WWE Raw: Bayley, Dakota Kai and Iyo Sky make statement
By Ryan Satin
FOX Sports WWE Analyst
This week on WWE Raw, Bayley returned to the show with a new crew intent on making an impact.
First, here are the match results:
- AJ Styles defeated Mustafa Ali and The Miz via pinfall to earn a spot in a number one contenders match later for the United States title
- Seth Rollins defeated Montez Ford via pinfall
- Alexa Bliss and Asuka fought to a no-contest due to interference from Bayley, Dakota Kai and IYO SKY
- Ciampa defeated Chad Gable and Dolph Ziggler to earn the other spot in a No. 1 contenders match for the United States title
- Raw Women’s champ Bianca Belair and IYO SKY fought to a no-contest due to interference from multiple competitors
- Ciampa defeated AJ Styles to earn a U.S. title shot next week
- The Usos defeated The Judgement Day via pinfall to retain the Undisputed Tag Team Championship
Moment of the night: The Man comes around again
Becky Lynch appeared at the top of the show for a promo revealing she suffered a separated shoulder during the Raw Women’s title match at SummerSlam.
Becky Lynch thanks Bianca Belair and starts her SummerSlam comeback story
What made this segment the moment of the night, though, was Becky explaining how she had lost her way over the last year as Big Time Becks – and that now she was basically going to be "The Man" again.
This was a smart, creative decision by Triple H.
Lynch is one of the most beloved members of the roster and fighting against that over the last year, as entertaining as Becky was, just never made much sense.
Fans want to cheer for one of their favorites. Now they can.
Hopefully she can return in time to win the Rumble next year.
Match of the night: AJ Styles vs. Mustafa Ali vs. The Miz
Mustafa Ali getting an opportunity to remind everyone of his immense in-ring skill made me happy. Hopefully, Ricochet gets similar treatment on SmackDown this week.
Furthermore, AJ Styles was on fire. The guy was busting out innovative offense like nobody’s business.
These are the kinds of matches people want to watch on Mondays.
Additional highlights:
Bayley, Dakota Kai and IYO SKY's first Raw as a faction was done to perfection.
They looked strong at the top of the show attacking Becky Lynch backstage, coming across as confident badasses in backstage segments. IYO's first match showcased her offense, as well as protected her, and Dakota gave a subtle nod to Triple H.
This was a very positive start for the group.
Montez Ford was an absolute superstar in his match against Rollins, despite losing, and Ciampa came out of Raw with a title match.
Making the midcard feel special is important. That’s how people grow a fan base and move up the card.
More of this, please, Triple H.
For a segment-by-segment breakdown of the show, listen to the RAW Roundup podcast in the "Out of Character" feed on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
Don’t forget to follow all your favorite WWE Superstars and shows in the FOX Sports app to receive alerts on what they’re doing and more!
Ryan Satin is a WWE analyst for FOX Sports. Satin previously appeared on FS1's "WWE Backstage" and founded Pro Wrestling Sheet, where he broke countless news stories as editor-in-chief.
