The home of the Scrum Sports, Tampa, Florida, is host to the Raw Reunion special at the Amalie Arena on 7/22/19.
Plenty of new 24/7 champions were crowned including one of the greatest Hardcore Champion of all-time, but it was a break from in-depth stories to focus on a bit of fun.
John Cena began the broadcast and he talks about not being present very often these days, but he’s glad to be back and he still gets the same goosebumps each and every time he comes to the ring.
This brings out the Usos and then Rikishi, their great father and they trade a few rhymes including Cena mocking their offense and they shouted out the Hillsborough County police, classic.
They are about to bring back their dance spot, but the Revival, accompanied by D-Von Dudley, take exception and this leads to a non-title match between the Revival and the Usos.
The Usos defeat The Revival via pin fall with a splash from the top rope.
This got a bit of time with distractions and interference from the ringside area from the legends. Cena wasn’t here for the segment, but Dawson is distracted by Rikishi which allows Jey Uso to hit a superkick.
Jimmy went up top for the splash and Wilder was hit with a kick as well. We get a cover and a three count which sets up a future tag team title match between these storied teams.
The five time, five time WCW champ, Booker T., was on commentary and the only sad thing was we didn’t get a shucky ducky quack-quack moment, but we did get a Brainbusters reference. Shout out to Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard.
Alicia Fox is backstage talking about getting herself a thirty foot tall hat with Dana Brooke. Kaitlyn and Torrie Wilson are both there and enter the Cobra! The great Santino Marella is there with his beloved snake. It attacks Fox and Torrie, but thankfully, they were both okay.
Drew McIntyre walks by and scoffs at the legends before heading towards the ring for a rematch with Cedric Alexander.
24/7 Champion R-Truth is backstage with Carmella, and we get a recap of their appearance at Comic-Con this weekend where he narrowly escaped with the title after attempts from the Hurricane and Drake Maverick.
Maverick’s wife, Renee, confronts Truth and Mella about ruining her wedding and wedding night. It’s a distraction and this allows Drake Maverick to recapture the 24/7 title!
The Godfather talks to Charly Caruso about the “ho train” after the title change.
Drew McIntyre and Cedric Alexander is thrown out after the two compete for a smattering of time, but then McIntyre hits the reverse Alabama Slam on Alexander on the ring apron. The ref opts to toss the match out as McIntyre leaves with a sinister grin set upon his face.
Drake Maverick is trying to leave the building quickly and he gathers his things before opening his bag. He freaks out as an array of worms are present and this brings out the Boogeyman and he’s coming to get ya!
Maverick looks to escape, but he’s approached by the legendary Pat Patterson, the first ever Intercontinental Champion. Patterson strikes after Maverick falls down. Several stomps and we have a new 24/7 champion!
“Captain Charisma”, the “CLB” Christian, former world champion, joins thr commentary team as Lillian Garcia introduces the Viking Raiders for a tag team match.
The Viking Raiders defeat Hawkins and Ryder via pin fall with the Viking Experience.
This week, the rising stars handle the former champs, but not with the usual relative ease.
Don’t get me wrong, it was a dominant win, but the former champs had some offense. Hawkins ends up getting obliterated by Erik and Ivar and the Experience isn’t a pleasant one as he eats the pin fall.
Jillian Hall, Alicia Fox and others are backstage as Maria Kanellis interrupts her husband Mike as he’s talking with Eve Torres and Eric Bischoff. She says he was supposed to run lotion all over her pregnant belly, and she needs to stay to model because it’s obvious she’s the breadwinner in the family.
Cue Ron Simmons, who hits a “Damn” after taking a megaphone from Jimmy Hart.
The Club, now known as the “OC”, aka The Original Club, are backstage and Gallows, Anderson and Styles are complaining about the legends taking time from them. Styles and Seth Rollins will have a match later.
In the greatest moment of the night, I once again get to type that Gerald Briscoe has held singles gold after being heralded as one of the greatest Hardcore champions in history after he pinned a napping Crash Holly.
Briscoe is touting his title win as he heads down the hallway and runs into Kelly Kelly. He hugs her and she low blows him. A referee enters the segments and Kelly Kelly is the new 24/7 champion!
Samoa Joe trashes the concept of the Reunion show and speaks negatively about the Usos and Rikishi, spitting bars in a fashion that would make the late Curt Hennig sick.
This brings out Roman Reigns, who takes offense to shots at his family, and he and Joe mix it up with rights and lefts being exchanged. Joe takes a mic and asks if they wanna do things right and he says he’s not doing anything for these people.
Reigns says he’s sorry and not all Samoans are cowards. Joe obliges his request, Joe and Reigns will do business after the break.
Roman Reigns defeats Samoa Joe via pin fall after a spear.
Joe brutalizes Reigns for a good portion of the match, hitting a senton and employing much of his power offense. The crowd wills Reigns back as Joe has the Coquina Clutch applied.
Reigns escapes and hits the spear to get the victory in a feel good moment for the fans.
Seth Rollins is the guest on MizTV and the Miz plugs the return of his show as Rollins enters and we get a recap of Brock Lesnar cashing in the money in the bank and beating him for the title. Rollins is asked about their rematch at Summerslam after winning last week’s battle royale.
Paul Heyman is out and he has an odd banter with Seth Rollins who seems to have a difficult time with some of his words, uncharacteristic of the former champ. He regains his footing during the exchange shortly thereafter.
Rollins says he’s ready for Lesnar and unlike the champ, he doesn’t rest on his laurels, he competes against the best and tonight, it’s he and AJ Styles and he plans to burn it down.
Charly Caruso is backstage with the legends and she’s confronted by Sami Zayn, who says these people aren’t legends, they are the face app gone wrong. Zayn says she should be telling them to go home and stay home.
Rey Mysterio enters and says he should show some respect. He doesn’t represent anybody and Zayn threatens to cut through him. Kurt Angle enters the segment and says when he was General Manager of Raw, business was settled in the ring. This great singles match will be up next.
Kelly Kelly is celebrating her title reign when she runs into Candice Michelle, Naomi and Melina and says it’s good to see them. Melina says she’s taken a few years to get her license and it’s a ref license!
Candice Michelle attacks her friend and wins the title and the crowd goes mild. Out of nowhere, Madusa attacks her with a sleeper and Melina calls for the submission! Madusa, a true industry icon, says she hated women like Candice and she’s the champ, but she won’t be champ for long.
“The Coach” Jonathan Coachman is out to do guest commentary. Coach was great. It’s good to see him.
Rey Mysterio defeats Sami Zayn via pin fall with a frogsplash.
Zayn and Mysterio hit the ring to do business and Sami bullies Mysterio early in the match and the master of the 619 tries to recover.
The resilient Mysterio works his way to a comeback and he sets up for the 619, but Zayn gets out of dodge. Zayn prepares to leave, but his path is blocked by a combination of The Hurricane, Sgt. Slaughter, Kurt Angle and Rob Van Dam! “Mr. Monday Night” is there as well!
Zayn retreats back into the ring where he eats a 619 and in an ode to RVD and the late Eddie Guerrero, Rey hits a frogsplash for the victory.
The 16 time world heavyweight champion, “The Nature Boy” Ric Flair pulls up in a limo and he’s headed to the ring next.
Montez Ford is backstage with a red solo cup when Angelo Dawkins enters the scene and he puts eye-drops in his eyes because he was hanging with RVD and Mark Henry backstage. He reference Ric Flair and others being there before they have a “woo” off. Dawkins cell goes off and it’s “The Godfather”. Ford has no idea what to think.
Madusa comes out as her Alundra Blayze hall of fame persona and she has a live mic and she says she isn’t going to be champion for too long. She pulls out a trash can as a throwback to dropping the Women’s title in the trash in WCW.
She doesn’t drop the title in because “The Million Dollar Man” Ted Dibiase offers to buy the title off of her because everybody’s got a price. Ted Dibiase, through purchase power, is the new 24/7 champion!
AJ Styles and Seth Rollins are up next!
For the great contest coming up next, one of the great ring announcers and singles champions, Jerry “The King” Lawler joins the commentary team.
Seth Rollins defeats AJ Styles via DQ after outside interference.
The “OC” has a crazy new graphic and shirts to match. The US Champ is out to compete and it’s a non-title bout against the number one contender for the Universal Title, Seth Rollins.
Rollins and Styles mix it up and Rollins is a house of fire early on in the contest. Styles fights back and at one point, Rollins down on the floor when he is surrounded by the Club.
Break it down! Rollins has backup. “The Game” Triple H, and the “Heartbreak Kid” Shawn Michaels, collectively known as Degeneration X, backup Rollins and they lock eyes with the OC before the break.
Rollins comes back with a blockbuster and a leaping knee after the break. He hits a superkick and then in shades of Shawn Michaels, he tunes up the band.
Gallows and Anderson break it up and this leads to a DQ. As DX and the OC look to lock up, Styles says they’re one of them. He holds up the Kliq sign for the too sweet. They too sweet and do the crotch chop before locking up.
Rollins and DX clean house as the OC grab a few chairs and they surround the ring.
The calvary is here! Oh you didn’t know! It’s not only the “Road Dogg” Jesse James and X-Pac, but they are flanked by the nWo, Kevin Nash and Scott Hall.
Road Dogg says with Chyna’s spirit, they are eight strong and crap, he forgot Billy. That was funny. He invites them to get to steppin’. The OC decide to live and fight another day, leaving the legends in the ring. Styles talks trash on the way out, saying he knows where NXT is, he’ll find each and everyone of them.
Rollins gets to do the honors and he tells the Club if they aren’t down with that, they’ve got two words for them! Crotch chops follow and the segment ends.
Mark Henry and the “Hardcore Legend”, Mick Foley, are having a chat backstage, Foley is up next!
Ted Dibiase enters a limo with the title, a ruckus ensues and it leads to Drake Maverick exiting with the title in hand once again. Before he can celebrate with his wife, the usual Raw suspects give chase. I cannot wait for Hornswaggle to actually show up.
Mick Foley gets a cheap pop and he talks about introducing the 24/7 title as Maverick and the usual suspects run through the ring, and he tells them to have a nice day. He talks about having great moments and he thanks everyone for being part of them.
He goes to showcase a clip of winning his first world title live on Raw when the screen fades out and the lights dim. It’s The Fiend!
Bray Wyatt is in the ring and he tightens his “hurt” glove. Mandible Claw! He takes Foley to the mat with his own hold and it’s fantastic. The maniacal laughter hits as the screen fades to black and the segment ends. These last two weeks have been wonderful for Wyatt.
“A Moment of Bliss” happens with Alexa Bliss and Nikki Cross. She says after what they just saw, the fans could use a Moment of Bliss right now. “The Man” Becky Lynch is introduced by Nikki Cross and the Women’s Champion is out.
Bliss references her title defense against Natalya and that brings Nattie out, who gets feisty and in Becky’s face quite quickly. They recap last week’s words and events and then have an exchange as Lynch references the fact that Nattie tried to train Rhonda Rousey to beat her.
Lynch says the title is symbolic of Rousey’s scalp and at Summerslam, she’s gonna beat the hell out of Natalya. Referees separate champion and challenge as Cross and Bliss sip coffee.
A toast to Raw happens later with Ric Flair, Hulk Hogan, Shawn Michaels and the rattlesnake himself, “Stone Cold” Steve Austin!
A red-hot Natalya says Lynch isn’t the pioneer of the Women’s division, she is.
Drake Maverick is trying to leave the arena in a limo with the title and his wife. R-Truth looks for the roll-up, holding onto his wife. Carmella kicks his arm away and R-Truth regains the title, diving into the limo as it speeds off.
Maverick realizes he’s standing with Carmella and he’s lost both his baby and his wife at the same time.
Braun Strowman makes his way out to the ring for a singles match.
Braun Strowman defeats Randy Rowe in a squash match via pin fall after a choke slam.
Strowman says don’t blink, those won’t last long. I laughed out loud, he wasn’t lying.
Randy Rowe gets destroyed in seconds. Two huge throws and a boot on this jabronie before a one handed chokeslam and a three count.
“Nature Boy” Ric Flair leads the way for all the legends on the ramp, as everyone gets a standing ovation. Corey Graves references the fact that there are eight former 24/7 champions on the stage right now.
Graves also says Booker T. looks like he has another run left in run.
“Hollywood” Hulk Hogan, in the red and yellow, makes his way out onto the stage where he joins Ric Flair and they bow to one another. He poses and does the ear thing to a positive reaction.
Well, let me tell you something brother! Hogan says it’s great to celebrate the Raw reunion with friends and family in his hometown of Tampa, Florida referencing Mick Foley and his cheap pop. He thanks the fans and those who trained, said their prayers and ate their vitamins.
There is just one last question, whatcha gonna do when the Raw reunion and Hulkamania runs wild on you, brother?
The glass breaks! The Rattlesnake hits the ring and he’s in fantastic shape! Austin is introduced to a raucous reaction and the roof comes off the Amalie Arena!
Austin cracks open a cooler and pops the top off a couple of Broken Skull IPA’s, toasting the crowd. A massive “Austin” chant breaks out for the icon, and he asks for a “hell yeah”. He says it’s good to be back in Tampa. He remembers paying dues, being on the road, and don’t think for one split second that he’s gonna get all sappy and sentimental.
He’ll drop all those pieces of trash on their stack of dimes. “What?”
That chant will be back for months now. He calls everyone on stage his family, from the legends to the ring crew, to those pulling cables, and even the fans.
He references doing the podcast with Hulk Hogan earlier today after drinking beers and eating sushi.
He says he ordered a ton of food and a coke while listening to Ric Flair stories after drinking a ton of beers.
He ran into Ron Simmons and beat him to a “damn”. They held a tender hug and if you didn’t know any better, you’d think they had something going on! He says they ran into some of the other legends and had a good time. He invites the other legends to the ring for a toast to end the show.
That’s all he’s got to say about that! Toasts and hugs are shared and it’s just really a legit fun moment. He marks out when he sees Gerald Briscoe, a former 24/7 and hardcore champ. Yup, it’s that kind of night!
