This week’s episode of WWE Raw emanates from Birmingham, England. We break it all down in this week’s Raw recap!
We Hear From Roman Reigns
Reigns says he has big plans for this year and next. Reigns says he is not the same guy he used to be, but maybe he can be. Reigns says The Vision followed through on everything Cody Rhodes predicted would happen to him 18 months ago. Reigns acknowledges that he doesn’t have all the things he used to have, like a Bloodline. Reigns says he is proud of Jey Uso and anyone questioning him is wrong. Reigns says Uso should be fighting for the world title at Clash in Paris. Reigns says his Wise Man was taken too, as was his world title. Reigns says The Vision had to find something to take from him. Reigns brings up Bronson Reed, but is then interrupted by Paul Heyman. Heyman emerges with Reed.
Heyman introduces Reed, the Tribal Thief. Heyman points out that he became Reigns’ Wise Man five years ago this week. Heyman says he and Reigns changed the industry together, but now Reigns is alone. Heyman says he loves Reigns both then and now. Heyman says he came out here to disrespect Reigns out of love. Heyman says Reigns needs the tough love, but it won’t be him giving it. Heyman says Reed will be. Reigns says he will be whooping Reed’s ass at Clash in Paris. Reed says their battle is about disrespect. Reed says he is the Samoan that Reigns’ dad and uncle warned him about. Reigns questions Reed’s claim about being Samoan. Reigns says that means Reed belongs to him. Reigns invites Reed to return his shoes and apologize to the crowd. Reed says Reigns doesn’t want him to come down there or else he will force Reigns to acknowledge him.
Reigns and Reed begin brawling. WWE security run down to separate them, but Reed breaks free and splashes Reigns in the corner. Reed begins to take another shoe of Reigns. Reigns kicks him away, only to be crushed with a senton. Reed climbs the turnbuckle. Reigns knocks him off with a punch. Reigns rolls out of the ring and charges toward Reed. They exchange more strikes. WWE officials again separate them.
JD McDonagh (w/ Finn Balor) vs. Dragon Lee
Lee lands a dragonscrew on McDonagh in the corner. He follows up with a kick to his face. McDonagh sends Lee crashing into the turnbuckle. He then distracts the referee, but she catches Balor on the apron. The referee ejects Balor. Lee wipes out McDonagh with a dive to the outside. Lee leaps off the top, but McDonagh responds with a mid-air dropkick.
Back from break, Lee and McDonagh trade strikes. Lee sends McDonagh flying with a German suplex. He then turns McDonagh inside out with a standing Spanish Fly. McDonagh and Lee trade counters. Lee drives McDonagh into the mat for a near fall. Lee goes up top. McDonagh shakes the top rope to sweep Lee off his feet. Lee lands a double stomp on McDonagh. Lee kicks McDonagh in the head. Dominik Mysterio sweeps Lee off his feet. AJ Styles attacks Dominik from behind, then sends him over the barricade. Lee connects with a running elbow and an Operation Dragon for the win.
Winner: Dragon Lee
Backstage, LA Knight says everyone else will go to bed hungry at Clash in Paris because he will be the new world champion. Knight also says he’ll kick Bron Breakker back to his factory settings tonight.
Elsewhere, Finn Balor agrees to take care of AJ Styles tonight.
Penta vs. Kofi Kingston (w/ Xavier Woods & Grayson Waller)
Penta sends Kingston flying with a hurricanrana. He then runs over Kingston with a pair of clothesline. Kingston rolls to the apron. Kingston drives Penta into the turnbuckle. He leaps off the top with a double axe handle. Penta sends Kingston over the top rope and to the outside. Kingston runs up the ramp as Penta lines up for a dive.
Back from break, Penta kicks Kingston in the jaw, then drives him into the mat with a sling blade. Penta follows up with a double stomp in the corner. Kingston rocks Penta with a knee and a Boom Drop. Penta counters a Trouble in Paradise with a big boot. Penta then follows with a backstabber. Kingston counters the Mexican Destroyer. He lands a Famouser next. Kingston and Penta go up top. Penta chops Kingston. Kingston gets hung upside down. Penta drags him back up and descends with a suplex. Penta hits the Penta Driver for a near fall. Penta superkicks Waller. He then wipes out Woods and Kingston with a dive to the outside.
Kingston rolls into the ring. Penta goes up top, but Kingston sweeps him off his feet. Kingston hits Trouble in Paradise for the win.
Winner: Kofi Kingston
Backstage, IYO SKY wishes Rhea Ripley good luck in her match, but says they should both go their separate paths, as SKY doesn’t want to further anger Asuka and Kairi Sane.
Elsewhere, Adam Pearce says Stephanie Vaquer will still get her world title shot, but he needs a week to find her opponent.
We Hear From Becky Lynch
Lynch recalls having her WWE tryout in Birmingham, which she considers to be a dump city. Lynch shifts her attention to Nikki Bella. Lynch says she’s not just going to respond to Nikki’s challenge. Nikki comes out and asks why Lynch is acting like a bitch. Nikki says if she’s not one, then there should be no problem defending her Women’s IC Title. Lynch says she doesn’t just give out title shots. Nikki points out that she paved the way for Lynch. Lynch says Nikki blazed a trail, but she doesn’t care. Lynch says she wanted to replace Nikki, not respect her. Nikki claims that Lynch is afraid of her. Nikki says Lynch used to be Charlotte Flair’s sidekick.
Lynch says she is no one’s sidekick or shadow. Lynch says she is the greatest of all time. Nikki says no one cares about that; she cares about what the people have to say. Nikki says the people made her relevant. Nikki calls Lynch desperate. Nikki asks if Lynch has lost her balls. Lynch says she hasn’t. Nikki calls Lynch a coward. Lynch grants Nikki a title match at Clash In Paris. Nikki says no matter how hard Lynch tries, her name will not be as big as Bella. Nikki says she will be the new champion and blocks a cheap shot from Lynch. Nikki then takes down Lynch with an elbow. She looks to follow up with a Rack Attack, but Lynch escapes it.
Rhea Ripley vs. Roxanne Perez (w/ Raquel Rodriguez)
Perez slaps Ripley, then jumps on her back. Ripley backs her into the corner. Perez escapes and rains down with hands. Ripley bursts out of the corner with a dropkick. Perez rolls to the outside and rams Ripley into the side of the ring. Ripley bounces her off the apron in return. The action returns to the ring, with Ripley dropping Perez to the mat. Perez again rolls to outside. Ripley follows. Perez dives onto her, only to get caught. Ripley lands a right hand on Perez. Raquel distracts Ripley, allowing Perez to wipe out Ripley with a dive. Perez bounces Ripley’s leg off the apron. She then looks to slam it against the ring post. Ripley instead sends Perez crashing into the ring post. Perez slaps Ripley on the apron, then connects with a sliding forearm. Perez lands a springboard moonsault for a two count.
Back from break, Ripley drops Perez with clotheslines. Ripley sets up Perez for a Razor’s Edge, but Raquel pulls Perez down to the ground. Perez hits a hurricanrana and a knee to the back of Ripley’s neck. Perez slaps Ripley, then follows with a series of kicks. Ripley headbutts Perez and follows with a Razor’s Edge and a running kick for a near fall.
Ripley dropkicks Raquel through the ropes. Perez hits dropkick of her own on Ripley. Ripley counters Pop Rox. Perez rolls up Ripley for a two count. Ripley blocks a side Russian leg sweep. Ripley headbutts Perez, then finishes her off with a Riptide for the win.
Winner: Rhea Ripley
After the match, Raquel attacks Ripley from behind. Ripley fights back with a headbutt. Perez grabs Ripley’s leg. Raquel drops Ripley with a clothesline. She and Perez beat down Ripley. IYO SKY runs down and drops Perez with a flapjack. SKY kicks Perez in the head. Raquel sends SKY to the apron. Ripley strikes Raquel, setting up SKY for a springboard dropkick on Raquel.
Backstage, Seth Rollins says Paris is Bronson Reed’s time as he will destroy Roman Reigns. Rollins then says Breakker will ensure that LA Knight doesn’t even make it to Paris.
Backstage, Asuka and IYO SKY argue once more. Asuka warns SKY to stop talking to Ripley. SKY tells Kairi Sane to trust her. Sane says she is sorry, then follows after Asuka.
AJ Styles vs. Finn Balor
Balor takes down Styles with a clothesline, then sends him to the outside. Styles gets back into the ring. He blocks a kick from Balor and lays in right hands in the corner. Styles follows up with dropkick. Balor rolls to the outside. Styles knocks him down with a flying elbow. Balor chops Styles in the corner. Styles responds with his own. Balor blocks a flying elbow from Styles by sweeping him off the top rope. Balor then knocks Styles off the apron.
Styles returns to the ring and levels Balor with a backbreaker. They reach their feet. Styles rocks Balor with a Pele Kick and a sliding forearm. Styles drives his knee into Balor’s neck. Balor blocks a Styles Clash, then dodges a Phenomenal Forearm. Balor lands a sling blade and a dropkick in the corner. Balor goes up top. Styles dodges a Coup De Grace. Styles plants Balor with a Styles Clash for the win.
Winner: AJ Styles
Backstage, Roman Reigns tells Jey Uso the last thing he should do is trust CM Punk. Reigns says Uso has helped enough people. He encourages Uso to go out there and do it for himself. Reigns says its not about making friends, its about creating moments and locking in one’s legacy.
Elsewhere, Dominik Mysterio says his dealings with AJ Styles need to end. Adam Pearce makes an IC Title match between Styles and Dominik official for Clash In Paris.
Roman Reigns takes out Bronson Reed backstage. LA Knight then beats down Bron Breakker. The brawl through the crowd, then the ring for their match.
LA Knight vs. Bron Breakker
Knight lays in stomps on Breakker in the corner. Breakker responds with shoulder checks. He follows up with a running clothesline. Breakker rains down with right hands. Breakker suplexes Knight across the ring. Knight lays in a series of left hands. He then drops Breakker on his back with a side Russian leg sweep. Knight sends Breakker to the outside. Knight knocks Breakker down with a basement dropkick. Breakker bounces Knight off the announce table. Breakker then drives Knight into the steel steps.
Back from break, Breakker blocks a neckbreaker from Knight. Breakker descends off the top with a Frankensteiner. Knight stops a spear with a kick to Breakker’s midsection. Knight spikes Breakker with a DDT. Knight connects with a series of hands, then a neckbreaker. Knight drops Breakker onto his back. Breakker runs the ropes. Knight stops him with a big boot. Knight sends Breakker crashing into the mat with a superplex.
Knight follows up with an elbow drop from off the top. Seth Rollins runs down to the ring. Knight chases after him. Breakker rocks him with a spear on the outside. Breakker tosses Knight back into the ring. Breakker spears Knight again for the win.
Winner: Bron Breakker
After the match, Rollins stomps away at Knight. Jey Uso comes down to the ring and sends Breakker to the outside. He then unloads right hands on Rollins. Uso follows up with a superkick to Rollins. He lines up for a spear, but Breakker intercepts. Rollins plants Uso with a Pedigree. Rollins and Breakker continue beating down Uso and Knight. CM Punk’s music hits. Punk levels Breakker on the outside. He and Rollins then brawl in the ring. Breakker pulls Rollins to safety. Knight and Punk argue, then trade strikes. Punk shoves Knight into Uso. Uso superkicks Knight, then Punk.