Tag: Raquel Rodriguez

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

WWE Raw results from Charlotte:

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

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

Welcome to Monday Night Raw, Jey Uso

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Seth Rollins challenges Shinsuke Nakamura to a title rematch

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

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

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

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

Shinsuke Nakamura wants to break backs instead of winning

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

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

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

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

The Judgment Day try to celebrate their weekend

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

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

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

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

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

Zoey Stark begins life after Trish Stratus

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

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

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

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

Raquel Rodriguez annihilates Chelsea Green

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

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

The Miz speaks to “John Cena”

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

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

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

Sami Zayn wants payback against JD McDonagh

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

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

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

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

Gunther makes history

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

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

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

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

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

WWE Payback 2023 results: The Judgment Day rises, Seth Rollins prevails in Pittsburgh

Get full WWE Payback 2023 results from Pittsburgh, including a title changing hands and a new addition to the Raw roster.

While there certainly is, ahem, other pro wrestling news being discussed today, WWE will do its best to take back the attention of the industry with Payback from PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh. Yes, there are no Roman Reigns/Bloodline matches on this card, making it feel somewhat lesser, but this feels like a show where the efforts of the wrestlers themselves can make it shine.

That’s definitely true of the World Heavyweight Championship match between Seth Rollins and Shinsuke Nakamura. Rollins has spoken often about wanting to be the kind of champion who inspires through his work effort, and a matchup with the King of Strong Style certainly gives him the chance to prove it.

Making their meeting even more interesting is the way Shinsuke has introduced Seth’s real life back issues into his pre-match mind games. It’s not often we see the uber-confident Rollins thrown off his game, which will make his eventual triumph (if that’s what happens) that much more compelling.

The dynamic between Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley is a lot less subtle and easier to understand right away. Raquel Rodriguez has been the one woman in all of WWE able to stand up to Ripley physically, making her a straightforward challenge. Can Mami pass this test and maintain her dominance?

With only six total matches on the Payback card, there’s room for some surprises. Could Damian Priest cash in his Money in the Bank briefcase? Might John Cena, ostensibly in Pittsburgh to host the show, end up in a match? These are all things we’re anxious to find out.

WWE Payback 2023 results:

(click on any match with a link for full details)

  • Becky Lynch def. Trish Stratus by pinfall in a Steel Cage match, and things get even worse afterward for Trish as Zoey Stark has enough of her and hits Stratus with the Z-360
  • John Cena makes his appearance and says his job as host is to make the night special by being the guest referee … for The Miz vs. LA Knight; Miz is upset, so Cena asks him for advice as host but still is sticking to his idea
  • LA Knight def. The Miz by pinfall with John Cena as special guest referee
  • Rey Mysterio def. Austin Theory by pinfall to retain the United States Championship
  • Cathy Kelley tries to talk to Lynch backstage when Tiffany Stratton approaches her with some cheerful insults
  • Damian Priest and Finn Balor def. Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn by pinfall in a Steel City Street Fight to become the new Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions
  • The Grayson Waller Effect welcomes Cody Rhodes for a big announcement, and he gives it to him: Rhodes got Jey Uso on the Raw roster; naturally Jey Uso ends up superkicking Waller
  • Rhea Ripley def. Raquel Rodriguez by pinfall to retain the Women’s World Championship
  • Cena interviews Balor and Priest, who say when they’re on the same page, no one can stop The Judgment Day
  • Seth Rollins def. Shinsuke Nakamura by pinfall to retain the World Heavyweight Championship

WWE Payback 2023 results: Dirty Dom helps Rhea Ripley past Raquel Rodriguez

It took just a little assistance, but Rhea Ripley was able to fend off Raquel Rodriguez to retain her title at WWE Payback.

The announcers ponder what Raquel Rodriguez can do to win this match, but also say Rhea Ripley has to guard against overconfidence. Raquel wins the early power tests, so Rhea gets a breather on the outside.

Ripley kicks her challenger in the midsection but can’t budge her on an Irish whip. A battle of clotheslines goes to Rodriguez, who slams Ripley once but gets taken down with a leg sweep/hair grab.

The champ puts Raquel down with a nasty dropkick and peppers her with a few right hands. Ripley smashes her face into the turnbuckle, mocking her fallen tag team partner Liv Morgan.

Ripley takes some time to flex, then paint brushes Rodriguez a bit. Raquel finally buys some time by tossing Rhea across the ring. Some stomps force Rodriguez down to the mat, and Ripley is enjoying this pace now.

A nasty knee shot gets Ripley a near fall. Rodriguez comes right back with a clothesline for her own two count. A chop block to Raquel’s already bad knee makes for a great response, setting up her standing Figure Four. Rodriguez rolls through and forces a kickout from Ripley as her shoulders are pinned.

Raquel slams Rhea but the announcers sell her knee buckling. Both women get to their feet to exchange blows, one of which sends Ripley to the floor. Rhea knocks Raquel’s legs out from under her, but the challenger hoists the champ and smacks her into the post, then the barricade.

Here comes Dirty Dom, when Mami needs him most. Sadly for him, he takes a running powerslam, but it buys Rhea time for some leg kicks and a Riptide for the win.

WWE Payback 2023 predictions: Who will prevail in Pittsburgh?

What will WWE Payback give the fans on hand in Pittsburgh? We take our best guess with predictions for every match.

Considering that the name of WWE’s upcoming premium live event in Pittsburgh is Payback, there’s a shocking lack of overall revenge on this year’s card. Oh sure, there are superstars on the card looking to get back at their opponents for attacks or slights over the last few weeks, but it’s not like this is a show bursting at the seems with big rematches.

There’s also notably no Roman Reigns or Bloodline matches scheduled, but there are championships at stake. The men’s tag team titles, Women’s World Championship and United States Championship will all be defended at PPG Paints Arena.

We’d also be remiss if we didn’t mention that Seth Rollins and Shinsuke Nakamura will get a chance to shine in what presumably will be the night’s main event. It’s not a spot they’re always in (particularly Shinsuke), so it’ll be interesting to see if they step up to the challenge.

So what do we think will happen in each bout? Scroll down to see our predictions for Pittsburgh.

WWE Payback 2023 betting odds: Champs expected to roll

Check out betting odds for WWE Payback 2023 to see who is expected to win Saturday night in Pittsburgh.

Looking for some big upsets and new champions? Don’t expect that to happen at WWE Payback in Pittsburgh this weekend — or at least the consensus popular opinion doesn’t see it.

The Payback betting lines show the champions in the four title matches announced so far to all be significant favorites to retain their championships. The longest odds are facing Raquel Rodriguez, who despite holding her own against Rhea Ripley in some physical confrontations as of late, is seen by Betfair as a +900 underdog to win the WWE Women’s World Championship.

Shinsuke Nakamura is seen as having a better chance to unseat Seth Rollins as World Heavyweight Champion, but he’s still a significant dog at +450. Perhaps the thing to watch in that matchup is whether Damian Priest cashes in his Money in the Bank briefcase, though he also has a tag team title match alongside Finn Balor.

As we always do, we’d like to remind you that we don’t actually endorse wagering on pro wrestling matches even where it’s legal to do so since someone already knows the outcomes. That said, it’s still good insight into what people think will happen at any big wrestling show, and Payback is no different in that regard.

There’s a definite possibility that another match or two will be added as late as SmackDown Friday night, but for now, here are the lines for the matches announced for Payback, expressed in U.S.-style betting odds.

(Latest update: Sept. 1, 2023, 1:25 p.m. ET)

WWE Payback 2023 betting odds:

Steel Cage match
  • Becky Lynch: -500
  • Trish Stratus: +275
WWE World Heavyweight Championship match
  • Seth Rollins (c): -1250
  • Shinsuke Nakamura: +450
WWE Women’s World Championship match
  • Rhea Ripley (c): -3333
  • Raquel Rodriguez: +900
WWE United States Championship match
  • Rey Mysterio (c): -275
  • Austin Theory: +190
Singles match
  • LA Knight: -715
  • The Miz: +400
Steel City Street Fight for the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship
  • Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn (c): -715
  • Damien Priest and Finn Balor: +333

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

WWE Payback 2023 card:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

WWE Raw results from Quebec City:

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

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

WWE Raw results 08/14/23: The Judgment Day has the last laugh

The long awaited rematch between Becky Lynch and Trish Stratus is also slated for this week’s edition of WWE Raw.

Shinsuke Nakamura is done playing around. Tonight on WWE Raw from Winnipeg, we’re apparently going to find out just why he had his recent change of heart.

Nakamura seemed pretty entrenched as a fan favorite during his current run, even helpfully volunteering to team with Seth Rollins and Cody Rhodes to take on The Judgment day last week after the villainous stable had taken out Sami Zayn.

There was just one problem: After the match, Nakamura laid out Rollins with a vicious Kinshasa, leaving the World Heavyweight Champion staring up at the lights.

The assumption is that Shinsuke wants Seth’s gold for himself. That’s how these things usually work, after all. But perhaps there’s a little more to it than that, and WWE is hinting that we’ll find out tonight.

The other big to-do for this Monday is Becky Lynch battling Trish Stratus. You may recall that they were supposed to have a match two weeks ago, except Stratus had Zoey Stark aid her as soon as the bell rang, content to lose by DQ.

Adam Pearce said “uh-uh!” (hopefully in his best Stone Cold Steve Austin voice) and that Becky and Trish would have a proper rematch, this time with Zoey banned from the ringside area. We thought it might be at SummerSlam, but it will instead take place on this episode of Raw.

We think. Hopefully.

There’s also the not so small matter of Payback coming up in just a few weeks, so time’s a wasting on getting the gears in motion for that event. That could happen tonight as well.

Let’s dive in.

WWE Raw results from Winnipeg:

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

  • The Judgment Day is out here without Finn Balor, and they aren’t happy about it; also JD McDonagh and Sami Zayn get into a scrap
  • Sami Zayn def. JD McDonagh by pinfall
  • Chelsea Green apologizes to Chelsea Green and looks like he’s going to strip her of the tag team titles, but she threatens to call Human Resources on him, then suggests they hold auditions for a new partner; Piper Niven tries to declare herself Green’s new partner and doesn’t appear she’ll take no for an answer
  • Cody Rhodes notes that Balor has always been a leader, but one of the problems with The Judgment Day is that both Priest and Ripley are too; Cody says he’ll be ready for Finn and The Judgment Day tonight
  • The Ring General has arrived in Winnipeg, but while Alpha Academy has to accept that Gunther is very good, they don’t take any crap from Ludwig Kaiser
  • Chad Gable def. Giovanni Vinci by pinfall
  • Gunther def. Otis by pinfall
  • Ripley has to step between Balor and Priest to stop their bickering, and Finn comes around and says the group will show they are still a united force against Cody later tonight
  • The weekly SmackDown Bloodline recap video plays
  • Drew McIntyre is asked what’s next for him, but he doesn’t get to answer before Matt Riddle asks him if he’ll tag up to face the Viking Raiders tonight; McIntyre says he’ll consider it, and Riddle does the “so you’re telling me there’s a chance!” thing
  • A short video hypes up Indi Hartwell
  • Matt Riddle and Drew McIntyre def. Viking Raiders by pinfall
  • Raquel Rodriguez tells Candice LeRae and Hartwell how frustrated she is that she can’t get cleared since she can’t wait to rip Ripley apart, but everyone agrees this is Indi’s night to show what she can do
  • Riddle thinks he and McIntyre can win the tag team champions, but The New Day is offended by the thought that one win can make them title contenders and they challenge Matt and Drew to a match next week
  • Rhea Ripley def. Indi Hartwell by pinfall, though LeRae may have made a tactical error by attacking Ripley after the match
  • A quick replay shows Nakamura’s attack on Rollins again from the end of last week’s Raw
  • Shinsuke Nakamura gets a title shot from Seth Rollins … and lays him out again
  • The Miz denies shaking LA Knight’s hand, says he’ll beat someone better than Knight ever has, and may show up on SmackDown too
  • Trish Stratus vs. Becky Lynch ends in a double countout, with Zoey Stark joining in when they brawl up to the concourse
  • Gunther is angry at Vinci for losing and ticked at Kaiser at getting distracted with Dupri, then says he’ll go to Pearce and sort it out by giving Gable his title shot next week
  • Speaking of Pearce, he’s furious with Stratus and tells her Trish will have to face Becky in a steel cage
  • Cody Rhodes def. Finn Balor by pinfall, but after the match, he and Sami Zayn take a horrific beating from The Judgment Day after the arrival of McDonagh turns the tide

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

WWE Raw results from Minneapolis:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Want a Tribal Combat highlight package? You got it.

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

Shinsuke Nakamura def. Bronson Reed by pinfall

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Shayna Baszler def. Zoey Stark by pinfall

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

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

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

Ludwig Kaiser def. Otis by pinfall

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The New Day def. Viking Raiders by pinfall

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Let’s get to it.

WWE Raw results from Houston:

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

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

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

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

Ludwig Kaiser def. Matt Riddle by pinfall

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

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

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

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

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

Maxxine Dupri def. Valhalla by pinfall

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Shinsuke Nakamura def. Tommaso Ciampa by pinfall

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Becky Lynch def. Trish Stratus by DQ

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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