Monday, 30 July 2012 - Tonight’s WWE RAW kicks off with the new intro video that debuted on last week’s 1000th episode. We’re live from the US Bank Arena in Cincinnati, Ohio as Michael Cole welcomes us to RAW. Fans are still coming in because of a fire that happened inside the arena earlier. Jerry Lawler shows footage of the RAW set catching on fire earlier this evening after a pyro glitch.
- Cole leads us into a video package looking back at RAW 1000.
- The video runs for about 5 minutes and we come back to WWE Champion CM Punk coming to the ring. Punk makes his way out to a positive reaction from the crowd.
Punk says he had a RAW moment last week bigger than most people’s WrestleMania moments. He wants to explain something before he gets into why he did what he did to The Rock. Punk says the way RAW 1000 went off the air left a bad taste in his mouth. Punk brings up Lawler’s quote – “CM Punk has turned his back on the WWE Universe.” Punk goes to ringside where Lawler is seated. Punk sits the WWE Title on the announcers table and sits cross legged on top of it, in front of Lawler. Punk says he is used to bad commentary but asks how Lawler jumped to such a bad conclusion. Punk says if anything,Lawler turned his back on Punk because the last time he checked, The Rock wasn’t the WWE Universe. Punk calls Rock an extremely charismatic, deranged movie star. Punk says Rock disrespected him. Punk says Rock acted like he was invisible when he went into his tired schtick on Daniel Bryan. Punk says Rock is lucky he didn’t hurt him right then and there when he was first disrespected. Punk says Rock tried to make RAW 1000 all about him and that’s when Punk showed him the kind of man he will be dealing with at Royal Rumble. Punk says this isn’t ballet,this is WWE and he is it’s champion. Punk is still seated in front of Lawler on the table. Punk brings up how Rock has been quiet for a week. Punk accuses Lawler of having an agenda and spinning it. Punk says he ended RAW 1000 like every issue should end – with the spotlight on the WWE Champion, the best wrestler in the world. Big Show’s music hits and out he comes.
Punk says Show must have came to steal the spotlight too. Show says the end of RAW 1000 was actually all about him. Show says he’s the one who cost John Cena the WWE Title and caused him to fail at cashing in Money in the Bank. Show says he knocked out Cena and Punk still couldn’t beat him. Show says Punk would have tapped out in the STF if it weren’t for him. Show says the only reason Punk is still WWE Champion is because of him. Show vows that he will be the next WWE Champion. The crowd boos and Punk laughs at him. Punk says he is the only one winning anything between them two. John Cena’s music hits and out he comes running to the ring. Cena unloads on Big Show as Punk watches. Show pushes him away and rolls out of the ring. Cena is hype as Show looks on from the floor and Punk leans against the ropes watching, shaking his head. Justin Roberts introduces AJ Lee and out comes the General Manager.
For tonight’s main event, AJ announces Show vs. Cena with the winner facing CM Punk at SummerSlam. AJ leaves as everyone has words. - Still to come tonight, a look back at last week’s encounter between Triple H and Brock Lesnar. We go to commercial.
- Daniel Bryan is shown backstage approaching AJ’s office.
*Nontitle: Santino Marella(c) vs. Alberto Del Rio
Santino comes back again and pulls out the Cobra. Del Rio blocks it and throws Santino shoulder first into the ring post. Del Rio with an armbreaker and then the submission for the win.
Winner: Alberto Del Rio
- After the match, Del Rio stands over Santino and says he just destroyed the US Champion like it was nothing. Del Rio says Santino is beneath him as is Sheamus and all of the fans. Del Rio says from now on, he will not compete unless it’s a World Heavyweight Title match so he says he won’t be wrestling until SummerSlam.
- Back from the break and Brodus Clay is in the ring dancing with Cameron and Naomi. Vickie Guerrero comes out running her mouth. She tells them to step aside and has some old school hip-hop played. Vickie starts dancing but is interrupted by Damien Sandow. Sandow says a horrible crime was committed against humanity last week. He shows us footage of DX beating him up at RAW 1000. Sandow just attacks Clay and takes his leg out. Sandow beats Clay down and hits him with a bunch of knees. Sandow continues the assault and rips Clay’s necklace. Sandow poses as his music hits and Cole plays up the fact that Sandow has snapped.
- We get a look back at Dolph Ziggler and Chris Jericho getting into it 2 weeks ago. They also show Ziggler teasing a cash in on SmackDown and Jericho throwing him into the ring for a Brogue Kick from Sheamus. Jericho then hit Ziggler with a Codebreaker, while wearing a Ziggler t-shirt. Announced for later tonight is Christian and Jericho vs. Miz and Ziggler.
- Back from commercial and Bryan walks into AJ’s office. He asks her if she’s insane for embarrassing him and leaving him at the altar last week. She tells him to shut up. She’s not his bride to be anymore… she’s his boss. AJ says she saw some “groomsmen”who looked like they were from a mental hospital. She wonders if he was marrying her just to have her legally committed. She’s booked him in a match against Sheamus tonight. Bryan asks if it’s for the World Title and she says no. AJ chants “no” in Bryan’s face and he storms off.
- Cole and Lawler tell fans to go on Twitter and vote for what kind of match Sheamus vs. Bryan will be for tonight – a No Holds Barred, Falls Count Anywhere or a Street Fight. Josh Mathews catches up with Sheamus backstage. He likes how AJ has put the match in the fans hands. Sheamus asks Mathews is he’s alright and says he’s been acting a bit off. Mathews looks confused as Sheamus tells him to relax and take it easy before walking off. Back to commercial.
- Back from the break and Cole show footage of the arena fire from earlier again.
*Street Fight: Daniel Bryan vs. Sheamus
Street Fight with 73% of the vote. Sheamus scoops Bryan for White Noise on top of the steps but Bryan blocks it. Sheamus lays him out on top ofthe steps with a Brogue Kick. Sheamus covers for the win.
Winner: Sheamus
- Back from the break and Bryan is down in the ring with referees. He’s yelling that he won’t leave the ring until he gets a doctor. Bryan continues throwing a fit as Cole shows us footage of CM Punk John Cena and Big Show from earlier tonight.
