This week’s episode of WWE Raw emanates from the Enterprise Center in St. Louis, Missouri! Rhea Ripley and Tiffany Stratton team up against Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez. Cody Rhodes and Gunther come face-to-face. Kofi Kingston battles Bron Breakker. Bianca Belair and Jade Cargill defend the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships, and more!
We break it all down in this week’s WWE Raw recap!
We Hear From Rhea Ripley
Rhea Ripley calls Raquel Rodriguez and Liv Morgan out to the ring with the intention of beating them down. Instead, Tiffany Stratton appears with her Money in the Bank briefcase in hand. Stratton says she has a message to deliver from WWE Women’s Champion Nia Jax: stay out of her business or else Ripley will have a problem. Ripley says she doesn’t have time for Stratton; she wants Morgan and Rodriguez. Ripley then threatens to beat down Stratton, while Morgan and Rodriguez ambush them from behind. Morgan also strikes Stratton with her Money in the Bank briefcase.
Backstage, Raw General Manager Adam Pearce appoints Tiffany Stratton as Rhea Ripley’s tag partner for a match against Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez later tonight.
Women’s Tag Team Championships: Jade Cargill & Bianca Belair (c) vs. Kairi Sane & IYO SKY
Cargill pushes SKY across the ring. Cargill then plows down SKY and tags in Belair. Cargill and Belair double-team SKY and drop her to the mat, Belair takes control in the corner. Belair looks for a vertical suplex but SKY counters. Sane enters the ring and teams up with SKY to wipe out Belair. Sane then dives to the outside and onto Cargill.
Back from break, SKY traps Belair in a submission but Belair escapes. SKY stomps Belair’s midsection. Belair bounces off the ropes and spears SKY. Belair tags in Cargill, while SKY tags in Sane. Sane and Cargill trade chops. Sane then cinches in a chokehold on Cargill , but Cargill escapes.
Cargill delivers a powerbomb, but SKY breaks up the subsequent pinfall attemp. Belair pushes her to the outside. Cargill tags in Belair. Sky delivers a missile dropkick to Belair, then drops Sane on her for a near fall. SKY goes up top for a Moonsault, but Cargill pulls Belair to the outside. Cargill and Belair whip Sane into the barricade. While Belair and Cargill argue with Jakara Jackson and Lash Legend at ringside, SKY wipes them out with a sprinboard moonsault to the floor. SKY then argues with Jackson and Legend too, only to meet an elbow to the face from Legend. Rocked, SKY rolls back into the ring and eats a KOD from Belair.
Winners (And Still): Jade Cargill & Bianca Belair
Backstage, Adam Pearce announces a tournament to crown new contenders for the WWE World Tag Team Championships, much to the dismay of Finn Balor and JD McDonagh.
Elsewhere, American Made define themselves as “greatness.” Ivy Nile says the Raw locker room now has the chance to get their teeth kicked in by the greatest athletes. Chad Gable says American Made will be the heroes that the people need.
Brom Breakker cuts a promo calling out Jey Uso for throwing his gesture of respect back in his face. Breakker says Uso not once said he respected him as an Intercontinental Champion. Breakker says he and Uso are not the same. Breakker says while he is doing things on his own, Uso was sucking off his family’s legacy. Breakker vows to deliver a butt-kicking to Uso when he circles back to the Intercontinental Championship.
In an interview with Adam Pearce, Bronson Reed requests a match with Seth Rollins. Reed also reveals that everything he’s done in recent months was to get himself to the main event scene. Reed promises to not cause any more trouble if Pearce grants him the match against Rollins. Pearce agrees to talk to Rollins.
WWE Tag Team Championship Contenders Tournament: Alpha Academy (Otis & Akira Tozawa) vs. War Raiders (Erik & Ivar)
Otis takes down Ivar then tags in Tozawa. Ivar tags in Erik, who then slams Tozawa to the mat. Ivar and Erik take down Tozawa with clotheslines. Otis goes for the worm, but Ivar roundhouse kicks him. Tozawa connects with a missile dropkick, but then eats a pop-up powerslam. Erik follows up with a big knee to Tozawa. Ivar goes up top then leaps off for a splash onto Tozawa for the win.
Winners: War Raiders
Backstage, Pearce points out that Rollins has not been too healthy this year. Rollins says injuries come as a natural part of the business, and he will continue to fight through them. Rollins says there’s a reason he’s at the top of the food chain in WWE and reminds Pearce that he’s slayed beasts in the past. Rollins says he needs people like Bronson Reed to bring out the best in him, because that’s how he stays on top. Rollins tells Pearce to think about making the match between them official.
Cody Rhodes Makes An Appearance
Rhodes points out that St. Louis was the first time we heard the “We Want Cody” chants on the road to WrestleMania. Rhodes asks the crowd what they want to talk about, but before they can answer, WWE World Heavyweight Champion Gunther emerges.
Gunther says WWE is in a boom period right now largely because of Cody Rhodes. Gunther further states that he respects Rhodes but points out that Rhodes is in a mess on SmackDown right now. Gunther suggests that Rhodes sorts out that mess so he’s at his best at WWE Crown Jewel.
Rhodes says he’s been watching Gunther and watched him break at WrestleMania. Rhodes also has respect for Gunther, but says he’s never been in the ring one-on-one with him. Gunther calls Rhodes a secondary champion. Rhodes reminds Gunther that he beat the most dominant champion in WWE history, referring to Roman Reigns. Rhodes says he’s also already beaten a frightening beast. Rhodes and Gunther shake hands as a show of respect.
Bron Breakker vs. Kofi Kingston
Kingston rains down with punches on Breakker in the corner. Breakker takes him down with a shoulder tackle. Breakker throws Kingston into the turnbuckle, then whips him into another one. Breakker tries to whip him into another one but Kingston jumps onto the ropes instead. Breakker levels him.
Back from break, Breakker looks for a spear, but Kingston sidesteps. Breakker goes shoulder first into the ring post. Kingston chops him across the chest then follows up with a dropkick. Kingston connects with a springer crossbody for a one count. Kingston connects with a Boom Drop, then looks for Trouble in Paradise, but Breakker ducks. Kingston hits SOS for a near fall. Breakker beats him down in the corner. Kingston flies off the top with a double axe handle, but Breakker sees it and sends him flying across the corner. Breakker follows up with a spear for the win.
Winner: Bron Breakker
After the match, Breakker looks to attack Kingston, but Xavier Woods makes the save. Moments later, Breakker blindsides Woods from behind. Jey Uso charges down and takes out Breakker with a spear and a superkick. Uso and Woods help Kingston to his feet.
Backstage, Damian Priest vows to help Rhea Ripley if she needs it. In the meantime, he looks to get back into the world title picture.
Elsewhere, Jimmy Uso is waiting for his brother Jey in the locker room. Jimmy asks if he has a second to talk. Jey shakes his head and walks off.
R-Truth vs. The Miz
The Final Testament walk down to the ring, with Karrion Kross at the forefront. Off the distraction, Truth rolls up Miz for a three count.
Winner: R-Truth
After the match, Truth leaves the ring, only to be thrown back into it by The Final Testament. Miz then lays him out with a Skull Crushing Finale.
Backstage, Jimmy Uso seeks out Jey Uso again. Jimmy finds him and asks to be heard for a moment. Jey, however, isn’t interested and tells Jimmy to get out of his face.
Tiffany Stratton & Rhea Ripley vs. Liv Morgan & Raquel Rodriguez
Ripley headbutts Morgan then slams her into the mat. Ripley charges into the corner, but Morgan moves out of the way. Ripley picks Morgan up, but she again escapes and tags in Rodriguez. While Ripley and Rodriguez stare off, Stratton tags herself in. As Stratton and Ripley argue on the outside, Rodriguez sends Morgan flying onto them.
Back from break, Morgan kicks Stratton in the corner and tags in Rodriguez. Rodriguez crushes Stratton in the corner as well before following up with a vertical suplex. Rodriguez then connects with some right hands and a backbreaker. Rodriguez lays out Stratton with an uppercut for a nearfall. Stratton tags in Ripley, while Rodriguez tags in Morgan.
Ripley takes down Morgan with a clothesline then dropkicks Rodriguez. Ripley drops Morgan onto the mat then connects with a knee. Ripley connects with a Riptide, but Rodriguez breaks up the subsequent pinfall attempt. Ripley tags in Stratton. Stratton ascends the turnbuckle looking for a moonsault on Morgan, but misses. Meanwhile, Ripley looks for a Riptide on Rodriguez on the outside, but they are both blindsided by Nia Jax.
Winner: No Contest
Ripley and Jax move the action to the ring, with the former headbutting the latter. Ripley then looks for a Riptide on Jax, but Morgan attacks her leg. Morgan beats down Ripley and pushes her out of the ring. Jax then headbutts Morgan before following up with a leg drop.
Stratton retrieves her Money in the Bank briefcase and teases a cash-in. Dominik Mysterio, however, pulls Morgan to safety before she can.