Our WWE Raw Results for tonight include the quarterfinal round of the Last Time is Now Tournament, which kicks off when former World Heavyweight Champion Gunther clashes with former NXT Champion Carmelo Hayes, Solo Sikoa takes on Penta, Roman Reigns kicks off the show, and the Men’s WarGames advantage is decided in a tag team Match Here’s our review and grades for tonight’s show, live from the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
WWE Raw Card:
- Last Time Is Now Tournament Quarterfinals: Gunther vs. Carmelo Hayes
- Last Time Is Now Tournament Quarterfinals: Solo Sikoa vs. Penta
- Men’s WarGames Advantage Tag Team Match
- Roman Reigns to Kick off the Show
WWE Raw Results:
The OTC
The crowd has their ‘ones’ in the air as Reigns makes his way to the ring. Reigns tells OKC to acknowledge him. The crowd does. Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes‘ music hits. As adrenaline fills our soul, the champion struts to the ring to the crowd singing his theme. The champion is sporting a deep bruise over his right eye from the vicious attack by the Scottish Psycho Drew McIntyre last week. Rhodes asks what they want to talk about. Rhodes notes that Reigns is a man of his word, but this time, they are going to war. The crowd oohs. Rhodes asks Reigns what’s in this for him.
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Reigns notes that the last time he checked, he’s been in this war; Rhodes is just joining it. Reigns says they don’t even like each other, but they have one thing in common: they don’t play about their family. Last Reigns checked, half the people on this team are his family. Before they were part of this WarGames team, they were part of his Bloodline. Rhodes says he understands and welcomes Reigns to his team. Rhodes sticks out his hand for a handshake. Cult of Personality hits, and the World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk joins Rhodes and Reigns in the ring. Punk tells the OKC crowd to “acknowledge us.” The crowd goes nuts.
Look in my Eyes, What do You See?
Punk notes that this is an all-star WarGames. Punk says he doesn’t need Reigns’ words because Punk saved Reigns’ life last year at WarGames. Reigns responds that a few months after that, Punk tried to ruin his life. Reigns and Punk go back and forth. Rhodes tells Punk they are all on the same team. Punk gets in Rhodes’ face and asks him who made this Rhodes’ Team. Reigns quips that Rhodes and Punk should pull them out and measure them now.
With a smile, Reigns says he doesn’t like either of them, but he hates Paul Heyman and The Vision more than he hates Rhodes and Punk. Reigns says that since they are all being honest, the title would look better on his shoulder. Reigns walks away. Punk and Rhodes are confused. Punk asks who Reigns was talking to? Reigns smiles and says that’s for Punk and Rhodes to figure out.
Grade: B
Solid opener, but it went a bit long. The tease at the end of Reigns going after one of the big titles again was the real news here. It has to be Punk, right?
Last Time Is Now Tournament Quarterfinals: Gunther vs. Carmelo Hayes
Gunther laughs at Hayes. Hayes attacks Gunther. Gunther traps Hayes in the corner. Hayes lights Gunther up with a chop. Gunther mushes Hayes in the face. Hayes responds with strikes. Hayes tries a shoulder block, but Gunther walks through it. Gunther goes up top and mocks Hayes. Hayes’ electric chair drops Gunther off the second rope. Running knee by Hayes. Springboard DDT by Hayes! Gunther kicks out. Hayes tries a springboard and eats a chop mid-air. Gunther lands two more nasty chops. Hayes may have just seen his life flash before his eyes.
After the break, Gunther works over Hayes. Hayes surprises Gunther with a sleeper. Gunther reverses it into a sleeper of his own. Hayes turns it into a pin. Gunther kicks out. Hayes goes back to the sleeper. Gunther turns it into a suplex. Gunther looks at the camera and jokes about Hayes not beating anyone to get to face him in the ring. Hayes struggles to get to his feet. Gunther badmouths Hayes. Hayes chops the hell out of Gunther. Gunther floors Hayes with a European uppercut. Hayes is sent into the corner. Gunther runs into a leaping superkick from Hayes. Gunther counters La Mistica with a face buster. Butterfly suplex by Gunther. Hayes kicks at two. Gunther tries a short arm chop.
The Finish
Hayes counters with another sleeper. Hayes tries another springboard and gets booted out of the air by Gunther. Gunther sets up his powerbomb. Hayes counters with a DDT! After the break, Gunther eats a first 48. Hayes tries it again and gets dumped out to the apron. After a head kick, Hayes goes up top for his finish. Gunther chops Hayes off the top. Hayes ducks a chop, causing Gunther to chop the ring post. Hayes tries a slingshot DDT, but it goes poorly.
As Gunther is getting counted out, Hayes dives over the top and lands what looked like a front flip leg drop. Gunther and Hayes fight outside the ring. Gunther is almost counted out. Hayes misses Nothing but Net. Lariat by Gunther. Powerbomb by Gunther! Hayes kicks out! Gunther traps Hayes in a rear-naked choke. Hayes manages to get to his feet. Gunther lands another powerbomb for the win.
Winner- Gunther
Grade: A
This was Hayes’ best match on the main roster. Hayes needs to be a babyface moving forward. The cocky heel thing didn’t hit, but they can circle back to it once Hayes makes some noise as a good guy. The past two weeks, Hayes has been on Sami Zayn’s level of selling. Gunther went way out of his way to shine Hayes tonight. Everything about this, beyond the awkward DDT on the apron, was perfect. With that, Gunther didn’t need this win, but if he had to go over, this is how you do it.
Mysterio!
AAA Champion Dominik Mysterio rants about winning his IC Championship back from John Cena. Cena’s music hits, and a little person dressed as Cena walks out on the stage. Little Cena has his own Little Stu holding a camcorder, filming his entrance. Dominik can barely get his words out; he’s chuckling so hard. Little Cena tells Dominik “Fine Speech” and goes off script on Dom. Dominik tells Little Cena to stick to the script. Little Cena doesn’t. Dominik boots little Cena in the face. 619, followed by a frog splash from Dominik. Rey Mysterio‘s music hits. Dominik rolls out why a late Mysterio checks on the corpse of Little Cena.
Grade: A+
Sorry but… Hahahahahahahahahahahahaahaha.
Rey Mysterio vs. JD McDonagh w/Finn Bálor
McDonagh controls most of the match. Bálor trips Mysterio. Bálor hops up on the apron. Mysterio trips McDonagh into Bálor. 619 by Mysterio. Mysterio pins McDonagh after a slingshot splash.
Winner- Rey Mysterio
Grade: C+
Fun TV match. Not much here, but still a good watch.
Backstage, Brock Lesnar arrives.
Women’s… WarGames!
The former Women’s Intercontinental Champion Becky Lynch, Lash Legend, Nia Jax, and the tag team champions Asuka and Kairi Sane are in the ring. Lynch rants about losing the IC title. Lynch must be a Drake fan, because she’s about to sue over this. The crowd boos as Lynch goes on and on about getting revenge on Adam Pearce, Referee Carr, and Maxxine Dupri. Lynch then rants about getting rid of AJ Lee. As her confused partners look on, Lynch claims to have assembled the greatest WarGames team ever. Lynch “puts over” her teammates like only Lynch can.
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Rhea Ripley‘s music hits. Ripley, IYO SKY, Charlotte Flair, Alexa Bliss, and AJ Lee interrupt. Lee tells Lynch she can see her insecurity and fear. Lee knows who she is, and she doesn’t need to bark like an angry chihuahua. She doesn’t bark, she bites. Lynch lit a fire on Lee, and these women standing by her side poured gasoline on it. Lynch made a mistake locking herself in a cage with Lee. Lee hands the mic to Ripley. Ripley clocks Jax in the head with the mic! Everyone brawls. Team Ripley clears the ring. SKY takes out everyone except Lynch with a moonsault out to the floor. Lynch watches her team get flattened and walks away ranting.
Grade: B
This was one of the better promo segments leading up to this women’s WarGames match. Having Lynch and Lee handle all the talking was smart, and the brawl that followed was a chaotic and entertaining affair.
Last Time Is Now Tournament Quarterfinals: Solo Sikoa vs. Penta
Penta lands a flurry of strikes. Sikoa runs over Penta. Penta trips Sikoa in the corner. Penta sets up his handstand dropkick. Sikoa rolls out of the ring to avoid it. Sikoa tosses Penta over the barricade. While Sikoa confers with Tala Tonga at ringside, Penta dives off the barricade and sends Sikoa flying with a head scissors. After the match, the doctors are checking on Penta. It’s announced that after taking a bad bump, Penta can’t continue.
Winner- Solo Sikoa
Grade: N/A
Not going to grade a match that ends in an injury. Prayers up for Penta. Hopefully, it isn’t too bad.
Men’s WarGames Advantage Tag Team Match: The Usos vs. Logan Paul and Drew McIntyre
Jimmy and Jey work over Paul. After the break, the twins are still beating the tar out of Paul. Paul manages to drive Jey into his corner, allowing McIntyre to tag in. McIntyre catches Jey with a flying kick while Jey tries a leapfrog. McIntyre and Paul take turns beating down Jey. Jey tries a dive and gets tossed over the commentary desk by McIntyre. After the break, Jey manages to tag in Jimmy.
Jimmy clears the ring. Jimmy ducks Paul’s right hand and lands a Spear. Uso Splash by Jimmy. McIntyre breaks up the pin. Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed appear at ringside. CM Punk and Cody Rhodes run down the ramp and attack Breakker and Reed. As everyone brawls outside the ring, Jey lands a dive that flattens the field. Back in the ring, Paul rolls up Jimmy for a quick three count.
Winners- Drew McIntyre and Logan Paul
Punk is immediately in the ring, wailing on Paul. Everyone brawls. Roman Reigns’ music hits. Reigns floors Breakker and Reed with Superman Punches. Reigns lays out Paul and McIntyre with Superman Punches. Team Punk collects themselves in the ring. Brock Lesnar’s music hits. Lesnar walks out on the ramp with Paul Heyman. Lesnar falls on his butt during his entrance, then leads his team back to the ring for round two! Everyone brawls again.
Grade: B
The tag match was standard stuff, but this match was more about what happened after. Even though we already got a WarGames match brawl earlier in the night with the women, this felt different. Seeing both teams stand toe-to-toe for the first time was a sight to see. This was all quite sports entertaining.
WWE Raw Review:
Heck of a show leading up to the go-home SmackDown this Friday night. Carmelo Hayes battling Gunther stood out tonight as the match of the night. Hayes has strung together a series of impressive outings that will hopefully lead to a push. Tons of chaos with both WarGames matches participants erupting into chaotic brawls at various points in the show. This is how you build to that WarGames. Penta was unfortunately injured during his match with Sikoa, so again, prayers for the fallen Lucha Bro. And Dominik delivered one of the funniest segments in recent memory on Raw when he gave a little person dressed as John Cena the “This is Sparta!” kick. What did you think of the show? Let us know in the comments!
Rating: B
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