Our WWE Raw results for tonight include The Usos battling Bron Breakker & Bronson Reed in a tornado tag team match, Bayley clashing with The Judgement Day’s Raquel Rodriguez, AJ Styles and Dragon Lee teaming up to face Los Americanos, and Dominik Mysterio defending the Intercontinental Championship against Rusev. Here’s our review and grades for tonight’s show, live from the Lenovo Center in Raleigh, North Carolina.
WWE Raw Card:
- Tornado Tag Team Match: The Usos vs. The Vision (Bron Breakker & Bronson Reed)
- Intercontinental Championship Match Dominik Mysterio (c) vs. Rusev
- Bayley vs. Raquel Rodriguez
- AJ Styles and Dragon Lee vs. Los Americanos
WWE Raw Results:
After a highlight package on last week’s action, Rhea Ripley‘s music hits.
Mami is Home
Ripley notes that she thought they (Asuka and Kairi Sane) were warriors. After what they did to IYO SKY, Ripley wants the Kabuki Warriors right here, right now. IYO SKY walks to the ring. SKY looks degeckted as she grabs a mic. The crowd chants for SKY as SKY notes that it breaks her heart to say, but Ripley was right about Asuka and Sane. They are her family, and she still loves them. SKY starts to cry. The lights dim in the arena, and the Kabuki Warriors appear on the ‘Tron. Asuka goes off on SKY and says because she loves SKY, SKY just needs to apologize. They can be a family again, and SKY can go back to being Asuka’s student, like Sane. Sane pleads with SKY because she wants them to be a family again.
Asuka yells that SKY still has a chance, but for Ripley, it’s too late. Ripley tells SKY not to listen. SKY says she needs some time. SKY leaves the ring. Asuka and Sane teleport into the ring and attack Ripley. A conflicted SKY eventually runs into the ring to break it up. SKY doesn’t know what to do. Sane is on her knees in front of Sane. Asuka spits the mist into SKY’s eyes. Ripley charges in and eventually gets destroyed by Asuka and Sane. Asuka traps Ripley in the Asuka Lock while Sane drops the InSANE Elbow. Ripley is out. Referees and officials rush the ring. The Kabuki Warriors slink away.
Grade: B-
This writer is conflicted about this segment. Most of it was good, but it’s not clear if SKY is just a terrible actor or if she was just hamming it up. It’s hard to get emotionally invested when someone seems to be doing a bad impression instead of selling emotion.
Intercontinental Championship Match Dominik Mysterio (c) vs. Rusev
Finn Bálor and JD McDonagh walk Dominik halfway down the ramp, then turn and go to the back. Dominik wasn’t expecting that. Dominik lands a few strikes. Rusev runs over Dominik. Dominik gets to his feet, and Rusev suplexes him all over the ring. Dominik low bridges Rusev. Rusev falls to the apron. Dominik dropkicks Rusev to the floor. Dominik slingshots over the top. Rusev catches Dominik and tosses him clear over the commentary desk. After the break, Dominik lands a slingshot splash. Rusev kicks out. Dominik hits the ropes and gets turned inside out by a lariat. Dominik rolls out of the ring. Rusev follows and gets sent into the ring steps.
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Rusev rolls back in. Dominik lands a 619 to Rusev’s gut. Dominik misses a Frog Splash. Matchka Kick by Rusev. Dominik kicks out. Rusev attempts the Accolade, but Dominik escapes and rolls out of the ring. Dominik brings his titles into the ring. Dominik hits Rusev in the back with the Mega Championship. It has no effect on Rusev. Dominik tosses the title to Rusev and drops to the mat, channelling his papi, and begging for a DQ. The referee tells Dominik that he saw that. While the referee is distracted, Dominik low blows Rusev. Roll up by Dominik for the win.
Winner and STILL Intercontinental Champion, Dominik Mysterio!
Grade: B
Fun match. Dominik has a future as a babyface. Rusev is a beast and should be featured in higher-profile matches more often. Rusev has an intensity that is unmatched on the Raw roster at the moment.
Backstage, Bayley tries to convince Lyra Valkyria to be in her corner tonight. Valkyria says after last week, she isn’t giving Bayley any more chances. Bayley is on her own.
Bayley vs. Raquel Rodriguez w/Roxanne Perez
Rodriguez gets trapped in the corner. Corner ten punches by Bayley. Bayley tries a bulldog, but ends up getting tossed clear across the ring. Rodriguez works over Bayley. Bayley sends Rodriguez out of the ring and lands a dive. Ring post dropkick by Bayley. Bayley tries a rana, but Rodriguez catches Bayley and swings her into the barricade. After the break, Bayley lands a senton off the top. Rodriguez kicks out. Bayley traps Rodriguez in a figure four. Perez rakes Bayley’s eyes while the referee is distracted. Bayley breaks the hold. Rodriguez hits her finish for the win.
Winner- Raquel Rodriguez
After the match, Rodriguez and Perez beat down Bayley. Lyra Valkyria runs down the ring to attempt a save. Rodriguez and Perez beat down Valkyria. Bayley goes nuts and clears the ring. Bayley helps Valkyria up. Valkyria is VERY confused. An almost manic Bayley celebrates with Valkyria.
Grade: B-
Rodriguez had been getting better and better. Whoever would have thought listening to a vet would be beneficial? WHO KNEW???
LA Knight vs. Kofi Kingston w/Xavier Woods
Knight is in control early. After a distraction from Woods, Kingston lands a splash off the apron. Kingston works over Knight. After a series of reversals, Knight hits a BFT for the win.
Winner- LA Knight
Grade: C+
Standard TV match. Perfectly fine.
The crowd sings Rollins‘ song, then chants for CM Punk and Roman Reigns. Rollins notes that he has three losses against Cody Rhodes. That doesn’t bother Rollins. Back then, there were two men trying to reach the top of the mountain. Now they are. This is a whole new ballgame, and what matters is Crown Jewel. Rollins quips he’s confused that there are some people who want Rhodes to lead this company into the next 20 years. Some believe Rhodes is the quarterback of the WWE. Anyone who thinks that has lost their mind. Rollins will lead this industry into the future. Rollins rants about him trying to rid this company of cancers like Reigns and Punk, but still, the people chant for Rhodes. Cody Rhodes interrupts. Rhodes tells Rollins that he’s being dramatic. Rhodes doesn’t have any idea what they are even talking about right now.
The Visionary
The future of the industry? Seems a bit much. Rhodes asks Rollins if Heyman was the one who sent Reed and Breakker after him last week. The question is, who is in charge of The Vision? Rollins says every decision runs through him. Rhodes asks if Heyman being with Brock Lesnar at Wrestlepalooza was too? Rollins says everything runs through him. Rhodes refers to Rollins as his friend after what they went through to end The Bloodline. Rollins yells that they were never friends. Rhodes was just the lesser of two evils. At Crown Jewel, everything that happened between them is dead. At Crown Jewel, Rollins will paint a new picture, and there is only one person who will lead the vision of what WWE will be. The person is Seth “freakin” Rollins.
Grade: B-
These two are great on the mic, but putting the two most long-winded members of the WWE roster at odds in a promo battle is a choice. This seemed like it went on for an hour. Good material aside, someone queue the “wrap it up, B!” sign.
AJ Styles and Dragon Lee vs. Los Americanos w/El Grande Americano
Bravo and Rayo double-team Lee and crotch him on the post. After the break, Lee manages to tag in Styles. Styles clears the ring. Styles takes out Americano outside the ring with a dive. Back in the ring, Styles lands his forearm. Lee takes out Rayo with a superkick. Lee launches Bravo into a pop-up Styles Clash for the win!
Winners- Dragon Lee and AJ Styles
Grade: B
Good TV match. Never thought about AJ Styles and Dragon Lee as a tag team, but hey, that could be fun. The Raw tag team division is barren at this point.
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In Gorilla, Rollins tells Heyman he has to beat Rhodes at Crown Jewel. Heyman says, of course. Rollins says, No, he HAS to beat Rhodes. Heyman looks concerned. Rollins looks unhinged.
Tornado Tag Team Match: The Usos vs. The Vision (Bron Breakker & Bronson Reed)
The Usos surprise Reed and Breakker with dives during their entrance. Jimmy and Jey take turns unloading on Reed and Breakker. Breakker and Reed end up in opposite corners. Jey and Jimmy land stereo hip attacks. Reed is sent over the top. Jimmy and Reed fight outside the ring. Back in the ring, Breakker runs over Jey. Reed holds Jimmy in place for a Breakker dive. Jey breaks it up with a kick to Breakker’s head. Reed cuts Jey’s dive off and tosses him into the ring steps. Reed sets Jimmy up for a Jagged Edge on the commentary desk. Jimmy escapes and tosses Reed off the desk. Jimmy turns around, and Breakker leaps off the timekeeper’s area and clotheslines Breakker through the commentary desk.
After the break, Jey sends Breakker flying with a Samoan drop. Jagged Edge by Reed. Breakker Spears Jey. Breakker stacks Jimmy and Jey. As Reed goes up top, Roman Reigns’ music hits. Reigns walks down the ramp with a chair. Reed eats the chair. Reigns beats Reed into the crowd with the chair. Breakker tries a sneak attack, but gets hit repeatedly with the chair. After a super kick and Spear from the Usos, Jimmy and Jey land a double Uso Splash on Breakker for the win.
Winners- The Usos
After the match, Reigns rolls back into the ring and unloads on Breakker with the chair.
Grade: B
This was a good match. Tornado tags tend to be hard to follow with so much action happening at once. This one was put together perfectly, with all of the action being relatively contained to the same area, making it so much easier to follow what’s happening. The Usos needed this win, and it takes nothing from Breakker or Reed to lose in this type of match, especially with Reigns making an appearance.
WWE Raw Review:
Tonight’s show featured a few perplexing promo segments, but some solid in-ring action. Both long, and this writer means long, promo segments feel somewhat flat, with SKY’s interesting inflection choices and Rollins and Rhodes both bloviating for what seemed like an eternity. Match of the night was the main event, which exemplified how to book a tornado tag match, complete with a Roman Reigns return. Can’t beat that. What do you all think happens next? Let us know in the comments!
Rating: B-
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