WWE Raw: Results, Highlights, Analysis, and Grades for May 7

Photo Source: WWE.com via Twitter

Braun Strowman vs. Kevin Owens, Money in the Bank Qualifier

Result: Braun Strowman defeated Kevin Owens via pinfall

Rating: 3.0 out of 5 stars

I’m a little worried that Strowman is becoming too much of a caricature of a monster. Surviving a truck running into the ambulance he was locked in? Fine. Respawning like he was Shredder after getting crushed by a garbage compactor? Also fine. Resorting to running around the ring just to run guys over in a comedic fashion? Ehhhh…

There’s more to the Braun character than “haha look at him flatten the little guy!” Much more. Let him put together an actual in-ring match, and save the running around for where it makes sense. I mean, it’s not like WWE is known for beating popular things into the ground, right? (But Owens doing a damn shooting star press to sell the last one is alright in my book.)

All that said, I like the match, even if it’s not breaking any new ground. Owens is the smartest coward on Raw, even though he doesn’t need to be such a scaredy cat. He picks and chooses where to take the easy way out, and when to stick around for a bit. Maybe he did learn from Sami Zayn last night at Backlash, when Zayn tried to convince him to bail.

It wouldn’t be a Strowman match (or any big man match, it seems) without a shoulder-to-the-ring-post spot. It opens the door for KO to take charge, and leave Strowman in the worst shape we’ve seen him in for a long time. Superkicks and a huge bullfrog splash looked like it could spell the end for Braun, but the Monster kicked out. He couldn’t quite hit the cannonball, or the Pop Up Powerbomb, and Braun finishes him off.

Owens eating the running tackles outside the ring were clear highlights, as was rthe bullfrog splash. Outside of that, it was pretty standard fare with a unbelievable predictable outcome.