The New Day (Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods) beat Drew McIntyre and Matt Riddle after The Viking Raiders (Ivar and Erik) yank Drew McIntyre off the ring apron. After the match, The Viking Raiders attack The New Day from behind. McIntyre gets in the ring and holds his own with The Viking Raiders, who soon retreat.
Backstage, Jackie Redmond interviews Finn Balor and JD McDonagh. McDonagh says he and Finn Balor have known each other for a long time, and if anything, his presence makes The Judgment Day stronger. Finn says The Judgment Day laid out Sami Zayn and Cody Rhodes because of McDonagh, then Rhea Ripley and Dominik Mysterio show up. Rhea says they need to pick who will face Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens later tonight, and does not want McDonagh involved in the process.
We hear from "The Queen of Spades" Shayna Baszler, who says that one is what they do, not what they say they will do, and that she has dealt with toy soldiers long enough. She says she is here not to be a hero, but to set it all on fire, and that one's only hope is to survive.
In backstage footage from earlier today, Gunther says everyone will see his glory, and that time is his friend, not his enemy, as he keeps building his life-long legacy. He says Chad Gable will not make a name for himself at his expense and that Gable's fairy tale story will end tonight.
Backstage, Byron Saxton interviews Alpha Academy (Chad Gable, Otis, Maxxine Dupri). Otis says he was tag team champions with Gable at the lowest point of his career, then says tonight is Gable's time. Maxxine Dupri says she never thought she could be an in-ring competitor until he showed her the way, and says that if anyone can do the impossible and beat an "unstoppable ogre," it is Gable.
It is announced that John Cena is returning to WWE for SmackDown on September 1st, and that he will be at Superstar Spectacular in India.
Chad Gable beats Gunther by count-out after avoiding a chop that hits the ring post before suplexing Gunther into the timekeeper's area. Gunther retains the WWE Intercontinental Championship. This match marks the first loss Gunther has suffered on the main roster, and Gunther is livid after the match.
Backstage, The Judgment Day (Finn Balor, Damian Priest, Rhea Ripley, "Dirty" Dom Mysterio) decide who will face Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn, and this leads to another argument between Finn Balor and Damian Priest. Rhea tells Finn and Priest to bury the hatchet and make a decision before she does it for them.
Backstage, Gunther takes out his frustration on Ludwig Kaiser and Giovanni Vinci. Kaiser tells Vinci that he will make things right, then asks Vinci what he is going to do.
Backstage, Byron Saxton interviews "The American Nightmare" Cody Rhodes. Cody says Brock Lesnar sat on him like a piece of furniture before asking what is up with JD McDonagh having a big head on a small body. He then leads Byron to the ring to have the interview in front of the fans. Cody gives a welcome to Wade Barrett and Michael Cole to commentary, then talks about how The Judgment Day (Finn Balor, Damian Priest, Rhea Ripley, "Dirty" Dom Mysterio) have the numbers game on their side. He then says that if there is one place on the map where the numbers or the odds were not in their favor, it would be where Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens grew up. Cody asks the fans to be in Sami and Kevin's corner tonight, then says there is no love lost between him and The Judgment Day before saying tonight is about Sami and Kevin as The Judgment Day rises and falls.
We hear from Shinsuke Nakamura, who addresses what he whispered to Seth "Freakin'" Rollins. He says Rollins asks like he has it all, but he knows Rollins and he knows his weaknesses. He then admits that he told Seth that he knew about his back, which has been broken for years and that Rollins has a pain in his back that creates a void that nothing can fill, and despite all his success, he is still in pain no matter what he does. Nakamura says Rollins' worst fears are coming true and that Rollins knows he can break him once and for all. He says he and Rollins are not so different, as he has a void, too. He says that he and Rollins live by a code that other do not, and that this code is displayed on his hurting back, and that his back is failing just like he is failing to uphold the code. Nakamura says that Rollins' back has failed under the pressure of his own vanity, and asks Rollins if he is satisfied with what he has done with his life before stating he will not be satisfied until he takes the World Heavyweight Championship from him and breaks him once and for all.
Rhea Ripley beats Candice LeRae with the Cloverleaf. After the match, Raquel Rodriguez shows up on a crutch, and Rhea Ripley and Dominik Mysterio mock her before Raquel tosses the crutch to Rhea and hits her with a big boot. Rhea and Raquel brawl in the ring, and Raquel comes out on top before telling Rhea that she is now medically cleared and that they will have their match at Payback for the Women's World Championship.
We hear from Tommaso Ciampa, who says he has been reflecting on the man he has become in the last nine weeks since he returned. He says that as happy as he is for Chad Gable, he wants a shot at the Intercontinental Championship. He says he did not come back to come close and that he is here to be "the guy," and that he will be the change that he wants to be. Ciampa then says that he is here to take over the game.
The Miz is in the ring. He says that last week, LA Knight lost an opportunity at championship gold and is blaming it on him, then says there are no excuses on the big stage and that everyone knows this. Miz talks about how he retained the WWE Championship even after The Rock showed up during this match, then says trends come and go and that the fans will remember LA Knight as "a blip on the radar" because LA Knight is not on his level. He then announces that WWE official Adam Pearce has allowed him to pick his opponent for tonight, and that he has picked someone bigger, faster and stronger than anyone Knight has ever faced. His opponent is Akira Tozawa. Miz interviews Tozawa, asking if this is the biggest match of his career. Tozawa says "Yeah," then keeps saying it every time Miz asks a question, much to Miz's frustration. When Miz asks Tozawa if he thinks this is funny, Miz boots him before Tozawa can say "Yeah."
Akira Tozawa beats The Miz with a roll-up as The Miz sends a message to LA Knight. At the beginning of the match, LA Knight shows up and ends up being a distraction for The Miz before guesting on commentary, even tossing tissues at him. After the match, The Miz argues with the referee, but LA Knight gets in the ring and hits Miz with the Blunt Force Trauma.
Backstage, Matt Riddle talks with Drew McIntyre, who tells Riddle that while he appreciates the enthusiasm, he feels their partnership will not work out. The New Day (Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods) show up and tell McIntyre and Riddle that they have something going and that they have potential, even calling them "McRiddle." Woods then says The New Day are open for a rematch after they are done with The Viking Raiders (Ivar and Erik). Riddle then asks McIntyre to tag up one more time, and McIntyre says he will think about it.
Backstage, Damian Priest tells Rhea Ripley and Dominik Mysterio that Finn Balor does not want to talk to him. Rhea Ripley says he and Finn had their chance and that they will do things her way.
Becky Lynch heads to the ring. It is announced that Becky will face Trish Stratus in a steel cage match at Payback, then Becky says that there has been a conversation over who is the best and says that it is all down to legacy. Becky says it is all about what one can and cannot be controlled and how one makes lemons into lemonade, and says her legacy will be defined not by wins, losses or championship, but by survival, because no matter what happens to her, she will always come back not because she is unbeatable but because she is unstoppable, not because she always wins, but because she always fights. She says that while she and Trish will be in a steel cage match, she still has some unfinished business. Suddenly, Trish Stratus and Zoey Stark. Trish says it is great to be back in Canada after dealing with "U-S-A-holes," then thanks Quebec before making fun of Quebec City, Quebec for not being like Montreal or Toronto. She also says she would not be here if Becky were running her mouth, and that she would "made like Trudeau and split." Trish then tells Becky that she has some good news and bad news, with the good news stating that she has beaten her before and will prove she is the best of all time if she wins at Payback, but the bad news is that she trapped her in a steel cage. Trish admits she has not wrestled in a steel cage before, and admits she is scared, and even though she was scared when she had her first WWE match or was the first woman to main event Raw, she killed it. She says she has been thrown in the fire during her career and that she has shined and proven herself, and that she will stand tall in side the steel cage. Trish says that if Becky wants to talk about survival and legacy, then she is standing here with one of the best in the business and finding herself having to prove herself to everyone again. She warns Becky that if she steps into the ring with her at Payback, she will see a different side of her, and tells Becky that she should be scared because she will not survive this time. Becky mockingly states that she is so scared, then mentions that next week, she will have a Falls Count Anywhere Match with Zoey Stark before welcoming Zoey to the big time.
Backstage, Byron Saxton interviews Chelsea Green and Piper Niven. Chelsea Green says that she and Piper are going to do what champions do because their chemistry is off the charts, then Piper bluntly tells Chelsea to get to the ring.
We see a brief vignette for Piper Niven.
Chelsea Green and Piper Niven quickly beat Katana Chance and Kayden Carter.
Backstage, Jackie Redmond interviews Seth "Freakin'" Rollins. Rollins states that Nakamura caught him off guard when he brought up his back injury, as it is something he does not like to talk about publicly. He mentions that he has two fractures in his lumbar spine and has lived with this injury for four years and that it has been getting worse, and he does not know how much longer he can wrestle at the level he is currently running at. Rollins then says it is part of the gig, and if Nakamura wants to target his back, question his character and take cheap shots at him, that is fine and part of the gig, too, but if he wants to bring his family and livelihood, then Nakamura had better be ready to face him man-to-man. Rollins says that Nakamura is not a man and is in a TV studio a thousand miles away afraid to face him instead of here in the arena, and he gives Nakamura one more week to be an honorable warrior, for he is not a hard man to find and he will be dressed to the nines with the World Heavyweight Championship around his waist in the middle of the ring while the fans sing his song.
Before the next match, Rhea Ripley forces Finn Balor to the stage and tells him and Damian Priest to tag together and get the job done.
The Judgment Day (Finn Balor and Damian Priest) beat Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens by disqualificaton after JD McDonagh shows up after Priest tries to use the Money In The Bank briefcase as a weapon and fails, then tosses the briefcase in the ring only for Owens to grab it and blast Finn with it in full view of the referee. After the match, JD McDonagh's actions are heavily frowned upon, even by Rhea Ripley, before everyone in The Judgment Day (Finn, Priest, Rhea, "Dirty" Dominik Mysterio) gangs up on Owens before "The American Nightmare" Cody Rhodes rushes in and forces The Judgment Day to flee. Afterwards, Cody Rhodes says tonight's show is not ending like this and demands a six-man tag match. WWE official Adam Pearce shows up and makes it official.
Sami Zayn, Kevin Owens and "The American Nightmare" Cody Rhodes beat The Judgment Day (Finn Balor, Damian Priest, "Dirty" Dominik Mysterio) in a six-man tag match. After the match, Sami Zayn tells The Judgment Day "Better luck next time," then addresses the crowd in French - stating that the Raw Tag Team Championships represent Canada and the SmackDown Tag Team Championships represent Quebec - and thanks them for being here tonight.
This week on Raw Talk: The Viking Raiders (Ivar, Erik, Valhalla)! Chelsea Green and Piper Niven! Akira Tozawa! Bronson Reed!
Here are the top ten moments from tonight's show!
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