Credit: WINC
Tonight’s WWE RAW season premiere episode opens up live on the USA Network with the intro video. We’re live from the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas as the pyro explodes and Jimmy Smith welcomes us to RAW. He’s joined at ringside by Corey Graves and Byron Saxton. The announcers hype this new era kicking off on RAW, and the updated RAW roster coming out of the WWE Draft.
– We go right to the ring and out comes WWE Champion Big E to a big pop.
Big E welcomes everyone to the RAW season premiere and gives a few shout-outs to the city of Houston. Fans pop big time for the local love and chant “let’s go Astros!” as the Houston Astros continue on their road to the MLB World Series. Big E wishes good luck to the Astros. Big E brings up the new WWE King of the Ring – King Xavier Woods. Big E then tips his cap to Drew McIntyre for pushing him and making him a better man than he was one week ago in their match at WWE Crown Jewel this past Thursday. Big E says there is no rest for the weary, and as we have this influx of new talent on the roster, he asks, who? The music interrupts and out comes Seth Rollins.
Rollins is all smiles as he makes his way to the ring. Rollins takes the mic and starts laughing, saying Big E already knows why he’s out here. Big E taunts Rollins for losing the Hell In a Cell match to WWE Hall of Famer Edge at Crown Jewel. Rollins says Edge isn’t here, and he is, and he wants the WWE Title as soon as possible. Big E says Rollins lost to Edge so he goes to the back of the line. Rollins says he’s had a long week, he went through hell on Thursday, and has earned his stripes on SmackDown for the past year, but the WWE Universal Champion, Roman Reigns, is too afraid to give him his opportunity. Rollins asks if Big E wants to be like Reigns, or be a fighting champion. Rollins asks what better way to kick off the RAW season premiere than with Rollins vs. Big E for the title. The music interrupts and out comes Rey Mysterio to a pop.
Rey taunts Rollins some and says if anyone deserves to get a title shot, it’s him. Rey goes on about his resume and how it speaks for itself. Rey says he’s willing to do whatever it takes to win the WWE Title one more time. The music hits and out comes Finn Balor to another pop. Finn says he has nothing but love for Rey, but with all due respect… Balor names some of his own accomplishments and says there’s one title he’s never held, but now he’s here on RAW he wants the WWE Title. Rollins tells Big E to ignore Rey and Balor, and understand Rollins is easily the most qualified. The music interrupts and out comes Kevin Owens with a mic.
Owens doesn’t want to be “that guy” but if we’re going to talk about accolades, he wants to play too. Owens goes on about the titles he’s held now, and how he won two big titles here in Houston. Owens says the perfect he pinned for the Universal Title in this building was Rollins. Rollins attacks Owens and they fight. Balor and Rollins go at it now. Rollins gets knocked out of the ring but he quickly retreats up the ramp. Sonya Deville comes out and announces a Fatal 4 Way with Rollins, Mysterio, Balor and Owens, with the winner getting a WWE Title shot. Rollins seethes. Deville says we should up the ante and raise the stakes since this is the RAW season premiere. She announces that this will be a Fatal 4 Way Ladder Match now. Rollins throws a fit as the other Superstars look on and Rollins seethes.
– We see recent happenings between RAW Tag Team Champions Randy Orton and Riddle, and AJ Styles and Omos, including last week’s RAW and Crown Jewel this past Thursday.
Street Profits vs. Dirty Dogs vs. Alpha Academy – #1 Contender’s Match
The Street Profits go for the finish on Dirty Dogs, but Omos comes out and slams Ford into the barricade and distracts Dawkins. The Dirty Dogs get a spine buster/zig zag combo on Dawkins for the win.
Winners: Dirty Dogs
Back from the break and it’s time for Queen Zelina’s official Queen’s Crown Coronation Ceremony. The music hits and Mike Rome does the introduction. Vega comes out with her robe and scepter. Her throne and crown are on display in the ring, and there’s a red apron cover. Vega says she will stand for this disrespect no longer. She calls out Rome for his introduction and tells him to try again with some actual bravado like they rehearsed. Rome tries again and introduces her as our majesty, the one and only queen of WWE, Queen Zelina. Vega puts on her crown and takes a seat on the throne now. We see more of the female RAW Superstars watching in the back as Vega goes on about how she is the only woman in WWE fit to be a queen. Fans boo her.
Vega goes on and wonders what kind of queen will she be – a generous queen, a beautiful queen, a cruel queen, a queen to be loved, or a queen to be feared? The answer is simple – all of the above. Vega knocks Doudrop and mentions how she will beat her again. The crown means Vega is the best of the best, and we will talk about her reign for years to come. She goes on and on, and calls on everyone to hail Queen Zelina. The music interrupts and out comes Doudrop.
Queen Zelina vs. Doudrop
Zelina strikes Doudrop with her scepter from behind for the win.
Winner: Queen Zelina
We go back to the ring and out comes new RAW Women’s Champion Becky Lynch to a pop. The announcers note that the Women’s Title Exchange segment between Lynch and SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair on SmackDown was a little contentious. Lynch hits the ring and raises the title in the air as we go back to commercial.
After the match, Carmella stands tall as the music hits and we go to replays. Carmella shows off her mask and dances around now.
– We get a brief vignette for Keith “Bearcat” Lee.
Keith “Bearcat” Lee vs. Cedric Alexander
Lee wins with a ferocious Big Bang Catastrophe.
Winner: Keith “Bearcat” Lee
After the match, Lee stands stall as the music hits and we go to replays. Shelton comes in after the match and looks to consider a move towards Lee but Lee stares him down and he backs off, helping Cedric out. Lee looks on as they head to the back.
Dominik Mysterio vs. Austin Theory
Theory wins with a TKO.
Winner: Austin Theory
R-K-Bro is backstage now with Riddle ranting about Halloween costumes, annoying everyone as usual. Randy Orton is a bit upset, promising Riddle they will talk about Halloween all night but first they have to retain their titles over Robert Roode and Dolph Ziggler, who came from SmackDown to win gold. Riddle understands and promises they will clean those Dirty Dawgs up.
RK-Bro (C) vs. Dirty Dogs – RAW Tag Team Championships
Riddle and Ziggler trade pinfalls before Riddle gets an inside cradle for the win.
Winner: RK-Bro
We see what happened earlier tonight to set up the Fatal 4 Way Ladder Match. Kevin Patrick stops Seth Rollins backstage and asks if he feels like he has a target on his back. Of course there is a target on his back, he says, because he is the biggest threat to the WWE Title, which everyone is aware of. Rollins goes on, gets intense, and declares that he is the next WWE Champion. Rollins laughs and walks off.
– We get a promo for tomorrow’s WWE NXT Halloween Havoc event. Back to commercial.
– Back from the break and announced for RAW Talk are Queen Zelina Vega, WWE Champion Big E, and WWE United States Champion Damian Priest.
– We get a look back at how WWE Hall of Famer Bill Goldberg defeated Bobby Lashley in the No Holds Barred Falls Count Anywhere match at Crown Jewel this past Thursday. We see a tweet where Lashley said RAW is still his show, and he will be focused and vicious when he returns.
Seth Rollins vs. Finn Balor vs. Big E vs. Rey Mysterio – Fatal Four Way Ladder Match
Owens looks to powerbomb Rollins through a ladder on the outside of the ring, but he back body drops him through it on the outside. Finn looks to climb off the distraction, but Rollins knocks him down with a Curb Stomp. Rollins climbs and retrieves the contract.
Winner: Seth Rollins
