WWE Raw Results – Aug. 20, 2018 – Roman Reigns vs. Finn Balor

WWE.com

Aug 20, 2018

August 20, 2018
Brooklyn, New York
Commentary: Michael Cole, Corey Graves and Renee Young
Results by: Roy Nemer of Wrestleview.com

In-Ring: Roman Reigns, Finn Balor, Baron Corbin, Kurt Angle

WWE Raw kicks off with the new WWE Universal champion Roman Reigns coming down to the ring. Roman says he is a man of his word. He said he was going to beat Brock Lesnar and he did. A loud “You still suck” chant from the crowd. He says he also said that when he would win it, he will defend it and that’s what he plans on doing tonight.

And typically he would challenge anyone but he has one man in mind. That man won the Universal title in Brooklyn and he got hurt and never got an opportunity again. And since he won it in Brooklyn, he will defend it tonight. And the man he will defend it against is Finn Balor.

Out comes Balor and he gets in the ring. He says he accepts Roman’s challenge and he will take back his title tonight. Baron Corbin’s music hits and tells everyone to hold on. He says the match won’t happen. Corbin tells Balor he was set to face Finn Balor the man but instead he got the demon. He says that was unprofessional, cowardly and in breach of contract. He says tonight, he is facing Finn Balor the man.

Roman tells Corbin if he sucked as bad as he did, he would make excuses too. Corbin tells Roman the only reason he is champion is because Brock Lesnar was more concerned with Braun Strowman than himself.

Kurt Angle’s music hits and out comes the Raw general manager. Kurt tells Corbin he’s letting it all get to his head and on Raw, he makes the matches. Kurt says he cares what Brooklyn thinks and he asks the crowd if they want to see Finn Balor against Roman Reigns for the Universal title tonight. The crowd cheers and Kurt Angle says that will be the main event tonight. Kurt Angle tells Corbin he has a match tonight and it starts right now against Bobby Lashley.

Bobby Lashley vs. Baron Corbin

The bell rings and we are under way. Bobby goes right after Corbin and takes him down. A swinging neck breaker by Lashley. Right hands by Lashley as he sends Corbin to the ropes but Baron slides to the outside of the ring. Bobby follows him to the outside and a right hand by Lashley. He sends Corbin back into the ring. Lashley gets Corbin in the corner and starts punching him on the top of the head. He then clotheslines Corbin to the outside of the ring.

Lashley sends Corbin back inside the ring. Lashely gets on the ring apron but Corbin kicks him in the knee taking him down. Corbin grabs Lashley and throws him into the barricade. He sends Lashley back into the ring and gets him in a headlock.

He goes to send Lashley to the corner but Lashley reverses it. Corbin comes running back towards him but a clothesline by Lashley. Bobby goes to lift Corbin but Corbin pushes him through the ropes and to the outside. Corbin goes to the outside and clotheslines Lashley taking him out.

Back from commercial, Corbin has Lashley in the middle of the ring in a headlock. He sends Lashley shoulder first into the post. Corbin goes to send Lashley shoulder first into the other post but Bobby reverses it and Corbin hits his shoulder. Both men exchange right hands. Bobby with a belly to belly throw. A spine buster by Lashley as he goes for the cover but Corbin kicks out.

Corbin rolls to the outside as Lashley follows him. Right hands by Lashley as he sends Corbin back in. Lashley gets on the ring apron but a right hand by Corbin takes Lashley down. Corbin sits Lashley up on the top rope. Baron Corbin climbs the second rope but a headbutt by Lashley takes Corbin down. Lashley jumps off the top rope but Corbin catches him in a chokeslam back breaker. He goes for the cover but Lashley kicks out.

Corbin runs towards Lashley but Lashley kicks him, lifts him up and throws him face first into the mat. He goes for the cover and gets the win.

Winner: Bobby Lashley

Backstage: Paul Heyman, Kurt Angle

Backstage, Kurt Angle asks Paul Heyman what he’s doing here. Heyman says he has a very specific mission. He says his client Brock Lesnar would like his rematch for the WWE Universal title and that it is a clause which is in his contract. Heyman says Brock Lesnar goes where Brock Lesnar goes and Brock wants to know when he gets his rematch. Kurt says he read the contract but it doesn’t say when Brock will get his rematch. Kurt says he has a fighting champion now and it will be a long, long, long time before Brock gets his WWE Universal title rematch.

Heyman says it will be way down the road at Hell in a Cell. Kurt Angle says it will be a cold day in hell or as they say in Brooklyn, forget about it.

Backstage: Baron Corbin, Kurt Angle

After commercials, Kurt Angle is backstage and in comes Corbin. He tells him he was preparing for Balor but gave him Lashley. He says he is tired of him not giving him what he wants. Angle says his job isn’t to do what he wants. As long as he is the general manager, his job is to do what is best for the WWE universe. Corbin says Stephanie McMahon is here tonight and he will go talk to her.

Sasha Banks, Bayley and Ember Moon vs. Riott Squad

The bell rings and we are under way. Sasha and Ruby start off the match as Sasha slaps Ruby and sends her to the corner. She tags Bayley in as both women double team Ruby. Bayley tags in Moon as she goes for a roll up but Riott kicks out. She tags in Logan. Ember goes right after Logan. She hits her with an enzuigiri and a super kick. She goes for the cover but Logan kicks out. All six women get in the ring and fight to the outside. Moon is the only person left in the ring as she does a suicide dive onto the outside.

Back in the ring, Bayley with an arm bar on Liv Morgan. Liv gets out of it and a right hand takes Bayley to the outside. Liv t ags Ruby in and Ruby goes to the outside and as STO takes Bayley out. She sends Bayley into the ring and goes for the cover but Bayley kicks out. Logan is tagged in as she pounds on Bayley. She quickly tags Liv in who attacks Bayley. She goes for the cover but Bayley kicks out.

Liv throws Bayley in the corner and tags in Logan. All three women triple team Bayley. Logan goes for the cover but Bayley kicks out. Logan with a head lock on Bayley but Bayley gets out of it with a jaw breaker. Bayley tries to go for the tag but Logan stops her. She tags Riott in and Riott goes for a kick on Bayley but Bayley ducks and makes the tag to Sasha.

In comes Banks who delivers a double knee to the midsection on Riott. She goes for the cover but Liv Morgan breaks it up. Moon throws Liv to the outside. Moon with a suplex onto Liv on the outside. Logan clothesline Bayley on the outside. Sasha climbs the top rope but Riott takes her out and hits her with the Riott kick. She goes for the cover and gets the win.

Winners: Riott Squad

In-Ring: Triple H

Triple H’s music hits and out he comes to the ring. A loud “NXT” chant. Triple H says what a weekend it has been. That NXT blew the roof off Saturday night. Last night SummerSlam took it to another level and it has been incredible. He says he sat back there at the edge of his seat and just like us, he is a fan.

He says but weekends like this also give him that itch. It makes him want to rip his suit off, lace up the boots and be the game again. And that is why when Vince called him and told him he finished off the deal in Australia and he would like for him to wrestle there, he said hell yeah. And it will be against The Undertaker. And he said, hell no but for a different reason. Because the truth is of all the great things he has been lucky enough to do during his career, there’s one that stands out. It’s a moment at the end of a Hell in a Cell match against The Undertaker. He says himself, The Undertaker and Shawn Michaels stood together at the top of the ramp and that moment is about as real as it gets in the business. He says he was standing there with freaking Shawn Michaels and The Undertaker.

But that moment changed the three of them. They knew it was the end of an era but not like that. He says after that happened, Shawn Michaels was gone. The streak would be dead. The Undertaker would put his hat and gloves in the middle of the ring and disappear. And he would put the suit on and leave. And it would be over. All of it. He says everything changed. The sound, the feeling, the goosebumps. It was the end of an era. He says their era was something special. A loud “You still got it” chant from the crowd.

Triple H says for the same respect reason he said no, he called Vince back and told him he’s in. He will take off the suit, tape back up, lace up the boots and he will be the game again. If The Undertaker will pick up that hat, put on those gloves and be the phenom one more time. October 6, Melbourne Australia, Super Show-Down, 80,000 people in attendance. The sound will be back. The feeling will be back. The goosebumps will be back because the era is back.

Dean Ambrose vs. Dolph Ziggler

Seth Rollins was in Ambrose’s corner and Drew McIntyre was in Ziggler’s corner. The bell rings and we are under way. Both men lock up and Dean takes Dolph down but Ziggler reverses it. Both men exchange reversals. Dean takes Dolph down with a shoulder block as Dolph goes to the outside. Dolph gets back in and goes to take Dean down but Dean takes Dolph down as both men exchange wrestling holds.

A big right hand by Ambrose and a chop to the chest onto Dolph. A right hand by Ziggler who sends Dean to the ropes but an elbow to the face takes Ziggler down. Dean goes for the cover but Ziggler kicks out. A body slam but Dean takes Ziggler down. Drew grabs Dean’s foot and Dean goes to the outside. Seth breaks it up and faces off to Drew. Dean gets on the ring apron and a drop kick by Ziggler takes Dean down.

Back from commercial and Dolph has Dean in the middle of the ring. Dolph goes for a right hand but Dean ducks and a clothesline takes Ziggler down. Dean sends Dolph to the ropes and a knee to the midsection by Dean. Ambrose stomps on Dean. He runs towards him but Ziggler with a foot to the face. He goes for the Zig-Zag but Dean fights him off and delivers a fall away slam.

Dean takes Ziggler down and catapults him into the ring post. He runs towards Ziggler but Dolph moves and Ambrose goes shoulder first onto the post. Seth and Drew are facing off on the outside and they start fighting. Dolph attacks Seth from behind as both men double team him.

Dean attacks Drew and Dolph. Dean sends Ziggler into the ring. Ziggler goes for the super kick but Dean catches his leg. Seth gets in the ring and does a suicide dive to the outside onto McIntyre. Dean throws Ziggler in the air and delivers the Dirty Deeds. He goes for the cover and gets the win.

Winner: Dean Ambrose

Backstage: Finn Balor, Braun Strowman

Balor is backstage and in comes Strowman. He tells him he refuses to cash in from behind, he does it face to face. Braun lifts the Money in the Bank briefcase and tells him good luck tonight.

Elias vs. Curt Hawkins

In the ring, Elias is on the guitar and starts playing. Elias says someone is trying to mess with him and his guitars but that WWE stands for Walk With Elias. He says he was supposed to play last night but after his guitar broke, his doctor called him to tell him not to perform in Brooklyn because it’s brutal. Elias proceeds to continue to insult the crowd.

Curt Hawkins’ music comes out and he tells Elias he knows he’s trying to be a number 1 hit but he can be number 1 as in being the first guy to lose to Curt Hawkins. Curt says he is feeling so lucky tonight and this is not his town. Curt challenges Elias to a match to put an end to his 218 match losing streak.

Elias says it’s very funny but he says Curt Hawkins is a loser. He tells him he was born a loser and will die a loser just like every single person in the arena. Elias tells him he doesn’t belong here and tells him to leave Brooklyn.

Curt asks Elias if he will hide behind his guitar and goofy scarf or if he will fight him. Because he is challenging him to a match right now. Elias accepts.

A referee comes out and the bell rings. Curt runs towards Elias and rolls him up for the cover but a two count only. Elias gets up and delivers a flying knee to Curt. An elbow to the face by Elias and a jumping elbow drop. He goes for the cover but Hawkins kicks out. Both men back up and Hawkins with right hands. A clothesline by Hawkins takes Elias down and Elias rolls to the outside. Hawkins follows him but Elias back in. Hawkins gets on the apron but a knee by Elias. He delivers the drift away and goes for the cover as he gets the win.

Winner: Elias

Backstage: Titus Worldwide

Titus O’Neill is backstage with Apollo and Brooke. Titus says he has been looking for them and Brooke says she may have found a weakness in the Authors of Pain.

Authors of Pain vs. Titus Worldwide

Rezar is in the ring with Titus. He tags Akam in and both men take Titus down. Akam goes for a suplex but Titus reverses it into a suplex of his own. Titus tags Apollo in and Akam takes him down. Akam tags Rezar in as they double team Apollo. Rezar goes for the cover but Apollo kicks out. Rezar tags Akam in and they continue the double team. Akam goes for the cover but Apollo kicks out.

Akam gets Apollo in a sleeper hold. Apollo fights back with elbow but a fireman’s carry takes Apollo down. He runs towards Apollo but Apollo fights back. Apollo goes for a flying kick but Akam moves out of the way. He puts Apollo on the second rope and tags Rezar in but Apollo fights back. He climbs the top rope and flies off taking Rezar down. He goes for the cover but Akam breaks it up. Rezar attacks Apollo as both men double team him. They go for the cover and get the win.

Winners: Authors of Pain

In-Ring: Stephanie McMahon, Ronda Rousey, Raw Women’s Title Presentation

Members of the WWE Raw women’s division surround the ring for a live presentation of the WWE Raw title.

Stephanie McMahon’s music hits as she makes her way down to the ring. Stephanie says when she thinks of the women’s division, one word comes to mind and that is proud. She is proud of these women. Stephanie plugs the Evolution PPV. She is proud of last night’s WWE Raw women’s title match at SummerSlam between Alexa Bliss and Ronda Rousey. They air clips of last night’s match.

Stephanie says that last night, Rousey became the first ever UFC women’s champion and WWE women’s champion. She says if it wasn’t for her, Ronda wouldn’t be in the WWE. She saw the rough talent and Ronda is now a diamond. Stephanie says Ronda carries the WWE Universe on her back just like herself. She introduces Ronda Rousey to the ring and calls Ronda her protege.

Ronda comes down and grabs the microphone instead of shaking Stephanie’s hand. A loud “Ronda Rousey” chant from the crowd.

Ronda asks Stephanie what she’s doing. She says for once it’s not about her but about every woman standing around the ring and in the WWE. She asks Stephanie why the women are on the outside of the ring, they deserve to be in the ring.

Rousey says this is about all of them. She says Natalya is the corner stone of the women’s division. A loud “Natty” chant from the crowd. She says Sasha and Bailey, if it wasn’t for their NXT take-over match, this whole movement may never have gotten off the ground.

Ronda says she is not Brock Lesnar, she will be a fighting champion, competing every night. Stephanie says she is right, she is not Brock Lesnar. She doesn’t know who she is. She says this is the Ronda Rousey who just wants to break people’s arms.

Stephanie tells the women that Ronda wants to break all of their arms. Ronda wants to wipe them all out. Stephanie says that’s who Ronda really is. Rousey says she is not here to break their arms. Only those who deserve it. Stephanie starts to walk backwards as Ronda leans in. She grabs Stephanie’s arm and flips her over. She locks in the arm bar as Stephanie taps out.

Rousey is presented the WWE Raw women’s title by half of the women while the other half are with Stephanie on the outside of the ring.

Bo Dallas vs. Scott Dawson

The B-Team come out and Bo Dallas says that a lot has changed in the past few weeks. They went from having never won a match to being tag team champions. Curtis Axel says they are dedicating their matches tonight to every single one of the fans because the B in B Team stands for Brooklyn.

The bell rings and both men lock up. A big clothesline by Dawson takes Bo down. Dawson with a slingshot on Bo as Bo’s face hits the bottom turnbuckle. Dawson with an uppercut on Dallas. He goes for a neck breaker but Bo reverses it into a cover as Dawson kicks out. Dallas building momentum with right hands and a clothesline.

Dallas goes for a suplex but Dawson reverses it. He lifts Dallas up and drops him in a modified DDT. He goes for the cover and gets the win.

Winner: Scott Dawson

Curtis Axel vs. Dash Wilder

Axel gets on the microphone and challenges Dash to a match.

Back from commercial and Wilder is in control of the match. He delivers a back breaker and goes for the cover but Axel kicks out. Axel fights back and a snap mare take down onto Wilder. He goes for a neck breaker but Wilder pushes him off. He runs towards Axel but Axel kicks him down. Axel climbs the top rope and jumps but Wilder moves out of the way. He lifts Axel onto his back and drops him onto his face. He goes for the cover and gets the win.

Winner: Dash Wilder

After the match, Bo Dallas gets on the microphone and says that they may have defeated them individually but they are still the Raw tag team champions.

Backstage: Roman Reigns

Renee Young is backstage with Roman Reigns. She asks him about tonight’s match and Braun Strowman. Roman says he didn’t spend years of his life chasing that title just to sit back and hide. This is his yard and he will defend it. And that Balor deserves the opportunity and he will give it to him. And as for Strowman, he can attack him from anywhere and try to cash in but this is his yard and always will be.

Backstage: Stephanie McMahon, Baron Corbin, Kurt Angle

Backstage, Stephanie is with Corbin and Alexa Bliss icing her arm. In comes Kurt Angle asking her if she is doing okay. Stephanie asks if she looks okay and asks him where he was. Corbin says it’s bad enough what he is doing with him but Raw is in chaos. Stephanie says being Raw general manager is wearing on him and says maybe he needs a vacation. Angle says he doesn’t need a vacation. Stephanie says not a permanent vacation but some time off. Which means that Corbin is now the acting general manager of Raw and he is in charge.

WWE Universal Championship – Roman Reigns (c) vs. Finn Balor

The bell rings and we are under way. Both men lock up Roman throws Balor down. A head lock by Roman as Balor sends him to the ropes but Roman catches him with a shoulder block. Balor is in the corner, Roman runs towards him but Balor moves out of the way and onto the apron. Roman hits him with a big right hand.

Back from commercial and both men are in the ring. A drop kick by Balor takes Roman down. Roman runs towards Balor but Balor throws him to the outside of the ring. Balor on the ring apron goes to kick Roman but Reigns catches him and drops him onto the ring apron face first. He gets Balor in the ring and goes for the cover but Balor kicks out.

Roman sends Balor hard into the turnbuckle pad. Roman gets Balor in the corner and runs towards him but Balor gets a foot up. Balor takes Roman down and jumps onto his chest. Balor with a chop to the chest. Roman grabs Balor and throws him in the corner. Roman with 10 clothesline onto Balor. Roman runs to the ropes but a drop kick by Balor takes Roman to the outside of the ring.

Finn Balor flies over the top rope onto the outside. Balor gets Roman back in the ring and goes for the cover but Roman kicks out.

Back from commercial and Balor with an overhead kick onto Roman. A right hand by Balor and he starts to stomp on Roman’s chest. Balor gets Roman up but Roman catches Balor and a one arm power bomb onto Balor. He goes for the cover but Balor kicks out.

Roman sets up for the superman punch but Balor counters it taking Roman down. He goes for the cover but a two count only. Balor catches Roman with a kick taking him down. Balor goes for the coup de grace but Roman moves and Balor catches him wit ha sling blade. He runs towards Roman but Reigns catches him with a super man punch. He goes for the cover but Balor kicks out.

Roman goes for the spear but Balor catches him with a knee and rolls Reigns up but a kick out. Roman with a super man punch!

Braun Strowman’s music hits and he walks down with his Money in the Bank briefcase. Roman is distracted and Balor hits him with the sling blade. He goes for the Coup de Grace but Roman moves and hits Balor with the spear. He goes for the cover and gets the win.

Winner: Roman Reigns

Braun Strowman gets in the ring and kicks Reigns down. Braun Strowman wants to cash in his Money in the Bank contract. The Shield’s music hits and out come Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose. They surround the ring. The bell has not yet rung.

Ambrose and Seth get on the ring apron. Strowman goes after Reigns but Seth and Ambrose get in the ring. Roman with a super man punch and they all take turns on Strowman. Reigns clotheslines Strowman to the outside.

Dean Ambrose is clearing the announce table off. They try to lift Strowman up but he fights back. Roman with a spear onto Strowman. Dean and Seth lift Braun up onto Roman’s shoulders and he power bombs him onto the announce table.