WWE Raw Results: Winners, Grades, Reaction and Highlights from July 1

For the first time in what feels like forever, WWE produced an episode of Raw in which it felt like something actually happened.

For better or worse, Monday's broadcast was full of twists, turns, storyline development and an explosive (literally and figuratively) angle at the top of the show.

Braun Strowman and Bobby Lashley battled in a chaotic Falls Count Anywhere match with a finish that left fans in awe. Mike and Maria Kanellis overshadowed Seth Rollins and Becky Lynch as the middle of the show took a soap-opera turn. Then, in the finale, AJ Styles sought to dethrone Ricochet for the United States Championship.

Relive the July 1 episode of WWE's flagship show with this recap of the USA Network presentation.

Falls Count Anywhere Match: Braun Strowman vs. Bobby Lashley

Braun Strowman and Bobby Lashley's rivalry culminated in a Falls Count Anywhere match that ended in chaos.

Lashley controlled a good part of it, sending The Monster Among Men into the steel post and spearing him through the timekeeper's position. The action spilled into the stands, where The All Mighty continued his assault, blasting his opponent with a steel chair.

Strowman answered with a charging shoulder tackle. He tossed Lashley onto the stage before spearing him through the video board in a moment that drew an expletive from Corey Graves on commentary and sparks of electricity.

The medical staff assisted both Superstars, loading them into ambulances and whisking them to local emergency rooms.

Result

No-contest

Grade

A

Analysis

Announcers spouting expletives? Arena brawls? Destruction and chaos that flirts with reality?

Paul Heyman may not be fully integrated into his role of executive director yet, but this had his fingerprints all over it.

The only curiosity is the fact Lashley and Strowman's feud has been built through childish arm-wrestling and tug of wars, only to have a segment of this gravity unfold at the start of a show. Tonally, it was unlike anything else in the rivalry, and while the majority of what preceded the match was garbage, this felt like a drastic shift.

Hopefully, it leads to a renewed focus on each guy and their characters because they have been lost in the shuffle with nothing of real note to do since WrestleMania 35.

The New Day vs. The Viking Raiders

New Day's Big E and Xavier Woods battled Erik and Ivar of The Viking Raiders for the first time anywhere in the night's second match.

Erik and Ivar dominated the match itself, isolating Big E and working him over with their power-based onslaught. A belly-to-belly suplex allowed the fun-loving big man to create separation. Before he could make the hot tag, though, Samoa Joe appeared, pulled Woods from the apron and applied the Coquina Clutch.

Kofi Kingston made the save, and a six-man staredown ensued.

Result

No-contest

Grade

D

Analysis

This is so going to lead to a six-man tag team match.

There was nothing to this contest and no real indication of what could have been between the two teams. Instead, this was all angle to set up a multi-man tag team bout.

In terms of tired and stale booking strategies, this is one of the more annoying.

The New Day vs. Samoa Joe and The Viking Raiders

Samoa Joe and The Viking Raiders relentlessly punished Xavier Woods for the majority of the bout, grounding him and cutting the ring off from the rest of his team.

A hot tag to Kingston sparked a babyface comeback as the WWE champion unloaded on any and all around him.

The action broke down late, with Ivar wiping out Woods and Big E at ringside. Joe, back inside the squared circle, trapped Kingston in the Coquina Clutch and put him to sleep for the win.

Result

Joe and The Viking Raiders defeated New Day

Grade

A

Analysis

This was short, sweet and to the point.

The action was crisp, The Viking Raiders had the opportunity to showcase their athleticism and Joe was presented as a badass threat to Kingston's title. Most impressively? WWE Creative let Joe pick up a win—in dominant fashion—without managing to kill any of his momentum in the process.

Thumbs-up all-around for a match that really should have just been booked from the start.

No Way Jose vs. Cesaro, and The Street Profits Arrive

The party-loving No Way Jose returned to the squared circle Monday night, dancing his way to the ring and stopping to greet Drake Maverick's wife, Renee Michelle, in the process. 24/7 champion R-Truth was hiding in the conga line, taunting Maverick and igniting a chase.

Jose paid for it exponentially, enduring a beating at the hands of Cesaro, who pummeled him at ringside and left him lying following a Neutralizer on the floor.

The abrupt end of the match gave way to a promo in which Charly Caruso announced the arrival to Raw of NXT tag team champions The Street Profits.

Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins cut an electric, energetic promo that hyped their debut.

Result

No match

Grade

B

Analysis

There was a ton happening here.

Truth and Maverick are in the middle of the best rivalry in all of WWE, over a title we all wrongly assumed would be the bane of our existence. The introduction of Michelle, a Mae Young Classic alumna, may inadvertently create a new star while giving the story another wrinkle.

Cesaro as a ruthlessly aggressive badass pummeling anyone who takes wrestling as anything but serious is exactly the type of character he should be playing.

And then, The Street Profits.

There is not an act on the WWE main roster that brings as much raw energy and charisma to its performances as Ford and Dawkins. They may still need seasoning in big-match settings, but their work of late in NXT has been near-flawless, and their personalities will help them stay over until they find their in-ring confidence on Raw and SmackDown.

Their debut is one that instantly elevates the division of whichever show they appear primarily on.

The Undertaker's Words of Warning for Shane McMahon and Drew McIntyre

Shane McMahon and Drew McIntyre were out next for a promo in which they discussed the return of The Undertaker on last week's show and the announcement of a massive tag team match at Extreme Rules in Philadelphia on July 14.

The arrival of The Deadman in Dallas sent The Best in the World and The Scottish Psychopath to the arena floor, though Corey Graves insisted the heels were setting up The Phenom.

Undertaker revisited his WrestleMania 32 match with McMahon and warned that though the prodigal son may be the best in this world, he will be but another lost soul among many.

He vowed McIntyre and McMahon will rest in peace at Extreme Rules.

Grade

C

Analysis

This was every Undertaker promo we have ever seen, with a little callback to the history between him and McMahon to boot.

Nothing of any real note was accomplished here, but it did not have to be.

Any appearance by Undertaker at this point is one born out of nostalgia or creative desperation. As long as he comes in, performs the greatest hits and leaves the fans relatively happy, it is never a failed segment—just a painfully average one.

Natalya vs. Lacey Evans

Baron Corbin accompanied Lacey Evans to ringside for her match with Natalya.

The Sassy Southern Belle wore down her opponent and worked a headlock. Natalya, though, scored a near-fall off a roll-up.

As The Queen of Harts looked to mount a comeback, Corbin interfered and tripped her up. Evans finished her off with the Woman's Right for the win.

The top contenders to the universal and women's titles celebrated the victory, proud of themselves despite the fact it took two of them to defeat Natalya.

Result

Evans defeated Natalya

Grade

C+

Analysis

Nothing quite says you should believe two heels can beat the two biggest stars on the brand in a pay-per-view match than booking them to cheat their way to a win over a Natalya who has not been utilized in any meaningful way since Ronda Rousey left.

Corbin and Evans are great heels, but they still lack credibility, and they will not achieve it by beating a grizzled veteran of the women's division with a numbers advantage in their favor.

Best 2-Out-Of-3 Falls Match: The Miz vs. Elias

A fired-up Miz wasted no time in gaining an early fall on Elias, delivering a Skull-Crushing Finale that gave him a 1-0 lead early in Monday's best 2-out-of-3 Falls match.

Elias answered moments later with Drift Away to tie things up at one fall apiece heading into the break.

Back from the break, the Superstars engaged in the third fall of their encounter. Elias worked a headlock, looking to seep the life out of The Hollywood A-Lister. He scored a near-fall as frustration set in.

That frustration ultimately led to him missing a knee strike and smashing into the ring post. Miz applied the Figure-Four Leglock and forced a tapout to win the bout two falls to one.

Result

The Miz defeated Elias

Grade

C

Analysis

This was a match that happened.

Yes, it played up recent tensions between Miz and Elias, but it was really a secondary showdown between two casualties of the Shane McMahon push.

Miz won, but is he really any better off than he was entering the show? Is Elias any less credible than he was a week ago? Two Superstars who were consistently the best things about their respective shows a year ago have descended into such mediocrity that it is almost unfathomable.

Worst of all, there does not appear to be any relief in sight for either competitor, at least not from a creative standpoint.

Seth Rollins and Becky Lynch vs. Mike and Maria Kanellis

In a match set up via backstage promo moments earlier, universal champion Seth Rollins and Raw women's titleholder Becky Lynch battled Mike and Maria Kanellis.

Just as Lynch tagged in, Maria dropped to the floor with a microphone and began chastising her husband. She harshly criticized him and, when The Man was ready to pull her into the squared circle, revealed she was pregnant.

The match came to a sudden halt as Maria continued to talk down to the father of her children.

Lynch put an end to the ordeal, tapping Mike out with the Dis-arm-her.

After the match, Maria said she could not believe Mike was the father of her children and that the only man in the match Monday night was Lynch, so she'll ask the champ to impregnate her next time.

Mike was left speechless as Maria exited.

Result

Lynch and Rollins defeated Mike and Maria Kanellis

Grade

B-

Analysis

Where the hell did that come from?

The Kanellises couldn't sniff TV on the main roster for the last two years, and when they finally do, it is in an explosive segment that screamed more soap opera than the sports-entertainment product WWE has been force-feeding its audience.

That is not necessarily a bad thing. Paul Heyman has said before that Maria is one of the most creative minds he has worked with, so if he was in a position of power backstage this week, it is no surprise he found a way to get her on television.

What is an issue is the fact management is suddenly and inexplicably asking us to care about two wrestlers even it did not give a second thought to as recently as a week ago. To go zero-to-60 that quickly could prove problematic when convincing fans to invest out of the blue.

'A Moment of Bliss' with Nikki Cross, Carmella vs. Alexa Bliss

Credit: WWE.com

Alexa Bliss welcomed Nikki Cross to this week's "A Moment of Bliss," fresh off the unhinged competitor's victory over Bayley on SmackDown, which earned the manipulative heel a championship opportunity at Extreme Rules.

Cross was sentimental, crediting Bliss with being the first person to embrace her. Carmella interrupted, accused The Goddess of using the Scot and challenged her to a match. Bliss accepted and the former women's champions hit the ring.

Within three seconds, Carmella scored the pinfall victory over Bliss. The flustered heel threw a fit at ringside heading into the break.

Result

Carmella defeated Bliss

Grade

A

Analysis

Carmella as the crap-stirring babyface who exposed just how much Bliss is reliant on Cross at this point was the perfect role for her, as was the booking of this segment.

Bliss is that manipulative mean girl you want to see get her comeuppance. She is the perfect character to build sympathy for Cross in her journey to the top of the division. Their eventual blowoff match will be red-hot thanks to the character work at play.

Kudos to all involved.

Carmella vs. Nikki Cross

Credit: WWE.com

After the break, Cross took the fight to Carmella as Michael Cole revealed the match had been made during the break.

The Scot controlled for the majority of the short bout, delivered her fisherman neckbreaker and pinned The Princess of Staten Island for the win.

Result

Cross defeated Carmella

Grade

C

Analysis

WWE hot-shotted what should have been a match on next week's show here.

Rather than giving Bliss' embarrassing loss a minute to breathe, the company jumped right into Cross avenging it and creating questions as to whether she should be the one challenging Bayley.

Yes, that was the next logical step but not so soon after the chapter that had been written moments earlier.

United States Championship Match: Ricochet vs. AJ Styles

Credit: WWE.com

AJ Styles appeared to have captured the United States Championship early in this week's main event after catching Ricochet with the Phenomenal Forearm and pinning his shoulders to the mat for three.

Replay and official John Cone informed the first referee that the champion's foot was under the rope, negating the title change and ensuring the match continued.

The action was a back-and-forth showcase of athleticism for champion and challenger.

Ultimately, Ricochet scored a pinfall that stunned Styles and earned him the hard-fought victory.

After the match, Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson appeared at ringside, mockingly applauding Ricochet's victory. Styles stepped in between the United States champion and his longtime friends, apparently ready to fend off The Good Brothers if need be.

Suddenly, he blasted Ricochet in the face with a straight right hand. A beatdown ensued, complete with a Styles Clash from the ropes.

Styles, Gallows and Anderson stood tall as the reunited Club to close out the show.

Result

Ricochet defeated Styles

Grade

A

Analysis

And with that, Raw has a lead heel faction at the top of its card that can provide babyfaces like Seth Rollins, Roman Reigns, Kofi Kingston and Ricochet with a genuine threat.

Styles, Anderson and Gallows have history in this role, after providing Reigns with the first challenge of his title reign in 2016. They excelled as villains, but the brand extension cut their run short. Now reunited at a time when the brand split appears to be nearing its end, they have the opportunity to go on that main event run they never really got to enjoy.

Ricochet is the perfect figure to oppose them, too.

He is a sympathetic babyface who excels at fighting from underneath. Stacking the odds and letting him prove he can overcome or go down swinging will earn him the respect of an audience that has not been given a reason to care about him beyond his high-flying arsenal.

This was a great way to close out a noteworthy episode of WWE's flagship.