WWE Monday Night Raw 10/16/2023

WWE Monday Night Raw 10/16/2023

Last week's show is here: https://prowresblog.blogspot.com/2023/10/wwe-monday-night-raw-1092023.html

Sami Zayn comes out to talk. He said Kevin Owens has been moved to Smackdown. He said they will both do big things though and Sami said he will show he is a world heavyweight champion level star. He said this happened though due to Jey Uso coming to Raw.

The Judgment Day come out. Rhea said Sami looked lost and usually they would try to recruit people like that. Rhea said they want to get rid of him permanently though. The Judgment Day surround the ring. Jey Uso comes out with chairs and Judgment Day back off.

Shinsuke Nakamura talks about Ricochet. He says he will smash him like a bug on a dirty floor and asks if he put this together or if it was Adam Pearce.

We see Sami Zayn walking around in the back. Jey Uso goes up to him. Sami said he needs a minute and space. Sami said he wants them to be good and said when he saw him out there having his back, it should be Kevin Owens. He said Owens isn't here because of him. He said Jey has everything going for him but he has neither his friend or his tag titles and it's because of Jey. Jey says he still has him though and says it is what it is. Sami then knocks over a ladder and chases after him.

Sami said he is sorry and says to forget about all that. He said he is happy for him and he deserves everything he has gotten. He asks if they are good and Jey hugs him.

Falls Count Anywhere - Shinsuke Nakamura vs Ricochet

Ric nails SN before he gets in the ring. SN spin kicks him then knees him in the gut. SN reverse sitout slams him then Ric corkscrew dives him outside. Ric is thrown into the tron and they fight at gorilla position.

Ric rolls over the ref's back and knees SN. Ric is thrown into the tron but flips off of it. SN gets his knees up on Ric's standing moonsault then Ric dragon screws him. Ric then running ssp's him on the floor.

We go to break and return. Ric stands on up on a rail in the stands then ssp's him off of it. SN hits him with popcorn then knees him off the rails. Ric is then sent into the rails. SN hits Ric with nunchuks then hits a GTS for 2. Ric hits a springboard 450 for 2. Ric gets knocked off the buckles onto a table outside. SN hits a running kinshasa and wins it.

It was a decent falls count anywhere match with them going into the stands and going into gorilla position. They did some creative things and we got a couple of cool spots out of it.

 Chelsea Green and Piper Niven go up to Katana Chance, Kayden Carter and Tegan Nox in the back. Green asks where Natalya is. Nox makes a crack at Green and Green threatens her. Nox said she learned from Lynch to never let anyone disrespect her and asked her how fast she can hide behind Piper.

Imperium does a video. They say the ends do not justify the means because there are no ends, just means. Gunther says there is no man like him, just him.

Piper Niven vs Natalya

Piper shoulders her over then Nat slaps her. Nat hits punches then does a spinning headscissors. Nat low dropkicks her then Piper's head is banged off the top buckle. Piper knees her and knocks her off the apron.

Piper misses a senton then they blow some low dropkicks spot. Piper misses a low crossbody then is kicked in the face. Nat hits a bad la magistral and spinning lariats her for 2. Chelsea Green gets on the apron and Nat back elbows her. Nata's head is banged off the mat and Piper hits a basement crossbody to win.

It was short and bad with multiple missed spots and sloppy moments.

They fight after and Green helps out. Tegan Nox then comes out to help. The heels back off and get out of the ring.

Judgment Day talk in the back. Priest said he wanted JD to get beat up last week but felt a little bad when Drew went after him. Priest said they need to take out Drew McIntyre. Rhea comes in and Priest asks where she's been. Rhea said they need to focus on winning the tag titles tonight. Rhea said she will remind the division why she's always on top and said they will remind the rest of Raw, who runs it. 

 

Seth Rollins comes out to talk, wearing some wild glasses. He said Drew came to challenge him out there fair and square like a good guy, but then lets him get jumped by Judgment Day. He said he has a lot of questioms about what went on, but says only Drew can answer those questions.

Drew McIntyre comes out. He says he wants him at 100% for Crown Jewel, but says he doesn't want to babysit him for the next few weeks. Seth said he proved he can handle business on his own. Seth asked if he is doing the same, or if he enlisted some help. Seth then shows a video clip of Drew and Rhea talking in the background while Pearce and Ricochet talked. Seth asked him to elaborate.

Drew said Rhea came to him and it's none of his business. Seth said Drew had some failures and is now getting help from Judgment Day. Seth says dealing with Judgment Day is a slope Drew doesn't want to go down. Drew says he doesn't need Judgment Day and brings up Bloodline. Seth says Drew needs to move on as Bloodline has moved on from him. Seth says to get over it.

Drew talks about beating Brock Lesnar and losing to Roman. Drew said Seth needs to think about how he will reinvent himself when he beats him for the title at Crown Jewel. Seth says he will beat him at Crown Jewel and says Drew will have no one to blame but himself. 

We get a video on Bronson Reed. We then see Logan Paul challenge Rey Mysterio for the US title after his boxing match. We see clips from an interview where Rey says he is always up for a challenge.

Ludwig Kaiser vs Johnny Gargano

Johnny hits a thesz press, mounted punches then a flying headscissors. Johnny topes him. Kaiser hits a knee then a kick to the back. Johnny is sent int othe post shoulder first then dropkicked while hangs from the middle rope. Johnny goes to springboard but is nailed.

Kaiser knocks him off the apron into the rail and we go to PiP break. We return and Kaiser has a cobra clutch on. Johnny whips him hard into the 2nd buckle, face first. Kaiser is back rolled into a kick then Johnny slingshot spears him through the ropes. Johnny hits a 2nd rope swinging flatliner for 2.

Johnny superkicks his head into the 2nd buckle then hits a sunset bomb off the ropes. Johnny stomps on him then Kaiser does a rolling death valley driver for 2. Kaiser gets pulled down over the top, runs into Vinci and argues with him. Johnny ddt's him over the 2nd rope then slingshot ddt's him for 2. Vinci interrupts the count.

Johnny goes after Vinci outside and bangs his head off the announcer's table. Kaiser enzugiri's Johnny then hits a blade runner ddt to win it.

It wasn't too good. It had Johnny's usual extra flips and stuff on every move and the outside stuff with Vinci didn't help it.

Indi Hartwell and Dakota Kai go up to Becky in the back. Indi asks when she will get a shot at the NXT Women's Title since she never lost it. Becky says she will do that right now. Becky and Rhea then stare down.

Drew and Sami talk in the back. Drew said he appreciates Sami diffusing the situation between him and Jey. Drew says Sami has proved himself since Bloodline and stepped up around here as a leader. Drew said he didn't like Sami forgiving Jey earlier. Sami said Drew is the only person who doesn't buy things with Jey. Sami says he can related to Drew about The Bloodline stuff. Drew said Sami can't relate because he has never been world champ. He says Sami will never be world champ acting like that. Sami said if he doubts what level he is at, Drew can face him next week one on one. Drew says he doesn't back down from a fight and says he will fight him next week.

Rhea Ripley comes down and says everyone wants a piece of her. She said the women's division is trying to prove how tough they are. She says this is her division and says she will always be on top.

Rhea Ripley vs Shayna Baszler

 Rhea slams her down and SB ankle locks her. SB pounds on her then takes a forearm. SB then arm whips her down into the mat. SB stomps the arm and hits kicks to it. Rhea stomps SB's foot and lariats her. Rhea back elbows her then hits a spinning back elbow. They trade shots and SB germans her. SB knees her in the face for 2.

They go up on the buckles and Rhea top drope dropkicks her. SB goes for an armbar. Rhea deadlift slams her out of the triangle. Nia Jax comes down. Raquel Rodriguez follows her then Zoey Starks dives off the rails onto Nia. Raquel then throws Zoey in the ring and running boots Nia. The ref does nothing to get Zoey out of there. Raquel dives at Nia and goes head first into the steps. Zoey superkicks Rhea and the calls for the bell.

Rhea and Nia Jax then stare down. Nia gets in and takes shots from Rhea and Zoey. Zoey superkicks Nia out and ends up being the only person left standing.

I didn't like this. The wrestling wasn't real clean and it was ridiculuous that Zoey was in the ring and the ref wasn't trying to get her out.

Adam Pearce and Becky Lynch talk in the back. Adam sets up Lynch vs Nox for the NXT Title. Xia Li then comes in to yell at Becky. She said Indi and Nox have passed her up for title shots. Becky says if she wants to be a contender, just say the words. Xia said she will on her time. Jade Cargill then walks in. They say a word or two and Becky leaves. Adam then welcomes Jade to Raw.

Jey Uso and Cody Rhodes are interviewed. Jey says he has Sami Zayn's back. Cody talks about people maximizing opportunities and says Judgment Day won't cast a shadow over Raw. This was short and not good.

WWE Intercontinental Title - Gunther (C) vs Bronson Reed 

They shoulder battle and Gunther facekicks him. Reed bodyblocks him. Reed comes off the apron and takes a shot then Gunther pushes his back into the apron. Gunther puts him in a sleeper. Reed gets out then back body drops him on the apron. Reed shoulders him off the apron and we go to break.

We return and they lariat battle. Reed superkicks him then powerslams him for 2. Gunther hits clotheslines to the front and back then takes a death valley driver for 2. Reed sentons him and Gunther gets hits knees up. Gunther lariats him for 2.

They go up top and trade chops. Reed top rope superplexes him. Gunther gets hits knees up on a top rope splash then lariats him. Gunther top rope splashes him for 2. Gunther then wins it with a powerbomb.

It was on the shorter end and rushed. They did what they could with it, but it wasn't the classic it could have been.

 The Miz is interviewed. He isn't happy that the show wasn't started with him. He mocks Sami being upset about Owens leaving, saying Owens turned on him many times. Miz complains about Adam Pearce and says Nick Aldis should be the GM of Raw and SD.

Nia Jax then pushes Miz aside and talks on the mic. She said everyone has hit her with her best shot and she is still standing. She said she hasn't hit anyone with her best shot, but when she does, they stand down. She says she does the squashing on Monday Night Raw. Miz then complains abut being interrupted and the interviewed says they ran out of time.

Rhea Ripley interrupts Adam Pearce in the back. She tells him to get the women's division in order or she will. Adam tells her not to tell him what to do. Adam says if she wants to make a statement, she can do so in a 5-way at Crown Jewel. Rhea says "he's fired" and gets mad.

Jinder Mahal, Sanga and Veer then go up to talk to him but they cut it off before we hear anything.

Alpha Academy is working out in the back with Tozawa. The New Day walk in and Chad says they are late for class. They said they heard them talking about the tag titles and said that means they are talking about them. The New Day and Otis gyrate. Chad said they should face each other next week. Tozawa yells "arigato" and we see him dance with weights.

Imperium talk in the back. Gunther tells his boys they did a fantastic job tonight. Gunther says Kaiser fulfilled his responsibility but VInci didn't. Gunther says he saw Johnny Gargano walking around the back earlier and said he expects Gargano to be stretched out next week. He says it is Kaiser's responsibility.

WWE Undisputed Tag Titles - Cody Rhodes and Jey Uso (c) vs Judgment Day (Finn Balor and Damien Priest)

We join this in progress. Cody cartwheels out of an armlock by Finn. Cody gutbusters Finn on his shoulders by dropping down. Jey to rope elbow drops Finn's knee. Jey is pulled down over the top to the floor. Finn slingshot stomps Jey. Jey is put over Finn's knee and legdropped.

Jey spinning enzugiri's Priest. Cody drops down and punches Priest then powerslams him and Finn. Cody hits a disaster kick on Priest. Dom comes down and Cody knocks him off the apron. Jey superkicks Finn and Priest then Cody hits a cross rhodes on Priest. Dom puts Priest's leg on the rope to stop the count.

Cody goes after Dom outside. Finn lariats Cody as he runs around outside after Dom. We go to break and return again. Cody hits a pedigree on Priest. Jey samoan drops Finn then top rope crossbodies him. Finn elbow slices Jey for 2. Jey superkicks him then Finn takes a lifting flatliner + Cody cutter combo. Finn kicks out at 2.

Cody topes Priest outside and is caught, then chokeslammed on the apron. Jey comes off the top and Finn gets his knees up. Dom gets on the apron and Sami comes down to pull him off. Sami throws Dom int othe post and steps. Cody throws Priest over the rail outside.

Cody is knocked off the apron by Finn then Finn and Jey lariat each other down at the same time. Priest hits a low blow on Cody then razor edge's him through a table. Jey topes Priest. Finn sling blades Jey in the ring then shotgun dropkicks him. Finn misses a top rope double stomp and Jey spears him. Jey spears Priest. Jimmy Uso comes out and superkicks Jey on the apron. Finn then hits a top rope double stomp on Jey for the win.

It was short and rushed. It was joined in progress and they didn't even bother with the smaller moves. This had all kinds of interference and shenanigans and there just wasn't a lot of meat to this one at the end of the day. Judgment Day kind of needed the tag titles back but it's a shame that Cody and Jey lost before they really got going.

Overall thoughts: The big matches didn't get enough time here and while they had good card on paper, it didn't deliver. It was watchable but nothing great.