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Welcome to PWInsider.com's ongoing coverage of Monday Night Raw from Columbus, Ohio.
Raw opened with Braun Strowman coming to the ring, where he announced that due to the beating he gave Roman Reigns last week, he would not be appearing. WWE Raw GM Kurt Angle came out and said that Braun would face Roman at the Payback PPV on 4/30. Braun asked for competition tonight and Angle said that for what he did last week, Braun should be suspended. Braun demanded competition. Angle said, "Or what?" Angle appeared to be bending his knees to look smaller than Braun. Braun stared at him and walked off, with the implication being that he was going to do something dastardly because he didn't get his competition.
Seth Rollins came out for commentary. They announced Rollins vs. Samoa Joe at Backlash.
Chris Jericho vs. Samoa Joe.
They showed footage of Joe and Kevin Owens beating up Jericho to set the stage for this. Since Owens is gone, Joe will continue the feud.
Joe attacked Jericho in the corner at the bell and nailed a series of knees then went for a Bootscrape, only to be dropkicked. Jericho hit a flying bodypress off the ropes for a two count. Joe kicked up and charged at Jericho, who dropped down and Joe went over the ropes to the floor.
When they returned to commercial, Joe was beating down Jericho in the ring and drilled him with with shots to the back. Joe nailed a back senton splash. Joe put on a nerve hold and tried to wear Jericho down. Jericho fought back with chops and came off the ropes with a double axehandle. He rebounded off the ropes and was nailed with a nice scoop powerslam for a two count. Good action thus far.
Jericho came back to nail the Quebrada for a two count. Jericho nailed a series of kicks but was blasted as he charged Joe in the corner. Joe went to the center turnbuckle and went for a back senton splash, only to miss when Jericho moved. Jericho locked on the Walls of Jericho. Joe fought his way out and drilled several strikes. Jericho tried to turn him back over but was kicked off.
Joe locked in a sleeper and Jericho dropped to his knees after attempting to fight it. Jericho got a second wind and pushed off the buckles (think Piper vs. Hart, Wrestlemania 8) to cover Joe for a two count. Joe scissored Jericho and finally forced him to tap.
Your winner, Samoa Joe.
Really good back and forth match. Jericho went down fighting and looked good in doing so. Joe winning was the right call to help build to the Rollins PPV bout. Joe looked great in the ring.
Joe took the mic and called out Rollins. He said, "Behind the mighty kingslayer." He asked Seth if he remembered what it sounded like when Joe debuted. Joe said it was the sound of Rollins' ligaments and joints breaking as he begged for mercy. Joe said that was just business because Seth was the chosen target to his benefactor, Triple H. Joe said that he cared about his clientele and he's going to take out Seth for what he did to HHH and his wife, Stephanie McMahon. Joe said that it's going to be very personal.
Rollins stepped atop the announcing table and said of course it's personal. Joe tried to end his career. He said in two weeks, Payback is going to be a b***h.
Gallows and Anderson walked through the back and encountered the Drifter, Elias Samson, who was playing his guitar. The announcers said they would be facing The Golden Truth. Cameras shifted to R-Truth and Goldust walking in the back, but they were attacked by Braun. He beat them down until WWE Producers Dave Finlay, Jamie Noble and Adam Pearce interceded.
When they returned from commercial, referee John Cone informed Strowman, who was sitting in his locker room, that Kurt Angle told him he has the night of. Braun said he would leave when he wanted to "unless you have a problem with that." Cone smartly did not, so Strowman sat back down, fuming.
Gallows and Anderson were in the ring. Anderson asked why they were the ones left on stand-by because Braun gave The Golden Truth "The United Airlines Treatment." Gallows demanded Angle round them up some competition. Enzo and Big Cass' music hit. They did their deal.
Gallows and Anderson vs. Enzo Amore and Big Cass
They acknowledged Dash Wilder's injury at the onset of the bout and said the Revival would be out of action for eight weeks. That sounds like they are going to keep Scott Dawson off TV during that time.
Cass controlled Anderson early, including a clothesline over the top. He went to the floor and tossed a charging Enzo into Anderson on the floor. Gallows soon got the same treatment as they went to commercial.
When they returned, Anderson now had control and scored a two count on Amore. They showed that during the commercial, a distraction led to Enzo being trapped in the defensive. Gallows and Anderson worked him over in their corner, running him hard into the buckles. Gallows worked over Amore's arm. Anderson tagged in and continued the beating.
Enzo tried to fire his way past Anderson but was caught with a spinebuster. Gallows worked him over but was kicked off during a charge. Enzo dove off the ropes with a DDT and was THISCLOSE to making the tag but Anderson cut him off. That was awesome. Anderson missed a charge in the corner when Enzo ducked. Enzo faked out Anderson and made the hot tag to Cass.
Cass cleaned house with a big sideslam and nailed the Empire Elbow followed by a big boot. They went for the Rocket Launcher but Gallowed interceded. Gallows was hit with a running big boot that sent them both over the ropes, including Cass' momentum sending him over in scary fashion. Enzo came off the ropes on Anderson, who caught him and just rudely tossed him into the corner where Enzo crashed and burned down and was pinned.
Your winners, Gallows and Anderson!
This was, sincerely, great. Gallows and Anderson looked like bad-asses, first trying to wipe out Enzo's arm and then with the rough way they killed off Enzo to win. Cass was working hard here and his offense all looked good. That bump over the ropes was great. Anderson was bumping his rear end off here too. Even the mic work was a lot of fun. Really entertaining tag match.
Coverage continues on Page 2!
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