WWE Raw Results: Winners, Grades, Reaction and Highlights from June 4

Lazy and repetitive booking offset solid in-ring work from some of WWE Raw's most recognizable stars on the June 4 episode, just 13 days out from the hotly anticipated Money in the Bank pay-per-view.

Disqualifications, injury angles and a lack of anything remotely resembling storyline advancement doomed the broadcast to mediocrity, save for the revelation Baron Corbin is now the official watchdog of Stephanie McMahon.

Further interactions between the Money in the Bank ladder match entrants, an OK tag team match pitting Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns against Elias and Jinder Mahal, and a quality main event between Finn Balor and Kevin Owens were silver linings on an otherwise monotonous night, as reflected in the grades and analysis of Monday's show.

Seth Rollins Interrupts Elias; Jinder Mahal and Roman Reigns Join In

Elias kicked off Monday's broadcast, but Seth Rollins almost instantly interrupted him. The intercontinental champion sought revenge for an attack that left him in need of a stretcher at the hands of the sinister songster a week ago.

Elias wielded his trusty guitar while Rollins brought a chair into the ring, and a standoff ensued.

Moments after Rollins knocked the guitar out of Elias' hands, Jinder Mahal attacked from out of nowhere. Roman Reigns interrupted the three-on-one beatdown also involving Sunil Singh and joined his Shield teammate in the center of the ring.

Raw general manager Kurt Angle appeared to a huge pop and made the obvious, and inevitable, tag team match to start the show.

Grade

B-

Analysis

The intensity was enough to elevate the segment a bit, but the creative bankruptcy was all too obvious. Fans knew exactly where the segment was heading the moment Mahal appeared, creating a predictability about it all that made it less satisfying.

With that said, the predictability at least made sense within the context of the story told over the last week.

Mahal was embarrassed and driven away from the ring a week ago, so he would naturally want to avenge the attack. Reigns returned and set his sights on his Money in the Bank opponent.

The logic was appreciated, but the stale setup has been a staple of WWE's flagship show for far too long and makes it incredibly difficult to get excited and/or interested from the get-go when fans have seen the same tired formula for the better part of a decade.

Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns vs. Elias and Jinder Mahal

The heels seized control in the night's opening match by wearing the energetic Rollins down and isolating him from Reigns.

Elias worked his Money in the Bank opponent over until a missed knee drop allowed Rollins to build just enough momentum to make the hot tag to Reigns.

The Big Dog exploded into the match and took the fight to Mahal, unloading on him with a series of corner clotheslines. Elias halted his momentum heading into the break.

The heels worked over Reigns coming out of the break, regaining control of the bout.

Reigns made the tag to Rollins, who paired off with Elias. At ringside, the champion threatened to hit Singh with a chair after the annoying sidekick joined Mahal in disposing of The Big Dog into the ring steps.

When the action returned to the ring, though, Elias cut off The Architect and dropped him with a DDT onto the weapon.

Drift Away followed, and the heels scored a big win.

Result

Mahal and Elias defeated Rollins and Reigns

Grade

B

Analysis

So, Elias uses the chair to his advantage, right in front of the referee, and there are no consequences whatsoever?

Beyond that, this was a step down from recent tag team matches featuring Rollins and Co.

It was formulaic, much like the opening segment, and never really hit the next level.

At least Elias went over, which he needed to in order to build momentum ahead of his upcoming title opportunity.

Baron Corbin Ruins Curt Hawkins' Search for Win No. 1

Curt Hawkins vowed not to make it 200 losses by battling a Houston-area competitor appropriately named James Harden, after the Houston Rockets' star player.

Hawkins said that when he won the match, everyone would get tacos, which were set up at ringside.

Instead, Baron Corbin interrupted the match, attacking Harden and costing Hawkins the bout by disqualification.

The Lone Wolf left Hawkins lying in a heaping mess of tacos to close out the segment.

Result

Harden defeated Hawkins via disqualification

Grade

C

Analysis

Corbin is totally going to become Hawkins' first win.

This was fine for what it was: a start of a rivalry between Hawkins and Corbin. If that proves not to be what this was, one has to wonder exactly what the hell the purpose was other than to put heat on Corbin by having him beat up two Superstars who are scarily equal in credibility at this point.

Natalya vs. Nia Jax

Natalya squared off with Nia Jax in preparation for the Raw women's champion's upcoming defense against Ronda Rousey at Money in the Bank.

Jax dominated early, but The Queen of Harts mounted a comeback. She unloaded on The Irresistible Force and was able to dodge an attack that otherwise would have spelled her demise in this particular match.

As she hit the ropes, though, she caught her knee and crumbled to the mat in pain. Clearly injured, Jax did what was necessary and planted her with a Samoan Drop to score the win.

After the match, Rousey entered the ring and took exception to Jax's actions, coming face-to-face with her. She escorted Natalya to the locker room as Jax watched on.

Result

Jax defeated Natalya

Grade

C

Analysis

Did WWE just protect Natalya?

The same Natalya who has lost to pretty much every other woman on the roster so the best way to handle her this week was to protect her against a supposedly unstoppable force in Jax, who needs as much credibility as possible before she defends against Rousey?

An odd booking choice, to be sure.

Braun Strowman vs. Bobby Roode

The Monster Among Men sought another impressive victory over one of his fellow Money in the Bank ladder match competitors when he battled Bobby Roode in singles competition.

As expected, Strowman bowled over The Glorious One early, even flattening him with a rarely utilized double underhook suplex.

A blind charge into the corner ended with Strowman shoulder-first in the steel post and Roode finally building some momentum.

Roode retrieved a ladder from underneath the ring and set it up at ringside. He attempted to do further damage to Strowman, but the behemoth broke the ladder in half with his bare hands, grabbed hold of Roode and tossed him back-first into the guardrail.

Back inside the squared circle, Strowman flattened Roode to earn another win en route to the June 17 pay-per-view extravaganza.

Result

Strowman defeated Roode

Grade

B-

Analysis

How Strowman has not obliterated Brock Lesnar and taken the Universal Championship is a question only WWE's crack creative staff can answer.

The big man has been spectacular in recent weeks, and this was no different.

What was alarming was just how poorly Roode came off. He was as squashed as someone his stature could possibly be. Other than ducking out of the way and grabbing the ladder, his contributions were as a tackling dummy.

Not exactly the role he likely expected to be thrown into.

Tag Team No. 1 Contender's Battle Royal

A promo from Raw tag team champions Matt Hardy and Bray Wyatt, known collectively as The Deleters of Worlds, preceded the No. 1 Contender's Battle Royal.

The story early was the elimination of Dolph Ziggler and Drew McIntyre, courtesy of Breezango's Tyler Breeze. The team, angered and frustrated, laid out the competition before finally leaving the ring, the sorest of losers.

The Revival was nicely showcased but was eliminated, bringing the match down to former SmackDown tag team champions Heath Slater and Rhyno and The B-Team of Curtis Axel and Bo Dallas, who have been at the forefront of the division for weeks.

Ultimately, Dallas and Axel avenged their humiliation from last week and won the Raw tag team title opportunity at Money in the Bank.

Result

The B-Team won the Battle Royal

Grade

B-

Analysis

The B-Team may have won the Battle Royal and be riding a wave of momentum, but it is difficult to ignore the impact Ziggler and McIntyre had.

No, they did not win, but they laid waste to everyone around them. They were the clear dominant tandem, head and shoulders above the competition. They were almost too good to win this thing, and the best way to utilize them was to get rid of them early so the focus could properly be on The B-Team.

Axel and Dallas have made the most of this push and should be a fun addition to the title picture in the coming weeks.

Bobby Lashley Calls Out Sami Zayn

Credit: WWE.com

Bobby Lashley called Sami Zayn to the ring, but The Underdog from the Underground failed to answer the call. Instead, he appeared in the audience, at a safe distance from his June 17 opponent.

Zayn refused to get in the ring with Lashley, claiming he injured his hand the last time the two shared the squared circle. Instead, he opted to ridicule and mock Lashley, suggesting he is back for a cash grab.

Lashley, like every single fan who has watched this rivalry from the beginning, asked Zayn where this was all going.

Zayn called Lashley a liar and even asked if he actually served the country in the military.

Lashley stared down Zayn to close out the segment.

Grade

D

Analysis

This is the worst rivalry of the year, and it cannot possibly be over soon enough.

Both Lashley and Zayn will struggle to wash the stink of this one off them, and that is a major disappointment given how good Zayn has been with the crap given to him and how improved Lashley is from his first run with the company a decade ago.

Alexa Bliss, Sasha Banks and Ember Moon vs. The Riott Squad

Credit: WWE.com

Three of the four women involved in the upcoming Money in the Bank ladder match teamed up as Sasha Banks, Alexa Bliss and Ember Moon battled the dangerous and vindictive Riott Squad in Six-Woman Tag Team action.

Unfortunately for them, the match became a handicap bout when Bliss appeared to injure her leg, leaving Moon and Banks to fend for themselves.

The Legit Boss was her fiery self, but the numbers disadvantage proved troublesome. She was worn down and isolated from Moon. When she finally made the hot tag, the babyfaces rolled. That is until Moon was knocked off the apron, leaving Banks without anyone to tag into the match.

Bayley's music played, she entered the match and pinned Sarah Logan to score the win for her team.

Result

Bayley, Banks and Moon defeated The Riott Squad

Grade

B

Analysis

Watching The Riott Squad continue to grow and evolve as a unit is fun. Hopefully, WWE officials resist the urge to break them up because as a trio, they have the potential to run the division for quite some time, if they can build momentum for themselves.

For the second time Monday night, WWE Creative booked an injury angle in the women's division. For the second time Monday night, the writers disregarded rules and common sense and let Bayley just fill in and win a match for the babyfaces despite not officially being entered into the match.

Lazy writing can damage any segment and derail any story. That may not be the case here, but it felt like WWE Creative just completely disregarded things going on elsewhere on the show and booked something without making sure it had not already been done.

That is disorganization and laziness this show cannot afford ahead of a significant pay-per-view such as Money in the Bank.

Update: The finish was reversed during a backstage segment when it was deemed Bayley was not a legal competitor.

Finn Balor vs. Kevin Owens

Credit: WWE.com

A war once waged in the rings of NXT took center stage in Monday's main event as Finn Balor battled Kevin Owens in one-on-one action.

Balor was in control heading into the break but, as WWE style dictates, the heel Owens had regained control during the commercial.

Every time Balor mustered offense, Owens escaped or rolled out of the way, avoiding a Coup de Grace or cutting off the former universal champion's offensive onslaught.

Conversely, Balor continued to fight out of Owens' oppressive offense. There were near-falls and late, Balor was rolling until KO lost his cool and got himself disqualified for disregarding the official.

After the match, Owens continued his assault and introduced a ladder to the proceedings. Hesitation on his part allowed Balor to fight back in, deliver his Coup de Grace from the top of the weapon and retrieve the Money in the Bank briefcase to close out the show.

Result

Balor defeated Owens by disqualification

Grade

B

Analysis

While a count-out is a cop-out in most situations, this worked.

Neither Owens nor Balor could really afford a loss at this point. Protecting them ahead of Money in the Bank made sense, and showcasing Balor after weeks of being a tackling dummy for Braun Strowman was a suitable way to end the show.

What will be interesting is to see if WWE Creative tells the story of Owens being afraid of the ladder, which would make no sense since he has competed in so many ladder matches in the past. Hopefully, WWE does not erase that history for the sake of telling that mediocre story.