Credit: WWE.com
Team Raw: Dolph Ziggler, Drew McIntyre, Finn Balor, Bobby Lashley and Braun Strowman
Team SmackDown: Shane McMahon, Jeff Hardy, Rey Mysterio, The Miz and Samoa Joe
The tension among the Raw stars was evident from the outset, and it nearly cost them, as Joe caught a distracted McIntyre with the Coquina Clutch. The sinister Scot escaped and delivered a Claymore Kick for the first fall of the match. (Elimination: Samoa Joe)
After a brief exchange between Ziggler and Hardy, McMahon entered the match and unloaded with jabs and short punches, stunning The Showoff. Ziggler answered with a dropkick and nearly rolled up the SmackDown boss for a count of two. He eventually delivered a Zig Zag to McMahon, but Miz broke up the pin.
Miz and Ziggler paired off, two of the longest-tenured Superstars in WWE representing their respective brands. McIntyre, tagged himself in again, robbing Strowman of the opportunity to wreak havoc. Tensions boiled over and Strowman struck his partner. SmackDown capitalized and teamed up to beat down Strowman.
The Monster Among Men powered out but fell prey to the 619. The blue team dumped him over the top rope and to the floor. McMahon ripped apart the announce table and delivered a flying elbow, driving him through it.
Back in the ring, McIntyre delivered a sharp chop to the chest of Miz, only to eat a kick from his own partner Balor, who exploded into the match. He delivered a double stomp to the face of Miz and rolled him up for two. He looked for the Coup de Grace, but Miz bailed to the floor.
Balor was a "one-man wrecking crew," per Michael Cole, as he laid into Miz and Hardy. A tag to Mysterio halted Balor's onslaught momentarily, but the former universal champion cut him off. Mysterio recovered, delivered a splash and scored the fall. (Elimination: Finn Balor)
McIntyre, looking to send a message, attacked Balor and tossed him from the ring.
Lashley cut off a 619 attempt on McIntyre and tried for a gorilla press. Mysterio ducked out but was still overpowered and tossed around by the arrogant villain. Mysterio sent Lashley over the top rope, but Ziggler had made a blind tag. Mysterio leveled him and tagged in Hardy.
The Charismatic Enigma unleashed on anyone and everyone in his path but ate a Zig Zag from The Showoff. Hardy, showing great resiliency, still managed to shoot his shoulder off the mat before the three. Hardy fought back, delivered a Twist of Fate and tried for a Swanton. Ziggler got his knees up, though.
Miz tagged in and delivered a clothesline to Ziggler. He stared at McMahon and demanded he try Coast-to-Coast on the prone former world champion. He did, connecting with the face of Ziggler and scoring the fall. (Elimination: Dolph Ziggler)
Lashley re-entered the ring, delivered a big overhead suplex and stomped away at McMahon. The boss tagged in Miz, and he suffered the same fate, enduring a beating at the hands of Lashley. A blind charge into the corner, though, saw Lashley collide with the ring post. With Lashley prone, McMahon received the tag and again tried for Coast-to-Coast.
This time, Strowman appeared and swatted McMahon in midair, knocking him down. Lashley tried for a pin, but Mysterio broke it up.
Strowman pinned Hardy after a powerslam. (Elimination: Jeff Hardy)
The Monster Among Men delivered another, catching Mysterio and slamming him to the mat for the fall. (Elimination: Rey Mysterio)
Miz looked dumbfounded as he realized it was him and McMahon against Lashley, McIntyre and Strowman.
Strowman chased down Miz, slammed him and won another fall. (Elimination: The Miz)
McMahon was the last man standing for Team SmackDown, faced with the impossible task of overcoming Strowman, Lashley and McIntyre if he was to emerge victoriously. Ever defiant, he implored Strowman to bring it, and the monster did.
He delivered a dropkick and powerslam to seal the win. (Elimination: Shane McMahon)
Result
Team Raw defeated Team SmackDown
Grade
C+
Analysis
This was a one-sided ass-kicking by Team Raw that only further cemented the idea that the flagship is a superior brand to SmackDown. That is interesting given the fact that Fox reportedly just spent over $1 billion to acquire the rights to SmackDown beginning next year.
Even with all of the dissension on the Raw side, SmackDown could not do enough to overcome the red brand. Why? Because the other team had three big men who needed protection, obviously.
Don't think that is the case? Look at the two guys who were eliminated: Balor and Ziggler. Not exactly the prototypical McMahon-favored big men.
Throw in stipulations that handcuffed the creative team, and Raw had to win, further delegitimizing SmackDown Live.
Speaking of delegitimizing SmackDown, why did it have to be McMahon that was the last man standing for the brand? Would it have killed the brand to put a defiant Joe in that position, fighting until he could not fight anymore for the brand that he calls home?
Apparently so, since he was dismissed early and treated like a complete joke.
This was a curiously booked match that did SmackDown no favors, put all the emphasis on Raw and left a bad taste in this writer's mouth.
