WWE Raw Results: Winners, Grades, Reaction and Highlights from July 3

At its high points, Monday's WWE Raw was an exhibition of expert salesmen at work.

Enzo Amore's heartfelt speech to open the show upped the anticipation for his match against Big Cass at Great Balls of Fire. Samoa Joe's fury burning along his veins amped up the audience for his clash with Brock Lesnar at Sunday's pay-per-view.

And Roman Reigns ambushing Braun Strowman did well to set up their Ambulance match. 

The red brand's Superstars offered plenty worthy of praise, but the go-home show had its clunkers, too. What WWE is doing with Noam Dar and Bayley is baffling, and the Seth Rollins-Bray Wyatt feud can't find its footing.

Read on for a breakdown of all of it, from Amore wielding a mic to Reigns sending Strowman off his feet. 

Enzo Amore Kicks off Raw

A fiery Enzo Amore recalled everything he's been through in recent years and called out Big Cass for abandoning him.

He talked of how grateful he was for his fans before tearing into Cass.

Backstage, Big Cass dismissed Amore's speech and promised to leave him unable to walk after their match at Great Balls of Fire.

Amore pounded on him, and referees had to separate the two men.

Memorable Moments and Quotes

• "Right now, on this microphone, my mind and my mouth are about to go platinum."—Amore.
• "Without a shadow of a doubt, I am one of the toughest guys to step through those ropes in a long, long time."—Amore.
• "You are nothing more than a seven-foot catchphrase that I wrote."—Amore.

Grade

A

Analysis

This version of Amore is engaging, genuine and sizzling. His terrific babyface promo featured the ideal blend of the heartfelt and comic. More moments like this will strengthen his connection with fans in a big way.

This feud will be bursting with emotion moving forward and has a good shot of launching both men into stardom.

Bayley and Sasha Banks vs. Nia Jax and Alexa Bliss

Nia Jax withstood Bayley's early flurry and took Sasha Banks' shot and forged on. She left Bayley hurt, leading to officials walking the babyface to the back.

The Boss did well on her own, however. She beat down her PPV opponent Alexa Bliss and survived Jax's power. Banks clamped on Banks Statement to force the champion to tap out.

Result

Bayley and Banks win via submission.

Memorable Moments and Quotes

• Banks and Bayley hit double dropkicks on Jax, but she remains on her feet.
• Jax slams into Bayley against the security barricade.

Grade

C-

Analysis

What an odd story to tell here. Bayley looked insignificant as Banks didn't need her. And instead of continuing to make Jax look like the apex predator of the women's division, it had her and Bliss essentially lose a handicap match.

Why not have Banks give a gutsy performance but eventually fall to the heels?

It's baffling what WWE is doing with Bayley. Banks, on the other hand, is suddenly looking quite the contender again. She made this an entertaining contest in spite of its flaws.

Samoa Joe and Brock Lesnar Interviews, Video Package

Samoa Joe and Brock Lesnar talked up their title match in separate interviews.

A recap of their feud aired between quotes from the two warriors. The Destroyer talked about what he envisioned as his destiny, and Lesnar said he was ready to kicks Joe's ass.

The champion and challenger later sat in on a live split-screen interview together where Joe barked at The Beast Incarnate.

Joe ripped off his earpiece and went hunting after Lesnar. Security swarmed him before he could find the champ.

Memorable Moments and Quotes

• "When it comes to legacy, the next piece of mine involves the Universal Championship."—Joe.
• "I'm supposed to be afraid of Samoa Joe?"—Lesnar.
• "My destiny has Brock Lesnar at the end of it."—Joe.
• "I think you're a punk-ass b---h."—Lesnar.
• "Daniel Bryan. I did him. AJ Styles. I did him. Roman Reigns I did him."—Joe.
• "Come find me. Come find me, Joe."—Lesnar.

Grade

A+

Analysis

Joe seethed onscreen; he enthralled with his intensity. That energy paired with Lesnar's smugness made for an intriguing dynamic.

WWE was smart to keep these two separated after two weeks of physicality between them. Anticipation was allowed to grow in this space as The Destroyer erupted but wasn't allowed to get his hands on his rival.

Cedric Alexander vs. Noam Dar

Cedric Alexander demanded Noam Dar come out and end this feud.

Alicia Fox accompanied Dar, who found himself in trouble in the early going. Fox had to get in Alexander's way to slow him down.

It didn't matter. Even with Fox stepping into the ring to distract him, Alexander hit the Lumbar Check for the three-count.

Result

Alexander wins via pinfall.

Memorable Moments and Quotes

• "I'm going to send you back to Alicia Fox with a matching neck brace."—Alexander.
• Dar counters a headscissors with a kick to the chest.
• Alexander floors Dar with a thunderous back elbow.

Grade

D

Analysis

The cruiserweight division continued its repetitive ways here. This was a poor climax to a feud that has gone on too long.

The Fox-Dar-Alexander love triangle has been a bust. Dar has gained nothing from it, and Alexander hasn't been allowed to move upward. There's been little entertainment value from it.

The Miz Crosses Paths with Dean Ambrose, Heath Slater and Kurt Angle

With The Miztourage and Maryse at his side, The Miz angrily recalled his interview with Lonzo and LaVar Ball last week. He called LaVar a madman and Lonzo a bust.

He deftly shifted to tearing down Dean Ambrose, claiming he caved under the pressure. 

Ambrose emerged, cracking jokes before threatening the intercontinental champ. Heath Slater stepped out to express his desire to challenge The Miz.

Raw general manager Kurt Angle announced that The Miz would face both Ambrose at Sunday's PPV but would take on Slater later on Raw.

Memorable Moments and Quotes

• "You will let down more fans than Steve Nash ever did."—The Miz to Lonzo.
• "The only thing Dean Ambrose represents is wasted potential."—The Miz.
• "The last man to beat The Miz wasn't Dean Ambrose, it was Heath Slater."—Slater.
  

Grade

B-

Analysis

Kudos to The Miz for breathing life into his feud with Ambrose and turning his segment with the Balls into fuel for his own persona. His mic work has been top notch and that was again evident here.

The Miztourage didn't add anything here. Bo Dallas and Curtis Axel have been flat characters in the early stage of this alliance.

Including Slater into the IC title mix is a fun, creative idea. More Superstars should be hungry for midcard gold.

The Miz vs. Heath Slater (Intercontinental Championship)

Ambrose sat in on commentary as Slater challenged for the title.

The Miz struggled with Slater as the challenger outwrestled him early on. Slater flipped The Miz's shirt over his head and pounded him with right hands.

The A-Lister recovered and slowed down the bout as his cronies loomed.

When it looked like Slater might get the win, he became distracted by The Miztourage beating up Rhyno at ringside. That allowed The Miz to get a cheap win and take a pounding from Axel and Dallas.

Ambrose leaped into the fray only to take a beating of his own.

Result

The Miz wins via pinfall to retain the IC title.

Memorable Moments and Quotes

• The Miz wrestled in white slacks and a dress shirt.
• "Bo Dallas dressed like The One Man Gang at a cocktail party."—Ambrose.
• Slater tears open The Miz's shirt and smacks with him a chop.
• The Miz splits his pants mid-match.
• Slater hits a powerslam from the top rope.
• "Heath Slater is on a pilgrimage."—Ambrose.

Grade

B-

Analysis

A fresh face in the IC title picture, some convincing near-falls and Slater's gutsy showing made for an entertaining bout.

It was great to see The Miz take a break from tangling with Ambrose.

The post-match fighting did well to further that rivalry, though. As the beatdown reminded us, The Miztourage give The Miz an added weapon in his ongoing battle with The Lunatic Fringe.

The Shattered Truth

Goldust welcomed fans to watch his "masterpiece" The Shattered Truth. He trashed R-Truth while playing up his own greatness.

A short film aired that showed clips of Goldust thrashing R-Truth to the sounds of classical music. 

R-Truth appeared behind him in the ring and attacked The Bizarre One. Goldust retreated.

Memorable Moments and Quotes

• "Shut your mouth."—Goldust to fans.
• R-Truth munches on popcorn while watching Goldust's movie.

Grade

C+

Analysis

The basic concept of this rivalry is good. It hasn't been given enough time to play with, though. The Shattered Truth felt like a teaser for something more substantial.

And there was little original footage here, making it less newsworthy. 

More and more, it looks like the R-Truth-Goldust feud isn't going to reach its full potential. It should be moving further outside the box than it has so far.

Seth Rollins vs. Curt Hawkins

Curt Hawkins insulted fans for not believing in him. Seth Rollins interrupted him, flooring his opponent with a shot to the head before the bell rang.

Rollins hit a single move to put away the heel.

The Kingslayer ranted about Bray Wyatt not being the god he claims to be. He called Wyatt a coward before walking back up the entrance ramp. 

Result

Rollins wins via pinfall.

Memorable Moments and Quotes

• "This is completely ridiculous. I should be facing Braun Strowman right now."—Hawkins.
• "Who here thinks Curt Hawkins needs to shut the hell up?"—Rollins. 
• "You talk about my vanity. You better worry about my wrath."—Rollins. 

Grade

D+

Analysis

The purpose of this match was to showcase the power of Rollins' new finisher. It would have had a bigger impact had it put away someone who wasn't a doormat. 

Hawkins is getting minimal airtime, but quizzing the audience about his chances in a match is an easy way to get some traction.

Rollins' promo was well-delivered. Unfortunately, there's just too little to hold on to about his and Wyatt's rhetoric.

Neville vs. Mustafa Ali

Credit: WWE.com

Neville toys with Mustafa Ali.

Mustafa Ali had Neville reeling until the champ and scored two incredibly close near-falls.

The King of the Cruiserweights swatted his foe off the top rope to slow Ali down. Neville then punished the babyface in the corner. Ali wasn't able to avoid the onslaught and was soon caught in Rings of Saturn.

Result

Neville wins via pinfall.

Memorable Moments and Quotes

• Ali lands on his feet after Neville attempted a suplex off the top rope.
• Neville flings Ali high into the air, letting the high-flyer fall on his face.

Grade

B-

Analysis

This wasn't nearly as entertaining as their 205 Live match, but it served its purpose in making Neville look dominant heading into his title bout against Akira Tozawa.

He was his usual nasty and focused self. Neville's facial expressions have been among the best we've seen in WWE all year.

There hasn't been much in the way of memorable build between the two, but Neville and Tozawa are going to put on a show-stealer on Sunday.

Bray Wyatt Wanders in the Desert

Bray Wyatt preached from a desert, talking about chaos and internal fire. Images of scorpions fighting flashed on the screen.

He told Seth Rollins he would realize his power when they met at Great Balls of Fire. 

Memorable Moments and Quotes

• "I am the chaos that fuels that fire."—Wyatt.
• "I am the wrath that consumes you."—Wyatt.

Grade

C+

Analysis

A change of scenery made Wyatt's usual diatribe a bit more interesting. WWE didn't take this trip into the desert far enough, though.

This could have been reminiscent of Wyatt's early promos in the swamp, but he was more sterile and safe than that.

Wyatt's feud with Rollins doesn't have a strong foundation. His proving to Rollins that he is a god doesn't click. As much as Wyatt's been run over, that's already more than clear.

Finn Balor vs. Cesaro

Credit: WWE.com

Finn Balor

Angle told the champs backstage that Sheamus and Cesaro would face Matt and Jeff Hardy in a 30-minute Iron Match at Great Balls of Fire.

The Hardy Boyz joined the commentary team to watch Finn Balor take on Cesaro. The King of Swing managed to briefly ground Balor. The Irishman, though, slugged it out with his foe to battle back.

Cesaro kept atop Balor with a barrage of uppercuts and suplexes. 

Elias Samson's presence distracted Balor. The Drifter took a cheap shot, inspiring The Hardy Boyz to come down to the ring with their fists swinging. Balor emerged from the chaos, hit Coup De Grace and got the win.

Result

Balor wins via pinfall.

Memorable Moments and Quotes

• Cesaro catches Balor in midair and delivers a backbreaker.
• "We have to live in the moment. We have to be great right now."—Matt Hardy.
• Balor kicks Cesaro off the top rope and out of the ring.
• Balor dives out of the ring and on to Balor and Samson. 

Grade

B-

Analysis

Balor versus Cesaro wasn't as electric as one might expect, but it was still quite good. They thrilled by trading shots to the chest and via Cesaro's creative offense.

The brawl at the end of the contest is the bigger story as it intensified the feud between the tag teams as well as Samson and Balor. The Drifter still feels well below Balor's level, but at least The Demon King has a story to keep him in the spotlight.

Braun Strowman vs. Apollo Crews

Credit: WWE.com

Roman Reigns spears Braun Strowman.

Backstage, Strowman demanded more competition after hearing Reigns wasn't at Raw. Elsewhere, Titus O'Neil convinced Apollo Crews to fight The Monster Among Men. 

Strowman paced in the ring before talking about his hatred for Reigns. He promised that The Big Dog would end up in the ambulance at Great Balls of Fire.

Strowman dominated Crews. He kept the high-flyer on the mat, toying with him. 

Crews was able to briefly go on offense but fell to the Goliath in the end. A trio of powerslams did him in.

O'Neil tried to fight the big man; Strowman mauled him, too.

Strowman dragged Crews into an ambulance and shut the doors. The driver didn't pull away as instructed. Reigns revealed himself to be in the cab.

He stormed out and the two brawled until neither man could get up.

Result

Strowman wins via pinfall.

Memorable Moments and Quotes

• O'Neil and Crews chant "Crews can't lose!"
• "Nobody knew who Kalisto was until Braun Strowman threw him in that dumpster."—O'Neil.
• "There are few things in this world I love more than hurting Roman Reigns."—Strowman.
• Strowman kicks Crews across the ring mid-moonsault.
• Reigns spears Strowman off the stage.

Grade

A-

Analysis

O'Neil has deepened his character with this Titus Worldwide gimmick. Crews has been a nondescript add-on. The former NXT star, though, did have the crowd going for a moment when he was on the attack.

As for Strowman and Reigns, they gave us an enticing preview of their Ambulance match. 

The rivals look mostly even heading into that battle. Their hatred for each other is clear. They are relentless titans ready to destroy their rivals. 

That's the right dynamic to have heading into the PPV.