Chad Gable – Page 2 – Syndication Server

WWE Raw results 01/15/24: Jinder Mahal comes close but not quite against Seth Rollins

See how Jinder Mahal came within a hair of dethroning Seth Rollins on WWE Raw in Little Rock.

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With less than two weeks to go until the Royal Rumble in Florida, it’s time for some of the top talent on WWE Raw to get their current programs finished and turn their attention to securing a spot at WrestleMania.

Cody Rhodes might have the first half of that plan finally checked off after he defeated Shinsuke Nakamura again last week, so he can finally put all his effort on winning the Royal Rumble match. Or we think that’ll be the case anyway, since WWE says he’s kicking off the show tonight.

What if we’re wrong, though? Is it possible Rhodes has one more in a seemingly ceaseless string of hurdles placed in his way? TBD.

Seth Rollins knows he can’t worry about Royal Rumble just yet, as he has a World Heavyweight Championship defense to attend to this evening. Plus it’s against the man of the hour, Jinder Mahal, not something we expected to be typing as recently as two weeks ago.

There would seem to be little chance WWE would put this title on Mahal, especially given the time of year we’re in. Things need to be cemented, not chaotic. Right?

Normally, we’d say yes. But there’s that little matter of Elimination Chamber in Australia, where WWE will need to put on a big show next month. Roman Reigns probably won’t be there, and while the Chamber matches are attractions in their own right, a world title match doesn’t seem like too much to ask for.

So we’re just putting this out there: Maybe Mahal wins tonight and Rollins has to win it back from him at Elimination Chamber. Or a certain Straight Edge Superstar could snag it there and go into WrestleMania making Seth chase him.

Or, you know, Rollins could just win tonight and speed on down the Road to WrestleMania. That’s why we watch, which we’ll be doing starting right now.

WWE Raw results from Little Rock:

(please scroll down for more details on any match or segment in bold)

A tribute to Martin Luther King Jr. starts the show
Are Cody Rhodes and Drew McIntyre more alike or different?
Damian Priest takes R-Truth to task for selling Judgment Day merchandise in the parking lot, but Truth is making a killing off the gear, and Priest relents while also telling him not to tag in during their tag team match tonight
#DIY def. The Judgment Day (Dominik Mysterio and JD McDonagh) by pinfall
Chelsea Green and Piper Niven interrupt a conversation between Adam Pearce and Candice LeRae and Indi Hartwell, which Pearce turns into a match between those two teams tonight
Candice LeRae and Indi Hartwell def. Chelsea Green and Piper Niven by pinfall
Rhea Ripley sees a Nia Jax hype video and leaves to “address her division,” while the rest of The Judgment Day takes Priest to task about the R-Truth situation; Damian shows the money he’s been bringing in and suggests to McDonagh that he may not get a cut because “your name’s not on the shirt”
Gunther is back and offering rare praise for Ludwig Kaiser, who gets a challenge from a vengeful Xavier Woods
Ludwig Kaiser def. Xavier Woods by DQ after Woods uses a steel chair, though he ends up getting it kicked into his (already bloody) face afterward
Bronson Reed says there is a champ right now who is unaware his championship will soon belong to Reed … though he doesn’t name which champ he’s talking about
Byron Saxton tries to get a word with Woods, but Kaiser attacks him until Jey Uso puts a stop to it
A video package shows us how we got to a Seth Rollins-Jinder Mahal world title match
Akira Tozawa def. Ivar by pinfall, though after the bell, Valhalla assaults Maxxine Dupri after the bell and Ivar hits a moonsault on Tozawa
CM Punk and Rhodes will be face to face next week on Raw
Ivy Nile says she will look for Pearce to deal with Valhalla; Chad Gable says he will teach Ivar a lesson next week too
Rhea Ripley addresses her division and ends up in a showdown with Becky Lynch
Seth Rollins says the only way to head to WrestleMania is to continue to be a fighting champion, a workhorse champion, and he knows this is the best version of Jinder Mahal and he wouldn’t have it any other way
Damian Priest and Finn Balor def. The Miz and R-Truth by pinfall
Jinder Mahal says everyone is divided but his focus is singular, and everyone will be unified when he defeats Rollins to become World Heavyweight Champion
Apparently Shinsuke Nakamura isn’t done with Cody Rhodes, which is interesting
Shayna Baszler and Zoey Stark def. Natalya and Tegan Nox by submission, with Baszler making Natalya tap out
Seth Rollins def. Jinder Mahal by pinfall to retain the World Heavyweight Championship

Cody Rhodes and Drew McIntyre bicker over who will finish their story first

Rhodes asks Little Rock what they want to talk about, giving some options. He’s about to launch into his “I’m on my way to Royal Rumble” routine when he’s interrupted by the arrival of Drew McIntyre.

The Scottish Warrior turns Cody’s question around on him before reminiscing about how they came up the first time in WWE together. McIntyre says he’s proud of Rhodes as both a man and performer and also reminds him they were tag team champs together as The Dashing Ones.

Drew mentions that both of them had to leave WWE to find themselves and “become verbs.” He believes in Rhodes now too, saying he will finish the story … but not before Drew finishes his.

Rhodes says Drew could win the Rumble, but so could Jey Uso. So could CM Punk. You can’t count anybody out.

McIntyre tells Rhodes he should just be himself and doesn’t need to smile all the time and try so hard. Cody seems irritated by that, insisting that he smiles when he comes out because he is grateful for his second chance while Drew stands and complains about his.

Undeterred, McIntyre claims Rhodes is standing in his way, and at WrestleMania, the story belongs to him. But the American Nightmare says McIntyre is still blaming everyone but himself, and if he wants to keep bringing up the last time they wrestled, he has one question: Who won?

#DIY closes in on a tag team title shot with a victory over the champs’ teammates

The framing here is that #DIY is stringing together wins to get closer to a tag team title shot, and this is a victory that would surely help considering it’s the other two Judgment Day men who hold the gold.

Tommaso Ciampa takes flight with a corkscrew plancha, and Johnny Gargano does the same to send McDonagh over the announce table. They do their sitting on the apron and clapping thing as commercials arrive.

With some timely rulebending and double teaming, Mysterio and McDonagh take charge after the break. Wade Barrett calls out Dom’s fuzzy boots, which are, in fact, incredible.

Gargano is isolated and taking a beating far from his own corner. He finally hits Dom with his slingshot spear, and he nearly dives for the tag before Ciampa gets hauled off the apron by McDonagh.

Ciampa is the legal man after a second commercial break so must have gotten himself back in position while we were away. Gargano prevents a double team and Ciampa nearly rolls up Mysterio for three.

McDonagh saves his partner from another close call seconds later. Big shots start flowing in every direction, eventually leaving all four men down. The fans approve, starting a “this is awesome” chant.

Also awesome: McDonagh’s standing Spanish fly and top rope moonsault, leaving Ciampa in need of a save from his partner. Mysterio’s attempted 619 is foiled and he gets sent to the floor by a hard knee shot.

McDonagh looks like he’s in trouble now, and he eats Meet in the Middle, leaving him helpless as Gargano covers for three.

Gunther is … happy with Ludwig Kaiser? Xavier Woods definitely is not

Ludwig Kaiser does his usual ring intro for Gunther, who is back from IRL paternity leave. Giovanni Vinci is hurt, so this is all the Imperium we get.

The Ring General says he can smell the desperation this close to Royal Rumble, which he reminds us he was close to winning last year after a record-setting time in the ring. This year, he plans on winning and main eventing WrestleMania. As one does.

But for now, he wants to focus on Kaiser, reviewing what’s been happening while Gunther was gone. The champs likes the grit, confidence and courage Kaiser showed in his attack on Kofi Kingston and gives him a hug as a sign of his happiness.

Not as happy? Xavier Woods, who is here and hot for some payback. He challenges Kaiser to a match, taunting him for needing to ask his “daddy” for permission.

Kaiser accepts and says what he did to Kingston is nothing compared to what he’ll do to Woods, who comes right after Ludwig, leaping off the apron and hammering him on the floor until a ref finally calms him down.

Mami vs. The Man? Rhea Ripley and Becky Lynch tease Mania showdown

Mami makes it simple: This is her division, which is why she is the champion. As such, she says the Royal Rumble winner will be wasting a WrestleMania opportunity if they choose her. It’s just going to go the way it did last year, because Mami is always on top.

Some familiar music hits as an answer, and Bekcy Lynch joins Ripley in the ring. The Man says they are two very different people but with two very similar journeys.

Lynch says they’re the two very best to do it, but the voice in her head keeps her awake asking if perhaps Ripley is better than she is. Becky says she needs to prove that Rhea is not, and to do that means taking the title, and to do that means winning the Royal Rumble match.

Ripley says she really does want Lynch to win the Rumble and will see her at WrestleMania.

R-Truth gets some harsh truth from Damian Priest and Finn Balor

Truth is not only in The Judgment Day’s entrance video, he also walks out behind them despite being on the opposing team. He then proceeds to spill cash all over the ring before the bell. Miz is basically pleading with his partner to convince him they’re on the same team. Funny stuff.

Truth ignores Priest’s suggestion earlier in the show that he not tag in, earning him a beating from Balor as commercials arrive. Nothing has changed after the break, really. Priest tags in but is immediately outmaneuvered by Truth, who get Miz in for his first extended action.

Miz fights Balor to the floor and sends Priest over the announce table. The A-Lister is rolling, but only until Balor counters away from a Skull Crushing Finale, and Truth tags himself in for a scissor kick to Balor. Priest blasts Miz with a kick but manages to stop Truth, who ends up kicking Balor and then taking South of Heaven from Priest.

Balor crawls over and pins Truth for a chaotic win as boos rain down from the fans.

Seth Rollins overcomes chaos, retains against Jinder Mahal

Indus Sher accompanies Mahal to the ring, giving Rollins potentially one more thing to worry about. Seth has got plenty to worry about from Jinder himself in the opening minutes, though he connects on a flying knee off the apron to get a foothold in things. Damian Priest wanders out casually with his MITB case, and Rollins has a grim look on his face heading into commercials.

After we return, Mahal is treating Rollins to some pain inside the ring. Seth finally battles free of an abdominal stretch for the obligatory exchange of strikes, which the champ wins thanks to a healthy clothesline.

Rollins is tossed over the buckles, then comes flying back in with a cross body for a near fall. A second rope moonsault gives Rollins another near fall, though the announcers wonder if he tweaked a knee or ankle.

Both men want suplexes, but Rollins wins the day by pivoting to a Falcon Arrow. Seth is thinking Stomp but runs into some head kicks, though he perseveres for a Pedigree … sort of, as his knee gives out, and his cover is thwarted by Indus Sher’s timely assistance.

Rollins dives onto one of Mahal’s wingmen on the floor but misses a splash back into the ring. Priest is up on his feet as both combatants are down, but Drew McIntyre is there to throw hands with him.

While the ref is distracted by their brawl, Mahal follows a cheap shot by Indus Sher and comes darn close to stealing the world title. A chair is slid into Mahal, and dealing with that allows Indus Sher to get in a briefcase shot. Mahal hits the Khallas … but Rollins kicks out.

As Mahal tries for a second Khallas, Rollins evades it and hits a Stomp, closing the show by retaining his world title.

WWE Raw results 12/11/23: CM Punk makes his choice, Seth Rollins isn’t crazy about it

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 DQ 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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

WWE Raw results 11/20/23: Drew McIntyre wins WarGames advantage, Randy Orton is in too

The Viper didn’t appear on Raw but it seems almost certain he’ll be in WarGames this Saturday.

When Drew McIntyre turned on the biggest faces on the Raw roster last week, it wasn’t a complete surprise. But that doesn’t mean it was any easier to take, and what he does tonight on WWE Raw from Grand Rapids.

The Scottish Warrior has been in the midst of what appears to be a slow motion heel turn for weeks, bitter at seeing his world championship aspirations foiled: first by Jey Uso, back when he was still part of The Bloodline, and more recently by Seth Rollins, who defeated him straight up.

That made it perfectly logical when he aided The Judgment Day in retaining their tag team titles, even if the WWE Universe was still upset when it happened. It also seems like it won’t be enough to help him prove his point.

Might siding with The Judgment Day and trying to stomp out Uso, Rollins, Cody Rhodes and Sami Zayn personally in WarGames do it? Perhaps, and since McIntyre is slated to kick off the show tonight, we may find out if that’s his plan pretty quickly.

Of course if he throws in with the heels, the face will need a fifth man of their own. You’ve all heard the rumors. Some of you even seem to be hoping a certain Pepsi Phil will get the call. However, there are others who are hoping the Viper makes his long awaited return, and that would make this show very interesting indeed.

Also there could be a new theme song, which would be pretty cool as well.

Here’s what happened tonight in chronological order.

WWE Raw results from Grand Rapids:

(please scroll down for full details on any match or segment in bold)

Drew McIntyre explains his heel turn in frankly relatable terms and says he’ll stand with The Judgment Day in WarGames, bringing everyone else involved in that match out ahead of the match for the advantage later tonight
Damian Priest says as the leader of the WarGames team, Rhea Ripley should have asked him first before adding McIntyre to their team, and through Ripley admits that probably should have been the case, they’re going to wait for Drew before picking the person for the advantage match
Nia Jax def. Raquel Rodriguez by pinfall
Priest is impatient but McIntyre has arrived, and he wants to be in the advantage match; Priest eventually relents and says Drew can go prove his worth to the team, then tells Ripley he better get the job done
The good guys in WarGames discuss who they might add for their team, with Rhodes suggesting he has an “old friend” he can call, telling Uso to just focus on the advantage match
Becky Lynch def. Xia Li by pinfall
After the match, Damage CTRL comes down through the stands, but so does the face team, and a huge brawl breaks out that needs security and officials to break up
Ludwig Kaiser and Giovanni Vinci have a disagreement about the Ring General’s instructions, with Kaiser telling Vinci to stay in the back for his match with Johnny Gargano
A video package hypes up Zoey Stark ahead of her match with Ripley at Survivor Series
Johnny Gargano def. Ludwig Kaiser by pinfall after Vinci ignores Kaiser’s instructions and distracts him
Pearce has lost it because he’s being nagged by multiple teams who want to challenge for the women’s tag team titles, eventually giving up and putting them all in one match to find a No. 1 contender, and not even Chelsea Green’s threat to talk to “the office” makes him rethink his decision
Stark and Shayna Baszler have invaded The Judgment Day’s locker room, and Zoey fells confident enough to taunt the champ there; Rhea says she kind of respects Zoey’s chutzpah and that she’ll get her beating on Saturday
Tegan Nox and Natalya win a Women’s Tag Team Championship No. 1 Contenders Fatal 4-Way
Gunther demands an explanation from Kaiser and Vinci and isn’t in the mood for Ludwig’s excuses; he tells them to watch him handle The Miz and suggests they sort it out
Pearce has his hands full again backstage, where the men’s teams want the same opportunity as the women’s teams, so he tells them they can have Tag Team Turmoil next week on Raw, then turns to find SmackDown GM Nick Aldis there asking for a conversation
The Miz gets bullied by Gunther until he can take no more
Seth Rollins gives Jey Uso a pep talk ahead of the advantage match
Ivar (and Valhalla) have some words for Bronson Reed, challenging Reed to a match next week on Raw
Shinsuke Nakamura def. Chad Gable by pinfall
Priest tells McIntyre he better get the job done, and the Scottish Warrior says he won’t just win but will take Jey Uso out
Reed accepts Ivar’s challenge and says the Viking won’t survive
A short video explains the rules for the WarGames matches
Though Rollins and Zayn say they’ve had no luck securing a fifth member for their team, Rhodes tells them the person he called picked up and “he’s in”
Drew McIntyre def. Jey Uso by pinfall, winning The Judgment Day the advantage for WarGames
After the bell, McIntyre continues to beat on Uso, and quickly, everyone in the WarGames match is in the ring, with the faces clearing the ring thanks to steel chairs; Rhodes says he’s glad The Judgment Day has the advantage because they have someone on their side: an Apex Predator

WWE Raw results 10/9/23: Good efforts from Nox, Sami and KO but champs retain

WWE Raw from Omaha saw several championship matches, including the first defense by Cody Rhodes and Jey Uso.

Athletes of all kinds have to play through pain sometimes, but pro wrestlers are a different breed. To wit, Becky Lynch suffered a gash so nasty the last time she defended her NXT Women’s Championship that we don’t want to show it again here, yet she still might defend her title less than two weeks later on tonight’s episode of WWE Raw from Omaha.

Lynch is supposed to take on Tegan Nox, who has waited patiently for her opportunity and has had veterans like Natalya and Lynch herself vouching for her. The question is whether Becky will be cleared to compete tonight, but Fightful Select (subscription required) says that as of a few hours before showtime, it was looking good. If the match proceeds, the thing to watch for is whether Nox might be setting Lynch up for a turn as she seems a little “too” good right now.

One thing that hasn’t been good is the way The New Day has been getting roughed up by the one healthy member of the Viking Raiders, Ivar. Kofi Kingston will try to switch things up for your boys, but it’s fair to wonder if agreeing to a Viking Rules match that falls right into Ivar’s wheelhouse is the best way to do it.

Plus, Fastlane gave us new Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions, and since Cody Rhodes and Jey Uso are both members of the Raw roster, it would be silly for them not to be featured on tonight’s show. Michael Cole will get some interview time with the new champs, but will an angry Judgment Day come looking for them too?

We’re looking forward to finding out.

WWE Raw results from Omaha:

(please scroll down for more details on any match or segment in bold)

Seth Rollins looks OK considering what he went through at Fastlane, and he gets a new challenger, albeit one willing to wait until Crown Jewel
Ivar def. Kofi Kingston by pinfall in a Viking Rules match
Byron Saxton tries to get some comments from Shinsuke Nakamura, but Riochet comes and finds Nakamura first
An angry Priest wants to take his frustration out on JD McDonagh, but Rhea Ripley calms him down by pointing out that he still has the MITB briefcase; The Judgment Day also gives JD the unenviable task of “taking care of” McIntyre
Raquel Rodriguez vs. Nia Jax is a no contest as both Ripley and Shayna Baszler both decide to wade into the action
Rollins wants an explanation from McIntyre and tells him he doesn’t need to worry about The Judgment Day taking the world title from him
Some former tag team champs want a shot at the new ones, as Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn challenge Cody Rhodes and Jey Uso … and the champs say they’re willing to do it tonight
Bronson Reed mocks Chad Gable for thinking he’s going to get another crack at the Intercontinental Championship by winning the Triple Threat match tonight …
… which Ricochet is also in, but he gets jumped by Nakamura on his way to the ring
Bronson Reed def. Chad Gable and Ricochet to earn an Intercontinental Championship shot at Gunther next week on Raw
Becky Lynch plugs her book that’s on the way this spring but says she’s ready to give her all against Tegan Nox tonight; she also tells Xia Li she’s not hard to find when Li asks when she may get a title opportunity
Drew McIntyre def. JD McDonagh by pinfall
Ripley has an idea and tells Priest to trust her
Wade Barrett talks to Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa about their DIY reunion, but before they can answer a question about whether they will be a legit tag team on Raw, they get a surprise ambush from Imperium and are left lying on the dressing room floor
A video package hypes up Tegan Nox, who also gets a visit from Natalya, who says she meant what she said about her and tells Nox to knock it out of the park
Adam Pearce tells Ricochet that next week, he’s got a Falls Count Anywhere match with Shinsuke
Becky Lynch def. Tegan Nox by submission to retain the NXT Women’s Championship; afterward, Lynch shows Nox respect for a game effort
Candice LeRae and Indi Hartwell check with Adam Pearce on the condition of Gargano and Ciampa until Ripley demands they leave so she can demand a match with Baszler next week to “get my division in order”
Natalya, Katana Chance and Kayden Carter try to cheer up Nox, and when the tag team champs are less hospitable, Natalya agrees to fight Piper Niven next week on Raw
McIntyre tells Jey Uso he knows Jey will show his true colors eventually and he’ll be right there to take him down; Zayn stops by to defuse the situation, and the two men agree even though they are friends, it’s go time tonight
A vignette pushes Ludwig Kaiser as European elegance and an A+ specimen … really!
Cody Rhodes and Jey Uso def. Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn by pinfall to retain the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship; after the match, Owens finally shows Uso he respects Jey with a handshake and bro hug

WWE Raw results 09/25/23: JD McDonagh saves the day for The Judgment Day

If The Judgment Day won’t accept JD McDonagh now after his key role on WWE Raw, they probably never will.

As the late, great philosopher Guru of Gang Starr once said, “Give the credit y’all, where it is due.” And in this case, the credit is due Dominik Mysterio as he prepares to defend his NXT North American Championship on tonight’s episode of WWE Raw in Ontario, California.

No, really. Though Dom is definitely the person you love to hate at the moment, he’s gone from “get this guy off my screen” heat to “we hate you because you’re a big heel” heat. In that respect, strapping him up only helped, which is why WWE did the right thing by doing so even though most people griped at the time.

He’ll have one of his biggest showcases tonight, trying to fend off Dragon Lee. There’s no question Lee reminds Dominik of his famous father in all the ways that get under his skin most, which is why a loss would definitely burn. WWE could potentially help make Lee a star with a win, so it will be interesting to see how this plays out, and if Mysterio needs help from his teammates in The Judgment Day to pull out a victory.

If they can’t help him, it might be because they’re busy too. Damian Priest and Finn Balor won the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship from Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn, but now they’ve got to keep the Canadians from getting it back. Plus there’s lots going on around the champs, what with trying to recruit The Usos and that JD McDonagh guy always wondering “How can I be down?”

All that plus Drew McIntyre on Miz TV, Shinsuke Nakamura addressing Seth Rollins’ challenge and Cody Rhodes kicking off the show. Sounds like a night, doesn’t it? Let’s find out.

WWE Raw results from Ontario:

(please scroll down for full details on any match or segment in bold)

Cody Rhodes gets interrupted again, but he finds plenty of allies rally to his side against The Judgment Day
Bronson Reed def. Otis by pinfall
Becky Lynch asks Tegan Nox why she didn’t take the open challenge last week and says she’s next in line once she wins at No Mercy
Nox and Natalya get into an argument in front of Adam Pearce over who deserves a shot at Lynch next, so he proposes they battle it out in the ring
Tommaso Ciampa def. Ludwig Kaiser by pinfall despite, and indeed perhaps thanks to, Giovanni Vinci’s attempt to help his Imperium mate
A hype video puts over the skill and athleticism of Dragon Lee
Tegan Nox def. Natalya by pinfall
A furious Priest kicks McDonagh out of The Judgment Day’s dimly lit dressing room
Seth Rollins gets his answer from Shinsuke Nakamura, and he is undeterred in agreeing to a Last Man Standing match at Fastlane
Even on crutches, Ricochet says he has unfinished business with Nakamura no matter who wins at Fastlane
Dominik Mysterio def. Dragon Lee by pinfall to retain the NXT North American Championship
KO and Sami say their actions earlier weren’t about helping Jey Uso but about getting their hands on The Judgment Day and winning the titles back together
Michael Cole has the unenviable task of interviewing Nia Jax, who brags about squashing Rhea Ripley, Shayna Baszler and everyone, really; Zoey Stark heads to the ring and gets in Jax’s face, seemingly unafraid of being squashed, and they brawl into a commercial break while referees try to pull them apart
Nia Jax def. Zoey Stark by pinfall
Jey Uso tells Byron Saxton that he’s not joining any groups of any kind and will be keeping a close eye on The Judgment Day the rest of the night, especially during the tag team title match
Finn Balor celebrates with Mysterio and tells him Priest needed to cool off, but they’d all be celebrating by the end of the night
Miz TV welcomes Drew McIntyre for a bit of a morality discussion involving The New Day, and Miz ends up on the receiving end of some well deserved violence
Chad Gable tries to console Otis, then tells Kaiser, who is creeping on Maxxine again, to deliver a message to Gunther: Master Gable still has his eyes on him
Drew McIntyre def. Kofi Kingston by pinfall, undeterred by Ivar beating up on Xavier Woods during the match and doing the same to Kingston afterward
Gunther lays into Kaiser, making Vinci his responsibility while he takes care of his responsibility as IC champ, saying he’ll beat Ciampa himself
Asked about beating up The New Day, Ivar says it’s for taking out Erik, and Valhalla says “an eye for an eye”
Damian Priest and Finn Balor def. Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn by pinfall to retain the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship, with a huge assist from McDonagh
After the main event, KO, Zayn, Uso and Rhodes continue to take part in a massive brawl with The Judgment Day and McDonagh

WWE Raw results 09/11/23: Stunning return helps Rhea hold off Raquel

Dominik Mysterio couldn’t help Rhea Ripley on WWE Raw, but a returning star provided an unexpected hand.

Let’s get one thing straight right off the bat: Rhea Ripley certainly doesn’t need help from Dominik Mysterio to win her matches. She’s proven that numerous times on her way to becoming Women’s World Championship. That said, it’s fair to wonder if it’ll get in her head looking ringside tonight during WWE Raw in Norfolk and not seeing Dirty Dom there to support her.

Ripley can use any edge she can get because Raquel Rodriguez has been a determined challenger who is a legit threat to dethrone her. Rodriguez is powerful enough to stand her ground against Ripley, and she’s motivated by what the champ did to both her and tag team partner Liv Morgan, so she’s not going to stop.

All we’re saying is that with Dom barred from ringside tonight for the title rematch, Ripley might not have the same comfort level she usually does. And given the way she’s put the rest of The Judgment Day on notice if they didn’t win gold, it would be ironic indeed if she loses hers first.

Cody Rhodes is going to talk about something on Raw this evening as well, and while we fully expect that he’ll ask us what we want to talk about, we feel just as sure that he already has something in mind. We’re just not exactly sure what that might be, and if it still has to do with recently arrived Jey Uso.

Plus, Imperium is going to throw a championship celebration for Gunther, which he deserves as the longest-reigning Intercontinental Champion of all time. But has he truly beaten everyone worth beating, or will someone new choose this occasion to declare themselves next in line to try to topple the Ring General?

These are the reasons we watch.

WWE Raw results from Norfolk:

(scroll down for full details on any match or segment in bold)

Jey Uso is caught between Kevin Owens saying do the work and The Judgment Day trying to recruit him, but offers to team with KO tonight
The Judgment Day (Damian Priest and Finn Balor) def. Jey Uso and Kevin Owens by pinfall, after an Uso superkick accidentally hits Owens and sets up their opponents’ victory
Uso attempts to apologize to Owens, but KO angrily tells him to go join “your new Bloodline” and accept the Judgment Day’s offer to join
A highlight package is shown of Gunther’s victory over Chad Gable last week that helped make him a record-holder; afterward, a car pulls up and Imperium gets out, dressed to the nines
The Miz def. Akira Tozawa by pinfall
Raquel Rodriguez tells Byron Saxton that Rhea Ripley might be the most dominant women’s champ ever, but she’s not like most challengers and Dom won’t be there to help Rhea tonight
Chelsea Green makes the mistake of calling Shayna Baszler a peer, and besides, she doesn’t need a partner because Piper Niven is back
Gunther is ready to celebrate his historic Intercontinental Championship reign, but Chad Gable isn’t done with him yet
Xavier Woods wants to know why Drew McIntyre was trash talking Kofi Kingston and isn’t happy with the answer he gets, then goads the Scottish Warrior into a match
Backstage, Ciampa explains why he came to Alpha Academy’s aid, and Otis suggests the three of them challenge Imperium tonight
Drew McIntyre vs. Xavier Woods by pinfall
Cody Rhodes wants to talk about Jey Uso but has to fight off Dominik Mysterio and JD McDonagh instead
McIntyre tells Jey he doesn’t trust him, saying he doubts Uso can stand on his own two feet; Jey says he’ll prove he can by facing McIntyre next week, and Drew quickly accepts
Shayna Baszler def. Chelsea Green by pinfall, then gets some help from Zoey Stark to avoid a post-match beating from Piper Niven
Shinsuke Nakamura is still focused on taking Seth Rollins’ title and says he will challenge for it again when he feels like it
Rollins comes to the ring and admits that he is all the bad things Nakamura claims he is, but he’s also some good things, and it simply took a long time to realize he just needed to be himself; he also offers the chance for Shinsuke to come get the World Heavyweight Championship right now, but Nak is busy beating up Ricochet backstage instead
Balor approaches Jey and says The Judgment Day are his only fans on Raw, and the door is always open for him
Alpha Academy and Tommaso Ciampa def. Imperium by submission
The Judgment Day says the more Jey feels isolated, the better the chance that he joins them; Rhea tells Dom not to worry, as she always comes out on top
Tiffany Stratton is upset that she’s been waiting for Becky Lynch, but The Man arrives to sign a contract for their title match on NXT; Lynch also says her problem with Stratton is that she only wants to be famous, while Tiffany says she doesn’t need Becky to be a big deal since she’s been doing that for herself
Rhea Ripley def. Raquel Rodriguez by pinfall to retain the Women’s World Championship, thanks to a dramatic return by Nia Jax, who then assaults Ripley after the bell

How Gunther’s historic WWE Intercontinental Championship reign has elevated the title and its holder

Gunther’s current run with the WWE Intercontinental Championship is a bit of a throwback in all the best possible ways.

Remember the good old days, when the WWE Intercontinental Championship meant something, when the holder was next in line for the world title?

I feel like we as wrestling fans have asked and answered those questions countless times over the last 20 years or so.

That is not to say the title did not have its share of highlights during the last two decades. The Miz and Dolph Ziggler’s battle over the Intercontinental title in 2016 was the best feud of that year. I thought Cody Rhodes introducing the classic title design was an amazing decision.

I also believe the list of title holders is still as illustrious today as it’s ever been with the likes of Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins, Kevin Owens, Bobby Lashley, Finn Balor and AJ Styles.

But Miz and Ziggler’s feud was an outlier among mostly forgettable ones. The classic design conjured up memories of the title’s heyday, but its historic luster was never fully restored. And the title felt more like a demotion to the middle of the card rather than a stepping stone to greater success.

But Gunther’s record-breaking title reign has changed that.

As Gunther surpasses Honky Tonk Man to become the longest-reigning Intercontinental champion of all time, the title feels as important today as it did during its glory years when legends like Bret Hart, Randy Savage and Shawn Michaels held it.

But how did we get to this point? How did WWE successfully revitalize a title that had seemingly lost its place in the wrestling business for so long? Well, there were a few reasons.

First, Gunther was the right person to become champion once he arrived on the main roster. At the time, there was only one top title in WWE and we all know who that belonged to (hint: it’s Reigns).

WWE has never been shy about immediately strapping the rocketship to someone’s back and placing them in main events. Gunther’s size and strength made him a prime candidate for such a position.

However, WWE was more patient, mainly because it could be. The promotion already has a monster heel enjoying a lengthy title reign at the top of the card. There was no need to rush another into the same position. It was a luxury WWE fortunately took advantage of by giving Gunther the Intercontinental title instead.

As Intercontinental Champion, Gunther defeated virtually all of the company’s mid-card stars, slowly earning him and the title more credibility in the process. Once again, his size and strength also made him a believable candidate to run roughshod over a good chunk of WWE’s roster.

This does not feel like the Honky Tonk Man squeaking out technicality victories. This is Gunther winning night in and night out, which brings me to my next point: Gunther has not been pinned.

If there is one well WWE loves to go to time and again, it’s having its champions lose non-title affairs. Yeah, they will eventually somehow win when the title is on the line, but they could easily lose every match leading up to that point, leaving the wrestler and the title as collateral damage to terrible decision-making.

Gunther, on the other hand, literally didn’t lose a match until Chad Gable defeated him a couple of weeks ago on Raw. And even that was via count-out. Gunther being so dominant obviously helps him, but it also helps the person that eventually beats him — because, in theory, that person will also be looked at as a future star.

Speaking of future stars, Gunther’s title reign sure has done a lot for Gable, even with him ultimately coming up short of winning the title in the end. Time will tell if WWE will eventually capitalize on Gable’s newfound momentum as a singles competitor beyond a couple of great title matches. But the opportunity is there, which is saying a lot given he has seen most of his success occur as a tag team wrestler going back to his days on NXT.

The matches Gunther recently had with Gable were not the only great ones during his run. Gunther’s hard-hitting affair against Sheamus at Clash at the Castle was arguably WWE’s best of 2022. Throwing Drew McIntyre into the mix at WrestleMania 39 only helped create another bruising classic.

And these matches are not exclusive to Raw or secondary premium live events. They have taken place on the biggest shows on WWE’s calendar, which was not a guarantee for many other Intercontinental Champions.

Remember the good old days, when the WWE Intercontinental Championship meant something, when the holder was next in line for the world title?

I’m happy to say that I don’t have to think back all that far.

WWE Raw results 09/04/23: Gunther makes history, Jey Uso arrives

See how Gunther made history on WWE Raw from Charlotte, which also saw Jey Uso arrive for his first show on the red brand.

WWE Raw emanates from the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina, and it could be a momentous night for Chad Gable.

As Gunther nears the record for the longest-reigning WWE Intercontinental Champion, he has Gable standing in his way as his biggest obstacle yet. While not at the size and stature of the Imperium leader, Gable is still a presence in his own right as an Olympian and one of WWE’s top technical wrestlers.

It would be startling if Gunther fell just short of the historic mark, but WWE has teased it enough to instill some doubt.

This is also the first show with The Judgment Day as Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions after they defeated Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens at Payback. This group now holds gold across the board, and entering the fall season, they should run amok.

The other shock from Payback was when Cody Rhodes introduced Jey Uso as the newest member of Raw. Jey had “quit” WWE after the events of SummerSlam and stayed off programming for the past few weeks. With The Usos now split, it will be interesting to see how Jey begins his career as a singles star and if life without Jimmy is more profitable.

WWE Raw results from Charlotte:

A recap video of Payback opens the show.
Jey Uso addresses the crowd on his first night at WWE Raw, and Sami Zayn assures him that he is welcome on Monday nights.
An aftermath video of Seth Rollins vs. Shinsuke Nakamura plays, that shows the King of Strong Style’s post-match attack at Payback that did not air. Nakamura vows to become World Heavyweight Champion.
Adam Pearce tells Seth Rollins backstage that medical had ordered him not to be at Raw, but Rollins insisted he was fine. Ricochet praised Rollins’ match at Payback, expressing his respect for him, but reminded him that he didn’t have to carry the show alone. Rollins assured everyone he was fine.
The Viking Raiders defeat Drew McIntyre and Matt Riddle via pinfall, in part due to Kofi Kingston’s interference.
Seth Rollins challenges Shinsuke Nakamura to a World Heavyweight Championship match, but Nakamura declines and the two brawl.
Backstage, Adam Pearce says he’s trying to help Seth Rollins help himself because he’s running himself into the ground, but Rollins wants to hear none of it.
Zoey Stark says she has a lot of respect for Trish Stratus, but no one ever pushes her around. Shayna Baszler interrupts, and Starks says they should go one on one tonight.
The Judgment Day celebrates their victorious weekend at Payback. JD McDonagh presents Damian Priest with a personalized briefcase and accepts Sami Zayn’s challenge for a match.
A slideshow of previous Intercontinental Champions is shown.
Gunther says Chad Gable can’t stand in the way of his legacy, and Gable’s fairytale story is temporary.
Adam Pearce informs Raquel Rodriguez that he will fulfill her unknown request. Chelsea Green then approaches Pearce and begins to belittle Raquel. Consequently, Pearce officially announces the match between Green and Rodriguez for tonight. It’s also revealed that Piper Niven isn’t cleared to wrestle.
Shayna Baszler defeats Zoey Stark via submission.
Damian Priest says JD McDonagh still needs to prove himself, but Finn Balor says they wouldn’t be tag team champions without JD McDonagh. Rhea Ripley says let’s see how he does against Sami Zayn before deciding if JD joins Judgment Day.
Raquel Rodriguez defeats Chelsea Green via pinfall.
Chad Gable says he’s already in the history books and lists his accolades. He vows to add to own legacy as being more than a tag team specialist.
Drew McIntyre searches backstage for Kofi Kingston, but runs into Matt Riddle instead. Angered by Jey Uso’s presence on Raw, McIntyre warns Cody Rhodes that he will be watching Uso closely and will have a problem with him if anything happens. Kofi apologizes, but McIntyre refuses to accept it and vows to keep a close eye out for any other accidents.
The Miz challenges LA Knight to a rematch without a special referee involved.
Gunther and Chad Gable’s rivalry is played in a video package.
Adam Pearce tells Jey Uso that someone from SmackDown is being traded to Raw. The identity of the person is unknown, but whoever it is might annoy people more. Tommaso Ciampa then enters Pearce’s office to “finish a conversation.”
JD McDonagh defeats Sami Zayn via pinfall.
Dominik Mysterio celebrates backstage with The Judgment Day, but breaks away to try to recruit Jey Uso into the group.
Gunther defeats Chad Gable via pinfall to retain the WWE Intercontinental Championship.

(scroll down for full details on any match or segment in bold above)

Welcome to Monday Night Raw, Jey Uso

Jey Uso wastes no time as he opens Raw with an entrance through the crowd, who gives him a massive pop. Uso gives everyone a grand “Welcome to Monday Night Raw” and receives a huge “Uso” chant in response. Comparing his recent events on SmackDown to “Family Feud,” Uso admits he has made enemies along the way.

Naturally, one of his enemies, Sami Zayn, interrupts. Zayn, Kevin Owens and The Usos headlined the first night of WrestleMania 39 not long ago, but it feels like an eternity has passed since then.

Zayn admits that many people backstage will have issues with Uso’s presence on Raw, but he wants Uso to know that he is glad Jey is here.

Jey puts his hands behind his back as Zayn extends his hand. Zayn walks away, and Uso says “Now that wasn’t very Ucey of me, was it?” They then embrace, but while departing the arena, Drew McIntyre and Matt Riddle, who both have longstanding issues with The Bloodline, stare down Jey as Zayn tries calming everyone.

Drew McIntyre and Matt Riddle find trouble in paradise in loss to The Viking Raiders

After Drew McIntyre vowed to destroy The Viking Raiders last week, he and Matt Riddle took them on in a tornado tag team match, something not seen often in WWE.

Erik and Ivar quickly take control of the action, but after settling in, McIntyre and Riddle start to work together effectively as a tag team. Riddle then imitates The Dudley Boyz and playfully requests that McIntyre get the tables.

McIntyre then gets his hot tag without the hot tag and plants both Erik and Ivar in the middle of the ring. Despite both teams’ attempts, they fail to put the other through a table as the table is set up in the corner foreshadowing something. McIntyre then sets Ivar up for a Claymore Kick, but Erik saves Ivar.

The Scottish Warrior tries setting up the announce table for something dangerous, but it allows Ivar to hit a splash on McIntyre onto the floor.

Riddle puts Erik on the table inside the ring, but Valhalla interferes. The Viking Raiders attempt to take out Riddle, prompting Kofi Kingston to rush in to save him. Unfortunately, Kingston ends up striking Riddle with Trouble in Paradise, allowing Erik and Ivar to put Riddle through a table and win by pinfall, leaving McIntyre livid.

Seth Rollins challenges Shinsuke Nakamura to a title rematch

Charlotte crowd happily welcomed Seth Rollins, who admitted that there were times during his Payback match with Shinsuke Nakamura when he wasn’t sure if he was going to get up. However, he proudly declared that, last time he checked, he was still the World Heavyweight Champion.

Rollins demands that Nakamura enter the arena, insisting that it hasn’t been sitting right with him that The King of Strong Style attacked him after the match. Seth gets his wish, but Nakamura stops short of the ring.

Rollins proposes a World Heavyweight Championship rematch right then and there. However, Nakamura hesitates and cuts a promo in Japanese, prompting Rollins to assume that he has accepted the challenge. But Nakamura says no.

Adam Pearce and security rush out to break up the brawl between Rollins and Nakamura, but not before Nakamura kicks Rollins in the back. This prompts Ricochet to come out and help clear the area.

Shinsuke Nakamura wants to break backs instead of winning

During the match, Wade Barrett tries to explain on commentary why Nakamura declined Rollins’ title challenge; Nakamura wants to fight on his own terms, not Rollins’.

Nakamura takes control of the match with a strike to the midsection and work on Ricochet’s back after the commercial break. However, Ricochet fights back with a headscissors takedown. Interestingly, Mr. Money in the Bank, Damian Priest and Rhea Ripley are watching the match backstage.

Ricochet searches for a 630 splash, but Nakamura dodges and counters with a thrilling sequence. Nakamura fails to land a move on the apron, and the two start brawling at ringside. An infuriated Nakamura finally smashes Ricochet in the back with a chair, resulting in a disqualification.

Before Nakamura makes things worse, Rollins saves Ricochet, attacking Nakamura and the security who tries to stop him. But as Nakamura tries to brutalize Rollins again, Ricochet saves him. Backstage, Ripley advises Priest to not cash his briefcase tonight.

The Judgment Day try to celebrate their weekend

Damian Priest tells everyone to rise for the group who all hold gold. Dominik Mysterio tries to speak, but, of course, he gets booed out of the building and everything he says is indistinguishable.

Finn Balor congratulates Dominik on his Judgment Day anniversary, thanking Ripley for being the voice of reason. He then turns to Priest, reminding them that despite the ups and downs, they are now tag team champions. Balor gives a shoutout to JD McDonagh and proudly thanks himself for being “Grand Slam Finn.”

Ripley says Balor and Priest rose to the occasion, making the group a true family, but one thing is aggravating her: The focus isn’t on The Judgment Day, but instead on Jey Uso being on Raw and what that means.

McDonagh interrupts, to Priest’s dismay, and McDonagh says big changes are needed in The Judgment Day. McDonagh says the briefcase has to go and he doesn’t need it, but he gives him a customized “Señor Money in the Bank” briefcase that’s colored purple.

Interrupting the party, Sami Zayn declares that he won’t let the weekend’s title match shenanigans slide. He proclaims that a special beating is owed to “the biggest turd of them all,” Dominik. Seemingly unfazed, McDonagh challenges Zayn to a match tonight, to which Zayn accepts.

Zoey Stark begins life after Trish Stratus

Stark, without Trish Stratus at her side and as a babyface, faces a difficult challenge in the woman who sent Ronda Rousey out of WWE.

Baszler attempts to put the Kirifuda Clutch on Stark, who escapes it. She tries again at ringside, but Stark prevents it by slamming her into ringside.

Baszler tries the Kirifuda against Stark inside the ring, but Stark counters with a Z360 and a splash at ringside. However, Baszler’s Kirifuda proves too much for Stark, who fails to break free from it after three attempts, eventually passing out and losing the match.

After the match, Baszler tells Stark that she gave a better fight than Rousey, and Stark says the same thing about Stratus.

Raquel Rodriguez annihilates Chelsea Green

Chelsea Green is once again partnerless, and she has no help as Raquel dominates her with pure strength and a few big kicks. After a massive clothesline and powerbomb, Rodriguez wins easily.

Rodriguez announced that she will be getting her rematch against Rhea Ripley for the Women’s World Championship next week on Raw, with Dominik Mysterio banned from ringside.

The Miz speaks to “John Cena”

The Miz claims he was cheated in his match against LA Knight at Payback. He then announces that he has someone to bring out who’s completely honest, John Cena … but no one sees him.

The Miz begins addressing an empty chair as “Cena”. He then declares that he has seen through Cena for all these years and starts questioning “Cena” about the match.

“Cena” and Miz start fighting, with Miz hitting the Skull Crushing Finale. The A-lister subsequently challenges LA Knight to a rematch without a special guest referee.

Sami Zayn wants payback against JD McDonagh

Sami Zayn targets JD McDonagh’s back after what Owens did to it at Payback, but McDonagh swiftly takes control, slamming Zayn into the announce deck and the ring post.

Zayn retaliates with a clothesline and a chop. He hits a Michinoku Driver and almost pins McDonagh. When he goes for a Helluva Kick, Dominik Mysterio yanks McDonagh out of danger, and Zayn turns his attention to Mysterio.

Mysterio’s last distraction pays off, allowing McDonagh to roll up Zayn with the tights to score the victory.

Zayn goes after Dominik, but McDonagh, as he continues to do, takes the offense instead and tells Dominik to go. It seems like a quasi-initiation process for McDonagh to join The Judgment Day.

Gunther makes history

Easily the biggest moment of Chad Gable’s singles career and a potential history-making moment for Gunther, this has all the makings of a classic.

Gable targets Gunther’s ankle, goading him into a chop and escaping his own attempted offense, sending the champion on the run. Gunther takes control of the match, but Gable retaliates with another ankle target to weaken the tall Gunther, who fights back with the other leg, delivering a big boot.

Gable channels his inner Kurt Angle, pulling down his singlet straps to bring the fight, but it fails to work as Gunther continues dominating the challenger.

Gunther powerbombs Gable and hits a damaging chop, but Gable comes back with a superplex and a splash for a dramatic nearfall. After two attempts, he hits Chaos Theory but can’t get past the Austrian just yet.

Gable gets his best anklelock in, but Gunther kicks his way out and puts him into a sleeper hold. A gnarly suplex drops Gable directly on his head, and after a powerbomb and a sickening clothesline, Gunther retains to make history.

WWE Raw preview 09/04/23: Can Chad Gable spoil Gunther’s bid at history?

See what’s in store for WWE Raw from Charlotte, where Chad Gable will once again challenge Gunther for the Intercontinental title.

You should never underestimate Chad Gable. He’s proven that time and again during his WWE career. But he’s certainly an underdog tonight on WWE Raw from Charlotte as he tries to prevent Gunther from achieving history.

See, the Ring General is oh so close to becoming the longest-reigning WWE Intercontinental Champion of all time. Only Gable stands in his way, and Gunther has been a bit dismissive of how the leader of Alpha Academy could be the one to knock him off his perch.

The thing is, Gable has already defeated Gunther once, albeit by count-out. He’s as confident as we’ve seen him in a long time, and maybe ever as a singles competitor. Can he turn that into fuel to become Intercontinental Champion? We’ll find out tonight.

Drew McIntyre is on a bit of an opposite trajectory to Gable, as he’s used to going it alone. Matt Riddle has been trying to convince them they’d make an excellent team, to mixed success so far. They’ve managed to already run afoul of the Viking Raiders, however, so they’ll be tangling with the big Vikings in a Tornado Tag Team match.

Hey, McIntyre did say he’d take care of the Raiders without even making a tag, so this seems guaranteed to ensure he lives up to at least that part of his promise.

There’s also bound to be some fallout from Payback as well since it just took place two days ago, and perhaps WWE will do something with John Cena since he’s around and only the SmackDown audience has seen him so far.

We’ll find out tonight, live on USA, beginning at 8 p.m. ET.

Updated WWE Payback 2023 card: KO, Sami take on The Judgment Day in a Steel City Street Fight

Check out the latest WWE Payback 2023 card, with all the matches confirmed so far for Pittsburgh.

WWE will host is next premium live event, Payback, at the PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on Saturday, Sept. 2. It’s the first marquee show since SummerSlam and will feature feuds that developed in the fallout.

One of the first matches announced for Payback was Becky Lynch vs. Trish Stratus in a Steel Cage match. This feud, which has been going on since shortly after WrestleMania, is one of WWE’s longest running and will culminate at Payback after a summer-long program that has lost steam.

WWE confirmed that Rhea Ripley will defend her WWE Women’s Championship against Raquel Rodriguez at Payback, following weeks of tension pitting the champion against Rodriguez and her tag team partner, Liv Morgan — which culminated in Ripley sidelining both of them with injuries. On the Aug. 21 show, Rodriguez returned healthy to get her retribution and set up the title match.

Shinsuke Nakamura teased an edgier side to his persona, culminating in a surprise Kinshasa on Seth Rollins to close an episode of Raw earlier this month. This led to simmering tension between the two, and now the match has been confirmed for Payback, where Rollins will defend the World Heavyweight Championship.

As expected, The Miz and LA Knight will face off after their recent exchanges, and the winner of the Slim Jim Battle Royal will have the chance to have one of the biggest WWE matches of his career if it is confirmed. Gunther vs. Chad Gable in a rematch for the WWE Intercontinental Championship is also plausible.

We’ll update this post as WWE announces more matches for Payback. For now, here’s what has been set for the PPG Paints Arena.

Last update: Aug. 28, 2023, 11:15 p.m. ET

WWE Payback 2023 card:

Seth Rollins (c) vs. Shinsuke Nakamura – World Heavyweight Championship match
Rhea Ripley (c) vs. Raquel Rodriguez – WWE Women’s Championship match
Rey Mysterio (c) vs. Austin Theory – WWE United States Championship match
Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn (c) vs. The Judgment Day (Damian Priest and Finn Balor) – Steel City Street Fight for the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship
Becky Lynch vs. Trish Stratus – Steel Cage match
LA Knight vs. The Miz