Monday, May 25, 2020

Raw Deal - Raw recap for May 25, 2020

WWE takes time to acknowledge Memorial Day in the United States.



For the first time, members of NXT and the WWE Performance Center act as fans behind the barricade.

Kevin Owens starts tonight's show with The Kevin Owens Show. He announces he will face Angel Garza later tonight, then talks about tonight's Triple Threat Match, where the winner faces Asuka for the Raw Women's Championship at Backlash. Owens the introduces the Raw Women's Champion, Asuka. Asuka starts a "Becky" chant when she shows up. The topic then switches to Nia Jax's attack on both Asuka and Kairi Sane from last week. Asuka doesn't get a chance to say much when Charlotte Flair shows up. Charlotte tells Asuka that the Raw Women's Championship should have been handed to her, as every time they have faced off, Asuka has never beaten her. Suddenly, Natalya shows up. Natalya apologizes to Owens and his show's crew for her actions last week, but Charlotte interrupts and says that sucking up to Kevin Owens won't help her win tonight. As Charlotte jokingly apologizes to Asuka and said that she should have called Natalya "irrelevant," Nia Jax shows up and says everyone knows she will be the next champion and tells everyone to get ready. As Nia gets in the ring, Kevin Owens gets out, and Nia says what she did to Kairi Sane will be a taste of what she does to Asuka at Backlash. Owens leaves and tells Asuka not to hit Nia in the face. Asuka hits Nia in the face with a spinning backfist, starting a brawl. Asuka is quickly the only one left in the ring, yelling at Nia Jax at brawl's end.



Backstage, Kayla Braxton interviews Apollo Crews. Crews says tonight is the greatest night of his career, for he will beat Andrade and become WWE United States Champion.

Apollo Crews beats Andrade to become WWE United States Champion! During the match, Kayla Braxton interviews Angel Garza, who says a match is like making love, due to the eye contract, the moment between the two bodies coming together and what happens when they crash together. After the match, Charly Caruso interviews Apollo in the ring. Crews says that when he started, everyone told him he couldn't do it, but he never gave up, and after eleven years, he can say he won his first WWE title. He knows that people thought he blew his chance, but he continued to believe in himself and now he can tell the world that he is the new United States Champion. As Apollo Crews celebrates, Andrade is destroying things backstage.



Backstage, Seth Rollins stares at a purple Rey Mysterio mask.

Backstage, we hear from Seth Rollins, who says that tonight is a night of celebration as he is here and better than ever thanks to Rey Mysterio. He says that he was in a dark place after Money In The Bank until Rey presented himself in his time of need and allowed himself to be sacrificed for the greater good, and says he cannot imagine the pain that Rey and his family went through. Seth says he does not know what the future holds for Rey, but if that act was his final act as a WWE Superstar, then it was a courageous win, for it allowed him and his disciples to move into the future. Seth then introduces his newest disciple Austin Theory, and says that Theory and Murphy know what it is like to be cast aside and be overlooked. Murphy says he has faced many obstacles, but he needed a leader and he needed Rollins. Theory says that when he came to Raw, he thought he had friends, but when they abandoned him, Rollins found him, and he thanks him for that. Rollins says they are welcome and that the night is only beginning, for later on tonight, they will show Rey the goodness he has brought to Raw when they make examples out of Humberto Carrillo and Aleister Black.



Backstage, Charly Caruso interviews Charlotte Flair. Charlotte says she is the most consistent and prolific women's champion in WWE history, and that she has raised the bar for the women's division and that nobody else compares. Asuka suddenly dances her way into the interview and tells Charlotte that red is not her color before dancing away.

The IIconics (Billie Kay and Peyton Royce) show up. Peyton Royce apologizes to Billie Kay for their loss last week, but Billie says she is the one to apologize for slapping her backstage, saying it made her sick to her stomach and that they have come so far, and that there should be no animosity. After mentioning that they have done so much together, and says they never had the opportunity to defend the WWE Women's Tag Team Championships. As they say that Alexa Bliss and Nikki Cross have what is theirs, Alexa and Nikki show up. Alexa tells The IIconics had every opportunity, despite taking shortcuts and cheap shots to get them, and blew them all. When Nikki speaks, The IIconics tell her to shut up and look grateful. Nikki says that she has taken the same steps that Alexa has, having left Glasgow, Scotland with nothing, and when Alexa showed up, she gave her time and was there for her to keep her from bouncing off the walls. When Nikki says she cannot think of anything more IIconic than that, The IIconics attack Nikki and Alexa and lay them out before holding up the WWE Women's Tag Team Championships.



Backstage, MVP is met by Lana, who tells MVP "We need to talk." MVP says "No. We don't," then leaves.

In memory of Shad Gaspard, 1981 - 2020.

It's time for The VIP Lounge. After MVP gives a warm welcome to the Performance Center attendees, he says that The VIP Lounge will still be the only one to hold the star power of the "soon-to-be-former" WWE Champion, Drew McIntyre, whom he introduces to the ring. McIntyre tosses the couches in the ring around, then demands to know where Bobby Lashley is. MVP tells him not to worry about an ambush, saying "No contract, no contact" and that the physical aggression will be saved for the match. MVP then asks McIntyre to look back to when he offered him his services only to get Claymore Kicked, and says that after ending up on his back, he knew McIntyre would be champion and that he would play a role in him losing it. He says that after thirteen years, Lashley has a WWE Championship opportunity because of him, but McIntyre is not impressed, saying it took nineteen years to get his first opportunity, enter the main event of WrestleMania and beat Brock Lesnar in five minutes. He says Lashley will not be so lucky, and says that the things he said the last time he was in The VIP Lounge resonated perfectly. McIntyre says he does not need anyone to think or talk for him, or also kiss his ass. He says Lashley will not be so lucky, and says that the things he said the last time he was in The VIP Lounge resonated perfectly. McIntyre says he does not need anyone to think or talk for him, or also kiss his ass. After MVP introduces Lashley, he gets Claymore Kicked, and Lashley has to help MVP to the outside. MVP stops Lashley from getting into the ring as McIntyre demands Lashley fight him right now.



Backstage, Charly Caruso interviews Natalya, who suddenly has to take a call. It is from her husband TJ aka Tyson Kidd, who is not happy with her after her apology to Kevin Owens. When she gets back to the interview, Charly Caruso says her interview time has run out.

Angel Garza attacks Kevin Owens as Owens makes his way to the ring for the next match, smashing Owens' left knee into the ramp.

Angel Garza beats Kevin Owens with the Wing Clipper after Owens' left knee gives out during the pop-up powerbomb. After the match, Garza kicks Owens in the back of his left knee.



In footage from earlier today, The Viking Raiders (Ivar and Erik) show up for their game of golf with Street Profits (Angelo Dawkins and Montez Ford). Despite the rules of etiquette being mentioned, all etiquette gets thrown out the window and The Viking Raiders quickly get frustrated. Both teams get kicked off the golf course, and they both head to a miniature gold course. Not surprisingly, all logic and reason goes out the window, Street Profits win, and The Viking Raiders get the same treatment from a member of staff that they did from the police officer from the ax throwing competition. Street Profits lead two-to-one, then Ivar finds a wallet, a Solo cup and a turkey leg inside the last hole. Ivar tries to stop a gator from staring at him, but Street Profits hold him back.



Backstage, Lana apologizes to MVP and brings him a bag of ice, but MVP asks Lana if she thinks this is a joke and asys that Drew McIntyre sent a message to Bobby Lashley. MVP says they must send a message back, then gives the bag back to Lana. Lana is furious.

Seth Rollins talks to Austin Theory and Murphy backstage before the next match.

Austin Theory and Murphy beat Humberto Carrillo and Aleister Black. After the match, Theory and Murphy toss Aleister Black and Humberto Carrillo, and Seth Rollins says that Humberto "needs to learn." Murphy and Theory then take Carrillo to the steel steps. Rollins also tells Aleister not to take another step or else Humberto will lose an eye. Rollins says that he knows Aleister and Carrillo are fighting for Rey Mysterio, but Rey was sacrificed, and that if they continue to fight, it will be for nothing. He then tells Aleister to put the chair down and take it out of the ring, which Aleister does. Murphy and Theory then let go of Carrillo and follow Rollins to the back.



Backstage, we hear from Edge, who says that Randy Orton caught him flat-footed as he congratulates Orton for laying the bait last week. He says that he doubts his ability, and during his over 3,000 days of retirement, Orton had over 1,000 matches. Edge says he must now prove himself to himself, and thanks Orton for making him contemplate things he either has not contemplated or buried very deeply. After contemplating whether to hang up the boots, he is still here. If Orton wants to doubt his wrestling ability, then he needs to look to whom he has faced through his career and every style he adapted to in order to pull people up to his level as a workhorse of the company. He then mentions that everything he has said has been in the past tense, for he does not know if he can do any of those things anymore, then says at Backlash, he will dig to the very depths of his soul to beat Orton.



Backstage, Street Profits (Angelo Dawkins and Montez Ford) and The Viking Raiders (Ivar and Erik) meet. Once again, The Viking Raiders tell Street Profits that they let them win again. When given the choice to pick the next game for their competition, The Viking Raiders ask "Have you ever bowled?" before leaving. MVP then shows up with Bobby Lashley, saying that Street Profits are clowns who waste their talents golfing. After Street Profits make fun of MVP for getting a Claymore Kick and show how unimpressed they are with Lashley, MVP challenges them to a tag team match against him and Lashley tonight.

Asuka guests on commentary for the next match.

Nia Jax beats Natalya and Charlotte Flair in a Triple Threat Match to face Asuka for the WWE Raw Women's Championship at Backlash.



Backstage, Kayla Braxton interviews Drew McIntyre, who is about to leave when he says that he did mean to hit MVP with a Claymore Kick, but that he was asking for it. As for MVP and Bobby Lashley's tag team match tonight, McIntyre decides to stick around for it.

We look back on The Rock 'n Sock Connection (The Rock and Mankind), courtesy of Dairy Queen.

We hear from R-Truth, who says that he knows Rob Gronkowski is the WWE 24/7 Champion, and says that he is coming for him and will tackle any "football men" to get to Gronk before putting on shoulder pads. We then hear from Gronkowski, who tells "R-Lies" to bring it on before telling R-Truth that he is prepared to make sure the WWE 24/7 Championship stays with him and that he has eyes in the back of his head.



Backstage, Kayla Braxton interviews MVP and Bobby Lashley. When asked why he is taking on Street Profits (Angelo Dawkins and Montez Ford) tonight, MVP points to Lashley and says "That's why."

We hear from "The Nature Boy" Ric Flair, who says that Randy Orton will come out on top at Backlash.

We see a preview of Chapter 3 of "Undertaker: The Last Ride" on WWE Network.

We hear from Liv Morgan, who says her biggest stumbling block in life is her own self-worth, and says she has never felt "good enough." She has always wondered what life had in store for her, but she found what she was missing when she became a WWE Superstar. She does not know everything about life as life changes all the questions, but she is alive being the best person she can be and living her best life.



Next week: Aleister Black vs. Seth Rollins! Rey Mysterio's retirement ceremony!

Street Profits (Angelo Dawkins and Montez Ford) beat MVP and Bobby Lashley by disqualification after Lashley - who is not the legal man - refuses to listen to the referee's five count and let go of the full nelson on Montez Ford. After the match, Lashley continues to keep the hold on Ford, then McIntyre gets in the ring and brawls with Lashley, and the referee has to call for help from the Performance Center trainees in the crowd to separate both men. McIntyre beats up the two guys who get in the ring only to get Speared by Lashley. More Performance Center trainees show up to separate both men, and they are eventually able to keep them in separate corners to end the show.





Here are the top ten moments from tonight's show!





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