A Room with a Review: Raw 07/20/20

It’s a brand new episode of RAW featuring Shelton Benjamin winning a title, Christian being mad at Randy Orton, and Ron Simmons saying something other than DAMN! Did they think we wouldn’t notice a replay from 15 years ago?

• The show starts off with Seth Rollins (and Murphy), fresh off removing Rey Mysterio’s eyeball from its socket. Rollins talks about how much it has affected him, because of course he is. Seth blames the WWE Universe for making him do that to Mysterio. He also says that with Rey Rey gone, nobody stands in the way of his work. Cue Aleister Black’s music. Black heads to the ring and starts brawling with Murphy. 

• After a commercial break, it’s Aleister Black vs. Rollins w/ Murphy. Aleister hits a Black Mass early, but Rollins rolls out of the ring. Murphy tries to get involved and eats a Black Mass of his own. Even with his disciple rendered useless, the Monday Night Messiah picks up the victory after hitting Black with a stomp. After the match, Murphy has recovered enough to continue the beat down on Aleister. He and Rollins focus on his right arm, wrapping it around the ring post and slamming it multiple times into the announce table. I guess we’re getting an Arm for an Arm match at SummerSlam. 

• Backstage, MVP and Lashley are talking to Ron Simmons. Ron even gets to say something besides, “DAMN!” MVP sees R-Truth and says he’d like the 24/7 Champion to accompany them to the ring. Truth declines, but Lashley says that MVP meant the new 24/7 Champion. Referee John Cone appears just as Shelton Benjamin nails Truth from behind. A three count later and it looks like the Hurt Business has added a new member, and a champion to boot.

• After another commercial, fake US Champion MVP, Bobby Lashley, and the new 24/7 Champion Shelton Benjamin head to the ring. They will face off with Ricochet and Cedric Alexander, who keep getting promo time for some reason. They have a third tag team partner so they can make this a 6-man match: Mustafa Ali! So I guess they’ve officially dropped the hacker angle (I’m not mad, to be honest). The Hurt Business does a great job of keeping Ricochet cut off from his side of the ring. Ali finally gets the tag, though, and starts cleaning house. He even hits Lashley with a suicide dive that propels Bobby over the announce table. Mustafa gets the pin on MVP after a 450 splash. 

• Randy Orton is backstage reminiscing about the important moments in his career. 

• They show Ron Simmons talking with the Viking Raiders backstage.

• Next is a video highlight package for the Big Show.

• Christian is joining us live via satellite Zoom. He’s still angry at Randy for weaponizing Ric Flair.

• Bianca Belair is backstage with Sarah Schreiber. Peyton Royce interrupts, as does Ruby Riott. Billie Kay isn’t here tonight, so it looks like we are getting Peyton vs. Ruby later on tonight.

• And by later tonight, I mean after the commercial break. It’s Peyton Royce vs. Ruby Riott, one-on-one. During the match, Peyton keeps pointing out how much Liv Morgan hates Ruby. That doesn’t faze the former leader of the Riott Squad as she picks up the victory with the Riott Kick.

• Charly Caruso catches up with her boo Angel Garza, plus Andrade and Zelina Vega. As Angel turns on the charm, they get jumped by the Street Profits. Stop doing that, WWE good guys!

• Next up is tag team action as the aforementioned Street Profits take on Angel Garza and Andrade w/ Zelina Vega. At some point in the match, I’m pretty sure Montez got his bell rung, but he still gets the pin after hitting one of the best frog splashes I have ever seen. 

• After another commercial, Vega is backstage, yelling at her wards. Garza and Andrade assure her that they are on the same page, despite the loss.

• It’s time for the Two Woman Power Trip as Bayley Dos Straps and 2 Belts Banks head to the ring. Of course, Sasha didn’t actually win the belt last night; her best friend Bayley counted the 1-2-3 while wearing the referee’s shirt. Asuka comes out with Kairi and stakes her claim to the title. Stephanie McMahon appears on the TitanTron and says that there will be a rematch next week to determine the real Raw Women’s Champion. She also adds that if either opponent is disqualified or counted out, the other will be named champ. 

• After one more break, it’s Bayley w/ Sasha vs. Kairi w/ Asuka. Kairi counters a Bayley-to-Belly into a roll-up for the win.

• Drew McIntyre says Dolph gave him a great match last night, but he’s ready to move onto SummerSlam. Ziggler comes out to try to get another title match. McIntyre hits Dolph with the Glasgow Kiss and walks away. Ziggler grabs a mic and says that if Drew gives him a rematch, then McIntyre can pick the stipulation. Drew accepts and says he will tell Dolph the stip right before the bell rings, just like Dolph did to him. 

• Now it’s time for Big Show to pontificate on the importance of this Unsanctioned Match.

• It’s main event time as Big Show faces Randy Orton in an Unsanctioned Match, even though it is on WWE TV, in a WWE ring, has a WWE referee, and they get their full WWE entrances. I guess they learned nothing from the NXT Unsanctioned Matches. Orton wins after an RKO, though he also put Show through a table at one point, as well as an RKO that the giant kicked out of. After the match, Orton punts Big Show in the head. I guess we need a new legend for Randy to kill. I’m beginning to question Ron Simmons being backstage now. Run, Ron, run!

I’m a little disappointed that they are still running some of the same angles right after a PPV, with the blow-off matches scheduled for next week. I thought the blow-offs are supposed to be for the special events, but my guess is that the ratings have been so bad that they need the extra attractions on Mondays.

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