WWE Raw Results: Winners, Grades, Reaction and Highlights from July 11

While Vince McMahon's return received the bulk of the hype ahead of Monday's WWE Raw, it was the company's workhorses who most compelled inside Detroit's Joe Louis Arena.

Dean Ambrose set aside his madcap antics to deliver a rousing speech to his archenemy Seth Rollins. Kevin Owens worked the match of the night. The Miz's grating heel act continued to work at a high level.

Minus a McMahon-heavy, anemic ending, WWE delivered a strong show as both the draft and Battleground pay-per-view draw near. Stories progress. Feuds intensified.

Fans saw a surprise name emerge as the new No. 1 contender for the Intercontinental Championship. Rusev got himself a challenger for the PPV, as well.

Read on to see where Monday's Raw clicked and where it stumbled, from a glimpse of Breezango's bright future to The Wyatt Family borrowing from Matt Hardy.

No. 1 Contender's Battle Royal for Intercontinental Championship

The Miz mockingly welcomed the entrants to the Battle Royal.

Darren Young, The Ascension, Baron Corbin and Apollo Crews were among those colliding in this chaotic match. Aiden English was the first man tossed over the top rope. The Golden Truth wasn't far behind.

Corbin went on a tear, eliminating Jimmy Uso and Jack Swagger.

Dolph Ziggler, Apollo Crews, Darren Young and Corbin made it to the match's final four. Crews and Corbin soon eliminated each other, leaving Young as the last man standing.

Result

Young wins the Battle Royal to earn an Intercontinental Championship match at Battleground. 

Memorable Moments and Quotes

Jimmy Uso tries to eliminate his brother Jey.

John "Bradshaw" Layfield confuses Crews for Titus O'Neil.

Alberto Del Rio hits Ziggler with a tilt-a-whirl gutbuster.

"He's in the title match! Can you believe it?"—Layfield.

Fans chant "Darren Young! Darren Young!"

Grade

B+

Analysis

In a refreshing change of pace, Raw kicked off with a match rather than a promo. And while Battle Royals are never stellar entertainment, having something at stake made this intriguing, albeit ugly at times.

Fans got a good look at how WWE views a number of wrestlers.

The Vaudevillains exiting before The Golden Truth speaks volumes about that team's low standing. Corbin, on the other hand, was made to look dominant. The Lone Wolf piled up the most eliminations by far, and made the biggest impression of anyone in the contest.

As for Young, WWE finally pulled the trigger with his repackaged gimmick. A dumb-luck win was a fun way to start his latest run. Where the company goes from here is unclear, but this is the most interested anyone has been in Young in a long time, and that in itself is a win.

Zack Ryder vs. Sheamus

Zack Ryder confronted Rusev backstage, demanding a shot for the U.S. title. Sheamus, though, interrupted by wailing on the babyface with a sneak attack.

Ryder favored his right arm afterward throughout his entrance and during the match.

Sheamus withstood Ryder's offensive flurries, slowed the bout to a crawl and finished off his foe with a Brogue Kick. Rusev then charged in and pounced on Long Island Iced Z.

Result

Sheamus wins via pinfall.

Memorable Moments and Quotes

"I accept your challenge!"—Rusev to Ryder while clutching him in the Accolade.

Grade

C-

Analysis

Sheamus and Ryder had a much more entertaining bout on last week's SmackDown. This time around, their collision lacked energy and electricity.

The post-match moment, though, is what everyone will be talking about anyway.

It's a good idea to have the fan favorite Ryder ride into the U.S. title picture, but the current arc to get to that point took a strange turn on Monday night. What sense does it make that he earned a title shot by losing? Why not have Ryder continue his recent roll? 

And is the Sheamus vs. Apollo Crews feud already over? There was no mention of it when either man appeared on Raw. Neglecting midcard stories like that is a missed opportunity.

The Lucha Dragons vs. Breezango

Backstage, Fandango insulted The Lucha Dragons, and Sin Cara splashed Tyler Breeze's drink in his face. That set the stage for a a fast-paced matchup.

Fandango and Breeze worked well together to maintain control over Sin Cara. Kalisto floored the heels when he finally entered the action. 

Breeze, though, kicked Kalisto out cold to score the three-count.

Result

Breezango wins via pinfall.

Memorable Moments and Quotes

Sin Cara hits a springboard moonsault from the second rope.

Kalisto slips off the rope and falls while attempting a springboard move. 

Breeze superkicks Kalisto while the luchador is bent over in the corner.

Grade

C+

Analysis

Solid tag team action from two lower-tier teams. This was the most impressive Breezango has looked since the group's inception. Having that duo balance their goofy shtick with more serious in-ring action like this will be the key to them reaching their ceiling.

Breeze is a talented, underrated performer and needs to be showcased. He has the skills to make Breezango more than a joke.

The Rollins Report

Seth Rollins angled for a talk show segment where he would reveal new information about Roman Reigns.

The Architect aired footage of old Reigns interviews spliced with Rollins' questions. The heel made it look like Reigns was proud to have been suspended.

Dean Ambrose waltzed into the ring to cut Rollins' act short. They bickered, each man claiming to be better than the other. The Lunatic Fringe said he would take on Rollins one-on-one for the title anytime, but the challenger wanted to wait another week.

Memorable Moments and Quotes

"Jon Stewart, stay retired, my friend."—Rollins. 

"That is my life, and you stole my life."—Rollins about the WWE Championship.

"I'm the guy still standing here. I'm the backbone of this industry."—Ambrose.

"You, Roman Reigns, Vince McMahon or God himself is going to have to pry this out of my cold, dead hands."—Ambrose about the WWE Championship.

Grade

A

Analysis

Zany Ambrose gave way to fiery, focused Ambrose. This was the version of the world champ we need to see more of.

After a not-too-long, funny Reigns bit, the story got simple and effective as a result. Rollins wants his title back. Ambrose believes it represents his place atop the WWE. Their intensity and desire popped onscreen.  

WWE is going to have to be creative to include Reigns as it did on Monday night until his 30-day suspension is over. Meanwhile, it's clear Rollins and Ambrose can carry the load.

Kevin Owens vs. Cesaro

Sami Zayn sat in on commentary, awaiting the match. Kevin Owens, though, demanded referees remove Zayn before he would wrestle. The two rivals crossed at the entrance ramp and briefly brawled.  

Vince McMahon arrived via limo, telling Renee Young he would name the commissioner of SmackDown later in the night. 

Once the action began, Cesaro had Owens reeling. He didn't fare as well on the outside where Owens brawled his way to control of the match. The bruiser smashed Cesaro into the security barricade.

The back-and-forth contest ended when Owens hit a swinging neckbreaker. 

While Owens gloated about his win, Zayn pounced on him, tagging him with right hands. Cesaro followed up with a lengthy Cesaro Swing.

Result

Owens wins via pinfall.

Memorable Moments and Quotes

"Swiss trains are very efficient. That one just derailed."—John "Bradshaw" Layfield on Cesaro.

Cesaro hits a running uppercut while wearing JBL's hat. 

"I'm not even trying to be the best in the world, and that's exactly what I am. "—Owens.

Grade

A-

Analysis

As one has come to expect each time these two collide, Owens and Cesaro delivered.

The two rivals' paths couldn't be more different, though. Owens is set for a big match at Battleground against his archenemy, and that feud got a healthy dose of intensity before and after the in-ring action. 

Cesaro, on the other hand, has no storyline and no direction. He should be in a high-profile rivalry yesterday. If he can make a zero-stakes match this good, imagine what he could do with a hyped narrative behind him.

Titus O'Neil vs. Heath Slater

Heath Slater beat up on Titus O'Neil early. The heel had the advantage of his fellow Social Outcasts taking cheap shots at his foe.

O'Neil's power proved too much for Slater, though. The big man flung Slater around before hitting Clash of the Titus to end the bout.

Result

O'Neil wins via pinfall.

Memorable Moments and Quotes

"There's a whole lot of bakers that [are] going to be very disappointed."—Curtis Axel.

The Social Outcasts take a mid-match victory lap.

Grade

D

Analysis

O'Neil vs. Slater was the definition of filler. The match had no storyline implications. It featured cookie-cutter action and two Superstars lacking momentum.

The Social Outcasts continue to flounder in terms of comedy.

After his feud with Rusev for the United States Championship, O'Neil disappointed in this lackluster matchup.

The New Day Visit The Wyatt Family Compound

The Wyatt Family attacked The New Day in a field, headlights illuminating the evening fight.

Bray Wyatt led the way as his monsters smashed the tag champs against cars. Xavier Woods battled back. That allowed the babyfaces to escape. 

Memorable Moments and Quotes

Braun Strowman throws a truck tire at Kofi Kingston.

Wyatt destroys The New Day's car.

Grade

B

Analysis

In a vacuum, this skirmish would be seen in a whole different light. It instead aired less than a week after Jeff Hardy and Matt Hardy met in the Final Deletion match on TNA—a cinematic carnival of a match that looked a lot like this one.

The New Day vs. The Wyatt Family was slicker than Final Deletion, but it had less heart. It was more artistic from a cinematography standpoint, but it was not nearly as raw, fun or memorable. 

WWE needs to experiment with nontraditional matches like this more, but not by replicating what others are doing.

Enzo Amore and Colin Cassady vs. Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson

Enzo Amore and Colin Cassady bickered with The Club. AJ Styles claimed John Cena didn't care about the two fan favorites, warning them before they stepped into the ring.

Once the match began, Amore used his speed to gain an early advantage. Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows eventually overpowered the Smacktalker Skywalker, keeping him in their corner for much of the match.

Styles inserted himself into an increasingly chaotic bout. Just as The Club looked as if it would devour Amore, Cena came out to save the day. 

Result

Amore and Cassady win via disqualification.

Memorable Moments and Quotes

Amore calls The Club "chicken tenders" because they are boneless.

The Detroit crowd chants loudly for Cena.

Grade

B-

Analysis

While not a barnburner of a match, there was enough energy and chemistry to keep one entertained. And Cena's surprise appearance was the real noteworthy moment here.

The alliance between the newcomers from NXT and Cena feels surprisingly authentic despite it essentially being random. WWE is looking smart so far in pairing those guys up.

The company, though, needs to find a way to make The Club more formidable. Gallows and Anderson have dropped more than their share of matches already.

Sasha Banks vs. Dana Brooke

Credit: WWE.com

Dana Brooke paid for mocking Sasha Banks' entrance. The Boss clubbed Brooke as soon as the bell rang.

Banks then proceeded to slap her opponent around. 

Charlotte's protege eventually gained control. She slowed the pace to a crawl, keeping Banks grounded. The Boss, though, clamped on the Bank Statement for the win.

Charlotte dismissed Banks' victory. She said she wanted to see Banks face Brooke again at SmackDown to prove herself worthy of a title shot.

Result

Banks wins via submission. 

Memorable Moments and Quotes

Brooke yanks Banks by the hair and kicks her off the ring apron.

Banks kicks Brooke's arm out of the way and hits a spinning back elbow.

"Even that guy over there can buy a lottery ticket for the Powerball and win a million dollars."—Charlotte.

Grade

C+

Analysis

Brooke is too raw to be at this level. She can't keep up with competition like Banks—her offense is too sloppy and her presence isn't prime time-ready.

The match never really got out of first gear; Banks was unable to make this more than ordinary.

Charlotte avoiding Banks, however, is a smart move. She looked cowardly in pushing back the expected title bout, while The Boss is allowed more chances to gain momentum. 

Hopefully, WWE remains patient with this storyline. There's no need to rush into Banks vs. Charlotte.

Vince McMahon Names a SmackDown Commissioner

Jessica Hill/Associated Press

Vince McMahon told his children—Shane and Stephanie—they were doing a pretty fine job running Raw, but he was disappointed in them. The chairman told Stephanie she was too sweet, and he told Shane he wasn't being aggressive enough.

Shane and Stephanie each made their cases for why they should be SmackDown's new commissioner. 

The fans made it clear they preferred Shane's vision. Vince named his son SmackDown's boss, but Stephanie would be running Raw. He ordered them to each name a general manger to work under them.

The Billionaire Princess slapped her brother before exiting.

Memorable Moments and Quotes

"It's as if neither one of you came from my loins."—Vince.

"It's change that we need, and it's change that I would bring."—Shane.

Grade

C-

Analysis

The biggest positive of Monday's final segment is how badly both McMahon siblings wanted to run SmackDown despite it being the lesser of the two shows. That has been a strong part of WWE's plan to add prestige to the blue brand.

Beyond that, this failed to thrill.

Not only are we set to get a heavy dose of McMahons every week, but WWE is also adding a second authority figure to both shows. That's four non-wrestlers set to compete for airtime with Superstars like Cesaro and Becky Lynch. It's hard to imagine WWE handling that well.

The focus needs to be on the gladiators, not the royals sitting up in the arena stands.