Tag: Shayna Baszler

WWE Crown Jewel 2023 card: John Cena to take on Solo Sikoa

See what WWE is promoting for Crown Jewel, its penultimate premium live event for 2023.

WWE Fastlane ended on Saturday night, and within 48 hours, the road to Crown Jewel began. This premium live event will take place in Riyadh, Saudia Arabia on Saturday, Nov. 4. It’s the second-to-last premium live event of 2023 before Survivor Series closes out the year.

Drew McIntyre opened the aftermath episode of Raw by challenging Seth Rollins to a World Heavyweight Championship match at Crown Jewel. However, the Scottish Warrior quickly thwarted Damian Priest’s attempt to cash in his Money in the Bank briefcase on Rollins, nearly calling off the potential main event.

Rollins has held the World Heavyweight Championship since winning the tournament for the revived belt in May. After defeating Shinsuke Nakamura at back-to-back premium live events to retain the title, the Visionary will try to extend his reign into the holiday season.

McIntyre’s recent success could spell the end of Rollins’ lengthy championship reign in Saudia Arabia. Will it happen?

On Oct. 13, Roman Reigns returned to SmackDown, making his first appearance on WWE programming since the aftermath of SummerSlam in early August. He confronted John Cena in his return, but instead of asking for a match, Cena introduced LA Knight as the next challenger to Reigns’ Undisputed WWE Universal Championship.

At the end of the night, Reigns attacked Knight in the ring after his match with Solo Sikoa, leaving him lying. This made it clear that Reigns and Knight would be having a match, but it wasn’t officially confirmed until the morning of the Oct. 20 episode of SmackDown that these two will square off at Crown Jewel.

And Cena and Sikoa will be involved in the show as well, with WWE announcing this week that they will battle each other as Cena looks for his first televised singles win in several years.

Crown Jewel goes down on Saturday, Nov. 4. As WWE announces more matches, they will be updated below.

Latest update: Oct. 31, 2023, 9:52 a.m. ET.

WWE Crown Jewel 2023 card:

  • Seth Rollins (c) vs. Drew McIntyre – World Heavyweight Championship match
  • Rhea Ripley (c) vs. Nia Jax vs. Raquel Rodriguez vs. Shayna Baszler vs. Zoey Stark – Women’s World Championship Fatal 5-Way match
  • Roman Reigns (c) vs. LA Knight – Undisputed WWE Universal Championship match
  • Rey Mysterio vs. Logan Paul – WWE United States Championship match
  • IYO SKY (c) vs. Bianca Belair – WWE Women’s Championship match
  • John Cena vs. Solo Sikoa
  • Cody Rhodes vs. Damian Priest
  • Sami Zayn vs. JD McDonagh (pre-show)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

WWE Raw results 10/2/23: Gunther, Tommaso Ciampa tear it down, Johnny Gargano returns

WWE Raw also saw a tag team title match made official for Fastlane.

Sometimes, plans change. For WWE Raw, it’s been happening quite often as of late, and it appears that might be the case for tonight’s episode from San Jose.

The show had been promoted with a match between Jey Uso and Damian Priest as one of its big hooks. Alas, the official WWE.com preview for tonight now has nary a mention of that bout, so it will be interesting to see if it needed to be shelved for some reason or the wrestlers involved will be used in some other way.

Instead, the featured segment is now a contract signing between Gunther and Tommaso Ciampa. The Ring General has tried to keep Ciampa at bay using his Imperium minions, but they proved unfit for the task. Now Gunther has basically no choice but to put his Intercontinental Championship on the line, presumably this weekend at Fastlane.

Becky Lynch already successfully retained her NXT Women’s Championship at No Mercy, and The Man promised Tegan Nox she could have the next shot. That is still being promoted for tonight, but there are reports that Lynch isn’t medically cleared to compete, so we’ll be watching to see if that bout gets rescheduled in a way that grows out of what we’ll see in San Jose.

Also, for some reason Miz TV is welcoming Drew McIntyre back for a second consecutive week. Did The Miz fire his booking person? And what new if anything will the Scottish Warrior have to say this time?

The uncertainty means there could be some cool stuff that isn’t being advertised for tonight’s show, and we’re always down with that. Let’s see what we’ve got.

WWE Raw results from San Jose:

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

  • Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler are supposed to have a match to start the show, but the broadcast begins with them already brawling; they’re soon joined by Raquel Rodriguez and Rhea Ripley, and tons of security and refs have to pull them all apart
  • Rhea says The Judgment Day needs to talk, but after she gives Dominik Mysterio an ultimatum, Jey Uso and Cody Rhodes cause more trouble … and end up with a title match for Fastlane
  • Imperium (Giovanni Vinci and Ludwig Kaiser) def. Alpha Academy by pinfall
  • Highlights are shown of the Becky Lynch-Tiffany Stratton Extreme Rules match at No Mercy
  • Pearce tells Tegan Nox that he has to postpone her title shot since Lynch isn’t cleared to compete, but Nox suggests she take on a not so helpful Chelsea Green and Pearce makes it official
  • Bronson Reed def. Cedric Alexander by pinfall
  • Pearce ends his phone call to speak to Drew McIntyre, who doesn’t want to do Miz TV a second week in a row and asks Pearce to tell The Miz to leave him alone when he says what he wants to say tonight; he also notes that no one did “the right thing” when The Bloodline was beating him down
  • Tommaso Ciampa and Gunther meet for their contract signing and end up agreeing to have their match tonight
  • Priest is upset about having to defend the titles at Fastlane, but together, Ripley and McDonagh are able to convince him that it could help drive a wedge between Uso and his (few) allies
  • Xavier Woods def. Ivar by pinfall, but he and Kofi Kingston are both beaten silly by the big man after the match
  • A hype video is shown for the Seth Rollins-Shinsuke Nakamura Last Man Standing match at Fastlane
  • Shinsuke Nakamura proves to still be one step ahead of Seth Rollins in a very painful way
  • Lynch tells Nox she better be ready for a fight once she’s cleared; she turns and runs into Natalya, who says she has a different level of respect for Tegan now and believes she’ll make good on her title opportunity then she gets it
  • Tegan Nox def. Chelsea Green by pinfall
  • McIntyre rants on what he sees as weakness and hypocrisy in those forgiving Jey Uso, which brings out an unhappy Miz to get in some taunts at Drew for playing both sides of things; McIntyre wants a fight, and while Miz looks like he’s going to walk away, he runs back to the ring to assault McIntyre from behind, which eventually leads to officials separating them
  • Drew McIntyre def. The Miz by pinfall
  • Trick Williams introduces himself to the world ahead of his rematch for the NXT North American Championship on NXT, but Mysterio, Ripley and McDonagh arrive to taunt him a bit
  • Rhodes wasn’t anticipating getting after the tag team titles with Jey Uso, but he’ll be ready to go this weekend at Fastlane
  • Gunther def. Tommaso Ciampa by submission to retain the WWE Intercontinental Championship
  • Imperium hits the ring to beat on Ciampa, but Johnny Gargano returns to make the save

WWE Raw preview 10/02/03: Recruit Jey Uso? How about fight Jey Uso instead?

Also on tonight’s WWE Raw, Gunther and Tommaso Ciampa do the contract signing thing.

The Judgment Day did its best to recruit Jey Uso to its side. Now that he’s made it pretty clear he has no intention of joining, the next step tonight on WWE Raw from Sacramento may be showing him the error of his ways.

That task has fallen to Damian Priest, a.k.a. Señor Money in the Bank. Priest took the lead in trying to convince Uso to come into the Judgment Day fold, so there’s a chance he’s taking the refusal personally as well.

The question, as it always does, revolves around whether Priest will fight alone or have his teammates intervene. And if they do, can Uso count on the likes of Cody Rhodes and Kevin Owens to watch his back?

Elsewhere, Becky Lynch retained the NXT Women’s Championship this weekend at No Mercy with a hard-fought Extreme Rules victory over Tiffany Stratton. The Man promised Tegan Nox a title shot if she emerged victorious, and since Lynch is a Man of her word, that showdown will also take place tonight on Raw.

(Update: 3:30 p.m. ET: According to Fightful Select (subscription required), Lynch is not cleared to compete on Raw due to a laceration suffered at No Mercy, meaning her match with Nox is likely off.)

Also expected tonight in Sacramento, just five days out from Fastlane:

Be sure to tune in at 8 p.m. ET on USA to check out everything that goes down from Sacramento. We’ll also be serving up live WWE Raw results and updates all evening if you’d prefer to go that route. See you then!

WWE Raw results 09/18/23: Jey Uso makes his choice but not everyone is sold

Who stood by Jey Uso on WWE Raw from Salt Lake City, and who still isn’t convinced he’s changed his ways?

Pro wrestling logic is a funny thing sometimes. Run with a pack and try to beat me up using the numbers game, partly to keep a ruthless heel champion in power? We’re mortal enemies. But come at me straight up and fight me one-on-one and maybe we can be allies if not necessarily friends.

That second path may work in the favor of Jey Uso tonight on WWE Raw in Salt Lake City. Outside of Cody Rhodes and Sami Zayn, Jey has found precious few willing to fight beside him since joining the Monday night scene. And who can blame the rest of the roster?

Drew McIntyre is one who remembers all too well that Jey was trying everything possible to keep Roman Reigns atop the WWE mountaintop not that long ago, and naturally distrusts him as a result. The thing is, if Uso fights him honorably tonight, it could go a long way toward at least convincing the Scottish Warrior that they could fight together if need be.

Speaking of Rhodes, he’s got a match too, and it might be one that sees these two plot threads intertwine. The American Nightmare will face Dominik Mysterio, and that means the rest of The Judgment Day could get involved. That would be the same group currently trying to recruit Jey Uso to their side, so it will be intriguing to see if these bouts end up part of the same overall stew of wrestler interactions.

There’s also a battle between Ricochet and Shinsuke Nakamura to look forward to, which should be a fun affair and could draw World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins into the mix as well. Let’s dive into the action.

WWE Raw results from Salt Lake City:

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

  • Cody Rhodes is greeted warmly by the Salt Lake City crowd and says since he was interrupted last week, he’d like to talk about Main Event Jey Uso; he’s interrupted again by Dominik Mysterio, however, who brags about The Judgment Day recruiting Jey and dedicating his victory over Cody to Rhea Ripley, which Rhodes rightfully mocks
  • Cody Rhodes def. Dominik Mysterio by pinfall, then gets reinforcements in the form of Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn to chase off The Judgment Day
  • KO hangs in the ring and calls Rhodes back to “talk about something,” which turns out to be a discussion about whether they can trust Jey Uso
  • A replay of the return of Nia Jax and her attack on Rhea Ripley and Raquel Rodriguez is shown
  • Kofi Kingston def. Ivar by pinfall
  • Ricochet is asked for final comments and says Shinsuke Nakamura will find out he’s nobody’s pawn, and that Shinsuke playing games only fires him up
  • Shinsuke Nakamura def. Ricochet by disqualification when Ricochet uses a steel chair; afterward, Nakamura manages to get some punishment in on both Ricochet and Seth Rollins before officials and referees can finally pull him away
  • Rollins angrily tells a ref he doesn’t need help, but it appears he does to get to the trainer’s room
  • Chelsea Green tells Byron Saxton that she and Piper Niven are best friends, but Chelsea clearly doesn’t know what country Piper is from
  • Shayna Baszler and Zoey Stark vs. Chelsea Green and Piper Niven is a no contest (we think) after Nia Jax shows up and assaults everyone
  • Chad Gable asks Pearce what he can do to work himself back into another title shot against Gunther; conveniently, Bronson Reed drops by and ends up talking himself into a match against Gable
  • The Rock’s surprise return on SmackDown is shown again
  • Jey Uso is asked about Owens’ remarks and how Drew McIntyre feels about him too, but Damian Priest arrives to tell Jey he wants Main Event Jey for The Judgment Day and says their group can be the family he’s looking for … but they want an answer by the end of the night
  • Bronson Reed def. Chad Gable by pinfall
  • Tommaso Ciampa says being patient didn’t work for him, so he’s creating his own opportunity by going through Imperium to get to Gunther
  • A highlight package shows the best moments from Becky Lynch’s victory over Tiffany Stratton to win the NXT Women’s Championship, and The Man is shown accepting a fist bump from Akira Tozawa backstage
  • Owens runs into Jey Uso and has to be calmed down by Zayn, once again playing peacemaker; Sami also tells Jey that he doesn’t know what The Judgment Day business is all about but it appears Jey has a decision to make tonight
  • Lynch explains why she went after the NXT title, saying it wasn’t just to become Grand Slam Becks but also to test herself against the best the future has to offer; she wants to face someone tonight, however, and her challenge is answered by Natalya, who emphatically won’t take no for an answer when Lynch points out her challenge was intended for someone “newer”
  • Becky Lynch def. Natalya by pinfall to retain the NXT Women’s Championship
  • Dominik accuses Pearce of not doing his job and punishing Nia for attacking Rhea, and he exchanges words with Dragon Lee, who he’ll face next week
  • Tommaso Ciampa def. Giovanni Vinci by submission
  • Rollins tells Saxton he’s trying to keep it together but is so upset that he’s willing to do anything to get Shinsuke in the ring, so much so that he says the ball is in Nakamura’s court: time, place, even stipulation, but he warns that it could mean Seth defining Shinsuke’s legacy

  • A hype video is shown for the main event, detailing the history between Uso and McIntyre
  • Drew McIntyre def. Jey Uso by pinfall after Uso gives superkicks to every member of The Judgment Day
  • The Judgment Day beats up on Uso after his defeat, and while McIntyre stands on the stage and decides not to help, Rhodes runs down and chases the heels away

WWE Raw results 09/11/23: Stunning return helps Rhea hold off Raquel

Dominik Mysterio couldn’t help Rhea Ripley on WWE Raw, but a returning star provided an unexpected hand.

Let’s get one thing straight right off the bat: Rhea Ripley certainly doesn’t need help from Dominik Mysterio to win her matches. She’s proven that numerous times on her way to becoming Women’s World Championship. That said, it’s fair to wonder if it’ll get in her head looking ringside tonight during WWE Raw in Norfolk and not seeing Dirty Dom there to support her.

Ripley can use any edge she can get because Raquel Rodriguez has been a determined challenger who is a legit threat to dethrone her. Rodriguez is powerful enough to stand her ground against Ripley, and she’s motivated by what the champ did to both her and tag team partner Liv Morgan, so she’s not going to stop.

All we’re saying is that with Dom barred from ringside tonight for the title rematch, Ripley might not have the same comfort level she usually does. And given the way she’s put the rest of The Judgment Day on notice if they didn’t win gold, it would be ironic indeed if she loses hers first.

Cody Rhodes is going to talk about something on Raw this evening as well, and while we fully expect that he’ll ask us what we want to talk about, we feel just as sure that he already has something in mind. We’re just not exactly sure what that might be, and if it still has to do with recently arrived Jey Uso.

Plus, Imperium is going to throw a championship celebration for Gunther, which he deserves as the longest-reigning Intercontinental Champion of all time. But has he truly beaten everyone worth beating, or will someone new choose this occasion to declare themselves next in line to try to topple the Ring General?

These are the reasons we watch.

WWE Raw results from Norfolk:

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

  • Jey Uso is caught between Kevin Owens saying do the work and The Judgment Day trying to recruit him, but offers to team with KO tonight
  • The Judgment Day (Damian Priest and Finn Balor) def. Jey Uso and Kevin Owens by pinfall, after an Uso superkick accidentally hits Owens and sets up their opponents’ victory
  • Uso attempts to apologize to Owens, but KO angrily tells him to go join “your new Bloodline” and accept the Judgment Day’s offer to join
  • A highlight package is shown of Gunther’s victory over Chad Gable last week that helped make him a record-holder; afterward, a car pulls up and Imperium gets out, dressed to the nines
  • The Miz def. Akira Tozawa by pinfall
  • Raquel Rodriguez tells Byron Saxton that Rhea Ripley might be the most dominant women’s champ ever, but she’s not like most challengers and Dom won’t be there to help Rhea tonight
  • Chelsea Green makes the mistake of calling Shayna Baszler a peer, and besides, she doesn’t need a partner because Piper Niven is back
  • Gunther is ready to celebrate his historic Intercontinental Championship reign, but Chad Gable isn’t done with him yet
  • Xavier Woods wants to know why Drew McIntyre was trash talking Kofi Kingston and isn’t happy with the answer he gets, then goads the Scottish Warrior into a match
  • Backstage, Ciampa explains why he came to Alpha Academy’s aid, and Otis suggests the three of them challenge Imperium tonight
  • Drew McIntyre vs. Xavier Woods by pinfall
  • Cody Rhodes wants to talk about Jey Uso but has to fight off Dominik Mysterio and JD McDonagh instead
  • McIntyre tells Jey he doesn’t trust him, saying he doubts Uso can stand on his own two feet; Jey says he’ll prove he can by facing McIntyre next week, and Drew quickly accepts
  • Shayna Baszler def. Chelsea Green by pinfall, then gets some help from Zoey Stark to avoid a post-match beating from Piper Niven
  • Shinsuke Nakamura is still focused on taking Seth Rollins’ title and says he will challenge for it again when he feels like it
  • Rollins comes to the ring and admits that he is all the bad things Nakamura claims he is, but he’s also some good things, and it simply took a long time to realize he just needed to be himself; he also offers the chance for Shinsuke to come get the World Heavyweight Championship right now, but Nak is busy beating up Ricochet backstage instead
  • Balor approaches Jey and says The Judgment Day are his only fans on Raw, and the door is always open for him
  • Alpha Academy and Tommaso Ciampa def. Imperium by submission
  • The Judgment Day says the more Jey feels isolated, the better the chance that he joins them; Rhea tells Dom not to worry, as she always comes out on top
  • Tiffany Stratton is upset that she’s been waiting for Becky Lynch, but The Man arrives to sign a contract for their title match on NXT; Lynch also says her problem with Stratton is that she only wants to be famous, while Tiffany says she doesn’t need Becky to be a big deal since she’s been doing that for herself
  • Rhea Ripley def. Raquel Rodriguez by pinfall to retain the Women’s World Championship, thanks to a dramatic return by Nia Jax, who then assaults Ripley after the bell

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 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 SummerSlam 2023: Top takeaways from all the happenings in Detroit

SummerSlam was a good show that elevated several wrestlers, but did it live up to sky high expectations overall?

Fans having high expectations for an event is usually a good thing, as that means people are engaged with the product.

But in the case of SummerSlam, it turned out to be kind of a detriment for WWE.

On the surface, SummerSlam wasn’t a bad show. In fact, I think it was a pretty good one. A couple of years ago, that would have been good enough by WWE standards.

But the bar has been raised throughout 2023, making SummerSlam, at least for me, only a decent show that had potential to be a lot more.

As usual, I have takeaways from the night in Detroit.

Jimmy Uso betrays his own brother

I had a feeling that this could happen. I had a feeling it could go down like this. I didn’t really want to entertain the idea that Jimmy Uso could turn on Jey Uso. But when someone as integral to a story as Jimmy Uso goes missing, wrestling fans can assume that they will resurface during the ensuing major encounter. 

That is exactly what happened Saturday night, as Jimmy Uso thwarted his brother’s chances of defeating Roman Reigns by pulling him out of the ring during a pin attempt. After a shocking reveal, Jimmy Uso delivered a gut-wrenching superkick to his twin brother.

While it may be hard to believe for some that not one but two of Jey Uso’s blood brothers have turned on him in favor of their narcissistic yet insecure cousin, it didn’t make it any less heartbreaking to see the Usos essentially break up after years of being one of the best tag teams in the world.

It is professional wrestling, though, which means they will surely reunite one day. But for now, it is just kind of sad.

So where do we go from here?

I can only assume this means we will see the Usos face each other in a one-on-one match at some point. Will WWE save that for next year’s WrestleMania? Time will tell, but it seems like the logical direction either way.

Where does Reigns go from here? In the immediate future, I honestly have no idea. Outside of Cody Rhodes, who we’ll discuss more in a little bit, I don’t see a long line of credible challengers for Reigns. 

Does that mean Reigns is in line for an extended break? Reigns has had a busy summer, so much so that you almost forget that he has essentially risen to the level of a part-time wrestler, and we may not see him for a while after this.

IYO SKY cashes in and cashes out

As I predicted earlier in the week, IYO SKY cashed in her Money in the Bank contract and won the WWE Women’s Championship at SummerSlam.

I must admit, though, that my prediction had SKY cashing in on Charlotte moments into her 15th title reign. Instead, it was Bianca Belair who pulled off a triumphant victory, only for SKY to come down and rain on her parade.

Unlike Reigns, there are a slew of credible challengers for SKY to go up against. First on the list is Belair, who will probably enact an automatic rematch clause to set up their next encounter.

However, I feel like this will eventually lead to jealousy amongst Damage CTRL and eventually end with the group dissolving right before our very eyes.

Brock Lesnar endorses Cody Rhodes

Brock Lesnar has been involved with professional wrestling for more than 20 years, and I don’t think I have ever seen him put someone over the way he did for Rhodes Saturday night.

Not only did Rhodes defeat Lesnar clean as a sheet in the middle of the ring, Lesnar shook Rhodes’ hand, gave him a hug, and raised his arm after the match, essentially endorsing Rhodes as “that guy.”

Receiving such an endorsement from Lesnar of all people should mean a lot. And if WWE follows through on that, it should mean Rhodes is the person to dethrone Reigns. Right? Why else would you have Lesnar single him out like that? 

If that is the case, when does this happen? Is WWE pushing this all the way until WrestleMania? I guess it could happen, especially if Reigns takes an extended break. 

But what do you do with Rhodes in the meantime? He’s already slayed the biggest threat in the promotion outside of Reigns. Who else would pose a credible threat at this point?

Could we see that match before the end of 2023? I’m of the opinion that WWE should save a second match between Reigns and Rhodes for WrestleMania, but I also understand how that is easier said than done.

LA Knight has finally his moment

It may have occurred in a sponsored battle royal with virtually nothing at stake, but LA Knight finally had his moment to shine, winning said battle royal and getting a lot of love from the fans in Detroit in the process.

At this point, WWE needs to stop messing around and get fully on board with Knight being a potential top guy. It’s not often that WWE has someone on the roster as over as Knight currently is. And the times it has happened, the company has often been late to the party and failed to capitalize on the momentum.

Hopefully, that is not the case with Knight, who has earned at least a chance to show that he can run with the ball. He has to prove that he actually can in the long run, but he has definitely earned the opportunity.

A worked MMA match?

If there is one lesson I have taken away from my multiple decades of watching professional wrestling, it’s that simulating anything other than pro wrestling is usually a mistake.

Roddy Piper and Mr. T tried to put on a worked boxing match at WrestleMania 2, and it ended up being one of the worst matches in the event’s illustrious history.

Almost 20 years later, WWE put Big Show into a worked sumo match with sumo legend Akebono. That turned out to be an abomination as well.

With the rise of mixed martial arts, I should have known that it was only a matter of time until WWE tried to simulate an MMA fight. And no, not in the way of NXT’s Fight Pit or Raw/NXT Underground, or even Ken Shamrock’s Lion’s Den matches, which still largely resembled professional wrestling contests.

This was Ronda Rousey and Shayna Baszler doing their best to make it seem like they were back in UFC, which unsurprisingly, did not turn out well.

If this is indeed the end of Rousey’s run with WWE, what an anticlimactic way to go out. Her run started out with so much promise. WWE immediately slotted her into big matches and into the main event of the biggest show of the year. The company basically promoted the one and only all-women’s pay-per-view around the fact that she was going to be on it.

But there she was Saturday night, being choked out by Baszler in the middle of Ford Field. 

In theory, this should be a springboard for Baszler to ascend to bigger and better things as a single. In reality, however, I’m not sure it will be. That is how far Rousey’s stock has fallen as of late.

Who’s to blame for that? Oh, there is plenty to go around. Regardless of who you place the blame upon, Rousey’s run in WWE was not the cash register the company was hoping it would be. It also didn’t make any real progress in putting women’s wrestling on equal footing with the men. 

To be fair, the latter is not Rousey’s fault, but it is just another aspect of a run that did not reach its full potential.

SummerSlam results: Shayna Baszler chokes out Ronda Rousey

The crowd didn’t always feel it, but they enjoyed seeing Shayna Baszler triumph in the end over Ronda Rousey at WWE SummerSlam 2023.

The superb video packages from the week prior to SummerSlam are shown again before Ronda Rousey makes her ring walk. Some cheers are mixed in, but it’s mostly boos greeting her. Conversely, it’s mostly cheers for Shayna Baszler as she heads toward the ring.

There’s no cage for this MMA Rules match, but both women have on MMA gloves. They certainly are fighting like it’s MMA with strikes and takedowns to start.

Rousey is able to take Baszler’s back and attempt an armbar, but Shayna makes it out and to her feet fairly quickly. Baszler lands a leg kick that backs Rousey off.

Shayna scores with a big head kick that sends Ronda to the floor. She walks into a double leg takedown when she returns, and the two women battle on the mat while the fans seem to be growing restless.

That changes somewhat when Rousey knocks Baszler down, though the ref gives Shayna time to recover. Ronda puts her right back down and stuffs a takedown attempt, pounding her former friend on the back.

Baszler is able to hoist Rousey up and both women tumble over the top rope to the floor. They both return to the ring as Baszler is slumped in one corner, and doctors come in to check on her as the crowd boos.

Rousey attacks the docs and yells at Baszler. They battle it out in the middle of the ring, where Shayna’s suplex sets up a rear naked choke attempt. Rousey transitions into an armbar, but Shayna counters into an ankle lock.

Now Rousey pivots to a rear naked choke as “this is boring” chant breaks out. Baszler has her hooks in, with Rousey working her arm to escape. But Ronda finally goes out, bringing this strange hybrid match to an end.

Check out full WWE SummerSlam 2023 results here.