Tag: Chad Gable

WWE Raw results 08/28/23: Becky Lynch beats Zoey Stark despite Trish’s best efforts

See how Becky Lynch beat the odds, Gunther delivered a message and Seth Rollins got fooled again on WWE Raw in Memphis.

The Man is coming around to Memphis tonight on WWE Raw, and she’s gearing up for quite the battle.

Becky Lynch is very much looking forward to stepping inside a steel cage with Trish Stratus this weekend at Payback, but before she gets there, she needs to deal with Trish’s mentee Zoey Stark first. And let’s face it, a Falls Count Anywhere match is a pretty great way of doing that.

The idea for Becky is to beat Zoey badly enough that she can’t run in and assist Trish in Pittsburgh on Saturday. But of course, Stratus can interfere herself tonight, so … we’ll see.

Where Lynch’s big victory is hopefully still ahead of her, Chad Gable arguably had his biggest win as a singles competitor when he beat Gunther last week. Alas, while the Intercontinental Championship was on the line, winning by count-out meant that Gable didn’t get to claim the gold.

Despite that, the fact that no one had beaten Gunther by any means in a long time meant the Ring General was humiliated in defeat, and he’s not going to stand for that for long. To that end, he’s assigned Ludwig Kaiser the task of restoring some honor to Imperium tonight on Raw, and we wouldn’t want to be him if he fails in his assignment.

Also tonight, The New Day is back together (though we’re still missing Big E) and has made it clear they want to make another run at the tag team gold they know so well. The problem for now is that they seem to have made enemies of the physically larger Viking Raiders, and now the Vikings want to get some revenge for a defeat at their hands a few weeks ago. So … yeah.

Michael Cole lets us know we’re going to be seeing some Terry Funk and Bray Wyatt tributes again tonight, which will be nice to see.

WWE Raw results from Memphis:

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

  • Damian Priest def. Sami Zayn by pinfall thanks to a distraction from JD McDonagh, though Priest isn’t happy about that and JD gets beaten up by Sami and Kevin Owens
  • Drew McIntyre is examining a picture of himself in shorts designed by Matt Riddle, and though Akira Tozawa unconvincingly says he looks great, it’s clear the Scottish Warrior isn’t sold, and he only grudgingly agrees to watch the upcoming New Day-Viking Radiers tag team match with Riddle from ringside
  • A hype video promotes the Rhea Ripley-Raquel Rodriguez title match at Payback, and has Raquel promising to cut Rhea down to size this Saturday
  • The Miz is out to do his (not that shabby) LA Knight impression, and he insists that his Payback foe is nothing more than pandering, and that he’d prove it this weekend
  • Viking Raiders def. The New Day by pinfall, in part due to
  • Balor tells Priest they need to get it together, but Damian isn’t happy that JD keeps getting in Judgment Day business, and Rhea Ripley ends up yelling at both of them, promising “changes” if they don’t win tag team gold at Payback
  • The Bray Wyatt tribute video first shown last week on SmackDown is replayed for the Monday night audience
  • Riddle and McIntyre go to check on Woods, and though Kingston lets them know they understand it wasn’t on purpose and it’s all good, McIntyre vows to take care of the Viking problem next week and won’t even need to tag Riddle in to do it
  • Gunther stands on the announce table and talks about how Chad Gable was the first person to beat the Ring General in more than 500 days, but says that Gable technically won nothing since he is still the IC champ; Gable has however pissed Gunther off, and now has his attention and focus, and also a title rematch next week, though Chad himself says he will win that one
  • Chad Gable def. Ludwig Kaiser by DQ following interference by Giovanni Vinci, though Gable ends up getting powerbombed by Gunther after an attack by all of Imperium
  • A short tribute video to Bob Barker is shown, calling him the best guest host of WWE shows ever
  • Seth Rollins addresses Shinsuke Nakamura, but his anger doesn’t keep him from being attacked from behind again
  • Zayn tells Kevin Owens how upset he is that they keep losing in crappy ways to The Judgment Day, and KO says that he got Adam Pearce to make their match at Payback into a Steel City Street Fight
  • Tommaso Ciampa def. Bronson Reed by pinfall
  • Becky Lynch says it’s not the easy way out to take on Zoey Stark in a Falls Count Anywhere match this close to Payback, but the easy way isn’t what she wants anyway
  • Ripley cuts a promo on Rodriguez, admitting that Raquel is big and strong, but when it comes to Payback, she’s walking out champion; Rodriguez heads to the ring and they immediately start throwing hands before Raquel hits a fallaway slam; even with a distraction from Dirty Dom, Rodriguez is able to outfight Ripley
  • Trish Stratus mocks Lynch and Stark promises to leave plenty left of The Man for Trish this Saturday, which is actually … what she doesn’t want to do?
  • The Terry Funk tribute video from SmackDown is played again in honor of his passing last week
  • Becky Lynch def. Zoey Stark by pinfall in a Falls Count Anywhere match despite copious amounts of assistance for Stark by Trish Stratus

WWE Raw preview 08/28/23: Can Becky Lynch get Zoey Stark out of her business for good?

WWE Raw from Memphis will also see Chad Gable taking on Ludwig Kaiser as Gunther takes his frustration out on Imperium.

The problem with henchmen is that as long as the master villain is still around, they keep coming after you. Zoey Stark would probably object (painfully, for us) to us labeling her that way, but there’s no denying that she acts at the behest of Trish Stratus for now, which has been bad for Becky Lynch. Yet tonight’s WWE Raw in Memphis could give The Man a chance to get Stark off her back in a meaningful way.

That’s because Lynch and Stark will tangle in a Falls Count Anywhere match at the FedExForum (yes, we think it’s weird that’s all one word too). It’s just days before Becky and Trish will step into a steel cage at Payback, so if Lynch wins tonight and does plenty of damage to Stark, maybe it will keep Zoey from the inevitable run-in she’d do in Pittsburgh. Maybe.

Speaking of people who are dealing with henchmen, that applies to Chad Gable too. The Master of Alpha Academy defeated Gunther, but the count-out victory meant the Ring General retained his Intercontinental Championship. Still, the embarrassment Gunther suffered meant he wants his cronies to do his dirty work for him, which means Ludwig Kaiser is on tap to try to stop Gable on Raw.

Here’s what else to expect tonight in Memphis:

With Payback looming on Saturday night, this is the final chance for matches to be confirmed for the red brand, so don’t be surprised if there’s more to set up that show as well. We’ll find out together when WWE Raw hits USA live tonight at 8 p.m. ET.

The Gunther vs. Chad Gable finish was good, but could have been even better

Also, why the Shinsuke Nakamura promo video on Raw this week was so good.

It sure does feel good knowing that the WWE Intercontinental title means something again. Right?

I can’t remember the last time that I consistently looked forward to seeing the title defended. Gunther against pretty much anyone is must-watch television, in my eyes.

This past Monday, my excitement level was exponentially higher knowing Gunther was defending his title against Chad Gable, one of the most talented yet somehow under-utilized wrestlers in the world.

And to my elation, Gunther and Gable delivered a great television match that included an exciting and sensible finish. 

Gable technically won the match by countout Monday night after he German suplexed Gunther over the barricade in a very entertaining spot. 

The loss for Gunther was his first on the main roster, which gives Gable a big feather in his cap despite not claiming the ultimate prize in the Intercontinental title.

Because Gable did not win the title, it sets up a potential rematch between the two at Payback. And yes, I am very much looking forward to that encounter as well.

However, I have to make one critique. Only one. And for some, it may be a mere nitpick rather than a fully-fledged critique. If you feel that I am nitpicking, I understand. Please forgive me.

But it was something about the end sequence of that match that didn’t sit right with me. It kind of took me out of the moment. And that one thing was Gable not acknowledging that he didn’t win the title. Instead, he got up on the top rope and celebrated with the fans as if he in fact became the new champion.

It wasn’t really until Gunther demanded that he’d be announced as still being the champion that Gable said that he was eventually coming back to get the title.

Let me reiterate, handing Gunther his first loss on the main roster is a big deal and something for Gable’s character to be proud of. But this wasn’t supposed to be about just beating Gunther. This was about becoming Intercontinental Champion. And unfortunately for Gable, that did not happen Monday night.

If this were a non-title match and Gable handing Gunther his first loss led to a future title match, I could understand him celebrating to the degree that he did. But this was a title match, and the sole objective in any title match is to …win the title.

We have to acknowledge that we have to use pro wrestling logic in general when it comes to this finish. Making someone look good without actually accomplishing the ultimate goal is a uniquely professional wrestling troupe.

In all other forms of sports, if you don’t win the title, you’re not really doing a lot of celebrating. I have seen a lot of grown men cry their eyes out after losing the Super Bowl. But in professional wrestling, which is never-ending, it is a means to set up something else in the future. 

The most famous (or infamous depending on who you ask) instance of this type of finish would be Lex Luger beating Yokozuna at SummerSlam in 1993, also by countout. 

Thirty years ago, WWE went the extra mile of having confetti and balloons rain down on Luger, a guy who just won via a technicality. WWE then did Luger even dirtier by never following through on making him champion. Instead, the company pivoted to Bret Hart, who the fans actually liked, and Luger was out of the company by the fall of 1995.

Fortunately for Gable, WWE showed restraint this past Monday night and held off on the ticker-tape parade in favor of a more subdued celebration. 

But in my admittedly overly-critical mind, I think it could have been dialed back even more.

Another quick Raw thought:

I like the direction WWE is taking with the Seth Rollins-Shinsuke Nakamura story. Bringing Rollins’ real-life back injury into a story and making it a major weakness for the champion is a clever move by WWE. It instantly provides Rollins with the necessary sympathy a babyface needs. 

I also loved the sit-down promo style WWE produced for Nakamura Monday night. Nakamura spoke Japanese and unsurprisingly looked more comfortable being able to speak in his native language. I hope this is something WWE can produce for him more often as I think it can really help him in the future.

WWE Raw results 08/21/23: KO returns, Gable wins (but not the title) in Quebec City

Also on WWE Raw, Matt Riddle and Drew McIntyre took on The New Day, and Shinsuke Nakamura revealed what he said to Seth Rollins.

Shooooooooosh! Shoosh, please! We’re going to need quiet for Chad Gable tonight in Quebec City as he attempts to win a singles championship on WWE Raw.

Not just any title, either, but the Intercontinental Championship that’s been in the iron grasp of Gunther since last summer. The Ring General has used power to beat many opponents, skill to best others, and underhanded tactics when necessary — though that has rarely been the case.

Gable, of course, is a technical wizard who is also exceptionally strong for his size. Plus he has the rest of Alpha Academy to keep an eye on the other members of Imperium, so theoretically, it should be a wash on the outside.

In other words, maybe this won’t be quite a simple as the IC champ thinks it could be.

Another interesting match on tonight’s card in Quebec City will see Matt Riddle and Drew McIntyre team to face The New Day. While McIntyre has been somewhat reluctant to make his recent partnership with Riddle an ongoing thing, a victory over one of the most decorated tag teams in WWE history might persuade him to change his stance. Or not, but it can’t hurt Riddle’s efforts.

Last but not least, WWE says Shinsuke Nakamura is going to tell the world exactly what he whispered to Seth Rollins last week that turned the World Heavyweight Champion white as a sheet. It’s got to be pretty good considering the reaction he got.

It would also be strange indeed if Quebec’s favorite son, Sami Zayn, wasn’t involved in tonight’s proceedings in some way, so watch for that as well.

WWE Raw results from Quebec City:

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

  • Sami Zayn is in the house, and he’s not alone: Kevin Owens is back
  • The New Day def. Drew McIntyre and Matt Riddle by pinfall, but only thanks to some unexpected aid from the Viking Raiders, who attack the winning team after the bell until McIntyre chases them off
  • Finn Balor and JD McDonagh are being interviewed when Rhea Ripley comes to summon Finn to decide who is competing in the main event; JD tries to come with them but Rhea says no
  • Shayna Baszler says she’s out to set the whole world on fire and leave everyone in the women’s division with no chance but to let it burn
  • Gunther says despite what Chad Gable believes, time is on his side, with each passing day building his legacy; Gable is interviewed backstage, and gets a pep talk from Otis and Maxxine Dupri
  • Chad Gable def. Gunther by countout, so Gunther retains the WWE Intercontinental Championship
  • Ripley can’t believe that Balor and Damian Priest can’t decide who is going to be in the main event and says they better figure it out shortly or she’ll make the decision for them
  • An angry Gunther takes out his frustration on the rest of Imperium, and things seem to flow downhill toward poor Giovanni Vinci
  • Cody Rhodes doesn’t want to be interviewed backstage and takes Byron Saxton with him out to the stage and gets the fans pumped up to be in the corner of Owens and Zayn in the main event later tonight
  • In a pre-recorded segment, Shinsuke Nakamura claims he told Rollins “I know about your back,” explaining that Seth’s back has been his weakness for years and that Rollins lives in constant pain because of it; he ominously ends his bit with “watch your back”
  • Rhea Ripley def. Candice LeRae by submission but soon finds herself retreating from Raquel Rodriguez, who says they will meet at Payback
  • Tommaso Ciampa says he needs to be the change he wants to see since he’s tired of being close to big opportunities, and he says his mantra needs to be “do it yourself,” hmm …
  • The Miz continues to insist that LA Knight will be remembered as a flash in the pan or “the Hoobastank of WWE” before introducing his opponent, Akira Tozawa, who tries getting over by saying “yeah” like Knight
  • Akira Tozawa def. The Miz by pinfall as Miz is distracted by LA Knight
  • McIntyre is about to tell Riddle that he thinks they should go their separate ways, but The New Day convinces them to hold on for one more day like Wilson Phillips, or at least Drew will consider it
  • Ripley is ticked that the guys haven’t worked out who will compete in the tag team match, so she stomps away and says they’ll do it her way now
  • Becky Lynch and Trish Stratus exchange verbal jabs again
  • Chelsea Green says she handled having WWE authorize making her and Piper Niven the official tag team champions, but Niven makes it appear she’s the one calling the shots
  • Chelsea Green and Piper Niven def. Kayden Carter and Katana Chance by pinfall
  • Rollins lets the fans sing for a second before responding to questions about his back, admitting that he has been living with a lumbar injury for four years that could shorten his career, but he says it’s part of the gig and says Shinsuke isn’t man enough to face him man to man; Seth gives Shinsuke one more chance to prove he’s an honorable warrior next week
  • Damian Priest and Finn Balor def. Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn by DQ when KO is caught using the MITB briefcase as a weapon, but …
  • … Rhodes comes down and chases away The Judgment Day before suggesting a six-man tag to end the show; Adam Pearce agrees, so let’s try this main event again
  • Cody Rhodes, Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn def. The Judgment Day (Damian Priest, Dominik Mysterio and Finn Balor) by pinfall
  • Zayn has a bilingual last word for The Judgment Day

WWE Raw preview 08/21/23: Can Chad Gable upset Gunther for gold?

WWE Raw from Quebec City will also reveal just what Shinsuke Nakamura said to Seth Rollins that had the world champ shook.

Sometimes it’s just fun to see someone deserving get a chance to have the spotlight on them. Win or lose tonight on WWE Raw in Quebec City, that applies to Chad Gable when he takes on Gunther for the Intercontinental Championship.

Gable has been superb in his current run as the teacher in Alpha Academy, mentoring Otis and now Maxxine Dupri as well. His “shoooosh please” and “thank you!” catchphrases have really caught on — it’s impossible to do a media availability with him now without several outlets asking him to do them.

But while he’s an entertaining performer who has fantastic comedic chops, Gable is first and foremost a wrestler’s wrestler. He’s made it clear he’s always ready for WWE to give him a chance to go get it as a singles competitor, and that’s exactly what this program with Gunther is allowing him to do.

Will Gable win the title tonight? We’d be surprised if that was the case, given how long Gunther has held the IC belt and what a great champion he’s been. But we wouldn’t be completely shocked, and that’s a testament to how we feel about Gable.

Speaking of people we’re happy to see shining again, The New Day is back in business now that Kofi Kingston has returned. They’ll provide a nice test to see if Matt Riddle and Drew McIntyre really should stay together as a tag team as Riddle is pushing the Scottish Warrior to consider.

Plus, in one of the more meme-worthy moments from last week’s episode of Raw, Shinsuke Nakamura whispered something to Seth Rollins on his way out of the ring that made the World Heavyweight Champion look like he’d seen a ghost (and left him open for another attack from behind). Shinsuke is supposed to reveal exactly what that was in Quebec City, though it’s almost more entertaining to let our own minds fill in the blank.

All this and more keeps us rolling down the road to Payback in less than two weeks. Check it out live on USA at 8 p.m. ET, or join us back here at Wrestling Junkie tonight for live Raw results and other goodness.

WWE Raw results 08/07/23: Shinsuke snookers Seth, New Day returns

WWE didn’t announce much for Raw from Minneapolis, but we know Becky Lynch will be there.

There’s playing it close to the vest, and then there’s what WWE is doing with tonight’s episode of Raw from the Target Center in Minneapolis.

Generally, WWE has a preview of Raw on any given Monday posted by late morning, sometimes sliding into the afternoon when it’s the show following a premium live event. Considering we just had a big one Saturday night in SummerSlam, a bit of a delay was no surprise.

Yet as of an hour before the show, we still have very little idea of what to expect. At the moment, the only segment WWE has confirmed will be Becky Lynch addressing all of us. The Man did what was needed to score her desired rematch with Trish Stratus, then Adam Pearce did the right thing when Stratus and Zoey Stark conspired to try to wriggle out of it.

Many believed the rematch would take place at SummerSlam, but it was instead revealed to be happening on Raw on Aug. 14. What will Lynch say, and will Stratus and Stark respond?

Everything else is pure speculation based on what went down at Ford Field. You’d expect that Cody Rhodes may address his next step as he appears to have put Brock Lesnar behind him for good (and even got the Beast Incarnate to co-sign for him, apparently). And we’ll see what kind of mood The Judgment Day is in after Finn Balor failed to lift the World Heavyweight Championship from Seth Rollins, even with some help from his teammates.

As well, WWE is expected to address the fate of the Women’s Tag Team Championship after news broke today that Sonya Deville is out indefinitely with a torn ACL.

But hey, we could be completely wrong since WWE hasn’t announced any of this. Let’s find out.

WWE Raw results from Minneapolis:

A lengthy video package replays highlights from every match from SummerSlam, and we get a welcome from the new Raw announce team of Michael Cole and Wade Barrett.

Dressed in a suit again instead of his ring gear, Cody Rhodes heads to the ring. Does everyone want to talk about one of Minnesota’s own? Cody shows some still images of his post-match handshake with Brock Lesnar and says his mom pointed out that Brock acknowledged him. Now he feels like he can beat anyone in the world. Does that include Seth Rollins, who comes out rocking the MSCHF x Crocs yellow boots? Rollins says they should put that feeling to the test, but in response, The Judgment Day (sans Finn Balor) come out on stage. They run Monday Night Raw, etc. Damian Priest says he’s the one who should dictate what happens with titles, and that Dominik Mysterio isn’t done with Cody (lol). While the posturing is going on, Balor attacks Rollins from behind. To the rescue comes Sami Zayn, and the faces quickly clear the ring. Cody quickly proposes a six-man tag, but Seth looks a little upset that Cody spoke for him, and Sami has to play peacemaker.

Ricochet gets Adam Pearce to admit he saw Logan Paul cheat at SummerSlam, but as for tonight, he invites Ricochet, Matt Riddle, Chad Gable and Tommaso Ciampa to participate in a Fatal Four-Way to determine who will be No. 1 contender for Gunther’s Intercontinental Championship.

Chad Gable def. Ricochet, Matt Riddle and Tommaso Ciampa by pinning Ciampa, becoming No. 1 contender for the Intercontinental Championship

Ricochet gets a chance to show off his power instead of his agility, but all I can concentrate on right now is Riddle’s thin mustache. A four-man superplex snaps me out of it, and Gunther is watching closely backstage since the winner gets a shot at his title.

Gable snares Ciampa in an ankle lock until Riddle recovers and crushes Gable. All four men start exchanging trademark moves until Riddle can superplex Ciampa. Two pinfalls are counted at the same time after Gable and Ricochet both hit knees coming off opposite corners, but kickouts happen at two.

All four men exchange strikes, Riddle hits a Floating Bro on Gable on the floor. Ricochet flies out there too, but he gets bent in half coming back in and has to kick out after a Storybook Ending from Ciampa.

Amidst a ton of chaos, Gable appropriately hits a bridging suplex on Ciampa, and he holds on for a big win. He celebrates with his son afterward.

A video package shows highlights from Rhodes-Lesnar III at SummerSlam.

Zayn is still trying to keep the peace between Rhodes and Rollins. He reminds them that they don’t have to work out their issues tonight but should be properly motivated to take on The Judgment Day, and Seth grudgingly agrees.

Want a Tribal Combat highlight package? You got it.

The Miz wants to shoot his commercial segment and get out of town, but he’s told he needs to wait for LA Knight … and he’s not happy about it.

Shinsuke Nakamura def. Bronson Reed by pinfall

This battle of ex-New Japan talent is the latest in an ongoing series of issues that also included Ciampa. Cole and Barrett talk up Reed while the crowd chants for Shinsuke.

Nakamura takes a lot of abuse early but is able to fight back during a side-by-side commercial sequence, even getting a two count before he gets caught coming off the top rope and dropped hard into a powerslam.

Reed wants a Tsunami, of course, but Shinsuke isn’t about that life. He does eat a Death Valley Driver but is able to kick out at two. That pays off nicely for him, as he connects on a Kinshasa, make that two, after avoiding a Tsunami, and seals up a victory.

Raquel Rodriguez is comforted backstage after being told she still isn’t medically cleared to face Rhea Ripley.

Ludwig Kaiser stops by the Alpha Academy locker room and hits on Maxxine Dupri, which brings out a more serious side of Otis as he challenges Kaiser to a match tonight.

Becky Lynch is hopeful that she will finally get her one-on-one rematch with Trish Stratus for a matchup of the greatest of two generations and no possibility of interference. It’s not Trish but Zoey Stark who comes out to answer … and claims Becky is scared of her.

When Lynch accuses Stark of playing second fiddle to Stratus, Stark fires back that Becky is just jealous. Stark’s continued boasts about how good she already is are answered by a slightly the worse for wear Shayna Baszler, who says Ronda Rousey looks even worse after she drove Ronda out of WWE.

Lynch loves the fact that those two are in each other’s faces and asks for Pearce to come out and make it official between them.

After a video package of Finn Balor-Seth Rollins SummerSlam highlights, Balor and Priest have a heated difference of opinion about what happened Saturday (in front of JD McDonagh). Rhea Ripley has to step in and calm them both down, which works, but McDonagh says he thinks the MITB briefcase is coming between them, so maybe Priest should get rid of it. Interesting.

Shayna Baszler def. Zoey Stark by pinfall

Though Baszler told us at SummerSlam that she loves the fact that she isn’t being spoonfed to fans as a face, the fans are definitely behind her here. Lynch, meanwhile, is enjoying a tall glass of lemonade while watching near the announce table.

Stark seems to be one step ahead of Baszler but also gets distracted by Lynch. Shayna hits the World’s Baddest Slam, a.k.a. Ronda’s Piper’s Pit, and sends Stark to defeat.

Nakamura tells Byron Saxton he is carving his own path. But their discussion is interrupted by a commotion backstage: McDonagh beating the heck out of Zayn.

Ludwig Kaiser def. Otis by pinfall

Dupri looks concerned early on as Kaiser is able to outmaneuver Otis, and she gets on the apron to distract the Imperium right-hand man. Otis gladly capitalizes, but he has to stop to deal with Giovanni Vinci, and that allows Gunther to attack Otis and gift wrap the win for Kaiser.

Gable rushes down after the bell to stop more post-match beatings, and the fans chant for him as Gunther smiles and walks off with his crew.

Rhodes and Rollins are asked about Zayn, and Seth handles the interview while Cody walks off. Shinsuke walks up, hearing Rollins’ comments about how he’s not sure if he’s going to end up fighting The Judgment Day one-on-three, and offers his assistance. Rollins says let’s ride.

An angry Miz says industry leaders like himself aren’t being shown the proper respect. That quickly brings out the man who he was doing the verbal equivalent of subtweeting, Knight, who soaks in a typically huge crowd reaction.

Knight offers a handshake and introduction only to have Miz refuse and accuse him of trying to ride his coattails. He also calls LA an “Attitude Era fanboy playing cosplay,” to which Knight says Miz shouldn’t make it personal.

But he does, of course. Knight explains that he’s been making himself a dangerous man for the past 20 years, clawing his way to an opportunity while WWE bet on the wrong horses — including The Miz.

A furious Miz screams that Knight isn’t on his level, but when he gets called on it, he tries for a cheap shot. Knight avoids a Skull Crushing Finale and hits the Blunt Force Trauma, which makes for a definitive last word.

The New Day def. Viking Raiders by pinfall

It’s so, so good to see Kofi Kingston back in the ring. The Raiders initially look like they will make his return a short one, but Xavier Woods hits a tornado DDT to get the New Day an opening, and Kofi runs through much of his trademark offense.

Kingston’s SOS gets a near fall on Ivar. Erik responds with a knee shot to the face and a two for his side. Trouble in Paradise wipes out Erik, however, and Woods flies a long way for a springboard elbow to win it.

Baszler tells Lynch that she didn’t need her help and will be coming for The Man sooner or later. Becky says she isn’t hard to find and is looking forward to it.

The New Day says it’s ready to pursue the tag team championship again. What about the women’s titles with Sonya Deville hurt? We’ll have to wait and see.

As The Judgment Day is coming out for the main event, Rodriguez appears out of nowhere and assaults Ripley, leading to a wild brawl that needs Pearce, referees, officials and other wrestlers to restore some semblance of order.

Cody Rhodes, Shinsuke Nakamura and Seth Rollins def. The Judgment Day (Damian Priest, Dominik Mysterio and Finn Balor) by pinfall

Mysterio has to step in-between Balor and Priest as soon as the bell rings, so the vibes are still off in The Judgment Day. Balor takes some early abuse but his group is slowly able to get a foothold in the match.

The crowd tries to will Nakamura back into things as he’s caught in the wrong corner, and his tag to Rollins helps ignite his team. Seth’s Falcon Arrow on Damian gets a near fall.

Balor, though, ends that run and works over the World Heavyweight Champion during side-by-side action. Ripley sneaks in a cheap shot when the full broadcast returns, and now it’s Rollins who really needs a tag.

Rhodes gets that tag, but Balor is able to hang with him … until a Cody Cutter that forces Dom to make the save. Balor stops Rollins from flying to the floor, and the briefcase comes into play, but here comes Zayn.

Rollins kicks the briefcase into Balor’s face and gets rid of the evidence, and Rhodes hits the Cross Rhodes to get the three count.

As the show ends, Rhodes and Rollins are still bickering, forcing Zayn to play peacekeeper again. Cody and Seth finally shake hands and all four faces celebrate in the corners.

But wait … Nakamura rushes over and smashes Rollins with a Kinshasa, leaving the champ flat on his back as the fadeout arrives.

WWE Raw results 07/31/23: Cody, Brock dance again, Finn’s delay costs Damian

Also on WWE Raw from Houston, Trish Stratus learned she won’t be able to run from Becky Lynch in two weeks.

It occurred as the picture for this WWE Raw report was uploading that there’s probably been more than one just like it over the past few months. It’s true: We’ve been here before with Cody Rhodes and Brock Lesnar, and now we’ll have to wait and see if anything is different tonight on the final episode of Raw before SummerSlam.

Not only have they fought twice on premium live events already this year, but the buildup for all of them has been more or less the same. Cody says he wants to fight Brock due to something the Beast Incarnate did to him. Lesnar doesn’t really respond, but he attacks Rhodes at some point, then Cody “surprisingly” gets one over before their match. Any other times they meet in there, a pull-apart brawl breaks out.

The strong suspicion is that with WWE promoting the fact that both men will be in the Toyota Center tonight, the same script will be followed. Still, surprising to the upside is one of the things that makes pro wrestling great and keeps us all coming back for more. Maybe tonight will be one of those nights and push the anticipation for “one of the main events of SummerSlam” even higher. Maybe.

Elsewhere, the teaming of Seth Rollins and Sami Zayn to fight The Judgment Day’s Damian Priest and Dominik Mysterio feels like one of those superhero team-ups from the Silver Age. Why shouldn’t two of our heroes join forces to combat a dastardly group of villains? That was a rhetorical question, because of course they should.

Let’s get to it.

WWE Raw results from Houston:

Boos and cheers, but mostly boos, greet Logan Paul as he opens the show. He gets right to insulting the fans before vowing to beat Ricochet in the most viral WWE match of all time.

The Highlight of the Night makes his way out to the stage, informing Paul that “you not the good guy in this situation.” Ricochet says he may not like anything about him but does respect Logan’s status as an athlete and performer.

Paul says the thing between them started all the way back at Royal Rumble when he made them go viral on the double jump spot. Alas, he can’t help but bring Ricochet’s fiancé, Samantha Irvin, into it, touching off a brawl that he wins thanks to his “titanium-reinforced” right hand. Ahem.

Gunther is asked if he has any concerns about facing Drew McIntyre at SummerSlam, but the Intercontinental Champion is mostly disappointed with his Imperium running mates. He’s giving Ludwig Kaiser a chance to redeem himself tonight, however, against Matt Riddle, and says he will end McIntyre once and for all this Saturday.

Ludwig Kaiser def. Matt Riddle by pinfall

Imagine having a very stern parent or teacher watching you over your shoulder while you work, and you get an idea of what kind of pressure Kaiser is under here. He does some impressive work in the opening minutes and gets some advice from the Ring General, but a Floating Bro turns things around.

Not sure this match seemed like it would go so long, but it’s probably the best match Kaiser has wrestled in a long time. And to that end, he actually finishes Riddle with a DDT. Wow!

And he gets a handshake from Gunther following his big win. Strangely heartwarming.

Paul is stopped by Byron Saxton and once again promises his match with Ricochet will go extremely viral. Make your disease joke here.

A video package set to a popular song that probably got that way because of TikTok hypes up Cody Rhodes-Brock Lesnar III.

Maxxine Dupri def. Valhalla by pinfall

The idea here is to see how much Dupri has absorbed from Chad Gable and Otis to get ready for her singles debut. It looks like she’s learned enough, though maybe it won’t be enough to deal with the mid-match distraction of Alpha Academy and Viking Raiders brawling on the outside.

Or … maybe it is? As Valhalla tries coming off the top rope, Dupri is able to get her hoisted up and fall straight back to get the pinfall. Your winner, Maxxine Dupri, though I can’t say it as cool as Irvin does.

Tommaso Ciampa says he needs momentum and plans on starting it with a victory over Shinsuke Nakamura tonight … and both men say they’re winning the SummerSlam Battle Royal on Saturday.

The Judgment Day’s gloating time is upon us. Who can stop them? Not Kevin Owens, who they took out. Sami Zayn? Nah. Seth Rollins? Impossible after the “epic beating” last week.

Finn Balor takes special exception to Rollins’ idea of insanity, which is dressing silly and laughing like a clown. Finn says it’s nothing compared to seven years of looking at scars that Seth inflicted, and he’s itching to inflict some scars on Rollins in return.

The fans and/or pumped in noise try to drown out Dominik Mysterio, while Rhea Ripley tells all women’s division contenders to run and hide. It doesn’t appear Raquel Rodriguez is doing that as she marches to the ring to face off with Ripley. Raquel sends the Women’s World Champion to the floor and continues her assault there, but a distraction from Dom allows Ripley to drop her with a chop block to her already injured knee.

Referees and officials step in to keep more damage from being done to Rodriguez.

A hype video is shown for Ronda Rousey vs. Shayna Baszler, one that goes back through their MMA background together.

Alpha Academy is feeling good, but those spoilsports in Imperium have to bring them down. After some back and forth jawing, Gable ends up agreeing to see if he can last five minutes in the ring with Gunther.

Shinsuke Nakamura def. Tommaso Ciampa by pinfall

Bronson Reed is watching carefully on a backstage monitor, seemingly enjoying himself in the process. Nakamura nails Ciampa with a nasty knee while he’s strung across the top rope, but it’s not enough to win it.

Shinsuke does win it not long after, but only by pulling the tights to do it. Ciampa can only shake his head knowing he just got got.

The weekly SmackDown Bloodline recap is shown, which ended with Jey Uso taking the spear/Spike combo twice.

Adam Pearce tells Rodriguez that as soon as she’s medically cleared, she’ll have her match with Ripley. But not until she’s cleared.

Not often that Brock Lesnar comes to the ring to talk, but that’s what he’s doing tonight. He’s excited about the fact that he’s getting paid this Saturday to kick the crap out of Cody Rhodes and that Cody will be paid to get beaten up.

He invites Rhodes to come out, shake his hand and he’ll respect that and see him Saturday. Brock only gives Cody five seconds, but that’s enough for his music to hit.

Rhodes cautiously gets in the ring and offers his hand, which is accepted by a grinning Lesnar. Brock says something and shoves his way past Cody to leave, but Rhodes decides to launch a suicide dive.

That might have been a tactical error, as Lesnar slams him into the steps and then smashes Cody with them again for good measure. He’s not leaving just because his music hits, however, and Lesnar eventually fights his foe back into the ring for an F5.

Gunther def. Chad Gable by pinfall (though not in five minutes)

Lots of fans would probably prefer to just see these two go for it in a normal match, but you take what you can get. The agreement is that both men would leave their respective stables in the back for this bout, and so they have.

Gable manages to get the ankle lock applied with a minute left, but Gunther is able to escape and lock in a sleeper. Chad fights for all he’s worth, and he manages to dump Gunther over the top rope to the floor to run the time limit out.

An angry Gunther says the match isn’t over and asks for more time to be added to the clock, so we’re going on after some commercials.

Gable is still perplexing Gunther after the break, but a big release German suplex helps steady the ship. A superplex makes for a good response and both men are slow to regain their feet.

Gable’s deadlift German suplex gets him another near fall. Gunther finally has enough, and powerbombs the heck out of Gable to earn a victory that was harder thought than he would have imagined.

After the bell, Gunther gets on the announce table and tells fans to get used to him being up there celebrating his success. The Ring General tells McIntyre to look at Gable for the fate that awaits him Saturday, promising again to end the Scottish Warrior once and for all.

Saxton asks Rhodes if he’s going to be able to compete Saturday, to which the American Nightmare says he will shatter the aura of the Beast at SummerSlam.

“The Man has come around to Houston, Texas.” Becky Lynch is excited that she’s done everything needed to get her rematch with Trish Stratus, and she’d love for it to be here and now.

Stratus (and Zoey Stark) comes out and says no one tells her when to fight. The rematch will happen, but Trish says she’ll be the one to decide when it takes place. She takes a shot at the Astros and seems like she’s ready to take off, but Pearce comes out and says it actually will happen right now.

Becky Lynch def. Trish Stratus by DQ

Well, it was a fun idea anyway. As soon as the bell rings, Starks jumps in and the ref calls for the bell. A two-on-one brawl spills into the timekeeper’s area, with Lynch more than holding her own until Trish brings a chair into the proceedings.

Pearce tells Stratus and Stark that what just happened was “totally unacceptable,” and that Trish will have to face Becky in two weeks … and this time, Zoey will be barred from ringside.

Both Rousey and Baszler are in tears in the second part of their hype video, which is really great stuff.

Sami Zayn and Seth Rollins def. Damian Priest and Dominik Mysterio by pinfall

The good guys aren’t waiting around, attacking The Judgment Day on their way in. Things settle in after a commercial break, with both sides showing good timing on tags.

Rollins gets himself into some trouble as the heels cut the ring in half, keeping the World Heavyweight Champion stuck in enemy territory — and Balor isn’t above lending a hand when the ref is otherwise engaged.

The hot tag isn’t really a question of if so much as when, and Zayn does his part by unleashing hell on Dirty Dom. Tags are made both ways, and Rollins looks like a man possessed as he dives three straight times to the floor to knock Priest back across the announce table.

A couple of superkicks have Priest reeling, but the numbers game is starting to get to the face team. Priest grabs Rollins for the Razor’s Edge, but his gaze turns toward his briefcase. Balor delays ever so slightly in handing it to him, meaning it only ends up as a weapon.

Amid the chaos, Rollins is able to plant Priest and keep him down for three.

WWE Raw results 07/10/23: The Judgment Day prove all is well, for now

After teasing their implosion, The Judgment Day tried to stay on the same page on WWE Raw.

As WWE Raw takes over Western New York, SummerSlam comes into focus.

[autotag]Cody Rhodes[/autotag] has [autotag]Brock Lesnar[/autotag] on his mind tonight, just weeks before WWE’s biggest party of the summer, with a planned “special message.” It’s clear that a match between the two is imminent, and it’s only a matter of time before confirmation for their bout is made. Whether or not the match will have a stipulation remains to be seen, but one can add flare to a one-on-one already seen twice.

[autotag]Drew McIntyre[/autotag] will compete for the first time since his return at Money in the Bank, teaming with [autotag]Matt Riddle[/autotag] to face [autotag]Ludwig Kaiser[/autotag] and [autotag]Giovanni Vinci[/autotag]. This tag-team match bridges the gap to the inevitable showdown between McIntyre and [autotag]Gunther[/autotag] for the WWE Intercontinental Championship at SummerSlam, so look for a confrontation between the two in Buffalo as well.

Chad Gable and Otis will throw a “Graduation Ceremony” for Maxxine Dupri, who has been training under their guidance. The Viking Raiders are sure to cause chaos at the ceremony, and given how these teams have constantly fought, this will likely lead to another match.

How would the July 10 episode of Raw deliver? Let’s break it down.

WWE Raw results 06/12/23: KO, Sami battle Imperium

Also on tap for WWE Raw, the final Men’s MITB qualifier, and Cody Rhodes takes on The Miz.

Try as they might — and to semi-quote Thomas Jefferson in “Hamilton,” believe me, they’ve tried — Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn haven’t quite been able to rid themselves of the pests called Imperium. That’s good for us as fans, however, because it means they’re going to fight again tonight on WWE Raw from Wichita.

Consider Gunther and company one-up on our heroes for now. The Ring General (please hear that in Ludwig Kaiser‘s voice as you read it in your head) was able to defeat KO last week, though not without some hijinks because that’s what you get when you are embroiled in a feud with a heel stable.

So things have progressed in the way that’s most logical, meaning a tag team match. Owens and Zayn will take on Gunther and Kaiser. “Baldy” will no doubt be in their corner, and will the tag team titles be on the line? We’ll have to wait and see.

There’s more important business to settle between the ropes tonight as well. One spot is left for the Men’s Money in the Bank Ladder match, which is only a few weeks away in London. Matt Riddle and Damian Priest, two men who figure to be big threats to win said match if they get in, will fight for the right to occupy that spot.

And the American Nightmare will take on the A-Lister in one-on-one action too. Cody Rhodes laid out The Miz on his own show, Miz TV, last week. Can “Mike” get some payback, or will Cody continue to rebound from his loss to Brock Lesnar at Night of Champions?

WWE Raw results from Wichita:

  • Rhea Ripley comes to the ring and gets a shiny new title belt, now renamed the Women’s World Championship, and Dominik Mysterio helps fasten it around her waist; they’re joined in turn by Cody Rhodes, who wants to address Dom showing up on Miz TV last week, and challenges Mysterio to a match at Money in the Bank that is accepted on Ripley’s behalf — also Miz tries to sneak in a cheap shot ahead of their match

  • Cody Rhodes def. The Miz by pinfall
  • Becky Lynch gets fist bumps from Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn and looks like she doesn’t know what to make of Alpha Academy, who appear to be preparing Maxxine Dupri to wrestle backstage
  • Lynch says she’s never won Money in the Bank but feels good about it this year as she’s excited about the chance to have the briefcase and make the champions scared — not unlike how Trish Stratus was so scared she had to get an insurance policy in Zoey Stark; that brings out Stark and the two exchange pleasantries until Chelsea Green and Sonya Deville interrupt and we head right into a match

  • Becky Lynch def. Chelsea Green by submission
  • The Judgment Day seems to not be all on the same page, which is relevant since Damian Priest is up next for his MITB qualifier
  • Damian Priest def. Matt Riddle by pinfall to win a Money in the Bank Qualifying match; Imperium comes out afterward to lay a beating on Riddle

  • Rhodes scoffs at how The Judgment Day is gassing up Mysterio and says “good luck Dom Dom” if their match is made official for Money in the Bank
  • Natalya says being her has gotten her nowhere, and maybe she doesn’t even know how to “be me” any more; Byron Saxton moves on to KO and Zayn, who are looking forward to payback when Gunther and Ludwig Kaiser stop by, worrying Adam Pearce and causing an irritable Owens to agree to put the tag team titles on the line

  • A video package shows the best of The Bloodline saga from this past week’s SmackDown
  • Indus Sher offers Cedric Alexander and Shelton Benjamin a proper match instead of, we guess, the beating they received last week
  • Bronson Reed def. Ricochet by DQ after Shinsuke Nakamura invades the match to attack Reed, but Nakamura and Ricochet end up joining forces for an impressive dual superplex on Reed before they resume arguing with each other
  • Zayn wants to make sure Owens isn’t too worked up, but it’s clear Imperium is under his skin even though he tells Sami he’s great
  • Pearce tells someone, probably Triple H, that the tag team titles will be on the line, but Ricochet comes in and demands a match next week against Reed and is beside himself to learn that Bronson is already booked for a bout against Nakamura, who tells Ricochet he can have Bronson “after I’m done with him”
  • Finn Balor calls out Seth Rollins, who obliges him and hears Balor talk about how the Visionary took everything from him and how he plans to take it all back at Money in the Bank; Rollins seems fine with them fighting in London but challenges Balor to bring the best version of himself and not “the guy who’s been walking around the past seven years acting like a little bitch”

  • Shayna Baszler def. Raquel Rodriguez by pinfall with some assistance from Ronda Rousey
  • Another tribute is aired to The Iron Sheik
  • Chad Gable def. Erik by pinfall
  • Priest and Balor try to talk things out … but also Finn was talking to JD McDonagh before Damian walked up
  • Rollins says he’s as prepared as he can be to beat Balor at MITB and he’s digging the tension between Finn and Damian, but before that, he’s putting his World Heavyweight Championship on the line next week on Raw in an open challenge
  • Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn def. Gunther and Ludwig Kaiser by pinfall to retain the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship

WWE Raw results: Bad Bunny talks softly, carries a big (kendo) stick

A new World Heavyweight Championship was also unveiled tonight.

When you’re Bad Bunny, you can do pretty much whatever you want. Try your hand at WWE? Of course. Get involved in a dramatic WrestleMania match between father and son? Sure, if you want. It’s just that there might be consequences even for the biggest music star in the world if you do that, some of which might still be playing out on this week’s episode of WWE Raw from the greater Chicago area.

See, The Judgment Day wasn’t too crazy about Bunny ensuring Dominik Mysterio didn’t cheat to beat his dad in L.A., and was even less enthused about him smacking the taste out of Dom’s mouth a few weeks later. That led to Damian Priest putting the music megastar through an announce table, which naturally kept him out of commission for a bit.

He’s back tonight, however, and probably looking for some payback against old “friend” Priest. And he, meanwhile, has a match against Rey Mysterio. That, friends, is what we call synergy. Could all these elements break out into a big Judgment Day vs. LWO scuffle with Bad Bunny on the side of the LWO? That seems likely.

Also of interest for tonight, Triple H is scheduled to make some sort of announcement. The buzz is that it’s about a title — either a new physical belt of some sort or an honest to goodness change to a championship of some sort. Or it could be something else altogether, but it’s something to keep an eye on.

WWE Raw results from Chicago:

(click on any match or segment with a link for more details)

  • Cody Rhodes reflects on the “humiliating” beatdown he got from Brock Lesnar and the time he wrestled with a torn pec, but he’s not down with Finn Balor and his invitation to join The Judgment Day … but he’s medically cleared to face Finn tonight
  • The Bloodline (The Usos and Solo Sikoa) def. The LWO (Santos Escobar, Cruz Del Toro and Joaquin Wilde) by pinfall
  • Damage CTRL tells Bianca Belair she can pick any two partners she wants to take them on tonight, and she’s down with that
  • “You made your choice … and like it or not, I made my choice too.” Sami Zayn drops in on Jey Uso and questions what will happen to Jey if The Usos fail to get the tag team titles back after dedicating the match to the Tribal Chief, but Jey tells Sami not to worry about him any more
  • A video replays the recent words and actions of Trish Stratus, who then insists that Becky Lynch is absent because she can’t handle the pressure of being a top star and a mom at the same time
  • Street Profits def. Cedric Alexander and Shelton Benjamin by pinfall
  • Triple H announces that wherever Roman Reigns is drafted to, he will take the Universal Championship with him, but there will also be a new World Heavyweight Championship, with the inaugural titleholder crowned at Night of Champions
  • Priest and Dominik Mysterio say Bad Bunny can watch Damian take out Rey Mysterio later tonight
  • “You can’t talk to Sami, Uce.” Jey expresses some self-doubts to Jimmy Uso, who blows up when he hears it’s because Jey talked to Sami
  • Bianca Belair, Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez vs. Damage CTRL
  • “Are you lazy and don’t want to work, or are you scared?” Austin Theory mocks the idea of the new title going to someone besides him while he has two powerful challengers at Backlash; Bobby Lashley joins him in the ring and wonders why Theory doesn’t welcome every opportunity to fight for the U.S. title …
  • … but Bronson Reed joins them as well when they start to brawl, and he’s the one left standing at the end
  • Chad Gable tries to explain the WWE Draft to Rick Boogs, but Maxxine Dupri is ready to fight for Otis, and Mustafa Ali thinks everyone needs to have a more positive attitude and is willing to back it up in the ring
  • Mustafa Ali def. Chad Gable by pinfall
  • Jimmy Uso confronts Zayn and tries to make him feel doubts about Kevin Owens
  • Cody Rhodes def. Finn Balor by pinfall
  • “This is an opportunity to have a World Heavyweight Championship that’s about more than politics and part-timers.” Seth Rollins says something bigger than Omos has caught his eye, but he’s not looking past the Nigerian Giant either
  • Matt Riddle is wearing out KO’s patience, and Owens is flabbergasted that his friend still cares about The Usos, and Riddle surprises Zayn with some actually helpful perspective
  • Rey Mysterio def. Damian Priest by DQ when Priest uses a chair on him, and Bad Bunny arrives to attack Priest with a kendo stick … and reveal that they’ll be facing off in a Street Fight at Backlash