WWE Raw Review – July 10, 2023
Kicking off this week’s Raw with Finn Balor says the way things went down for him in his World Heavyweight Title match against Seth Rollins hasn’t sat well with him & he says that the reason he’s still at odds with Rollins is because of Damian Priest.
Judgement Day’s music hits & Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley & Dominik Mysterio make their way to the ring. Ripley tells Balor that his issues with Priest should be dealt with backstage instead of in front of the world. Balor says Priest ruined his opportunity to capture gold and begins arguing with Ripley about how to handle things in the ring. He becomes angered and leaves.
Ripley says the only business that the WWE Universe needs to be concerned about is that Judgment Day still runs Raw. She then says anyone who has an issue with that can come to the ring and air out their grievances before confidently saying that Mysterio will defeat Rollins later tonight.
Seth Rollins’ music hits and he appears with a plate of Buffalo wings in hand as Mysterio calls for his music to be cut. He says he will not be disrespected and Rollins tells him that no one came to hear him run his mouth. He says everyone is here to watch Judgment Day implode and Mysterio says the only thing that will implode is Rollins’ head.
After the break we head backstage to Mr Money In The Bank Damian Priest standing there before Ripley & Mysterio walk in and Priest says that went exactly how he thought it would. Ripley tells Priest to solve things with Balor & Priest says he’ll talk to him again.
Tag Team Match
Imperium (Ludwig Kaiser & Giovanni Vinci) vs. Drew McIntyre & Matt Riddle
Ludwig Kaiser & Matt Riddle lock up to get this match started before they go back & forth with submission holds before Riddle lands a pair of gutwrench suplexes before Drew McIntyre & Giovanni Vinci both tag in and McIntyre delivers a vicious clothesline to Vinci.
Riddle tags in and lands a double team maneuver with McIntyre then uses the ropes as leverage to lock in an arm submission while the referee is distracted. Kaiser then tags in and delivers a baseball dropkick to Riddle that sends him crashing to the outside as we go to a break.
After the break Vinci delivers a big boot to Riddle and tags in Kaiser. Kaiser & Riddle then go back & forth with right hands before Riddle delivers a kick to Kaiser’s head. Kaiser plants him but Riddle fires back with an overhead kick. Vinci tags in and lands a brainbuster with some assistance from Kaiser. Imperium goes for Imperium Bomb but Riddle avoids it and tags in McIntyre.
McIntyre catches Kaiser and Vinci with neckbreakers then plants Vinci with a powerbomb and sets up for Claymore but Kaiser tries interfering but McIntyre takes him down. Gunther tries to do the same but Riddle levels him. McIntyre then slides back in the ring and lands the Claymore Kick on Vinci as Riddle has Kaiser lock in a Ankle Lock to get the win.
Winners: Drew McIntyre & Matt Riddle
After the match Gunther chews out Vinci on their way to the back.
We then head backstage to Judgment Day. Damian Priest & Finn Balor begin talking to each other but Rhea Ripley puts an end to it and tells them to talk nice. Priest explains that he never intended to cost Balor his World Heavyweight Title match then says they can go back to the way things were between Judgment Day. Balor agrees but under the condition he gets his hands on Seth Rollins and his World Heavyweight Title first. Priest agrees and they seemingly make up. Priest says things are covered either way and holds up his Money In The Bank briefcase before heading out with Ripley & Mysterio.
We are back from the break we head to a video recapping what occurred during Roman Reigns’ trial in Tribal Court this past Friday on Smackdown.
We then head backstage to Cathy Kelley is with Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn. Kelley asks Owens & Zayn what’s next for them in their Undisputed Tag Team Titles reign and while they’re unsure, they say they’ll take on any team at any time at any place. Rhea Ripley & Dominik Mysterio then walk in and put them on notice.
Non Title Match
World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins vs. Dominik Mysterio
Dominik Mysterio blindsides Seth Rollins as he looks to enter the ring. Rollins fights back and looks to chase Mysterio through the crowd and into the ring. Finn Balor & Damian Priest blindside him and beat him down in the timekeeper’s area.
Priest sends Rollins crashing face first into the announce table and delivers a right hand before Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn run down to the ring to provide a hand to Rollins.
Priest & Balor slide out of the ring as Rollins grabs a chair and hits Mysterio with it.
Winner: No One (Match Never Got Started)
After the break Corey Graves & Kevin Patrick announces that a 6 Man Tag Team Match between Judgment Day & Rollins, Owens & Zayn will take place later tonight.
Ricochet says everyone knows why he’s here but before he gets down to business, he says he walks through the curtain and tries to be here for the fans and the highlight of everyone’s night. He says tonight is a little different because he’s here for one specific person Logan Paul. He says Paul has accomplished a lot in WWE and they have encountered one another on multiple occasions including Money In The Bank. He voices his frustrations with Paul’s recent comments about him on his podcast and calls him out to the ring.
Paul’s music hits and he makes his way down to the ring. Paul calls Ricochet a little boy and says he’s a human highlight reel. He says he stands by his comments and says Ricochet was a reckless amateur at Money In The Bank. Ricochet says no one wanted to see Paul capture the Money In The Bank briefcase and says he wouldn’t be standing in the center of the ring if he were unprofessional. He says he wanted to challenge Paul to a match but now that he’s out here all he wants to do is hurt him. He tells Paul to keep his name out of his mouth.
Paul questions what happens if he doesn’t do what Ricochet says, and says he doesn’t care about going viral because he is a WWE Superstar. He says he has a legendary knockout punch while Ricochet is about replays and clips.
Ricochet then flies over the top rope and out of the ring to show off his skills. Paul says that was cool for a TikTok but he isn’t a TikToker because he is the moment. He says things won’t work out.
Paul looks to blindside Ricochet with a right hand but Ricochet ducks out of the ring and delivers a Sliced Bread off of the apron.
Becky Lynch vs. Zoey Stark
Match starts off with a lock up then Zoey Stark lands a shoulder tackle but Becky Lynch quickly recovers and plants Stark face first then hits a dropkick and a pair of arm drags. She looks to run the ropes but Trish Stratus trips her allowing Stark to fire off stomps on Lynch in the corner. Lynch fires back with an uppercut and a kick before Stark delivers a dropkick off the top rope as we go to a break.
After the break Lynch looks for a crossbody out of the corner. Stark rolls through and gets Lynch up on her shoulders but Lynch escapes ands ends Stark crashing to the outside. She delivers a basement dropkick then lands a right hand and repeatedly tosses Stark into the barricade.
She gets her back in the ring and plants Stark, then ascends to the top and looks to go flying. Stark ducks out of the way and sweeps Lynch off her feet then goes flying off the apron and back in the ring.
Lynch looks to lock in the Dis Arm Her but Stark rolls her up but Lynch kicks out and looks to lock in the submission a 2nd time but Stark plants Lynch with a superkick and rains down right hands. She gets Lynch up on her shoulders but Lynch escapes and rolls her up.
Stark reverses the roll to pin Lynch with her hand on the ropes but the referee catches her. Lynch levels Stratus on the outside & that opens the door for Stark to roll up Lynch for the win.
Winner: Zoey Stark
Chad Gable thanks Buffalo for coming out then says himself & Otis are here to talk about the achievements of the 1st female graduate of Alpha Academy Maxxine Dupri.
Dupri makes her way down to the ring. Gable presents her with her diploma and Dupri thanks him. She says her first impression of Gable was not a good one but he turned out to be a good mentor and a good friend. She credits Gable’s training as the reason she won her debut match and thanks Otis for being her twin flame and rock. She thanks the fans for accepting her and helping her to become a star.
Gable and Otis then put on their Alpha Academy varsity jackets and present her with one of her own.
Viking Raiders’ music hits and they appear alongside Valhalla. Valhalla attacks Dupri and steals her jacket.
Shayna Baszler vs. Emma
Shayna Baszler delivers a kick to Emma’s thigh before Emma lands a boot across her face then follows it up with the Emma mite Sandwich. Baszler then fires off right hands on her face and stomps on her arm then locks in the Kirifuda Clutch for the win.
Winner By Submission: Shayna Baszler
After the match Ronda Rousey marches down to the ring and attacks Baszler. She rains down elbows and looks to lock in an armbar but Baszler blocks it and manages to slide out of the ring.
Cody Rhodes asks Buffalo what they want to talk about then says he knows there’s millions of people on the other side of the camera. He asks for their forgiveness for turning his back to the camera because he wants to see everyone in the KeyBank Center and says there can sometimes feel like an invisible wall between the crowd and the ring but not for him. He says things don’t feel performative for him because they’re real.
Rhodes recalls being asked about his momentum during the Money In The Bank press conference and says the crowd gets louder with each crowd but his momentum in the ring is a little bit shaky because there is a mountain standing in front of him that he has to go through. He says that mountain is Brock Lesnar and while Lesnar isn’t in Buffalo everyone has a Lesnar of their own. He says a Lesnar is something that impedes everyone and for him, it’s a 6’3 behemoth. He says he dreams of a rubber match with Lesnar at SummerSlam and says nothing would make him happier than shaking Lesnar’s hand in person. He says even if he doesn’t shake his hand, he’ll finish the chapter of Lesnar. Rhodes then says he will be next in line and heads to the back.
No DQ Match
Tommaso Ciampa vs. The Miz
Tommaso Ciampa grabs a chair from the crowd as The Miz meets him on the outside and Ciampa sends him crashing into the barricade and the ring apron then he slides into the ring and the bell sounds.
The action spills back to the outside and Ciampa sends Miz face first into the announce table then sends him tumbling over it then sits him in one of the chairs and delivers a chop.
He follows it up with a knee and tosses him back in the ring then looks to plant Miz on top of it with the Fairy Tale Ending but Miz escapes and delivers a kick then whips him into the corner and delivers a splash.
He ascends to the top and looks to go flying but Ciampa catches him with a chair mid air. The action returns to the outside and Ciampa slides The Miz’s head into the chair then sends him crashing into the ring post as we go to a break.
After the break Ciampa looks to pull a table out from under the ring but Miz kicks him over the announce table and tumbling on top of Kevin Patrick. Miz puts the table back under the ring before Ciampa catches him with a knee that sends him into the announce table face first.
He clears off the items on top of it then sends Miz crashing into the barricade near the timekeepers area from the top of it. Ciampa then grabs a chair and a garbage can lid and dumps those in the ring before grabbing the table and sliding it inside.
Miz catches Ciampa with a knee as he slides back inside, then sends him into the top turnbuckle face first and delivers a couple of kicks. He picks up the garbage can lid and ascends to the middle rope looking to hit Ciampa with it but Ciampa catches Miz with a knee then fires off stomps in the corner and follows it up with a few more knees using the garbage can lid.
He then sets up the table in the center of the ring and sits Miz on the top turnbuckle. He meets him up on the middle rope and delivers an Air Raid Crash through the table and pins him. Bronson Reed pulls him out of the ring and delivers a splash.
He follows it up with an elbow and tosses Ciampa back into the ring before he ascends to the top and delivers the Tsunami. Reed heads to the back and Miz crawls over to Ciampa to get the win.
Winner: The Miz
We go backstage where Women’s Tag Team Champions Liv Morgan & Raquel Rodriguez were talking when Sonya Deville & Chelsea Green showed up. Deville said it was very interesting that Morgan & Rodriguez would be ringside for their match. Rodriguez said they were trying to get an up close look at next week’s competition.
Rhea Ripley shows up and confronts Rodriguez. Ripley said she’s warned Rodriguez to stay out of her business twice now. Ripley told her that if she gets involved again it will be strike three. 3 strikes and you’re out, basketball! Green said.
Green added that we are going to run the division. Ripley turns and asks who said we. Green & Deville made their exit. Ripley went back to her staring contest with Rodriguez. Morgan said they’re not afraid of Ripley. She said they got involved her business because of what she did to Natalya. Morgan & Rodriguez said they would keep stopping Ripley if she continued to act like a bully.
Tag Team Match
Sonya Deville & Chelsea Green vs. Kayden Carter & Katana Chance
Kayden Carter delivers a kick to Sonya Deville before Katana Chance tags in and wears down Deville then tags Carter back in. Green makes the blind tag before Deville delivers a few knees and Green plants Carter. She sends Carter into the middle turnbuckle and sits her on the top one.
Carter manages to get Green into an electric chair position but Green escapes. Chance then tags in and goes flying off Carter’s shoulders then goes for a pin but Deville breaks the fall. Carter levels Deville as Chance rolls up Green.
Green kicks out and manages to pin Chance putting her feet on the ropes as Deville holds them in place for the win.
Winners: Sonya Deville & Chelsea Green
We head backstage where Drew McIntyre & Matt Riddle were interviewed by Byron Saxton. McIntyre said he’s tired of groups popping up and using the numbers advantage so he & Riddle decided to do something about it. Riddle said he’s sick of Imperium and said it would feel good when he beats Gunther next week. McIntyre encouraged Riddle to hold off on the match because he will be away on company business next week. Riddle said he talked to Adam Pearce and was able to get Ludwig Kaiser & Giovanni Vinci barred from ringside.
6 Man Tag Team Match
Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn & World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins vs. Judgement Day (Mr Money In The Bank Damian Priest, Finn Balor & Dominik Mysterio)
Seth Rollins & Dominik Mysterio starts this match off with Mysterio slides out of the ring so Rollins chases Mysterio back in the ring before Finn Balor tags in. Balor wears down Rollins then tags in Damian Priest. Rollins fires off chops on him then sends Priest into the middle turnbuckle.
We get both teams brawling in the ring before they at it on the outside. Kevin Owens ascends to the top rope and takes out Judgement Day on the outside with a Swanton Bomb off the top rope before climbing on the middle rope & yelling at Rhea Ripley that her boys suck & that takes us to a break.
After the break Priest targets Owens’ arm and tosses him in the corner then he delivers a splash before Balor tags in and lands a backbreaker. Priest tags in and lands a leg drop then tags Balor back in. Owens fires back with a DDT but manages to tag in Rollins.
Mysterio tags in and Rollins delivers a kick to his face then follows it up with a right hand and a superkick then goes for a pin but Mysterio kicks out. Priest tags in and delivers a clothesline then looks for South Of Heaven but Rollins escapes and lands a Pedigree then goes for a pin.
Balor breaks the fall and rains down right hands then he calls for Priest to tag him in and he does. Balor lands a Sling Blade but Rollins plants him face first. Mysterio tags in and delivers a Frog Splash. Balor then tags in and executes another Sling Blade.
Sami Zayn tags in and ascends to the top rope & He delivers a crossbody and goes for a pin, but Balor kicks out. Balor delivers a missile dropkick to Zayn in the corner then ascends to the top rope and delivers a Coup De Grace but Zayn avoids it and delivers a Blue Thunder Bomb then follows it up with an exploder suplex.
Ripley trips up Zayn and distracts the referee allowing Priest to hit South Of Heaven then Balor connects with Coup De Grace for the win.
Winners: Judgement Day
After the match Priest & Balor hug it out in the ring.
Next Week’s Raw
Women’s Tag Team Titles Match
Raquel Rodriguez & Liv Morgan (c) vs. Sonya Deville & Chelsea Green
Non Title Match
Intercontienetal Champion Gunther vs. Matt Riddle
Viking Rules Match
Alpha Academy (Chad Gable & Otis) vs. Viking Raiders (Erik & Ivar)
