Raw Deal - Raw recap for August 22, 2022

The show begins with a brawl between Matt Riddle and Seth "Freakin'" Rollins being broken up backstage. The brawl between Riddle and Rollins soon makes its way into the crowd, and when Rollins makes it to ringside, Riddle dives into him from off the barricade. The brawl is soon broken on the stage.

Trish Stratus heads to the ring. Trish says it feels good to be home not just in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, but in a WWE ring, as it will never "not feel like home" between the ropes. She says she has been doing a lot of thinking lately, then Bayley, Dakota Kai and Iyo Sky show up. After the commercial break, Bayley says they are excited to be in the ring with Trish Stratus, then asks Trish what she is doing here. Trish says that Edge vs. Damian Priest is happening later and that she is supporting him, then mentions that she had an announcement. Dakota says they do not care what she has to say, and Iyo says she does not like Trish despite Bayley saying Iyo is her biggest fan. Bayley says they are sick and tired of Trish riding their coattails all weekend long and that the ring is theirs now before asking Trish who she thinks she is. Suddenly, Bianca Belair shows up. Bianca says that Bayley is "not even in the same stratosphere" and that Trish walked so they could run, and that there would be no Bayley without Trish before telling Bayley exactly who Trish is and to stop with the disrespect. Bianca then says she does not need to defend Trish as Trish can defend herself, then Trish tells Bayley she can go from being retired to "was retired" if Bayley does not keep her mouth shut as she removes her jacket. Bayley removes her own jacket before saying that she, Bayley and Iyo outnumber her and Bianca before Alexa Bliss and Asuka arrive. Bayley tells Trish that she should be lucky she is feeling generous, then says she will let it slide and they will see her at Clash at the Castle. Trish says that assumes they even make it to Cardiff, Wales.

Dakota Kai and Iyo Sky beat Alexa Bliss and Asuka with a schoolkid pin from Iyo to Asuka to advance to the finals of the WWE Women's Tag Team Championship Tournament when Asuka is unaware that Iyo is a legal competitor.

Backstage, Kevin Patrick interviews Dolph Ziggler. Ziggler admits Austin Theory was the better man last week, then Finn Balor and Rhea Ripley show up. Finn says that Dolph Ziggler is just like Edge and Rey Mysterio by attaching himself to younger talent to stay relevant. Finn tells Ziggler that he cannot teach him anything, then tells Finn he can teach him something before slapping him in the face. As Ziggler heads to the ring, he asks Finn if he is going to sit on his ass "like a little bitch" or get in the ring.

Finn Balor beats Dolph Ziggler following the cheap shot from Rhea Ripley as the ref checks on Finn Balor following a headbutt from Ziggler.

Backstage, Sarah Schreiber interviews Aliyah. Aliyah does not get to say much before Bayley, Iyo Sky and Dakota Kai, and Bayley boasts Dakota and Iyo will win the WWE Women's Tag Team Tournament before asking where Raquel Rodriguez is. As the three of them confront Aliyah for being on "their show" alone, Trish Stratus shows up to have Aliyah's back. Trish and Aliyah ask Bayley when her knee will heal up before Aliyah challenges Bayley to a match tonight. Bayley accepts the challenge, and as she, Dakota and Iyo leave, WWE official Adam Pearce is carrying a photo as he is followed by two security guards.

Alpha Academy (Chad Gable and Otis) head to the ring. Gable announces that the Alpha Academy has decided to accept new students and that he has decided to start his search in Canada, but the only thing he could find was toothless ex-hockey players hooked on Tim Horton's. He then makes fun of the Toronto Maples Leaves for losing to the Tampa Bay Lightning and mentions that Tampa, Florida does not even have ice. Gable says he has found no talent in Canada, and that the only guy he keeps hearing about is "some geek named Auston Matthews," who is actually American and does not have the talent to wash Otis' jock strap. He then says that against his better judgment, he is hosting the first-ever Alpha Academy open challenge and begs Toronto, Ontario, Canada to send him their best before saying their best will not measure up. When there are seemingly no comers and Gable says Toronto does not have anybody, Kevin Owens suddenly shows up.

Kevin Owens beats Chad Gable. After the match, Otis attacks Kevin Owens from behind, but he soon runs shoulder-first into the ring post. Owens then grabs Gable for a ring apron powerbomb, but Otis makes the save. Otis gets Owens back in the ring, but Owens hits him with a Stunner before kicking Gable in the gut and powerbombing him into Otis.

Backstage, Rhea Ripley brags about how The Judgment Day (Finn Balor, Damian Priest, Rhea Ripley) is running the place, and Finn Balor says that he has Rey Mysterio in his back pocket. Damian Priest says that he will be sending Edge back into retirement as cheers turn to screams.

It is announced that Gigi Dolin was injured last week on SmackDown, and that Toxic Attraction (Gigi Dolin and Jacy Jayne) is out of the WWE Women's Tag Team Championship Tournament. A "Second Chance" Fatal 4-Way Tag Team Match involving the four losing teams of the tournament to decide who takes their place will happen this Friday night on SmackDown.

Bayley beats Aliyah. After the match, Dakota Kai and Iyo Sky celebrate with Bayley.

Backstage, "The Phenomenal" AJ Styles and Bobby Lashley see something smoking - with a security guard, a police officer in riot gear and WWE official Adam Pearce standing nearby - on the way to the ring.

The Miz and Tommaso Ciampa vs. "The Phenomenal" AJ Styles and Bobby Lashley ends with Dexter Lumis seemingly going after Styles from the crowd only for the person to really be a random person. It is then revealed that Dexter Lumis was wearing riot gear the whole time, and he grabs Miz from behind the barricade and drags him to the back. After the match, Ciampa attacks Lashley from behind, but Styles hits him with the Phenomenal Forearm. Lashley then hits Ciampa with another Spear.

We see a video package for Edge vs. Damian Priest later tonight.

Johnny Gargano's music suddenly hits, and Johnny Gargano makes an unannounced appearance, his first in nine months. He thanks the fans for the support and mentions his NXT accolades, and says that since he has been gone, everybody - including himself - wondered where he would go next, and he wondered if he still wanted to be a wrestler. Gargano then says that as he was playing with his six-month-old child, he remembered that he had big, impossible dreams when he was younger of winning championships in WWE and wrestling at WrestleMania. He then asked what kind of father he would be to his kid if he could not teach him that the biggest dreams can come true, then says that he is betting on himself and that he is back in WWE. As he says that this is just getting started, Austin Theory suddenly shows up, completely surprised that Gargano is here. He says a lot has happened in nine months, and Gargano says Theory has changed a lot. Theory mentions his accomplishments in the last nine months and says that he already done what Gargano has planned to do, and says he could not have done any of this without him. He talks about how Gargano took him under his wing and how their roles have reversed, then says that Gargano can be the one to carry his bags and carry the Money In The Bank briefcase as he becomes undisputed WWE Champion. Theory then says that he can show Gargano the way, or Gargano can go away if Gargano decides not to side with him. Theory then tries to do the high-five with Gargano for old times' sake, but he gets superkicked instead.

WWE Hall of Famer Beth Phoenix is seen watching the next match from the front row.

In what is Edge's first match in Toronto, Ontario, Canada in ten years, Edge beats Damian Priest despite Priest sending Edge into referee Charles Robinson, knocking Robinson out temporarily and allowing Edge to put Priest in a crossface with the bottom bar of a chair. After the match, Edge goes for the Con-Chair-To on Damian Priest, but Rhea Ripley shows up from behind and hits Edge with a low blow before Finn Balor shows up and hits Edge with the Coup de Grace. When Rhea Ripley goes for a chair, Beth Phoenix jumps the barricade and grabs the chair before Rhea can, and The Judgment Day are forced to back down as the show ends.

This week on Raw Talk: Kevin Owens! Bianca Belair! Bayley, Iyo Sky and Dakota Kai!

Here are the top ten moments from tonight's show!