WWE Monday Night Raw Review – August 21, 2023
Kicking off this week’s Raw with Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champion Sami Zayn welcomes them to Raw & before he can continue, Judgment Day’s music hits and they surround Zayn. Zayn asks them if he really thought he’d come alone and Kevin Owens’ music hits. Owens marches down to the ring as he makes his return to Raw and wastes no time as he is beating down Dominik Mysterio on the outside. He levels Finn Balor then delivers a Stunner to Damian Priest as a means of preventing him from attacking Zayn. Owens then grabs a mic and says it’s been far too long since he’s had a match on Raw. He challenges any 2 members of Judgment Day to a match with himself & Zayn.
Tag Team Match
New Day (Kofi Kingston & Xavier Woods) vs. Matt Riddle & Drew McIntyre
Xavier Woods & Matt Riddle lock up to get this match started then Kofi Kingston tags in and delivers a splash to Riddle then follows it up with a dropkick then Drew McIntyre makes the tag and Kingston lands a dropkick.
He plants him with a belly 2 belly suplex then catches an interfering Woods with the same maneuver before dumping Riddle over the top rope and onto them on the outside as we go to a break.
After the break Kingston delivers a side Russian leg sweep to Riddle then Woods tags in and delivers a sliding lariat before Kingston lands a crossbody using the ropes. He locks in a shoulder and arm submission but Riddle breaks the hold and looks for an enziguri.
Kingston tags in and Woods delivers a sliding DDT. Kingston follows it up with a crossbody off the middle rope and ascends to the top. He looks to go flying but Riddle catches him with a knee to his jaw.
Woods tags in and prevents Riddle from making the tag to McIntyre. Riddle gets Woods on the top rope and delivers a Fisherman’s superplex. McIntyre is pull off the apron by Erik & that opens the door for Kingston to tag in and hits Trouble In Paradise to Riddle for the win.
Winners: New Day
After the match Viking Raiders attack New Day but McIntyre headbutts Erik and levels Ivar with a spinebuster before sending him crashing out of the ring.
We then head backstage to Finn Balor & JD McDonagh chatting with Jackie Redmond. Rhea Ripley & Dominik Mysterio walk in and Ripley dismisses McDonagh by telling Balor they need to discuss which 2 of them are facing Sami Zayn & Kevin Owens later tonight.
A Shayna Baszler video package aired and included footage of her SummerSlam win over Ronda Rousey. She said she’s not here to be your hero, she’s there to put it all on the line and set it all on fire. She said your only hope is to survive & she say let the world burn
Footage aired from earlier today of Intercontienetal Champion Gunther delivering a promo about his title defense against Chad Gable. Gunther said he respects Gable’s accomplishments but he won’t make a name for himself at Gunther’s expense. Gunther said Gable’s fairytale story would end tonight.
Byron Saxton spoke with Alpha Academy & Otis & Maxxine Dupri sang Chad Gable’s praises. Gable said there was only one thing left to say. Gable says thank you then heads to the ring on his own.
Intercontinental Title Match
Gunther (c) vs. Chad Gable
Match starts off with a lock up before they go back & forth with submission holds before Gunther dumps Chad Gable out of the ring but Gable slides back in then Gunther immediately catches him with a chop as we go to a break.
After the break Gunther delivers a stomp to Gable’s head off the apron then plants him onto the barricade near the timekeeper’s area spine first before they both get back inside the ring.
Gunther plants Gable using the double underhook grip then whips him into the top turnbuckle face first and stomps on his neck. Gable fires back with a series of kicks then uses the ropes as leverage to inflict some damage on Gunther’s arm.
He looks to go flying but Gunther catches him with a chop mid air and follows with a clothesline. Gable lands a dropkick but Gunther fires back with a lariat.
He locks in a sleeper but Gable makes it up to his feet then lands a few flying forearms then follows it up with a back suplex.
Gunther lands a knee on Gable’s midsection but Gable fires back with a dragon screw and cinches in an Ankle Lock but Gunther fights his way out of the hold but Gable rains down right hands on him and delivers a German suplex. He goes for a pin but Gunther kicks out.
Gable looks for a moonsault but Gunther sends him crashing off the apron and into the barricade on the outside. He executes a chop and a big boot then lands a 2nd chop and looks for a 3rd.
Gable sends Gunther’s hand crashing into the ring post as the referee begins the 10 count. He delivers a German suplex to Gunther into the timekeeper’s area and slides into the ring beating the 10 count.
Winner By Count Out: Chad Gable (Gunther retains)
We then head backstage to Judgment Day. Finn Balor & Damian Priest both plead their case as to why they should be Dominik Mysterio’s partner and Rhea Ripley says she thought they solved their issues. She says she’s not in the match as she will be facing Candice LeRae later and tells them to figure it out before walking out alongside Mysterio.
After the break we head backstage and see Gunther chewing out Ludwig Kaiser & Giovanni Vinci. Kaiser says Gunther is right and asks him what he’s going to do.
We then head backstage to Byron Saxton is with Cody Rhodes. Saxton asks him about being attacked by Judgment Day following his match with Finn Balor before moving the interview out to ringside.
Rhodes asks Québec City what they want to talk about in French then formally welcomes Michael Cole & Wade Barrett to Raw then addresses Judgment Day and says while they may have the numbers game they don’t have that advantage down the road from where Sami Zayn & Kevin Owens grew up. He says he’ll be watching the Tag Team Match closely tonight as Judgment Day rises and falls.
We then head over to a video of Shinsuke Nakamura & he says that everyone wants to know what he said to World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins last week. He says Rollins is a man who has it all but he knows his weaknesses and told him last week that he knows about his back. He says Rollins’ back has been broken for many years and his pain has created a void that cannot be filled. He says he is in pain when he hugs his wife or picks up his daughter and tells Rollins he can break him. He says him and Rollins are not that different and they live by a code not lived by most. He says Rollins’ body has crumbled under pressure and under his own vanity then asks Rollins if he’s satisfied with what he’s done with his life then tells Rollins to watch his back.
Non Title Match
Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley vs. Candice LeRae
Rhea Ripley fires off right hands in the corner on Candice LeRae but LeRae sends her crashing into the ting post shoulder first and ascends to the top rope as Dominik Mysterio hops up on the apron but Indi Hartwell levels him.
She looks to go flying but Ripley catches her and delivers a knee to her midsection then she sets up for Riptide but LeRae counters into a DDT then gets in a few right hands but Ripley locks in Prism Trap for the win.
Winner By Submission: Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley
After the match Raquel Rodriguez appears on a crutch. She tosses it at Ripley and delivers a boot to her face. They get in the ring and Rodriguez fires off right hands on Ripley. She follows it up with a clothesline and a fallaway slam before Ripley rolls out of the ring. Rodriguez then grabs a mic and informs Ripley that she talked to Adam Pearce and received a shot at her Women’s World Title at Payback.
Tommaso Ciampa sat backstage in front of a brick wall & he say its been 9 weeks since he returned to Raw. He said it had been a long 63 days to reflect on the man he’s been since he returned. Ciampa said he’d be lying if he didn’t want the Intercontinental Title opportunity that Chad Gable beat him for. He spoke about how he nearly had Nakamura defeated. He said the pressure is like oxygen and he’s dying to take a breath. He said do it yourself and added that he’s here to take over. Ciampa stood up and kicks his chair out of the way
The Miz grabs a mic and says Maryse would never come to Québec City because she’s from Montreal. He says everyone is blaming him for LA Knight’s loss to Austin Theory this past Friday on Smackdown then says sometimes things just happen. He says Knight will not be well remembered in 20 years and says since Knight is not on his level he chose someone younger and more dominant to face as a means to prove his point.
Akira Tozawa makes his way down to the ring.
Akria Tozawa vs. The Miz
The Miz asks Tozawa if this is the biggest match of his career and he says yeah. The Miz says he would appreciate it if Tozawa wouldn’t say the word yeah and Tozawa repeatedly says it. The Miz then delivers a boot to his face.
Once the bell rings we hear LA Knight’s music hits and he appears so Tozawa takes advantage and dropkicks Miz from behind & that sends him crashing to the outside then The Miz gets back in the ring but Tozawa sends him crashing back out and delivers a tope suicida to him as we go to a break.
After the break The Miz delivers a double ax handle off the middle rope then The Miz delivers the It Kicks but Tozawa fires back with a few kicks to his head and follows it up with a hurricanrana then delivers a Shining Wizard before the action spills to the outside.
The Miz looks to send Tozawa crashing on top of Knight but Tozawa prevents him from doing so and delivers a hurricanrana then gets The Miz back in the ring then ascends to the top rope and looks for a senton but The Miz gets his knees up and looks to plant him with Skull Crushing Finale but Tozawa rolls him up for the win.
Winner: Akira Tozawa
After the match Knight plants Miz with BFT.
We then head backstage to Drew McIntyre & Matt Riddle. McIntyre tells Riddle their partnership won’t work out but New Day walk in to reassure the 2 of them that they make a good team. Riddle tells McIntyre not to give up on them and asks him to tag one more time. McIntyre doesn’t give Riddle an answer opting to walk away instead.
After the break we head backstage to Damian Priest, Rhea Ripley & Dominik Mysterio. Ripley asks Priest if he worked things out with Balor & Priest says they didn’t. Ripley says she gave them a chance to work things out but it’s time to handle things her way now and storms off.
Becky Lynch says The Man has come around to Québec City then says she finally has her chance to get her hands on Trish Stratus in a Steel Cage match at Payback. She poses a question what do you want your legacy to be? She says she doesn’t want hers to be about wins or losses but rather survival. She says she always comes back not because she is unbeatable but rather unstoppable and she is unstoppable because she never stops fighting.
Stratus’ music hits and she appears alongside Zoey Stark. She pretends to express her gratitude for being back in Canada but lets the jig up and says it means absolutely nothing to her. She rags on Québec City then says she has some good news and some bad news. She says the good news is when she beats Lynch she will prove she is the best but the bad news is that she’ll be trapped in a Steel Cage with her. She says while she’s scared she’s been thrown into the fire throughout her career. She calls herself the best in the business then says she’s sick and tired of proving herself. She says Lynch will see a side of her she never has before at Payback then tells her she won’t survive. Lynch then informs Stark that they will be facing off in a Falls Count Anywhere match next week.
Backstage Byron Saxton asks Women’s Tag Team Champions Chelsea Green & Piper Niven to discuss what being Women’s Tag Team Champions is like. Green claims she had to get permission from WWE management before making their reign official before Niven orders Green to go.
Non Title Match
Women’s Tag Team Champions Chelsea Green & Piper Niven vs. Kayden Carter & Katana Chance
Katana Chance delivers a kick to Chelsea Green the Kayden Carter tags in and delivers a right hand to Green but Carter fires back with one of her own.
Piper Niven tags in and Carter delivers a thrust kick then Chance tags back in and goes flying off Carter’s shoulders before Niven hits her with a crossbody for the win.
Winners: Women’s Tag Team Champions Chelsea Green & Piper Niven
Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn were shown preparing for the main event. Barrett questioned which two members of Judgment Day they would face.
An ad aired for a Kurt Angle documentary.
Backstage World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins was interviewed by Jackie Redmond & Rollins encouraged the crowd to sing his song which they did. Redmond asked Rollins about what Nakamura said about his back. Rollins took a turn for the serious and said he does have 2 fractures in his lumbar spine. He said he’s been living with it for over 4 years.
Rollins said it’s something that will get worse and he doesn’t know much longer he’ll be able to do things at the level he’s currently running at. Rollins said that’s part of the gig. He got fired up about Nakamura bringing up his wife & daughter and said that Nakamura better be prepared to face him man to man.
Rollins said Nakamura wasn’t even at Raw he was in a TV studio thousands of miles away. Rollins said he was going to give Nakamura one more chance to play his little mind games. He said he could prove to the world that he’s an honorable warrior. Rollins said he would be in the center of the ring dressed to the 9s with the World Heavyweight Title around his waist with the whole world chanting his song.
Non Title Match
Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn vs. Judgement Day (Mr Money In The Bank Damian Priest & Finn Balor)
Both teams waste no time brawling with one another. Kevin Owens dumps Damian Priest out of the ring then sends him crashing into the barricade face first. Sami Zayn pulls Priest off Owens and gets Priest inside the ring.
Zayn clotheslines Priest back out of the ring as Balor tries attacking him but Zayn sends him into the announce table face first. Priest blindsides him then tosses him in the ring and delivers a right hand. Balor tags in and Zayn catches him with a suplex.
Owens tags in and rains down right hands on Balor then follows it up with several stomps and a clothesline each to Balor & Priest on the outside then gets Balor back in and delivers a Swanton Bomb off the top rope then looks for a Stunner but Balor delivers a Sling Blade.
Priest looks to slide his Money In The Bank briefcase into the ring for Balor to use but Zayn levels him on the outside before he can. JD McDonagh then appears at ringside and looks to toss the briefcase to Balor but Owens intercepts it and hits Balor with it causing the disqualification.
Winners By DQ: Judgement Day
After the match Priest yells at McDonagh for touching his briefcase then joins Balor & Mysterio in beating down Owens & Zayn. Cody Rhodes’ music hits and runs down with his belt in hand forcing Judgment Day to retreat on the ramp. Rhodes then challenges Judgment Day to a 6 Man Tag Team match between them and himself, Owens & Zayn.
6 Man Tag Team Match
Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn & Cody Rhodes vs. Judgement Day (NXT North American Champion Dominik Mysterio, Mr Money In The Bank Damian Priest & Finn Balor)
Cody Rhodes is wearing down Dominik Mysterio then Sami Zayn tags in and delivers a right hand to Mysterio’s head then follows it up with a back body drop. Finn Balor tags in and Zayn levels him then tags in Kevin Owens & he lands a chop and a side Russian leg sweep before executing a senton.
Mysterio tags in and fires off several right hands then sends him crashing to the outside and looks to go flying off the apron. Owens catches him with a right hand mid air then Balor tags in and trips Owens on the apron.
Priest pulls him off and sends him crashing into the barricade before Ripley delivers a bodyslam to him then Priest tags in and continues wearing down Owens as we go to a break.
After the break Balor fires off stomps on Owens before the action then spills to the outside and Owens plants Balor on top of the announce table spine first. Priest tags in and delivers an ax handle to Owens then tags Balor back in. Balor delivers an elbow but Owens delivers a superkick.
Zayn tags in and delivers a clothesline then lands a back elbow and an elbow drop off the middle rope. He delivers a chop and a tornado DDT then ascends to the top. Ripley pulls him down opening the door for Priest to deliver South Of Heaven then goes for a pin but Owens breaks the fall. Priest levels him and tags out to Mysterio.
Mysterio looks for a Frog Splash but Zayn gets his knees up and tags in Rhodes. Rhodes delivers a Disaster Kick and a double Cody Cutter to Mysterio & Priest then sets up for Cross Rhodes on Mysterio but Balor interferes and Rhodes hits him with it instead.
He then delivers one to Mysterio and tags in Zayn then he tags in Owens then hits a Helluva Kick then Owens delivers a Stunner to Mysterio for the win.
Winners: Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn & Cody Rhodes
After the match Zayn grabs a mic and tells Judgment Day better luck next time then thanks the fans for coming to Raw in French.
Match Of The Night
Intercontienetal Title Match- 7/10
Next Week’s Raw
Tag Team Match
New Day (Kofi Kingston & Xavier Woods) vs. Viking Raiders (Erik & Ivar)
Falls Count Anywhere Match
Becky Lynch vs. Zoey Stark
Chad Gable vs. Ludwig Kaiser
Payback Card (Sept 2nd)
Steel Cage Match
Becky Lynch vs. Trish Stratus
World Heavyweight Title Match
Seth Rollins (c) vs. Shinsuke Nakamura
Women’s World Title Match
Rhea Ripley (c) vs. Raquel Rodriguez
