WWE Raw: Results, Highlights, and Grades for July 2, 2018

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Mickie James (w/ Alexa Bliss) vs. Nia Jax (w/ Natalya)

Result: Nia Jax defeated Mickie James via pinfall

Rating: 2.75 out of 5 stars

Before the match, Nia Jax announces that Kurt Angle has decided her championship rematch against Alexa Bliss at Extreme Rules will be the elusive “Extreme Rules” match. It’s about time at least one match got the title stipulation, now that we’re less than two weeks from the show.

And since Jax knows Mickie James never travels alone, she brought backup — Natalya. Man, they’re really pushing this idea that Nattie is friends with everyone, aren’t they? I guess unity in the face of being anti-Bliss is all that really matters?

The match itself was pretty good. Simple enough story — Mickie James, a surefire future Hall of Famer, wrestled a smart match. Jax is bigger and stronger, so the smart move would be to take out the leg. And even as Nia tried to fight back, she exacerbated her weakened leg.

Of course, Alexa Bliss got involved, which got Natalya involved. But generally, it was a strong, clean win for Jax before Extreme Rules. You have to wonder if the leg injury will stick (or if it will magically affect her other side, like with Natalya a few weeks back).

Try “Goos Fraba” Instead

All night, Kevin Owens did his best to avoid Braun Strowman, only for Kurt Angle to put him in a match against the Monster Among Men instead. Trying to get out of the match didn’t work, so KO went to plan B — meditation breathing with Jinder Mahal. Charly Caruso scared the bejeezus out of him, so who knows if it worked?

Ricky Bobby Lashley, Folks

Lashley reminds me a lot of Will Ferrell as Ricky Bobby in Talladega Nights. You know, “I’m not sure what to do with my hands.” He even has the same delivery pattern as Ferrell in that scene, and what he says makes just as much sense.