This week’s episode of WWE Raw emanates from the Ford Center in Evansville, Indiana! Jey Uso celebrates his Intercontinental Championship win from last week. Bronson Reed and Braun Strowman battle in a Last Man Standing match. Drew McIntyre and CM Punk come face-to-face ahead of WWE Bad Blood. R-Truth returns. Zoey Stark goes one-on-one with Lyra Valkyria. Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods in singles action. Judgment Day faces the LWO, and more.
We break it all down in this week’s WWE Raw recap!
Jey Uso Celebrates
Jey Uso makes his way through the crowd, celebrating his Intercontinental Championship win from last week. In the ring, Uso holds up his title and grabs a mic. Uso thanks the crowd for rocking with him throughout his journey to obtaining singles gold. Uso says it was a long, hard road to get here. Uso says his whole life he was just known as a twin, but we now know the real him. Uso says his biggest fan is his mother. Last week, his mom told him to show who he was and to get the title. Uso says he got it, the title.
Bron Breakker’s music hits. Breakker says he’s not out there to spoil Uso’s fun; he’s out there because of the respect he has for the Intercontinental Championship. Breakker has the same amount of respect for Uso now. Breakker admits that Uso was the better man coming out of their title match last week. Breakker then congratulates Uso by offering a handshake, which Uso accepts. Uso follows up by saying there’s some dogs in Indiana as Breakker leaves the ring.
Rey Mysterio vs. Xavier Woods
Mysterio and Woods lock up. Woods takes down Mysterio with a dropkick. Mysterio pushes Woods into the corner and charges at him, but Woods blocks it with a big boot. Mysterio sends Woods flying to the outside with a hurricanrana. Mysterio then lands a West Cost Pop on Woods.
Back from commercial break, Mysterio arms drags Woods to the outside. Mysterio connects with a springboard moonsault. In the ring, Mysterio delivers a springboard crossbody, then rains down with right hands on Woods in the corner. Wood reverses with Mysterio on his shoulders. Mysterio drops from his shoulders and sets him up for a 619 but Woods moves out of the way just in time. Woods them accidently unmasks Mysterio and rolls him up for the win.
Winner: Xavier Woods
Backstage, Sonya Deville tries to intimidate Lyra Valkyria by pointing out that Lyra will be all alone for her match tonight, while Zoey Stark will have Deville and Shayna Baszler in her corner.
Backstage, Xavier Woods tells Kofi Kingston he didn’t unmask Rey on purpose. Kingston then reveals that Jey Uso offered him an opportunity to challenge him for the Intercontinental Championship, but Kingston insisted that Woods take the title match instead.
Lyra Valkyria vs. Zoey Stark (w/ Sonya Deville & Shayna Baszler)
Stark charges at Valkyria, sending her crashing into the corner. Valkyria escapes as the two then take turns running the ropes. Valkyria takes down Stark with a shoulder tackle. Stark responds with a backbreaker. Valkyria dropkicks Stark through the ropes.
Back from break, Valkyria hits a crossbody and a pair of kicks. Valkyria then nails Stark with hurricanrana and an enzuigiri. Stark dropkicks Valkyria from off the top rope and makes a cover, but Valkyria kicks out. With the referee distracted by Baszler, Valkyria rolls up Stark. When the referee finally notices, Stark kicks out and launches Valkyria to the ropes. Deville knees Valkyria in the jaw, allowing Stark to follow up with the Z-360 for the win.
Winner: Zoey Stark
After the match, Kayden Carter and Katana Chance even the odds for Valkyria. Carter and Chance level Baszler and Deville then hit them with a Keg Stand.
Backstage, Katana Chance says Pure Fusion Collective will gets what’s coming to then, then she and Kayden Carter will go after the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships. Isla Dawn and Alba Fyre enter the frame and question Chance and Carter for trying to cut the line for a title shot. The teams then argue.
CM Punk and Drew McIntyre Come Face-To-Face Inside The Cell
McIntyre points out that he’s wearing all black tonight out of respect for Punk’s wife, because after Bad Blood, she will have to feed, bathe, and maybe leave Punk. McIntyres says there will be a celebration when Punk leaves again after Bad Blood. McIntyre calls out the crowd for continuing to chant Punk’s name. McIntyre says even Roxanne Perez realized that Punk was an idiot. McIntyre can see the hatred that burns through Punk’s veins. McIntyre says the hatred is mutual. McIntyre says he learned that hate is a powerful weapon. At Bad Blood, McIntyre says his hate will die with Punk.
McIntyre goes to leave the ring, but Punk begins to speak. Punk says people have called him a lot of things throughout his career. Punk says tonight he is voiceless, because he has nothing to say a piece of filth like McIntyre. Punk says he’s been staying at hotels because he doesn’t want his wife to see the man he has become. Punk says McIntyre has turned him into a fictitious boogeyman. Punk points out that McIntyre prayed for all of this to happen, but after beating him at Bad Blood, he will then be praying to Punk.
Backstage, Braun Strowman says he is not nervous for his match tonight. Strowman will show the people why he is called the Monster Of All Monsters. The Miz enters the frame but is then interrupted by R-Truth. R-Truth says he doesn’t remember taking five Tsunamis from Bronson Reed weeks ago. Strowman says he has to get ready for his Last Man Standing match tonight, then walks off. R-Truth turns to Miz and says he doesn’t like the way Karrion Kross has been picking on Miz. Truth then informs Miz he got him and Miz a match with The Authors of Pain tonight.
Backstage, Sami Zayn says he’s used to being doubted throughout his career, but it still bothers him. Zayn says he knows how good he is and is more than good enough to become WWE World Heavyweight Champion. Zayn warns Gunther that he will not stop until he gets a title shot.
LWO (Dragon Lee, Joaquin Wilde & Cruz Del Toro) vs. Judgment Day (Dominik Mysterio, JD McDonagh & Carlito)
Del Toro and McDonagh lock up. Del Toro kicks McDonagh then lands a crossbody from off the rope. Wilde is tagged in for the LWO. McDonagh then tags in Carlito. Wilde levels all three opponents. Lee, Del Toro, and Wilde then fly onto Mysterio, Carlito, and McDonagh.
Back from break, Lee levels McDonagh and Mysterio. Lee then dropkick Carlito in the corner. McDonagh elbows Lee. McDonagh is left hanging from the turnbuckle as Mysterio inadvertently flies into him. Lee trips Carlito into McDonagh and Mysterio. Del Toro hits a Coast to Coast on all three of them. LWO go flying onto Judgment Day on the outside. As Liv Morgan distracts the referee, Finn Balor pushes Wilde off the top rope. McDonagh then hits the Devil Inside for the win.
Winner: Judgment Day
After the match, Judgment Day share a group hug. Balor says he heard Damian Priest’s promo last week, saying he’ll take Balor’s heart. Balor says he has no heart. Balor says at Bad Blood, he’ll prove that Judgment Day never needed Preist. Liv Morgan says she’ll prove she is the greatest women’s champion of all time against Ripley.
Rhea Ripley’s music hits. Ripley says she knows all about Mysterio’s dirty little secrets. Ripley says one of them is being claustrophobic. Ripley promises that Mysterio will cry at WWE Bad Blood when he hangs from a shark cage. He will also realize that Morgan is not as good as Ripley. In the ring, Priest wipes out the Judgment Day. Ripley headbutts Morgan and then whips Mysterio into the barricade. Priest fights off Balor.
Ripley smashes Mysterio into the shark cage. Morgan confronts Ripley but is ran off. Ripley then tosses Mysterio into the shark cage. Morgan pulls Ripley away and brawls with her on the stage. Priest tries to fend off Balor, Carlito and McDonagh in the ring, but the numbers are too much. Mysterio returns to the ring. Balor lands a running dropkick then a Coup De Grace on Priest. Balor follows up with two more Coup De Graces.
Kofi Kingston (w/ Xavier Woods) vs. Chad Gable (w/ The Creed Brothers & Ivy Nile)
Kingston and Gable trade holds. Gable looks for a German Suplex but Kingston lands on his feet. Kingston connects with a dropkick. Kingston looks to fly to the outside but Gable stops him in between the ropes. Gable then connects with a German Suplex on the outside.
Later, Gable tries for another German Suplex but Kingston reverses into a pinfall. Kingston and Gable then trade pinfall attempts. Gable delivers a side slam, and goes for another pinfall attempt, but Kingston kicks out again. Kingston kicks Gable then ascends to the top rope. Kingston comes down and meets an ankle lock from Gable. Kingston looks for Trouble in Paradise but Gable reverses into another ankle lock. Kingston hits SOS, but Gable grabs the bottom rope and slides out of the ring. Kingston launches himself onto The Creed Brothers on the outside. Woods levels Julius Creed. Back in the ring, Kingston sets up for Trouble in Paradise, but as Gable bounces off the ropes, Woods grabs his leg. In the confusion, Gable capitalizes with a Chaos Theory for the win.
Winner: Chad Gable
In a backstage segment, Kairi Sane IYO SKY challenge Bianca Belair and Jade Cargill to a WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship match.
A video package of the Wyatt Sicks plays.
Sami Zayn Confronts Gunther (Again)
Gunther says he loves every aspect of being WWE World Heavyweight Champion, but he hates hearing the insults from Sami Zayn every week. Gunther says it’s annoying to hear Zayn every week but is cut off by Zayn’s music.
Zayn says if Gunther finds him so annoying, then all he has to do is give him a title shot to stop it. Zayn says he knows why Gunther keeps denying him. Gunther says it’s because Zayn is not on his level. Zayn points out that he beat Gunther at WrestleMania. Zayn says Gunther is scared that it will happen again if Gunther defends his title against him. Gunther says Zayn is correct. Gunther says he is afraid, but not of Zayn, but of his reputation. Gunther admits that losing to Zayn was the biggest embarrassment of his career. Gunther says after his loss, he had to look his father in the eye. His father asked why he flew out to see Gunther lose to the “bum” Sami Zayn. Gunther says Zayn doesn’t understand because Zayn is used to losing. Gunther says he is the golden goose of his family. Gunther says he is something Zayn will never be — World Heavyweight Champion.
Zayn says his family has watched him lose and get knocked down, but he picks himself up and kept moving forward. Zayn says Gunther crumbled and hid after losing. Zayn says Gynther is now showing his dad that he is also a coward, in addition to a loser. Gunther strikes Zayn then pins him in the corner. Zayn fights back with some right hands. Zayn then hits an Exploder. Zayn looks for a Helluva Kick but Gunther counters with a sleeper hold, then a powerbomb. Gunther picks up the mic and confirms that Zayn can finally have his title match.
R-Truth & The Miz vs. Authors of Pain (Akam and Rezar) (w/ Karrion Kross)
Truth drops Rezar onto the mat then connects with a Five Knuckle Shuffle. Rezar responds by slamming Truth to the mat. Akam and Rezar double-team Truth and trade tags. Truth tags in Miz, but instead of going after Rezar, Miz kicks the Truth in the head. Karrion Kross laughs from ringside. Miz then walks off. Akam and Rezar drop Truth with a Doomsday Device for the win.
Winners: Authors of Pain
Last Man Standin: Bronson Reed vs. Braun Strowman
Strowman levels Reed with a clothesline. Reed crossbodies Strowman in response. Reed charges at Strowman on the outside, but Strowman sidesteps and Reed crashes into the steel steps. Strowman whacks Reed with the steel steps. Strowman then slams Reed onto the commentary desk. The referee begins to count, but Reed stands up by the count of six.
In the match’s closing moments, Reed hits a Tsunami on Strowman, but the referee is preoccupied with a broken barricade and the crowd members who were previously hit by it. Reed connects with another Tsunami. Reed attacks the referee and various members of security. Reed grabs General Manager Adam Pearce by the shirt but is then swarmed by WWE officials and security. Strowman jumps off the top rope, wiping out security and Reed. The referee begins to count. Reed rises to his feet, and Strowman follows at a count of eight. Strowman goes up top again, but Reed throws a chair at him. Reed and Strowman trade strikes on the top turnbuckle. Reed lays out Strowman with a superplex. The ring collapses and so does the referee. Out nowhere, Seth Rollins delivers a stomp to Reed on the steel steps. Strowman reaches his feet as the referee reaches the count of ten.
Winner: Braun Strowman