Tag: Finn Balor

WWE Raw results 11/27/23: CM Punk says ‘I’m home,’ Randy Orton is victorious

Drew McIntyre also let loose some frustrations on Seth Rollins on WWE Raw from Nashville.

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The origin of Marvel Comics’ Avengers references a “day unlike any other.” We have those on a semi-regular basis in pro wrestling, but CM Punk’s equally electrifying and implausible return to WWE Saturday night at Survivor Series was right up there among the most memorable.

Wisely, WWE isn’t waiting too long to trot him back out in front of fans on live TV. Will CM Punk be on Raw going forward? Will they set up anything with him tonight in Nashville in terms of his first program back with the company he parted ways with on far less than amicable terms in 2014?

More to the point, does it even matter?

People will certainly be tuning in tonight to see what happens next, which is kind of the point. It’s hard to recall an episode of Raw in recent memory with this much anticipation around it, and WWE has already shown signs that it’s very aware, declaring that the full first hour will be commercial-free.

Not to be overlooked, Randy Orton has been promoted for tonight’s show as well — though interestingly, WWE’s official preview has no word on what to expect from the Viper. His comeback has almost been overshadowed by the frenzy over Punk, but make no mistake, many fans are excited to see him back in the fold as well.

On the actual in-ring wrestling side, there are big things going down in tag team land, with a women’s tag team title match and Tag Team Turmoil to decide a No. 1 contender duo for the men’s belts still held by The Judgment Day. Plus big men will collide when Bronson Reed faces Ivar.

Buckle up, here we go.

WWE Raw results from Nashville:

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

  • The broadcast begins with a highlight package of the Men’s WarGames match from Saturday night, which includes the return of Randy Orton … and CM Punk
  • “Daddy’s back!” Randy Orton and Rhea Ripley discuss the changing landscape of Raw since he’s been away, but that could mean bad news for Dominik Mysterio
  • The teams entered in Tag Team Turmoil meet special guest Jelly Roll, whose name confuses R-Truth and inspires a new Akira Tozawa dance
  • The Creed Brother win the Tag Team Turmoil match, earning a shot at the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship
  • Damian Priest is upset about letting The Judgment Day down, but Ripley tells him they all rise and fall together, and Finn Balor says he should relax because they’re still tag team champs … but Rhea cracks a bit of a grin as Damian and Finn go to check on McDonagh
  • Cody Rhodes talks about what’s next, meaning the Royal Rumble, but Shinsuke Nakamura is on his trail right now
  • Bronson Reed vs. Ivar ends in a double countout, and their continuing battle into the crowd includes a ridiculous cannonball by Ivar
  • Earlier today, Nia Jax comes to talk trash to Zoey Stark, who tells Shayna Baszler she’s got it and challenges Nia to a match
  • A highlight package shows reactions to CM Punk’s Survivor Series return and tours its social media impact
  • The Judgment Day discovers R-Truth in the clubhouse and is stunned when he volunteers to join them for WarGames, unaware that the match has already happened
  • Nia Jax def. Zoey Stark by pinfall
  • Highlights are shown of Gunther’s defeat of The Miz at Survivor Series; afterward, Gunther visits the rest of Imperium to sort things out with Adam Pearce, and The Miz arrives to challenge the Ring General again, which draws a respectful but amused reaction from the champ
  • Seth Rollins and Drew McIntyre’s mutual admissions of respect turn violent after Rollins informs McIntyre he’s giving Jey Uso the next title shot
  • Sami Zayn catches up with an angry McIntyre and tells him he’s not the only one who’s had disappointment around here, but the difference is that Sami keeps picking himself up and moving forward; Zayn says McIntyre is acting like a spoiled little brat and he’s better than that, which seems like it made an impression … except it ends with Drew saying he’s going to act Pearce for a match next week with Sami
  • Chelsea Green and Piper Niven def. Natalya and Tegan Nox by pinfall to retain the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship
  • Uso finds Orton to apologize and tell him that he’s trying to do right, and Randy says as long as Jey is out of The Bloodline, then they’re good
  • Becky Lynch is asked about the epic battle at WarGames, but she wants to talk about tonight and says there are some fights on the horizon, one more pressing than the others
  • Randy Orton def. Dominik Mysterio by pinfall, with a tiny assist from Jelly Roll
  • Yes, he’s back on Raw: CM Punk is on the mic for his welcome back promo

WWE SmackDown results 11/24/23: Charlotte Flair, Becky Lynch fail to put the past behind them

Also, find out who stepped up during WWE SmackDown to replace Carlito at Survivor Series.

With only five matches on the Survivor Series: WarGames card this weekend, there isn’t room for every title to be defended. That works out well for us tonight, as the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship is on the line at WWE SmackDown in Chicago (well, the greater Chicago area, anyway).

It seems wild to think about, but it’s been some time since the Street Profits wore tag team titles of any kind — more than two years, actually. They’ve had opportunities over that time and always been right around the periphery of the top of the division, but they never broke through.

Teaming with Bobby Lashley and making a bit of a heel turn was supposed to unlock the Profits. It’s not inconceivable to think that they might dethrone Damian Priest and Finn Balor tonight, especially if the overall drama surrounding The Judgment Day spills over somehow. A night before the WarGames match at Survivor Series, you can’t rule that out.

A victory for the Profits might tilt the tag team division back toward ongoing teams instead of high profile singles stars teaming up. But if they don’t seal the deal, what then? It’s fair to wonder if Lashley might be tired of the Profits and their partnership explode.

Could there be more wrinkles for Survivor Series during tonight’s show as well? You certainly can’t rule it out. That’s why we’ll be watching.

WWE SmackDown results from Chicago:

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

  • The broadcast begins with an extended replay of Becky Lynch joining the team opposing Damage CTRL in the Women’s WarGames match at Survivor Series
  • The all-star team of faces from the Women’s WarGames match is in the house, but Bayley sees an opportunity to sow distrust between Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair in what looks like it will be tonight’s main event
  • A replay is shown of the reveal of Randy Orton returning Saturday night for WarGames
  • The rest of Damage CTRL is backstage and looks pretty unexcited about Bayley booking them for a match, so they decide their leader should team with Asuka for the main event
  • The Judgment Day (Damian Priest and Finn Balor) def. Street Profits by pinfall to retain the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship, getting an assist from Rhea Ripley to do so
  • Flair says she got approval for the tag team match, but her bickering with Lynch has their teammates looking concerned
  • A recorded Dragon Lee promo explains his journey through pro wrestling and the importance of family to his story
  • Kevin Owens is on The Grayson Waller Effect, as is Austin Theory impersonating Owens, and pretty soon, Waller and Theory have angered LA Knight enough that he’s involved as well
  • Kevin Owens and LA Knight def. Austin Theory and Grayson Waller by pinfall
  • Belair tells Lynch that Flair was right and tells The Man that she really needs to set aside her issues with Charlotte for the greater good, and Lynch tries to tell herself she can keep it cool
  • A video package takes us back through Santos Escobar’s attack on Rey Mysterio and his other former LWO teammates
  • Carlito is the last man standing in the LWO … but not for long thanks to Santos Escobar
  • Escobar attacks Carlito again backstage, but Dragon Lee arrives to save the day
  • Pretty Deadly def. Brawling Brutes by pinfall after Ridge Holland walks out on Butch during the match
  • Shotzi talks to Flair about helping her at her lowest point and suggests that a few words from Charlotte could change things between her and Becky, just like it did for Shotzi
  • Nick Aldis says Carlito is hurt badly and in no shape to compete tomorrow at Survivor Series, but when he goes to cancel the match, Dragon Lee makes an impassioned plea to take Carlito’s place, and Aldis says he’s in
  • The Judgment Day cuts a promo about WarGames, taunting Randy Orton and reminding him that teammate Jey Uso put him on the shelf
  • Lynch and Flair have a quick work backstage and agree that they’re good
  • Damage CTRL (Asuka and Bayley) def. Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair by pinfall, taking advantage of some misfires between Becky and Charlotte, and Bianca and Shotzi have to hustle to the ring to prevent further catastrophe

WWE SmackDown preview 11/24/23: Black Friday tag team title clash

Also tonight on WWE SmackDown, Kevin Owens is the guest on what could be a contentious Grayson Waller Effect.

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As everyone shakes off their food comas and gets ready to do some holiday shopping, we’ll see if the busy schedule of The Judgment Day comes back to haunt them tonight on WWE SmackDown from the Allstate Arena in Rosemont just outside Chicago.

The Judgment Day has been occupied with the impending WarGames match at Survivor Series on Saturday, and understandably so. Not only do they have to deal with a quartet of Raw’s most popular faces, but they learned this week that Randy Orton would be making his long awaited return from injury to battle against them as well.

Alas, as Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions, Damian Priest and Finn Balor don’t have the luxury of worrying about what’s happening on only one brand. They’ll put their titles on the line tonight against the Street Profits, who are anxious to prove their new attitude is paying off after aligning with Bobby Lashley.

The other big segment that has been promoted for tonight involved The Grayson Waller Effect and its guest, Kevin Owens. You may remember that KO did a guest stint a few weeks ago while subbing for Corey Graves, wit the condition that if he touched anyone, he’d be suspended.

Well, Owens made it through a big chunk of the show but found unable to resist trying to beat up Grayson Waller — an understandable reaction, really — and did, indeed, end up suspended. They’ll no doubt discuss that tonight on SmackDown, and it should be an interesting conversation, to say the least.

A quick reminder that SmackDown is on FS1 tonight, not FOX, which will be showing the Oregon State-Oregon college football game. Conveniently, FS1 is doing a rebroadcast of the show at 10 p.m. right after the first run, so if you’re out shopping or hanging with family, you can catch it later if needed.

But we’ll he here recapping SmackDown as it goes down, so please visit us later this evening for live results and updates if you need them.

How to watch WWE Survivor Series: WarGames 2023 — Live stream US, international

A quick holiday week reminder on how to watch WWE Survivor Series: WarGames this weekend.

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It’s nearly Thanksgiving, so it’s that time of the year again where WWE presents Survivor Series, the long-running premium live event that usually pits teams and brands against each other, although the latter isn’t happening this year.

Instead, two WarGames matches will headline Survivor Series, as it’ll take two babyface groups trying to take down heel stables that are running rampant across Raw and SmackDown.

Charlotte Flair, Becky Lynch, Bianca Belair and Shotzi will compete against IYO SKY, Kairi Sane, Bayley, and Asuka in WarGames. Over the last few weeks, Damage CTRL has increased in membership to five, but Bayley has been noticeably marginalized within the group. If tensions arise during the match, it could potentially end her involvement with the stable she once formed.

The other WarGames match pits Jey Uso, Seth Rollins, Cody Rhodes, Sami Zayn and probably Randy Orton against Damian Priest, Finn Balor, Dominik Mysterio, JD McDonagh and Drew McIntyre.

On the go-home episode of Raw, Rhodes clearly hinted at the Viper, who has not wrestled in over 18 months, being their mystery partner. It’s hard to believe it could be anyone else, even with the internet buzzing about CM Punk’s theme music playing at the Allstate Arena. When Orton emerges from behind the curtain, it will undoubtedly be a special moment for one of WWE’s iconic figures.

Survivor Series features a small match card otherwise since WarGames will dominate the night. Gunther vs. The Miz, Rhea Ripley vs. Zoey Stark, and Carlito vs. Santos Escobar all have the chance to potentially shine with more time, though, to make the undercard intriguing and entertaining.

These matches will grace Survivor Series. Here’s everything you need to know to watch the action this weekend.

WWE Survivor Series: WarGames 2023

  • Date: Saturday, Nov. 25, 2023
  • Location: Allstate Arena, Chicago, Illinois
  • Start time: 8:00 p.m. ET/5:00 p.m. PT
  • How to watch: On Peacock in the U.S., and on WWE Network in the rest of the world

WWE Survivor Series: Wargames 2023 card — Randy Orton returns

An updated look at the full match card for WWE Survivor Series: WarGames 2023.

WWE Survivor Series returns to the Allstate Arena in Chicago on Saturday, Nov. 25, continuing its tradition as an annual premium live event. It usually serves as the last big event before Royal Rumble, often featuring Raw vs. SmackDown matches, but WarGames has recently become the headlining bout.

Among the matches confirmed for Survivor Series 2023, Zoey Stark, who won a battle royal on the Nov. 6 episode of Raw, will challenge Rhea Ripley for the Women’s World Championship.

Trish Stratus’ former protege lost the Fatal Five-way match at Crown Jewel for Ripley’s title, but she’ll have her chance at redemption in a singles championship match — her first since her promotion to the main roster following WrestleMania 39.

During Raw, it was mentioned that the winner of the No. 1 Contenders match for the WWE Intercontinental Championship would face Gunther at Survivor Series. The Miz claimed that opportunity by defeating Bronson Reed, Ricochet and Ivar, to set up a match for a title often associated with him.

WarGames will also happen, as WWE confirmed in a promotional video package for Survivor Series. They didn’t set anyone for it at the time, but on Raw, after a wild brawl to close the show, Adam Pearce announced that Cody Rhodes, Jey Uso, Seth Rollins and Sami Zayn will face Damian Priest, Finn Balor, Dominik Mysterio and JD McDonagh of The Judgment Day in this two-ring match of chaos.

Just this week, that match got two more twists. Drew McIntyre allied himself with The Judgment Day, while it was revealed that Randy Orton will return after more than a year recovering from injury to join the other team.

Survivor Series goes down on Saturday, Nov. 25 from the Allstate Arena near Chicago.

Latest update: Nov. 20, 2023, 11:55 p.m. ET.

WWE Survivor Series 2023 card:

  • Seth Rollins, Cody Rhodes, Jey Uso, Sami Zayn and Randy Orton vs. The Judgment Day (Damian Priest, Finn Balor, Dominik Mysterio and JD McDonagh) and Drew McIntyre – WarGames match
  • Charlotte Flair, Bianca Belair, Shotzi and Becky Lynch vs. Damage CTRL (Asuka, Bayley, IYO SKY and Kairi Sane) – WarGames match
  • Rhea Ripley (c) vs. Zoey Stark – Women’s World Championship match
  • Gunther (c) vs. The Miz – WWE Intercontinental Championship match
  • Santos Escobar vs. Carlito

WWE Raw preview 11/20/23: WarGames advantage on the line in Grand Rapids

We’ll also hear from Drew McIntyre on WWE Raw tonight. Will he join The Judgment Day’s WarGames team?

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We’re just five days away from Survivor Series WarGames, but there’s still some serious business to attend to in Grand Rapids tonight on WWE Raw.

Can The Judgment Day or Cody Rhodes’ team of heroes grab the WarGames advantage?

Despite assembling an all-star team of sorts to take on The Judgment Day in the men’s WarGames match, Cody Rhodes and company found they couldn’t gain the upper hand last week by taking the tag team titles from Damian Priest and Finn Balor.

We’ll get to the reason why in a second, but there’s no time to wallow in misery as the advantage for WarGames is on the line in Grand Rapids. One member of each team will square off in a singles match to gain the coveted edge, and it will be interesting to see if the good guys go with the man who only seemed to grudgingly join the fight, World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins.

For The Judgment Day, no one but Dominik Mysterio would be a surprise.

Will Drew McIntyre be added to the WarGames match?

Right now, all WWE is promoting for Drew McIntyre is that he’ll explain his actions from last week’s episode of Raw, when he ensured The Judgment Day held onto the tag team titles. He then doubled down by shaking hands with Rhea Ripley as the show went off the air.

While no one expects the Scottish Warrior to actually join The Judgment Day, what seems likely to happen is that he’ll reveal that because of mutual interests, he’s going to be their fifth member for WarGames — which will in turn force our heroes to find a fifth member for their side.

We’ll see if that plays out tonight on Raw.

Can Raquel Rodriguez back up her big talk against Nia Jax?

Nia Jax has been an absolute force of nature since making her WWE return, crushing just about everyone in her way. Raquel Rodriguez was vocal about saying she was the one who could stand up to Jax.

Something has to give when they collide tonight, and while Ripley already beat both women in a Fatal 5-Way, you figure that the winner could be close to a solo title opportunity either this weekend or in the not too distant future.

Also advertised for Raw from Grand Rapids:
  • Becky Lynch looks for some payback against XI Li
  • Chad Gable steps up to take on the man who’s been running through the Alpha Academy, Shinsuke Nakamura

Raw hits our screens on this pre-holiday Monday at 8 p.m. ET, so tune in then or check us out here at Wrestling Junkie for live results and updates later tonight.

WWE Raw results 11/6/23: Surprise main event sets the table for WarGames

See who challenged Seth Rollins on WWE Raw and which eight men ended up confirmed for WarGames.

No. 1 contenders in pro wrestling can be funny. Sometimes all you have to do to be one is ask the champion for a title match. Other times you have to do something to offend them so they want you to be their top contender, which is some nice reverse psychology. And still other times, you have to earn a shot at the title in the ring, which is what’s going to play out tonight on WWE Raw from Wilkes-Barre.

Gunther has fended off many challenges to his Intercontinental Championship during a record-setting reign. So Adam Pearce is making four men who want a shot at him compete against each other to sort themselves out: Bronson Reed, Ivar, Ricochet and The Miz. Some have already taken on the Ring General and others have not, but it’s an intriguing field, to say the least.

At least Gunther doesn’t have to (for now, anyway) worry about facing all four in one match … which is what Rhea Ripley just had to do at Crown Jewel. Now Pearce is going to cast an even bigger web to find a challenge for Mami than he is for Gunther, as a Battle Royal will take place in Wilkes-Barre to figure that out.

These are some time honored ways of sorting out the title challengers and should be fun. And there’s going to be a tag team match between The Judgment Day and The New Day, so that’s a good thing as well.

Plus there are rumors of a big main event, so let’s see what the night has in store.

WWE Raw results from Wilkes-Barre:

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

  • Seth Rollins wants to thank Sami Zayn, and he does … by giving Zayn a world title shot tonight
  • Backstage, Damian Priest is furious about that first segment, but he and Finn Balor have their own business to attend to right now
  • The Judgment Day (Damian Priest and Finn Balor) def. The New Day by pinfall
  • Perhaps unsurprisingly, Drew McIntyre doesn’t want to talk about his loss at Crown Jewel, blowing off an interviewer on his way into the building

  • Shinsuke Nakamura def. Akira Tozawa by pinfall, then seems to dismiss a challenge from Otis for the time being
  • A hype video for Natalya is shown touting her accomplishments and legacy, which she punctuates by declaring herself the most accomplished woman in WWE history
  • Pearce runs down the four men in the Intercontinental Championship contender four-way, making a case for each of them
  • A busy Pearce double checks with Rollins to see if he’s sure about defending his title tonight, but Seth simply says “I’m born to run, boss”
  • The Miz def. Bronson Reed, Ivar and Ricochet in an Intercontinental Championship No. 1 Contenders Fatal 4-Way match, though the finish is a little wonky
  • Tozawa apologizes to Alpha Academy, but Chad Gable says they will be there to support him for his Heritage Cup match tomorrow on NXT; Maxxine Dupri runs through her strategy for the Battle Royal
  • Earlier today, Pearce signs the Creed Brothers (and Ivy Nile) to Raw contracts, and #DIY comes to challenge them to a match tonight
  • The Creed Brothers def. #DIY by pinfall after Ludwig Kaiser gets in a cheap shot on Johnny Gargano to set up the finish
  • A video package takes us back to Zayn’s last world championship opportunity, a losing effort against Roman Reigns at Elimination Chamber; he then gets good luck wishes from Jey Uso, who informs him that Pearce gave Jey and Cody Rhodes a rematch for the tag team titles next week
  • Jackie Redmond asks Becky Lynch about her thoughts on the Battle Royal, and she says count me in; Nia Jax is behind her to say she’s going to win tonight, which would make her the happiest she’s been since breaking Becky’s face, though The Man reminds Jax she got fired after that happened
  • Elsewhere, the women’s tag team champions exchange pleasantries with Shayna Baszler and Zoey Stark
  • Zoey Stark wins the Battle Royal for a Women’s World Championship shot at Survivor Series, last eliminating Shayna Baszler
  • Rhea Ripley is asked about the next week of preparation for The Judgment Day, but Stark drops by to remind her she already hit Rhea with her finisher at Crown Jewel, which doesn’t seem to faze the champ
  • Seth Rollins def. Sami Zayn by pinfall to retain the World Heavyweight Championship
  • As Zayn goes to leave, The Judgment Day comes down the ramp and lays him out; they battle to the ring, where Jey Uso, and eventually, Cody Rhodes come to the side of the faces, setting off a huge pull-apart brawl that rages out of control; a furious Pearce says that if all eight men want to play games, they can play WarGames at Survivor Series, but they resume fighting as the show goes off the air

WWE Raw results 10/23/23: The Judgment Day keeps making moves

Rhea Ripley signed a contract but also kept up a seeming recruiting drive on WWE Raw.

OK, so I have no idea if this headline is actually true since The Judgment Day has never invited me or any of the Wrestling Junkie crew to one of their celebrations. That’s also true tonight on WWE Raw from Dallas.

Why are they in such a triumphant mood? Well, it just so happens that despite some infighting over the past few weeks, the group came together in a big way last Monday, with everyone playing their part to ensure Damian Priest and Finn Balor reclaimed the tag team titles from Cody Rhodes and Jey Uso.

Not sure the group can rightfully claim to hold “most of the gold in WWE” like it says in WWE’s official preview for tonight’s show, but everyone but Dominik Mysterio is back in possession of a title, so that seems like plenty of reason to celebrate to me.

Oh, but Priest also has to face Uso tonight, so that only heightens the chances of Main Event Jey coming out to spoil the mood during the show-opening segment. Yeet.

There’s plenty of other stuff to look forward to in Big D. Logan Paul will be on hand, though it’s not readily apparent why since the man he just called out, Rey Mysterio, works on SmackDown. Becky Lynch will once again put her NXT Women’s Championship on the line, this time against Indi Hartwell.

Drew McIntyre will battle Sami Zayn as the two men continue to disagree about whether a person can turn over a new leaf and be forgiven for past misdeeds. And The New Day will take on Alpha Academy as jostling for position for a tag team title shot continues.

So plenty for us to sink our teeth into, which is not a poor Halloween season/vampire joke, promise. If you are otherwise engaged tonight, we got you.

WWE Raw results from Dallas:

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

  • Party up with The Judgment Day? Cody Rhodes learns why it’s a bad idea
  • The New Day def. Alpha Academy by pinfall
  • Becky Lynch acknowledges the multiple people chasing her NXT championship but says she needs to stay focused on Indi Hartwell tonight
  • A hype video is shown for Ivar, which is well deserved after some of his recent performances
  • Seth Rollins seems chipper while walking backstage, but runs into Rhea Ripley, who suggests that he needs the “insurance” of The Judgment Day; Rollins retorts that maybe Rhea is uncertain that Damian Priest won’t successfully cash in his MITB contract, while she maintains that without their help, he won’t ever have a title reign like Roman Reigns — but Rollins says if there’s one thing he doesn’t want, it’s to be anything like Roman
  • Natalya offers her support and advice to Hartwell ahead of her title opportunity
  • Becky Lynch def. Indi Hartwell by submission to retain the NXT Women’s Championship; afterward, Xia Li attacks Candice LeRae in the back
  • Nick Aldis apologizes to Adam Pearce for kicking him out of the building on SmackDown, and Pearce accepts it but also asks for security to be doubled — though maybe for the contract signing coming up next
  • A contract signing with five top women’s wrestlers sounds like a disaster waiting to happen, and naturally, it does indeed turn into a brawl as Ripley stands and watches the whole thing while laughing
  • Bronson Reed tries to stir things up with Ludwig Kaiser and Giovanni Vinci, but ends up getting challenged to a match by … Akira Tozawa?
  • Johnny Gargano def. Giovanni Vinci by pinfall, as Tommaso Ciampa assists with Ludwig Kaiser on the outside
  • Shinsuke Nakamura cuts another stylish, subtitled promo on Ricochet
  • Logan Paul and Dominik Mysterio do the mutual admiration thing, much to the disgust of the fans — and Ricochet
  • Chelsea Green and Piper Niven def. Natalya and Nikki Cross by pinfall after Cross does literally nothing for her team
  • Drew McIntyre sarcastically tells Jey Uso he can’t imagine what it’s like to have The Bloodline cost him a championship and says whatever happens to Sami Zayn tonight is on his head
  • The Miz drops in on Pearce to air his grievances about not being given anything worthwhile to do on Raw in weeks, and he’s even more upset when Ripley arrives to sign the contract she never got to sign and the camera follows her to check on Dominik
  • Drew McIntyre def. Sami Zayn by pinfall, thanks in part to a distraction from Ripley, obviously still on a recruiting tour
  • Pearce finds Aldis to express his displeasure that the SmackDown GM is talking up some of the Raw talent, and the two men shake hands as Aldis says he’s taking off; also, Cross walks by with the same vacant look in her eyes, causing Pearce to mention that he needs a drink
  • Bronson Reed def. Akira Tozawa by pinfall despite Tozawa’s recent Alpha Academy training
  • Tozawa gets a pep talk from Coach Gable despite his loss, and DIY stops by to announce their return to Alpha Academy and The New Day; also Tozawa does his training dance again
  • Rollins congratulates McIntyre for “your first win as the newest member of The Judgment Day,” though Drew says he say Seth talking to Rhea; both men say they don’t need The Judgment Day to beat the other at Crown Jewel
  • Damian Priest def. Jey Uso by pinfall thanks to help from Balor, but Rhodes, despite suffering an ankle injury earlier, is still up to the challenge of fighting off The Judgment Day (with help from some steel chairs) to end the show

WWE Raw preview 10/16/23: Cody Rhodes, Jey Uso run it back vs. Judgment Day

WWE Raw from Oklahoma City will also see Gunther battle to retain his Intercontinental Championship against Bronson Reed.

If there’s one thing WWE knows how to do well above all other things, it’s getting the most out of whatever is hot at the moment. With The Judgment Day still ruling the roost as the stable that draws the most heat on Monday nights — despite some internal conflict — and tag team champs Cody Rhodes and Jey Uso making their unlikely pairing work, it’s only natural to match them up again tonight on the season premiere of WWE Raw from Oklahoma City.

You may recall that Damian Priest and Finn Balor are who Rhodes and Uso defeated to win their Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship in the first place. That loss didn’t go over well with them, with Priest wanting to cash in his Money in the Bank briefcase to ensure he was still wearing gold, or their teammates.

That makes it logical to wonder what will happen if Priest and Balor don’t win this rematch. And heaven forbid if JD McDonagh tries and fails again to assist them, because Priest’s head may explode.

Gunther also has a big challenge tonight on Raw, and we mean that literally. Bronson Reed won the right to face the Ring General for his International Championship, providing a very real and very different kind of threat than most of Gunther’s challengers.

Shinsuke Nakamura and Ricochet will have no title on the line when they collide in Oklahoma City, as their feud is driven by pure dislike for each other and slights from weeks past. They’ll look to settle things in a Falls Count Anywhere match that may range all over the Paycom Center.

Last but certainly not least, Rhea Ripley has made it clear she wants to restore some order to “her” division, but while Nia Jax has been the most obvious disruptor, others have been increasingly bold about standing up to her as well. She’ll take on one of them, Shayna Baszler, to try to convince her that it’s a mistake.

And since this is the season premiere, there very well could be a surprise or two in store as well. Tear yourself away from Halloween prep and playoff baseball to take in the action beginning at 8 p.m. ET tonight, or simply join us back here at Wrestling Junkie at that time for live WWE Raw results and updates.

For maybe the first time ever, WWE Fastlane was actually consequential

A skippable premium live event? Maybe in past years, but WWE Fastlane was worth watching this time.

If you have watched WWE for as long as I have (about 30 years, give or take), you are familiar with the fact that there are tiers to the company’s premium live events.

You already know that at the very top is WrestleMania, for obvious reasons. Right below that are Royal Rumble, SummerSlam, Survivor Series, and even Money in the Bank. These events don’t feature the spectacle and grandeur of WrestleMania, but are certainly among the most consequential on the calendar.

And then there’s the rest of the events, which if you’re a diehard fan you’re watching regardless. However, if you’re more of a casual fan, you may skip here or there.

Fastlane firmly falls into the last category, as its usual placement in February/March typically made this a mere speed bump you quickly pass over on the road to WrestleMania.

But that wasn’t the case in 2023. 

WWE moved Fastlane to October this year, which still placed it right before a more marquee event — Survivor Series, in this case. 

But unlike in years past where Fastlane could have largely been ignored, this year’s show served its purpose better than it ever has. And because of it, Survivor Series, which may or may not feature WarGames, feels like an even bigger event.

If there is a WarGames at Survivor Series, it could be among the most intriguing in the match’s history. Having The Bloodline and The Judgment Day form a, dare I say, dangerous alliance, has already made for great television. And I love the fact that it’s Rhea Ripley leading the transaction from The Judgment Day’s side.

But who knows how longer The Judgment Day will last after Finn Balor and Damian Priest lost the Undisputed WWE Tag Team titles to Cody Rhodes and Jey Uso? That will certainly add more cracks to the group’s already fragile foundation.

Then you got LA Knight and John Cena taking down Jimmy Uso and Solo Sikoa, which I’m sure will be addressed on the upcoming episode of Smackdown — which will feature an appearance from the Tribal Chief himself, Roman Reigns.

Seth Rollins retained his world title by defeating Shinsuke Nakamura in a Last Man Standing Match, which should all but end their feud and open the door for a new challenger to step up to the plate. And we all know there has been a lot of intrigue around who that person might be. Also, the match was tremendous.

And let’s not forget that Jade Cargill made her WWE television debut during the event as well. Sure, it was merely walking out of a car (looking stunning, I might add) and being greeted by Triple H, but it is a sign that WWE has got major plans for the former AEW TBS Champion.

There are some good things brewing in WWE. Things are so good that even Fastlane proved to be an exciting chapter in WWE’s never-ending tale between good and evil.