WWE Raw Recap: June 24, 2019

A.K.A. The One With A Genuinely Surprising Undertaker Appearance

The first show of the post-Stomping Grounds era has arrived. Will it be more of the same, or the start of something new? We know Shane McMahon isn’t done with Roman Reigns. McMahon will team with Drew McIntyre in a handicap match against the “Big Dog” tonight. Also tonight, Ricochet will face A.J. Styles after his United States Championship victory. So there will be some of the old, and some of the new. 

Results:

  • Usos & New Day def. Revival & Daniel Bryan and Rowan in an elimination tag team match; Usos last eliminated Revival.
  • R-Truth def. Drake Maverick to retain the 24/7 Championship
  • Roman Reigns vs. Shane McMahon & Drew McIntyre goes to a no contest when the Undertaker appears.
  • Braun Strowman def. Bobby Lashley in a Tug of War
  • Viking Raiders def. Gallows & Anderson
  • Heath Slater def. R-Truth to win the 24/7 Championship
  • R-Truth def. Heath Slater to win the 24/7 Championship
  • Cedric Alexander def. R-Truth to win the 24/7 Championship
  • EC3 def. Cedric Alexander to win the 24/7 Championship
  • R-Truth def. EC3 to win the 24/7 Championship
  • Kofi Kingston def. Sami Zayn
  • Kofi Kingston def. Kevin Owens
  • Alexa Bliss def. Naomi
  • Alexa Bliss & Nikki Cross def. Naomi & Natalya
  • A.J. Styles def. Ricochet 
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Match of the Night: A.J. Styles def. Ricochet by pinfall after a Phenomenal Forearm

It is a simple formula when you break it down. Take two wrestlers who could get a great match out of a bag of flour. Add in some intrigue with one of the wrestlers’ friends wanting to get involved but being sent to the back. Let wrestle for 20 minutes. This baking analogy got away from me, but Styles-Ricochet was a great match. Styles is walking the tweener line, especially with how he is responding to push back from Gallows and Anderson. He also showed a lot of aggressiveness in the match with Ricochet. Definitely something to look out for.

Three Thoughts:

Mixed Tag Mixed Bag

WWE seems insistent on making Baron Corbin and Lacey Evans viable contenders for their top titles. After two unsuccessful attempts each, they’ll get one more shot in a mixed tag team match at Extreme Rules. If they beat Seth Rollins and Becky Lynch, they’ll take all their gold.

Both feuds feel like they’ve run their course. The mixed tag stipulation does make it different, but is it better? Both Rollins and Lynch would have been better served to get different dancing partners, since neither Corbin or Evans feel like championship material. Hopefully Extreme Rules will mark the end of their respective beefs.

24/7 Is The Truth!

After tonight, R-Truth is a nine-time 24/7 Champion already. WWE has really been flexing their creative muscles with the booking of their newest title. There are multiple wrestlers who have been given a time to shine chasing the belt, such as Drake Maverick and EC3. They’re not always booked to win the title or look great, but at least they are on our televisions weekly.

Lots of opportunities still exist with the 24/7 Championship. A more established midcarder could become the champion to chase (someone like Sami Zayn) or Carmella could turn on R-Truth and have the first women’s champion. Lots of options, and all it will take is WWE to continue to focus on their newest title.

Surprise, Undertaker! Surprise, Spooky Puppets!

This could have been the Hallowe’en episode of Raw, because there were a few spooky surprises. First up: Undertaker came to the aid of Roman Reigns, and instantly the Reigns-McMahon drama became more interesting. Undertaker is still a spectacle, even if he isn’t the in-ring performer he once was. A tag match was made official for Extreme Rules, which should be interesting at least.

 

Also, we were visited by some members of the Firefly Funhouse for the first time tonight. In two backstage segments, Abby the Witch and Mercy the Buzzard were seen in the background. 

Wyatt himself never made an appearance, and there was no episode of the Firefly Funhouse tonight. The intrigue continues around Wyatt & “The Fiend” and when they will appear.

Grade: B

A show that started out cold ended up having a lot of interesting wrinkles. The Undertaker surprise was a huge left turn, and the Wyatt teases kept us guessing. Lots of different wrestlers had time to shine, and we have a clear picture of what to expect heading to Extreme Rules. Ricochet and Styles gave us the wrestling cherry on top, and we can’t be mad about that.

One More Thing:

Samoa Joe came out after Kofi Kingston’s two matches and viciously assaulted the WWE Champion. Joe-Kingston as the WWE Championship feud of the summer? Yes please.

– Evan Gomes is the Managing Editor of Pro Wrestling for Full Press Coverage. Like and follow on and Facebook.

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