WWE Raw Results: Winners, Grades, Reaction and Highlights from August 17

Monday night, World Wrestling Entertainment rolled into Target Center in Minneapolis for the final Raw before this weekend's SummerSlam spectacular.

With The Undertaker and Brock Lesnar under the same roof just six days before their epic follow-up to the shocking WrestleMania XXX bout, would fans be greeted with the same chaos that they were following last month's Battleground show?

Or would The Authority reel things in, ensuring that the main event of such a major extravaganza was not adversely affected by Monday's festivities?

How would United States champion John Cena respond to WWE World Heavyweight champion Seth Rollins just days before they clash in a winner-takes-all, title-for-title match?

What would await Cesaro and Kevin Owens before their bout, which trio of Divas would stand tall before Sunday's huge elimination tag team match and what maniacal mind games did Bray Wyatt and Luke Harper have in store for Dean Ambrose and Roman Reigns?

The answers to those questions were revealed over the course of three hours Monday night.

The Authority Promo

Credit: WWE.com

Triple H and Stephanie McMahon made their way to the squared circle to kick off the evening's broadcast and the road to SummerSlam.

The most powerful couple in wrestling ran down the card for Sunday's summertime extravaganza, serving as a great way to remind fans of exactly what they can expect from this weekend's show.

Of note was the announcement that later Monday night, John Cena and Seth Rollins will meet in the center of the ring for a contract signing for their huge title-for-title match.

Randy Orton's entrance music sounded and The Viper made his way to the ring to kick off the in-ring portion of the night's festivities.

Grade

C

Analysis

This was fine for what it was.

Triple H and Stephanie sold Sunday's show and hyped a segment for later in the show.

It was simple, effective and did not overstay its welcome. Thumbs up.

Randy Orton and Cesaro vs. Kevin Owens and Sheamus

Two of the midcard feuds making up Sunday's card fused to create a huge tag team contest Monday night as Randy Orton and Cesaro squared off with Kevin Owens and Sheamus.

Following the break, the heels were able to isolate Orton, wearing him down until The Viper was able to make the hot tag to the Swiss Superman.

Cesaro exploded with a series of uppercuts to the Celtic Warrior. He caught Sheamus soaring through the air with another uppercut.

A nasty botch by Cesaro ensued before Orton caught Sheamus with the RKO and scored the pinfall victory.

Result

Randy Orton and Cesaro defeated Kevin Owens and Sheamus

Grade

C-

Analysis

The match was merely okay when the talent involved should have made for a much better one.

The botch from Cesaro was UGLY and really threatened to derail the entire bout. That it was during a spot so incredibly unnecessary only made it worse.

It was interesting to see Sheamus drop the match, perhaps suggesting that he will leave SummerSlam and his match with Randy Orton with his arm raised in victory.

Roman Reigns vs. Luke Harper

In a rematch from SmackDown, Reigns battled Harper, Dean Ambrose in his corner and Bray Wyatt in Harper's.

The Lunatic Fringe sat in on commentary, selling Sunday's big tag match with some strong promo work while Harper wore Reigns down with a side headlock.

Wyatt watched intently from ringside as Reigns mounted a comeback, using a big Samoan drop and a series of corner clotheslines.

Reigns set up for the Superman Punch but Harper bailed out of the ring, leaving his opponent to give chase. He ended up colliding with the steel steps. Harper tried for the suicide dive, but Reigns caught him with a huge right hand.

A sidewalk slam from Harper cut Reigns off yet again.

Reigns finally finished off his opponent with the spear to pick up the pinfall victory.

The winner and Ambrose celebrated on the ramp while Wyatt checked on Harper and implored fans to follow the buzzards.

Result

Roman Reigns pinned Luke Harper

Grade

B+

Analysis

A wildly entertaining match highlighted the build to Ambrose and Reigns vs. Wyatt and Harper this week.

Reigns and Harper have wicked chemistry and improved greatly on their match from SmackDown, with a clean finish that fans deserved this past Thursday.

The only thing keeping this from grading out at an "A" is the fact that Harper lost so decisively. He could have had some heat preserved but, alas, Reigns picked up the win to keep him surging heading into SummerSlam.

Becky Lynch vs. Tamina

The Divas Revolution continued Monday night as Becky Lynch squared off with Tamina.

The second-generation daughter of Jimmy Snuka dominated the action but made the mistake of trying for a Samoan drop, which Lynch countered with a Disarmer for the upset victory.

Team PCB celebrated post-match.

Result

Becky Lynch defeated Tamina

Grade

D

Analysis

Two factors weighed heavily against this one: time restrictions and the fact that Tamina is easily the worst worker of the nine Divas slated to do battle at SummerSlam.

As an exhibition for Lynch, who needed a big TV win so as not to fall into the trap of becoming "the other girl" in Team PCB, it was exactly what the proverbial doctor ordered.

Mark Henry vs. Rusev

Lana sat in on commentary as Rusev and Summer Rae were inside the squared circle, preparing for competition.

Mark Henry made his way to the ring, American flag in hand, prepared to wage war with one of his fiercest rivals. Chants of "USA" broke out early as Henry sent the Bulgarian Brute scurrying to the safety of the ringside area.

Or so he thought.

The fight eventually returned to the squared circle, where Rusev caught his opponent with a huge kick to the face and the Accolade for the submission win.

After the match, Lana challenged Summer Rae to come back to the ring for a fight.

Dolph Ziggler made his return to television, left Rusev lying with a superkick and watched as Lana did the same to Summer.

The happy couple made out in the center of the ring to a big pop to close the segment.

Result

Rusev defeated Mark Henry by submission

Grade

C

Analysis

The story may not have been the best use of anyone involved here over the last few months, but this was a well-done segment that saw Ziggler return to a huge ovation and Lana prove that she is not afraid to get physical past the typical catfighting that used to define women's wrestling in the 1990s.

It was energetic and fun, and it should set up an interesting SummerSlam bout.

Ryback vs. the Miz

Just days before clashing for the intercontinental title, champion Ryback battled The Miz while Big Show joined the commentary team.

Miz wore Ryback down but proved incapable of slowing the surging competitor. Ryback finished one of two top contenders in impressive fashion with the Shellshocked finisher.

After the match, the Big Guy challenged Big Show to enter the ring, but the World's Largest Athlete walked away without as much as a glare while Ryback played to the crowd.

Result

Ryback defeated The Miz

Grade

D

Analysis

The grade reflects the booking, which was incredibly stupid, to say the least.

Why WWE Creative would sacrifice Miz just days before he is scheduled to fight in a major pay-per-view match is puzzling, especially since he has been built up as a top challenger to Ryback's title.

Following his attack at the hands of both challengers last week, and the loss this week, do not be surprised if Miz somehow sneaks out of Brooklyn with the title.

John Cena-Seth Rollins Contract Signing

Seth Rollins and John Cena joined Triple H and Stephanie McMahon inside the ring, signing the contract for this Sunday's WWE United States Championship match.

The WWE World Heavyweight champion referred to himself as the cure to the company's Cena problem. The U.S. titleholder responded, calling Rollins a "b---h" and ran him down verbally.

Cena then went on to tell Triple H that, when Rollins loses, he will lose because the legacy of Ric Flair, which he so wanted to carry on, will be threatened when Cena ties his world title reigns record.

The babyface vowed to make Rollins his b---h Sunday night and leave with both championships. 

Grade

B

Analysis

Yours truly was loading up a solid "C" to grade this one before Cena threw in the legacy of Ric Flair and how much tying the Nature Boy's record would eat away at Triple H.

It was an element of Sunday's match that had been curiously ignored until Monday night, an element that should encourage the COO to do everything in his power to ensure that Rollins retains.

The promo from the WWE champion was fantastic. In fact, it was some of his best work to date. Cena's, on the other hand, was accurate in regard to the Rollins character but, at the same time, hurt his credibility.

Still, a much more effective segment than most stupid, lazy contract signings end up.

Prime Time Players and Lucha Dragons vs. the New Day and Los Matadores

In a preview of Sunday's WWE Tag Team Championship match, Lucha Dragons teamed with titleholders the Prime Time Players to battle the New Day's Kofi Kingston and Big E and Los Matadores in an eight-man tag bout.

The action was fast and furious and came to an end when Kalisto caught Fernando with the Salida del Sol for the pinfall victory.

Result

The Lucha Dragons and Prime Time Players defeated Los Matadores and The New Day

Grade

D-

Analysis

It is difficult to deal a grade to a match as short as this was without feeling bad about it.

All eight guys tried, but with only two minutes to work with, it was impossible to tell a story or drum up interest for Sunday's title match with what they were given. 

With a tag division that has been as lazily booked as this one, WWE will continue to be in a position where it wonders why fans do not care more about the talent than they do.

Then again, the company had a bona fide breakout act in New Day and sacrificed them to put over the Prime Time Players, whom they have failed to follow up on with any sort of character development. 

Sasha Banks vs. Nikki Bella

After Becky Lynch picked up a win for Team PCB, Teams Bella and BAD looked to play catch-up as NXT Women's champion Sasha Banks squared off with Divas champion Nikki Bella.

Banks controlled early, delivering the double knee to the midsection of her opponent and mocking her heading into the break.

The Boss trash-talked Bella as she continued to dominate. That is, until Nikki generated a comeback courtesy of an electric chair.

Naomi provided a distraction, though, and Banks delivered the Bank Statement for the win.

Result

Sasha Banks defeated Nikki Bella via submission

Grade

C

Analysis

Like most tonight, this match was nowhere near as good as the talent would suggest.

Unlike those other bouts, this did a great deal to put over Banks as, arguably, the top Diva on the roster. Had she secured the win cleanly, it would be even better, but considering how hard it is to pick up a clean win over Bella at this point, it worked.

Brock Lesnar's Homecoming

Jonathan Bachman/Associated Press

Paul Heyman introduced Brock Lesnar as the former NCAA champion from the University of Minnesota, guaranteeing him a huge ovation as he took to the squared circle. The Beast Incarnate was greeted with a hero's welcome, chants of "Suplex City" ringing throughout the Target Center.

Heyman ran down the history between Undertaker and Lesnar, including the fact that his client has never lost a match to the Deadman. He promised that Lesnar would destroy Undertaker, put him out of his misery and remain undefeated against the Phenom.

The lights dimmed, and when they turned back on, Undertaker appeared. He kicked Lesnar low and proceeded a Tombstone piledriver as the crowd erupted in a chorus of boos.

Undertaker made his way to the back as a rattled Lesnar watched, his eyes barely focused on his SummerSlam opponent.

Grade

A

Analysis

Someone give Paul Heyman an Emmy!

Always the most captivating talker on WWE programming, he did more than anyone (barring the company's production staff) to put heat on the main event of Sunday's show.

The crowd in Minneapolis was electric, and their reaction for Lesnar helped elevate this segment from a standard in-ring promo to something much more meaningful. It was fantastic and really helped make the entire ordeal feel special.

The attack by The Undertaker certainly felt like a heel maneuver, though the characters in this feud are so undefined that no one really knows whom to root for or why they should cheer one over the other.

At the same time, the indecisiveness of WWE Creative has created a scenario where fans can pick and choose whom to cheer, whom they associate with more, leading to a much more intriguing scenario come Sunday night.