On September 14, 2015, WWE Raw broadcasted live from Memphis, Tennessee, showcasing a landmark evening steeped in tension and history, highlighted by the unexpected alliance of John Cena and Sting in the ring. This episode, emphasizing the John Cena Sting Raw team, built anticipation for the upcoming Night of Champions pay-per-view, where Seth Rollins would defend both the WWE and U.S. Titles against Cena and Sting, respectively.
The night opened with The Authority, led by Triple H and Stephanie McMahon, unveiling ambitious plans to usher in a new era for WWE, heralding young talents and setting the stage for historic title matches. The anticipation was palpable as fans prepared to witness Sting’s Raw in-ring debut against Big Show followed by a highly charged tag team encounter featuring Sting and Cena against Rollins and Big Show.
Opening Segment: The Authority’s Vision and New Day’s Tag Title Defense
The show began with Triple H and Stephanie McMahon addressing the crowd with smiles that seemed at odds with their usual authoritative personas, promoting the season premiere of Raw as a turning point. Their focus was on new stars poised to shape WWE’s future, highlighting Seth Rollins as the centerpiece. They reminded fans of the unprecedented Night of Champions matches lined up, including Rollins defending the U.S. Title against John Cena and the WWE Title against Sting.
Stephanie also spotlighted the ongoing Divas Title rivalry between Nikki Bella and Charlotte, framing the night as one that promised fresh records and intense battles.
The first match saw WWE Tag Team Champions New Day (Kofi Kingston and Big E., accompanied by Xavier Woods) defending their titles against the Prime Time Players (Titus O’Neil and Darren Young). New Day’s engaging mix of in-ring skill and charismatic showmanship, including trombone antics from Xavier Woods, carried them to victory after a methodical dismantling of their challengers.
Post-match, The Dudley Boyz appeared on stage to set up their upcoming Night of Champions Tag Title confrontation with New Day, keeping the momentum of the tag division in focus.
Diva’s Championship Battle and Backstage Dynamics
Nikki Bella’s pursuit of Divas Title history against challenger Charlotte was a highly anticipated clash. Backstage, Charlotte, visibly supported by her father Ric Flair, expressed confidence in her readiness to claim the title. An intense in-ring encounter between Nikki and Charlotte unfolded, marked by strategic maneuvers and chaos ringside, culminating in a controversial finish.
Charlotte managed to pin Nikki downstream of backstage interference from Brie Bella, but the celebration was short-lived as Stephanie McMahon intervened, overturning the decision and maintaining Nikki Bella’s reign under questionable rules. Stephanie announced that Nikki would defend her title in a No Disqualification match at Night of Champions, setting the stage for a volatile rematch and underscoring the Authority’s manipulative grip on the division.
A Show of Strength: John Cena Battles Sheamus
John Cena’s in-ring return pitted him against Sheamus, who held the Money in the Bank briefcase and was a looming threat for future title cash-ins. The bout was a physical, hard-fought contest with the crowd roaring through exchange after exchange. Cena demonstrated his trademark resilience and experience, surviving a variety of offensive onslaughts from Sheamus.
Despite being battered with Sheamus’s forearm strikes and submission attempts, Cena turned the tides with an Attitude Adjustment finishing move, securing his win after 14 minutes and 45 seconds. This victory fortified Cena’s position as a credible challenger for the U.S. Title at Night of Champions and reaffirmed his central role in WWE’s main event picture.
Intercontinental Title Tensions: Ryback vs. Kevin Owens
The IC Title storyline intensified backstage and in-ring as champion Ryback engaged in a tense exchange with challenger Kevin Owens. Owens’s taunts and dismissal of Ryback’s mindset clashed with Ryback’s proclamations of strength and perseverance, underscoring Ryback’s determination to climb back to the top despite setbacks.
Ryback secured a title match against Owens at Night of Champions, heightening anticipation for their showdown where both men vowed to prove their dominance.
Wyatt Family Challenges: Miz TV Segment Sparks Chaos
The Miz hosted a Miz TV segment featuring the menacing Wyatt Family—Bray Wyatt, Luke Harper, and Braun Strowman—in a dark and unsettling environment that matched the group’s ominous aura. Questions about Braun Strowman’s identity led to cryptic threats of destruction for The Miz and his rivals.
The segment erupted when Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose, members of The Shield, interrupted, escalating hostilities and signaling a forthcoming 3-on-3 clash set for Night of Champions. Reigns boldly presented an unknown third partner for their team, clarifying that their combined forces would confront Bray Wyatt’s faction to settle the score.
Emerging Rivalries: Cesaro, Rusev, and Ziggler’s Involvement
Cesaro and Rusev engaged in a hard-hitting match that saw interference by Dolph Ziggler, who disrupted Rusev and later attacked him after Cesaro’s win by roll-up. The conflict added complexity to the ongoing storylines, setting up their own bout for Night of Champions with Summers Rae and Lana contributing to the dramatic tension backstage.
Rusev’s frustration was palpable in his backstage rant, revealing deeper narrative layers and personal drama, especially involving Summer Rae, amplifying the emotional stakes for viewers.
Sting’s Highly Anticipated Raw In-Ring Debut Against Big Show
The crowning moment of the evening was Sting’s first-ever in-ring appearance on Raw, clashing against Big Show in a bout steeped in nostalgia and fierce competition. The match referenced their storied WCW past, with Sting displaying flashes of agility and iconic moves like the Stinger Splash and DDT.
The confrontation ended prematurely after Seth Rollins interrupted, leading to a disqualification as Big Show assaulted Sting. John Cena then charged to the ring’s aid, clearing the ring of the antagonists and shifting momentum dramatically.
The First John Cena and Sting Team-Up: A Defining Tag Match
Immediately following the interference, The Authority booked an impromptu tag team match pairing John Cena and Sting against Seth Rollins and Big Show. This first-time tag team combined Sting’s veteran instincts with Cena’s powerhouse offense to overcome Rollins and Show after a grueling and chaotic bout.
Sting’s signature Scorpion Death Drop followed by a submission from the Scorpion Deathlock forced Rollins to tap out, while Cena simultaneously subdued Big Show, marking a significant victory for the newly formed alliance. This win energized the WWE universe, igniting expectations for their continued partnership leading into Night of Champions.
Significance and Future Implications for WWE
This episode of Raw was pivotal in reshaping WWE’s landscape by uniting two generations in John Cena and Sting, whose alliance symbolizes a bridge between past and present. Their victory over Rollins and Big Show signals a powerful challenge to The Authority’s grip on the company and injects fresh momentum into the upcoming Night of Champions event.
The outcomes of the Divas Title controversy, the emerging multi-man conflicts, and the evolving rivalries across various divisions underscore a period of unrest and high stakes within WWE, matching the urgency and intensity reflected in the evening’s matches and storylines.
As WWE prepares for Night of Champions, fans can anticipate explosive developments from these narrative threads, including potential cash-ins, title changes, and further escalations of personal feuds that promise to captivate audiences in the weeks ahead.
