Our WWE Raw results for tonight include Penta battling EL Grande Americano, Bayley teaming with Lyra Valkyria against The Kabuki Warriors, Nikki Bella and Stephanie Vaquer clashing with The Judgement Day’s Roxanne Perez and Raquel Rodriguez, AJ Styles and Dragon Lee defending the World Tag Team Championships against The Judgement Day’s Finn Balor and JD McDonagh, and the new “World Heavyweight Champion” CM Punk to address the WWE Universe. Here’s our review and grades for tonight’s show, live from the Rio Rancho Event Center in Rio Rancho, New Mexico.
WWE Raw Card:
- New World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk to appear
- Penta vs. EL Grande Americano
- Bayley and Lyra Valkyria vs. The Kabuki Warriors
- Nikki Bella and Stephanie Vaquer vs. Roxanne Perez and Raquel Rodriguez
- World Tag Team Championship Match: AJ Styles and Dragon Lee (c) vs. Finn Balor and JD McDonagh
WWE Raw Results:
Highlights from SNME are shown.
The Champ had Arrived!
The new World Heavyweight Champion, CM Punk, tells the crowd he feels really good. The crowd cheers. Punk wants to thank all the people who helped him get here. CM Punk puts over his wife and several others who supported him. Punk puts over Main Event Jey Uso. The crowd yeets. Punk thanks Jey for the tough fight and gives him a yeet. Punk hopes that they can still be friends moving forward, but if not, that’s fine. When Punk returned to WWE, he stated that he wasn’t here to make friends, he was here to be a champion, and now he’s just that. Punk knows he needs to hold on to this championship for as long as he can; he doesn’t know how much time he has left.
There is no snake in the grass Seth Rollins with MITB to worry about. Punk swings the championship around like Rollins did when he won his first world championship. When Rollins comes back, if he wants to get in Punk’s business, Punk promises to put Rollins back on the couch. Punk knows he’s a marked man. The Vision is coming for his gold. Punk wants to be a fighting champion, mainly because there are a few people Punk would like to punch in the face. People like the Vision. Punk wants to face AJ Styles, who deserves a shot, or someone like Dominik Mysterio, who has two championships he doesn’t deserve, that Punk wants to punch in the face.
In Closing
Punk name drops JD McDonagh, Finn Bálor, Sheamus, and even John Cena. Anyone who has earned or deserved it get in line, because the champ is here! Logan Paul interrupts. Punk quips that he meant anyone but Paul. Punk wants nothing to do with Paul’s famous for nothing a$$. The crowd is booing Paul mercilessly. Paul wants a shot. Punk tells Paul to go to SmackDown and take Ilja Dragunov up on his United States Championship open challenge. Paul Heyman interrupts with Bronson Reed and Bron Breakker. Heyman refers to Paul as a “b*tch without an owner.” Paul isn’t at the front of the line; Reed and Breakker are at the front of the line.
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Heyman tells Paul to leave. Paul says if you snooze, you lose. Breakker congratulates Punk, but says he’s holding his title. Breakker and Reed circle. Punk tells Paul to either stand with him or get out of the ring. Paul tries to leave, but Breakker steps in the way. Breakker pushes Paul into the ring apron. Reed and Breakker attack Punk. Paul takes a walk, but turns around and rushes into the ring. Paul lands a few shots, but Reed and Breakker lay Paul out. Reed flattens Paul with a Tsunami. Punk rolls in with a chair and blasts Reed with it.
Grade: B
Punk may be the best promo in WWE at this point, despite this being set up as your standard victory lap/interruption promo. Punk spat hot fire here tonight. Having Paul be the first one out to step up was a hilarious subversion of expectations. Punk doesn’t need to face someone like Paul, but if the goal is to have a hot crowd (everyone hates this guy), he’ll have atomic heat facing Punk for the championship. If this leads to a tag match, Punk’s odds of leaving the night upright are not high.
Nikki Bella and Stephanie Vaquer vs. Roxanne Perez and Raquel Rodriguez
Bella is in control early, working several submission holds on Perez. Rodriguez tags in and controls Bella. Vaquer tags in and gets run over by Rodriguez. Rodriguez and Vaquer have an awkward moment on a head scissors that leads to Rodriguez recovering with a suplex. Bella and Vaquer clear the ring. Rodrigez pulls Perez out of the ring to avoid the Devil’s Kiss. Bella and Vaquer land stereo dives.
After the break, Bella is getting worked over. Bella manages to tag in Vaquer. Vaquer destroys Rodriguez’s knee with a corner dragon screw. Rodriguez fights out of the SVB. Perez tags in and tries a springboard. Vaquer plucks Perez off the ropes and lands a suplex. Devil’s Kiss by Vaquer. Bella tags in and hits the Rack Attack 2.0. Rodriguez breaks up the pin. After a cheap shot from Rodriguez, Perez hits Pop Rocks on Bella for the win.
Winners- The Judgement Day
Grade: B-
Fun match. Bella has looked better than ever in the ring as of late. And the best part is, she loses almost every match she’s in. That says a lot about her commitment to helping the younger generation. This writer routinely praises Perez, Vaquer, and even Rodriguez, so don’t get your undies in a bunch over Bella getting some love tonight.
Penta vs. EL Grande Americano w/Los Americanos
Penta unloads on Americano with punches, followed by a rana. Americano counters a head scissors into a face buster. Americano works over Penta and attempts to remove his mask. Penta lands a head-trapped superkick. Penta sets up a Mexican Destroyer on the apron. Americano counters with a back body drop. The crowd boos as Americano mocks Penta’s strut.
After the break, Penta and Americano hit big moves, leading to a strike exchange. Springboard tornado DDT by Penta. Americano rolls out. Penta dives over the top and lands on Americano. Bravo trips Penta, but the referee sees it and ejects Bravo from ringside. In the confusion, Rayo gives Americano the metal plate to load his mask. In MORE confusion, Penta counters Americano running headbutt with a superkick. Mexican Destroyer by Penta! Penta pins Americano!
Winner- Penta
Grade: C+
Standard TV stuff. Americano may have been better with lackeys.
MYSTERIO!
Dominik Mysterio tells the crowd to bow down to the king of Lucha. The crowd boos as he proclaims himself the greatest IC Champion, AAA Mega Champion, and Luchador of all time. There is no one who can stop him. Rey Mysterio’s music hits. Dominik’s father walks to the ring and joins Dominik in the ring. Mysterio says he draws the line when Dominik calls himself the King of the Luchadors. A Dirty Dom chant breaks out. Mysterio names famous Luchadors like El Santo, and Eddie Guerrero.
Dominik tells Mysterio to keep his father’s name out of his mouth. Mysterio tells Dominik that he won’t let him disrespect Lucha Libre. Dominik tells Mysterio that he’s just jealous and demands he get out of his ring. Mysterio says he’ll leave, but Dominik needs to understand three things: As long as Mysterio is around, Dominik will never be king of the Luchadors, this will never be Dominik’s ring, and he’ll never be the greatest Mysterio. Dominik takes a swing at Mysterio. Mysterio eventually lands a 619.
Grade: C+
Same old same with these two.
Bayley and Lyra Valkyria vs. The Kabuki Warriors
Asuka and Valkyria trade take-downs and strikes. Leading to a stalemate. Bayley and Sane both tag in and trade offense. Sane misses a sliding D, which leads to a pin attempt from Bayley. Valkyria misses a rope dive dropkick and head a savate kick from Asuka. After the break, Everyone lands a big move. Bayley and Valkyria blast Sane with a modified version of Demolition Decapitation. Valkyria tries a flying back elbow, but Asuka reverses it into a flying Asuka Lock. Valkyria taps out.
Winners- The Kabuki Warriors
After the match, Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss hit the ring to stop a potential attack on Valkyria and Bayley.
Grade: C+
Loved the finish on this one.
World Tag Team Championship Match: AJ Styles and Dragon Lee (c) vs. Finn Balor and JD McDonagh
Balor and McDonagh attack before the bell starts, isolating Dragon Lee. Lee manages to tag in Styles. Styles clears the ring. Slingshot dive by Styes. After the break, Dominik is at ringside. Dragon Lee lands a flurry of offense. Dominik tries to distract the referee, which goes poorly. Styles lands a dropkick. Sheamus runs down and in the confusion Bálor clocks Styles with Sheamus’ walking stick. Lee breaks up the pin at 2.9. McDonagh goes up top. Styles cuts McDonagh off and hits a Styles Clash for the win.
Winners and STILL World Tag Team Champions, AJ Styles and Dragon Lee!
Grade: B
Enjoyable match worth checking out. All four men have amazing chemistry, leading to nothing but goodness when it comes to the between-the-ropes action
World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk and Jey Uso vs. The Vision w/Paul Heyman
Reed runs over Jey. Punk tags in and eats a clothesline from Reed. Breakker is in next, and continues the Vision’s assault. Jey and Punk manage to clear the ring. Punk holds down the top rope while Jey lands a dive that takes down Breakker and Reed.
After the break, Reed and Breakker are taking turns working over Punk. Punk manages to tag in Jey. Jey unloads on Reed with strikes. After a series of counters, Jey Spears Reed. Breakker breaks up the pin. The fight spills out of the ring. Both teams are counted out.
No Contest
After the match, everyone brawls. Punk and Jey clear the commentary desk to put Reed through it. Breakker Super Spears Jey. Punk grabs a chair. Logan Paul hits the ring and stands with Punk! Paul puts on his signature brass knuckles. As Punk is ready to charge, Paul decks Punk! Punk is out cold. Paul hands the knucks to Heyman, who is beaming.
Grade: B
Enjoyable but quick match with an obvious ending. There was no one involved in this who was eating a pin tonight, and for the first time in a long time, that was the right call. You can’t beat your new champion or your two monster heels. Beating Jey doesn’t work since he just dropped a few days ago. This was the way to go, and the Paul “twist” was M. Night Shyamalan-level twist (you know, the terrible kind?).
WWE Raw Review:
Raw was a bit of a confusing affair tonight. Good promos and solid in-ring action, but booking a show almost entirely made up of tag team matches is a choice. A bad choice, but a choice nonetheless.
Rating: C+
This event is ongoing. This information will be updated as the event progresses.
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