All good things come to an end, and with that, the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) Ontario tour wrapped up last night at the Canadian Tire Centre, where Monday Night Raw captivated an audience of around 10,000 fans.
The extremely diverse crowd last night made it crystal clear that the WWE appeals to anyone and everyone, but all were unified in their enthusiasm for the WWE.
Coming on the heels of Saturday’s Money in the Bank premium live event in Toronto, Ottawa fans saw the fallout—and there was a lot—on full display. Raw is a three-hour show, so this article will focus on three interesting storylines.
CM Punk and Seth Rollins
The show began with CM Punk addressing the WWE Universe (WWE’s fanbase). At Money in the Bank, Punk cost Drew McIntyre a WWE title as well as Seth Rollins. Seth confronted Punk and the two exchanged words. Was this encounter a set-up for a match at SummerSlam or perhaps a triple-threat match with the three gentlemen? Time will tell.
Sami Yazn and Bron Breaker
Montreal’s own Sami Zayn successfully defended his Intercontinental Championship on Saturday. He addressed the WWE Universe and celebrated his weekend win. But, his celebration was short-lived as his opponent from Saturday, Brpn Breaker, came out as well. It appeared at first that the two would have a peaceful exchange. Nope. Breaker took a cheap shot at Zayn opening the possibility for a rematch at SummerSlam.
ABOVE: Rhea Ripley confronts Dominki Mysterio at Monday Night Raw.
Rey Mysterio & Zelina Vega vs. Dominik Mysterio & Liv Morgan
There is so much to the storyline here: Rey Mysterio and his son Dominik have been at odds for a few years. Dominik’s ‘girlfriend’ Rhea Ripley was injured by Liv Morgan and has been sidelined for the last few months recuperating. Liv Morgan, who won the Women’s Championship, a title once held by Ripley, has also vowed to take everything from her, including Dominik. For the last few weeks, she has been . . . well, hitting on Dominik. For his part, Dominik has been rejecting the advances, but she keeps interjecting herself into his life.
Last night, they were forced to team up against Dominik’s father and his protégé Zelina Vega. The victorious Morgan and Dominik were celebrating in the ring and ended up in a compromising position. Suddenly, the music hit, heralding Rhea Ripley’s long-awaited return to a thunderous Canadian Tire Centre ovation. Morgan got out of the ring and ran into the crowd as quickly as possible while Dominik, who was caught red-handed, was left to deal with a very furious Rhea Ripley.
With all the storylines set up at Monday Night Raw, the anticipation for August’s SummerSlam event is mounting. I can’t wait to see how it turns out!
The WWE is well-produced, and after years of doing it, they make it seem effortless for all involved. Overall, Monday Night Raw was a fantastic show.
Considering the attendance and the widespread popularity of the WWE in Ottawa, it’s not a question of ‘if’ they will return, but rather ‘when’.
HEADER IMAGE: Fans may anticipate a Seth Rollins vs. CM Punk match at SummerSlam following their heated confrontation at Monday Night Raw.