RAW 1258: July 3, 2017

## Episode recap

#### **Sasha Banks & Bayley vs. Alexa Bliss & Nia Jax**

The Raw Women’s Title picture runs on Boss Time now, and if Alexa Bliss wasn’t thrilled that Sasha Banks earned the right to challenge her this Sunday by forcing Nia Jax to tap out at the end of a grueling Gauntlet Match, imagine how the champ felt this week when Banks did the same thing to her.

Granted, the victory came in a tag team match that united Banks & Bayley against Bliss & Jax, but the outcome had to be disconcerting to Little Miss Bliss all the same — especially since Jax sent Bayley to the trainer's room in the early goings by kneeing her in the head with such force that she injured herself in the process. The Boss toughed out the 2-on-1 disadvantage nonetheless, superkicking Jax in the tweaked knee and locking Bliss in the Bank Statement for a near-instant submission win.

#### **Cedric Alexander vs. Noam Dar**

Just when Cedric Alexander thinks he's out of the woods with Alicia Fox, Noam Dar keeps pulling him back in.

The Scottish Supernova cost Alexander a match on 205 Live last week in an attempt to “close the chapter” on the long-running rivalry, and when Alexander took on Dar in a rematch on Raw, he had the added satisfaction of Alicia herself being there, neck brace and all, to see Dar lose.

Granted, Dar had a golden opportunity to claim the win when Alicia confronted Cedric on the apron in the middle of the match, but The Scottish Supernova’s roll-up attempt was thwarted when Alexander re-rolled the maneuver and executed the Lumbar Check to earn the victory.

#### **The Miz vs. Heath Slater**

Remember a couple weeks ago when Heath Slater dangled the idea of challenging The Miz for the Intercontinental Championship and then pinned him in a tag team match? Well, Heath Slater remembers. And while Raw General Manager Kurt Angle was happy to grant Dean Ambrose a title rematch at the first-ever WWE Great Balls of Fire pay-per-view following a confrontation between Miz, Ambrose and Slater on “Miz TV,” he also ruled that The A-Lister would first defend his title against The One-Man Band to determine who, exactly, The Lunatic Fringe would face.

A thoroughly unprepared Miz had to compete in his suit pants and shirt, and Slater was a house on fire for the entire bout, but The A-Lister made it out with his title intact. It took a distraction from The Miztourage to divert the ref’s attention and a battle with Rhyno at ringside to divert Heath’s, but the result of those two interferences was Miz planting his opponent with a devastating Skull-Crushing Finale for the win.

Ambrose, who spent the match on commentary, attempted to save Slater from further punishment, but The Lunatic Fringe succumbed to the numbers game and found himself on the receiving end of another Skull-Crushing Finale. The worst part for Ambrose isn't he beating, necessarily: It's that he now facees the daunting challenge of outwitting The A-Lister and his cohorts if he hopes to leave Sunday with the Intercontinental Title back in his possession.

## Featured Superstars

* Maryse
* Nia Jax
* Bayley
* Sasha Banks
* Alexa Bliss
* Alicia Fox

## Results

1. Sasha Banks & Bayley def. Raw Women's Champion Alexa Bliss & Nia Jax
2. Cedric Alexander def. Noam Dar (w/ Alicia Fox)
3. Intercontinental Champion The Miz (w/ Maryse) def. Heath Slater