WWE RAW presented the July 14 edition of the show from Legacy Arena in Birmingham, Alabama. The show presented the fallout of an action packed weekend and was a high captivating night beginning the road to WWE’s next major event, SummerSlam. Furthermore, the biggest highlight saw Roman Reigns finally make his return and make a huge statement at the expense of his foes.
Opening segment with Naomi
Naomi opened the show to gloat about her victory at WWE Evolution and becoming the new WWE Women’s World Champion. IYO Sky and Rhea Ripley came down to lay claim to another title shot, but Naomi told them to wait at the back of the line. Witnessing the tensions, GM Adam Pearce came out to announce a triple-threat title match between them for SummerSlam.
Asuka and Kairi Sane vs. Roxanne Perez and Raquel Rodriguez
This was a non-title tag team match between the two sides. The match was fast-paced and a good showdown to witness until the final moments when Dominik Mysterio tried to interfere. This gave Roxanne Perez the opening to roll up Asuka for the three count and score the pinfall.
Bayley vs. Lyra Valkyria
The match was a 2-out-of-3 falls to determine Becky Lynch’s No.1 contender for the WWE Women’s Intercontinental title at SummerSlam. The bout was exciting as Bayley secured the first pinfall, while Lyra Valkyria got the second one. In the final moments, Bayley had Valkyria trapped in the crossface, but she escaped and hit the Night Wing to secure the last fall.
Nikki Bella vs. Chelsea Green
Nikki Bella returned to action on RAW after Evolution and wrestled her first singles match in nearly seven years. She displayed an excellent showing against Chelsea Green and ended the match with a thunderous Rack Attack 2.0 to win. The Secret Hervice tried attacking her, but Stephanie Vaquer came to her aid.
World Heavyweight Championship #1 Contender’s SummerSlam Gauntlet Match
The match began after Paul Heyman endorsed Bron Breakker in front of the reigning World Champion, Gunther. The Wolf Dog started the Gauntlet with Penta, and the duo locked up with the bout picking up pace. However, Penta’s springboard attempt was stopped by a thunderous spear by Breakker, who eliminated him. LA Knight entered the Gauntlet next, and following a back-and-forth between him and Breakker, he was also eliminated with a spear. The next competitor to enter was Jey Uso. He put a valiant effort against Breakker and was about to hit the Uso Splash towards the end, when Bronson Reed interfered to help Breakker eliminate him. CM Punk was the last superstar to enter the match. It was another action-packed showdown between the duo. Bronson Reed once again tried to run interference, but Jey Uso neutralized him. Punk hit the GTS on Breakker to win and secure the title shot for SummerSlam. Breakker and Reed continue to attack them until Roman Reigns made his shocking return to take them both out and stand tall at the end of the show.Also read: Seth Rollins’ knee injury shocks WWE fans, raises doubts about SummerSlam role after Saturday Night’s main event
