WWE Raw: Seth Rollins wins main event ladder match

Now that WWE Crown Jewel has passed, the new, post-WWE Draft rosters are in full effect. That means “new” names are on the red brand. The question is whether they will be utilized as another edition of a “season premiere” that was set to kick off with this week’s WWE Monday Night Raw.

The night started out with WWE Champion, Big E who is coming off a title defense over Drew McIntyre last week. As he thought about, he would be next for him, Seth Rollins made his way down to the ring. He wasn’t the only one interested in the belt as Rey Mysterio, Kevin Owens, and Finn Balor.

Owens began to take shots at Rollins and that set him off to start a brawl. Sonya Deville walked out to set up a Fatal four-way ladder match with a title opportunity on the line.

The first match of the night was a tag team contest for a top contendership slot. The Street Profits took on Alpha Academy and The Dirty Dawgs. A future title opportunity was on the line.

Chad Gable and Montez Ford started out the match and he was quickly able to snap Ford over with two headlocks. Ford got the advantage back on his week but Gable was one step in front of him. Gable tried to show off his power but Ford was able to match his athleticism before tagging out to Angelo Dawkins. Combined they were able to clear the ring until Otis entered the match.

Robert Roode was in control once he got the opportunity in the match. Ziggler tagged in and continued the offense until Ford countered into a powerbomb. Otis got the tag via cheating and paid for it when his shoulder hit the ring post. Gable tried to keep things rolling but Ford got to Dawkins to make the tag. He hit a series of suplexes on everyone in the ring and the Silencer on Gable. Roode broke up the pin fall attempt.

Gable and Otis hit tandem offense on Dawkins, but Ford broke up the pin with the Frog Splash. He then launched himself over the top to take out Otis. Dawkins planted Roode but before he could make the tag Omos stormed down to the ring to take out the Street Profits. That allowed Roode and Ziggler to pick up the victory.

The Dirty Dawgs defeated The Street Profits and Alpha Academy via pinfall.

Queen Zelina’s royal coronation was up next. As the first “official” Queen of WWE, she had a lot to say until Doudrop made her way out to the ring.

Doudrop immediately dropped Vega to the mat and was easily throwing her around. She followed up with a senton and Vega was in trouble. Vega escaped behind Doudrop, and she slipped out the way to cause Doudrop to hit her face on the turnbuckle.

Vega went to the top rope and hit a codebreaker. She went for the pin attempt but Doudrop was able to kick out at two. Vega distracted the referee with the turnbuckle. While he fixed that, she used the scepter and hit Doudrop in the head to get the victory.

Queen Zelina defeated Doudrop via pinfall.

WWE Raw Women’s Champion, Becky Lynch was out next with the microphone in hand.

She talked about the potential for new contenders and that brought out Bianca Belair who still has her eyes on the title. Belair wasn’t about to get to the back of the line and the two women ended up brawling on the spot. They kept fighting outside the ring. Lynch broke out the kendo stick and Belair turned it around to batter the champion.

Just as Belair lifted Lynch up for the KOD, Lynch raked her eyes and landed a leg sweep with the kendo stick to escape. Lynch accepted the match but not that night.

Damian Priest was out next for a number one contendership match against T-Bar.

The two big men were even early in the match. T-Bar powered out of the Reckoning and hit the snake eyes followed by the boot for a two count. Priest fought back and they exchanged strikes until T-Bar hit a chokeslam backbreaker. He landed a moonsault but Priest kicked out at one.

T-Bar was talking to Priest who immediately started firing off elbows. That led to the Broken Arrow and a clothesline that knocked him out of the ring. Priest followed him out the ring. T-Bar threw the announce table chair at Priest for a disqualification. The two men continued to brawl outside the ring until Priest stood tall.

Damian Priest defeated T-Bar via disqualification.

Liv Morgan and Carmella were out for another rematch.

Carmella blasted Morgan right out the gate, before hammering her with elbows in the corner. She hit the bronco buster but Morgan kicked out at one. She responded with her own elbow in the corner, but Carmella kept the advantage.

Morgan was able to answer back with a series of kicks and knees. Morgan’s momentum was cut once again, but she was able to stomp Carmella down out of the ropes. They continued to fight outside the ring until Morgan bounced her face off the table. They ended back into the ring and Carmella hit the float over face buster to pick up the win.

Carmella defeated Liv Morgan via pinfall.

Keith Lee was out next to take on Cedric Alexander in singles action.

Lee immediately tossed Alexander across the ring and he rolled outside to get help from Shelton Benjamin. Alexander returned to the ring and tried to go after Lee’s legs to no luck. Alexander’s speed helped keep him in front but all of that came to a crashing end when Lee got his hands on him again.

Alexander found a moment of success but Lee flattened him back to the mat. Lee finished him off with the Big Bang Catastrophe for the victory.

Keith Lee defeated Cedric Alexander via pinfall.

Austin Theory and Dominick Mysterio were out next for one-on-one action.

Theory was firmly in control to start the match, landing a big dropkick into the corner. Dominick answered with an arm drag and a dropkick of his own. He followed that up with a Hurricanrana but his offense was cut short with a backbreaker. He still kicked out of the pinfall attempt at two.

Mysterio countered the suplex attempt into a cradle but Theory kicked out at two. Mysterio continued to roll, landing a bulldog from the corner. Theory launched Mysterio across the top rope and hit the ATL to pick up the pinfall victory.

Austin Theory defeated Dominick Mysterio via pinfall.

Randy Orton and Matt Riddle had to defend their titles against The Dirty Dawgs.

Riddle was able to take the match to the mat early, but Ziggler was able to get off his back easily. They were at a stalemate and match the tags to Orton and Roode. Orton was toying with Roode, nearly hitting the RKO early. Roode returned to the ring and still struggled against Orton, who tagged in Riddle to hit an assisted moonsault for a two-count.

Riddle followed that up, stomping Roode into the corner but made the mistake chasing him outside the ring. Roode caused Riddle to faceplant on the apron, falling outside the ring. Roode had Riddle isolated on their side of the ring but made the mistake to crash into the turnbuckle. Riddle was able to get to Orton he was hitting on all cylinders, planting Roode with a powerslam.

Before he could follow that up with a draping DDT, Roode hung Orton of the top rope and tossed him into the timekeeper’s area. Roode tagged Ziggler back in who retrieved Orton. Orton was able to fight back to his feet, but Roode and Ziggler made another tag to keep the fresh man in the ring.

Both Riddle and Ziggler tagged Riddle plastered both men with knees and kicks. He followed that up with suplexes and sentons on both men. He went for the pinfall on Ziggler who kicked out. Riddle and Ziggler exchanged pin attempts but Riddle was able to hit a banana split pinfall for the win.

Team RKO Bro defeated The Dirty Dawgs via pinfall.

The main event of the evening brought Mysterio, Rollins, Balor, and Owens back to the ring.

Balor and Mysterio fought inside the ring while Rollins and Owens brawled outside. As Balor attempted to bring the first ladder into the ring, Rollins stopped him. Owens wouldn’t let him get the ladder into the ring, doing the job himself. With the ladder in hand, Owens wrecked shop on everyone.

Balor was the first to taste the steel, as Owens bounced him off it with a powerbomb. Karma came around however, as he attempted a senton bomb on Rollins but missed, crashing into the ladder.

With the ladder in his hands, Rollins was on the attack, laying out all his opponents. But all the talking gave Balor the opportunity to double stomp the ladder into Rollins before tossing Owens onto it as well. Balor and Mysterio attempted to climb the ladder, but Mysterio used right hands to break it up. Owens knocked both men off the ladder, hitting a German suplex on Balor and a modified Burning Hammer on Mysterio.

Owens nearly had the contract in his hands but Rollins stopped him, hitting a buckle bomb. Owens immediately answered with a superkick. Owens nearly pulled down the contract but Mysterio stopped him from reaching the top. Owens bounced Mysterio off the ladder, causing him to fall outside.

As Owens attempted to set up a table, Rollins came flying out of the ring to knock him and Balor down. Mysterio landed a bulldog in the ring but Owens was immediately all over him. Rollins broke up the 619 from outside the ring. Mysterio would kick the ladder into Owens and then vault on it to the floor to flatten him again. As they brawled, Balor launched himself over the ropes to take everyone out.

Rollins and Owens were back at it, but Mysterio nearly climbed the ladder until Rollins stopped him. Rollins was in control momentarily, tossing Balor into the ladder in the corner. But Balor came out with a sling blade. Owens was right there to land superkicks and Mysterio got in his own moves until Owens countered the Hurricanrana.

While Balor and Rollins fought outside, Mysterio climbed up the ladder again. This time Balor cut him off but Owens broke it up, hitting the Stunner. Mysterio pulled Owens out but Owens caught him and power bombed him through the table. Owens almost had the contract but Rollins was there to break it up. He tossed Owens over the top and through the ladder. Rollins cut off Balor and hit the stomp to put him away. Rollins climbed the ladder to get the victory and the title shot.

Seth Rollins defeated Kevin Owens, Finn Balor, and Rey Mysterio in a ladder match to earn a shot at the WWE Championship.