Tag: Matt Riddle

WWE Money in the Bank 2023: Predictions for every match in London

Here’s who we think will grab the briefcases and have their hands raised when Money in the Bank hits London this weekend.

Six days after All Elite Wrestling put on arguably the best in-ring event of the year, WWE has the unenviable task of following it with Money in the Bank.

The in-ring action at Forbidden Door was at a level that is virtually unmatched anywhere in the world. WWE doesn’t necessarily have to match that, but with two multi-person ladder matches on the card, it could come pretty close.

But what Money in the Bank will have that Forbidden Door lacked is the drama, primarily with the so-called Bloodline Civil War.

So who will walk away winners Saturday in London? I’ve got some predictions.

Men’s Money in the Bank Ladder Match: Logan Paul vs. Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Butch vs. Ricochet vs. Santos Escobar vs. LA Knight vs. Damian Priest

Is this an exciting field of combatants or what? First, you have a bunch of people who haven’t quite broken through the proverbial glass ceiling yet in WWE all receiving a real opportunity to do so in this match. Granted, Shinsuke Nakamura has already won a Royal Rumble, but he has been basically rudderless since then.

Everyone else is starving for that moment, including this match’s wild card, Logan Paul.

Paul rubs a lot of fans the wrong way, but in the ring, he has been undeniable. He has really picked up this pro wrestling thing and run with it.

Will that be enough for WWE to give him the briefcase? I think you would be naive to rule it out. I can vividly see a world where Paul is running around with the briefcase, tempting the powers that be to make international headlines by making him a world champion.

However, as much as WWE loves Paul, I don’t think the company loves him quite enough to put its top title on him. In fact, WWE has never put one of its top titles on an outsider. It has been on part-timers and people well past their respective primes, but never a complete outsider — unless you count that one time Arnold Schwarzenegger posed with the WWE title in 1999.

Paul is great for creating buzz and putting on fun matches, but being WWE champion? That would be absurd, and I think WWE has just enough restraint not to do something like that.

Since I am taking a more sensible approach to this, I am predicting LA Knight to win and earn the Money in the Bank briefcase.

Knight has been white-hot lately and seemingly has all the tools WWE usually looks for in a champion. He’s got a good physique, he has natural charisma, and boy, can he talk. He hasn’t been featured to this extent yet during his WWE tenure (remember when Vince McMahon made him a manager?), but I think he has proven that he can hold his own within the “WWE Universe.”

Will Knight cash in the contract and become a world champion? Maybe. With two titles (or is it three … who knows?), it is more likely now than it was a year ago this time.

Winner: LA Knight

Image credit: WWE.com

Women’s Money in the Bank Ladder Match: Becky Lynch vs. Bayley vs. Trish Stratus vs. Zelina Vega vs. Zoey Stark vs. IYO SKY

I think the easy call would be Becky Lynch since The Man is the most notable performer in the match, but I have a sneaky suspicion she and Trish Stratus will cancel each other out.

From there, it is a matter of who needs the win more. For me, that comes down to Bayley and IYO SKY.

Damage CTRL started off with so much promise, but never quite caught on to the level many people were expecting. Then Dakota Kai suffered a torn ACL, leaving the group with only two members for an extended period of time.

Or … they could add another member until Kai gets back. If it were up to SKY and Kai, the group would add Piper Niven, who isn’t doing much of anything at the moment.

It would be cool to see Niven make a surprise appearance, help one of the Damage CTRL members win the briefcase and officially join the group.

Nothing has been confirmed on that front, but regardless, I am going to pick Bayley to pick up the win. When I think of who needs this win the most, it has to be Bayley. She has needed a spark for quite some time, and winning Money in the Bank could easily provide that.

Winner: Bayley

Image credit: WWE.com

World Heavyweight Championship: Seth Rollins (c) vs. Finn Balor

I think this will be a fine match between two fine wrestlers, but this is an open-and-shut case, in my book. The Visionary retains.

Winner: Seth Rollins

Image credit: WWE.com

Bloodline Civil War: Roman Reigns and Solo Sikoa vs. The Usos

While Kenny Omega and Will Ospreay put on arguably the best match of 2023, this has to be the leader in the clubhouse when it comes to the most dramatic match of the year.

The match will be so dramatic, it already has a nickname: Bloodline Civil War. Sorry, old-school fans, “Bloodline Explodes” sounds more like a medical emergency than a wrestling match.

Either way, if the name is any indication of what is to come, it will be an emotionally charged contest in London.

This was a tough one for me to predict, but at the end of the day, I am going with Roman Reigns and Solo Sikoa to pick up the win.

The last time we saw Reigns in a tag team match, he lost to Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn at Night of Champions. I don’t see that happening twice in a row.

The Usos may arguably be the best tag team in the world, but I just can’t see WWE handing Reigns two losses in as many months.

Winner: Roman Reigns and Solo Sikoa

Image credit: WWE.com

Cody Rhodes vs. Dominik Mysterio

What a huge match this is for Dominik Mysterio, and he honestly deserves it. He has been one of the highlights of Raw ever since he joined the Judgment Day and has steadily progressed in the ring and on the microphone. I can’t say enough about how far he has come over the last year.

And now, he is being rewarded in the form of a one-on-one match with one half of this year’s WrestleMania main event. And like that main event, I think Cody Rhodes is taking an ‘L.’

I know that I am going out on a limb here, but I am basing my prediction purely on the fact that Brock Lesnar could just show up, destroy Rhodes, hand Mysterio a surprising win, and set up Lesnar-Rhodes III at SummerSlam.

Of course, Lesnar could wait until Rhodes has already beaten Mysterio to do that, but I feel like WWE is going to go for the shock factor of Mysterio pulling off an improbable win.

If you thought “Ex-Con Dom” was already intolerable, there is no preparing you for how insufferable he will become after beating Rhodes. Personally, I can’t wait.

Winner: Dominik Mysterio

Image credit: WWE.com

WWE Intercontinental Championship: Gunther (c) vs. Matt Riddle

The one drawback to having lengthy title runs is that it doesn’t lend itself to making the fans believe the champion is any real danger.

I feel like we have gotten to that point with Gunther despite him having a historic reign as Intercontinental Champion. Under ordinary circumstances, I would believe that Matt Riddle, a former United States champion, would have a legitimate chance of beating Gunther.

The only problem is no one has beaten Gunther in a long, long time, and I don’t believe that Riddle is the person to finally vanquish the Ring General.

Winner: Gunther

Image credit: WWE.com

WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship: Ronda Rousey and Shayna Baszler (c) vs. Raquel Rodriguez and Liv Morgan

I am happy that Liv Morgan is healthy and back on television, but the former champs look to be in the right place at the right time to get Ronda Rousey and Shayna Baszler over as badass tag champs.

Winners: Ronda Rousey and Shayna Baszler

If Randy Orton is really coming back soon, he’d make the perfect main heel on Raw

The rumor mill is buzzing about a potential return soon for Randy Orton. Here’s how WWE should use him once he’s back.

It’s hard to believe, but Randy Orton has been out for more than a year due to his ailing back. Yet there’s plenty of buzz about a potentially imminent return, including Kurt Angle saying he thinks Orton will be back soon, as well as the rumor accounts weighing in.

A lot has happened since the 43-year-old Viper last stepped in a WWE ring, including major turmoil within the Bloodline and the WWE Draft reshaping the Raw and SmackDown rosters. But slotting Orton in someplace won’t be difficult as he’s an absolute future WWE Hall of Famer who can take on any role the company whips up for him.

Given that Orton was a fan favorite prior to stepping away and the whole “absence makes the heart grow fonder” syndrome that always happens when wrestlers are on the shelf for an extended period of time, the expectation would be that he’d come back as a face. If he’s really going to return at Money in the Bank or shortly thereafter, however, he could really be useful as the top heel on Raw.

It’s a spot that has been largely vacant since the WWE Draft took place. Roman Reigns is on SmackDown. The Judgment Day is the main villainous force on Mondays, and they’ve done great work that has reportedly been praised inside the company. While the stable has no true leader, most fans consider Finn Balor to be “in charge” (though a strong argument can be made that Rhea Ripley is the biggest star), and he’s getting his shot at Seth Rollins and the World Heavyweight Championship this weekend in London.

Balor is expected to lose, and Damian Priest already had his shot at Rollins. Unless WWE plans on having the Rollins-Balor program continue to SummerSlam, Raw’s top champ will need a new foil.

That’s where Orton could come in nicely. He’s crossed paths with Rollins in the past — he’s worked with everyone over the course of his two decades in WWE — but the two men haven’t had a real program since 2015. That might as well be another geologic era in pro wrestling time.

Rollins is as over as he’s even been right now, so having Orton pop up after so long and hammer with a patented RKO out of nowhere would be instant heat. It’s one of those “almost writes itself” moments.

You have to imagine that Matt Riddle would be crestfallen to see his best buddy return only to quickly succumb to his darker natures. There’s a ready made feud between them as well, one that could help elevate Riddle after he (partially by his own doing) has stalled out a bit.

Finally, there’s Cody Rhodes. While he and Orton have history together too, they haven’t faced off one-on-one in the ring for a decade. WWE seems determined to keep throwing new hurdles at the American Nightmare before he gets his championship journey back on track, and Orton would be one of the biggest ones possible.

Surely, WWE has a good idea of what it wants to do with Orton is he actually is making his way back soon. There’s no lack of options that would be entertaining on either side of the face/heel divide. It just feels like having him as Raw’s top villain would work out perfectly, or put another way, it would be very good to see Randy go bad again.

Updated WWE Money in the Bank 2023 card: 2 title matches added

Here are all the matches set for WWE Money in the Bank 2023 in London.

This summer, London’s wrestling fans will be treated to two major events, starting with WWE Money in the Bank at the O2 Arena. This show is always sure to be one of WWE’s most thrilling of the year, with one male and one female wrestler winning a guaranteed title match in the Money in the Bank briefcase ladder match.

The fields for Raw and SmackDown were finalized before Monday’s episode of Raw, but the rest of the card still needed work.

It started with Matt Riddle challenging Gunther for the WWE Intercontinental Championship. After an attack backstage from Imperium, the champion accepted Riddle’s demand for a match at Money in the Bank.

Also announced, Ronda Rousey and Shayna Baszler will defend the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship against Raquel Rodriguez and Liv Morgan. The latter duo had to relinquish the title due to an injury Morgan suffered earlier this year, so they will have a chance to reclaim the glory in London.

These matches join a card that also includes Seth Rollins vs. Finn Balor for the World Heavyweight Championship and a “Civil War” fight with Roman Reigns and Solo Sikoa vs. The Usos.

We’ll update this post if more matches are made official. For now, here’s what has been revealed for the O2 Arena in London.

WWE Money in the Bank 2023 card:

  • Seth Rollins (c) vs. Finn Balor – WWE World Heavyweight Championship match
  • Roman Reigns and Solo Sikoa vs. The Usos – Bloodline Civil War
  • LA Knight vs. Richochet vs. Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Butch vs. Logan Paul vs. Damian Priest vs. Santos Escobar – Men’s Money in the Bank Ladder match
  • Zelina Vega vs. Trish Stratus vs. Zoey Stark vs. Bayley vs. IYO SKY vs. Becky Lynch – Women’s Money in the Bank Ladder match
  • Ronda Rousey and Shayna Baszler (c) vs. Raquel Rodriguez and Liv Morgan – WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship match
  • Gunther (c) vs. Matt Riddle – WWE Intercontinental Championship match
  • Cody Rhodes vs. Dominik Mysterio

WWE Raw results 06/26/23: Dom gets in one last shot on Cody

WWE Raw will also feature Cody Rhodes addressing Dominik Mysterio and a Seth Rollins update.

Let’s say, just for the sake of argument, that there are six of the top women’s wrestlers on Raw all competing for the Money in the Bank briefcase this weekend. Then let’s imagine what might happen if all of them are in the ring together just five days away from their big opportunity.

Well imagine no more, because that’s exactly what’s going to happen on WWE Raw tonight from Savannah. All six women’s MITB competitors will have a summit, which we can only assume is a pun on the fact that they must climb a ladder to emerge victorious in London.

There are two teams of two within the group of six. Trish Stratus has new protégé Zoey Stark with her. Damage CTRL, when they aren’t bickering, has both Bayley and IYO SKY.

That leaves Becky Lynch and Zelina Vega as lone wolves. But seeing as both are fan favorites at the moment, might they find that an alliance, even if it’s temporary, might be just the ticket to survive this impending lion’s den?

Another star who could also use some people to watch his back from time to time is Cody Rhodes. The American Nightmare has stumbled into an unexpected feud with Dominik Mysterio, who of course, he should be able to handle with little trouble. The problem is that Dom is part of The Judgment Day, a group who has no problem turning the numbers game to its advantage. Will Rhodes find himself outnumbered when he addresses the younger Mysterio tonight?

There’s also an intriguing match between Ronda Rousey and Raquel Rodriguez, as well as a check on the well being of World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins. Sounds like a pretty decent three hours in store, and we’ll be chronicling everything that happens.

WWE Raw results from Savannah:

Dominik Mysterio tries to welcome the fans to Raw, which is hard when they are booing you out of the arena, and even Rhea Ripley has trouble getting her insults on Cody Rhodes in.

Speaking of the American Nightmare, he shows up dressed to impress as always and shows Dom how it’s done. Rhodes also quotes The Cat in the Hat to make a point that Dominik is a “scared little boy. Cody tries to goad Dom into a physical confrontation, and says he’ll find out Saturday if he’s just “mami’s little boy.”

Ricochet def. Shinsuke Nakamura by pinfall

Bronson Reed watches this on from ringside, talking to himself and clapping sarcastically when they battle to the floor nearby. Nakamura and Ricochet end up teaming for a moment to kick Reed a few times, and Bronson eventually gets ejected by the ref for trying to climb in the ring.

Without having to have their heads on swivels to look for Reed, the two men settle things among themselves, with Ricochet sealing the deal with a Shooting Star Press.

Earlier today, Matt Riddle challenged Gunther to an Intercontinental Championship match at Money in the Bank. While being asked about it by Byron Saxton, Riddle is insulted by Ludwig Kaiser, who ends up helping Gunther stomp on Matt’s ankle again. Oh, and Gunther accepts the challenge.

Dom and Rhea stop by Adam Pearce and demand a match for Dominik, but they tell AP they’ll get back to him on who they want as an opponent.

A video package runs through some cool Money in the Bank stats.

Ronda Rousey def. Raquel Rodriguez by pinfall

Liv Morgan was in the corner of Rodriguez but it ended up not mattering. Momentum for Rousey ahead of the tag team title match this weekend, one supposes.

A pre-recorded promo has Finn Balor saying he’s not the man who beat Seth Rollins seven years ago — he’s much more dangerous. He’s also motivated by Rollins laughing at him when he had to relinquish his title due to injury back then. “You made me bitter.”

Seth Rollins leads his usual singalong as he heads to the ring. He quickly points out NXT Champion Carmelo Hayes in the crowd and thanks Hayes for having his back. “Please, whoop up on that bum ass Corbin.”

Rollins says that despite Balor’s attempts to “turn my ribs to dust,” he’s still standing, and invites Finn to come out and try to finish the job right now. He eventually tries another sneak attack with a steel chair, but Rollins is ready for him this time.

As they battle to the outside, Balor tries again to use a chair but gets it snatched by Hayes, and Finn ends up fleeing into the crowd.

Tommaso Ciampa asserts again that he hasn’t heard “one peep from Mr. Tiny Balls” while he was out for months rehabbing. Ciampa says his time on the shelf gave him clarity and made him question why he was following The Miz. “This time around, I create my own opportunities.”

Tommaso Ciampa vs. The Miz doesn’t happen.

Miz comes sprinting down the ramp and attacks Ciampa, focusing on the left leg. Ciampa also gets suplexed into the barricade before the referee pulls The Miz off of him … for a second. Skull-Crushing finale on the floor and that’s it. No match tonight.

Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn interrupt Imperium backstage, and after Sami assures KO they are indeed there to support Riddle, Zayn ends up challenging Gunther to a match. He’s cool with that.

Dominik Mysterio def. Akira Tozawa by pinfall

Ripley looks nervous as Tozawa gets in a ton of early offense. But she manages to distract Akira when it matters most, and Mysterio wins this short match with a frog splash.

Valhalla and the Viking Raiders say that to hear the gods again, they need to do terrible things to Alpha Academy. As one does.

Corey Graves hosts the Money in the Bank women’s summit, but is quickly interrupted by Bayley, who reminds everyone she’s the only one to already win one of these matches. Zelina Vega is tired of Damage CTRL being so dismissive and is ready to prove everyone who is overlooking her wrong.

Trish Stratus thinks they’re all little girls and understands why WWE needed her to save the women’s division. Everyone can say thank you to her when she wins. After Stratus starts in on Becky Lynch, things erupt into fisticuffs, with IYO SKY taking out everyone but Becky with a moonsault.

Lynch climbs a ladder in the ring and takes a briefcase, giving people a potential preview of Saturday.

Hayes says it’s an honor to be on Raw by invitation of Rollins, and he won’t miss when he takes his shot at Balor tonight.

Ripley bumps into Lynch backstage and warns her that if she wins MITB, it will be the last thing she ever does. Becky shoots back that she wants the briefcase just to make Rhea squirm.

Gunther def. Sami Zayn by pinfall

Owens joins Graves and KP on commentary for this one. Zayn is able to get in some good offense, including a Blue Thunder Bomb for a near fall. He also proves resilient, kicking out after a top rope splash right before Owens and Ludwig Kaiser start scrapping.

Just when it appears Zayn has it rolling, Giovanni Vinci (remember him?) hits Sami with his crutch, and Gunther powerbombs Zayn for the pin.

After the bell, both Owens and Riddle join the fight, and Kaiser ends up eating a Stunner.

Natalya says the biggest battle she’s facing is not in the ring but in her own head. She says she’s shaken but still standing, and challenges Ripley to ring her championship next week to face her again.

Finn Balor def. Carmelo Hayes by pinfall

Hayes gets a chance to show off some of his offense, but you know how this is going to go. Eventually, Balor gets in a gutbuster/shotgun dropkick combo, and that sets up the figurative and literal Coup de Grace.

Rhodes says he’s anxious for the day we’re not talking about The Judgment Day all the time, and he looks forward to seeing if Dominik has skills other than getting under people’s skin.

A SmackDown video package replays the most recent Bloodline events, setting up the Bloodline Civil War tag team match at Money in the Bank.

Cody Rhodes def. Damian Priest by pinfall

The problem for Rhodes, as we said before, is that he’s not just fighting Priest. Sure enough, a few minutes in, Mysterio and Ripley come down to ringside. Their arrival shifts the momentum immediately to their teammate.

Dominik is able to provide some hands on assistance with the ref distracted, but Rhodes kicks out even after the South of Heaven. A Cody Cutter sets up Cross Rhodes, and that’s it for Priest.

Alas, Dom gets in one last cheap shot right before the show ends.

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 Raw results 05/29/23: New women’s tag champs, Rollins and Styles join forces

See who emerged as the new WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions after a Fatal 4-Way on WWE Raw in Albany.

It’s been a tough few weeks for Raquel Rodriguez, but maybe that will change tonight on WWE Raw from Albany.

Not that Raquel has been losing too many races recently, mind you. As one half of the Women’s Tag Team Champions, Rodriguez hadn’t lost a tag team match since WrestleMania 39. Alas, when partner Liv Morgan was injured (during one of those victories), WWE stripped them of the titles.

Rodriguez got to be part of one of the four teams that competed for the championship tonight, but she needed a partner. Enter Shotzi, who has history with Raquel and figures to be someone who can capably fill in for Morgan even if not quite replace her.

Can they win (back) the titles? Perhaps, but a Fatal 4-Way is always a crap shoot, and the other three teams — Ronda Rousey and Shayna Baszler, Chelsea Green and Sonya Deville, and Bayley and IYO SKY — all figure to be serious contenders.

WWE hasn’t promoted anything else specifically for this show from Albany, but we know Money in the Bank qualifying matches are due to start. We’re expecting at least one apiece on the men’s and women’s sides.

And there will be fallout from Saturday’s Night of Champions show in Saudi Arabia, to be sure. Seth Rollins promised he’d be on hand, World Heavyweight Championship around his waist, for tonight’s Raw. It’s possible we might learn who will be first up to challenge him for the new big gold belt.

If Cody Rhodes is up for it after battling Brock Lesnar with an injured arm, he could be in the house as well. Can he pick himself back up again after experiencing another dose of adversity? And are things done between him and the Beast Incarnate?

WWE Raw results from Albany:

  • New World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins makes a memorable entrance through the crowd, and after repeating his intention to be a fighting champion, he’s joined by a congratulatory AJ Styles; their mutual show of respect is interrupted by The Judgment Day, and after exchanging insults, Rollins and Styles agree to take on any two of them tonight

  • Adam Pearce is on the phone trying to make the match approved, and both Rollins and Styles want it to happen
  • Ricochet def. The Miz by pinfall in a Money in the Bank qualifying match
  • Trish Stratus brags about doing exactly what she said she’d do in beating Becky Lynch, and she’s proud to introduce a superstar who reminds Trish of a young her, Zoey Stark; Lynch of course comes looking for both of them, which proves foolhardy as she is beaten down with a Z-360 from Stark and a big right hand from Stratus, then left crumpled in the corner with a “thank you Trish” shirt over her

  • Indus Sher def. local talent by pinfall
  • A video segment shows the Bloodline drama from Night of Champions once again, though apparently Roman Reigns’ 1000-day title reign celebration is still on for SmackDown
  • Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn are feeling pretty good tonight after the “worst night of Roman Reign’s life,” but Imperium comes out to take exception to them representing Raw, and the “new and improved” Alpha Academy (with Maxxine Dupri now part of the team) makes the champs laugh by dissing Imperium

  • Imperium (Giovanni Vinci and Ludwig Kaiser) def. Alpha Academy by pinfall with Owens and Zayn on guest commentary; also, Valhalla chases Dupri to the back
  • Raquel Rodriguez and Shotzi are asked if they’ve built up enough chemistry, a question that gets mocked by Bayley and IYO SKY before Raquel fires right back at Bayley
  • Ronda Rousey and Shayna Baszler def. Raquel Rodriguez and Shotzi, Chelsea Green and Sonya Deville and Damage CTRL (Bayley and IYO SKY) in a Fatal 4-Way match when Rousey made Shotzi tap out to an armbar to become the new WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions
  • Dolph Ziggler vs. JD McDonagh goes to a double countout, to the mild displeasure of the fans, with McDonagh continuing to assault Ziggler after the bell and stomping his head on top of the steel steps
  • Left arm still in a sling, Cody Rhodes takes the ring to say he hopes Brock Lesnar isn’t satisfied with their two matches being tied 1-1 and issues an open challenge for a third fight, any time, any place, finishing by saying Lesnar wasn’t “man enough to make me tap out”

  • Gunther tells Matt Riddle he wants him to win the Money in the Bank Ladder match and cash it in on the IC title just so he can have fun beating Riddle
  • Shinsuke Nakamura def. Bronson Reed by pinfall in a Money in the Bank qualifying match
  • Rhea Ripley tells Byron Saxton she destroyed Natalya at Night of Champions, and the Judgment Day won’t tell him which two members will face Rollins and Styles
  • A video package pays tribute to the men and women who have given their lives in defense of the U.S. to commemorate Memorial Day
  • AJ Styles and Seth Rollins def. Damian Priest and Finn Balor by pinfall