WWE Raw Winners, Live Grades and Reaction After Saturday Night's Main Event

On the heels of a momentous Saturday Night's Main Event and with SummerSlam on the horizon, WWE rolled into the Little Caesar's Arena in Detroit for the July 20 episode of Raw.

What went down when LA Knight continued his crusade against The Bloodline, Seth Rollins addressed his attack on Roman Reigns, and Danhausen returned to his hometown?

Find out in this recap, with grades and analysis from each of the night's biggest matches and moments.

Lineup

Roy Rochlin/Getty Images for Fanatics

Announced in advance for Monday's show were:

• LA Knight vs. Jacob Fatu
• Chad Gable and Penta vs. Rusev and Ethan Page

Je'Von Evans and Dragon Lee vs. The Vision

Craig Melvin/WWE via Getty Images

Last Time in Action: Evans and Lee lost a Gauntlet match, won by Chad Gable (Raw, July 13); The Vision defeated The Street Profits (Raw, July 6)

Maxxine Dupri and Logan Paul accompanied world tag team champions Austin Theory and Bron Breakker to the squared circle for the night's opening match, against the newly formed duo of Je'Von Evans and Dragon Lee.

A frenetic performance from the babyfaces defined the match, with their unbridled energy keeping the heels on edge early and often.

Even when they found themselves on the defensive through the commercial break, Evans and Lee mounted an electric comeback. Unfortunately for them, they eventually succumbed to interference from Dupri and Paul, and a spear from The Badass to the luchador for The Vision's victory.

After the match, Alpha Academy hit the ring to make the save but were beaten down by the heels, all while Dupri watched from the top of the ring post, amused by what unfolded in front of her.

A good match that introduced a new team, showcased them against the champions, and put heat on The Vision's budding rivalry with the Alpha Academy all at the same time, this was a great and refreshing way to kick off the show.

Especially since matches so rarely start the broadcast.

Result

The Vision defeated Evans and Lee

Grade

B+

Top Takeaways

• If WWE is not careful, Dupri is going to be the breakout star of The Vision.
• Evans and Lee make for a great team. They have so much energy and the crowd was right there with them the whole way. Very reminiscent of Paul London and Brian Kendrick in that regard.
• Continuing to build sympathy for Otis and Tozawa is the perfect way to get them over as challengers in that they have spent so long losing that they would not be believed in a dominant role.

Danhausen Comes Home

Roy Rochlin/Getty Images for Fanatics

Last Time in Action: Danhausen defeated JD McDonagh (Saturday Night's Main Event, July 18)

Moments after being confronted backstage by The Judgment Day over their "human monies," Danhausen made his way to the ring and proposed giving it away to the fans.

JD McDonagh, Dominik Mysterio and Liv Morgan hit the ring to protest, only for Joe Hendry to make the save and clear the heels. The babyfaces stood tall to close out the segment.

That was brief and accomplished nothing a slightly longer backstage confrontation would not have. At least the immensely successful Danhausen returned home to Detroit as big a star as he ever has been.

Backstage, hijinks involving all four led to McDonagh throwing Danhausen's money (inadvertently) at Oba Femi and a match being made between them. Oh, and Hendry vs. Mysterio for later in the show.

That was not forced or anything.

Grade

C

Top Takeaways

• McDonagh may get squashed, but he is one of the hidden gems in WWE right now and anytime he is in the ring, the show is better for it.
• Get Femi away from all of this. He is a badass, about to go to war inside Hell in a Cell with The Beast Incarnate. He does not need to be in the middle of backstage vignettes featuring anyone involved here, with all due respect to them.

Oba Femi vs. JD McDonagh

Kevin Sabitus/WWE via Getty Images

Last Time in Action: Oba Femi defeated Jey Uso (Night of Champions, June 26); JD McDonagh lost to Danhausen (Saturday Night's Main Event, July 18)

McDonagh fared about as well as one would expect him to, getting bowled over by The Ruler, who dominated the action en route to an emphatic victory via Fall From Grace.

This was exactly what it should have been: a dominant and emphatic win for the physically superior wrestler ahead of his potentially career-defining showdown with Brock Lesnar at SummerSlam.

The best part of the show to this point.

Result

Femi squashed McDonagh

Grade

A+

Top Takeaways

• Femi is a star and ready to be a world champion right now. In a perfect world, he would be defeating Roman Reigns to capture the gold in Minneapolis.

Solo Sikoa Called Out Seth Rollins

Kevin Sabitus/WWE via Getty Images

Last Time in Action: Seth Rollins defeated Bron Breakker (Night of Champions, June 27); Solo Sikoa lost a Fatal 4-Way King of the Ring Qualifying Match (Raw, June 1)

Admittedly not supposed to be on Raw, Solo Sikoa wasted no time walking into the ring and immediately calling out Rollins.

The Visionary asked if they were talking or fighting, to which Sikoa opted for the former. Much like he did LA Knight a few weeks back, Sikoa pitched an alliance, claiming he could be an enforcer for Rollins.

That brought out Jacob Fatu, who was none too pleased about Sikoa's hesitation to rejoin The Bloodline. He failed to catch up with the former leader of the MFTs, but did eat a superkick from Rollins to close out the segment.

Sikoa is going to be an interesting character to watch in the coming weeks. Either he will deliver a huge blow to The Bloodline by working against them, or he will give in to the pressure and realign with Reigns and Co. Regardless, he should have more opportunities to highlight his natural charisma.

Grade

C+

Top Takeaways

• One of the biggest issues facing the entire Rollins-Reigns feud is that no one is clearly the babyface or heel. It hurts the overall heat for the match as the fans do not have one or the other to invest in emotionally.
• Injecting Sikoa, who is the perfect example of a tweener in today's WWE, does not help matters.

Penta and Chad Gable vs. Ethan Page and Rusev

Craig Melvin/WWE via Getty Images

Last Time in Action: Penta defeated Rey Mysterio (Raw, June 8); Chad Gable won a No. 1 Contender's Gauntlet Match, also involving Ethan Page and Rusev (Raw, July 13)

Four of Raw's best squared off in tag team action as WWE Intercontinental Champion Penta teamed with his No. 1 contender and SummerSlam opponent, Chad Gable, to battle Rusev and "All Ego" Ethan Page.

An action-packed match between workhorses saw Penta turn Page inside out with a Mexican Destroyer, allowing Gable to trap The Bulgarian Brute in an ankle lock and force the submission for the win.

A momentum-building victory for Gable, it continued his red-hot run to SummerSlam and the IC title match with Penta, which will have plenty of potential to be among the show-stealing bouts of the entire weekend.

As for the match, this was a hard-fought tag match featuring four great workers, which had the crowd hanging on every spot down the stretch. A strong outing from the Raw midcard.

Result

Gable and Penta defeated Rusev and Page

Grade

B+

Top Takeaways

• Gable's entrance music is going to hamper him and what feels like his inevitable IC title reign. It is not clicking, it isn't getting the reaction anyone is looking for. Move on from it.
• Hopefully, Page regains some momentum post-SummerSlam because he is too good to fade in to the rest of the pack.

Joe Hendry vs. Dominik Mysterio

Kevin Sabitus/WWE via Getty Images

Last Time in Action: Dominik Mysterio and Joe Hendry lost a Gauntlet Match (Raw, July 13)

Joe Hendry squared off with Dominik Mysterio Monday, the product of the angle from earlier in the broadcast.

Mysterio overcame an early onslaught to gain the upper hand heading into the break, moments before Liv Morgan blasted Danhausen with a hard right hand to send him scurrying to the back.

Hendry fought back, emerging from the commercial break, delivering a Hit Single that earned him a two-count. As Morgan interfered, Danhausen emerged in his mobile with Iyo Sky on board.

Sky rocked Morgan, caught her with a springboard dropkick in the ring, then wiped her out at ringside. Back inside the squared circle, Danhausen delivered the Danhausen Death Drop, and Hendry scored the win, to the delight of the fans.

This was an inoffensive match that put Hendry and Mysterio in the ring, highlighted the Sky vs. Morgan feud, and hinted at a SummerSlam showdown between Danhausen and Dirty Dom. Not bad for a late-show matchup.

Result

Hendry defeated Mysterio

Grade

C+

Top Takeaways

• Danhausen is the perfect opponent for Mysterio given his current stature on the show. He is super over, and the two can work a more fun-filled match, minus the intense physicality. Two enormous personalities, they can serve as a palate cleanser of sorts given the other, more heated bouts on the SummerSlam card.
• The fact that the women's division was relegated to this segment is an indictment on the creative team. It has been years since women's wrestling felt this unimportant on WWE TV.

LA Knight vs. Jacob Fatu

Craig Ambrosio/WWE via Getty Images

Last Time in Action: LA Knight lost to Jimmy Uso (Raw, June 29); Jacob Fatu lost to Roman Reigns (Clash in Paris, May 31)

Before his main event, LA Knight cut an impassioned promo on Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns, laid out his plan to upend The Bloodline, and vowed to beat Jacob Fatu in tonight's main event.

The seemingly unstoppable Samoan Werewolf bowled over Knight early, but The Megastar slowed his opponent by targeting his left leg. Fatu shook it off and punished Knight until a late-match comeback threatened a Bloodline win.

Jimmy Uso appeared at ringside and attempted to interfere, but Solo Sikoa arrived and cut him off. Royce Keys was out next, followed by Jey Uso, who joined the fray but was wiped out by Knight at ringside.

Fatu eventually benefited from the distraction all of it provided, delivering his trademark moonsault to earn the win. The Bloodline leveled Knight, Keys, and Sikoa to close out the show.

The match was fine but lacked a spark. The result was a so-so main event up until the run-ins. From there, everything intensified nicely, and The Bloodline beatdown earned the faction some heat entering SummerSlam and a high-profile six-man tag team match.

Result

Fatu defeated Knight

Grade

C+

Top Takeaways

• Fatu is in some of the best shape of his career. He has clearly been putting in the work.
• It is nice to see Keys involved in such a big spot, especially after it looked like he might be stuck in a directionless rut. This could be a huge breakout opportunity for him upcoming in Minneapolis.
• Jey Uso continues to draw massive babyface reactions, which will prove to be a problem down the line, especially as he continues to embrace a persona that trends more heel than babyface.

MVP and Overall Grade

Georgiana Dallas/WWE via Getty Images

MVP: LA Knight

There was a point just before the main event, in the middle of Knight's promo, where he looked dead into the camera and demonstrated the intensity that he needs to firmly entrench himself as a main eventer in WWE.

He was feeling the moment, believing everything he was saying. He spoke with great conviction and put over both his upcoming six-man tag team match and his hatred for both Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns.

The main event match itself did not leave a ton to be enthralled by, but there was enough content in that promo and his ability to sell the conflict with The Bloodline, his lack of trust in Solo Sikoa, and potential showdowns with Rollins and Reigns to make up for it.

Overall Grade: C+

This was...an episode of Raw. It happened; there was stuff to like and stuff not to, and almost none of it will be remembered a week from now, when Brock Lesnar and Reigns are back, and all of the attention is on building to SummerSlam.

This felt very much like the definition of a placeholder broadcast, a show that existed because it had to, with little in the way of major story developments but some good, strong in-ring action along the way.