We’re back live this week with ongoing Raw coverage.
Raw opens with a Memorial Day video tribute.
Opening Segment – Triple H and Stephanie McMahon kick off the show. Steph welcomes everyone to a historic edition of Monday Night Raw. She said that tonight’s Raw is about choices. Daniel Bryan has a choice to do the right thing and surrender the WWE title. Triple H said that every generation has superstars that become legends and some that are flash in the pans (Daniel Bryan). There CM Punk chants while Triple H was talking. Triple H said that the ones that can’t adapt (Bryan) perish. He said the ones that adapt live in your hearts and minds forever (Evolution). He talked about contract signing and said that The Shield can decide not to show up or sign the contract later tonight and they can perish at Payback. Steph then asked Brad Maddox to come out. Triple H said that last week no one could be at ringside in an official capacity but The Shield did come down. Triple H said that Maddox made a choice to do what was not best for business by letting Ambrose and Reigns be the guest commentators for last weeks match. Maddox said he was forced and had no choice. Steph said that she and Triple H don’t have a choice…then Kane came out. Triple H punched Maddox. Kane chokeslammed Maddox and then tombstoned him. Steph then fired Maddox. Lawler said Maddox got future endeavored.
Later tonight: Bray Wyatt has a message for the Cenation. They aired a Payback commercial.
Back from commercial. We get a BOLIEVE vignette. His Raw debut is tonight.
Rob Van Dam vs. Cesaro – Before the match started, Bad News Barrett came out with BAD NEWS. Summer is the time you dig out your swimsuits and realize your stomachs have expanded but Sunday RVD will realize his indian Sunday will be truly over and BNB will still be the IC champ after Sunday. The match started with Barrett on commentary. They went to commercial during this match. RVD kicked Barrett on the outside. Cesaro defeats RVD thanks to Barrett’s distraction. Sheamus then ran down and hit the brogue kick on Cesaro.
Eva Marie (with Nikki Bella) vs. Summer Rae – They showed highlights from the divas match on Smackdown and then highlights of Summer Rae kissing Fandango and fighting with Layla last week. Just a couple of minutes into the match and Layla and Fandango come out and they dance on the stage and they kiss. Summer Rae is distracted by this and allows Eva Marie to get the win. They go backstage with Batista and Orton. Cody Rhodes and Goldust want a match because they’re not booked on the show. Cody called them Triple H’s lapdogs. Â Batista and Orton vs. Rhodes Brothers is set for later tonight. Triple H said it won’t be an ordinary match, this will be interesting.
Drew McIntyre vs. El Torito – Match started with McIntyre tossing El Torito around the ring. McIntyre went for a suplex off the ropes but Torito slid off of him. McIntyre was distracted by the brawling outside of the ring allowing El Torito to get the win on McIntyre. After the match El Torito was attacked by Hornswoggle. He tried to take the bull mask off. Hownswoggle ripped his tail off and whipped him with it. 3MB laughed from inside the ring as El Torito ran off.
Commercial for the new Greatest factions DVD. You can see a preview here.
After the break they showed El Torito and Los Matadores backstage. El Torito was in “pain.”
Bray Wyatt and the Wyatt family segment – Bray cut another good promo and then asked the fans if he’s the snake or the cure. Bray said that he’s the necessary evil that this world so badly needs. Bray said that Cena should not be the only man punished in all of this corruption and to get to the king you must first go through the pawn. He turned his attention to Jerry Lawler. Bray said that he just wanted to have a talk with Jerry. JBL asked Rowan to stop because Lawler had a heart attack. JBL got up and was about to go into the ring but he was attacked by Rowan and Harper. Bray asked Jerry to go in the ring to share a conversation. Bray said that Jerry helped Cena attain his goals by feeding everyone all the nonsense about how great Cena is. Bray said that Jerry never questioned Cena’s morality and he fed the poison and now its out of control. He asked Jerry if he feels guilty for destroying millions of lives. He asked Jerry how it feels to be a liar. He said that he’s very sorry for what happens next. Rowan and Harper grapped Lawler and stood him up. Bray was about to hit Sister Abigail but Cena’s music hits. Cena attacks the Wyatts. Bray held Lawler against the corner. Harper and Rowan got the upper hand on Cena. Bray said he wanted Cena to watch what happens to Lawler but The Usos broke it up. They cleared the ring along with Cena. King was saved. Cena talked on the mic. Cena called out Bray for saying that he’s a god. He said that Bray is sick. Cena said that they need to be stopped and Payback is not about winning or losing..it’s about beating the last man standing. Cena said that justice may be blind but Payback will be a b*tch.
Zack Ryder vs. Rusev (with Lana) – Ryder was about to talk about Memorial Day before he was interrupted by Lana. She did a promo and mentioned Vladimir Putin again. Rusev got the easy win. Rusev held on to the Accolade after the match so Big E ran down. Big E finally got the upperhand and clotheslined Rusev to the outside. Big E waived the American flag. They went backstage and showed Del Rio talking with Stephanie.
Randy Orton and Batista vs. Rhodes Brothers – Good, long match, with a commercial break in the middle of it. Cody went for the disaster kick but was hit by an RKO instead. Cool looking spot. Orton hit a second RKO and got the pin. This happened after he knocked Goldust off the apron. It looked like Orton and Rhodes won the match but Justin Roberts then announced that it was an elimination match so the match continues as a handicap match with Goldust against Orton and Batista. Batista defeated Goldust with the Batista bomb.
BOLIEVE vignette and then a commercial break.
Sin Cara vs. Bo Dallas – JBL is back at ringside. Bo cut a promo before the match. Bo won with the Bodog. Bo did his victory lap outside of the ring. Bo grabbed the mic and thanked his BOlievers. He said that the truth is that you don’t get satisfaction from victories, you get satisfaction from effort. If you give it everything you got then you are already a winner and all you have to do is BOLIEVE. He hugged and shook Sin Cara’s hand.
Back from the break. They showed highlights from the opening segment.
Daniel Bryan/WWE title segment – Stephanie McMahon came out and asked Daniel Bryan to come down to the ring. Bryan came down to the ring. He had a neck brace on. Steph said that she could just strip him of the title but it’s really important for the fans to hear from Bryan and the fans deserve an active champion. She said that Daniel Bryan is not physically able to do it and she knows he’s not a selfish man and he needs to do the righ thing for the fans and surrender the title. He said that becoming the champion at WrestleMania 30 was the payoff of years and hard work and sacrifice but Steph has a point but he has to announce that the injury is worse than thought. He said in no small part because of Kane. He said that he acknowledges that there is no shame in handing over the title. Steph said that she guarantees him a championship opportunity when he gets better. Daniel said there’s no shame handing over the title because the people deserve an awesome WWE champion but he said that Steph tried to put it on him. Daniel said its not about him, it’s about her and she’s wanted to take the title ever since he beat her husband at WrestleMania 30. He said it would negate everything that he fought for if he just hands over the title. He said he will tell her a word that she’s not used to hearing… “NO, NO, NO!” Steph said that maybe his injury messed with his brain. Steph replayed a video of Brie shoving Steph as they loaded Daniel into the ambulance 2 weeks ago. She said you can’t put your hands on the boss. She said that he has one more chance to do the right thing this Sunday at the pay-per-view. If he doesn’t surrender the title then she will take action against Brie and fire her.
Alicia Fox vs. Emma  – Emma defeats Alicia. Alicia went crazy again after the match. She gave someone a wedgie and poured 2 cans of soda on herself.
Damien Sandow vs. Adam Rose – Sandow was dressed as Davey Crockett. During the match Swagger came out with the lemon. Geez this is bad. Rose hit a version of the Diamond Cutter for the win though. Swagger attacked Rose after the match. Â Adam Rose was able to turn it around and beat on Swagger. Rose said “nobody touches my lemon.” His crew ran down to dance with him.
Total Divas commercial. Season finale is Sunday. Commercial break.
Sheamus vs. Alberto Del Rio – the story here is that Sheamus was “not himself” because of kicks to the head but Shaeamus got a desperation brogue kick for the win. Paul Heyman got on the mic and did his usual great line about Brock again. He said that this victory against Del Rio had no meaning. He said at Payback Sheamus gets to face a Paul Heyman guy. Cesaro attacked Sheamus from behind. The refs tried to break it up. The announcers played it up like Sheamus is hurt bad from the kicks to the head earlier. Cesaro hit the neutralizer.
Evolution/The Shield contract signing – Cole is in the ring to introduce everyone. The Shield came out first. Ambrose said it’s the last time you’ll see both Evolution and The Shield at the same time on Raw because one team will be eliminated forever on Sunday. Rollins said it’s gone way past them just sitting at a table signing a silly piece of paper. They threw all of the furniture out of the ring. Evolution came out. Triple H said it’s the last time you will ever see The Shield on Raw. He said it’s a shame because they could have had it all. He asked them if they are sure they want to sign the contract and ensure that Sunday is the last we see of the Shield.  The Shield signed it. Roman tossed it to the outside for Evolution to sign. Evolution signed it too. Triple H said that they’ll be nothing but a statistic. Roman said for them to get in the ring and fight. They all fought in the ring. Rolins did a dive over the top. Batista took out Ambrose but Reigns hit a superman punch on Batista. Triple H hit Reigns with the sledgehammer. Orton hit a RKO on Rollins. The Shield was laid out with Evolution standing over them. Triple H hit Reigns with another sledgehammer shot. Evolution hit a triple power bomb on Reigns through the announcers table. That’s how the show ended.
