Posted in: Fox, Review, Sports, Trailer, TV, USA Network, WWE | Tagged: aj styles, Asuka, bleeding cool, cable, Monday Night Raw, money in the bank, nia jax, pro wrestling, samoa joe, shayna baszler, streaming, television, tv, USA Network, wrestling, wwe

WWE Monday Night RAW Delivered Action, Drama, and AJ Styles

Last night's WWE Monday Night RAW was the final RAW before the Money in the Bank pay per view. This action-packed RAW gave fans a good blend of promos and action, with a few things sticking out. MVP opened with the VIP Lounge featuring the RAW Women's Money in the Bank contestants: Nia Jax, Asuka, and Shayna Baszler. Baszler and Asuka teamed up to kick Jax out of the ring, who did an excellent job selling the attack. Jax is good at helping other talent get over with the crowd (or lack thereof), which is something not enough people talk about. Baszler is a total pro at looking like she could be doing anything better than being on RAW. She should be celebrated for that.

Our first match of the night was a gauntlet match to see who would replace Apollo Crews in the Men's Money in the Bank ladder match. Crews was injured during last week's RAW, leaving a space vacant. To determine who would replace him the producers gave us a gauntlet match. The match started with Bobby Lashley and Titus O'Neil. O'Neil was quickly eliminated and replaced by Akira Tozawa. Tozawa was also eliminated quickly, opening up for Shelton Benjamin.

Benjamin managed to get a few moves in on Lashley but was ultimately eliminated. Humberto Carrillo came out next, and they had an uneven match. Lashley was eliminated after he put his hands on an official, leaving Carrillo to face Angel Garza. Carrillo eliminated Garza, bringing out Austin Theory. Carrillo defeated Theory and then faced off against the returning AJ Styles.

Styles came out wearing an OC shirt, a clear shout out to Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson, who were let go mere weeks ago from WWE. Styles took the win. I'm not sold on Styles needing to be in the Money in the Bank Match, but he certainly is a talented wrestler. Styles then talked to the hard cam about the Boneyard Match he was in, and that he was not in fact a zombie. Samoa Joe was on commentary again this week, adding his expertise and wit. This was also a tag team match heavy RAW, showing that they do indeed have some solid tag team talent. I have an awful feeling tho that the tag teams will again be ignored once COVID-19 restrictions are lifted.

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