In many ways, Roman Reigns has defined Monday Night Raw since Universe Mode began. Through his time spent as a tag team champion with Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose/Jon Moxley to his pursuit of the Universal Championship and feud with Moxley, he has always been a featured player on the red brand. Now, he gets another chance to it's defining star. He faces Aleister Black, who has also been one of Raw's most visible players. Black entered at Number 30 in the 2018 Royal Rumble, winning that match and going on to end Braun Strowman's Universal Championship reign, the first of three times he would claim Raw's top prize, including his recent Hell in a Cell win over "The Fiend". Two of Raw's biggest names meet tonight, with significant animosity already built up, in what could be a defining moment of Season 6.
Extreme Rules 2020 Theme Song- "Not Over Yet (It's Only Begun)"- The Phantoms
Bobby Lashley vs Cedric Alexander- Tables Match
MVP stayed in the back for this match, confident Lashley could get the job done on his own. After a long brawl on the outside, where the two-time Cruiserweight Champion managed to hang in there with the "All Mighty", Lashley finally repaid the faith. Cedric went for a running spin kick, and Bobby caught him in mid-air, lifting the smaller man high over his head before send him crashing through the table with a military press slam.
Winner: Bobby Lashley
Ronda Rousey vs Toni Storm- Submission Match
Toni Storm chose to put herself into a disadvantageous position, but showed the world that she was a true fighter here. Storm took Rousey to her limit, surviving the armbar twice by finding the ropes and doing plenty of damage to the face of "The Baddest Woman on the Planet". A crunching headbutt and a running Busaiku knee gave Storm an opening to potentially force a tap out. Storm's attempt to finish was locking in an STF. Rousey did come close to tapping, but fought her way free with punches, before taking Storm to the ground, arm-first. From there, the armbar was cinched in for a third time, and the ropes couldn't save Toni, who was finally forced to give up after a valiant effort.
Winner: Ronda Rousey
AJ Styles and Ricochet(c) vs The Undisputed Era- Raw Tag Team Championship Match
Kyle O'Reilly was obviously frustrated with being left out of this match, arguing with Adam Cole during the challenger's entrance, as the United States Champion insisted on entering the ring first. Once the match began, O'Reilly had calmed down, and all attention diverted to the interesting dichotomy of wrestling archetypes present. Fish and Strong hit much harder than the champions, but Styles and Ricochet were just so fast and so slick, staying one step ahead throughout. The challengers were able to isolate Ricochet in their corner for a brief time, but "The One and Only" managed to make the hot tag. Cole hopped up on the apron, hoping to distract the official from seeing the tag, but was too late, and that decision backfired horribly. Strong dropped Styles with the End of Heartache, but Cole still had the referee's focus. Ricochet took advantage of the moment, breaking up the pinfall and hitting Roddy with the King's Landing (elevated flatliner). AJ recovered and took flight to nail the Phenomenal Forearm, and this time, the ref was right in position for the one, two, three.
Winners and still Raw Tag Team Champions: AJ Styles and Ricochet
Andrade "Cien" Almas vs Dolph Ziggler vs Pete Dunne vs Randy Orton
Despite this being a fatal-four way match, it was mostly just two singles matches for a majority of the time, with Andrade and Dolph, Dunne and Orton continuing their respective feuds. Late on, though, they began to inter-mingle, and that's when this got interesting. Ziggler and Orton teamed up to lay out Almas with a superkick and an RKO, the two veterans disposing of the cocky "El Idolo". But just like at Elimination Chamber, Orton was eager to turn on any ally on a dime, dropping Ziggler with an RKO. Randy was confident of victory, posing on the turnbuckle as he set up his signature punt, but there was one man still left. Pete Dunne slid into the ring, wiping Orton out with a massive forearm shot. "The Bruiserweight" then planted Dolph with the Bitter End, and punched his ticket to Money in the Bank.
Winner: Pete Dunne
Charlotte Flair(c) vs Asuka- Steel Cage Match for the Raw Women's Championship
You would've hoped for a spectacle-driven, exhilarating match between two of the best in the world, but Charlotte Flair had other ideas. She punished her challenger, leaving Asuka in a state we really haven't seen before. "The Empress" had her leg driven into the cage on multiple occasions, before "The Queen" used the steel mesh to bust her opponent open. Asuka tried to mount a brief comeback, hitting some wicked chops, but one kick to the leg and she was down on the mat. Flair applied the Figure Eight, contorting Asuka's injured knee and leaving the challenger howling in pain. With that, the champion almost casually scaled the cage and escaped to the floor, bowing to the fans as she left, gold still firmly in hand.
Winner and still Raw Women's Champion: Charlotte Flair
Sami Zayn vs ???
If Sami Zayn was to qualify for Money in the Bank, he would have to earn it, as his mystery opponent was the former Universal Champion, Shinsuke Nakamura! This match was strong style at it's finest, two men just taking and dishing out serious punishment. Shinsuke dropped Sami back first across the apron, then Zayn earned a massive pop after being chopped in the chest and refusing to give an inch. Both men came close to victory with signature maneuvers, Nakamura's Kinshasa and Zayn's Koji Clutch. Zayn looked for a top rope brainbuster that would've sealed it, but Nakamura landed on his feet and sent Sami flying with an inverted German suplex. Shinsuke lined up a second Kinshasa, but Zayn blocked the kick to the stomach and kneed Nakamura in the jaw! Rattled, Shinsuke's reactions were just too slow, as Zayn connected with the Helluva Kick for the win. "The King of Strong Style" was so close to a big win to kick-start his momentum, but it wasn't to be.
Winner: Sami Zayn
Aleister Black(c) vs Roman Reigns- Extreme Rules Match for the Universal Championship
The violence started early, as Black and Reigns brawled on the outside of the ring, not waiting for the bell to ring or official introductions to begin. Roman attempted to Spear Black through the barricade once again, but the champion had him scouted, diving out of the way as the challenger crashed through. Sensing that he had the opening to finish it, Black rolled Reigns back into the ring, grabbing a kendo stick. He proceeded to wallop "The Big Dog", over and over again, drawing welts across both of Reigns' arms before one final shot to the head broke the stick in half. A cover from there wouldn't do it, as Roman powered out at two, not going to be denied that easily. Black was unfazed, and fetched a steel chair, but before he could use it, Reigns came crashing down on top of him, putting it all on the line with a suicide dive! Roman was rolling now, Universal Championship in his sight. He dropped Black with a Spear on the outside, before dragging him, hair-first, towards the announce table. Reigns cleared off the desk, and sent Black crashing through it with a powerbomb! Roman let out a triumphant howl, rolling the carcass of the champion back into the ring. A second Spear! Finally, Roman Reigns saw the referee's hand count three. His world title drought is over.
Winner and the NEW Universal Champion: Roman Reigns
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