WWE Raw Results: Highlights, Analysis, and Grades for September 4

WWE Raw (Source: WWE.com via Twitter)

Big Show vs. Braun Strowman, Steel Cage Match

Result: Braun Strowman defeated Big Show via pinfall

Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars

Once again, the early part of the match was fantastic. The best thing about the series of matches between these two monsters is that neither one holds anything back. Sadly, the early part of the match lasted maybe two minutes. After withstanding a trio of splashes against the cage, Big Show knocked Strowman out with a KO Punch while he went for a fourth – and to commercial we go. Are you kidding me? Way to just kill the flow of what has the potential to be a great match.

But yeah, right before the ad break, Strowman took the KO Punch like a champ. Sold it with a dead drop, no hands to break the fall – pure perfection. These two work so well together, I wish they had more time to keep doing it.

When the action turned to the corner and the tope rope, things got really good. First, the visual of two 7-footers fighting on the top rope is stunning. Then you have the two falling to the mat. That’s followed by Big Show dropping a huge flying elbow from the top rope.

The only negative? Michael Cole and Booker T blathering on with terrible commentary. Booker gets one thing in his head and repeats it ad nauseum. Cole just spews terrible Vince one-liners (“We’re gonna have to rename it 405 Live!” Ugh.).

But the sequence with Show and Strowman trading blows, first from the knees then on their feet, made it all worth it. It’s followed by Strowman kicking out of an enormous chokeslam – who does that nowadays? By the time they got to the superplex spot (with the ring reinforcement actually working), this one is an all time classic.

The sheer strength of Strowman necessary to pull of the running powerslam on Big Show is incredible. A victory by pinfall is the way to go, too, rather than escaping the cage. Stay in there and fight! Kudos to Braun for having enough wind left for a promo after a 20 minute brawl, too.

And then the money shot: Strowman delivers a second running powerslam, but this time it’s through the wall of the cage. You had to know it was coming (especially if you noticed they stayed away from that side of the cage all match), but that doesn’t make it any less awesome.

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What did you think of this week’s episode of WWE Raw?