Smark Out Moment

Tonight's episode of WWE Monday Night Raw for June 27, 2016 is coming to you live from the Amalie Arena in Tampa, FL. Follow along here for live, ongoing coverage of the results of the show to find out what happens as things occur and chat with fellow WWE fans in the comments below and in the chat on the sidebar!



Monday Night Raw will see one less face for next few weeks. Just so happens that face is in the triple threat match at Battleground. As I'm sure many of you know, Roman Reigns has been suspended for his violation of the Wellness Policy. His suspension is 30 days meaning he will return right before Battleground. That being said, it seems WWE is headstrong with the triple threat main event so we will see tonight if there is going to be a change or if they'll bring up "The Guy" getting suspended at all. Hopefully we see more of The Wyatts and The New Day as they are just polar opposites in character and could have several more awesome moments. John Cena and The Club will be sure to share some time together, and same for Seth and our champ Dean Ambrose. With or without Roman, in the famous words of Mr. McMahon, the show must go on.

PROMO: Seth Rollins is starting the show for us tonight! He brings up the monumental triple threat match for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship with all three former Shield members. A match we all have been waiting for since the downfall of the legendary group. He then brings up Roman Reigns, even though he claims he isn't supposed to, and says that the Roman Reigns scandal embarrasses him because he brought Roman into this being the architect of The Shield. Next, he brings up the statement that Roman made on Twitter, and he puts it up on the big screen. Even though he said he wasn't even supposed to bring Roman up to begin with.. He thinks his apology is BS, and the fact that Roman ended it with "I own it." means nothing because Seth owns Roman. According to Seth, he doesn't deserve a second chance, nor does he deserve to be in the main event at Battleground. So, Seth proposes that they remove him from the match giving him the one on one shot he deserves. Then, Dean comes out. He has a significant part in this since he is the champ and all. Dean says that this isn't about Roman, but him being champion. Roman made a mistake, we all do, and Dean says his biggest mistake was being friends with Seth to begin with. Dean then says the triple threat is still on.. But then they are joined by AJ Styles. AJ says that it should remain a triple threat match, but instead of Roman he wants himself in the match. AJ says that beating John Cena should see him in the match. Dean says that Roman will probably still be in the match, so he then says it should be a fatal four way with himself included. Dean doesn't care who is the match, but Seth still wants his one on one match. Then, as I figured once AJ came out, John Cena comes to the ring to a mutiny of "John Cena sucks!" chants. John praises Deans "fighting champion" spirit, but will he fight "the franchise" regarding himself. Today is John Cena's 14 year anniversary in the WWE to the day, so this could be his anniversary present. John Cena then says he wants a fatal five way for the WWE Championship. Seth still says it will be a one on one match. Then comes Stephanie McMahon. Steph says she has a solution, but she will get to that. She says what happened with Roman was an embarrassment, but having Dean as champ is mortifying. She'd bring out Shane, but he isn't here tonight so it is all in her hands. Steph likes the idea with AJ and John in the match, but that needs to be earned. So Seth will go one on one with John Cena, and AJ will go one on one with Dean Ambrose. If they win their matches, they will be added to the main event at Battleground.

*Commercial Break*

MATCH: Charlotte & Dana Brooke vs. Sasha Banks & Paige


RESULT: Sasha Banks & Paige win via submission.
THOUGHTS: I love seeing Sasha back, and teaming with Paige is even better. I think she wins the belt at SummerSlam not Battleground, but seeing the Bank Statement again was a great watch!

*Commercial Break*

MATCH: Titus O'Neil vs. Rusev (w Lana)


RESULT: Titus O'Neil wins via count out.
THOUGHTS: Count out? Rusev never loses, so its still a win for Titus but a purposeful count out seems weak to me.

*Commercial Break*

PROMO: Stephanie and Kane are backstage, and Kane says he just wants a chance to prove that he can run SmackDown live. Stephanie says that no one will be running it except her, then Miz and Maryse come in. Miz says that he should get a much better welcome home being the IC Champ. Kane then says he has also been in movies, but Miz says that he isn't even close to his level. Kane says that if he ran SmackDown he wouldn't let his champ be gone so long since they are supposed to defend their title once a month. So he says they should have a title match tonight, but his opponent will be a surprise.

*Commercial Break*

MATCH: John Cena vs. Seth Rollins

If John Cena wins he will be inserted into the main event of Battleground for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship.

After The Club comes out to distract Cena, Seth hits a Pedigree for the win.

RESULT: Seth Rollins wins via pin fall.
THOUGHTS: Incredible match between these two, but The Club comes out to ruin it again. I think this all but solidifies that AJ won't be winning his match against Dean and John and AJ will go at it once again.

*Commercial Break*

MATCH: Enzo & Cass vs. Local Tag Team?

So I didn't catch the teams name, but it doesn't matter cause the match last maybe 10 seconds.

Then, the Social Outcasts return to a mild reaction. Bo Dallas then says there is one word to describe them, but it isn't SAWFT. They spell it out for us anyway, and it spells out HARD. The Social Outcasts are hard.. Curtis Axel tells Enzo & Cass to leave, because there are a couple of real OG's coming to the ring. They then storm the ring but Big Cass hits a big boot and knocks out Heath, and the other retreat.

RESULT: Enzo & Cass win via pin fall.
THOUGHTS: Waste of time. Waste of time. Waste of time. Why have them do this? Why have them beat a couple of no names in 10 seconds when they've already beat the likes of The Vaudevillians? Just for The Social Outcasts? They were just in the hunt for the tag titles.

*Commercial Break*

MATCH: Summer Rae vs. Becky Lynch

Natalya is on the commentary team.

Before the match can even start Becky goes straight after Natty and they start brawling. You can hear her yelling, "You're messing with the wrong girl! I'm gonna slap the head off of ya!"

RESULT: There wasn't a match.
THOUGHTS: Summer got to stand in the ring. So that was cool for her, but as far as this feud goes I don't really have much interest. It might be a pre-show match for Battleground.

*Commercial Break*

THE HIGHLIGHT REEL: Chris Jericho welcomes guests Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn. Y2J starts off just wanting the crowd to be quiet, because he has a lot to say. He describes the odd relationship that KO and Sami have had throughout their entire career. Might be favorite quote ever, "They are ruining their own lives and they are starting to ruin mine..", and he then introduces KO first then Sami. Sami is stone cold serious not being his normal happy go lucky self. Chris says he can feel the tension between the two men, but there wasn't always tension. They were once the best of friends and Sami was even the best man at Owens wedding. Sami is having none of it. He isn't here to stir the pot, he just wants to settle this because it is effecting both of their careers. The Royal Rumble, WrestleMania ladder match, and Money in the Bank ladder match were all ruined for KO by Sami. Sami wants to settle it once and for all at Battleground, and he mentions the fact that the two could be drafted to different brands come July 19th. KO doesn't respond, and Sami says this is the real KO. A coward and a liar, and he just wants the truth as to why KO stabbed him in the back. He got signed first and he resents him for it. KO then says he has already told him the truth, but even if he doesn't believe that doesn't make it untrue. He did everything for a strictly business sense. If anyone wronged their friendship, it was Sami. Everything they did in the indie scene was to get to the WWE, and he wasn't angry when Sami left a year and a half before him. He was happy for him, but Sami wasn't happy when he won the NXT Title just because KO's success came at Sami's expense. So that makes Sami a bad friend. As for the match at Battleground, you got it. Y2J then says he agrees that Sami is a terrible friend, and a terrible example of what it takes to get to the WWE. But unlike Owens, he has his head stuck so far up his own end that he still cares about what the crowd thinks. It doesn't matter what the crowd thinks, and the fact he hasn't learned that yet makes him want to slap his stupid idiot face. But he will let KO do it at Battleground. He then gives everybody The Gift of Jericho. Drink it in maaaaann. The both Sami and KO both hit a super kick on Y2J, and KO leaves the ring. KO vs. Sami at Battleground!

*Commercial Break*

INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH: The Miz (w Maryse) vs. Demon Kane

Demon Kane was a little.. Underwhelming no? I thought it might be Neville or possibly a guy like Baron Corbin.

Maryse was knocked off the edge, so Miz went out to check on her and it resulted in a count out.

RESULT: Kane wins via count out, but the title doesn't change hands.
THOUGHTS: Why? This was a whole ball of pointless. You could've easily put a guy like Baron Corbin here and started a feud he deserves after his wins against Dolph, but instead you throw in  a veteran at the end of their run for what is probably a one night count out match? Makes zero sense to me, but maybe they've got plans for the bigger picture.

*Commercial Break*

PROMO: Miz is helping Maryse to the back, but then she gives away the fact that she was faking it to get Miz out of the match. Miz is very happy, calling it an "Emmy award winning performance!"

MATCH: Apollo Crews & Cesaro vs. Sheamus & Alberto Del Rio

ADR eventually leaves ringside after arguments with his former League of Nations partner.

RESULT: Apollo Crews & Cesaro win via pin fall.
THOUGHTS: Apollo Crews is another guy that could've been in the IC Title match, but oh well. I think Cesaro will be a main player on SmackDown come draft day!

PROMO: Jojo is with Dean and they talk about his WWE Title run, and he says its been great but he upset with the lack of.. Parades.. But then Stephanie comes in, and after declining Deans offer for an autograph she says she is appalled that he is the champion of her company. She hopes Dean wins and makes it a fatal four way at Battleground because she is one step closer to ending this nightmare.

*Commercial Break*

PROMO: The New Day spoof the Wyatts look and entrance video. This is amazing. Kofi, dressed as Rowan, says all they need is a bowl of Booty O's. He says they're intimidating, but not as intimidating as their hygiene. The group continues the roasting, but they are joined by the actual Wyatt Family. Who I so desperately wish were dressed like New Day. But Bray does start off with "Its a New Day yes it is!" He says they eat every word out of their hand, just because they spew fake positivity. Bray says this world is not filled with rainbows and unicorns. It is filled with evil people. How can the power of positivity help a man that just lost his job or feed his family. Kofi says it is much more than that, it is a way of life. Then Big E comes in, and The Wyatts point on Woods. Last week Woods looked almost enamored by Bray, and he has the same look tonight like he is scared. Big E holds back Woods from attempting to leave the ring. Bray says Woods is fine, but soon enough every knee will bow and tongue will praise him as New Day falls.

*Commercial Break*

PROMO: Renee asks The New Day if they think its a good idea to keep messing with The Wyatt Family, and they say of course it is. It's a great idea. Woods again looks scared/confused, and leaves the interview early as Kofi and Big E leave after him.

MATCH: Dean Ambrose vs. AJ Styles

If AJ wins, he is inserted into the main event at Battleground for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. Earlier in the night, they showed him conspiring with his cohorts from The Club. I'm sure we'll see them and Cena come into play at some point.

Seth Rollins is on commentary for this one, and says he is cheering for Dean to win the match.

Anderson and Gallows eventually come to ringside, then out comes Cena to dispose of them, and that distracts Styles and Dean hits a Dirty Deeds for the win.

Then after the match, Gallows and Anderson attack Cena and give him a Magic Killer on the stage, and Rollins gives a pedigree to Ambrose in the ring.

RESULT: Dean Ambrose wins via pin fall keeping the main event of Battleground a triple threat match.
THOGUHTS: Anyone with sort of WWE sense knew this was coming, but it makes sense. Having Cena and Styles in the main event wasn't going to happen, and putting one of them in and not the other was even more unlikely. Nonetheless, the main event stays a triple threat, and since that isn't for SummerSlam, that makes me believe they have something even bigger planned for there. Only time will tell!