WWE Raw Results: Winners, Grades, Reaction and Highlights from July 18

Monday's WWE Raw ended an era with a confused audience and the world championship picture unresolved.

The last edition of WWE's marquee show before Tuesday's draft and the return to the brand split had its foot on the pedal, even if that meant veering off the road at times. The show featured a muddled-yet-thrilling championship bout between Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins, the announcement of both Raw and SmackDown's new general managers and enough tag team matches to make Teddy Long swoon.

WWE had the tough task of both preparing for the draft and building toward the Battleground pay-per-view when it traveled to Providence, Rhode Island, on Monday night.

In some ways, the company thrived with those goals in mind. Smart choices created intrigue around the authority-figure situation for Raw and SmackDown. The Wyatt Family and The New Day continued their story with another slugfest chapter.  

It will be the WWE Championship match, both its high points and flaws, that generate the most discussion, though.

Ambrose and Rollins more than did their jobs. They worked a seemingly drained crowd into a fervor. And then WWE Creative tracked mud all over the contest, adding a convoluted, bewildering touch.

The McMahons Name Raw, SmackDown General Managers

Stephanie McMahon, the Raw commissioner as of last week, bickered with her brother, Shane, who was named SmackDown's commissioner last Monday.

Stephanie announced Raw would feature an exclusive cruiserweight division. She then named Mick Foley Raw's general manager. Shane countered with Daniel Bryan as the GM for the blue brand.

Bryan promised to make SmackDown about the Superstars and that the show would outdo Raw each week.

Memorable Moments and Quotes

"I know you wake up every morning and wish you were born with testicles."—Shane.

"I was one of the guys who put the nail in the final coffin of WCW. It wasn't pleasant, but it had to be done."—Foley.

"Trust me, you guys haven't missed me half as much as I've missed you guys."—Bryan.

"SmackDown is the underdog in this fight, just like I was the underdog!"—Bryan.

"You had to marry a WWE Superstar to stay relevant."—Shane to Stephanie.

Grade

A

Analysis

WWE made two smart choices as Raw and SmackDown's new GMs. Bryan and Foley give each show a bolt of star power and energy. The focus certainly can't be on them over the Superstars moving forward, though.

Both Shane and Bryan painted SmackDown as the underdog show, making comparisons to the leader of the "Yes! Movement." That's a smart way to handle the brand split. Bryan's popularity may rub off on the show overall, and it gives fans a built-in reason to root for SmackDown to succeed.

Chris Jericho and Kevin Owens vs. Sami Zayn and Cesaro

Sami Zayn and Cesaro took turns grounding Chris Jericho. Zayn's animosity with Kevin Owens distracted him from the match, however, opening the door for the heels to take control. 

Cesaro later floored both of his opponents. The "King of Swing" unleashed his usual eye-catching offense.

It was Zayn, though, who earned his team the win. He reversed Jericho's roll-up to get the three-count.

Result

Zayn and Cesaro win via pinfall.

Memorable Moments and Quotes

Owens poses for photos after kicking Zayn in the head.

"Jericho's going to be dreaming of uppercuts."—Byron Saxton.

Cesaro counters the Walls of Jericho with a Cesaro Swing.

Grade

B-

Analysis

It looked for a moment like the rivalry between Owens and Zayn would bubble over and derail the match. Instead, there was only a flash of hatred between the men before the bout moved into more ordinary territory.

WWE missed a chance to give the Owens vs. Zayn a bigger boost here.

As for Jericho and Cesaro, they look to both be in holding patterns until the WWE draft on Tuesday night. Neither has a storyline of its own. Neither has much momentum to speak of as a result.

Cesaro killed it in the ring, as he has made a habit of doing. It won't be until he has more direction, though, that performances like this one will really matter.

Alberto Del Rio vs. Darren Young

The Miz, with his wife Maryse holding his Intercontinental Championship for him, sat in on commentary to watch his Battleground opponent from up close.

Darren Young withstood Alberto Del Rio's early offense, using his speed to gain the advantage over The Pride of Mexico.

The Miz tried to distract Young to get the win, but ended up causing the confusion that led to the No. 1 contender coming out on top. Del Rio was clearly upset with The Miz as a result.

Result

Young wins via pinfall.

Memorable Moments and Quotes

Young nails Del Rio with a thunderous forearm.

Grade

C

Analysis

Young's latest victory came after an OK match. It's good to see him develop into the guy who lucks into wins, but the idea has been better than the actual entertainment so far. With this bout, its brevity was to blame.

The end of the contest may hint at Del Rio entering the IC title picture in the future. That would be a smart move, giving him a clear goal and giving Young and The Miz a top-rate performer to work against.

The Club Squares Off Against The New Day, John Cena, Enzo Amore, Colin Cassady

John Cena hyped the upcoming draft and the Battleground pay-per-view before welcoming Enzo Amore and Colin Cassady. Amore rattled off insults about each member of The Club.

AJ Styles and his cronies soon interrupted the babyfaces. He, Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson talked up their chemistry, promising to beat up their rivals. 

The New Day joined the party. Xavier Woods boasted about his Pokemon Go achievements, listing off names of Pokemons.

The Wyatt Family arrived to end the fun.

Memorable Moments and Quotes

"Without ugly in the world, there would be no beauty. So Luke Gallows, thanks for your sacrifice."—Amore.

"AJ Styles, you have a haircut like a soccer mom."—Amore.

"If you want sympathy, grab a dictionary and look between spit and sympathy."—Amore.

"The Club has spilled blood and sold out arenas all over the world together."—Gallows.

"We are obviously not normal men."—Woods.

Grade

B

Analysis

It's impressive just how loudly crowds are roaring for Cassady and Amore already. The duo's partnership with Cena has guaranteed them a prominent spot on the stage each week. And Amore is making the most of it...his charisma popping on the screen.

Thankfully, The Wyatt Family didn't have to try to fit into this fun, goofy segment. Instead, its arrival signaled a shift in tone.

Its rivalry with The New Day could too easily devolve into silliness that hurts the clan's aura.

12-Man Tag Team Match

The New Day, John Cena, Enzo Amore and Colin Cassady vs. The Club and The Wyatt Family 

Luke Gallows and Braun Strowman began the match knocking their foes around. Chaos broke out in a hurry, with the referee struggling to prevent an all-out brawl.

Cassady and Strowman slugged it out once the ring cleared. The heels then took over, pounding on Kofi Kingston and then Cena.

It took all of The New Day to jettison Strowman from the ring. The match's pace quickened from here, the action going non-stop. The Wyatt Family brawled with the champs on the entrance ramp.

In the ring, meanwhile, Amore accidentally clotheslined Cena, opening himself up for Styles' finishing move.

Result

The Club and The Wyatt Family win via pinfall.

Memorable Moments and Quotes

Amore tags in to take on Strowman.

Wyatt's spider walk distracts Cena.

Styles hits a nasty Ushigoroshi on Cena.

Grade

A-

Analysis

A crowded match managed to showcase a number of Superstars. Cassady and Strowman looked like beasts. Amore had a moment of bravery.

The brawl between The Wyatt Family and The New Day elevated that story. It was the display of uncontrolled anger that Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn needed earlier in the night.

The misstep between Cena and Amore created an intriguing subplot. That team is not as cohesive a unit as The Club. Creating doubt on that front is smart.

Baron Corbin vs. Sin Cara

The announcers mentioned Sin Cara and Kalisto will go their own way following the WWE draft.

Corbin pulled Sin Cara's mask over his face to obscure his vision. He then overpowered the high-flyer, making short work of him.

After hitting End of Days and getting the win, Corbin looked to beat on Sin Cara after the bell. Kalisto tried to save his friend, but The Lone Wolf left him lying there, as well.

Result

Corbin wins via pinfall.

Memorable Moments and Quotes

"Potential never paid the rent."—John "Bradshaw" Layfield.

Grade

C

Analysis

Dominant wins like this aren't a blast to watch, but they help build up a monster, which is what WWE should be doing with Corbin. This was both a reminder of how powerful Corbin is and a way to plant seeds of a future rivalry with him and Kalisto.

It's hard to get too excited about the possibility when it's unclear whether those two men will even be on the same show.

Charlotte and Dana Brooke vs. Becky Lynch and Sasha Banks

Charlotte avoided Sasha Banks, ducking out of the ring as soon as The Boss entered.

Becky Lynch and Banks worked on Dana Brooke. The babyfaces were in firm control until Natalya interfered. She attacked Lynch, while Charlotte and Brooke attacked Banks.

Result

Banks and Lynch win via disqualification.

Memorable Moments and Quotes

"This was what Charlotte was waiting for."—Michael Cole.

Grade

C+

Analysis

Despite minimal ring time, this match managed to further two feuds. Natalya's mercilessness was on display, as was Banks' numbers disadvantage against Charlotte and Brooke. 

Lynch looked strong as usual, even in a truncated bout. She absolutely needs to be featured heavily following the WWE draft.

WWE should have given more hints about who Banks' mystery partner at Battleground is. At least, there could have been more focus on that aspect of the bout. There's plenty of room to crank up the suspense.

Zack Ryder and Dolph Ziggler vs. Rusev and Sheamus

Early on, Sheamus and Rusev pounced on Zack Ryder. They smashed Ryder into the barricade outside the ring, leaving him clutching his back in pain.

Dolph Ziggler helped his team battle back. Rusev quickly stopped his momentum, though. The Bulgarian Brute put him in the Accolade to make him tap out. 

Result

Rusev and Sheamus win via pinfall. 

Memorable Moments and Quotes

Sheamus angers Rusev by teasing a tag.

Grade

C+

Analysis

Like Baron Corbin's win over Sin Cara, this was a vehicle to show off Rusev's power and heel ways. The entertainment value was higher with this contest, though. Thank Rusev's excellence at playing the predator for much of that.

Ziggler is a pawn in the larger story surrounding the U.S. title, as is Sheamus. Both men have to be hoping WWE has something bigger for them after the draft.

Dean Ambrose vs. Seth Rollins (WWE Championship)

Before the championship bout, Seth Rollins ranted inside an empty arena. He recalled his days with The Shield, talking about how he always dreamed of turning on his allies. 

Dean Ambrose delivered his own speech backstage. A shaky cam caught his promise to retain.

All of the authority figures for both Raw and SmackDown sat at ringside once the bout began. They watched as Ambrose maintained control in the early going.

The Architect took over, keeping the match on the mat. The challenger scored a number of near-falls, but was unable to lock up the win. The rivals then traded momentum, bringing the GMs to their feet.

Rollins hit a superplex, but Ambrose countered with a roll-up, resulting in what looked like a double pin. Confusion about the winner had Ambrose, Rollins and the GMs all arguing in the ring. Stephanie McMahon announced Rollins was the new champ, while the announcers questioned what we just saw.

As Jason Powell noted on ProWrestling.net, the decision was later reversed on footage shown only on the WWE Network. The referee declared the match a draw.

Result

Rollins wins via pinfall. (Match later ruled a draw.)

Memorable Moments and Quotes

"They were just pawns in my game."—Rollins on the other members of The Shield. 

"It's only fitting that tonight, I'm the one [who] gets to put an end to Dean Ambrose's little fairy tale dream run as WWE champion."—Rollins.

Rollins powerbombs Ambrose into the security barricade.

Ambrose suffers a buckle bomb, but manages to respond with a DDT.

Grade

B-

Analysis

Rollins vs. Ambrose was like one of those books where you wished you hadn't read the final chapter. An awful ending marred a tremendous match—one of these rivals' best bouts against each other.

High stakes and lots of hype set the table for enthralling action. Then WWE tried to get cute. Why not just have it end in a draw in the first place? Why not tell folks there was more of the story to come on the WWE Network? 

Leaving fans unsure of what's going on is not the same as leaving them hungry to see what's next. WWE makes that mistake too often.

Still, Ambrose and Rollins ended the last Raw before the brand split with something memorable. The Architect now has more reason to gripe moving forward. And WWE didn't panic and take the world title off Ambrose just yet.

Those are all wins that won't be talked about nearly as much as the overbooked conclusion.