WWE Raw Review – October 16, 2023
Kicking off this week’s Raw with Sami Zayn welcomes fans to the season premiere of Raw then says it feels weird for him to be out in the ring by himself after it was announced on Friday that Kevin Owens was the person traded to Smackdown for Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champion Jey Uso. He says he’s sad their partnership ended the way it did but he’s also excited for Owens & himself. He says he is able to stand on his own 2 feet now and show to the world that he’s a World Heavyweight Champion level Superstar.
Zayn points out that Jey is the reason for Owens not being on Raw any longer and confesses that while no one was happier to see him move brands he’s struggling a little bit with it now. He says their Undisputed Tag Team Title reign was tainted by dealing with Judgment Day and he has mixed emotions about Finn Balor & Damian Priest getting a rematch tonight. He says the last year of his career has by far been the best one and that’s all thanks to the fans.
Judgment Day’s music hits and they make their way down to the ring. Balor mockingly points out that Zayn is alone and Mr Money In The Bank Damian Priest says one thorn in the side of Judgment Day has now been removed. He gets heated but Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley calms him down and tells him he needs to focus on tonight. Dominik puts her over and says she will defeat Shayna Baszler & Ripley then says Priest & Balor will regain the Undisputed Tag Team Titles. She points out that Zayn looks lost, and while they used to recruit the lost, they have a different plan for him. She says they want to get rid of him permanently before they surround the ring.
Jey Uso’s music hits and he runs down to the ring with 2 chairs in hand. He gives one to Zayn and they stand in the middle of the ring which leads to Balor telling his teammates to back down. Zayn then hops out of the ring leaving Jey standing alone.
Highlights aired of last week’s drama involving Ricochet & Shinsuke Nakamura.
After the break we see Jey approach Zayn and ask if the 2 of them are good. Zayn says that Owens should be the one who has his back rather than Jey and while he wants to be happy for him Jey has everything going for him while he has nothing because of him. Jey says he didn’t realize Zayn felt that way but assures him that he’s still in his corner. Jey walks off and Zayn pushes over a ladder before chasing after him. He apologizes for what he said explaining that it’s a tough week. He says he’s happy for Jey then offers him his hand. Jey opts to hug him instead and they continue chatting.
Falls Count Anywhere Match
Ricochet vs. Shinsuke Nakamura
Ricochet & Shinsuke Nakamura begin brawling on the outside. Ricochet tosses Nakamura back inside the ring but Nakamura delivers a kick to Ricochet’s head.
He follows it up with a knee to his midsection and a back suplex but Ricochet fires back with a Codebreaker and a kick off the ropes that sends him tumbling to the outside.
He goes flying over the top and pins Nakamura on the outside but Nakamura kicks out and sends Ricochet crashing into the Titan Tron spine first.
They continue brawling into the Gorilla position but Ricochet delivers a knee off the back of the referee.
Nakamura & Ricochet end up back in the ringside area but Ricochet delivers a standing moonsault then follows it up with a dragon screw and a shooting star press as we go to a break.
After the break Ricochet delivers a moonsault off one of the entrances into the arena before Nakamura throws some popcorn onto him and sends him crashing into the barricade spine first then pulls a table and 2 pairs of nunchucks out from under the ring.
He cracks them across Ricochet’s spine then sets up the table and clears the announce table. Ricochet sets him up on the table then ascends to the top rope but Nakamura rolls off the table and lands GTS on Ricochet back inside the ring.
Ricochet delivers a 450 Splash to Nakamura from off the apron and they teeter on the top rope before Nakamura pushes Ricochet off and onto the table on the outside then hit Kinshasa to get the win.
Winner: Shinsuke Nakamura
Backstage Women’s Tag Team Champions Chelsea Green & Piper Niven interrupted a conversation that Tegan Nox was having with Kayden Carter & Katana Chance while Nikki Cross sat on production crates behind them. Green mocks Nox about her friendship with Natalya. Nox said she may have lost to NXT Women’s Champion Becky Lynch but one thing she learned from her is not to let anyone disrespect her.
We get a video package aired on Intercontienetal Champion Gunther.
Women’s Tag Team Champion Piper Niven vs. Natalya
Match starts off with a lock up before Piper Niven lands a shoulder tackle but Natalya slaps her and fires off several right hands on her head.
She follows it up with a hurricanrana and pins her but Niven reverses the fall but Natalya kicks out and lands a dropkick across her face.
Niven responds with a kick to her face but Natalya sends her crashing into opposite turnbuckles face first then Niven sends Natalya crashing to the outside as we go to a break.
After the break Niven looks for a senton but Natalya rolls out of the way then looks for a crossbody but Natalya once again moves out of the way and rolls Niven up.
Niven kicks out and Natalya lands a Discus Lariat before looking to lock in the Sharpshooter.
Chelsea Green hops up on the apron but Natalya is sent crashing into her & this opens the door for Niven to deliver a hair whip and a low crossbody for the win.
Winner: Women’s Tag Team Champion Piper Niven
After the match Niven & Green beat down Natalya but Tegan Nox runs down to the ring to provide Natalya with a hand.
We then head backstage and see Judgment Day talking strategy for their respective matches tonight. Rhea Ripley walks in, and Damian Priest asks where she’s been. Ripley gives him a vague answer and Dominik Mysterio asks her if she needs him at ringside for her upcoming match with Shayna Baszler. Ripley assures him that she’ll be fine handling things alone.
World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins welcomes fans to Monday Night Rollins then addresses his confrontation with Drew McIntyre last week and what occurred when Damian Priest & Dominik Mysterio showed up. He explains that he was confused by McIntyre’s actions then calls him out to the ring to get some answers.
McIntyre’s music hits and he makes his way down to the ring. He explains that wanting Rollins at 100% for Crown Jewel doesn’t mean he’ll be babysitting Rollins for the next couple weeks and Rollins says he can handle his business on his own. He questions if the same can be said for McIntyre and McIntyre invites him to elaborate.
Rollins calls for a video to be played of Adam Pearce chatting with Ricochet pointing out McIntyre conversing with Rhea Ripley in the background. McIntyre claims that Ripley approached him and what they discussed is none of Rollins’ business. He says Rollins should be worried about losing his World Heavyweight Title.
Rollins assures McIntyre that his World Heavyweight Title isn’t going anywhere. He says McIntyre has had many big successes and many failures with him causing him to recruit some help from Judgment Day. Rollins warns him not to get tangled up with the group and McIntyre reiterates that he doesn’t need anyone to fight his battles for him. He addresses Rollins’ shortcomings with The Bloodline & Rollins becomes fired up. He tells McIntyre to move on from that and says unlike Rollins he doesn’t need a crutch like a song. He says his WrestleMania moment came in an empty arena and he stepped up when WWE needed somebody too. He says he captured lightning in a bottle at Clash In The Castle only to be screwed over by The Bloodline then says that will happen once more at Crown Jewel when he becomes the new World Heavyweight Champion.
Rollins says he understands exactly how McIntyre feels but all he’s hearing is a bunch of excuses. He says that won’t get McIntyre anywhere and when he beats him at Crown Jewel it will be the best thing to happen to him because he will have no one to blame except for himself.
We get a video package on Bronson Reed.
Patrick acknowledged Logan Paul winning his boxing match and then stating in the ring afterward that he’s coming for Rey Mysterio’s United States Title.
Footage aired of Rey Mysterio appearing on The Michael Kay Show on Yes Network and stating that he’s always up for a challenge.
Footage aired of Imperium attacking #DIY last week.
Johnny Gargano vs. Ludwig Kaiser
Johnny Gargano wastes no time as he fires off right hands on Kaiser then delivers a hurricanrana that sends him crashing out of the ring and follows it up with a tope suicida.
Both men return to the ring and Kaiser delivers a dropkick to Gargano’s midsection.
He delivers a clothesline on the apron then follows it up with a running uppercut that sends Gargano crashing onto the floor as we go to a break.
After the break Gargano lands a series of forearms but Kaiser catches him with a knee before Gargano sends him crashing into the middle turnbuckle face first then follows it up with an uppercut and an enzuigiri.
He then delivers a slingshot spear and ascends to the middle rope before landing a Tornado DDT and a superkick to his knee then delivers a sunset flip out of the corner but Kaiser catches him with a Death Valley Driver.
Gargano sends him crashing out of the ring and Giovanni Vinci checks on him. Kaiser gets in his face allowing Gargano to hit Willow’s Bell then One Final Beat then goes for a pin but Vinci rakes his eyes to break the fall.
Gargano flattens him and sends his head repeatedly crashing into the announce table then Vinci slides in the ring but quickly hops out which opens the door for Kaiser to land a kick and a DDT for the win.
Winner: Ludwig Kaiser
NXT Women’s Champion Becky Lynch was shown walking backstage when she encountered Indi Hartwell & Candice LeRae. Hartwell said she respects all of the opportunities that she’s given lately and then asked when she would give one to the person who never lost the NXT Women’s Title. Lynch said she would go talk to Adam Pearce when Lynch turned around she went face to face briefly with Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley & she smirked at her and walked away. Lynch mentioned Becky 2 Belts as they cut to break.
After the break we head backstage and see Drew McIntyre chatting with Sami Zayn & McIntyre warns him about giving Jey Uso an instant 2nd chance and Zayn says they don’t see eye 2 eye on him. He tells McIntyre it’s time to let The Bloodline go, and he’s the only one who thinks Jey hasn’t changed. He says he knows how he feels and how hard it is to let The Bloodline go. McIntyre says Zayn can’t truly know how he feels given he’s ever been World Champion. Zayn then challenges him to a 1 on 1 match next week as a means of proving himself and McIntyre accepts.
Rhea Ripley grabs a mic and addresses Shayna Baszler, Nia Jax & Raquel Rodriguez. She makes it clear that the women’s division is hers and she will always be on top.
Non Title Match
Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley vs. Shayna Baszler
Match starts off with a lock up then Rhea Ripley fires off shoulders on Shayna Baszler’s midsection in the corner then delivers a kick across her chest and follows it up with a dropkick then she gets Baszler up on her shoulders but Baszler slips out of her grasp.
Baszler lands a forearm but Ripley responds with a back elbow before Baszler hits a German suplex and a running knee before Ripley looks for Riptide but Baszler counters into a submission hold.
Ripley powerbombs her to escape as Nia Jax marches down to the ring and looks to cause a disqualification then Raquel Rodriguez appears out of nowhere to neutralize Jax & Zoey Stark goes flying off the barricade to level her.
Rodriguez then sends Stark crashing into the barricade and dumps her inside the ring before landing a boot on Jax before she crashes into the ring steps as Stark takes a shot at Ripley in the ring & the ref calls for the bell.
Winner By DQ: Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley
After the match Ripley sends Stark colliding with Baszler and dares Jax to get in the ring. Jax does just that and Stark works with Ripley to level her. Stark then kicks Jax out of the ring.
We then head backstage to Becky Lynch talking with Adam Pearce to make an NXT Women’s Title defense against Indi Hartwell official for next week before Xia Li then walks in and asks where her NXT Women’s Title shot is making it clear that it will be on her time. Jade Cargill enters once she leaves and takes note of Lynch’s NXT Women’s Title.
Jackie Redmond spoke with Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions Cody Rhodes & Jey Uso on the backstage interview set. She asked Jey about what happened with Sami Zayn. Jey said Zayn had a lot going on in his head but he’s always going to be there for him. Rhodes spoke about the season premiere and things that happened earlier in the show and then spoke briefly about defending the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Titles.
Intercontinental Title Match
Gunther (c) vs. Bronson Reed
Match starts off with a lock up then Gunther lands a boot on Bronson Reed then follows it up with a pair of chops.
Reed flattens him with a splash and a 2nd one in the corner before the action spills out of the ring and Gunther catches Reed with a chop as he goes flying out of the ring.
He gets him back inside the ring. Reed looks to ascend to the top rope but Gunther levels him before he can and delivers a chop on the apron then he looks to plant him on it but Reed counters into a back body drop and delivers a flying shoulder tackle off the apron as we go to a break.
After the break Gunther & Reed go back & forth with chops on one another. Reed eventually lands a kick and a powerslam then follows it up with a Death Valley Driver and looks for a senton.
Gunther gets his knees up before both men wind up on the top rope and Reed executes a superplex. Gunther then delivers a dropkick and a clothesline then ascends to the top rope and delivers a splash then hits a powerbomb for the win.
Winner & Still Intercontienetal Champion: Gunther (STILL CHAMPION!!!!!!)
Backstage Jackie Redmond interviewed The Miz & Miz complained about not appearing on the season premiere until the 3rd hour of the show. Miz mocks Sami Zayn for missing Kevin Owens. Miz said Adam Pearce should be fired and then Nick Aldis could take over both shows. Miz said maybe Aldis would understand to put respect on his name.
Nia Jax shows up and took the microphone. Jax looked into the camera and asked if viewers saw what was going on. She said everyone was hitting her with their best shot. She said she’s still standing and she’s still pretty. Jax said that she hasn’t hit anyone with her best shot yet and boasted that she does the squashing on Raw. Jax slams the mic into the chest of Miz and storms away. Miz tried to express his frustration but Redmond told him that they were out of time.
Finn Balor & Damian Priest were shown warming up backstage.
After the break we head backstage and see Adam Pearce inform Rhea Ripley that she will be defending her Women’s World Title against Shayna Baszler, Zoey Stark, Raquel Rodriguez & Nia Jax at Crown Jewel.
Jinder Mahal enters the room with Veer Mahaan & Sanga after Ripley exited. Mahal told Pearce that they wanted to talk.
We then see Alpha Academy training in the gym where Maxxine Dupri is doing Pilates with Otis as Akira Tozawa lifts some heavy two pound dumbbells & this eventually leads to an encounter with New Day and a tag match between them is created.
Footage aired of Kofi Kingston’s new library and digital center in Ghana.
Intercontienetal Champion Gunther was applauded by Ludwig Kaiser & Giovanni Vinci as he walked backstage. Gunther praised Kaiser for beating Johnny Gargano and said that he fulfilled his responsibilities. Gunther said Vinci did not. Vinci pointed out that he helped Kaiser win his match. Gunther said he saw Gargano walking around after the match. He said he expected Gargano to be stretchered out of the building after his match with Vinci next week and said that it was Kaiser’s responsibility.
Undisputed WWE Tag Team Titles Match
Cody Rhodes & Jey Uso (c) vs. Judgement Day (Mr Money In The Bank Damian Priest & Finn Balor)
Cody Rhodes & Finn Balor lock up to get this match started then Jey Uso tags in and delivers a double ax handle off the top rope as Damian Priest makes the blind tag and low bridges Jey to the outside from the apron.
He dumps him back inside the ring and delivers a kick to his chest then tags Balor back in then Balor tags out to Priest and they delivers backbreaker/leg drop combination before Jey lands an enzuigiri and tags Rhodes back in.
Rhodes fires off right hands on Priest then delivers a scoop powerslam and executes one on an interfering Balor then delivers a Disaster Kick to Priest as Dominik Mysterio runs down and hops up on the apron.
Rhodes clocks him and looks for Cross Rhodes but Balor counters and sets up for one of his own but Jey levels him with a superkick. Priest gets caught with one and Rhodes follows it up with Cross Rhodes.
He goes for a pin but Mysterio places Priest’s foot on the bottom rope to break the fall so Rhodes chases Mysterio around ringside before Balor hits a clothesline as we go to a break.
After the break Rhodes fires off right hands on Priest in the center of the ring then follows it up with a Pedigree and tags in Jey as Priest tags in Balor. Jey delivers a Samoan Drop to Balor before landing a crossbody off the top rope. Jey lands a superkick across his jaw then delivers the Cody 1D with Rhodes then goes for a pin but Balor kicks out.
On the outside Priest clears the announce table while Jey ascends to the top rope. Mysterio looks to push him off while the referee is distracted but Jey fights him off and goes flying. Balor gets his knees up and goes for a pin but Jey kicks out.
Sami Zayn then runs down to the ring to neutralize Mysterio and sends him crashing into the ring post face first and ring steps shoulder first then Priest sends Zayn crashing into the ring post but Rhodes dumps him into the crowd and looks to tag in.
Balor knocks him off the apron before he can and Priest then delivers Razor’s Edge to him through the announce table. Jey goes flying to level him then gets back in the ring.
Balor lands a Sling Blade and a missile dropkick then ascends to the top and looks for Coup De Grace. Jey moves out of the way and lands a spear then ascends to the top and looks for an Uso Splash.
Priest goes after him but gets caught by a spear from him then is going for Uso Splash but Jimmy Uso appears out of nowhere and superkicks Jey & this opens the door for Balor to ascend to the top rope and lands Coup De Grace for the win.
Winners & New Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions: Judgement Day (NEW CHAMPIONS!!!!!)
Next Week’s Raw
Drew McIntyre vs. Sami Zayn
NXT Women’s Title Match
Becky Lynch (c) vs. Indi Hartwell
Tag Team Match
Alpha Academy (Chad Gable & Otis) vs. New Day (Kofi Kingston & Xavier Woods)
Giovanni Vinci vs. Johnny Gargano
Crown Jewel Card So Far (Nov 4th)
World Heavyweight Title Match
Seth Rollins (c) vs. Drew McIntyre
Women’s World Title Fatal 5 Way Match
Rhea Ripley (c) vs. Raquel Rodriguez vs. Shayna Baszler vs. Nia Jax vs. Zoey Stark
