Recapping American wrestling since 2013. Not only following the current stuff in WWE, Impact and ROH but also going back in time and doing stuff from back then as well.
As Roman Reigns enters the arena, Sami Zayn's vehicle pulls up behind Reigns, and Sami is on his cellphone as he makes his way to the ring to start tonight's show (by which point he is off the phone by the time he reaches the stage). Sami says that he hears the noise and notes that "there are some haters in the house" before asking how many fans are here to "ride or die with The Last Real Good Guy." Sami is soon interrupted by the arrival of Roman Reigns. Reigns tells Sami "It's good to see you," and both men hug. Sami says he could feel more the same, and that he has been waiting to tell him in person that he gets what it means to be champion and the burden that comes with it now. Sami then raises a finger up as Reigns tells the fans to acknowledge him, then Sami says that nothing has changed and that he thinks about "the old time" all the time. Reigns says Raw may be his show, but he has an opportunity - some may have a favor - for him. He says that the greatest title that Sami has ever had is the honorary title of "Honorary Uso," and asks if they are here to discuss titles or 946. He also wants to see if Sami is here out of greed or love, and if he is here to serve The Bloodline (Roman Reigns, Jimmy Uso, "Main Event" Jey Uso, Jacob Fatu, Solo Sikoa). Sami says he treasures his time in The Bloodline and that they are always family, and that he is the head of his own table and that he must do things his own way now that he is Undisputed WWE Champion. Roman says the WWE Championship is "a title," while the World Heavyweight Championship is "the title." Sami begins to think that it all has to do with the arrogance of the man holding the title, and Roman says it has all to do with the man, as Sami's title has meant nothing since WrestleMania 40. Sami says that they will not sit here and minimize his achievement, as it took him 20 years to win the Undisputed WWE Championship and he is "one in a billion." He says that this is not how he wanted things to go, especially since he respects Reigns, but what feels more like disrespect than Reigns' words is Reigns standing two feet away from him like he is not a threat when Reigns knows what kind of threat he can pose. Reigns tells Sami that he knows who Sami Zayn is and that given his track record, Sami might not be WWE Championship by the time he makes it to Crown Jewel. As Reigns heads down the entranceway to the back, Penta shows up and makes his way to the ring. Penta has a staredown with Reigns and holds up his Money in the Bank Briefcase before heading to the ring where Sami Zayn is. Penta then has a staredown with Sami Zayn, who soon leaves the ring and leaves through the crowd before the next match begins.
Penta beats Bron Breakker after Je'Von Evans foils Austin Theory and Maxxine Dupri's interference attempt and whacks Breakker in the head with Penta's Money in the Bank briefcase.
Backstage, Jackie Redmond interviews Roman Reigns. Reigns says things get worse week after week and that everyone is coming out of the woodwork, and after failing to make accommodations with Sami Zayn, he is going to have to go back to the drawing board. Reigns then leaves the arena.
Chelsea Green and Iyo Sky beat The Judgment Day (Raquel Rodriguez and Roxanne Perez) after Iyo dives onto Liv Morgan and Roxanne on the outside before Iyo Sky counters the Tejana Bomb with a hurricanrana into a sit-down pin.
We hear from 946 (Royce Keys, Bronco Nima, Lucien Price, Jaida Parker, Carmelo Hayes) in an undisclosed location. Royce Keys says that last week, 946 called the perfect shot. Carmelo says "...and I didn't miss."
Before the next match begins, Joe Hendry shows up with a guitar while the person wearing the giant Funko Pop head carries a ukelele. JD McDonagh then takes the cheap shot to begin the match.
JD McDonagh beats Joe Hendry after the assist from "Dirty" Dominik Mysterio. During the match, McDonagh takes out the guy with the Funko Pop Head with the guitar and unmasks him.
In backstage footage from earlier today, Lyra Valkyria looks behind her, and Bayley happens to be behind. When Lyra looks over her shoulder, Bayley manages to hide. She soon hides behind a doorway and strikes, but hits Lola Vice instead. Lola says she will see Lyra in the ring before calling her ugly in Spanish.
Lola Vice beats Lyra Valkyria after Bayley grabs at Lyra from underneath before grabbing her behind by the hair as the referee looks under the ring, allowing Lola to hit Lyra with MIA back in the ring for the win. After the match, Lyra attacks Bayley, but Bayley gets the upper hand. Lyra runs off through the crowd. Bayley then grabs a microphone and tells Lyra that she is the one in control, and that they will finish this once and for all next week in a no-disqualification match.
Backstage, General Manager Adam Pearce meets with Stephanie Vaquer, who will have to stay off her foot for another week. Becky Lynch shows up wanting a match win Liv Morgan, but Pearce says nobody is fighting anybody. Becky then proposes a #1 contender's match between her and Vaquer when Vaquer is cleared with the winner facing Liv. Pearce says he will make it happen when Vaquer gets cleared.
Chad Gable retains the WWE Intercontinental Championship against Rey Mysterio and Dragon Lee in a Triple Threat Match after reversing a Sunset Flip with one of his own. After the match, Gable raises Rey's hand, then both men are attacked from behind by "All Ego" Ethan Page while Dragon Lee is attacked on the outside by Big Cass. Ethan raises up the Intercontinental Championship, then attacks Gable again when Gable tries to get up.
"Main Event" Jey Uso shows up with a baseball bat in his hand, and he is soon joined by Jimmy Uso, who grabs a metal folding chair, on the way to the ring. Jimmy and Jey address the war with 946 (Royce Keys, Bronco Nima, Lucien Price, Jaida Parker, Carmelo Hayes) and say that they have nothing to lose, then 946 show up through the crowd. Royce Keys says that Jimmy and Jey have "more balls than brain" and says that nobody is safe before 946 surrounds the ring. All of a sudden, Royce is attacked from behind by Solo Sikoa. Solo also takes out Carmelo, then Jimmy and Jey get the better of Bronco and Lucien in the ring. Solo readies the Samoan Spike for Royce, but he is attacked in the back of the leg with a crowbar by Carmelo. The numbers game soon takes over after that, then Jaida Parker hands a pair of handcuffs to Royce Keys, who is about to handcuff Solo to the ropes when Roman Reigns suddenly shows up. The numbers game between The Bloodline (Roman Reigns, Jimmy Uso, "Main Event" Jey Uso, Solo Sikoa) and 946 is now even, and both sides brawl. The Bloodline lays waste to 946 and forces them to flee to end the show.
Backstage, Raw General Manager Adam Pearce meets up with SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis regarding tonight's six-woman tag match. Trick Williams and Lil Yachty show up, and Trick says he has unfinished business with Sami Zayn. Bron Breakker also shows up, much to Trick's annoyance, and when Lil Yachty says that Trick will be Mr. Money in the Bank, Breakker wants to fight Trick. Pearce makes a match between Breakker and Trick, which Aldis also endorses.
CM Punk heads to the ring. Punk talks about tomorrow night's Money in the Bank Ladder Match and how he won the match in 2008 and 2009 and cashed in both times, then says he is doing this again as he has a chance to make history and be the only three-time winner. He responds to people saying he is crazy and that it cannot be done by saying "Watch me," and admits that it will not be a cakewalk. Punk mentions all of his opponents, but when he mentions Owens, Owens shows up, and Punk talks about him as he heads to the ring. Owens tells Punk that he will not win tomorrow night and that tomorrow will be successful for him, and that he will make sure Punk does not get the contract, "as nobody needs to see [Punk] as WWE Champion ever again." Owens says that as long as Punk does not win the contract, he will consider tomorrow night "a win." Punk says that this is an excuse for a consolation prize and says Owens does not believe in himself, which is why he is on top of the world while Owens is not. Owens says he has never looked up to Punk and will not start now before climbing one of the ladders to be eye-to-eye with Punk as he tells him that he sees a man who is not taking the contract, as he will make sure Punk does not walk out on his own two feet. As Owens says he will beat "that bitch Sami Zayn," Sami Zayn shows up as Owens and Punk argue, and he climbs up the ladder in the center. Sami calls all of this "disapponting," as he is on the short ladder while Owens and Punk are considered above him. Punk says it is not the size of the ladder, but what you do with it, and says he will wrap it around Owens' fat head before he beats Sami Zayn for the Undisputed WWE Championship. Sami says that Owens and Punk should know better, as they know who he is and he is a survivor who has found a way to win and retain the WWE Championship. Owens says Sami had Punk's help, while Punk says Sami had Owens' help. Sami says this is because he is "exceptionally intelligent" and can see the forest for the trees while Punk and Owens cannot comprehend they are exactly alike, then says Owens is honest about wanting Punk to fail while Punk acts like it does not bother him. He says that this drives Punk crazy and that neither Punk or Owens will get the contract tomorrow night as they are not in the headspace for it, while he will still be Undisputed WWE Champion.
Jacy Jayne, Tiffany Stratton and Lash Legend beat Roxanne Perez, Sol Ruca and Lola Vice in a six-woman tag match after Sol Ruca inadvertently hits Lola Vice with the Sol Snatcher as Lash is about to hit Lola with the Lash Extension. After the match, Lash throws Jacy into Tiffany, then hits Tiffany with the Lash Extension.
Backstage, Cathy Kelley interviews Chelsea Green, who is focusing on being positive regarding a possible cash-in. Nikki Bella shows up and berates Chelsea Green again, saying that what she does to Paige is a preview of what she will do to Chelsea as she takes her title. Chelsea chalks this all up to jealousy, and Nikki says Chelsea's reign will be a failure and that Chelsea is a "bootleg Nikki Bella," then says the title will be going to the real thing, which she says Chelsea's husband would rather have. All of a sudden, Charlotte Flair is attacked by Jade Cargill, B-Fab and "Michin" Mia Yim.
Backstage, Alexa Bliss and Tatum Paxley find out what has happened to Charlotte Flair from General Manager Nick Aldis, and says that Jade Cargill, Michin and B-Fab have been removed from the building before stating that Charlotte cannot compete. Charlotte demands that Alexa take her place in the match against Fatal Influence tonight, which Alexa does. Aldis also mentions that everyone will be banned from ringside for the match, including Jacy Jayne.
The MFTs (Tama Tonga and Talla Tonga) beat The War Raiders (Ivar and Erik) after Bakusai (Shinsuke Nakamura and Kiyoki) show up to distract Tama Tonga only for Kiyoki to distract the referee after Tama knocks Kiyoki off the apron, which allows Haku to hit Erik in the throat with his walking stick. After the match, Bakusai brawl with The MFTs and get the upper hand, and when Ivar attacks Kiyoki for costing The War Raiders the match, Bakusai get the better of him, too.
Backstage, as Danhausen scans both Raw General Manager Adam Pearce and SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis for evil with the Evil Detector, Finn Balor shows up wanting a match with Gunther. As Pearce leaves the room saying that he needs a drink, Aldis says that Gunther has a match, but with Danhausen, not with Finn. Danhausen is slightly reluctant to face Gunther, even as Finn reminds Danhausen of how dangerous Gunther is.
We see footage of John Cena on his seventeenth appearance on The Jimmy Fallon Show.
In backstage footage from ealier today, General Manager Nick Aldis meets with The Miz and Kit Wilson when he sees Randy Orton. Aldis tells Orton that he crossed a line with "The American Nightmare" Cody Rhodes. Orton says he will make Aldis' night easy and that he will leave, then says that Cody is the problem and that he did what he said he would do to ensure Cody did not get the WWE Championship before he did. He tells Aldis to sit down and speak with Cody before saying that Cody will not kick his head off his shoulders.
The Miz and Kit Wilson suddenly shows up in the ring, with Miz offended that he pushed aside for Randy Orton. Kit Wilson calls the Lafayette, Louisiana crowd "toxic" before giving them a chance to sing "Happy Birthday" to The Miz. All of a sudden, "The American Nightmare" Cody Rhodes shows up, and The Miz interrupts Cody's entrance as the pyro is still going off, irritated that everyone will sing Cody's theme but not sing "Happy Birthday" to him. Miz demands that Cody stay out of the ring unless he is here to wish him a happy birthday. Cody gets in the ring, throws Kit Wilson over the top rope, then takes out The Miz before speaking to the fans. General Manager Nick Aldis shows up saying he was afraid of this and that he sent Orton home because of this, and says that if this happens anywhere else, it does nothing for anyone and risks both Cody and Orton being put on the shelf along with other top stars. He says that this is about business and that his business is to get the match into the ring. Aldis says that he knows it is far from over between Cody and Orton, and asks Cody to meet him in his office to see how they can make this match happen. Cody offers to have this discussed in his office, which is the ring, and mentions what Orton has done to him. She says that what Orton did to him made his daughter cry, and that fear was behind those tears. Cody says then says he will be everywhere to go after Orton, who cost him the WWE Championship. Cody demands that Orton be face-to-face with him, and says he is not above flying to St. Louis, Missouri to find him, stating that it is all about what he is going to do to Orton.
Backstage, Cathy Kelley interviews Damian Priest, who says that he would be a world champion again if it were not for R-Truth. He says he is done explaining himself regarding R-Truth, then notices Fraxiom (Nathan Frazer and Axiom) mentioning what Priest has done to R-Truth. Priest confronts them, and after Fraxiom chew Priest out to his face, Priest pretends to leave only to lay them both out. All of a sudden, R-Truth sucker punches Priest from out of nowhere, and officials have to stop the ensuing brawl.
Danhausen vs. Gunther ends before it can start. Danhausen stops the referee from starting the match so he can curse Gunther, but Gunther boots Danhausen in the face before he can finish before absolutely torturing him. Finn Balor shows up and gets the better of Gunther, forcing him to retreat throught he crowd. Afterwards, Finn Balor checks on Danhausen, but Gunther returns from backstage and attacks Finn Balor. Finn Balor gets the better of Gunther again, but that does not last for long, and officials show up as Gunther powerbombs Finn Balor into the announce table.
Backstage, Sami Zayn meets with Johnny Gargano and Candice LeRae regarding last week. Gargano and Sami agree on surviving and overcoming the hands they are dealt, and that they need to figure out what they are dealing with. Bron Breakker shows up and tells Sami he will see him soon.
Alexa Bliss and Tatum Paxley beat Fatal Influence (Fallon Henley and Lainey Reid) to become the WWE Women's Tag Team Champions after Lainey Reid is caught holding on to Fallon Henley's hand on a pinfall attempt to give Fallon leverage from the outside, allowing Alexa to hit Lainey with Sister Abigail and Tatum to hit Fallon with Cemetery Drive to win the match and the titles. (As per pre-match stipulation; everyone else is banned from ringside.)
Trick Williams beats Bron Breakker by disqualification after Austin Theory and Maxxine Dupri show up and Theory attacks Trick. After the match, Logan Paul shows up and knocks Lil Yachty out, then Je'Von Evans shows up and fights Theory only to be distracted by Maxxine, allowing Breakker and Theory to gang up on Je'Von until Penta shows up and takes both Breakker and Theory out. Suddenly, "Big" Bronson Reed shows up from out of nowhere and takes out Penta before going on the warpath, leading to a Spear to Trick Williams by Bron Breakker before Bronson Reed hits Trick with a Tsunami. The attacks continue as the show fades to black.
Penta heads to the ring to start tonight's show. Penta says that last Monday night was one of the biggest nights of his life, as he fought for the World Heavyweight Championship in front of his friends and family, his fans, his people, and the world. Penta says that Roman Reigns was the better man that night and that he respects him, then tells him that this is not over, that he wants another fight and that he wants the World Heavyweight Championship. He says that this is only the beginning, then "Dirty" Dominik Mysterio and JD McDonagh show up. Dominik says nobody cares about Penta's hopes and dreams, and that the people would rather hear from someone who stood talk in Mexico like them, as they left El Grande Americano, Stephanie Vaquer and Rey Mysterio laying. McDonagh says he does not even know why Penta is talking about the World Heavyweight Championship, as he had his shot and lost, and tells him to go to the back of the line as Dominik wins Money in the Bank and the title before he ever gets a shot again. Dominik then tells Penta to put some respect on his name, for Penta is just a luchador while he is the king of the luchadors. Penta calls Dominik "el rey de los pendejos" and says that Dominik's father is the only king. Dominik and McDonagh jump Penta immediately for this, but Penta fights back as they are about to put him through the announce table. Dominik and McDonagh soon retreat.
Backstage, The Usos (Jimmy and "Main Event" Jey Uso) ask Jacob Fatu what they will do about 946 (Royce Keys, Bronco Nima, Lucien Price). Jacob says they have to play it low and play it slow every day, and that the wrong move is to make the first move. Solo Sikoa shows up pretending to wave a white flag and says that 946 (Royce Keys, Bronco Nima, Lucien Price) will not stop until everyone is finished and that they all have to work together. Jimmy says Solo is only here looking for protection, and Jey wants Solo to acknowledge him and Jimmy as captains and acknowledge Roman Reigns as tribal chief. Solo says that is not going to happen. Jey tells Solo to leave, which Solo does after "Back to the drawing board, then," and Jacob tells The Usos that they just made a big mistake before walking out of the room.
Roxanne Perez beats La Catalina and Iyo Sky in a women's Triple Threat Money in the Bank qualifer after Iyo Sky hits Over the Moonsault on La Catalina only for Roxanne to hit Pop Rox on Iyo Sky.
Backstage, LA Knight meets with Solo Sikoa, saying that they need to lay low as he tells Solo not to join The Bloodline (Roman Reigns, Jimmy Uso, "Main Event" Jey Uso, Jacob Fatu) or to cash in on him after winning Money in the Bank before they focus on 946 (Royce Keys, Bronco Nima, Lucien Price). Solo says he would never do that before bumping fists with Knight and leaving.
LA Knight heads to the ring. LA Knight says that Roman Reigns and Penta gave their all last week even though Penta came up short, then addresses Money in the Bank, proclaiming that he will become World Heavyweight Champion. Knight says it has been three years of him being the uncrowned champion after everything he has been through, then says that he is "the plans." He says that Reigns wants to be acknowledged, and while he acknowledges Reigns' greatness, the fans have been behind him. He says that the fans want him to have a title shot, but deep down, the fans feel like it will never happen after everything he has been through and after he has not won the big one. Knight also admits he has wondered if anyone can beat Reigns, including himself. It wasn't until The Bloodline (Roman Reigns, Jimmy Uso, "Main Event" Jey Uso, Jacob Fatu) failed to run into the ring that he realized that Roman Reigns wants to rewrite his legacy as a fighting champion who can win on his own, and that Reigns has never been man enough to beat him on his own. Knight says that if this is the case, more power to Reigns, as he made his case last week again and he will make it again, as he had never needed anyone's else help to beat anybody and he is the most self-made man in the game.
Backstage, Byron Saxton interviews Je'Von Evans. Je'Von finds out that he is the youngest Money in the Bank Ladder Match competitor at the age of 22, and says that he will be the youngest Money in the Bank winner in history. The Vision (Bron Breakker, "Big" Bronson Reed, Logan Paul, Austin Theory, Maxxine Dupri) shows up, with Logan Paul saying Je'Von is dumber than he looks. Bron Breakker approaches Je'Von and congratulates him on qualifying before declaring that Money in the Bank is his. Je'Von Evans challenges Bron Breakker to his match, then notices that he is outnumbered five to one before slapping Breakker in the face.
Je'Von Evans beats Bron Breakker by disqualification after Austin Theory trips Je'Von off the top before Je'Von can hit the OG Cutter. After the match, Breakker and Theory gang up on Je'Von Evans. All of a sudden, Oba Femi shows up for the first time in weeks and overpowers them both, and when Bronson Reed hits him with a splash, Oba Femi strikes back. Oba stops Logan Paul as soon as he brings a chair into the ring, and Oba swings for the fences before Bronson gets the better of him. Bronson tries to swing the chair at him, but Oba uppercuts him and smashes the chair right into Bronson's back. Oba then lets Je'Von do the honors, and when Je'Von leaps over the top rope, Oba catches him and throws him into The Vision (Bron Breakker, "Big" Bronson Reed, Logan Paul, Austin Theory).
WWE Hall of Famer Mark Henry is seen in the front row.
We hear from 946 (Royce Keys, Bronco Nima, Lucien Price). Royce Keys tells The Bloodline (Roman Reigns, Jimmy Uso, "Main Event" Jey Uso, Jacob Fatu) that they are not firing any more warning shots and that they are crossing the line.
We see footage from earlier today where Joe Hendry performs a live impromptu rendition of "JD McDonagh is a Funko Pop" in the arena.
The Judgment Day (Liv Morgan, Raquel Rodriguez, Roxanne Perez, "Dirty" Dominik Mysterio, JD McDonagh) heads to the ring. JD McDonagh says that everything with Joe Hendry and the Funko Pop is sad, not funny, and that all he sees in the fans are losers with low self-esteem projecting their insecurities at him, and promises that none of it affects him and that he does not care what everyone says. He says that it is affecting his family, that his mother is stressed out over this, and that this must end before stating that he has a normal-sized head. Raquel says that as a fellow Texan, she is embarrassed by the fans' behavior and calls them all "haters," and says that Liv Morgan's music video is much better than Joe Hendry's. Liv Morgan says that they got to embarrass El Grande Americano, Stephanie Vaquer and Rey Mysterio last week, then says that Vaquer cannot hide from her forever and that what happened in Chile was a tragedy. She also calls her loss of the Women's World Championship a conspiracy that both Vaquer and Becky Lynch were in on, then dares Vaquer to defend against her so she can prove she is the best Women's World Champion of all time. Becky Lynch suddenly shows up in the crowd. She says that Liv Morgan must be embarrassed and that McDonagh's mother is stressed that McDonagh - who Becky has known since he was 12 - is hanging out with The Judgment Day. She also tells Liv Morgan that there will be no slander towards "Referee Rebecca" before telling Liv to get to the back of the line, as the first shot at the Women's World Championship is hers. Stephanie Vaquer then shows up and says Liv can talk all she wants, as she is the Women's World Champion, and that she won the title on her own. Liv says Vaquer only won because of Becky, but Vaquer says Liv is mad because she wants her title back. She says that if Liv wants a rematch, she can give her one and prove that her win in Chile was not a fluke. When Becky speaks up, Vaquer gives her a match for the title, saying she is not afraid to defend it, and says that the title is hers.
We hear from Lyra Valkyria, who says she had to take extreme measures to separate herself from Bayley, as Bayley took a year off of her career. She says that when she beat Bayley within an inch of her life, she paid the biggest price. She then says it was worth it to end Bayley, move on and move forward and upwards. She says Money in the Bank was her chance, but Bayley is still costing her opportunities when she claims to fight for all women. Lyra says she did not go far enough last time, and she will make tonight's match Bayley's last match.
Lyra Valkyria beats Bayley after sending an enraged Bayley into the ropes before grabbing the tights with a schoolkid pin for the win.
Backstage, Chad Gable meets with Dragon Lee, saying he got out of their match by the skin of his teeth and that he is down for a rematch. Dragon Lee says that tonight, he is going to qualify for Money in the Bank. "All Ego" Ethan Page shows up and says Chad Gable is giving people opportunities left and right and is living in his fantasy land trying to leave some kind of legacy, and that he will be waiting for his opportunity when he decides to come back to reality. Gable tells Ethan he had multiple opportunities and lost in all of them, then tells Ethan to show him something and to stay away from him and his title until he does.
General Manager Adam Pearce is on the stage with a Raw contract as he introduces the newest member of the Raw women's roster: Lola Vice. Lola Vice shows up on the stage and says this means everything to her, as her mother introduced her to fashion and dance while her father made her into an ass-kicker who qualified for Money in the Bank. She says she is here to show the best of both world and prove she is world champion material, and regardless of who qualifies, her fists do not lie and she will knock people out. Roxanee Perez shows up and says nobody cares about Lola's contract signing or her father teaching her how to fight, then says she can teach her a thing or two and prove Lola is levels below her. Lola yells at Roxanne and nearly knocks her out with a spinning back fist.
Backstage, Paul Heyman has been watching Lola Vice when he is approached by Bron Breakker. Heyman says that Oba Femi is still breathing, which is "bad, bad, bad" for The Vision (Bron Breakker, "Big" Bronson Reed, Logan Paul, Austin Theory, Maxxine Dupri). Breakker says that he is still breathing, which is "bad, bad, bad" for everyone.
Before the next match, Solo Sikoa is jumped by 946 (Royce Keys, Bronco Nima, Lucien Price) and thrown in the back of a black van. The Usos (Jimmy and "Main Event" Jey Uso) and Jacob Fatu briefly run after the van, then LA Knight shows up and finds out what happened.
In footage from the commercial break, "Dirty" Dominik Mysterio tries to get a bye into Money in the Bank out of General Manager Adam Pearce. Adam Pearce has none of it and tells Dominik to go to the ring.
Before the next match begins, General Manager Adam Pearce shows up and announces that Solo Sikoa will not be able to compete tonight, then says there will be a replacement for Solo: Penta.
Penta beats "Dirty" Dominik Mysterio and Dragon Lee in a men's Triple Threat Money in the Bank qualifier after Dominik tries to send Penta head-first into an exposed top turnbuckle only for Penta to reverse it and hit Dominik with a springboard Mexican Destroyer to win and qualify.
Roman Reigns heads to the ring to start tonight's show. Reigns says that he is a man of his word, and that when he calls his shot, he delivers. He says that he saved WWE and owned the whole summer, and last night, he beat Seth "Freakin'" Rollins. He knows that in Iowa, it stings a little bit, for Rollins is from Iowa and Rollins is "his boy," then has the crowd sing Rollins' song. All of a sudden, LA Knight shows up. Knight congratulates Reigns for his win at SummerSlam and still being World Heavyweight Champion, then congratulates Reigns on beating Rollins on his own. He then says Reigns is still a fraud. Knight says he has called his name for months, but Reigns has sicced The Bloodline (Jimmy Uso, "Main Event" Jey Uso, Jacob Fatu) on him, and Reigns still owes him a real one-on-one match for the World Heavyweight Championship, and while they can have it any time they want, the only right answer is "Yeah." Reigns says the only fraud he is Knight, saying that Knight calls himself a megastar yet wears a Walmart watch on his wrist before showing off his own wristwatch. He says everyone runs their mouths, and wants to know what Knight has done lately. He says there is no validity in anything Knight says, as he has not won a tournament or a big match, and says title shorts will be awarded through bitching and moaning. He says that Knight will not waste his time, and tells Knight to get to the back of the line. Knight stops Reigns on his way out, saying that Reigns is cooler when he is not standing in front of him and that Reigns uses other people to duck him because he sucks. He says Reigns may be on another level because he is champion, but he is not on his level. Knight says that Reigns is everything he wishes he was, and tells Reigns to come back when he can buy a pair, since he cannot grow one, so he can slap him back to factory settings.
Je'Von Evan beats "All Ego" Ethan Page with the OG Cutter after the referee catches Ethan removing a turnbuckle cover and Je'Von leaps over both Ethan and the referee to hit the OG Cutter. After the match, Big Cass returns and hits Je'Von with a big boot, then grabs Je'Von and whips him into the ropes for a bear hug into the East River Crossing.
Backstage, Roman Reigns speaks with the rest of The Bloodline (Jimmy Uso, "Main Event" Jey Uso, Jacob Fatu), saying he has a standard and that it does not work if they lose. He says they already had the advantage and still lost, then wants to know where Solo Sikoa is, as he should be on his hip right now. After showing further frustration with LA Knight, he wants to know why Royce Keys is considered Jacob's family, as Royce is not part of his. Roman tells Jacob not to let "those circus folks" confuse him and that they are the only bloodling around here. He tells The Bloodline to leave LA Knight to him, then leaves before Knight shows up, saying he is out of here after having overheard Reigns.
Backstage, Royce Keys meets with Jacob Fatu, reminding him of the times they both fought in California and that he is still rolling with him and that they are still family. Jacob feels otherwise, and says Royce is just "one of the boys" before challenging him to a street fight tonight.
The Judgment Day (Liv Morgan, Raquel Rodriguez, Roxanne Perez) heads to the ring. Liv brags about she beat one of the best in the world in Iyo Sky at SummerSlam before calling her the only woman in the division brave enough to challenge her, and now that she is done with Iyo, she does not see any challengers. Liv says she will be the longest-reigning Women's World Champion of all time, then addresses Raquel, who is carrying the WWE Women's Intercontinental Championship, which is now adorned with barbed wire. She says Raquel could not be champion without the help of Roxanne Perez, who will beat Sol Ruca tonight and prove that The Judgment Day rules Monday Night Raw.
Sol Ruca beats Roxanne Perez by disqualification after Liv Morgan trips Sol Ruca at the corner as Sol Ruca goes for the Soul Snatcher in full view of the referee. All of a sudden, Becky Lynch shows up for the first time in over two months and confronts The Judgment Day (Liv Morgan, Raquel Rodriguez, Roxanne Perez), but says she is not here for the Women's Intercontinental Championship and that she wants the World Women's Championship. She says that she is here to make sure Liv does not wait over 100 days to defend again and that Liv Morgan has done nothing but become a glorified valet and that a champion should be fighting and not just flirting. She says that Liv has had the worst title reign of all time.She says that Liv has had the worst title reign of all time. After Becky says that things are about to get worse for Liv, Liv says Becky should be at home with her daughter instead of in her face being jealous of her because Becky's time is over and her time is over. The Judgment Day leaves, and Becky says Liv is not the greatest women's champion to sleep with "Dirty" Dominik Mysterio, much less the best in her group. All of a sudden, Stephanie Vaquer shows up for the first time in a while and takes out Raquel and Roxanne. Liv runs to the ring, and Becky Lynch watches from the top rope as Vaquer beats Liv up. Raquel and Roxanne return, but Vaquer fends them off as well as Liv, sending all three women into a retreat. Becky and Vaquer then have a staredown in the middle of the ring, and both of them argue over the Women's World Championship.
We see a video package chronicling Brock Lesnar's career.
Backstage, Paul Heyman has seen the video package for Brock Lesnar when he is met by Oba Femi, who says he never got the chance to thank Lesnar. He asks Heyman to tell Lesnar he said thanks when he sees him again, and Heyman congratulates Oba Femi on winning at SummerSlam.
Oba Femi heads to the ring. Oba says that words cannot describe what transpired at SummerSlam, and that he and Brock Lesnar came out of their match with newfound respect for one another. He thought that Lesnar knew he was the one at WrestleMania, but chalked Lesnar's revenge out of jealousy or evil. He then found out that Lesnar wanted to know if he could swim, but at SummerSlam, the question was whether or not Oba could hold his breath. Oba states that Lesnar took him to the deepest deaths, but he swam up, become victorious, and passed the test.He says that now, "The Beast" can rest, and now that he has a clear path, he will lead a new generation and a new crop of talent, the old guard will fall, and if any man has a problem, they will answer to him. As Oba Femi is on his way out, The Vision (Bron Breakker, Austin Theory, Maxxine Dupri) shows up, and Bron Breakker stares Oba Femi down briefly before The Vision heads to the ring to the point that Theory has to hold Theory back.
Bron Breakker beats Joe Hendry with a Spear despite continuing to look towards the back at the start of the match, which leads to Hendry sending Theory into the commentary table after leaping over a Spear after Breakker runs around the ring. After the match, Austin Theory attacks Joe Hendry, and Akira Tozawa gets in the ring and fights Theory, sending Theory out of the ring.
Backstage, Jackie Redmond interviews Big Cass. Big Cass says he was left for dead in the dirt and that it took eight years to get here from rock bottom. He says that it was nothing personal and that Je'Von Evans was just in the way, and that Je'Von is the first - and not the last - of the bodies he will stack.
Chad Gable heads to the ring. Gable talks about how last night was the single-greatest moment of his career and says that he earned it, then thanks Penta for being the epitome of a fighting champion and continuing to cement his legacy as the greatest luchador in the history of the business. He then thanks all of the fans for sticking with him for ten years, even when it came close and it never happened, even when he was "Shorty G," and even when he promised to overcome everything he had been through to become a singles champion. Gable says he has taught his children to bust one's ass to deliver when you make a promise, and that he has delivered on his promise and is proud to be WWE Intercontinental Champion. All of a sudden, Penta shows up and heads to the ring, and tells Gable that he deserves the Intercontinental Championship, and tonight, he gives Gable his flowers. He knows that Gable made his mistakes, but he changed, and now, he has his respect and that of the fans. He calls Gable "a true luchador" and one of the best wrestlers in the world before raising his hand. All of a sudden, "Dirty" Dominik Mysterio and JD McDonagh show up. Dominik says he cannot understand Gable being called a true luchador, then says he is AAA Mega Champion and the greatest Mysterio of all time. McDonagh asks why any of "these Des Moines ditchpigs" would root for Gable when he lost the right to call himself a luchador. McDonagh also mocks Penta for losing to Gable before Dominik says the two of them will beat Penta and Gable any time. Gable says tonight is the best time, and Dominik accepts the challenge.
Chad Gable and Penta beat The Judgment Day ("Dirty" Dominik Mysterio and JD McDonagh) after Gable stops Dominik from hitting the 619 with a ring bell hammer in his boot and Penta blasts Dominik on the outside with the WWE Intercontinental Championship as the referee puts the hammer away.
Backstage, Bron Breakker meets with Paul Heyman, who agrees with Breakker that he should do something about Oba Femi. When he asks Paul Heyman where Oba Femi is, Heyman says he does not know, and Breakker apologizes for thinking Oba Femi was Heyman's "new best friend." In the background, General Manager Adam Pearce meets with Lyra Valkyria.
Jacob Fatu beats Royce Keys by submission in a street fight with the Tongan Death Grip. After the match, officials have to get Jacob Fatu off of Royce Keys. After Jacob Fatu is declared the winner, Jacob Fatu briefly locks the hold back in and says it is family business as blood comes out of Royce's mouth. Jacob then scares the referees out of the ring to hit a few hip attacks in the corner. Jacob Fatu then wraps a chair around Royce Key's head, and General Manager Adam Pearce shows up with more officials to talk Jacob down. Jacob pretends to leave the ring, then hits the hip attack one more time on the chair. Roman Reigns shows up and nods at Jacob Fatu from the stage before he and Jacob Fatu raise one finger. Afterwards, Roman Reigns is met by Rey Mysterio, who then tells Roman Reigns that he is General Manager of AAA and says "Let me run something by you."
An angry Gunther shows up from out of the crowd and destroys the Italian comentary table before clearing the English commentary table, then takes a microphone. He says that the show will not start until he gets justice for what happened at Clash in Italy, as he lost despite his foot being under the bottom rope. He also says that "The American Nightmare" Cody Rhodes cheated and did not beat him. As he looks into the camera and addresses Cody, Cody shows up and slowly makes his way to the ring as he always does before addressing Gunther. Cody says that Gunther is right in his claim, then says that Gunther is a twenty-year pro and is being "big mad" about how he is handling it. He then says they can have their rematch right here tonight. Suddenly, Sami Zayn shows up and greets his "ride or die fans" for giving him the respect he has been looking for. He says he wanted Cody and Gunther to handle their own business, then says he knows where Gunther is coming from. He then says that both men did him wrong and neither man seems to note that, and when Gunther tells Sami to get out of his ring so they can handle World Championship business, Sami says he might not have held a world title, yet he knows about beating Gunther for championships. Cody wants to know what side Sami is on right now, and Sami says that Cody is always blowing him off and looking towards the next threat when he should realize that the biggest threat might be him. Cody says "Is that so?" Sami tells Cody that he said he would beat Gunther and teach him a lesson, then says he beat Gunther and wants to know when Cody will teach that lesson. Gunther goes on the attack, and this time, Sami fights Gunther when he goes for a sleeper on Cody. Cody hits Sami with a tope suicida meant for Gunther, and when Cody offers to help Sami up, Sami gets up and walks away.
The Miz finds out on the phone that Kit Wilson is not here due to his four emotional support cats, then The Miz lets Kit Wilson what he is doing to foil Danhausen's plans. Danhausen shows up, and The Miz starts messing with stuff until he shocks himself. Danhausen then finds some food on the floor and eats it.
Backstage, Gunther confronts General Manager Nick Aldis. He says that instead of being treated like a gift, he is treated like he does not belong. Aldis insists Gunther has always been treated with respect, but Gunther demands Aldis fix everything or else he will be drowning in so many lawsuits his grandchildren will need a lawyer.
We are introduced to the Italian commentary team of Michele Posa and Luca Franchini.
Raquel Rodriguez beats Kiana James, Jacy Jayne and Bayley to advance in the Queen of the Ring Tournament after Jacy yanks Kiana's feet off the middle rope, costing her the win, and Kiana blames Giulia for it. After the match, Kiana rebukes and shoves Giulia away when Giulia tries to help her up, and continues to blame Giulia for the loss before stating it is over. Giulia responds by hitting her with a Lou Thesz press and punching her, then knocking her out of the ring.
Backstage, Sami Zayn smacks another water bottle, then finds Johnny Gargano planking on a road crate and tells him about what happened tonight. General Manager Nick Aldis shows up and tells Sami Zayn to stay out of "The American Nightmare" Cody Rhodes' and Gunther's business, but Sami says they made their business his business, but Aldis tells Sami he made it worse. Aldis then says he has no time for Sami, and Sami asks who is so important that Aldis cannot give him a minute. Chad Gable shows up, mius the El Grande Americano mask, and stares Sami down before heading into Aldis' office.
Talla Tonga beats Royce Keys after Solo Sikoa distracts the referee and Tama Tonga distracts Royce Keys. After the match, Tama and Talla continue to go on the attack on Royce Keys. R-Truth runs into the ring, but he also gets attacked. Damian Priest shows up and pulls R-Truth out of the ring. With Priest and R-Truth gone, Tama Tonga hits Royce Keys with Cutthroat.
Backstage, Raquel Rodriguez shows up as The Judgment Day (Liv Morgan, JD McDonagh, "Dirty" Dominik Mysterio) talk amongst each other. They celebrate Raquel's win, then Dominik says he will win the match so that The Judgment Day will win all the gold.
We hear from Finn Balor, who says that he has proven himself time and time again in this business, and that in any night, any situation and any match, he will shine every time an opportunity falls his way. He says that he can stand toe-to-toe with the best, but he wants it all. Finn Balor is part of the SmackDown roster now, and he will make his debut in the King of the Ring Tournament next week.
Backstage, Damian Priest wants R-Truth to stop helping Royce Keys, as he doesn't know what is going on between Royce Keys and the MFT's (Solo Sikoa, Tama Tonga, Talla Tonga). The War Raiders (Ivar and Erik) shows up with the AAA World Tag Team Championships, and Erik tells R-Truth that when he is ready, they want to defend their titles against the WWE Tag Team Champions. Ivar says they are ready, but nobody is ready for war. R-Truth says he has never met either of them a day in his life and leaves.
Rhea Ripley heads to the ring. Rhea says she has put Jade Cargill behind her, and while she did not come out completely unscathed due to her banged-up knee and Jade Cargill came in with a gameplan to take her out, Cargill failed to take her out, and she is still champion. She also says she had a nice, unexpected friend help her with the numbers game, and Charlotte Flair shows up and admits that while Rhea did not asks for her help, she had her back because she respects her and had fun teaming with her. Charlotte then says that Queen of the Ring is happening for the next few weeks and that she is a competitor at heart as well as a fourteen-time champion, and that she will be standing in front of Rhea at SummerSlam, because Rhea has what she wants. Tiffany Stratton shows up, and after refusing to apologize to Charlotte, Tiffany admits that while she looks good with the Women's United States title, she wants the WWE Women's Championship. Jade Cargill, "Michin" Mia Yim and B-Fab show up, and Cargill says that Tiffany, Rhea and Charlotte look stupid together before stating that Charlotte made herself next in line for what she pulled, and tells Tiffany to stay out of her business. Cargill then tells Rhea she is coming for what is hers, and she, Michin and B-Fab head to the ring before General Manager Nick Aldis shows up. After Aldis says that Rhea is not cleared to compete, Charlotte admits that she and Tiffany do not like each other, but challenges Cargill and company to a tag match. Aldis makes the match official, and the match takes place next.
Jade Cargill and "Michin" Mia Yim beat Charlotte Flair and Tiffany Stratton.
Backstage, Cathy Kelley interviews Fatal Influence (Jacy Jayne, Fallon Henley, Lainey Reid) Jacy is not in the mood for an interview. As she says that she is on another level compared to the rest of the women's division, she spies Brie Bella and Paige in a photoshoot. As Brie and Paige mention Jacy's loss tonight, Fallon Henley and Lainey Reid jump Brie and Paige.
Backstage, R-Truth meets with Royce Keys. Royce tells R-Truth he appreciates what R-Truth has done for him, and R-Truth says he wants to return the favor. Royce acknowledges that he and Damian Priest cannot get along, however, and says that this is something R-Truth will have to handle.
Ricky Saints beats Carmelo Hayes after grabbing the tights on a roll-up.
Backstage, Cathy Kelley interviews Trick Williams. Trick says he is only concerned with himself, but he is entertained with people fighting over what he has. He hopes to win the King of the Ring Tournament, be on the same list with some greats, and win a world championship to become a double champion again. Bron Breakker then shows up and briefly stares down Trick Williams.
Backstage, Tiffany Stratton is met by Chelsea Green, who insists on wanting to team with Tiffany. Chelsea fails to figure it out that Tiffany wants nothing to do with her, even as Chelsea wants Tiffany in her corner for her match.
We hear from Blake Monroe. Blake is impressed by Tiffany Stratton and her trise to the top, and says that looking at her is like looking in a mirror. She calls a match with her a box-office event, but Tiffany is not used to getting her hands dirty, and Tiffy Time will soon run on "Monroe minutes." Blake Monroe is coming soon to SmackDown.
Lash Legend beats Chelsea Green.
Backstage, Royce Keys is met by Solo Sikoa. Royce tells Solo to watch what he says, and Solo asks Royce why he is being so difficult. Solo says that Roman Reigns made Jacob Fatu bow down like a dog and that Damian Priest wants nothing to do with him, and he is the only family Royce has. Royce asks if he really busted his ass for this, but Solo reminds him that he is the one who made the call to bring him to WWE just like he brought Jacob, Tama Tonga and Talla Tonga to WWE. Solo says that they need to get ready for war, and tells him to stop being so difficult or else he will make things difficult.
Backstage, Axiom congratulates Rey Fenix on winning the AAA Cruiserweight Champion. As Fenix tells Nathan Frazer that he has a title shot if he wants it, Chad Gable meets with Fenix and says they had a great match, but he had it under false pretenses as El Grande Americano. He says that he was made a mockery of lucha libre when he was should have been taking on a responsibility, and asks Fenix for forgiveness. Fenix says that Gable has learned a lot and has suffered from losing his match, and while he forgives Gable, he reminds him that he is not the only person he offended.
"Dirty" Dominik Mysterio beats Damian Priest, Trick Williams and Bron Breakker to advance in the King of the Ring Tournament and face Oba Femi in the semi-finals after JD McDonagh distracts Damian Priest and Liv Morgan hits Priest with a low blow following Bron Breakker clotheslining Damina Priest through the announce table.
Roman Reigns and The Usos (Jimmy and "Main Event" Jey Uso) make their way to the ring to start tonight's show. Roman says he has been waiting for this day for a long time because there is no day like acknowledgment day, and Jey Uso wants to know where Jacob Fatu is on his first day on the job. Jacob Fatu shows up, and Roman and Jey tell Jacob that he knows what time it is. Jacob takes the microphone from Jey's hand and tells Roman that he knew what he was getting into when he challenged Roman to Tribal Combat, as he has been taking L's his whole life and it brought him here. He admits that last night, his children saw their father take a loss and keep his word, and he lost to his Tribal Chief. He tells Jey he did not lose to him, then acknowledge Roman Reigns as Tribal Chief and takes a knee beforeraising his right hand. Roman takes Jimmy by the hand, and Roman tells Jacob that while he does not understand this right now, he loves him. Jimmy says this is a warning shot that "they the twos and we the ones."
We are introduced to the French announce team of Michele Posa and Luca Franchini.
Oba Femi beats Solo Sikoa, Penta and Carmelo Hayes in a Fatal 4-Way Match to advance in the King of the Ring Tournament. After the match, Oba says Paul Heyman asked if he could take a beating and asked what he does after taking a beating that included seven F-5's, then says he is standing, winning and still here after taking Brock Lesnar's best shot, and he will become King of the Ring. He reminds Lesnar that they are 1-1 and that he will see him down the line.
Cathy Kelley introduces Sol Ruca to the ring. Sol Ruca states that winning the WWE Women's Intercontinental Championship is a dream come true, as she and the fans all believed in her and that she could be a champion. Sol Ruca then thanks the fans and gives credit where credit is due to Becky Lynch despite Becky being against the match and feeling she was not ready to face the very best only to be proven wrong. She then says that as tough as it was to beat Becky, her work is just getting started, as the Women's Intercontinental Championship and the fans deserve a fighting champion, which she promises to be. She then says that if anyone thinks she is a rookie or if they underestimate her, she will snatch their soul walk out the champion.
In footage from after the show, "The American Nightmare" Cody Rhodes and Roman Reigns have a chance meeting. Backstage, Roman Reigns meets with The Usos (Jimmy and "Main Event" Jey Uso), telling Jey to stay on Cody as he is the only one who understands tough love. He then tells Jey to go in at the King of the Ring Tournament, take the Undisputed WWE Championship and head to SummerSlam. Roman says there are two ends to the table, and he needs Jey to level up. He then asks Jimmy to stay with him, saying that Jey needs to do this on his own.
Rey Mysterio and Dragon Lee beat "All Ego" Ethan Page and Rusev.
Backstage, General Manager Adam Pearce tells Penta that he will make the Intercontinental Championship defense against Rey Mysterio happen. After Penta leaves, LA Knight shows up and accuses Pearce of siding with Roman Reigns. Pearce says he was talking business with Roman last night and that he has no idea what Knight saw, but Knight says that Pearce only wants Roman as World Heavyweight Champion before threatening to take Pearce out of retirement just to put him back in it. Pearce says Jacob Fatu is a liabilty and that Knight can believe whatever he wants, but he is trying to keep Roman Reigns and The Usos (Jimmy and "Main Event" Jey Uso) in line. When Pearce points a finger at Knight, Knight raises Pearce's finger up into the air, taking it as more proof that Pearce is siding with Roman.
Iyo Sky beats Giulia, Roxanne Perez and Lash Legend to advance in the Queen of the Ring Tournament.
Backstage, Maxxine Dupri is shocked to find out she is not in the Queen of the Ring Tournament. General Manager Adam Pearce tells her that the tournament is stacked and that he had to make some tough decisions, and when Maxxine says she has been overlooked again, Pearce tells her that if an opening comes up, she will be at the top of the list. Otis tells her that he and Akira Tozawa have her back, but that they have noticed that Maxxine has been hanging out more with Austin Theory instead of them. Maxxine tells Otis that she knows what she is doing and to trust her on this.
We see the recent events regarding Danhausen and the New York Knicks, who have reached the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999 since Danhausen uncursed the team.
Backstage, Cathy Kelley interviews Bayley and Lyra Valkyria. Bayley says the two of them can do the Queen of the Ring Tournament and the Women's Tag Team Championships at the same time. Lyra notices Sol Ruca and congratulates her on beating Becky Lynch for the WWE Women's Intercontinental Championship, then says that she wants to challenge for the Women's Intercontinental Championship, which she could not challenge for while Becky was still champion. Sol Ruca says she would be honored.
Backstage, Liv Morgan shows up as Roxanne Perez is frustrated with her Queen of the Ring Tournament loss. Liv Morgan says that it has been a rough couple of weeks, but they are still family. Liv says that they take opportunities, not pout over them, and that one of them will take it all back for The Judgment Day (Liv Morgan, Raquel Rodriguez, Roxanne Perez, JD McDonagh, "Dirty" Dominik Mysterio), win the King and Queen of the Ring Tournaments, and take over Raw.
Seth "Freakin'" Rollins beats Bron Breakker. During the match, Austin Theory shows up only to get taken down by Rollins, and Paul Heyman has to distract referee Chad Patton so that Theory can hit Rollins with one of the World Tag Team Championships. Montez Ford shows up and takes out Austin Theory with a tope con hiro over the ring post, but gets Speared by Breakker. Breakker then hits Rollins with a Spear, but Rollins kicks out. Rollins soon hits Breakker with The Stomp, but Heyman puts Braekker's foot on the rope. Rollins confronts Heyman, who says he has no respect for Rollins, and Breakker goes for a Spear on the outside only for Rollins to pull Heyman in front of himself, leading Breakker to Spear Heyman through the barricade. An angry Breakker goes after Rollins with another Spear, but Rollins uses Theory's World Tag Team Championship as a shield and hits The Stomp for the win.
The show starts with Michael Cole and Corey Graves coming out of a radio station van as part of tonight's Stranger Things collaboration.
Rhea Ripley and Iyo Sky beat The Kabuki Warriors (Asuka and Kairi Sane) to become the WWE Women's Tag Team Champions!
Backstage, General Manager Adam Pearce congratulates Rhea Ripley and Iyo Sky on the championship win, then meets Gunther and reminds him that tonight is a big night and that a little respect goes a long way. Gunther heads to the ring, and after the commercial break, mentions that he has been asked by management to show a little bit of respect as the fans boo him, then asks about respect for him for making John Cena tap out. Before he can finish the sentence with "Like a little bitch," "The Phenomenal" AJ Styles shows up and heads to the ring. Gunther interrupts Styles whenever he tries to speak, telling Styles that he is punching above his weight and proclaiming that he is the greatest wrestler in WWE because he made Cena tap out. He then finishes the sentence with "Like a little bitch" when Styles tries to speak again, then asks Styles what he will do about it before performing the "You can't see me" hand signal. Styles slaps Gunther in the face, making Gunther angry, but when Gunther does not strike back, Styles says "Just like I thought...nothing!" before leaving the ring.
Backstage, Ivy Nile demands a shot at the WWE Women's Intercontinental Championship from General Manager Adam Pearce, refusing to go to the back of the line. After Ivy Nile leaves, Gunther demands a match with "The Phenomenal" AJ Styles, and Styles confronts Gunther. Gunther leaves before Pearce makes the match official for next week.
Becky Lynch beats Maxxine Dupri to win the WWE Women's Intercontinental Championship for the second time after Becky leans back to pin Maxxine's shoulders to the mat as Maxxine has her in an ankle lock while using the ropes for leverage.
We see a vignette for Oba Femi.
During the commercial break on the international Netflix feed, General Manager Adam Pearce hands Je'Von Evans a Raw contract. Je'Von signs it, becoming the newest member of the red brand.
We see a preview of Season 2 of WWE Unreal.
The Usos (Jimmy and "Main Event" Jey Uso) show up in the crowd. Jey thanks "The Phenomenal" AJ Styles and Dragon Lee for the fight last week - and last year - and says that this year is theirs and that this is a warning shot. Jimmy declares that The Usos are the best tag team in the game and calls out all potential challengers, then Jey says that they are on Monday Night Raw every week and that everyone knows where to find them.
Jackie Redmond interviews Stephanie Vaquer in the ring. Vaquer is wearing a walking boot on her left leg following last week's World Women's Championship defense. Vaquer is wearing a walking boot on her left leg following last week's World Women's Championship defense. She says that she wants to take on more opponents and prove she is the best. Afterwards, she is suddenly attacked from behind by Raquel Rodriguez. Raquel soon attacks Vaquer's injured left ankle before hitting her with a Tejana Bomb, and referees show up as she grabs a metal folding chair to further attack the ankle. General Manager Adam Pearce stops Raquel from wrapping the chair around Vaquer's left foot, and Raquel leaves the ring.
Backstage, Raquel Rodriguez attacks Stephanie Vaquer again, this time as she is being helped to medical. General Manager Adam Pearce shows up with other officials and ensures that Raquel is removed from the building.
Backstage, Rey Mysterio tells Dragon Lee that he has come a long way and that he will be champion again. Dragon Lee leaves to check on "The Phenomenal" AJ Styles, then Penta shows up and says he has been watching what The Vision ("The Oracle" Paul Heyman, Bron Breakker, "Big" Bronson Reed, Logan Paul, Austin Theory) has been doing. Rey thanks Penta for having his back, and that Penta understands the history, tradition and respect of lucha libre that The Vision want to destroy. Penta tells Rey that he will continue to have his back.
Elle Duncan of Skyscraper Live is seen in the front row.
Liv Morgan beats Lyra Valkyria after Bayley and Roxanne Perez go at it on the outside and Bayley chases Roxanne to the back with a metal folding chair. It is Liv's first match in over seven months.
Backstage, Jackie Redmond interviews CM Punk, who says that everyone would talk about him rather than themselves and that if he is underestimated, he will hit the GTS.
Next week's show will take place live in Dusseldorf, Germany with a special start time of 2 PM Eastern/11 AM Pacific.
CM Punk retains the World Heavyweight Championship against Bron Breakker. During the match, the rest of The Vision ("The Oracle" Paul Heyman, "Big" Bronson Reed, Logan Paul, Austin Theory) gets involved in the match, but they are taken down and chased out through the crowd by Rey Mysterio, Dragon Lee and Penta.
"Main Event" Jey Uso heads to the ring to start tonight's show. The World Heavyweight Championship is on a podium in the middle of the ring. Jey says that people are getting in his ear, but he does not care what they think, as it is just him for the World Heavyweight Championship, but all of a sudden, CM Punk shows up. CM Punk playfully mocks Jey Uso by calling for an encore of his own entrance theme, then says that while he is happy for Jey for listening to himself and avoiding all of the noise before mentioning his friendship with Jey. He says he has never been in Jey's situation because he listened to himself and followed his own heart, which he admits is harder to do when is either losing or about to lose. Punk says he has a lot of questions and that Jey's body language answers a lot of them for him. He says that Jey has what it takes, then asks Jey how far he is willing to go. He says that both of them need to be champion again, as his own time holding the World Heavyweight Championship after beating Gunther was way too short and he knows how far he is willing to go. Punk says that Jey will find himself in a situation that he cannot "yeet" himself out of and asks him again how far he is willing to go. Jey says "Let's go, Punk...let's go, Uce." He says he has swam in deep water before, then says Punk will spin the block and get the fans to think he is the man to get behind while painting him as the bad guy. He then tells Punk to screw himself, as he is about to show him who the best in the world really is.
Backstage, "Dirty" Dominik Mysterio meets with the rest of The Judgment Day (Finn Balor, JD McDonagh, Raquel Rodriguez, Roxanne Perez). Dominik says they have a real problem and says that Penta and Rusev has a #1 contender's match, stating that General Manager Adam Pearce has a vendetta against him. He then says that he will have to face the winner at Saturday Night's Main Event. JD McDonagh has to stop Finn Balor from getting mad at Dominik, then Dominik has to take a phone call.
Actor and musician O'Shea Jackson, Jr. and members of the LA Galaxy MLS team are seen in the crowd.
Penta vs. Rusev to decide a #1 contender for the WWE Intercontinental Championship ends with El Grande Americano and Los Americanos (Rayo and Bravo) attacking both men. Soon afterwards, Rusev takes out Rayo and Bravo, and Penta nearly hits El Grande Americano with a Penta Driver before Rayo and Bravo make the save.
Backstage, Jackie Redmond interviews LA Knight. Knight says that sometimes, one needs a bit of a drive to keep pushing, and while he did not come out with what he needed, he can do what he needs to do, and he will be gunning for whoever becomes World Heavyweight Champion after Saturday.
The Vision ("The Oracle" Paul Heyman, Bron Breakker, "Big" Bronson Reed) meet backstage. Bron Breakker feels they should have been in last week's battle royal, but Paul Heyman reminds him that General Manager Adam Pearce would have suspended them all and kept him away from the promised land. Heyman says there is one man who shares their vision right now, and that he will soon be victimized by someone who is a victimizer. Heyman tells Breakker that if he can beat him, then his path to the World title is clear. Breakker asks Heyman to make a match with that man tonight, and Heyman tells him it is already done and that the match will happen very soon against LA Knight.
We see a video package of Asuka's ten years in WWE.
Backstage, Finn Balor and JD McDonagh meet with General Manager Adam Pearce and find out that one of them will be going one-on-one with Sheamus after they illegally eliminated him in last week's battle royal. McDonagh volunteers to beat Sheamus, and Finn Balor reminds Adam Pearce that they have a tag team title rematch.
Comedienne Cristela Alonzo is seen in the crowd.
Roxanne Perez beats Nikki Bella after hitting Pop Rox out of the corner. After the match, Raquel Rodriguez attacks Nikki Bella, then Stephanie Vaquer runs to the ring. Raquel and Roxanne almost leave the ring, but Raquel confronts Vaquer. Nikki stands alongside Vaquer, and Raquel backs off.
We see a social media video from Bayley, who says that Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss need a real challenge against two of the best: herself and Lyra Valkyria.
Lyra Valkyria runs into The Kabuki Warriors (Asuka and Kairi Sane), and Asuka is not happy that Lyra and Bayley have a tag team title match, which ends up being the surprise Bayley had for Lyra. Bayley arrives as The Kabuki Warriors leave with a matching jacket, and Lyra has never faced Charlotte Flair or Alexa Bliss. Bayley wonders what happens if they lose, but Lyra wonders what happens if they win.
Backstage, Jimmy Uso reminds "Main Event" Jey Uso that he saved him twice, then tells Jey that Jey saved himself in the battle royal.
Bron Breakker beats LA Knight.
Backstage, General Manager Adam Pearce looks for "Dirty" Dominik Mysterio, and he soon finds him with Los Americanos (El Grande Americano, Rayo, Bravo), who take their leave. Dominik says that Los Americanos attacked Penta and Rusev on their own, but Adam Pearce puts Dominik in a Triple Threat Match against Penta and Rusev for the WWE Intercontinental Championship at Saturday Night's Main Event.
Backstage, "Main Event" Jey Uso meets with Jimmy Uso. He tells Jimmy that he loves it and that nothing will change that, but tells him that he did not send him over the top rope and did not betray him. He also says he has a lot on his plate and that he does not have much real estate for anyone left. Jimmy and Jey come to an understanding.
JD McDonagh beats Sheamus after Finn Balor hits Sheamus with his shillelagh as Sheamus goes to the top rope.
Backstage, General Manager Adam Pearce meets with Maxxine Dupri, who has earned a shot at the WWE Women's Intercontinental Championship. Maxxine says she needs to contact a friend to be ready for whatever Becky Lynch throws at her and give Becky the shock of her life.
Backstage, Jackie Redmond interviews Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss. Alexa says they do not back down from a challenge, and Charlotte says they are two matches away from having the most successful defenses as Women's Tag Team Champions. The Kabuki Warriors (Asuka and Kairi Sane) show up, and Asuka says they should be the one with the title shot, then says Bayley and Lyra Valkyria do not stand a chance, and neither do Charlotte and Alexa. Charlotte says that she has beaten her before and looks forward to facing her, but Asuka says Charlotte is not ready for her.
Backstage, AJ Styles and Dragon Lee talk with General Manager Adam Pearce. Styles says next year may be his last year, but right now, he and Dragon Lee are World Tag Team Champions and are looking for challengers. Finn Balor and JD McDonagh show up demanding their World Tag Team Championship rematch, and AJ Styles and Dragon Lee are game for a rematch next week. Pearce makes it official.
We see a spinning red poker chip with "2026" on it.
Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss retain the WWE Women's Tag Team Championships against Bayley and Lyra Valkyria. After the match, The Kabuki Warriors (Asuka and Kairi Sane) run into the ring and attack everyone, but they run away when Bayley stands up to them to protect Lyra.
Roman Reigns heads to the ring to start tonight's show. Roman Reigns says he has big plans for this year and next year, yet he has to be honest to himself, as while the fans acknowledged him, he must acknowledge something to move forward. He says that the fans acknowledged him like it was old times, but it is not "old times" like it used to be. The fans chant "Yes! you are!" Roman then says that maybe he can be, but "The American Nightmare" Cody Rhodes predicted this a year-and-a-half ago and The Vision (Seth "Freakin"" Rollins, Bron Breakker, "Big" Bronson Reed, Paul Heyman) followed through and took everything from him. When the fans chant "Fuck you, Rollins!", Roman says he has felt like that for a long time, then says he does not have what he used to have for a long time, such as a Bloodline, and while he is proud of who was it, especially "Main Event" Jey Uso, who he says should be fighting for the World Heavyweight Championship. He says his time will come. He then says The Vision took everything from him again to the point that they had to find more to take away, which brings him to Bronson Reed. Suddenly, Paul Heyman and Bronson Reed show up, and Heyman brings up that five years ago today was the day that "Brock Lesnar's advocate" became "Roman Reigns' wiseman" and owned everything in WWE as well as the entire industry together. He then mentions that Roman is standing all alone in the ring, by himself. Heyman admits he misses Roman Reigns, as he loved him five years ago and he loves him now, which is why he came out to disrespect him. Heyman tries to counter the "Daddy Cool" Roman Reigns chants with "Bronson Reed," but the fans are having none of it. Heyman says he did not come to disrespect Roman out of malice, but the tough love that a wiseman or oracle can give a Tribal Chief he was going to talk about before he was interrupted by the fans who are not "tough enough to live in Manchester or rich enough to live in London." He admits he is not man enough to give Roman that tough love, but Bronson Reed is. Roman calls Heyman a dumbass, then says Heyman will kiss his ass when he whips Bronson's ass. Bronson Reed says that at Clash in Paris, it is about disrespect, not receipts, and that he will kick Roman's ass. He knows that Roman is an educated man, but his tribe from Samoa is civilized while his tribe is not, as they were exiled and sent to Australia. He says that his tattoos are paid for while Roman's are paid for, and says that he is the Samoan that his dad and uncle warned him about, and he will find out why at Clash in Paris. Roman, just now realizing Bronson is Samoan, says Bronson belongs to him, then decides to give Bronson one more shot since they are family and demands that he return his shoes, apologize to his people for wasting his time, acknowledge him and never disrespect his ways again. This leads to the fans chanting "Give his shoes back!" Bronson hands his stolen shoes to Heyman and tells Roman he does not want him in the ring, as he will make him "acknowledge [his] Tribal Thief." Roman then decides to meet Bronson at the stage, and this leads to Roman and Bronson brawling at the entryway before taking it into the ring. Security gets involved, but they get laid out. Bronson then tries to steal Roman's shoes again, but Roman fights back. Bronson goes for a Tsunami, but security and officials stop him just long enough for Roman to hit Bronson with a Superman punch before laying out just about everyone on the outside and continuing their brawl, which makes its way to the back while the fans do the "Daddy Cool" Roman Reigns chants.
Backstage, Finn Balor and JD McDonagh notice "Dirty" Dominik Mysterio meeting with El Grande Americano. Dominik says everything is under control, then JD and Finn head to the ring.
Dragon Lee beats JD McDonagh after "The Phenomenal" AJ Styles shows up and attacks "Dirty" Dominik Mysterio on the outside and chases him through the crowd.
Backstage, Jackie Redmond interviews LA Knight. He says he has been thinking about what CM Punk did last week and wants to know if it was on accident or on purpose. He agrees with Punk's sentiment to work together against Seth "Freakin'" Rollins, but says Punk has made it a place where that cannot happen because he is "a hungry man." He says it is "feast or famine" at Clash in Paris and rations are limited and that people will go hungry when he wins the World Heavyweight Championship. As for tonight, he has a match with Bron Breakker, who he will smack back to factory settings as he shows everyone whose game it is.
We hear from Rusev, who says that he was brought into the world trained, conditioned and programmed to crush, and that he is what happens when perfection is sought but malice is found, trained by monsters and then let go. He says that he will no longer listen to anyone when it comes to who to hurt, and that he will hurt who he chooses to hurt. Rusev says there is nothing more that he would love to do than hurt Sheamus in a match of his choice in front of people like him: cowards. He says his conscience is clear when it comes to what he has to do, as he is impossible to be good when he is destined to great.
The Judgment Day meet backstage. As Finn and Dominik argue, Raquel says Liv Morgan would not want this. Dominik asks Finn to deal with "The Phenomenal" AJ Styles, as he has known him the longest. Finn says he will meet with General Manager Adam Pearce regarding a match, then says he will deal with AJ himself.
Kofi Kingston beats Penta following the distraction by Grayson Waller after Penta takes Grayson out on the outside.
Backstage, Rhea Ripley is stretching when she is met by Iyo Sky. Iyo thanks Rhea for having her back last week, and while she respects her, The Kabuki Warriors (Asuka and Kairi Sane) are family and they are not happy with her getting involved in their business and that they should keep their distance for a while. The Kabuki Warriors watch from a distance as Rhea says that she respects Iyo and that if she has to do this, then she gets it. Iyo thanks Rhea for understanding, and the two of them hug. Asuka then gets angry.
Backstage, Stephanie Vaquer meets with General Manager Adam Pearce. Pearce says that Stephanie Vaquer is still #1 contender for the Women's World Championship, but the match she is expecting cannot happen in Paris, France. He says that she will have her title match and that he needs a week to finalize some details. Vaquer says she understands and shakes Pearce's hand.
Becky Lynch heads to the ring. Becky talks about how Birmingham, England was a big part of her WWE journey, as it was where she had her WWE tryout. She then says Birmingham was a dump then and is still a dump now, then addresses Nikki Bella calling her out, saying she is not some loser "like Aston Villa or Birmingham City" or some dog who will respond to a whistle. Nikki Bella soon shows up and asks why Becky is acting like a little bitch if she is not a dog, and says that there should not be any problem with Becky defending her title. Becky says she calls the shot and that she does not give away title shots, especially to "Broke Neck Barbie," but Nikki says that this "Broke Neck Barbie" kicked her ass last week and paved the way for her to have a page to write history on. Becky says Brie is the better twin as she admits that Nikki paved the way, yet she did not care, as she never wanted to respect her and only wanted to replace her, which she feels she has done a good job of doing. Nikki says Becky wants to replace her because she is scared to face her, especially when she was "the scared little girl in the corner" and "Charlotte Flair's sidekick." Becky says she is not anyone shadow or sidekick, because it is in her theme song, and says that she is the best of all time because Sports Illustrated said so. Nikki says she cares about what the same fans that Becky craps on week after week say, not Sports Illustrated, as the fans made her relevant. Nikki then says Becky reeks so much of desperation and thinks that Becky has lost her balls. Becky says she has balls, but Nikki says Becky has no class. She also says that Becky cheats and is cheap, then says [she] is another C-word: coward. Becky gives Nikki her match at Clash in Paris, as she is not wrestling in Birmingham, as the only good thing that came out of the city died a month ago and that Ozzy Osbourne had the sense to move to "a proper city" in Los Angeles, and says that if she lived in Birmingham, she would die, too. Nikki says Becky is so mad because as hard as she tries, her name will never be as big as hers, then takes the Women's Intercontinental Championship and raises it up as she proclaims she will be the new champion. Becky goes for a cheap shot, but Nikki sees it coming and fights back, nearly hitting Becky with the Rack Attack 2.0 before Becky slips out and escapes.
Backstage, Jackie Redmond interviews CM Punk. Punk says he is not trying to be anyone's friend and that he understands what is at stake, and that he just wanted everyone on the same page. He says that LA Knight does not want to cooperate, that "Main Event' Jey Uso wants to do it his way, and that Seth "Freakin'" Rollins is the problem and that he has the numbers, and that he wanted to make sure everyone got there so they could take care of him. He says that his actions towards Knight were not malicious, but at the same time, he does not care if Knight went through a table becuase he was "a clumsy idiot." Punk says he is beyond hungry; he is obsessed with holding the World Heavyweight Championship that he held briefly before it was ripped away from him. He says it is every man for himself and that if he has to cripple everyone in the match and paint his masterpiece with their blood, he will do it.
We hear from Sheamus, who welcomes Rusev back to WWE. He admits that he cringed when Rusev returns, as nobody asked for Rusev to come back, especially him, as Rusev lost his love for the game and was passionless to the point that he was speaking to himself in a dark room and craving attention, which he calls "cringe." Sheamus says that something has changed in the last couple of week and have awoken the fighter inside of him, and that everyone now knows who the real Rusev is. Sheamus says Rusev has won back his respect, but he is the one to drag it out of him, and demands Rusev to bring his A-game and his aggression, as he made him relevant again and brought the old Rusev back.
Rhea Ripley beats Roxanne Perez after taking out Raquel Rodriguez on the outside before countering a side Russian leg sweep with a headbutt followed by Riptide. After the match, Raquel attacks Rhea, but when Rhea gets the upper hand and goes for Riptide, Roxanne grabs Rhea by the leg, allowing Raquel to get the better of Rhea. Iyo Sky runs out to the ring despite their vow earlier to keep their distance and makes the save for Rhea.
Backstage, Seth "Freakin'" Rollins is pleased that "Big" Bronson Reed is furious and says that he knows what Bronson is capable of. He says Paris, France is Bronson's time and that he will destroy Roman Reigns, and that tonight, Bron Breakker will make sure LA Knight will not even make it to Paris. He says that this is the vision and eveyrthing that they have dreamed of, and that they are on the verge of becoming so much more.
Actress Georgie Farmer is seen in the crowd.
Backstage, Rhea Ripley and Iyo Sky meet, with Iyo saying she owed Rhea for last week. Rhea thanks Iyo and leaves, then The Kabuki Warriors (Asuka and Kairi Sane) show up. Asuka is angry at Iyo for putting her friendship with Rhea Ripley over her friendship with them, and Kairi Sane is once again caught in the middle. After Asuka leaves, Iyo asks Kairi to trust her, but Kairi says "I'm sorry" before catching up with Asuka.
"The Phenomenal" AJ Styles beats Finn Balor.
Backstage, "Main Event" Jey Uso says his mind is everywhere as he has to keep his eye on The Vision every single week, that he does not know who to trust between CM Punk and LA Knight, and that he is trying to be World Heavyweight Champion again. We then find out he is talking to Roman Reigns, who tells Jey that trusting CM Punk is the last thing he should be doing. He also wants to know why Jey Uso is uptight when he has helped so many people including his own family, and tells him to do this for himself, smash them all and take this to his house. He says it is about capturing moments and locking in a legacy, but that is his perspective.
We hear from Bayley. This time, she is haunted by her "Hugger" persona from before she became "The Role Model." Suddenly, "The Role Model" takes over, and both of these sides of her start arguing with each other. Bayley has to yell at both sides to stop.
It is announced that next week's show will have a 2 PM Eastern start time due to the show airing live from Paris, France.
Backstage, Lyra Valkyria meets with General Manager Adam Pearce regarding Bayley. Pearce says she has heard nothing about Bayley, but he will let her know if he does hear anything. Valkyria leaves, and "Dirty" Dominik Mysterio, JD McDonagh and Finn Balor show up, and Dominik says things need to end between himself and "The Phenomenal" AJ Styles. Pearce announces that next week, AJ Styles and Dominik will go one-on-one for the WWE Intercontinental Championship, much to Dominik's chagrin.
Backstage, Bron Breakker and "Big" Bronson Reed are attacked by Roman Reigns. Security and officials swiftly move in, with Roman Reigns being ejected. As General Manager Adam Pearce tells Breakker that he has a match and to take things to the ring, LA Knight attacks Bron Breakker and takes it to the ring.
Bron Breakker beats LA Knight. During the match, Seth "Freakin'" Rollins runs towards the ring, and LA Knight chases after him only to run right into a Bron Breakker Spear on the outside. Breakker then hits another Spear in the middle of the ring for the win. After the match, Rollins attacks Knight, with Breakker joining in. "Main Event" Jey Uso runs into the ring and fights off Rollins after tossing Brakker out of the ring, and when Breakker gets back in the ring, Rollins hits Jey with a Pedigree. CM Punk shows up afterwards and fights off Breakker on the outside before brawling with Rollins in the ring. Breakker rescues Rollins as Rollins is being kicked by Punk at the ring apron, which leads to "Seth's a pussy!" chants. Punk helps Jey up, but Knight takes offense to Punk being in the ring and both of them argue. When Jey stands between them, Knight shoves Jey to the side before Punk and Knight argue and then brawl. Knight goes for a BFT on Punk, who shoves Knight into Punk. Jey then hits Knight with a Superkick before doing the same to Punk. All the while, Rollins celebrates the fact that all of his Clash in Paris opponents are turning on each other.
