. Jinder applies an abdominal stretch and throws elbow strikes to Rollins’ ribs. Rollins escapes, but Jinder drops him with some knee strikes. Rollins fires up and clotheslines Jinder out to ringside. Rollins follows up with a suicide dive, then he takes a breather while Jinder is down. Back in the ring, Rollins hits a boot to the face and then the Blockbuster off the middle rope for a two count. Rollins looks for a shot in the corner, but Jinder dodges and comes back with a big gutbuster for a two count. Rollins escapes from Jinder’s grasp and hits a kick, then rolls up Jinder for a two count. Rollins hits a kick to the face and then a Falcon Arrow for another two count. Sunil Singh tries to get involved and the ref ejects him from ringside. While the ref is distracted, Jinder hit a chairshot to the midsection, then pins but only gets a two count. Rollins comes back with a boot to the head, but Sunil comes right back out to ringside. Sunil gets on the apron, but Rollins drags him in and drops him. Rollins whips Jinder into the corner, and then he picks up Sunil. Rollins buckle-bombs Sunil into Jinder in the corner, and both men are down. They go back and forth until Rollins grabs the steel chair and hits a shot on Jinder, and the ref calls for the DQ.
Winner via DQ: Jinder Mahal
– Rollins retains the IC Title due to the DQ. Rollins uses the steel chair to beat Jinder and Sunil up the ramp. Elias comes out of nowhere and smashes his guitar over the back of Rollins’ head, and then we go to commercial.
– Back from commercial, WWE officials including Jamie Noble are helping Rollins onto a stretcher with a neck brace. Rollins sits up off the stretcher and tells them to give him a minute. Seth walks out with assistance from Jamie, as we go to the announcers who say Elias is a coward for that cheap shot from behind.
– Nia Jax comes out to the ring, but Ronda Rousey interrupts and sits down at the announce table as Nia steps in the ring. Nia gets on the mic and says she’s glad Ronda came out to witness Nia in the ring tonight. Nia is in the ring with who appears to be a local enhancement talent. Nia allows the jobber to put her in an arm bar, and then Nia lifts her up and powerbombs her down. Nia gets back on the mic and says Ronda’s arm bar doesn’t mean much to her. Nia at the jobber go back at it and Nia hits a Samoan Drop. Nia drops the mic and hits a leg drop on the jobber, and then gets back on the mic and talks more trash to Ronda. Nia hits a rolling senton bomb on the jobber, and she continues talking trash to Ronda, and she invites Ronda down to the ring. Ronda steps in the ring and stares down Nia. Nia says she’s not scared of Ronda’s intimidating look, and then Nia walks off and heads backstage.
– We go to a pre-taped promo from Dana Brooke about tonight’s women’s match to qualify for the Money In The Bank Match.
– Matt Hardy and Bray Wyatt are out to the ring next.
– Matt Hardy & Bray Wyatt vs. The Ascension: Wyatt and Viktor start off, and Wyatt takes control with a big shoulder block. Matt tags in and they double team Viktor, then Matt knocks Konnor off the apron. Viktor hits Matt from behind and stomps a mud hole in him. Konnor tags in and they double team Matt, then Konnor pummels on Matt. Konnor locks Matt in a headlock, and Matt attempts to fight out with a back suplex, but Konnor keeps the headlock applies and keeps punishing Matt. Bray and Viktor tag in and Bray drops him. Bray looks for a pin, but Konnor breaks it up. Matt runs in and takes out Konnor, and they fight at ringside. Viktor rolls up Bray from behind for a two count. Wyatt hits a side suplex on Viktor, then Matt tags in and they hit the double Sister Abigail on Viktor for the three count.
Winners: Matt Hardy & Bray Wyatt
– Bo Dallas and Curtis Axel approach Kurt Angle backstage and they mock Wyatt and Hardy. They ask for a Tag Title shot, but Angle says they aren’t qualified yet. They talk about having a Memorial Day celebration tonight, and they high-five and walk off as Angle rolls his eyes at them.
– Still to come: Bobby Roode vs. Kevin Owens
– We see a pre-taped selfie-style promo from the Riott Squad.
– Bobby Roode is out next.
– Bobby Roode vs. Kevin Owens: The opening bell sounds and they immediately go at it. Roode fire up and throws Owens outside. Owens climbs up on the apron, but Roode drops him with a clothesline, and then follows him outside. Owens takes out Roode’s leg and then whips him into the fan barricade. Owens follows up with a cannonball splash up against the barricade. Back in the ring, Roode continues the beat-down on Roode. Owens looks for a senton bomb, but Roode rolls out of the way. Roode and Owens trade right hands now until Roode his an elbow to the face. Roode follows up with the Blockbuster off the middle rope for a two count. Roode hits a clothesline in the corner and then looks for a neckbreaker, but Owens escapes. Owens looks for a Samoan drop, but Roode escapes and hits his neckbreaker. They fight up to the top rope and Roode knocks Owens down. Owens rolls out of the ring and Roode follows him then clotheslines him on the ramp. Back in the ring, Roode escapes a Pop-Up Powerbomb, but Owens rolls up Roode out of nowhere and steals the three count.
Winner: Kevin Owens
– Roode can’t believe it as Owens celebrates at ringside. Before Owens can get up the ramp, Braun Strowman runs out and chases Owens around the ring. Strowman grabs Owens and drags him in the ring, then hits the running powerslam. Roode cheers on from the corner and calls for Strowman to give another powerslam, and Strowman obiges, then slams Owens down again. Roode celebrates until Strowman grabs him and hits the running powerslam on Bobby too. Strowman stands tall and looks at the briefcases hanging above the ring, then heads to the back.
– Sami Zayn comes out to the ring to issue a public apology for his segment with Bobby Lashley’s “sisters” last week. Zayn says he got a lot of backlash from the segment, and those weren’t really Bobby’s sisters, he just wanted to have some fun at Bobby’s expense. Sami apologizes to everyone, but adds that everything he said about Lashley was true. Sami says like all good art, his interview last week was rooted in reality about Lashley. Lashley comes out to interrupt and high-fives all the fans round ringside. Lashley comes in the ring and first of all thanks everyone who served in the military, with today being Memorial Day. LAshley tells Sami to back up his trash talk, and tells Sami to shake his hand. They shake, but Sami says at Money In The Bank, he’s going to kick the stupid smile right off Bobby’s face. Bobby starts squeezing Sami’s hand and Sami sells it like his hand is being crushed. Lashley says he has an apology of his own — he apologizes in advance for everything he’s going to do to him at Money In The Bank.
– We see a pre-taped selfie promo from Mickie James talking about her Money In the Bank aspirations.
– Drew McIntyre vs. Chad Gable: Dolph Ziggler is at ringside for this one. The opening bell sounds and Gable starts off fired up, but Drew shuts him down with a big boot. Drew follows up with a vertical suplex, and then applies a shoulder lock. Gable tries to fight back, but Drew shuts him down with a big overhead suplex. Drew takes Gable up top, but Gable fights him off. Drew gets back up and throws Gable out to ringside. Gable elbows Drew in the face, and then hits a spinning heel kick on the floor. Gable goes up to the apron and goes for a splash, but Drew catches him and tosses him into the ring post as Ziggler cheers on. Back in the ring, Drew hits the Claymore kick for the three count.
Winner: Drew McIntyre
– We go to replays as Ziggler and McIntyre head to the back.
– The B Team is getting ready for a “Memorial Day tag team BBQ” up next.
– Bo Dallas and Curtis Axel are in the ring now with several other tag teams including The Ascension, Titus Worldwide, Slater and Rhyno, and Dash & Wilder. They have some catering set up on tables in the ring. Everyone is eating the food, but Titus starts criticizing the food selection. Titus says The B Team thinks they can cut the line in front of the rest of the division for the Tag Titles. Slater says he likes the food, but he also takes issue with The B Team. Dallas tries taking some of his food back from the tag teams, while Titus dumps the pot of baked beans over Dallas. Fandango then dumps the potato salad on Axel’s head. A food fight breaks out, which turns into an all-out brawl. Rhyno is the last man standing in the ring as everyone else brawls at ringside. Rhyno starts throwing the food out to the fans. The B Team gets back in the ring and starts beating on Rhyno. The B Team hits a double team chokeslam on Rhyno through one of the tables.
– Braun Strowman vs. Bobby Roode is booked for next week.
– Kurt Angle is backstage, when The B Team runs in covered in food. They complain about how the other tag teams treated them, and they demand a Tag Title match. Angle books them in a match next week: A tag team battle royal. The winners will earn tag title shots against Hardy and Wyatt. Axel hugs Kurt and gets food all over Kurt’s suit.
– Bayley comes out for an in-ring interview. She says she respects her opponents, but she will do anything to get the Money In the Bank contract.
– Women’s Gauntlet Match: The winner of this gets a shot at the Money In The Bank Match. This one starts off with Bayley and Liv Morgan. Liv charges, but Bayley catches her and immediately hits the belly to belly suplex for the three count, and Liv is eliminated. Sarah Logan is out next and she starts trading punches with Bayley. Bayley takes her outside and hits a hurricanrana on the floor. Back in the ring, Bayley pins for a two count. Logan comes back with a back body drop for a two count of her own. Ember Moon is backstage watching on a monitor. Bayley rolls up Logan for a three count, but then Morgan hits the ring and beats down Bayley with Logan. Ruby Riott enters now and takes advantage of the assault on Bayley. Ember Moon and Alexa Bliss are (separately) shown backstage watching on monitors. Bayley misses a shot and Ruby follows up with a kick, then rolls up Bayley for the three count. Bayley is now eliminated, and Dana Brooke is in next. Ruby and Dana go back and forth until Dana hits a short-arm clothesline for a two count. Ruby comes back with a kick to the face of Dana for the three count. Dana is eliminated, and Mickie James is out next to perform in front of her home town. Mickie pulls Ruby outside and puts the boots to her. Mickie climbs on the apron and hits a shot on Ruby on the floor, then takes it back in the ring. They go back and forth until Mickie hits a hurricanrana and a dropkick for a two count. Mickie hits a back drop, then goes up top an hits a splash for a two count. Ruby comes back with a roll-up and she grabs the tights, and she scores the three count. Mickie is eliminated and Sasha is out next. Banks hits the ring and goes to work on Ruby. Sasha rolls her up for a two count, then hits a cross body off the middle rope for another two count. Sasha tries to grab Ruby’s arm, but Ruby reverses into a DDT for a two count of her own. Ruby stomps a mud hole in Banks in the corner, then taunts her to get back to her feet. Sasha fights her off and hits a flying knee off the top rope for a two count. Ruby drops Sasha’s neck across the middle rope then hits a side kick for another two count. They fight up to the top rope, but Sasha slides out and powerbombs Ruby down. Sasha locke in the Banks Statement, but Liv Morgan gets on the apron to distract. Sasha knocks her off, then fights off Ruby again and re-applies the Banks Statement. Ruby taps out and Sasha Banks wins via submission. Sasha now has earned a spot in the Money In The Bank ladder match.
Winner: Sasha Banks
– Sasha celebrates in the ring as Cole promotes the upcoming Money In The Bank pay-per-view. Sasha points up at the briefcase hanging above the ring as RAW goes off the air.
