Slim Jim and WWE continue to be an entertaining combination.
For WWE fans of a certain age, long before the current era where sponsorships and endorsements are woven more and more into the fabric of the actual shows (and likely to only increase under Endeavor’s watch),the Slim Jim ads featuring “Macho Man” Randy Savage were iconic. There was simply something undeniably perfect about Macho Man imploring you to “snap into a Slim Jim” with his trademark “Oh yeah!” following right behind. It was a product and pitchman match made in marketing heaven.
Yet that doesn’t mean Slim Jim can’t do great stuff with the current batch of WWE superstars. As evidence, we submit the video posted by WWE today, with an Alpha Academy training session getting interrupted by R-Truth.
In classic Truth fashion, he misunderstood the assignment and was supposed to bring kendo sticks, not meat sticks. But as it turns out, that’s just fine with Otis.
Truth has been on something of a heater since he returned to WWE a few months ago, injecting new dimensions and unexpected humor into The Judgment Day. Otis is just great all the time, and one of our favorite wrestlers to interview.
As for Slim Jim, it had a prominent presence at SummerSlam last year in Detroit (big ups for having the whole press box stocked with mini Slim Jims) and doesn’t appear to be losing its appetite for teaming with WWE any time soon. Snap into that, indeed.
See which set of tag team title challengers broke through on WWE Raw from Des Moines.
We’re nearly out of days in 2023, and tonight’s WWE Raw from Des Moines, Iowa very well could be the last live televised show of the year. And with that being the case, why not finish strong?
It looks like we might have exactly that kind of card tonight, with three championships on the line. One is a rematch between Gunther and The Miz for the Ring General’s Intercontinental Championship. Miz has shown the drive and form to work himself back for a second shot, but as many have found out, standing up to Gunther and defeating him are two very different propositions.
Both the men’s and women’s tag team titles are also at stake in Des Moines. In both cases, there are up and coming teams looking to prove they’ve truly arrived — The Creed Brothers and Kayden Carter and Katana Chance. Can one or both duos succeed and claim their first main roster gold?
Warm up your singing muscles, as we’ll see Seth Rollins get some microphone time tonight. The World Heavyweight Champion did some verbal jousting with CM Punk last week, but he’s got a (literally) bigger foe to worry about first in the form of a very focused Drew McIntyre. Rollins might not even make it past Jan. 1 with his title if he doesn’t keep his eye on the Scottish Warrior.
Last but not least, R-Truth has been an unexpectedly delightful monkey wrench thrown into The Judgment Day’s machine as of late. We’ll see if he can avoid taking a big ‘L’ in Iowa as he faces JD McDonagh in a Miracle on 34th Street Fight.
We’re looking forward to taking in all the action and recapping it right here for you, so let’s get to it.
WWE Raw results from Des Moines:
(please scroll down for full details on any match or segment in bold)
The Judgment Day is in the building … and so is R-Truth
R-Truth def. JD McDonagh by pinfall in a Miracle on 24th Street Fight
Kayden Carter and Katana Chance are feeling good ahead of their tag team title shot tonight
Becky Lynch can’t quite get Nia Jax to fight tonight but does get a taste of her power
Kofi Claus drops off a YEET shirt for #DIY, who give some props to The Miz before he gets a backstage interview to suggest he’s ready to finish what he started the first time he rattled Gunther
Gunther def. The Miz by pinfall to retain the WWE Intercontinental Championship;Â according to the stipulation, Miz can’t challenge for this title again as long as Gunther holds it
The other members of Imperium congratulate Gunther, but he berates the whole year as a complete write-off for them, and says he expects them to grind and impress him for a few weeks while he takes a much deserved break; Kofi Claus also stops by to give Ludwig Kaiser some coal
Shinsuke Nakamura treats everyone to an atmospheric reading of “The American Nightmare Before Christmas,” but Cody Rhodes is unamused by the personal attacks it contains and attacks him, with their battle heading all the way from backstage to the ring before WWE officials can finally separate them
Chelsea Green and Piper Niven try to convince Adam Pearce to cancel their title match but fail; Bronson Reed stops by afterward to discuss Gunther’s next challenger
Kayden Carter and Katana Chance def. Chelsea Green and Piper Niven by pinfall to become the new WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions
Akira Tozawa surprises his Alpha Academy teammates by informing them he has a match with Ivar, and Chad Gable can only cringe at the thought
The new tag team champs get some props backstage before heading out to party, while some other tag teams (Shayna Baszler and Zoey Stark, and Natalya and Tegan Nox, specifically) discuss how Carter and Chance
Ivar def. Akira Tozawa by pinfall
CM Punk’s decision to sign with Raw and subsequent showdown with Seth Rollins is replayed
Seth Rollins and Drew McIntyre speak their minds, but one person takes it to a physical level
The Creed Brothers geek out a bit after Cody Rhodes wishes them good luck and says he hopes they win tonight
Ludwig Kaiser and Giovanni Vinci beat up Kofi Claus, but Jey Uso hands out some “season’s yeetings” as payback, and Uso makes it clear he wants Kaiser in the ring
Jey Uso def. Ludwig Kaiser by pinfall
The Judgment Day tries to console McDonagh, and he’s not kicked out of the group, and Ripley tells Priest and Balor to take care of business tonight
Damian Priest and Finn Balor def. The Creed Brothers by pinfall to retain the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship
Image credit: WWE.com
The Judgment Day still can’t quite convince R-Truth he’s not in the group
After Damian Priest tells us to all rise, Finn Balor congratulates The Creed Brothers on getting to the No. 1 contenders spot. But where it’s the biggest night of their life, it’s just another night at the office for the tag team champs.
Rhea Ripley delivers a warning to Ivy Nile and promises The Judgment Day will continue to run things in 2024, but Dominik Mysterio is interrupted by R-Truth. He didn’t know they were opening the show and thinks the beatdown he got last week was his initiation into the group, even though it hurt him physically and emotionally.
Since everyone is looking for a fight, Truth needs someone to beat up on, and the fans suggest JD McDonagh. He suggests a Miracle on 34th Street Fight, to which JD tells him it’s already been booked and it’s happening right now. Truth says there’s an added stipulation: It’s a Loser Leaves Judgment Day match.
Priest likes that idea, and even though Ripley does not, McDonagh seems like he’s fine with it.
Image credit: WWE.com
JD McDonagh has a Blue Christmas at the hands of R-Truth
The announcers debate whether there really is a stipulation in effect saying McDonagh has to leave The Judgment Day if he loses. He has some assistance from Dirty Dom to try to avoid finding out.
Truth delights the crowd by getting out a table, but McDonagh plays Scrooge by dropkicking him in short order. Dom trips Truth but ends up driving Truth’s head into his teammate’s groin, and Christmas trees and a fire extinguisher also come into play.
A flurry of offense by R-Truth has JD down, and a Five Knuckle Shuffle pays homage to John Cena. McDonagh ends up atop a table, and even when he escapes, Truth ends up almost accidentally driving him through it for the pinfall. Michael Cole is excited that JD is out, but we’ll see if he really is.
Image credit: WWE.com
Becky Lynch and Nia Jax are going to fight … but not tonight
Becky Lynch interrupts Nia Jax before she can even say a word, unimpressed that she’s out to announce she’s entering the Royal Rumble.
In response, Jax suggests that the reason they’ve never had a singles match is because everyone is scared Nia would destroy the “moneymaker of the company.” The Man disagrees, saying that Jax is the one who is scared and that she’s the one whose existence is owed to others.
To prove her wrong, why not fight right there? Jax calls for a ref and Michael Cole is excited, as are the fans. But you know what’s coming — Jax backs off, saying this will happen on her terms, and in her hometown of San Diego in two weeks on the Day 1 episode of Raw.
Jax is laughing as she turns to leave, but not for long as Lynch goes firing up the ramp to attack her. That goes poorly for The Man, though, as one right hand sends Becky to the ground.
Image credit: WWE.com
No shame in defeat as The Miz pushes Gunther to the limit
If Miz loses this, he can’t challenge again for this title as long as Gunther holds it. Those are high stakes.
The champ tries to bully Miz early on, smiling after he chops the challenger down. But Miz briefly grabs an ankle lock, suggesting he’s very much up for this, and Gunther has to wiggle over for a couple of rope breaks.
After Miz misses a swinging kick to the floor, Gunther greets him with a chop and powerbombs him on the apron. It’s still the champ in control after a commercial break as the fans try to rally The Miz.
Gunther is playing to the crowd as he continues his methodical attack, and Miz’s chest is showing numerous welts. The challenger finally connects on a running clothesline, but Gunther kicks him out of midair and tortures him on the top turnbuckle.
Finally a potential break as Miz ducks a chop and Gunther’s hand smacks the post before we go for more ads. Miz breaks out of a sleeperhold when we return, trying to continue working Gunther’s hand.
The champ can’t get a Boston Crab applied but switches to a reverse crossface; Miz breaks free and hits a DDT. Miz looks confident now, executing a tilt-a-whirl DDT for a two count.
A missile dropkick leads to a powerbomb, and the champ has his own near fall. Gunther flips Miz right over into a Boston Crab, and the crowd comes alive again as Miz makes it to the ropes for a break.
As Gunther tries to hammer Miz on his knees, the challenger smiles and waves him in. Miz comes close to stealing a win, then switches to a Skull Crushing Finale and getting very close to the three.
Will that be as close as Miz gets? Gunther hits a big punch and heads up top, fighting off the challenger for a second. Miz kicks Gunther in the hand and nails the Skull Crushing Finale off the second rope. But they don’t call him the Ring General for nothing, and Gunther uses Miz’s brief delay to roll out of the ring.
When they return to the ring, it’s powerbomb/clothesline/powerbomb for Gunther, and he stacks up his foe to finally bring it to a close.
Image credit: WWE.com
Let the party commence: Kayden Carter and Katana Chance are tag team champs
Niven has a serious power advantage against both of the challengers, so we’ll see if they can use their speed and teamwork to neutralize that. Piper manages to squash both of them with a corner bomb, but it’s only good for a near fall prior to commercials.
It’s Green taking the brunt of the punishment when the broadcast returns, especially when Niven accidentally lands on her. Carter nearly pins her and looks frazzled when it’s only two.
Carter and Green go to the top rope, but nothing huge ends up connecting and Chelsea ends up hitting a Famouser of sorts for two. Niven tags back in for a running senton on Carter, who is saved by Chance.
The challengers have Niven in some trouble with the Keg Stand, but Green saves her partner at the absolute last moment. Chelsea isn’t out of the woods, though, and she takes the Afterparty and can’t kick out. We’ve got new tag team champs, folks.
Image credit: WWE.com
Drew McIntyre doesn’t want any pity from Seth Rollins
Iowa’s own gets a warm welcome from the fans in Des Moines. Rollins says things are heating up around here, and that the little “confrontation” he had last week (with CM Punk) has him more motivated than ever. Seth says he’s planning for a big 2024, and that stars on Day 1 when he faces Drew McIntyre.
Speak of the devil … er, the Scottish Warrior. McIntyre joins Rollins in the ring but is warned to “tread lightly.” McIntyre says he isn’t there to fight but instead to say he’s proud of Rollins for standing up to Punk and telling him the truth. “And that, my friend, is a real leader.”
McIntyre says the last time he went home he wondered if the sacrifices he’s made were worth it, and that Rollins might understand it because his wife, Becky Lynch, is on the same journey far from home. Drew says he doesn’t want Seth’s title, he needs it so he can find out if all the sacrifices he’s made were worth it — and he’s willing to hurt Seth to get it.
Rollins says he wants to believe McIntyre but his actions and words haven’t lined up. He does respect Drew, however, because of the way he worked his way back into title contention after Crown Jewel. But what makes McIntyre think the outcome will be any different this time? Is it just the willingness to take shortcuts? Either way, Seth muses, Drew isn’t taking responsibility for his actions.
The champs says he pities McIntyre as a result, and that finally gets the Scottish Warrior to snap. A brief scuffle leads to Drew giving Seth an Alabama Slam on the steps, leaving Rollins grasping his left arm in pain.
Image credit: WWE.com
Damian Priest, Finn Balor squeak by The Creed Brothers to retain
The Creeds look bright to start, with Brutus in command after a quick commercial break. Balor is getting double teamed and not enjoying it, but Priest low bridges Julius and treats him to a clothesline.
Rhea Ripley is doing some distracting as well, but she gets dangerously close to getting taken out. The champs stay in control through another commercial break, so the question now is whether the Creeds have another rally in them.
Brutus makes it look like he does, showing off some impressive strength by suplexing Priest. Both sides make tags, but it’s Julius hurling Balor all over the place and following with a standing Shooting Star Press for two on Finn.
Is it Brutus Ball time? Priest says no as he intercepts. Julius and Balor both clothesline each other at once, and Ripley gets into it with Ivy Nile on the outside, paying for it by getting bounced off the apron.
Balor is in trouble again, taking the Brutus Ball, but Priest hustles to make the save. A dropkick prevents a South of Heaven, but Julius responds by flying to the floor to take out Priest.
All four men might figure into this finish; Priest takes the Brutus Ball, but Balor hits Julius with a Coup de Grace to the back as he covers. Amidst the commotion, Priest is able to hit Julius with a South of Heaven, covering to secure the win.
Also tonight on WWE Raw from Cleveland, CM Punk tells the world where he’s signing.
The funny thing about revenge is that it getting it might not make you feel all the way better about what got you upset in the first place. That’s worth keeping in mind for Drew McIntyre as he gets a one-on-one match with Jey Uso tonight on WWE Raw from Cleveland.
If you’ve been watching WWE programming over the past few months, you’re familiar with McIntyre’s grievances. Headed for one of the biggest victories of his career, in front of friends and family at Clash at the Castle in the fall of 2022, the Scottish Warrior instead tasted bitter defeat thanks to The Bloodline.
You may also recall that Jey Uso was a member of said Bloodline.
Jey has made amends with most people since becoming one of the top fan favorites on Raw, but McIntyre — who arguably had the biggest and most understandable gripe of all — couldn’t forgive or forget. That truth has shaped all of his actions as of late.
The question now is whether Drew will feel like that void inside would be filled even if he beats Jey. And the guess here is that no, it probably won’t. But that’s what makes McIntyre so compelling right now.
Oh, and there’s also something big going on with CM Punk tonight: He’s going to tell the world if he’s signing with Raw or SmackDown. Wonder if a certain World Heavyweight Champion might try to influence his decision one way or another …
We’re ready for all of this. We’re even ready to yeet again. Let’s do the thing.
WWE Raw results from Cleveland:
(please scroll down for full details on any match or segment in bold)
Jey Uso welcomes everyone to Raw, is excited about having yeet back and says get well to Sami Zayn before he takes on Drew McIntyre; The Scottish Warrior says he doesn’t want CM Punk on Raw and offers a semi-apology to Zayn before explaining again why he’s justified in seeking revenge against Jey
Drew McIntyre def. Jey Uso by pinfall after using a thumb to the eye to soften up Uso for a Claymore
CM Punk’s promo from SmackDown is replayed ahead of his big decision tonight
The Shinsuke Nakamura warning for Cody Rhode is played again too
There’s finger pointing in The Judgment Day clubhouse, and plenty of blame to go around, but Damian Priest and Rhea Ripley get into it more than anyone
Alpha Academy and The Creed Brothers fire up Maxxine Dupri, and Chad Gable warns R-Truth not to keep messing with The Judgment Day as he prepares to put holiday lights in their clubhouse
Rhea Ripley def. Maxxine Dupri by submission
A video promotes Kayden Carter and Katana Chance
Adam Pearce is shown entering CM Punk’s dressing room
CM Punk makes the choice to sign with Raw, setting off a passionate confrontation with Seth Rollins
Bronson Reed and Ivar talk some asynchronous trash to each other as they get ready to do battle
Bronson Reed def. Ivar by pinfall
The Judgment Day says hi to Punk, with Priest saying he hopes Punk is the one to finish a story around here, because if he does, Damian will be the one waiting for him
The Judgment Day tries to have some fun at the expense of R-Truth
McIntyre tells Punk he doesn’t care about anything but finishing his story and that he has that figured out, and he quickly says hi to Kofi Kingston, Chad Gable and Ricochet, who Pearce wants to talk to
Kayden Carter and Katana Chance def. Candice LeRae and Indi Hartwell by pinfall as Chelsea Green and Piper Niven watch on guest commentary
#DIY discuss their mystery partner, not revealing his identity to Ludwig Kaiser, and Gunther stops by to wish them luck and express his skepticism over anyone teaming with them
Becky Lynch wants to “end” the lie that Nia Jax made her career, but Jax is willing to make her wait
Cody Rhodes says he’d be a lot more excited about facing Nakamura if he hadn’t been misted in the face, but agrees with Shinsuke’s assertion that he asked for this
#DIY and The Miz def. Imperium by pinfall
Gunther berates his flunkies as per usual, then turn arounds and finds Miz demanding an Intercontinental Championship rematch; Gunther grants it, but says the condition is that if he wins, Miz can’t challenge for it again as long as he’s champion, and Miz accepts it
Cody Rhodes def. Shinsuke Nakamura by DQÂ after Nakamura uses the mist on Rhodes, and a post-match attack gets in some more punishment on Cody until The Creed Brothers can make the save … but Nakamura runs down for one more shot as Rhodes is being helped to the back
Image credit: WWE.com
Drew McIntyre continues further into the shadow realm, cheating to defeat Jey Uso
Spinning out of the opening segment, McIntyre doesn’t even get his jacket off before Uso sends him to the floor and the show to commercials. After the break, Jey gets a near fall with a cross body off the top.
McIntyre fires back to pummel Uso near the ropes, dropping right hands repeatedly. A vertical suplex follows, allowing the Scottish Warrior to continue his measured attack.
Jey takes some additional punishment in the corner and while strung through the ropes. Uso finally gets an opening, and he takes full advantage with a suicide dive before ads set in again.
We return to find McIntyre in the Tree of Woe, then quickly out as he sits up and hurls Uso off the top rope. He also used the bottom of the ring as a weapon during the commercials, which made for a pretty cool replay.
Uso fights back with right hands until a Glasgow Kiss halts him in his tracks. Drew goes up top but gets caught with a superkick to the gut when Jey rolls away. A Samoan Drop is next, but McIntyre kicks out at two.
McIntyre reaches back to execute a neckbreaker, then kips up. He heads to the corner opposite Uso but his Claymore attempt is countered with a superkick. An Uso Splash is next, but it catches nothing but knees, and Jey has to dig down to kick out at two following the Future Shock.
With Uso slow to rise, McIntyre removes the turnbuckle cover atop one corner. He rushes in again but no Claymore as a spear catches him first, and Uso earns another near fall.
As the ref looks at the turnbuckle, McIntyre thumbs Uso in the eye, following up with a Claymore to get the three count.
Image credit: WWE.com
Rhea Ripley has little trouble with Maxxine Dupri
This seems like a tough spot for Dupri, though at least she has Ivy Nile out there to support her. She slaps the champ in the face early on, which seems more brave than smart.
Dupri doesn’t really pull off flinging Ripley into the corner with her legs, then gets slammed down afterward. And again. She ends up twisting Dupri like a pretzel with her knee on Maxxine’s neck, and a tapout isn’t long to follow.
Nile confronts Ripley after the bell, which is interesting.
Image credit: WWE.com
CM Punk makes Adam Pearce happy, but Seth Rollins is not so thrilled
Adam Pearce says the man who’s coming out needs no introduction but does need to make a decision. Punk joins him in the ring and says he thought he was a bit sullen until he came out and saw the fans and the signs.
Punk says “we” have a decision to make and notes that Cleveland hasn’t always been kind to him. There are a lot of ghosts in these hallways, as he remembers his debut in this building and his return as world champion. The latter incident involved him getting kicked in the head backstage by Randy Orton and being stripped of his title.
Then 10 years ago, Punk had to make the hardest decision of his life, walking out in Cleveland. If you were disappointed when he did that, Punk apologizes.
He muses about how the deal that Pearce put together was better than the other brands, but he says that when he saw Cleveland was the location of tonight’s show, his mind was pretty much made up. Ten years ago he walked out, and tonight he’s walking right back in. Yep, Punk is home on Raw.
Punk signs for a happy Pearce, but someone is not: Seth Rollins. The World Heavyweight Champion heads straight to the ring to stare Punk down, then grabs a microphone. Rollins is offended by Punk calling WWE his home, though the fans chant for CM right after that.
Rollins accuses Punk of abandoning WWE and slandering the talent over the past 10 years. “This is not your home, this is my home!”
The champ calls the other talent and the fans his family and that he’ll do everything possible to protect it from people like Punk. Rollins says he wants to ensure that Punk understands something: “I hate you.” But if he’s going to be in WWE, Rollins wants him on Raw, because this is CM’s last chance, and either Punk will self destruct, or if he has changed and has any gas left in the tank, Seth can expose him as a fraud in a title match.
“I will wrestle circles around you, and I will make you understand in real time what it means to be the best in the world.”
Punk asks if Rollins is done and says this is Seth’s one pass to speak to him disrespectfully. He also confirms he’s entering the Royal Rumble and when he wins, maybe it’s Seth he’s coming after.
Image credit: WWE.com
Bronson Reed wins battle of big men with Ivar
Big E, this one is for you! Reed gets off to a fast start, punishing his foe until a double clothesline puts them both down. They both take each other down on the outside as well, leading to commercials.
There’s more craziness when we return, with Ivar hitting a cannonball off the apron onto Reed. But the retaliation is even more impressive as it takes the form of a massive superplex, allowing Reed to get the three count.
Image credit: WWE.com
The Judgment Day wants to remind everyone who they are, but The Creed Brothers aren’t listening
Trying to get some of their mojo back, the four men in The Judgment Day say they are putting everyone, old, new and returning alike, on notice. They’re about to specifically address The Creed Brothers when R-Truth joins them.
He’s confused about the locks on the clubhouse, getting him a tongue lashing from JD McDonagh. But Damian Priest invites him into the ring, saying he wants to hear what Truth has to say.
Alas, the first thing he has to say is that he thinks McDonagh should be kicked out. Second, Priest needs to quit calling himself the boss because it makes Mami mad.
Damian says everyone likes R-Truth … except him. Priest lays him out and the others join in, but The Creed Brothers come hustling to the rescue. They’re outnumbered, but that hardly matters as they manage to clear the ring anyway.
Image credit: WWE.com
Becky Lynch wants to fight, but Nia Jax is content to make her wait
Wasting no time, Lynch says she’s here to call out Jax. While they’ve never had a singles match, they’re linked forever by the right hand that smashed Lynch’s face five years ago in a Raw vs. SmackDown battle.
After Becky gets in some barbs on Nia, Jax has heard enough and heads down to the ring. Nia says she’s right there in front of her better than ever, and says the punch was just a lucky swing … and it still almost ended Lynch’s career. Just imagine what her full force would do.
Jax claims Lynch owes her career to Nia, which Becky takes offense to as she should. It wasn’t just about a broken face but getting back up and persevering. The Man says she needs to end the lie or end Jax, which amuses Nia since she figures Becky needs to prove it to herself.
Lynch says she came looking for a fight and offers Jax a free shot, but Nia says Becky needs this a lot more than I do and walks away.
Image credit: WWE.com
Cleveland’s finest: The Miz, #DIY join forces to defeat Imperium
Michael Cole reminds us how truly unlikely the team of Johnny Gargano, Tommaso Ciampa and The Miz are given the history between them. That feels like a lifetime ago now.
DIY shows off their usual excellent teamwork early, but a big boot from Gunther to Ciampa changes that in a hurry before a commercial break.
It’s Imperium’s turn to show off some teamwork now, even with the issues they’ve been having. Gargano geta a hot tag, however, and his flurry leads to a slingshot spear to Ludwig Kaiser that forces a save from Giovanni Vinci.
The Miz finally enters the fray, much to the delight of his hometown fans, hitting a cross body and some kicks on Gunther. More kicks force the IC champ back into the corner, but only until Gunther can catch one of them and lock in a Boston Crab.
Things break down as multiple men hit the ring, and Gargano and Miz both hit tornado DDTs at nearly the same time. Miz gets the Figure Four on Gunther while Gargano gets the Gargano Escape on Kaiser.
Alas, Gunther tags Vinci, who drops an elbow on Miz. But Miz gets Vinci in position for a Skull Crushing Finale, and he hits it to secure the victory.
Image credit: WWE.com
Shinsuke Nakamura proves it’s not about defeating Cody Rhodes
Is Nakamura more dangerous than he’s ever been? We’ll see here, but it is kind of crazy they’ve never wrestled a singles match before. Shinsuke is a step ahead of Cody early on, sending Rhodes to the floor with a sliding kick.
Rhodes is experiencing Good Vibrations when the broadcast returns, and his attempt to battle back is halted by another stiff kick. Shinsuke grabs a headlock as Cody shows to the ref he’s not fading.
A Cody Cutter is blocked, and Nakamura tries for an armbar, even countering out of a Cross Rhodes attempt to stay at it. Shinsuke hits his sliding release German suplex, smiling before a jumping knee off the top earns him a near fall.
A Kinshasa attempt is cut off by a low dropkick that chops out Nakamura’s legs. Rhodes hits a dragon screw with his foe trapped in the ropes, then drops him face first after lifting him in from the apron.
Rhodes administers a half crab, and Nakamura has to will himself to the ropes for a break. Both men go crashing to the outside as we break for ads one last time.
They’re back inside and slugging it out now. Nakamura wins that exchange, but Rhodes hits a flying forearm shot and a powerslam to regain the momentum. He has to fall backward, however, when Shinsuke hops on his back for a sleeper.
Both have slowed now, but Rhodes is able to catch his opponent with a Disaster Kick that’s good for a two count. Here come punches and a Bionic Elbow, and the Cody Cutter is on the mark too. Rhodes wants Cross Rhodes but gets the red mist to the face.
The ref calls for the bell, but Nakamura doesn’t care continuing his attack. A blinded Rhodes attempts to fight back, but Shinsuke drops him to his knees and hits the Kinshasa to the back of the head.
With Shinsuke wielding a chair, The Creed Brothers head down to prevent any more damage, and Nakamura decides to retreat since his job is done.
Except when Rhodes is being helped to the back, Nakamura comes running down and gets in one more shot. Thanks for nothing, Creeds.
Seth Rollins still has his title, but an angry Drew McIntyre is trouble for him and everyone on WWE Raw.
Will Seth Rollins regret giving Jey Uso a chance to defeat him for the World Heavyweight Championship? That’s what we’re about to find out in what should be the main event tonight on WWE Raw from Albany, N.Y.
Not that Jey doesn’t deserve the opportunity, mind you. He’s been pulling his weight and fighting the good fight against heels like The Judgment Day ever since he joined the Raw roster.
But not only could he potentially defeat Rollins, there’s also every chance certain interested outside parties could disrupt things. Drew McIntyre, for one, who would be livid if Jey won the world championship. The Judgment Day certainly hasn’t forgiven Uso or Rollins for the loss they helped hand the group in WarGames.
The other members of that team (minus Randy Orton, who decided to sign with SmackDown) also have their hands full tonight. Sami Zayn will battle McIntyre after trying to help his mental state last week. The thanks we get sometimes.
Cody Rhodes has a new problem after it was revealed that the person Shinsuke Nakamura has been stalking was him. Originally it looked like they were going one-on-one tonight, but now apparently we’re just getting a Cody appearance of some sort.
Plus there’s a potentially important women’s division matchup between Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler, and The Creed Brothers taking on two-fifths of The Judgment Day. Plenty of good reasons to watch, so let’s see what this night brings.
WWE Raw results from Albany:
(please scroll down for full details on any match or segment in bold)
Drew McIntyre says what he thinks to Sami Zayn, who touches a nerve with his response
Drew McIntyre def. Sami Zayn by pinfall
Shayna Baszler says it was her that put Nia Jax on the shelf a while back, and she’ll remind the world of that tonight
Jey Uso explains in his own words why it hurt so much for his twin brother to sabotage his last world title opportunity against Roman Reigns and how Cody Rhodes convinced him to make his own legacy
Not content with beating him in the ring, McIntyre finds Zayn backstage and beats him down some more, yelling Sami he brought it on himself
Medical personnel check on Zayn as Uso tries to tell him it’s going to be alright
Becky Lynch is asked by Nia Jax if she’s on The Man’s list, and when Becky confirms she is, Jax promises “I’m all yours” after she’s done with Baszler
Nia Jax def. Shayna Baszler by pinfall, then takes a powder when Lynch comes down to the ring
A package of reactions to CM Punk’s return is shown
Candice LeRae and Indi Hartwell wish #DIY good luck and manage to turn around Imperium’s efforts to mock them; Ludwig Kaiser and Giovanni Vinci tell each other they better not mess this up
#DIY def. Imperium (Giovanni Vinci and Ludwig Kaiser) 2-1 in a 2 out of 3 Falls match
Chelsea Green and Piper Niven taunt Natalya and Tegan Nox just for fun, then bounce
The New Day congratulates The Creed Brothers for being the No. 1 contenders for the tag team titles, and Alpha Academy offers to help train them; Ivy Nile gets props for her strength, but Maxxine Dupri proves she’s no slouch by squatting Akira Tozawa
R-Truth befuddles The Judgment Day until they kick him out of their clubhouse, and Damian Priest gives Dominik Mysterio and JD McDonagh a pep talk
Katana Chance and Kayden Carter def. Natalya and Tegan Nox by pinfall, angering Green for some reason, who gets blasted off the apron by Chance
Cody Rhodes gets an explanation for Shinsuke Nakamura’s behavior from Shinsuke himself
Uso asks Adam Pearce for an update on Zayn, saying he’s going to have to handle McIntyre too if needed and talking about how fired up he is; Gunther also stops by to discuss his next challenger
The Creed Brothers def. Dominik Mysterio and JD McDonagh by pinfall
Pearce tells Seth Rollins he invited CM Punk to Raw next week and intends to sign Punk to a contract; Rollins says that’s fine, but when it all blows up, everyone needs to stay out of his way; Jey drops by too, and it quickly becomes clear they’re going to be respectful but very competitive
Priest wants an explanation, and his teammates tell him that the Creeds are legit
Seth Rollins def. Jey Uso by pinfall to retain the World Heavyweight Championship
After the match, McIntyre attacks Uso and puts him through the announce table as the show goes off the air
Sami Zayn touches a nerve with Drew McIntyre
The Scottish Warrior says it feels like everyone’s lost their minds recently, because you can leave the company, do whatever and come back and you’re instantly forgiven. The crowd starts a “CM Punk” chant but McIntyre insists he could be talking about anybody.
Sarcastically, Drew goes in on a few people, including Jey Uso, before arriving on Sami Zayn, whose music hits and brings him to the ring. Zayn asks for McIntyre to say what he wants right to this face. Drew says Sami is the one person in the world who deserved to be screwed over by The Bloodline.
After all, Sami joined The Bloodline, then screwed them over. Zayn admits McIntyre was right about one thing: They’re nothing alike. Sami says he’s not delusional and not one to blame others for his own shortcomings. When he failed to grab the brass ring in front of friends and family, he stayed hungry and driven, eventually finding redemption in the main event of WrestleMania.
Zayn says he made his family proud, but did McIntyre? An angry Scottish Warrior says get a referee now because one of them isn’t walking out of there …
Drew McIntyre doesn’t let compassion stop him against Sami Zayn
The announcers remind us that McIntyre told the world that he let his empathy take over for a second when he took on Seth Rollins for the world championship and it cost him, so he won’t do it again. Wade Barrett also says Drew is upset about being left off the Royal Rumble poster.
He’s all over Sami after an early commercial break, and even though Sami halts Drew’s momentum with an elbow shot off the top, he lands hard on his ankle. Zayn persists with a tilt-a-whirl DDT to earn a near fall.
The fans get behind Sami, chanting his name as he tries another top rope elbow, which is caught and countered by a belly-to-belly, then another, then a neckbreaker. McIntyre kips up and shakes the ropes, drawing a mixed reaction from the fans and allowing Zayn to get in a shot with his back turned.
Alas, when Sami takes flight to the floor, Drew catches him and effortlessly slings him over the announce table. McIntyre is still in control after a second set of commercials, with Zayn taking a series of power moves and needing to dig down and keep kicking out.
McIntyre heads up to the middle rope with Zayn on his shoulders, but Sami counters with a sunset flip powerbomb for a two count. Sami also counters a Claymore with a kick and hits a Blue Thunder Bomb, only to see Drew kick out again.
An exchange of chops and kicks goes surprisingly well for Zayn until his injured leg flares up on him. Drew takes full advantage with a chop block, leading to a Claymore that ends things for Sami.
“The truth will set you free,” McIntyre says into the camera.
Nia Jax outlasts Shayna Baszler but has Becky Lynch’s full attention
Baszler tries to attack Jax’s legs with kicks, which isn’t a bad idea. Nia is able to mostly shrug those off, but Shayna keeps up her efforts to stick and move.
An attempt at an armbar up over the top rope goes for naught as Jax powerbombs Baszler and presses her advantage on the outside. Shayna tries going after Nia’s left arm but gets her legs swept out from under her and nailed with a legdrop.
Jax is still dominating her foe after a commercial break, and it seems like there might not be another rally coming for Baszler. She’s finally able to roll out of the way of a move in the corner, and Shayna connects on a running knee for a two count of her own.
Will some kicks keep Jax at bay? Nope, as she smashes Baszler along the ropes and hits a running senton … yet Shayna kicks out again.
That only means it’s time for the Annihilator, but Baszler suplexes Jax off the second rope instead. Shayna lands hard too, so she can’t cover right away. She tries for the Kirifuda Clutch instead, but Jax powers up and falls backward to crush her opponent against the mat.
Up goes Nia for the Annihilator, and that’s that. Good game, good effort from Baszler.
After the bell, Becky Lynch comes to the ring, but Jax decides this isn’t the time for a confrontation.
Imperium stays united, still falls to #DIY
You know by now that the imperium peeps have been having issues staying on the same page, but Wade Barrett reminds us of that again just in case. Kaiser looks like he’s confident starting things out, and Vinci takes over to keep the pressure on Tommaso Ciampa.
Vinci hits a nasty cross body and Ciampa is still in trouble in the enemy corner. Ciampa gets inches away from Johnny Gargano before finally making the tag. He picks up the pace against Kaiser, smashing a head kick from the apron and a slingshot spear.
The faces want Meet in the Middle, but Vinci drags Gargano out to the floor and Kaiser pulls the tights while rolling up Ciampa for three.
As you might expect, #DIY evens the score at 1-1 when there’s some confusion between Vinci and Kaiser. They have all the momentum now as Ciampa is taking it to both members of Imperium at once.
Gargano is isolated against Vinci and has to kick out of a pinfall attempt. Imperium looks for their double team finisher, and even though Gargano escapes it, Kaiser hits him with a DVD.
Vinci tags in and hits a moonsault, but Ciampa hustles to break up the pin. All four men are in the ring trading shots until they’re all down on the mat.
The fans start the “this is awesome” chant as the two teams slowly get things back on track. Ciampa hits a leaping backbreaker off the top, and they’re set up again for Meet in the Middle. Imperium tries the same tactics from the first time but they backfire, and after Vinci is sent into the steps, Kaiser takes the Meet in the Middle and is pinned by Ciampa. #DIY wins 2-1.
Cody Rhodes finds out why Shinsuke Nakamura has been stalking him
Rhodes says that the first time he saw the poison mist he was just a kid, and he was terrified of the Great Muta as a result. But Cody says it’s his fault, because he should have listened to the clues Shinsuke Nakamura was dropping.
That said, Shinsuke has his attention now as well as the attention of the WWE Universe. So they could do this two ways: Nakamura could emerge for an explanation … or they could fight right here and now.
The lights go out, leaving only a spotlight on Rhodes. Nakamura appears on the big screen to promise he will open Cody’s eyes, saying they’ve walked the same path. Shinsuke notes that he had a title shot at WrestleMania and came up short, just like Cody.
Since their stories are so similar, Nakamura says he will finish Rhodes’. Cody says he appreciates the explanation but says he doesn’t respect Nakamura until he proves they’re the same.
The Creed Brothers keep rolling, take down Dominik Mysterio and JD McDonagh
It would be a mistake to match the Creeds strength for strength, but Mysterio and McDonagh have another problem as R-Truth is out at ringside and has Dominik’s title belt. The Judgment Day has the momentum, however, going into the commercial break.
When we return, it’s Brutus Creed powering out of the final leg of Dom’s Three Amigos and slamming Mysterio to the mat. Tags are made both ways, with Julius suplexing dudes left and right and kipping up after each one. Michael Cole can’t believe himself at the announce table.
It looks like JD might get the Brutus Ball, but Dom drags Brutus off the top rope. McDonagh takes flight to the floor and Mysterio hits the 619 for a near fall.
Julius suplexes both of his opponents at once, because why not? Mysterio gets hurled over the announce table, meaning McDonagh is the one who takes the Brutus Ball as the Creeds wrap up their win.
Main Event Jey Uso earns the name, but Seth Rollins retains
Both men smile as they anticipate locking up. Uso runs over Rollins with a shoulder tackle and they both go for quick covers before ending up in a staredown.
Jey is in some trouble after the first commercial break, with Seth hitting a running kick from the floor. The champ hits a springboard senton followed by a moonsault to earn a near fall.
Rollins hits a kick to the spine as Uso tries to gather himself. A belly to back suplex gets another two count for Seth.
Uso finally manages to fight back, driving Rollins into the corner and lifting him for a backbreaker. Jey covers and finds only two, with the announcers figuring it was more of a heat check cover.
Rollins stops Uso from going up top, knocking him to the apron before following him there. They battle with counters until Uso finally hits a DDT on the floor, bringing more commercials.
The battle leads to simultaneous cross bodies leading to both men being down. Uso recovers first, but Rollins meets his aggression with a clothesline.
Uso does his Umaga tribute with a hip attack, and Rollins answers with a top rope splash. Seth looks for a Pedigree, but Jey counters with a back body drop for two.
Uso’s kicks leave Rollins in position for an Uso Splash, and he hits it flush but still can’t keep the champ down for three. The fans chant for Jey as he climbs again, only to be met by Rollins who hits a superplex rolled into a Falcon Arrow for a close near fall.
A Pedigree is next, but Uso kicks out of that too. We’ve hit the “What will it take?” portion of this one now. Seth wants the Stomp but is met with a Spear … and Rollins somehow kicks out.
Jey hits another spear and an Uso Splash, and Cole’s voice goes up an octave yet it’s still not enough to finish off Rollins. A superkick lands, but Rollins manages to answer immediately and hit a Spear.
The Stomp is next, and that finishes the match, finally.
The origin of Marvel Comics’ Avengers references a “day unlike any other.” We have those on a semi-regular basis in pro wrestling, but CM Punk’s equally electrifying and implausible return to WWE Saturday night at Survivor Series was right up there among the most memorable.
Wisely, WWE isn’t waiting too long to trot him back out in front of fans on live TV. Will CM Punk be on Raw going forward? Will they set up anything with him tonight in Nashville in terms of his first program back with the company he parted ways with on far less than amicable terms in 2014?
More to the point, does it even matter?
People will certainly be tuning in tonight to see what happens next, which is kind of the point. It’s hard to recall an episode of Raw in recent memory with this much anticipation around it, and WWE has already shown signs that it’s very aware, declaring that the full first hour will be commercial-free.
Not to be overlooked, Randy Orton has been promoted for tonight’s show as well — though interestingly, WWE’s official preview has no word on what to expect from the Viper. His comeback has almost been overshadowed by the frenzy over Punk, but make no mistake, many fans are excited to see him back in the fold as well.
On the actual in-ring wrestling side, there are big things going down in tag team land, with a women’s tag team title match and Tag Team Turmoil to decide a No. 1 contender duo for the men’s belts still held by The Judgment Day. Plus big men will collide when Bronson Reed faces Ivar.
Buckle up, here we go.
WWE Raw results from Nashville:
(please scroll down for more details on any match or segment in bold)
The broadcast begins with a highlight package of the Men’s WarGames match from Saturday night, which includes the return of Randy Orton … and CM Punk
“Daddy’s back!” Randy Orton and Rhea Ripley discuss the changing landscape of Raw since he’s been away, but that could mean bad news for Dominik Mysterio
The teams entered in Tag Team Turmoil meet special guest Jelly Roll, whose name confuses R-Truth and inspires a new Akira Tozawa dance
The Creed Brother win the Tag Team Turmoil match, earning a shot at the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship
Damian Priest is upset about letting The Judgment Day down, but Ripley tells him they all rise and fall together, and Finn Balor says he should relax because they’re still tag team champs … but Rhea cracks a bit of a grin as Damian and Finn go to check on McDonagh
Cody Rhodes talks about what’s next, meaning the Royal Rumble, but Shinsuke Nakamura is on his trail right now
Bronson Reed vs. Ivar ends in a double countout, and their continuing battle into the crowd includes a ridiculous cannonball by Ivar
Earlier today, Nia Jax comes to talk trash to Zoey Stark, who tells Shayna Baszler she’s got it and challenges Nia to a match
A highlight package shows reactions to CM Punk’s Survivor Series return and tours its social media impact
The Judgment Day discovers R-Truth in the clubhouse and is stunned when he volunteers to join them for WarGames, unaware that the match has already happened
Nia Jax def. Zoey Stark by pinfall
Highlights are shown of Gunther’s defeat of The Miz at Survivor Series; afterward, Gunther visits the rest of Imperium to sort things out with Adam Pearce, and The Miz arrives to challenge the Ring General again, which draws a respectful but amused reaction from the champ
Seth Rollins and Drew McIntyre’s mutual admissions of respect turn violent after Rollins informs McIntyre he’s giving Jey Uso the next title shot
Sami Zayn catches up with an angry McIntyre and tells him he’s not the only one who’s had disappointment around here, but the difference is that Sami keeps picking himself up and moving forward; Zayn says McIntyre is acting like a spoiled little brat and he’s better than that, which seems like it made an impression … except it ends with Drew saying he’s going to act Pearce for a match next week with Sami
Chelsea Green and Piper Niven def. Natalya and Tegan Nox by pinfall to retain the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship
Uso finds Orton to apologize and tell him that he’s trying to do right, and Randy says as long as Jey is out of The Bloodline, then they’re good
Becky Lynch is asked about the epic battle at WarGames, but she wants to talk about tonight and says there are some fights on the horizon, one more pressing than the others
Randy Orton def. Dominik Mysterio by pinfall, with a tiny assist from Jelly Roll
Yes, he’s back on Raw: CM Punk is on the mic for his welcome back promo
Also on WWE Raw tonight, the Trick or Street Fight was … something.
There have probably been factions that have been outright scarier in terms of their presentation than The Judgment Day if you look back over WWE history, but not that many can claim to have the same combination of power and persistence. And now it’s possible they may use tonight’s episode of WWE Raw to grow that even more, so what could be more frightening than that for a Halloween week episode from Greenville?
JD McDonagh is kind of the quintessential wanna-be in that he’s been on a “How can I be down?” kick for weeks, always trying to assist — though sometimes his help has backfired, and there are certainly questions about his motivations.
He’ll try to prove he’s worth a full-fledged spot tonight when he takes on Seth Rollins. Rhea Ripley will no doubt be watching closely, but she may also have hedged her bet since it sure seemed like she was extending an invitation to the World Heavyweight Champion to join the group last week.
And because you should always have a gimmick match for Halloween, Raw has that covered as well. Natalya will take on Chelsea Green in a Trick or Street Fight, a match that only took on more potential entertainment value on social media today.
To wit:
This is Bob. Natalya’s ravishing assistant. This image isn’t news, as Ms. Neidhart’s loss record will clearly show, she’s always been susceptible to the small package. pic.twitter.com/MUB0y3DSOw
Ahem. Plus we’ll see the latest between DIY and Imperium, and there’s buzz about an NXT call-up that should be very popular among fans who watch that brand regularly.
Sounds like a splendid way to spend the night before Halloween. Let’s see if it turns out that way.
WWE Raw results from Greenville:
(please scroll down for full details on any match or segment in bold)
Rhea Ripley lays down the law for tonight but gets a rebuttal from Sami Zayn, who is willing to fight The Judgment Day but discovers Ricochet has his back
Dominik Mysterio def. Ricochet by pinfall with the help of Rhea Ripley, JD McDonagh and some rule-breaking
A short video package promotes the return of #DIY as a tag team
Raquel Rodriguez cuts a promo ahead of her participation in the Fatal 5-Way Women’s World Championship match at Crown Jewel
We also get a highlight package of The Creed Brothers, introducing the masses to Julius and Brutus
The Creed Brothers def. Alpha Academy by pinfall in their first ever WWE match
The Judgment Day seems unamused by The New Day trick-or-treating dressed (sort of) like them, and Damian Priest seems a little ticked about Ripley making a match for him until she’s able to convince him that it’s for the good of the group
Nia Jax talks about squashing everyone since her return and looks forward to doing it again at Crown Jewel
Miz TV welcomes another big guest, Gunther, but the Ring General and Imperium make this particular episode miserable for the host
An angry Miz demands an Intercontinental Championship with Gunther, but Adam Pearce says he can earn one, and it appears that may mean defeating Bronson Reed
#DIY (Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa) def. Imperium (Giovanni Vinci and Ludwig Kaiser) by pinfall
Shinsuke Nakamura says he’s waiting to be provoked by someone who fancies themself the hero
Xia Li def. Candice LeRae by referee stoppage
Jey Uso wishes Zayn good luck before suggesting he might team with Cody Rhodes about pursuing the tag team titles and then … um, running up on Rhea?
Shayna Baszler makes her vow to win the Fatal 5-Way at Crown Jewel; in the back, LeRae is checked out by doctors as Gargano and her friends look on
A lengthy but very good pre-taped video has Drew McIntyre explain why his title shot at Crown Jewel is so meaningful to him, and while he’s willing to break Seth Rollins’ back to win
Zoey Stark speaks her piece before the Fatal 5-Way, so we’ve heard from all of the challengers now
Seth Rollins scoffs at the idea that McIntyre is feeling sorry for himself and then blaming The Bloodline for all his other failures, but he gets jumped by McDonagh before he can finish his thoughts; the ref checks on him but Rollins says he’s good to go for his match
Seth Rollins def. JD McDonagh by pinfall despite the looming threat of a Money in the Bank cash-in by Damian Priest
Pearce thanks Ricochet for his efforts tonight and offers him a chance to win an IC title shot, but also has to deal with Chelsea Green and Ivar before saying he needs a drink
Becky Lynch reflects on her NXT Championship run and tells Li she’s willing to fight her
Chelsea Green def. Natalya by pinfall in a Trick or Street Fight
Damian Priest def. Sami Zayn by DQÂ after Jey Uso ends up superkicking Priest, but …
… the show ends with Zayn, Uso and Cody Rhodes teaming to battle The Judgment Day, McDonagh taking two Cross Rhodes on the announce table and Cody delivering a passionate warning to Damian for Saturday
Rhea Ripley signed a contract but also kept up a seeming recruiting drive on WWE Raw.
OK, so I have no idea if this headline is actually true since The Judgment Day has never invited me or any of the Wrestling Junkie crew to one of their celebrations. That’s also true tonight on WWE Raw from Dallas.
Why are they in such a triumphant mood? Well, it just so happens that despite some infighting over the past few weeks, the group came together in a big way last Monday, with everyone playing their part to ensure Damian Priest and Finn Balor reclaimed the tag team titles from Cody Rhodes and Jey Uso.
Not sure the group can rightfully claim to hold “most of the gold in WWE” like it says in WWE’s official preview for tonight’s show, but everyone but Dominik Mysterio is back in possession of a title, so that seems like plenty of reason to celebrate to me.
Oh, but Priest also has to face Uso tonight, so that only heightens the chances of Main Event Jey coming out to spoil the mood during the show-opening segment. Yeet.
There’s plenty of other stuff to look forward to in Big D. Logan Paul will be on hand, though it’s not readily apparent why since the man he just called out, Rey Mysterio, works on SmackDown. Becky Lynch will once again put her NXT Women’s Championship on the line, this time against Indi Hartwell.
Drew McIntyre will battle Sami Zayn as the two men continue to disagree about whether a person can turn over a new leaf and be forgiven for past misdeeds. And The New Day will take on Alpha Academy as jostling for position for a tag team title shot continues.
So plenty for us to sink our teeth into, which is not a poor Halloween season/vampire joke, promise. If you are otherwise engaged tonight, we got you.
WWE Raw results from Dallas:
(please scroll down for full details on any match or segment in bold)
Party up with The Judgment Day? Cody Rhodes learns why it’s a bad idea
The New Day def. Alpha Academy by pinfall
Becky Lynch acknowledges the multiple people chasing her NXT championship but says she needs to stay focused on Indi Hartwell tonight
A hype video is shown for Ivar, which is well deserved after some of his recent performances
Seth Rollins seems chipper while walking backstage, but runs into Rhea Ripley, who suggests that he needs the “insurance” of The Judgment Day; Rollins retorts that maybe Rhea is uncertain that Damian Priest won’t successfully cash in his MITB contract, while she maintains that without their help, he won’t ever have a title reign like Roman Reigns — but Rollins says if there’s one thing he doesn’t want, it’s to be anything like Roman
Natalya offers her support and advice to Hartwell ahead of her title opportunity
Becky Lynch def. Indi Hartwell by submission to retain the NXT Women’s Championship;Â afterward, Xia Li attacks Candice LeRae in the back
Nick Aldis apologizes to Adam Pearce for kicking him out of the building on SmackDown, and Pearce accepts it but also asks for security to be doubled — though maybe for the contract signing coming up next
A contract signing with five top women’s wrestlers sounds like a disaster waiting to happen, and naturally, it does indeed turn into a brawl as Ripley stands and watches the whole thing while laughing
Bronson Reed tries to stir things up with Ludwig Kaiser and Giovanni Vinci, but ends up getting challenged to a match by … Akira Tozawa?
Johnny Gargano def. Giovanni Vinci by pinfall, as Tommaso Ciampa assists with Ludwig Kaiser on the outside
Shinsuke Nakamura cuts another stylish, subtitled promo on Ricochet
Logan Paul and Dominik Mysterio do the mutual admiration thing, much to the disgust of the fans — and Ricochet
Chelsea Green and Piper Niven def. Natalya and Nikki Cross by pinfall after Cross does literally nothing for her team
Drew McIntyre sarcastically tells Jey Uso he can’t imagine what it’s like to have The Bloodline cost him a championship and says whatever happens to Sami Zayn tonight is on his head
The Miz drops in on Pearce to air his grievances about not being given anything worthwhile to do on Raw in weeks, and he’s even more upset when Ripley arrives to sign the contract she never got to sign and the camera follows her to check on Dominik
Drew McIntyre def. Sami Zayn by pinfall, thanks in part to a distraction from Ripley, obviously still on a recruiting tour
Pearce finds Aldis to express his displeasure that the SmackDown GM is talking up some of the Raw talent, and the two men shake hands as Aldis says he’s taking off; also, Cross walks by with the same vacant look in her eyes, causing Pearce to mention that he needs a drink
Bronson Reed def. Akira Tozawa by pinfall despite Tozawa’s recent Alpha Academy training
Tozawa gets a pep talk from Coach Gable despite his loss, and DIY stops by to announce their return to Alpha Academy and The New Day; also Tozawa does his training dance again
Rollins congratulates McIntyre for “your first win as the newest member of The Judgment Day,” though Drew says he say Seth talking to Rhea; both men say they don’t need The Judgment Day to beat the other at Crown Jewel
Damian Priest def. Jey Uso by pinfall thanks to help from Balor, but Rhodes, despite suffering an ankle injury earlier, is still up to the challenge of fighting off The Judgment Day (with help from some steel chairs) to end the show
Also, see how Gunther overcame the literally biggest challenge to date for his WWE Intercontinental Championship on the season premiere of WWE Raw.
Sometimes you just have to give a dominant champion the most intimidating possible physical challenge you can. That’s exactly what Gunther is getting tonight on the season premiere (wink, wink) of WWE Raw in Oklahoma City.
The Ring General has fended off all kinds of challengers during his record-setting reign as Intercontinental Champion. Perhaps the only kind of opponent he hasn’t faced is someone who can not only stand toe to toe with him, but actually overpower him and toss him around.
Bronson Reed can do that. And while no one is probably expecting the big man to win the title tonight, stranger things have happened.
We’ll also see The Judgment Day try to reclaim their tag team gold from the gentlemen who beat them for it, Cody Rhodes and Jey Uso. While perhaps a bit of an unusual pairing at first, Rhodes and Uso have proven to be an effective team, even beating former titleholders Kevin Owens (now off to SmackDown) and Sami Zayn to prove they belong.
Of course, Damian Priest and Finn Balor may be even more motivated than the Canadian duo, since they want not just personal redemption but some manner of internal group peace as well. Would a victory stop some of the infighting in The Judgment Day? It sure wouldn’t hurt.
WWE Raw season premiere results from Oklahoma City:
(please scroll down for full details on any match or in-ring segment in bold)
Sami Zayn flies without Kevin Owens … but not alone, as Jey Uso helps prevent him from getting rushed by The Judgment Day
Shinsuke Nakamura delivers a message to Ricochet before their Falls Count Anywhere match comparing him to a bug he’ll squash on the floor
Walking backstage, Zayn is approached by Uso, who wants to know if they’re good, but Sami admits that he’s struggling with the Jey only being there because KO is gone; Jey says he didn’t know Sami felt like that but says “it is what it is Uce,” and Zayn runs to offer an apology that is happily accepte
Shinsuke Nakamura def. Ricochet in a Falls Count Anywhere match
Chelsea Green and Tegan Nox exchange insults … and Nikki Cross is there lurking in the background
A hype video is shown for Gunther ahead of his Intercontinental Championship later tonight
Piper Niven def. Natalya by pinfall, but finds Nox is able to prevent a post-match beating
Damian Priest wonders again if they should take out Drew McIntyre and questions Rhea Ripley for all the phone calls she’s been taking, but they all agree they’re about to handle their business tonight and the meeting of the whole team seems to end on a positive note
Seth Rollins is confused by Drew McIntyre, but they understand each other a little better after a pointed conversation
Video is shown of Logan Paul challenging Rey Mysterio after his most recent boxing match, as well as Rey’s response on YES
Ludwig Kaiser def. Johnny Gargano by pinfall
Becky Lynch likes Indi Hartwell’s suggestion that they compete for the NXT Championship Indi never lost, then turns and finds herself face to face with Ripley
McIntyre tells Zayn he respects what he’s done as of late, and Sami appreciates that … but he isn’t fond at all about Sami forgiving Jey, and while it becomes clear they aren’t going to agree on this topic, they do agree to work out some of their differences in the ring next week
Rhea Ripley vs. Shayna Baszler goes to no contest after Nia Jax, Raquel Rodriguez and Zoey Stark all crash the match
Lynch convinces Adam Pearce to make the match with Hartwell, and Xia Li wants a shot too … on her time; Jade Cargill also arrives, and Lynch tells her to get in line
Uso and Cody Rhodes are feeling good about their title defense tonight, YEET
Gunther def. Bronson Reed by pinfall to retain the WWE Intercontinental Championship
The Miz is irritated to have to wait until the third hour to get on the season premiere, suggesting that Pearce should be fired and that Nick Aldis should take over as GM of both shows; Jax steals the mic from him and says everyone has hit her with their best shot, but she’s still standing and is the one who does the squashing
Ripley is mad that Pearce hasn’t controlled her division, but he’s taking no crap, so he books Rhea in a Fatal Five-Way at Crown Jewel, which she isn’t happy about; Indus Sher stops by at the end and says they need to talk
Alpha Academy is busy training (as well as Akira Tozawa), but The New Day isn’t pleases about tag team championship talk that doesn’t include them, and they agree to battle it out next week before everyone gets dazed by Tozawa’s moves
Gunther is happy that Kaiser won but says Vinci will need to make sure Gargano is stretchered out when he faces him next week
The Judgment Day (Damian Priest and Finn Balor) def. Cody Rhodes and Jey Uso by pinfall to become the new Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions after Jimmy Uso arrives to superkick Jey at a key moment in the match
WWE Raw also saw a tag team title match made official for Fastlane.
Sometimes, plans change. For WWE Raw, it’s been happening quite often as of late, and it appears that might be the case for tonight’s episode from San Jose.
The show had been promoted with a match between Jey Uso and Damian Priest as one of its big hooks. Alas, the official WWE.com preview for tonight now has nary a mention of that bout, so it will be interesting to see if it needed to be shelved for some reason or the wrestlers involved will be used in some other way.
Instead, the featured segment is now a contract signing between Gunther and Tommaso Ciampa. The Ring General has tried to keep Ciampa at bay using his Imperium minions, but they proved unfit for the task. Now Gunther has basically no choice but to put his Intercontinental Championship on the line, presumably this weekend at Fastlane.
Becky Lynch already successfully retained her NXT Women’s Championship at No Mercy, and The Man promised Tegan Nox she could have the next shot. That is still being promoted for tonight, but there are reports that Lynch isn’t medically cleared to compete, so we’ll be watching to see if that bout gets rescheduled in a way that grows out of what we’ll see in San Jose.
Also, for some reason Miz TV is welcoming Drew McIntyre back for a second consecutive week. Did The Miz fire his booking person? And what new if anything will the Scottish Warrior have to say this time?
The uncertainty means there could be some cool stuff that isn’t being advertised for tonight’s show, and we’re always down with that. Let’s see what we’ve got.
WWE Raw results from San Jose:
(scroll down for full details on any match or segment in bold)
Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler are supposed to have a match to start the show, but the broadcast begins with them already brawling; they’re soon joined by Raquel Rodriguez and Rhea Ripley, and tons of security and refs have to pull them all apart
Rhea says The Judgment Day needs to talk, but after she gives Dominik Mysterio an ultimatum, Jey Uso and Cody Rhodes cause more trouble … and end up with a title match for Fastlane
Imperium (Giovanni Vinci and Ludwig Kaiser) def. Alpha Academy by pinfall
Highlights are shown of the Becky Lynch-Tiffany Stratton Extreme Rules match at No Mercy
Pearce tells Tegan Nox that he has to postpone her title shot since Lynch isn’t cleared to compete, but Nox suggests she take on a not so helpful Chelsea Green and Pearce makes it official
Bronson Reed def. Cedric Alexander by pinfall
Pearce ends his phone call to speak to Drew McIntyre, who doesn’t want to do Miz TV a second week in a row and asks Pearce to tell The Miz to leave him alone when he says what he wants to say tonight; he also notes that no one did “the right thing” when The Bloodline was beating him down
Tommaso Ciampa and Gunther meet for their contract signing and end up agreeing to have their match tonight
Priest is upset about having to defend the titles at Fastlane, but together, Ripley and McDonagh are able to convince him that it could help drive a wedge between Uso and his (few) allies
Xavier Woods def. Ivar by pinfall, but he and Kofi Kingston are both beaten silly by the big man after the match
A hype video is shown for the Seth Rollins-Shinsuke Nakamura Last Man Standing match at Fastlane
Shinsuke Nakamura proves to still be one step ahead of Seth Rollins in a very painful way
Lynch tells Nox she better be ready for a fight once she’s cleared; she turns and runs into Natalya, who says she has a different level of respect for Tegan now and believes she’ll make good on her title opportunity then she gets it
Tegan Nox def. Chelsea Green by pinfall
McIntyre rants on what he sees as weakness and hypocrisy in those forgiving Jey Uso, which brings out an unhappy Miz to get in some taunts at Drew for playing both sides of things; McIntyre wants a fight, and while Miz looks like he’s going to walk away, he runs back to the ring to assault McIntyre from behind, which eventually leads to officials separating them
Drew McIntyre def. The Miz by pinfall
Trick Williams introduces himself to the world ahead of his rematch for the NXT North American Championship on NXT, but Mysterio, Ripley and McDonagh arrive to taunt him a bit
Rhodes wasn’t anticipating getting after the tag team titles with Jey Uso, but he’ll be ready to go this weekend at Fastlane
Gunther def. Tommaso Ciampa by submission to retain the WWE Intercontinental Championship
Imperium hits the ring to beat on Ciampa, but Johnny Gargano returns to make the save
The long awaited rematch between Becky Lynch and Trish Stratus is also slated for this week’s edition of WWE Raw.
Shinsuke Nakamura is done playing around. Tonight on WWE Raw from Winnipeg, we’re apparently going to find out just why he had his recent change of heart.
Nakamura seemed pretty entrenched as a fan favorite during his current run, even helpfully volunteering to team with Seth Rollins and Cody Rhodes to take on The Judgment day last week after the villainous stable had taken out Sami Zayn.
There was just one problem: After the match, Nakamura laid out Rollins with a vicious Kinshasa, leaving the World Heavyweight Champion staring up at the lights.
The assumption is that Shinsuke wants Seth’s gold for himself. That’s how these things usually work, after all. But perhaps there’s a little more to it than that, and WWE is hinting that we’ll find out tonight.
The other big to-do for this Monday is Becky Lynch battling Trish Stratus. You may recall that they were supposed to have a match two weeks ago, except Stratus had Zoey Stark aid her as soon as the bell rang, content to lose by DQ.
Adam Pearce said “uh-uh!” (hopefully in his best Stone Cold Steve Austin voice) and that Becky and Trish would have a proper rematch, this time with Zoey banned from the ringside area. We thought it might be at SummerSlam, but it will instead take place on this episode of Raw.
We think. Hopefully.
There’s also the not so small matter of Payback coming up in just a few weeks, so time’s a wasting on getting the gears in motion for that event. That could happen tonight as well.
Let’s dive in.
WWE Raw results from Winnipeg:
(scroll down for more details on any match or segment in bold)
The Judgment Day is out here without Finn Balor, and they aren’t happy about it; also JD McDonagh and Sami Zayn get into a scrap
Sami Zayn def. JD McDonagh by pinfall
Chelsea Green apologizes to Chelsea Green and looks like he’s going to strip her of the tag team titles, but she threatens to call Human Resources on him, then suggests they hold auditions for a new partner; Piper Niven tries to declare herself Green’s new partner and doesn’t appear she’ll take no for an answer
Cody Rhodes notes that Balor has always been a leader, but one of the problems with The Judgment Day is that both Priest and Ripley are too; Cody says he’ll be ready for Finn and The Judgment Day tonight
The Ring General has arrived in Winnipeg, but while Alpha Academy has to accept that Gunther is very good, they don’t take any crap from Ludwig Kaiser
Chad Gable def. Giovanni Vinci by pinfall
Gunther def. Otis by pinfall
Ripley has to step between Balor and Priest to stop their bickering, and Finn comes around and says the group will show they are still a united force against Cody later tonight
The weekly SmackDown Bloodline recap video plays
Drew McIntyre is asked what’s next for him, but he doesn’t get to answer before Matt Riddle asks him if he’ll tag up to face the Viking Raiders tonight; McIntyre says he’ll consider it, and Riddle does the “so you’re telling me there’s a chance!” thing
A short video hypes up Indi Hartwell
Matt Riddle and Drew McIntyre def. Viking Raiders by pinfall
Raquel Rodriguez tells Candice LeRae and Hartwell how frustrated she is that she can’t get cleared since she can’t wait to rip Ripley apart, but everyone agrees this is Indi’s night to show what she can do
Riddle thinks he and McIntyre can win the tag team champions, but The New Day is offended by the thought that one win can make them title contenders and they challenge Matt and Drew to a match next week
Rhea Ripley def. Indi Hartwell by pinfall, though LeRae may have made a tactical error by attacking Ripley after the match
A quick replay shows Nakamura’s attack on Rollins again from the end of last week’s Raw
Shinsuke Nakamura gets a title shot from Seth Rollins … and lays him out again
The Miz denies shaking LA Knight’s hand, says he’ll beat someone better than Knight ever has, and may show up on SmackDown too
Trish Stratus vs. Becky Lynch ends in a double countout, with Zoey Stark joining in when they brawl up to the concourse
Gunther is angry at Vinci for losing and ticked at Kaiser at getting distracted with Dupri, then says he’ll go to Pearce and sort it out by giving Gable his title shot next week
Speaking of Pearce, he’s furious with Stratus and tells her Trish will have to face Becky in a steel cage
Cody Rhodes def. Finn Balor by pinfall, but after the match, he and Sami Zayn take a horrific beating from The Judgment Day after the arrival of McDonagh turns the tide
