WWE Raw Results: Highlights, Analysis, and Grades for August 28

Battle Royal, Winner is Number Once Contender for Intercontinental Championship

Result: Jeff Hardy wins by eliminating Jason Jordan

Rating: 3.25 out of 5 stars

STOP THE PRESSES: We’re finally getting another Balor Club/Bullet Club tease! As is the usual for battles royal, it takes multiple competitors to eliminate the big guy – Big Show, tonight. Gallows and Anderson were working on it, but needed a helping hand from their good brother Finn. It looked like we were going to see a Too Sweetski before Elias attacked his old nemesis Balor.

https://twitter.com/totaldivaseps/status/902324382701367296

If I had to guess, this was to gauge the crowd reaction to teaming Balor and his old buddies. Memphis isn’t like a Brooklyn or Chicago – the crowd is usually not quite a “bizarro world,” so you can get a good idea of the true response. If anyone from WWE is reading this – DO IT. DO IT NOW.

The battle royal as a whole was the usual WWE battle royal. Strange alliances, guys working together one second and eliminating each other the next, and the sowing of seeds for future feuds. I’m all in for Gallows and Anderson going up against the Hardys, especially if Balor is caught in the middle. Too bad Bray Wyatt is going to ruin that, at least for the time being.

Shockingly, Jeff Hardy stole a victory in this one. Jordan was rolling after Balor was eliminated by Wyatt, eliminating Bo Dallas and Curtis Axel simultaneously before dumping Elias to be one of the final two. But Brother Nero was the ultimate opportunist to get a title shot against The Miz.

You know what? I like it. It’s something different, and if The Revival being out for a while messed up plans for the Hardys, why not do something different? Hardy may be a good placeholder feud until Jordan is more ready, as well.