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WWE

WWE Raw touched down in Cleveland on Monday night as the latest Crown Jewel venture into Saudi Arabia awaits in just 10 days. Emerging from the WWE Draft last week and peeking through the landscape of Raw, there was every reason to be optimistic that our Monday nights are headed back to being a consistently enjoyable three hours of our lives, for the most part. Monday night's action-packed show was most certainly an indication that we're headed in the right direction. 

This week, we were treated to some incredible solid in-ring action once again while we nudged some angles forward a little more headed towards Crown Jewel. We also got an Attitude Era-esque segment in which a restaurant turned into a war zone, a much-anticipated tag team debut in the main event spotlight -- even though the advertisement was a tad off -- as well as another appearance from WWE's newest prized acquisition who brings with him a legitimate background and immediate WWE title aspirations. 

Here, now, is a look at everything that went down Monday night on Raw in Cleveland. 

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Cain Velasquez to the rescue again

Rey Mysterio was out to cut an in-ring promo where he said he wanted to take time away from training Cain Velasquez for his WWE title opportunity against Brock Lesnar at Crown Jewel to thank everyone for the love and support. As he was continuing his emotional speech, he was interrupted by Paul Heyman who cut a promo on the screen for the Crown Jewel WWE title match on behalf of his client -- and SmackDown superstar -- Brock Lesnar. Heyman thanked Mysterio for serving up the revenge that Lesnar has been waiting nine years for on a silver platter, and as the two were about to get into a shouting match over who had the thicker skull, Heyman was cut off by Shelton Benjamin's music. 

Benjamin made his way out, and he reminded Mysterio that while Velasquez is his family, Lesnar is his. He called back to the history between he and Lesnar, dating all the way back to their days on the University of Minnesota wrestling team together. Benjamin, angered that Velasquez was getting an immediate title shot merely for saving Mysterio, began bullying Mysterio -- still in a sling -- around the ring asking where his shots were. The bullying eventually brought out Velasquez who confronted Benjamin. The former UFC heavyweight champion wrestled Benjamin down to the canvas a few times while connecting with strikes to the head. Velasquez eventually disposed of Benjamin to the outside as he and Mysterio stood tall to end the segment. 

Judging by the few times we've seen Velasquez get physical in a WWE ring, it would appear the reports of him not wrestling a Lucha Libre style just yet could be very much true (we won't know for certain until he's actually in there when a bell rings). WWE is going to present Velasquez as a mauling striker who can simply starch the "Beast" just as he did in a UFC cage nine years ago to claim the UFC heavyweight title. And for right now, that's OK, but if you've seen Velasquez's limited in action in AAA this past summer you'll understand why his tenure with the company could get more exciting if he's turned loose inside the squared circle. In having Velasquez dominate a decorated wrestler such as Benjamin, the point was delivered that this is a badass man to be taken seriously by the WWE fan base who still may be unfamiliar with the ex-UFC star. Also -- whenever WWE does plan on giving us a Velasquez-Mysterio vs. Lesnar-Benjamin tag team match, I am very much here for all of that, thank you. Grade: B-

Rusev gets a little bit of revenge

Rusev appeared on an edition of "King's Court." He said that this is all "Bob" Lashley's fault for poisoning Lana's brain, and for that, he will be crushed. Lashley and Lana interrupted on the screen as they were out for dinner -- at an establishment which Lana said was a place she always dreamed to visit yet Rusev never accompanied her -- where Lashley said that Lana has needs, and he promised that he will take care of them. The two repeatedly proclaimed their sappy love for one another before the feed cut out. Enraged, Rusev told Lawler that he would deliver a message to the duo himself because he knows exactly where they are located. 

Later in the evening, a manager was shown approaching Lana and Lashley's table. He respectfully asked both to leave and their meal would be on him because he caught word that Rusev may be on his way. Lashley arrogantly said that Rusev "doesn't have the balls to come here." Well, following the commercial break, Rusev did show up and proceeded to thrash Lashley in the restaurant before he was eventually pulled off and hauled away by police. 

I may have declared this previously, but I might be in the minority here when it comes to being intrigued by this angle. It's getting Rusev front-and-center where he rightfully has belonged for a while, and to be honest, Lashley seems as comfortable as he's been since his return to the company in this character of an arrogant home-wrecker. Week by week, I find myself more and more interested to see where this absolutely absurd adultery ride takes us. Sure, there's a chance that one misstep can take this entire angle south real quick, but to this point, I have no reason to be pessimistic about this soap opera angle on my entertainment show. Grade: C+

What else happened on Raw?

  • Drew McIntyre def. Ricochet via pinfall after the Claymore kick in what was a simply terrific opening match. Following the match, McIntyre inflicted some more damage which included a face-first slingshot to Ricochet into the steel steps. Prior to the bout, 16-time world champion Ric Flair kicked off this week's edition of Raw to announce that McIntyre would be the fifth and final member of his team at Crown Jewel. 
  • A video package aired showcasing new Raw draft picks Andrade, Buddy Murphy and Aleister Black. 
  • Aleister Black def. Jason Reynolds (enhancement talent) via pinfall after Black Mass. 
  • Another AOP pre-taped promo aired in which they proclaimed they were signed to Raw to be kept away from SmackDown. They vowed to get violent with every team on Raw. 
  • Andrade def. Sin Cara via pinfall after the Hammerlock DDT.  Zelina Vega provided her customary assistance on the outside with a handstand hurricanrana off the apron. During the match, new Raw acquisition Humberto Carrillo was shown watching on a monitor backstage, and afterwards, he cut a promo with Charly Caruso in which he vowed to one day become universal champion. He then took quite the odd jab at the reigning champ where he proclaimed he wouldn't be a champion that plays with fire like Rollins. It was awkward ... but a hilarious kind of awkward. 
  • 24/7 Championship -- Sunil Singh def. R-Truth (c) via pinfall with a rollup backstage as Samir provided distraction to win the title. Truth attempted to regain the title later in the show but, yes, he pinned the wrong Singh brother. 
  • The Viking Raiders def. Curt Hawkins & Zack Ryder via pinfall in a non-title match after the Viking Experience to Hawkins. 
  • Seth Rollins def. Humberto Carrillo via pinfall in a non-title match after the Stomp. Earlier backstage with Caruso, Rollins admitted that Bray Wyatt may have gotten into his head, but he also may have gotten into Wyatt's head after he burned down the Firefly Funhouse last week. He then confronted Carrillo, who he caught out of the corner of his eye mid-promo, regarding the comments he made earlier and offered him the match right then and there. A short time later, it was announced Wyatt is bringing back the "Firefly Funhouse" this Friday on his new home of SmackDown. 
  • The Street Profits def. Karl Anderson & Luke Gallows via pinfall after Montez Ford hit the Frog Splash onto Anderson. They hyped up the advertised six-man tag all night with The Street Profits enlisting a mystery partner, but when the main event arrived, they went right into a straight tag team match with AJ Styles on the outside. When chaos did eventually break out, the backup for the Street Profits was revealed as Kevin Owens who laid Styles out with a Stunner on the ramp. Great debut for The Street Profits on a main event stage, and Ford celebrated afterwards by commandeering a baby in the crowd because he's a massive superstar in the making.