Tag: Ludwig Kaiser

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 07/24/23: Becky wins big, but her husband not so much

Get the scoop on WWE Raw from Tampa, less than two weeks away from SummerSlam.

Like the Rolling Stones (Google them, kids) once famously said, you can’t always get what you want, but if you try sometimes, you just might find you get what you need. Becky Lynch really wants another match against Trish Stratus, and if she tries hard enough tonight on WWE Raw in Tampa, she may get what she says she needs — probably at SummerSlam.

Standing in her way is leading Stratus disciple Zoey Stark, who definitely is no relation to Tony. One of the few people who’s actually been willing to thank Trish the way she wants, Stark needs to win to keep her mentor from getting her hands dirty, as well as ensuring The Man gets a tattoo she’d definitely prefer not to have on her person.

Naturally, this all seems to be setting up for Stark to lose and the two stars of different WWE generations to have a showdown in Detroit next month. But hey, that’s why we watch. I thought for sure LA Knight would have received a push by now too, which just goes to show you never know.

Another big part of Raw will be seeing face to face meetings between pairings who seem even more guaranteed to be joining the SummerSlam card. By this we mean Ricochet and Logan Paul, as well as Drew McIntyre and Gunther. If both of these gatherings end peacefully, let’s just say that would be a heck of a parlay if there were prop bets allowed on WWE programming in the U.S.

(Which they aren’t, and that’s a good thing IYAM.)

Anyway, this could be a water-treading type show on the way to SummerSlam, but WWE has surprised to the upside more than once this year, so let’s see what happens.

WWE Raw results from Tampa:

The Judgment Day is already in the ring when the show begins, but someone is missing … oh yeah, Dirty Dom. They don’t only run Raw, but all of WWE thanks to “unbeatable” Rhea Ripley, Senor Money in the Bank Damian Priest and future World Heavyweight Champion Finn Balor.

But the man of the hour is, alas, Dominik Mysterio, and clips are show of his victory over Wes Lee to become the NXT North American Champion. With lots of help from his teammates, of course.

Sporting a huge grin despite all the boos raining down, Mysterio joins his teammates carrying his new gold. Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn join the fun and admit the crowd is disrespecting him … because no one respects him.

But Sami has an idea for that to change: if Dom takes on Sami tonight in Tampa. Further, if Mysterio is a fighting champ like he says he is, he’ll put his title on the line. Rhea Ripley accepts on his behalf, so the die is cast.

Becky Lynch def. Zoey Stark by pinfall

KP and Corey Graves remind us of the stakes here: Lynch needs to win, or else she gets no match with Trish Stratus and has to get “thank you Trish” tattooed on her body. Where is unclear.

Stark hits some impressive early moves that show off her athleticism. When things start turning against Stark, Stratus provides some hands-on assistance, but The Man is still able to kick out, much to Trish’s dismay.

Lynch escapes the Z-360 and takes Stark up top for a superplex, but she’s not able to apply an armbar and Zoey powerbombs her for another close near fall. After they go back and forth a bit, Lynch catches Stark in mid-air for a Manhandle Slam, and Stratus looks dismayed as she sees the ref count the three.

A hype video is shown for Cody Rhodes and Brock Lesnar that once again calls it “one of the main events of SummerSlam.” Tsk, tsk.

Rhodes heads for the ring for what figures to be his weekly mic time. He wants to talk about Lesnar beating him up with a chair in front of his mother, Cody says he wasn’t surprised, and his mom wasn’t impressed, given what she’s seen in wrestling throughout the years.

Brock made a mistake, he continues, by leaving him breathing. Now Rhodes doesn’t want to go to SummerSlam just to win a rematch, but to embarrass Lesnar. Goals are good.

Ricochet is glad Logan Paul accepted his invitation to show up tonight but anything he has to say, he’ll say to Logan’s face.

Dominik Mysterio def. Sami Zayn by pinfall to retain the NXT North American Championship

The Judgment Day is on hand to support Dirty Dom, but KO is there as well, and much happier than the others to see Zayn get off to a strong start. The shenanigans begin during a commercial break, and the ref sees enough, first ejecting Owens and later all of Mysterio’s teammates as well.

Corey Graves loves it as Dom builds some momentum … that is halted by a Blue Thunder Bomb for a near fall. Mysterio responds with a 619 and his own two count.

The boos rain down as the Three Amigos are all on target, but a frog splash finds no one home. An exploder sends Dom into the corner, but Zayn halts as he sees The Judgment Day roll a beaten up KO out on the stage. Dom quickly rolls up Sami and gets the three to escape with his gold.

Adam Pearce and Zayn look concerned as Owens wonders if his foot is broken.

The weekly SmackDown Bloodline recap shows Roman Reigns and Jey Uso invoking Tribal Combat at SummerSlam.

Ricochet asks Shinsuke Nakamura if he’s seen Logan Paul, then Shinsuke gets a visit from Tommaso Ciampa. He doesn’t want to see Nakamura out there during his match with Bronson Red or else they will have a problem.

Shinsuke says nothing in response, like the legend he is.

Apollo Crews doesn’t like The Judgment Day picking on people and steps to Damian Priest. Meanwhile, Akira Tozawa, who cleared out when the heels asked if he had a problem with them, slides back in and tells Crews “you got this.” Heh.

Bronson Reed def. Tommaso Ciampa by pinfall

Ciampa is not holding up well against Reed’s power. Maybe hopping on Bronson’s back for a sleeper will work? Not when he falls straight back. Yikes.

A knee shot on the outside looks like it might turn things around for Ciampa. But can he keep the momentum going? He’s giving it his best shot with a modified Fame-Ass-Er.

Reed is surprised when he just plops down seated on Ciampa’s chest (as a counter to a sunset flip) and sees his foe kick out. Somehow, Tommaso gets Bronson up for an Air Raid Crash, which unfortunately doesn’t end it.

Right on cue, here comes Nakamura down the ramp. That gives Reed the opening he needs for a Tsunami, and that’s lights out for Ciampa.

Byron Saxton gets a Raquel Rodriguez injury update from Liv Morgan, but Liv wants to deal with Rhea, who caused that injury, tonight. You may recall that she’s the last person to defeat Ripley. Source? Liv Morgan.

Saxton tries to throw it back to Graves and KP, but tag team champs Chelsea Green and Sonya Deville are upset about not being interviewed. They seem mad that “everything revolves around” Ripley but quickly change their tune and vamoose when Rhea shows up. She says she warned Raquel and Liv to stay out of her business, and now … well, you see where she’s going.

Rhea Ripley destroys Liv Morgan in lieu of having a match

Ripley catches Morgan with a blindside show on her way to the ring, which goes badly for Liv. Rhea has a steel chair too, and wears Morgan out before a ref and another official finally show up.

They aren’t enough to stop Rhea from stomping on Liv’s arm with the aid of the chair.

“This is my division, you’re lucky you’re living in it,” Ripley taunts while backing up the ramp.

Alpha Academy congratulates Viking Raiders on their win but challenges them to an Academy Rules match in return. Maxxine Dupri also wants Valhalla in her first singles match ever next week.

Ricochet heads to the ring and calls for Logan Paul to “show your stupid face.” He says everyone knows Paul doesn’t belong here, even though he’s put in the work. Ricochet admits Paul might even be special, but he’s special every day of the week. No, it’s because Paul is an “arrogant little prick.”

The least surprising twist comes next, as Ricochet challenges Paul to a SummerSlam match. Alas, Paul is right behind him and lays him out before streaming his acceptance.

Logan keeps mocking Ricochet but takes his eye off the ball, and he gets hit with a standing Shooting Star Press after a superkick so he ends up looking dumb.

Shayna Baszler is tired of hearing Ronda Rousey’s name every time hers is mentioned. She says she’ll settle things in a language only Rousey understands: She’s going to fight Ronda Rousey.

Saxton calls Ricochet’s actions “unprofessional as hell” and vows to pop Ricochet’s “stupid, bald head” next week on Raw.

Damian Priest def. Apollo Crews by pinfall

Priest tries to take Crews off his game right from the start, but Apollo proves more than resilient enough to fight back. Senor Money in the Bank rallies back after just a few minutes, however, and finishes things with a South of Heaven.

Lynch is feeling good now that she’s got her rematch, but as she said before, it ain’t over ’til she wins.

Valhalla issues a warning back to Dupri, as one does.

Gunther and his Imperium mates come to the ring for the Intercontinental Champion’s face to face showdown with Drew McIntyre. The Scottish Warrior gets right to it, daring Gunther to put his title on the line tonight in Tampa. The champ scoffs at that, running down Drew’s perceived failures before saying he accepts and will “humiliate you again” at SummerSlam.

McIntyre says he wants to tell a story first about wanting to have a WrestleMania singles match with Sheamus, and that they had it for about 10 minutes before Gunther slid in and won it. But SummerSlam will be one on one, and McIntyre will beat Gunther’s ass.

Ludwig Kaiser takes exception to that, and McIntyre tells Kaiser he actually likes him, and that maybe he should be leader of Imperium. Kaiser still finds that disrespectful, so it appears they are headed for a match next.

Drew McIntyre def. Ludwig Kaiser by pinfall

Poor Kaiser is about to get served up here. He eats some hellacious chops while Graves does his Ludwig impression that is honestly pretty spot on. But Kaiser is actually looking good heading into a commercial break.

But an avalanche Air Raid Crash changes that in a hurry, and now Kaiser is getting manhandled. Ludwig actually counters a Claymore with a timely dropkick for a near fall. Alas, a second Claymore wins it for McIntyre.

Literally seconds after the bell, Imperium rushes the ring to beat up McIntyre. Matt Riddle rushes down but is handled by Gunther, who powerbombs him and then takes out McIntyre by the announce table.

The IC champ then clears off said announce table, but Drew backdrops his way out of trouble and powerbombs the Ring General through the announce table.

Jackie Redmond asks Rousey about what Baszler said about a fight, and she accepts it.

Finn Balor tells the fans that Adam Pearce was supposed to moderate the contract signing, but he’s had his hands full tonight. But since he and Seth Rollins are both professionals and both want this match, Finn believes they can settle things like gentlemen.

And since the World Heavyweight Champion comes out and promptly signs his name, maybe Balor is right. Finn pauses and lingers before doing the same, which leads Seth to taunt him about having zero chance to win at SummerSlam.

If by some chance Balor does win, Rollins suggests Priest will cash in his MITB briefcase right then and there — which Finn would also do if the roles were reversed. The champ suggests that SummerSlam will be the end of The Judgment Day as a result.

That motivates Balor to sign, smirking at how Rollins thinks he has everything figured out. And here come the other members of his group as Balor says the losing he’s done over the last seven years has been driving him insane, all because of Seth.

Seven-year itch? No, at SummerSlam, Finn is going to make Seth “my seven-year bitch.” Priest clocks Rollins with the briefcase and considers a cash-in, but Zayn rushes down with a steel chair. Unfortunately, he gets beaten down as well, and Priest plants him with South of Heaven.

Rollins also gets a Razor’s Edge from Priest, a Frog Splash from Dom and a Coup de Grace from Balor. The Judgment Day stands tall, backing up their boasts that they run Raw as the show goes off the air.

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 06/19/23: Logan Paul is Money (in the Bank)

Logan Paul revealed his next match, and Finn Balor took our Seth Rollins early during WWE Raw in Cleveland.

With all due respect to Grayson Waller for borrowing his catchphrase, Logan Paul is someone who has quite the effect on the WWE Universe. Some fans can’t stand him. Others grudgingly admire the way he has shown unusual aptitude inside the ropes for someone so relatively inexperienced.

And, yes, we’re sure there are fans who genuinely like him as well. No matter which group you fall into, you have to admit some curiosity as to what’s next for Paul after he turned in another stellar performance at WrestleMania 39. WWE is promoting the idea that we’ll find out during tonight’s show in Cleveland.

Maybe we shouldn’t, but we’re assuming that Paul is not showing up to accept Seth Rollins‘ open challenge to defend his title on Raw. If that assumption is correct, that means a big spotlight on someone else on the roster, and it will be fun to see who might shine under it.

There’s a few things to be settled in the women’s division as well. Fighting Rhea Ripley is a tough task for any competitor who’s at 100%, but Natalya hardly would say that even about herself lately. She’ll have to make one heck of a rally not to get flattened by the Women’s World Heavyweight Champion.

And there’s still one spot up for grabs in the Women’s Money in the Bank Ladder match in London. Raquel Rodriguez will take on Trish Stratus to fill it, and you have to figure one Becky Lynch will have a very vested interest in the outcome.

Let’s see what we’ve got, shall we?

WWE Raw results from Cleveland:

  • The usual singalong greets Seth Rollins as he hits the ring, but he’s quickly attacked from behind by Finn Balor, who gets the best of the champ and even hits the Coup de Grace off the steps and the announce table just as referees and officials look like they have everything settled down; Balor hits a third for good measure just before the show breaks for commercial

  • Rollins rants about Balor backstage as officials try to get him some help, but all that gets is Finn attacking him again
  • The Miz is in the ring, upset because he was going to accept Rollins’ open challenge, so he issues his own open challenge instead … and it’s answered by a returning Tommaso Ciampa

  • Tommaso Ciampa def. The Miz by pinfall
  • The Judgment Day brags about all the winning they’re planning on doing at Money in the Bank, warns Cody Rhodes to keep Dominik Mysterio’s name out of his mouth, and taunts Cody to find “two other guys” to fight a united Judgment Day

  • A video package shows the final segment from SmackDown with the events that set up the Bloodline Civil War
  • Kevin Owens chafes at Sami Zayn being asked about The Bloodline, to which Sami tells Kevin he has an anger problem; Zayn says if Owens can go the whole night without another outburst, he’ll leave the Bloodline situation alone, then apologizes to Byron Saxton for having to see it
  • A selection of TikToks is shown that feature Chelsea Green raging out in a number of different ways
  • Katana Chance and Kayden Carter def. Chelsea Green and Sonya Deville by pinfall
  • Cathy Kelley brings out Cody Rhodes, who accepts the challenge from Dom and says “two guys” shouldn’t be hard to find
  • Indus Sher def. Cedric Alexander and Shelton Benjamin by pinfall
  • Someone bumps into KO backstage and spills cold water on him, and KO manages not to blow up; Matt Riddle almost gets him to explode with some movie suggestions
  • Logan Paul sits atop a ladder in the ring, and says the best people in the world come from Cleveland, but of course he turns it around and runs down its citizens for a bit before announcing that he’s in the Money in the Bank Ladder match; Paul is joined by Ricochet, Shinsuke Nakamura, LA Knight and Santos Escobar, all of whom say they’re going to win MITB, whereas Butch just goes right after Paul, who ends up doing a somersault plancha before climbing the ladder and showing how he plans on grabbing the briefcase in London

  • Matt Riddle def. Ludwig Kaiser by pinfall. but Gunther helps Kaiser get some payback after the bell, stomping on Riddle’s left ankle several times
  • Riddle walks gingerly backstage with help from some officials; meanwhile, Kaiser and Gunther visit Owens and Zayn, and while KO threatens to come unglued at their threats, Sami gets a text message and says they have to leave

  • If you ever wanted to see what an Alpha Academy training session looks like, there’s a peek
  • Viking Raiders def. Alpha Academy by pinfall
  • Balor and Damian Priest promise Rhea Ripley they’re on the same page, and Rhea heads out for her own match
  • Natalya says this is a second chance to prove to Rhea, and more importantly, to herself, that she still belongs
  • Rhea Ripley vs. Natalya never happens as Ripley beats Nattie down before the bell and hits her with a Riptide before referees and officials pull her away
  • Raquel Rodriguez says what Rhea did is not OK, and she doesn’t back down, even when Ripley shows up in the flesh

  • Akira Tozawa volunteers to be Cody’s partner tonight, but he gets a better offer from Owens and Zayn, and KO is especially excited that he gets to punch people in the face
  • Trish Stratus def. Raquel Rodriguez by disqualification in a Money in the Bank qualifying match after Becky Lynch arrives to attack Zoey Stark at ringside, then inadvertently takes out Stratus when she goes out to the floor to intervene
  • Bron Breakker is told Rollins might not be able to compete on NXT, but Breakker says surely Seth won’t use what happened to him tonight as an excuse … and also he’s going to hurt Rollins really “freakin'” bad

  • Lynch tells Saxton says she screwed herself … or did she, because now she gets a shot at Stratus in a match at ladders, and she’s either going to win MITB or go down in a blaze of glory, taking Trish and Zoey with her
  • Bronson Reed def. Shinsuke Nakamura by pinfall, with Ricochet also getting involved in the match
  • Speaking from the hospital, apparently, Rollins says he’ll be at NXT tomorrow to face Breakker with his title on the line, and he welcomes back “the guy who beat me seven years ago”

  • Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn and Cody Rhodes def. The Judgment Day by pinfall when Rhodes pins Priest

WWE Raw preview 06/19/23: Logan Paul returns, Seth Rollins defends

The final spot in the women’s MITB Ladder match will also be filled tonight on WWE Raw in Cleveland.

Cleveland, this is for you! Sorry but can’t help but think of that famous LeBron James quote every time this fine city is discussed, which it will be again tonight as WWE Raw pays its latest visit.

It seems like it will be a busy show. Logan Paul will appear for the first time since his losing effort against Seth Rollins at WrestleMania 39. It will be interesting to see what WWE is setting up for the social media star — perhaps a program that will lead to a match at SummerSlam?

Speaking of Rollins, he’s since moved on to become World Heavyweight Champion, and he’s felt so good in that role that he’s offering up an open challenge for that title tonight. Who will step up and grab the opportunity?

There’s still one Money in the Bank spot to be filled for the women’s ladder match in London. Raw will take care of that vacancy by pitting Trish Stratus against Raquel Rodriguez, though you have to wonder if others might try to influence the outcome one way or the other.

We’ll also see Rhea Ripley take on Natalya (who seems to be having an identity crisis as of late), and since Imperium continues to be a thorn in the side of fan favorites on Raw, Matt Riddle will battle Ludwig Kaiser.

That sounds like three hours of pro wrestling that could just flow along very nicely. You know the time and place to tune in: 8 p.m. ET on USA. And we’ll also be serving up live WWE Raw results and anything else you need to know along the way, so Cleveland, this one really is for you.

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 preview 06/12/23: Riddle, Priest battle for final men’s MITB spot

Also on tap for WWE Raw in Wichita: Cody Rhodes vs. The Miz and the tag team champs facing 2/3 of Imperium.

The Money in the Bank Ladder match spots are almost all filled for this year. But the key word in that sentence is “almost,” and it will get to stop doing such heavy lifting after tonight’s episode of WWE Raw in Wichita.

That’s because Matt Riddle and Damian Priest will meet to decide who gets to take the sixth and final slot in the men’s Ladder match. Logic will dictate it will be Riddle, and given Priest’s recent face teases that would put him at odds with the rest of The Judgment Day, it wouldn’t be shocking if Finn Balor “helps” him and costs him the match.

Cody Rhodes will also be in action tonight, and not just to get fans to sing “WHOA!” really loudly at a specific part of his entrance theme (though that almost will certainly happen too). He’s going to be facing The Miz as the A-Lister looks to get some revenge for the American Nightmare laying him out last week on Miz TV.

The other match WWE has promoted for tonight is part of an ongoing beef as well. Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn have successfully put The Bloodline behind them for the most part, but they no sooner accomplished that when they found themselves constantly harassed by Imperium. After Gunther got the better of KO in a singles match, the tag team champions will do their best to get some payback as a duo when they take on the Ring General and Ludwig Kaiser.

It all goes down tonight at 8 p.m. ET on USA, and yes it’s going to be distracting our managing editor, a big Denver Nuggets fan, as his team attempts to finish off its first ever NBA Championship. But we’re here for him and anyone else in the same boat, as we’ll be covering Raw live as it unfolds from Wichita.

WWE Raw results 06/05/23: Rollins still golden, 2 more women in MITB

Get all the details on WWE Raw from Hartford, with Seth Rollins making his first World Heavyweight title defense and a pair of MITB qualifiers.

The Seth Rollins Era begins in earnest tonight on WWE Raw from Hartford, so have your singing voices ready.

Even before winning the World Heavyweight Championship at Night of Champions, Seth Rollins promised to be the kind of champion we could look up to, one that would inspire others and push pro wrestling forward. That’s lofty talk, and if we’re being honest, not something over which he has full control.

But he also made it clear that a big part of it was simply being available to defend the title on a regular basis, and that begins with his faceoff with Damian Priest tonight. Why Priest? Good question! It’s because of an open challenge, ostensibly, but it’s not like he’s totally undeserving, and as The Judgment Day was the established, self-declared power on Raw, it does track that one member of the group would step up to try to topple Rollins.

And it wasn’t going to be Prison Dom.

The other big focus for tonight is a pair of Money in the Bank qualifying matches in the women’s division. After Becky Lynch battles Sonya Deville and Natalya goes up against Zoey Stark, we’ll have half the field set for the women’s Ladder match.

There’s also a common thread between these bouts, and it’s that Trish Stratus has a vested interest in both: ensuring Lynch loses and Stark wins. It would be surprising indeed if she didn’t show up and try to affect the outcomes in some way.

WWE Raw results from Hartford:

  • Seth Rollins gets his singalong to kick off the show, and says since it’s been nearly two years since there was a world title match on Raw, he wanted one tonight; Rollins says he’s psyched to take on Damian Priest tonight, and he comes out with Finn Balor but says he can take Seth on his own — and Rollins suggests he prove it by leaving The Judgment Day in the back, which Priest accepts though Balor seems unamused by the whole exchange

  • Becky Lynch def. Sonya Deville by pinfall in a Money in the Bank qualifying match, with Trish Stratus and Zoey Stark watching intently from the ramp
  • A video recaps the highlights of the Bloodline drama from this past week’s SmackDown
  • Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens don’t want to say “I told you so” and also say the Bloodline isn’t their problem any more … but their current problem, Imperium arrives, and KO is bothered enough by Gunther vowing to teach him discipline that he wants to fight right now
  • A vignette plays again to promote Kayden Carter and Katana Chance
  • Gunther def. Kevin Owens by pinfall after a wild match that saw KO have to deal with the other members of Imperium and Gunther take advantage by rolling Owens up for the pin
  • Matt Riddle says he’s tired of Gunther cheating week after week, and Ludwig Kaiser gets in his face … but it’s Giovanni Vinci who ends up feeling Riddle’s wrath
  • Ronda Rousey and Shayna Baszler say it was destiny for them to be tag team champions together and invite anyone to take them on; coincidentally, Carter and Chance step up, and after some ridiculing, the champs accept their challenge

  • Ronda Rousey and Shayna Baszler def. Kayden Carter and Katana Chance by submission
  • Ricochet and Shinsuke Nakamura trade some trash talk and decide to settle it in the ring; also Bronson Reed says hi
  • A video hypes the return of Johnny Gargano sometime soon

  • Ricochet vs. Shinsuke Nakamura ends in … a no contest, probably? Reed invades and starts beating up both men, including a Tsunami on Ricochet
  • Alpha Academy tries to get Maxxine Dupri ready to take on Valhalla, but she needs to change into something more suitable for training first

  • Cody Rhodes joins The Miz to trade quips, innuendos and other fun stuff, but they’re soon joined by surprise guest Dominik Mysterio and his mami, Rhea Ripley; Dom insults Cody as a deadbeat dad, but the American Nightmare gives better than he takes, and Dom ends up slapping him and hiding behind Rhea, and Rhodes ends up knocking out The Miz as well

  • Zoey Stark def. Natalya by pinfall in a Money in the Bank qualifying match, with some help from a Stratus cheap shot from th floor
  • Paul Heyman invites viewers to SmackDown to see Jey Uso make his historic choice, which Heyman says will be to stand by his brother, Solo

  • Indus Sher vs. Cedric Alexander and Shelton Benjamin never starts as Indus Sher destroys Benjamin before the bell
  • Seth Rollins def. Damian Priest by pinfall to retain the World Heavyweight Championship, despite some attempted assistance for Priest (who didn’t seem to want it) from Balor
  • Rollins and Balor had a staredown as the show went off the air

WWE SmackDown results: Bad Bunny unites with the LWO

Bad Bunny and Cody Rhodes are looking to make a final point or two ahead of their respective Backlash matches.

WWE Backlash is almost ready to ignite the fans of San Juan, Puerto Rico, but they’ll get a chance to see some of their favorite wrestlers — and the biggest recording artist in the world — a night ahead of time tonight on WWE SmackDown.

Bad Bunny was announced some time ago as the host of Backlash, which made all the sense in the world. But he’s been embroiled in some drama involving The Judgment Day since WrestleMania, and it all boiled over once Damian Priest put him through an announce table.

As tends to happen in WWE, Bad Bunny came looking for Priest with a kendo stick, and the two men ended up getting booked for a San Juan Street Fight for Saturday night. Before that takes place, we’ll see if Bad Bunny gets the final word on SmackDown.

Another superstar who figures to want to say his piece ahead of a big Backlash match is Cody Rhodes. What will the American Nightmare want to talk about ahead of his showdown with Brock Lesnar?

Matches? Yep, there have been a couple of those promoted for SmackDown as well. Shinsuke Nakamura will take on Karrion Kross in singles action, while the Viking Raiders take on Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows of The O.C. in a tag team match.

Neither of those jumps out as a main event, so figure we’ll get another prominent match added to the card during the show that will fill that spot and whip the crowd into a proper pre-Backlash frenzy.

WWE SmackDown results from San Juan:

  • Rey Mysterio and the LWO hit the ring but are quickly joined by The Judgment Day, and San Juan hates Dominik Mysterio as much as any U.S. audience, and they end up agreeing to a mixed tag match before Dom gets in a cheap shot on his dad
  • The O.C. def. The Viking Raiders by pinfall
  • Michael Cole and Wade Barrett promote the World Heavyweight Championship tournament taking place next week
  • Bianca Belair talks about how important SmackDown is to her before she’s interrupted by Damage CTRL; Bayley calls her conceited, and Belair gets assistance from Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez when it inevitably turns into a fight

  • Karrion Kross delivers one last warning to Shinsuke Nakamura
  • The Usos are getting psyched for their Backlash match, but Solo Sikoa just silently wraps his thumb before finally telling his brothers they better do their part

  • Street Profits def. Imperium (Ludwig Kaiser and Giovanni Vinci) by pinfall
  • A lengthy hype video for the Cody Rhodes-Brock Lesnar match is shown
  • “I don’t have any time to be scared of Brock Lesnar.” Rhodes hits the ring for his mic time, some of it in Spanish, and makes his case for calling Lesnar a gatekeeper while vowing to get back on track to finishing his story

  • Nakamura has just one thing to say to Kross: Come on!
  • Matt Riddle thinks he, Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn have the Bloodline right where they want them for Backlash
  • Shinsuke Nakamura def. Karrion Kross by pinfall
  • A video package provides a closer look at the NXT talent drafted to SmackDown, including Isla Dawn and Alba Fyre, Cameron Grimes, Pretty Deadly and Grayson Waller
  • Adam Pearce welcomes Cameron Grimes to SmackDown but their discussion is interrupted by the non-drafted Baron Corbin, and they end up agreeing to a match next week
  • Zelina Vega and Rey Mysterio def. Rhea Ripley and Dominik Mysterio by pinfall, only to be attacked by The Judgment Day right after the bell, but …
  • … Bad Bunny leads the LWO to the rescue, though his kendo stick shots intended for Damian Priest are intercepted by Dom; Bad Bunny accepts and puts on an LWO shirt to end the show

WWE SmackDown results: Dominik pushes Rey past the breaking point, The Usos spoil the WrestleZaynia reveal

WWE SmackDown results from Vegas, as Dominik Mysterio finally pushed his father too far, and The Usos reminded KO and Sami they’re the 1’s.

The most mentally exhausting WWE storyline may finally come to a head tonight on WWE SmackDown from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

That’s not to say that there hasn’t been entertaining father-son drama between Rey Mysterio and Dominik Mysterio. The former has been appropriately tortured as a man who doesn’t want to lay his hands on his own child, no matter how far they’ve gone to the dark side, while the latter has definitely grown as a performer since linking up with The Judgment Day.

But man, is it taking forever to play out, with Dominik essentially repeating himself over and over in his promos about how Rey was never there for him growing up.

Yes, we get it.

With Rey so dug in about refusing to fight Dom even after a challenge was made for WrestleMania, that’s led many to wonder what the straw will be that finally breaks the proverbial camel’s back. Lo and behold, WWE says the entire Mysterio family, including Rey’s mother, will be in Las Vegas.

This is the best chance yet for their inevitable WrestleMania match to be made official, and to that we can only say this: Thank you, because it’s about time.

Speaking of Rey, he’ll be in action in Vegas, taking on LA Knight. Those two have had a few run-ins as of late, and Rey will undoubtedly have other things on his mind, so … maybe Knight will actually be allowed to win?

In contrast, Cody Rhodes knows exactly what he’ll be doing at WrestleMania. But he’s been staying busy leading up to the biggest show of them all, as he will tonight when he faces Ludwig Kaiser.

WWE SmackDown results in 60 seconds:

  • Cody Rhodes def. Ludwig Kaiser by pinfall …
  • … but is told by Paul Heyman after the match that he’ll be facing Solo Sikoa next week on Raw and seeing Roman Reigns one more time next week on SmackDown
  • Charlotte Flair explains exactly how she’s overcome fear, insecurity and charges of nepotism throughout her championship-studded career
  • LA Knight def. Rey Mysterio by pinfall thanks to interference from Dominik Mysterio …
  • … and after Dominik menaces his own mom, Rey finally hits him and agrees to a match at WrestleMania
  • Natalya and Shotzi def. Xia Li and Lacey Evans by submission in a WrestleMania Showcase qualifying match, one that Ronda Rousey and Shayna Baszler announce they’ve already been added to
  • Drew McIntyre, Sheamus and Gunther are all unhappy for different reasons but end up signing the contract to meet at WrestleMania, but Butch gets a little overexcited, leading to …
  • Gunther def. Butch by pinfall, then gets smashed by a Claymore from McIntyre
  • The Street Profits and Braun Strowman and Ricochet exchange pleasantries ahead of WrestleMania
  • Sami Zayn is the guest on The KO Show, where he learns about WrestleZaynia before getting laid out by The Usos

Please scroll down for more details on every match and major non-match segment.