0 of 10
Monday was Labor Day in the United States and no one had worked harder leading into the September 7 episode of WWE Raw than Randy Orton, who earned his way to Clash of Champions and a shot at the WWE Championship by defeating Keith Lee and Seth Rollins in a Triple Threat Match a week ago.
What awaited The Viper and his tyrannical run on the flagship as Raw hit the USA Network Monday night for an episode devoted to the continued march to the September 21 pay-per-view extravaganza?
Did Drew McIntyre make his presence felt or would the third-generation star continue to punish any and all who stood in the way of his ascension to the top of the card?
Find out now with this recap of this week's show.
1 of 10
- Keith Lee vs. Orton
- Dominik Mysterio vs. Murphy
- Kevin Owens vs. Aleister Black in Raw Underground
Details surrounding the Labor Day episode of WWE Raw are scarce but the company is heavily promoting Randy Orton and his seemingly unstoppable roll heading into Clash of Champions.
Might The Viper continue his rule of the Raw brand by introducing another top star to his devastating running punt or will WWE Champion Drew McIntyre make his return, avenging the three kicks that fractured his jaw and forced him to miss a week of television?
Announced for tonight's show, less-than 90 minutes before airtime, include:
Find out as coverage begins at 8:00 PM.
2 of 10
Randy Orton kicked off this week’s show and warned Keith Lee, his opponent for the night, that the more they cross paths, the more likely it is he gets kicked in the head.
Orton recapped the three punt kicks he unleashed on Drew McIntyre and suggested the WWE Champion hand over the title. A siren sounded, interrupting The Viper’s promo. McIntyre emerged from it and blasted Orton with a Claymore.
Referees pulled him off the No. 1 contender and McIntyre stood menacingly over his Clash of Champions opponent.
Grade
D
Analysis
WWE has this ridiculous need to recap segments of previous television shows as if its core audience isn’t watching from week to week. That was the entire premise of this segment. There was literally nothing else to it, outside of McIntyre’s anticlimactic return.
For a guy fueled by revenge, he sure had no problem meekly stopping his attack on Orton when a few referees ran to the ring and wagged their finger at him.
As for McIntyre driving the ambulance into the ring, it would seem to suggest an Ambulance Match between the two at Clash of Champions. Those matches are rarely any good and, worse, give WWE an excuse to book McIntyre to lose without actually losing.
The laziness of the booking in this opening segment does not at all inspire any hope that this show will be a can’t-miss holiday broadcast.
3 of 10
The Hurt Business attacked Cedric Alexander as he made his entrance for a big Six-Man Tag Team Match pitting MVP, Bobby Lashley and Shelton Benjamin against him, Apollo Crews and Ricochet.
The heels worked over former United States champion Crews, cutting him off from his corner in the process. As Apollo created separation and inched toward his corner, Alexander pulled Ricochet off the ring apron and threw him into the guardrail.
From there, he delivered the Lumbar Check to Crews, allowing Benjamin to score the win for the heels with Paydirt.
Alexander flashed a vibrant smile at The Hurt Business while the commentary team questioned whether he has officially joined MVP and Co. The former cruiserweight champion remained noncommital, neither joining or denouncing the heels to close the segment.
Result
The Hurt Business defeated Alexander, Crews and Ricochet
Grade
A
Analysis
On the surface, this looked like another effortless booking by the creative team, only to evolve into a breakout moment for Alexander.
The immensely talented performer has been so wasted in his role that even the slightest bit of TV was welcomed with open arms by die-hard fans who recognize his abilities. This heel turn, and teased entry into The Hurt Business, is a step up and a sign of bigger and hopefully, better things to come for the competitor.
Of interest was the fact that he just smiled, never really standing alongside MVP, Lashley and Benjamin, despite insistence by the creative team that he had aligned with them. It will be interesting to see if that is indeed the case or if he is simply choosing to go it alone, but not before sending a message to his former friends.
4 of 10
Tensions ran high between Angel Garza, Andrade and Zelina Vega a week after the Latin Lothario left El Idolo and La Muneca to be attacked by Retribution. Monday, Garza and Andrade battled familiar foes The Street Profits.
There wasn’t much to the match besides in-fighting between the heels. Garza walked out on Andrade and Vega, leaving the former NXT and United States champion to eat a frog splash from Montez Ford as The Street Profits rolled to victory.
After the match, SmackDown Tag Team Champions Shinsuke Nakamura and Cesaro arrived as part of the brand-to-brand initiative, staring down Ford and Angelo Dawkins heading into the break.
Following the commercial, the blue brand champs criticized The Street Profits for their antics outside the ring before issuing a challenge for next week’s show. The red brand reps accepted.
Result
The Street Profits defeated Garza and Andrade
Grade
C
Analysis
While some might look at Street Profits vs. Cesaro and Nakamura as an opportunity at a fresh match but what this did, above all else, was spotlight how bare the Raw tag team division is right now. With no other obvious contenders for the gold outside of The Hurt Business, the writing team has to revert to bringing Cesao and Nakamura over for next week’s show.
Odds are this leads to a match on pay-per-view as WWE has never met a match it did not want to exploit until fans could not possibly care less about it anymore.
Case in point; Street Profits vs. Andrade and Garza.
Speaking of the heels, Garza going his own way and even igniting a rivalry with Andrade is hardly the worst use of him. Hopefully, there is a plan of some substance for all involved because that particular trio, Vega included, is far too talented to waste.
5 of 10
In a breakup more devastating than even The Mega Powers, Billie Kay and Peyton Royce battled in singles competition as The IIconics exploded!
Some early bickering gave way to Royce downing Kay and working her over with a sleeper. Kay fought out and drove her opponent into the corner. A big suplex followed for two.
Royce answered with a big kick and neckbreaker for the win.
After the match, Royce helped her former partner to her feet, then embraced her as the commentary team put over the friendship that still exists despite the team going their separate ways.
Result
Royce defeated Kay
Grade
D
Analysis
Well, that was underwhelming.
Why even book the match if it was going to be shortchanged time and any sort of creative development?
There was nothing to this, a paint-by-numbers wrestling match with the bare minimum from a physicality standpoint. Neither woman really took an aggressive approach and there was no sense of urgency. It was a match for the sake of a match, rather than the last dance between two women who have been apart of each other’s lives forever.
And therein lies its biggest failure.
6 of 10
Charlie Caruso introduced the Mysterio Family for a special in-ring promo.
Rey discussed the pride he has in his son Dominik, stating that the second-generation star knows what he must do to pick up the win tonight against Murphy.
The Disciple interrupted the proceedings and placed the blame for Seth Rollins berating and betraying him on Dominik. “Dom has a bright future here in WWE but the ultimate sacrifice would be to end it before it ever gets started.”
Murphy challenged Dominik to a Street Fight, a match that the rookie accepted.
Grade
C-
Analysis
Congratulations to WWE for booking a promo segment featuring Superstars who are far from confident talkers. Their lack of comfort was apparent and the result was a segment that failed to build excitement for the actual match it set up.
With that said, a Street Fight between the biggest hidden gem in WWE in Murphy and a rookie better than his experience would suggest should be damn fun if given time, so at least there’s that.
7 of 10
With a championship match booked for next week, Raw women’s titleholder Asuka teamed with top contender Mickie James for a tag team showdown against Natalya and Lana.
Nattie and Lana dominated the action against James, even scoring a near-fall that Asuka had to break up. After several moments spent on the defensive, Mickie created separation and looked to make the tag.
With Asuka knocked off the apron, she prepared to climb the ropes, only for The Empress to reappear, make the tag and tap Lana out with the Asuka Lock.
The champion celebrated the victory as James looked on, a half-smile on her face, seemingly unamused by the developments.
Result
Asuka and James defeated Natalya and Lana
Grade
C
Analysis
Natalya and Lana got entirely too much offense in on James here, especially considering Mickie just came back to TV and is supposed to be a believable challenger to Asuka’s title.
Sure, this made sense within the context WWE Creative was trying to tell on this given night, but that does not mean it was the right story to tell.
At least Asuka vs. Mickie will be a proverbial barburner if it is given enough time next Monday night.
8 of 10
Less than an hour after Cedric Alexander’s shocking betrayal of Ricochet and Apollo Crews, he joined MVP, Shelton Benjamin and United States Champion Bobby Lashley on the VIP Lounge.
Benjamin expressed skepticism before Alexander laid out his explanation for his actions, including his desire to earn money and enjoy professional growth.
The Viking Raiders interrupted the promo, followed by Crews and Ricochet.
The babyfaces rushed the ring as an eight-man brawl ensued. The hodgepodge of good guys cleared the heels from the ring heading into the break.
Grade
C+
Analysis
At least Alexander’s reasoning made sense and his delivery on the mic was infinitely better than you would expect from a guy who hasn’t had a ton of opportunities to express himself on WWE TV.
We have seen Ivar and Erik team with Alexander in the past, so their involvement here made sense, even if the inevitable multi-man tag match this is going to set up after the break does not.
Again, WWE rushes through weeks of matches and angles in one night.
9 of 10
Oh look, an Eight-Man Tag Team Match.
Ricochet, Crews, Ivar and Erik battled MVP, Lashley, Benjamin and Alexander in a match set up by the pre-break events. The heels isolated and worked over Crews for the second time this night, working over his midsection.
Crews escaped Lashley’s Dominator and tagged Erik into the match. The explosive big man wiped out the competition until Lashley turned him inside out with a spear. The heels again gained control of the bout, working the smaller Viking Raider over until Erik rocked Benjamin with a big knee.
Erik tagged Ricochet, who exploded into the match, his lightning-quick speed catching the heels off-guard. A springboard moonsault nearly put MVP away but a momentary distraction by Alexander allowed the veteran competitor to attack The One and Only from behind.
Alexander delivered the Neuralizer kick to Ricochet, but only scored a two-count.
Action broke down, every competitor hitting their trademark stuff en route to Alexander delivering the Michinoku Driver for a botched fall.
After the match, Michael Cole and the production team revealed the count was botched and that Ricochet counted two. He also revealed that the medical team was checking on Ivar, who landed hard during a tope suicida.
Result
The Hurt Business defeated Ricochet, Crews and The Viking Raiders
Grade
B-
Analysis
The flubbed finish was really unfortunate because this was a fun match up to that point.
Alexander was spotlighted, everyone looked great and the right team went over. It just would have been better if, you know, Alexander actually won the match with a three-count rather than whatever the hell actually happened in the closing seconds.
The Hurt Business continues to be one of the great success stories of WWE in 2020 and the introduction of Alexander only strengthens the faction.
Now imagine if WWE Creative had let the heel turn from earlier in the night breathe a little rather than rushing through three weeks of television (easily) in one night.
10 of 10
For the third time in two weeks, Keith Lee and Randy Orton shared the ring in a high-profile match as WWE Creative continued to prove it has never met a match it didn’t love to overexpose.
Lee dominated early but an ill-advised blind charge on the floor saw The Limitless One crash into the guardrail as Orton evaded. Back in the ring, The Legend Killer delivered The Orton Stomp and applied a big headlock.
Lee fought out and flattened Orton with a powerslam. He set Orton up for the Spirit Bomb but Orton escaped and delivered an RKO.
Despite being banned from the arena by Adam Pearce earlier in the night, Drew McIntyre came from out of nowhere with a Claymore, drawing the disqualification. “I want you to see me in your dreams,” he said.
Pearce again ordered McIntyre out of the arena as Orton nursed his jaw.
Result
Orton defeated Lee by disqualification
Grade
C
Analysis
There was not much to this one. Lee vs. Orton was a one-dimensional match that existed seemingly solely to get to the McIntyre spot.
Has anyone lost more momentum since Payback than Lee?
On that night, he was the hottest star on the Raw brand. Since then, he has lost a Triple Threat Match and here, was but an afterthought in the continued escalation of the McIntyre-Orton feud.
This was a wholly unnecessary match that did more to hurt Lee than anything worthwhile on the march to Clash of Champions and the latest match between McIntyre and Orton.
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