WWE RAW Results: July 18, 2016

Detailed Results

On the eve of the WWE Draft, RAW kicks off with the new Commissioner of RAW Stephanie McMahon, but before Stephanie can even welcome everyone to RAW, Stephanie is interrupted by the Commissioner of SmackDown as her brother Shane McMahon makes his way to the ring as well as the McMahon siblings make their last appearance together in the ring before the WWE Draft. Stephanie says that she will not miss working with Shane before Shane says that, if Stephanie was a man, then there would have been a receipt for the slap she gave him last week. Stephanie responds by saying that “lady balls” are a lot bigger than testicles before saying that she slapped Shane across the face last week and there’s nothing he can do about it just like there’s nothing he can do to improve SmackDown.

Stephanie continues, saying that both RAW and SmackDown Live will benefit from the WWE Draft before the RAW Commissioner makes the huge announcement that, given the success of the Cruiserweight Classic series on the WWE Network, the Cruiserweight Division will be returning to WWE and it will be exclusively on RAW! Stephanie then points out that RAW has the clear advantage in the WWE Draft, stating that RAW is three hours and SmackDown Live is only two hours and that RAW will get the first overall draft pick and, for every two picks that SmackDown Live gets, RAW will get three.

Shane McMahon comments that “daddy’s little girl” gets what she wants just like she always does before saying that he’s been discussing strategy with the General Manager of SmackDown Live and he believes they are ready. Stephanie then takes this opportunity to announce who will be helping her lead RAW to the “promise land” as the RAW General Manager, stating that this individual has her “full confidence” before it is revealed that the new General Manager of RAW is three-time former WWE Champion and WWE Hall of Famer “The Hardcore Legend” Mick Foley! Foley makes his way to the ring, greeting both Shane and Stephanie before thanking Stephanie for naming him the RAW General Manager. The Hall of Famer says that the climate right now reminds him of the Monday Night Wars between WWE and WCW as there is a fight for “entertainment” and “survival”. The new RAW General Manager continues, saying that he was one of the guys who put the final nail in the coffin of WCW and he is willing to take RAW “to the future and beyond”. Shane congratulates Mick Foley on being named the RAW General Manager before complimenting Stephanie on her selection.

With the crowd already suspecting who the SmackDown General Manager will be, Shane explains that he needs a General Manager for SmackDown who embodies what SmackDown is all about. Shane continues, saying that they need an “underdog” and someone who is willing to give opportunities to “shine” to competitors that Stephanie would never give a chance. Shane then ponders who could be more “popular and better” than Mick Foley before Shane reveals who will be the General Manager of SmackDown Live as none other than former WWE Champion Daniel Bryan emerges to a huge response from the crowd as the leader of the “Yes Movement” makes his way to the ring! The new SmackDown General Manager shakes hands with Shane and Mick Foley but not Stephanie. The crowd then erupts with chants of “Daniel Bryan” and “Yes” before Bryan says that they haven’t missed him half as much as he has missed them.

Daniel Bryan then gets emotional as the new SmackDown General Manager explains that he never thought he would be able to step into a WWE ring again because he “loved wrestling too much”. Bryan then says that he got a call from Shane McMahon with his ideas for SmackDown Live of putting the Superstars first instead of putting “management first” and making SmackDown Live something awesome for the fans and how SmackDown Live is the “underdog”. Bryan continues, saying this made him realize that he could come back and he needed to come back because SmackDown is the underdog in this fight just like he was the underdog. The crowd then chants “Thank You Daniel” before saying that he did not succeed on his own, saying that it was he and the fans who did it together and, if they all join together, SmackDown Live will “beat RAW every single week”. Bryan then proclaims that “we” have beaten The Authority before and “we” will beat them again.

Stephanie responds by saying that underdogs never end up on top and that’s something the “losers” that make up the crowd can identify with, saying that Bryan made all of them feel like “winners” for one night. Stephanie then comments that Daniel Bryan is a “B+ player” for a “B+ show”. Shane then decides to follow Stephanie’s lead and make things personal, saying that two things will always be true; that she will always be his sister and that she had to “marry a WWE Superstar to stay relevant”! Shane then asks Daniel Bryan if they can make SmackDown Live the “juggernaut” in WWE with Daniel Bryan replying with “yes”, sparking a “Yes” chant from the crowd, led by the SmackDown Commissioner and the SmackDown General Manager.

In what could very well be the last time they face off on RAW, the opening match of the RAW would see “The Underdog from the Underground” Sami Zayn join forces with “The Swiss Superman” Cesaro to face Sami’s Battleground opponent Kevin Owens and “Y2J” Chris Jericho. In the end, it was Sami Zayn countering a roll-up attempt by Chris Jericho into a roll-up of his own, keeping Jericho down for the three-count to pick up the win for himself and Cesaro.

Before he defends the Intercontinental Championship against Darren Young this Sunday night at Battleground, Intercontinental Champion The Miz and his wife Maryse would be guests on commentary as Darren Young, with WWE Hall of Famer Bob Backlund in his corner, would go one-on-one with Alberto Del Rio on RAW. During the match, The Miz would get on the ring apron to distract Darren Young as Darren knocks The Miz off of the apron. Alberto Del Rio then rolls Darren up, but the referee is busy with The Miz on the ring apron. Darren Young then shoves Del Rio into The Miz, knocking the Intercontinental Champion to the floor before Darren rolls up Del Rio, keeping Del Rio down for the three-count to pick up a big win over Del Rio.

Six nights before he joins forces with Enzo & Cass to face The Club in a 6-Man Tag match at Battleground this Sunday night, John Cena would team up with Enzo & Cass and WWE Tag Team Champions The New Day to face the team of The Club and The Wyatt Family in a huge 12-Man Tag match! During the match, a face-off between Big Cass and Braun Strowman would take a stray turn once Strowman decides to knock John Cena off of the ring apron. This sparks a massive brawl between the twelve competitors before Strowman and Big Cass face off again with Big Cass hitting Strowman with a big boot that fails to knock Strowman off of his feet. Later on in the match, Kofi Kingston would stun Braun Strowman with Trouble in Paradise, allowing Big E to deliver a clothesline that sends Strowman to the outside. Erick Rowan then enters the ring, taking Big E out with a spinning heel kick before Kofi takes out Rowan.

Bray Wyatt then hits a huge side slam on Kofi before Xavier takes Bray down before Xavier dives to the outside, taking out The Wyatt Family! Back in the ring, Big Cass blasts AJ Styles with a big boot before Luke Gallows takes Cass out with a big boot of his own. John Cena then hits Luke Gallows with the Attitude Adjustment before Karl Anderson plants Cena with a spinebuster. Enzo Amore then takes flight, taking Karl Anderson out with a big DDT before The New Day and The Wyatt Family continue their fight outside the ring as the two trios fight all the way to the back! Back in the ring, AJ Styles sets up for the Styles Clash on Enzo Amore, but Enzo counters, looking to catch Styles with a right hand, but AJ moves out of the way and Enzo inadvertently knocks down John Cena! AJ then takes advantage, scoring with a kick to the head before hitting the Styles Clash, pinning Enzo to pick up the win for The Club and The Wyatt Family before their respective 6-Man Tag matches at Battleground.

After announcing earlier in the day that he and Kalisto have decided to go their separate ways and pursue singles careers in WWE, Sin Cara was in action on RAW as the high flyer would have the tough task of going one-on-one with “The Lone Wolf” Baron Corbin. In the end, it was Baron Corbin hitting the End of Days on Sin Cara, pinning Sin Cara for the win. After the match, Baron Corbin would attempt to beat down Sin Cara but Sin Cara’s former tag team partner Kalisto would rush out to make the save, protecting his friend from further damage at the hands of “The Lone Wolf”. Corbin would initially leave the ring once Kalisto arrived but when Kalisto turns his back, Corbin pulls Kalisto out of the ring, blasting Kalisto with a clothesline to the back of the head.

Before she and a partner of her choosing faces Women’s Champion Charlotte and her protégé Dana Brooke at Battleground, Sasha Banks would team up with a familiar friend and rival in Becky Lynch to face Women’s Champion Charlotte and Dana Brooke in tag team action. During the match, Natalya would blindside Becky Lynch, pulling her Battleground opponent off of the ring apron before throwing Becky into the barricade, ending the match by disqualification. Sasha Banks would then exit the ring to check on Becky but “The Boss” is blasted with a big boot from Charlotte before Charlotte and Natalya glare at each other briefly. Natalya then walks to the back as Charlotte & Dana Brooke prey on Sasha Banks in the ring, beating down “The Boss” before blasting Sasha with another big boot. The Women’s Champion then follows this up with Natural Selection, leaving Sasha Banks laid out in the ring with Charlotte & Dana Brooke standing tall over “The Boss”.

With a shot at the United States Title against Rusev this Sunday night at Battleground, Zack Ryder would team up with Dolph Ziggler to face the team of United States Champion Rusev, with Lana in his corner, and “The Celtic Warrior” Sheamus. During the match, Zack Ryder would sacrifice himself to take Sheamus out of the ring as in the ring, Dolph Ziggler would fail to secure the win with a roll-up before Rusev blasts Dolph with a kick to the back of the head. The United States Champion then locks in the Accolade on Dolph, making “The Show Off” tap out to pick up the win for himself and Sheamus. After the match, Rusev would refuse to break the hold until Zack Ryder enters the ring as Rusev is quick to exit the ring.

Six nights before they, along with Roman Reigns, compete in a Triple Threat Match for the WWE Championship at Battleground, it was time for the main event as a rare WWE Championship match would take place on RAW as Dean Ambrose would defend the WWE Championship against his rival and former Shield partner Seth Rollins with RAW Commissioner Stephanie McMahon, RAW General Manager Mick Foley, SmackDown Commissioner Shane McMahon, and SmackDown General Manager Daniel Bryan all seated at ringside! During the hard-fought title match, Seth Rollins would deliver a vicious powerbomb to Dean Ambrose into the barricade on the outside before rolling the WWE Champion into the ring and climbing to the top rope, hitting a frog splash on Ambrose, but the champion kicks out. Later on in the match, Seth Rollins would hit the turnbuckle powerbomb, but Dean Ambrose would rebound, scoring with Dirty Deeds! The champion then goes for the pin, but Seth Rollins is able to get his foot on the bottom rope at the last second, keeping the title match alive before Rollins rolls to the outside.

Ambrose then follows Rollins to the outside, making Stephanie, Foley, Shane, & Bryan all scatter as the champion exposes the Spanish announce table. With the management of both RAW and SmackDown watching, Ambrose would put Rollins on the table, but the challenger would move out of the way. This would lead to a battle between champion and challenger on the ring apron with Ambrose delivering a clothesline to Rollins that sends the challenger back into the ring. Ambrose then dives off of the top rope, but is caught with a kick to the mid-section by Seth Rollins, who follows it up with the Pedigree to Ambrose, but the champion manages to kick out again!

The challenger then goes for another Pedigree, but Ambrose counters before taking Rollins down with a clothesline. The champion then heads to the top rope, but is met by Rollins at the top before Ambrose shoves Rollins down as Rollins inadvertently takes out the referee! With the referee down, Seth Rollins would then head back to the top rope, scoring with a big superplex to Dean Ambrose. However, this is when Rollins would hook Ambrose for a pinfall attempt at the same time that the champion hooks Rollins for a pin as well and the referee counts the pinfall with both men’s shoulders down!

Both Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins would get to their feet but no announcement is made regarding who won the match and who is the WWE Champion. RAW Commissioner Stephanie McMahon and SmackDown Commissioner Shane McMahon then enter the ring with Stephanie celebrating with Seth Rollins, raising the hand of Rollins, clearly thinking that Rollins was the winner. RAW General Manager Mick Foley and SmackDown General Manager Daniel Bryan then enter the ring as well with all parties arguing over who is the rightful WWE Champion. Amongst the arguing, Stephanie McMahon would take it upon herself to exit the ring and grab the WWE Title belt, proclaiming that Seth Rollins is the winner and the new WWE Champion! Seth Rollins then celebrates with the WWE Title on the stage as the respective management of RAW and SmackDown argue over who is the WWE Champion!

However, the debate and the controversy would come to an end once the referee is finally able to make his ruling as the referee declares that, since the match ended with both men pinning the other, the WWE Title match is a draw and, in the event of a draw, the championship stays with the defending champion, meaning that, in the end, Dean Ambrose is still the WWE Champion and will enter tomorrow night’s WWE Draft and this Sunday’s Battleground as the WWE Champion.

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